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"Seriously," I protested, "you can't just crank up the office air conditioner whenever you like. It's not environmentally friendly."
Hank rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go again with the 'save the planet' talk again. You know, not everyone enjoys sweating through their clothes."
"I don't sweat, I glow," I retorted, the corner of my mouth curling upward in amusement.
Soon, we had moved on to discuss the office printer, with Hank accusing me of treating the office supplies like my personal property. "Oh really?" I quipped, "and I suppose using the office notice board as your personal color coordination display isn't?"
He laughed. "That board has never looked better!"
Amid this flurry of words, I couldn't help but notice Mike, sitting comfortably at the end of the table, watching our exchange with a dreamy expression. His eyes twinkled with a familiar joy as he listened to our banter, chin resting on his hands.
"What's with that look, Mike?" I asked, cocking my head to one side.
Mike chuckled, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You two remind me so much of Joe and me in our early days," he said, "the energy, the rhythm, the sparks. I remember it as if it was just a few weeks ago. But it was... how long ago was it now? Something like 5 years?"
Joe, Hank, and I chorused, "5 weeks ago."
Mike shrugged. "Oh? No wonder I remember it so clearly then. Anyway..." His gaze shifted between Hank and me. "It's sweet how you both think you can control your attraction to each other."
Hank and I burst out laughing at his comment, dismissing it as utterly absurd. "You're imagining things," I insisted, while Hank echoed, "Far from reality. The farthest."
But Mike merely shook his head, a knowing smile etched on his face, a silent testament to his certainty.
A languid contentment had settled over us in the aftermath of dessert, a sinful chocolate cake. The peaceful lull was broken when Joe's gaze started darting around the room, his brow furrowing in concern.
"Where's Bubbles?" he wondered aloud, referring to the family's feline member, who had been absent for a while now.
Mike responded with an amused giggle, saying, "She's probably upstairs, either smitten with the life-size Teddy Bear or horrified by it."
Joe rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "I'll just go feed her." He excused himself from the room and went upstairs with cat food.
There was a sudden knock at the door. Mike, curiosity sparking in his eyes, sprang up and went to answer it. Hank and I followed, lingering a few steps behind. As the door creaked open, we were met with the sight of a stunning woman. Her striking resemblance to Joe was undeniable, and she introduced herself as Emma, his sister.
At the mention of Emma's relationship with Joe, Mike's face lit up with a blend of shock and sheer joy. "Joe's sister?" he squealed, his excitement contagious.
Eagerly, he welcomed Emma into their home, leading her to the spacious, plush living room. He was practically bouncing with vibrant energy, an aura of happiness radiating off him. I watched, my heart swelling with a warm sense of joy for Mike. He had long yearned to connect with Joe's family, and it was heartening to see his wish come true.
Emma settled on the couch, her attention flitting between the different faces in the room. A brief flicker of recognition passed over her features as she spotted Hank, nodding at him with a bright smile. "Hank, it's been a while!"
Before Hank could respond, Mike plopped down beside Emma, his excitement unabated. "Hi, Emma! I'm Mike," he chirped, launching into a barrage of inquiries. "So, what's your favorite color? Do you also have a weird obsession with orderliness like Joe? Did he use to steal your toys as a kid, or was he the saint he claims to be?"
Caught off guard, Emma laughed at his rapid-fire questioning, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Whoa, slow down, Mike! I wasn't expecting a quiz tonight."
Her remark seemed to put everyone at ease, melting away any lingering awkwardness. Addressing Mike's curiosity about Joe's childhood habits, she said, "Joe was no saint, let me tell you. He had this favorite teddy bear, and he wouldn't let me anywhere near it!"
“Aha, I knew it!” Mike’s laughter filled the room.
Emma went on to explain her reason for the impromptu visit. "Joe's been a little distant recently. I was worried, so I thought I'd drop by to check on him."
Mike brushed off her concerns lightly. "Oh, Joe and his 'man of mystery' phase! He does that from time to time, trust me, it's nothing new."
Mike painted vivid pictures of Joe's perfectionist streak, particularly his borderline obsessive behavior towards their bookshelves. Emma countered with tales of their childhood, like the time a young Joe had hoarded all the Easter eggs, refusing to share them with anyone else.
The mention of Bubbles drew Emma into a whole new world. "Joe told me about his new cat. He made it sound like she was the queen of the house."
Mike raised an eyebrow in mock offense. "His cat? Oh no, she is my cat! Joe just likes to pretend otherwise. You should have seen her hiss when she first met Joe. I had to physically restrain her to stop her from scratching his face off. She was furious, as if his mere presence was offending her."
The door upstairs creaked open, the sound slicing through our conversation. Joe's footsteps echoed on the staircase, a steady rhythm until he stepped into the living room, freezing mid-step at the sight of Emma.
