Alberta's Ghost (Every House Has it's Secrets!)

Chapter 29- Dumbfounded

     "Yeah it's me!" Viola replied and smiled through her teeth as she walked out of the bathroom.

Amelia was dumbfounded; her mouth hung open.

Viola strolled out of the bathroom shyly, wearing just Joe's T-shirt. William rushed into the room when he heard Viola's voice.

"What are you doing here V?" Will asked pretending not to understand.

"She spent the night with me– ", Joe quickly spoke up.

"Yeah, we're a couple now". Viola added.

The room went silent with surprise written on Will and Amelia's faces.

"Well good for you two!" William exclaimed with a smile after a moment of silence.

"I knew it! I've always known there was something between you guys– ", Amelia added with excitement. "You guys are great together!" She nodded.

"Come on Amelia let the man eat his breakfast!" William dragged her out of the room.

Joe quickly locked the door behind them.

Viola began to laugh and soon Joe joined her, they continued to laugh like two drunks!

"I did not see that coming!" Joe laughed again.

"Well at least the cat's out of the bag!" Viola added.

"You're amazing you know that?!" Joe glided over to her side and pulled her to his chest. "Your eyes– they– they get to me!" He whispered, "You're beautiful!"

Viola smiled with a hidden blush and rested her head on his warm chest.

"Come on Let's go join them downstairs", William pointed to the food.

Joe finally decided to finish up his dressing, so he tucked his blue shirt into the trousers, put on some black shiny shoes, then he knotted a tie around his neck and brushed his hair with a hair brush.

He flipped a cream coloured suit over his shoulders and slipped his long arms into the suit's arms. He sprayed on some body perfume and wore a silver wrist watch, then he took one last look at the mirror and nodded his head in satisfaction.

Viola took off William's shirt, then she put on his blue robe, she collected her clothes from the bed snappily and headed towards the door, she paused, turned around and winked at Joe with a smile,

"You're so handsome!" She whispered and cat walked out of the room effortlessly and gracefully.

Joe shook his head and blushed with a smile. He picked up his phone, car keys and the tea tray Amelia had brought in. Then he headed for the dining room.

On his way down he could hear the kids being so loud, Amelia and Olivia were shouting at them to behave as they dressed them up while eating. He entered the room and saw William seating on his usual side of the table with a newspaper in his hand— he could see how William was so focused on the papers despite the noise around him.

Monica was busy scrolling through her phone with such interest.

He also noticed that Uncle Millie had already left that morning and Mrs Johnson wasn't at the table, Grandpa had already finished half of the food on his plate without paying any attention to his noisy grand kids.

Uncle Junior was busy watching the kids with a smile as they struggled with their mothers— it was amusing to him.

Joe continued to watch them for some seconds without anyone noticing him, he smiled as he admired the Johnson family, he was happy to have met them.

"Good morning everyone!" Joe exclaimed happily.

"Good morning Joe!" They chorused in return.

"Hey kids what's the fuss about?! You gotta eat to be strong like me, don't you want that?!" He raised his arm up and showed off his muscle to the kids.

"Yeah!" The kids exclaimed.

"Now stop stressing your mums and eat well ok?"

"Ok!" They agreed and immediately the commotion in the room vanished.

Joe settled down in his chair and placed the tray on the table.

"Wow these cookies are amazing!" He chewed them with contentment and praised Amelia's baking.

Viola ran the down the stairs to join the folks at the dining.

"Hey lovelies!"

"Aunty V!" The kids greeted her with excitement.

"Mmm these smell nice!" She sat down beside Joe and took a cookie from the pile of cookies on the table, she chewed on it and swallowed it down with some milk.

Everyone dived into their plates with joy!