LAYANNE

I sighed as I walked into my home still thinking about the interview I just had with Asher and Alistair.

I had a lot to go over and a long powerful friendship to map out. I smiled as I smelt the brownies from the doorway.

“Hey honey I’m home” I called out to my sister who I knew was in the house. She was the titled baker in the family, it couldn’t be anyone else making brownies at 2:30 pm.

Exactly as I expected, she walked out with a playful frown on her face. Her white apron and chef’s hat immaculate with not a smidge of flour or chocolate anywhere; meticulous as always.

She rolled her eyes at my cheeky smile “Annie I have told you time and time again, stop using me as your “secret” lover for your followers. Most of them only care about your books anyways”.

I snorted “Shut up Mitch and show me the brownies”, I replied walking past her towards something much more interesting.

As I took one step forward, Mitch jumped back to the front of the kitchen doorway to stop me from entering. I raised an eyebrow “Um sweetheart I love you but if you don’t get your ass away from between me and those brownies, we’re going to have a problem”

She sighed “First of all, do I have to remind you again that you’re 5’3 at best and I’m 5’7, also I made those brownies and I can take them away from you permanently if I wish so stow your entitlement and finally you can have as many as you want when you tell me about Alistair and Asher"

I groaned “Seriously? You know that information is supposed to be confidential”

She smiled her best dopey “puppy dog" smile before replying “Yes and you know I’m your only sister, and also the one between you and those brownies”

I gasped “Are you sure you want to study medicine and not business? I’m telling you, cause this is less hippocratic and more wall street. I mean those medical fees are a bitch so if you want to change your mind now…”

She groaned “Whatever, do we have a deal or not?”

I shrugged “Fine, you can listen to the interview recordings while I take my notes after dinner. Now out of my way little girl”

She folded her arms as she moved out of the way “I am a 5’7 14 year old woman; I am in no way little”

I tuned her out, following my nose towards the pan of chocolate sweetness.

It’s good to be home.

I sighed rubbing my hands into my shoulders, rotating my head back and forth, shoving what I was sure was the fifth brownie into my mouth while my sister just shook her head at me in amusement.

I shrugged still massaging my shoulders “Oh Shut it, I’ll just run some more miles tomorrow”

She rose her arms up in submission “Hey I didn’t say nothing, you keep rubbing your shoulders, you want me to give you a hand?”

I smiled at her, “Nah, that’s alright.I’m going to take a shower and rest for a while ,mum’s getting in at 7 today right?”

She nodded in response, listening attentively. Another facet of her personality I greatly appreciated.

“Good. Come get me at 5:30 so we can start up dinner. We’re having pasta bolognese today” I replied standing up to walk out of the kitchen.

I took a step back and looked over to her again “Thank you for the brownies Mitch, they were delicious”

She smiled. She said nothing, but I knew what that smile meant so I walked out of the kitchen.

I continued rubbing at my shoulders but as I walked up the stairs, I couldn’t help but constantly go over that evening in my head.

I was glad I hid it well, but having a full conversation with Asher and Alistair simultaneously was quite overwhelming.

They both have this air around them; Alistair is just a combination of charisma and confidence while Asher just comes off really guarded.

Its dealing with the almost choking presence of an extrovert and trying to balance it with constantly engaging the hidden spirit of an introvert to keep them with you.

I shook my head, realizing my tired feet and drifting thoughts had brought me over to my room.

I pushed open the door, smiling as the large double bed came to view. At that moment I wasn’t sure there was anyone who loved their bed as much as I did.

I groaned as I dropped down, back flat on it; Thank God, I made up this room before leaving for the coffee house instead of procrastinating — “Like I always do”, I muttered quietly to myself.

Maybe, I could just forget about my promise to my mum about being perfectly hygienic and just fall asleep in my filth right here. I mean what mum doesn’t know couldn’t really hurt her.

Then again, she would find out somehow, she’d really take one good look at me and know — I swear that woman is part witch.

I slammed my hand down on my forehead as I realized I was once again procrastinating and just plain wasting time by having full discussions with myself. — Come on Layanne, get your lazy, dirty ass up and into the shower. You have dinner to make and notes to take.

I pushed myself off the bed, stripping off my crop top and shorts.

One reason I’m really grateful about being able to afford things now, is getting a room with a full ensuite shower; I couldn’t help but think as I put on my teal shower cap and walked over to my shower.

Yeah, I still love how that sounds.

I sighed, stepping into the shower and shutting the glass door behind me, then I practically moaned as the warm water ran down my back.

I definitely needed this.

“Come on, Ann pleaseee”.

I rolled my eyes at my sister who stood in front of the tv screen, waving her hand back and forth to block my view of Will Smith as much as possible.

“Mitch, I said no”, I replied folding my arms, with the best straight, matter-of-fact expression I could muster.

She finally stopped, flopping down on the ground directly in front of me. “Come on Layanne, why can’t I listen to the recordings now”

I rubbed my hand into my temples, silently requesting to know why God gave me a fan girl for a sister.

“Because Mitch, we just finished up dinner like ten minutes before, it is currently only ten minutes to 7 which is dinner time and I would like to be relaxed and work free when I eat”

When she paused and huffed in resignation, I was relieved until she opened her mouth and said “Why, you literally slept for over an hour before you came down to make dinner. How much more rest could a person possibly need?”

I was so stunned at the sass in her tone, I burst out laughing “Wow, Alistair would really like you. Come on Mitch, don’t be rude. Just wait till after dinner, we would both be able to focus more then”.

She nodded bashful. I could tell her response had shocked her too, she was bold but she usually toed the line. Alistair really did have an effect on women.

I felt my cheeks heat up, when I remembered him calling me beautiful earlier today.

I must have been smiling too because Mitch looked up at me, with an expression that read — Could she get any stranger — it also looked like she wanted to ask.

Luckily I didn’t have to look for excuses to give as I was quite literal saved by the bell.

My mum’s arrival almost always meant dinner time, so it wasn’t surprising when my stomach growled in unison with ringing doorbell.

I stood up, because I knew Mitch wouldn’t and walked over to the vinyl front door. I swung open door to reveal my 5’7 beaming mother.

Yeah, she was a ball of sunshine.

She paused when she noticed I was standing unmoving in the doorway. She raised an eyebrow, staring up at me “What, you’re not going to let me into my own home again?”

I shook my head smiling, before wrapping my arms around her.

“You’re early today”, I simply replied.

She locked the door behind her, leaving her arm around my waist and beaming at me again “Yes, I got Maxine to cover for me. I was really excited to know how your day went with that cute quiet white artist and his famous handsome friend you’ve been talking about”

My entire body got goosebumps and went red hot at her words “First of all, I only talked about them once and secondly, not you too momma. I already have Mitch bothering me about it”.

She only chuckled saying nothing else, as we walked over to the dining table where Mitch had begun to set up for dinner.

She stopped for a minute when she noticed my mum and I, before shaking her head and saying “I know I’ve said this before, but you and mum look a lot alike and I feel like its becoming more visible everyday”

I rolled my eyes, she was right. I had stolen practically all my mum’s features, from her darker skintone, to her head shape, big round eyes, mouth and slim body build; though I seemed to have severely missed it in the height department.

Meanwhile my sister looked like a more perfect combination of my mum and dad.

She was a shade lighter than us both, owing to his more light skinned complexion, she had his smaller eyes, slightly pointed ears which I always thought made her look like an elf and his broad shoulders; she also had his slimmer nose and thicker eyebrows which are the only features I shared with him too.

Though we both had our mum’s small bow lip shape and slim build, she seemed to take after them both when it came to height, as my dad was pretty tall at 6’2.

“Shut up M. You look like mum too. At least you didn’t get left high and dry when it came to the height department” I finally replied, gesturing at my whole 5’5 at best self.

She snickered and my mum just made a face at our conversation throwing her hands up “Why is this always an argument, I mean you both got blessed in the looks department and this is the thanks your dad and I get? Also, Mitch where is my “welcome home from saving people” hug?”

I laughed, as Mitch grimaced before replying “Momma, I’d love to hug you, you know I would but why do you always insist on it before you have your shower?”

My mum’s shoulders shook as she laughed at my sister’s honest sass “I actually just love seeing the expression on your face. Alright, alright, I missed my babies. Let me go freshen up and change so we can eat; that damn hospital food, I swear”

I smiled as she left and Mitch went back to arranging the cutleries and cups.

I couldn’t help but think how much I loved this little family.

Thirty minutes into dinner and I was ready to take that thought back.

My mum and Mitch just kept side eyeing me, that one look you get from someone and you know they want to ask something

I finally got fed up with it “Yes, they both look like that in real life too. Clear skin, pretty eyes all of that. Yes Mitch Alistair does dress, act and talk like a sex god. I see everyone’s done with dinner, Mitch help me clear up so we can go listen to the recordings”

I stood up , carrying my plate and biting my lip to keep from smiling at my mum’s frozen wide eyed expression and Mitch who looked like she was about to burst through the ceiling.

I had just shut the kitchen door behind me when I heard her booming voice “I KNEW IT!” followed by mum’s much sterner “Mitch Rachelle Brooks, what in the world do you know about sex gods??”

I cackled loudly as I heard my sister shuffle into the kitchen with her and my mum’s plates “I think I’m ready to help you with the dishes now”

It was 8:30 now, the dishes were washed, dried and stacked and Mitch was currently sitting across from me at my little study desk, cross legged on my bed.

She was quiet, waiting. I understood that all jokes apart Alistair meant something to her. His passion for his music, is partly why she never gave up playing the guitar and singing, though she wanted to. Well that and what it added to her college resume.

It made sense she’d want to know more about him and Asher, especially with how private Asher was.

I nodded my head at her as I finally played out the recording.

I took out my notes, jotting down important points from the discussion including an already forming plan for how the book should start. Mitch and I just listened like that, our minds to busy absorbing every word.

For us both in a way, every sentence was an inch closer to unravelling the web of mystery surrounding their lives.

After about an hour, the recording finally stopped. I made a mental note to listen again tomorrow and record any other important details I might have missed.

Mitch finally spoke “Wow, he sounds so beautiful”

I rolled my eyes with a smile, “Who? Alistairrr?”

She still had an awestruck expression on her face as she shook her head and replied “No, I know how Alistair sounds. It’s hot. I’m talking about Asher, I’ve never heard him speak for so long before or ever really and he just..He sounds so beautiful”

I found myself taken aback with the raw emotion in her voice and the seriousness of her tone.

It shocked me even more that as I thought back to the recordings and farther to the actual conversations, remembering his airy chuckle at Alistair’s behaviour, his soft tone when he spoke, the light and glow in his eyes when he finally let go and smiled that I completely agreed with her, just as strongly as she’d expressed it.

So I replied “Yes, that’s because he is”