*MATTHIAS*

That was... interesting. I mean now I have to call Devin's mom and talk to her. What am I suppossed to say exactly? Hi, you son wants a play-date with mine even though they've never technically met? I guess I'll figure it out when the time comes. FFirstI'm going to call my mother and let her know about Nico, or at least the part where he's helping out.I dial the number from memory and she picks up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom."

"Oh Matthias, how lovely to hear from you."

"It's great to hear from you too mom." It is, I mean my mom is great. It's just well, she's mom. She's a wonderful lady, but to me her personality is a bit overwhelming. That's just me though. It must be because she's my mother.

"Oh now! Come, you must have a reason to call other then just to hunor me. You really ought to call more often you know."

"Yes I do. Hey mom, do you remember Nico?"

"Nico? You mean the young man who came and got Elijah from me last week when Zainey was in the hospital?"

"Yes, that'd be him."

"Sure, what about him?" There's a hint of curiousity in her voice. Why wouldn't there be?

"Well he's going to be helping Serena and I out some more."

"Helping you out? What would he be helping you with?" Now there is definitelymore than a hint of curiosity.

"With the housework and the boys. At least until Serena has the baby, maybe even afterwards. He's around to lessen the stress on her." I frown at that. It hadn't occurred to me that there might be a time when he'd leave us again. I know it should be obvious that he can't stay here forever and everything be perfectly fine;I just hadn't really thought about it.

"Interesting..." Her voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"What is mother?"

"Oh nothing. It just seems a bit strange that Nico would show up all of a sudden when Serena is pregnant and was so willing to help when Zainey got sick. After all I had never even heard of him before last week." What is my mom getting at? She loves Serena and has never had a bad thing to say about her. She can't be thinking what it sounds like she's is.

"Speaking of Serena... who are things going between the two of you dear?" If only she knew. Good thing I haven't told her about Nico moving in with us.

"There fine mom. I hope you aren't implying what I think. I thought you liked Serena." Besides she has no idea how wrong that is. That it's because of me that Nico's around to begin with.

"I do! I love her in fact, and I'm not trying to say anything. I was just pointing out how strange the situation is, but I want you to know that it's okay if something's going on. These things happen sometimes. Every couple has issues and rough patches they go through. Sometimes things are just not meant to be, or they are just meant to be different." I furrow my eyebrows. Is my mom trying to give me some type of advice? If so what is it? How is it that my mom has always been able to sense when something is going on anyway? It was the same way when I was growing up too.

"Okay mom, I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, and Matthias?"

"Yes mother?"

"You know I'm always here if you need to talk or just get away, right? No matter how old you get." She sounds pretty concerned about me.

"Yes mom, thanks. Things are fine at the moment though."

"Okay if you say so."

"Yeah. Oh, and mom? I almost forgot. Next time you pick the boys up from school expect Nico to be the one that comes to get them."

"Not a problem dear."

"Love you mom." I really do.

"I love you too baby." Wow, even now I'm still my mom's baby. I sigh as I hang up. I have no words to describe how weird that conversation was.

Okay, time for the next phone call. Why am I doing this again? Oh, that's right. I'm doing this because those two in the other room ganged up on me. I'm helpless against one of them, but against both I have no chance. I suspect that's why Nico brought it up in front of her.

I peak my head into the other room and see them getting along wonderfully. I like seeing them talking and laughing with each other; I almost hate to break it up.

"Hey Nico?" He looks up at me with his eyes sparkling with laughter.

"I need the number to call Devin's mom." He jumps up.

"Oh yeah, I'll go get it. It should be in all my paperwork I brought from the school." He glances at Serena.

"Sorry about this, I'll be back in a second."

"Oh no, that's fine. I'm going to go check on Zainey anyway and see if he's hungry."

"Okey Dokey!" Huh? Did he just say okey dokey? Gah, sometimes I wonder about him. Even so I can't help but love him. As I'm pondering the strangeness of Nico he jumps on top of me. Literally.

"What was that for?"

"Well you were spaced out and I got the number for you. I just wanted to get you attention." I shake my head at him and smile. Does he ever do anything normally? Then again I guess he wouldn't be Nico if he did.

"Well you got it."

I turn away to make the call and hear him laughing at me.

"Hello?" A man's voice answered the phone.

"Um, yes. I'm calling to talk to a..." I look down at the paper "Mrs. Winters." There's a short pause before the man responds.

"I'm sorry there is no Mrs. Winters here."

"Oh, I okay. I must have the wrong number then." I'm about to hang up when the voice stops me.

"Hold on. Who exactly are you wanting to talk to?" Huh? Why does he want to know? I answer the question anyway.

"Um... the mother of Devin Winters." I hear a light chuckle. Did I miss something here?

"I'll go get him for you." Him? Ihear his muffled shout like he moved the phone away from his mouth.

"Hey babe! Someone wants to talk to Devin's mother." Theres a different voice close to the phone now.

"Why do I have to be the woman?" I'm not sure I was meant to hear that.

"Hello?" It's another man. What's going on here?

"Um... yes... well..." I'm stumbling over my words. I'm not sure of what to say. I hear him sigh in what sounds like frustration.

"Are you calling about Devin?"

"Yes, I was asked to talk to his mom." He gives another sigh at this.

"I guess that would be me."

"What?" Did I hear him right? Does that mean...

"Devin doesn't have a mom, just two dads. I have the unfortionate pleasure of him referring to me as mom." Oh well, that took care of some of my confusion. I guess I took to long to respond because he's talking again.

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, I doubt it will be." If only he knew of my situation.

After a rather awkward conversation where we make plans for the boys to meet I hang up. Can my life get any weirder?