return • theo raeken [2]

epilogue.

A couple hours later after I take a shower and avoid Theo, I help Jonah carry hamburgers, hotdogs, and bratwursts out to the backyard where Charlie is starting the grill. Asher still has an hour left in his shift at the grocery store, so he'll get home just in time for dinner.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, will Charlie manage to not burn dinner today?" Jonah asks in a game show host voice, speaking into his fist before handing the mic to me. I grab his wrist.

"Uh, no?" I answer.

He rips his hand out of my grasp.

"That's correct! Lucky contestant number three, you win a crispy hamburger! Better put some mayo on it."

Charlie is staring at us with an unamused expression on his face. There's defeat in his eyes as he's possibly questioning how he was unfortunate enough to be related to us. He points at the grill he's been scraping at to prepare for the meat.

"Do you want to do this? Because I'd be happy to give you–Oh, wait!" Charlie starts laughing. "You still don't know how to work the grill, my bad."

I bite my tongue to keep from laughing, but my face gives me away as Jonah side-eyes me. He mocks Charlie but it's pointed at me.

He says, "People under 5'8" should never laugh."

Charlie starts laughing as I shove Jonah over as he laughs with our older brother.

"People who sing Britney Spears horribly in the shower should never laugh. Oops I Did It Again? Please don't."

Charlie laughs harder and slaps Jonah on the chest as the latter stares at me in shock. I smile and tilt my head at him, waiting for his next comeback. When he doesn't come up with one quick enough, I press the tips of my fingers against my fake earpiece.

"Oh baby, baby," I sing in my best Britney impression. Jonah shakes his head.

"That was terrible!"

"Better than you!"

Theo speaks up from behind me, "I don't know. You're both equally terrible."

Jonah is more offended than I am as Theo approaches us. He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses the side of my head.

"There's no way that I sound as bad as her. Have you heard her? What does it remind you of?" Jonah looks around but no one provides an answer. "Ever heard two cats fighting?"

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

No one says a word. Jonah stands there smirking at me. I roll my eyes.

"These hamburgers aren't going to cook themselves," I say, defeatedly.

Everyone laughs which makes me mock their laughs. I flip Jonah off, but he's not bothered and just returns the gesture. Theo pulls me away back into the house. I let him because I'm not that upset. My singing voice does sound like fighting cats. We head for the kitchen. Someone still needs to make the macaroni salad, and I'm half tempted to force Theo to do it. I get the ingredients out. The macaroni noodles were already cooked. All I have to do is mix everything. Theo sits at the island as I do everything.

"Did you get the wall done?" I ask with a cheeky smile. Theo playfully rolls his eyes.

"No thanks to you."

"It's really gonna suck when you have to do the second coat all by yourself."

I make a face at him as I start mixing the sauce that coats the macaroni. I have to be careful because I only have one shot to make sure the salad isn't dry. Theo scrolls through his phone.