Wanna Know Some Secrets?

Mrs. Anderson led Elena into the living room, where David's father was already waiting for them. The man got up from the couch and walked over to the girl,

"Welcome home, Elena. We all are very happy to have you here," he hugged the girl by the shoulders and stroked her head with his wide palm, "Do not be shy, ask and do whatever you want."

"Thank you, Mr. Anderson," she replied modestly. Elena hoped that David's parents would meet her well, but she had never expected such a reaction. As if she was a guest whose arrival had been expected for a long time. More precisely, she wasn't treated like a guest. She was treated as if she were a member of the family who returned after a long journey.

"Daughter, everything's ready already. Everybody, wash your hands and go to have your dinner," David's mom called out from the kitchen. The way she addressed her caused mixed feelings in the girl. She was confused and looked at David.

"Mom, come on, no bigotry, okay? You confuse Elena with your perseverance," the young man answered, which caused panic in the girl.

"No, no, everything is fine, do not worry," Elena immediately began to make excuses, worrying that these nice people wouldn't understand her reaction the right way.

Dina looked at her son with reproach, walked over to him and whacked him on his bottom with a towel, "Where are your manners? Your girlfriend is tired and has gone through so much, and you are just standing out there. Show her where the bathroom and everything else is, common, real quick!" Mom commanded.

Elena could not resist and giggled. She did not expect to see such a picture. David was scolded like a naughty child and reprimanded for behavior. The young man looked at the girl with an offended look, "Hey! You are supposed to be on my side!"

"Ahaha, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But your facial expressions were so funny right now," Elena laughed, not holding herself back.

David waved his hand. He was willing to tolerate anything, as long as it caused a smile on her face.

"Oho, it seems my beloved little brother got punished for his behavior again," a malicious voice sounded from above. Daniel majestically descended the stairs in all his glory. "Elena, you look great," he complimented the girl and winked.

Elena's eyes widened in surprise. At the moment, she had mixed feelings towards this man. Given how much he had done in the past two weeks, she did not know how to behave next to him.

But David remembered everything very well, and this chance was most welcome, "Daniel, you can not try to divert attention. Just do what you have to do," the younger brother told him sternly. The elder Anderson looked at David in bewilderment, as if he did not understand what was going on.

"On your knees," said the young man coldly, like a king sitting on a throne in front of his subjects.

"Ha? Are you serious?!" The playfulness immediately disappeared from Daniel's face. Elena exchanged glances with Mrs. Anderson, trying to figure out what was going on. Mother was looking at her sons in confusion, not knowing what to think.

"I will count to three, and if you don't do what you have to, I will not talk to you. For a year." David moved on to frank blackmail. He knew one of the weaknesses of his brother.

Even Mr. Anderson's eyes widened from such sharpness. 'Hey, son, do you want your older brother to have a heart attack?'

Only David opened his mouth to utter the word "one", as Daniel immediately fell to his knees next to Elena. The girl was frightened and was ready to jump aside.

"Dear Elena. No, dear sister-in-law," Daniel cast a sidelong glance at his brother and noticed a contented light in his eyes. 'Eh, I think I spoiled him too much in childhood,' the man thought to himself. "I want to apologize for all the inconveniences and unpleasant moments that I brought you and your father with my actions. Believe me, I had no malicious intent, and I did what I thought was necessary to protect my beloved younger brother." Daniel's face expressed sincere regret, but the next second he straightened up, clapped his hands and added with a smirk,

"How about the fact that I'll tell you all sorts of interesting secrets and stories about David as a sign of reconciliation?" He winked at Elena and held out his hand.

The girl smiled and shook his hand in response, "Deal."

"Hey, get your hands off her now," David was startled because he knew that he could expect anything from his elder brother.

"Oh, don't be such a stiff," Daniel said to his brother, went to the closet, took out a folder and handed it to Elena, "Here. It makes up for all of your dad's losses. Believe me, even more than that."

But before the man managed to hand over the documents, Mrs. Anderson snatched this folder out of his hands and smashed Daniel's head with it, "God, when will men in this house stop thinking about business matters at every opportunity?! That's it, now go to the table!"

This woman continued to surprise Elena more and more. She was wondering, if her mother were there, would she also be strict or, on the contrary, indulge any girl's whims? Dina noticed Elena's thoughtfulness, walked over to her and gently put her arm around her shoulders, "My girl, do not wait for these blockheads. Let's go to the table, I'll feed you with all sorts of tasty things."

"Okay," Elena smiled in response and followed the woman obediently.

The whole family sat down at the table. Daniel took a cookie from a plate, put it in his mouth, chewed it and spat out right there,

"Oh, yuck, mom, what is this? Since when have you got such terrible cookies?"

"This is not mine, Rosalie brought it," Mrs. Anderson replied.

"Rosalie?! Ugh, please, not again," Daniel rolled his eyes. If she had not been their neighbor and daughter of a respected businessman, he would have put her importunity into place long ago. "I am very sorry, David," he patted his brother on the shoulder, knowing the obsession of this girl on him.

David cut off a piece of chicken, put it in his mouth and added between times, "Nah, everything is fine. Elena told her that she was my wife, so I think Rosalie will not come again. Mom, pass me some bread, please."

And again the silent scene hung in the air. Elena nearly choked and blushed to her ears, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson froze for a second, analyzing what they heard, David was absorbed in his food, and only Daniel reached the main point, which his brother meant.

"Ahahahahah," loud laughter filled the entire living room. Daniel was laughing out loud and could not stop, "God, Elena, you are quite something. Just one word to get rid of the annoying fly, that had been terrifying my brother for ten years! Ahahaha, I adore you, sis."

Daniel brushed tears from his eyes from a long laugh, "As a thank you, I will tell you some interesting stories." The young man sat comfortably on a chair and leaned over the girl as if he were going to share his greatest secret with her.

"When David learned the letters, what do you think, what word did he write first?"

"I don't know," answered the girl. What a strange question, how could she know something like that?

Daniel grinned, "His first written word was Lena. Now guess what he said as a child when he was asked who he wants to be?" The girl shook her head. Daniel nodded to his father, and Mr. Anderson replied, "Lena's husband."

Elena looked at David in confusion, but he turned away.

"Mom, do you remember what his first word was?" asked Daniel.

"Ahaha, of course. He was ten months old then, he grabbed his cousin's doll and began shouting that this doll was "Ena". Later, when he became better at pronouncing the sounds, I realized that he called her Lena. He even slept with that doll at night until he was three," said Mrs. Anderson.

"By the way, Elena, if you go up to his bedroom and look in the closet, you will find this doll in the bottom corner. Ahaha, can you imagine, he still keeps it! Ay!!" Daniel clutched at his head as he was smashed by his brother.

"What was that for?! Your future wife should know how obsessed you are with her!" his older brother added in his defense.

"That's exactly why I live separately!" David was indignant, but could not hide slightly rosy cheeks.

"Oh, go live where you want. And Elena will stay with us," added their mother, "My girl, we heard about you from the very moment that this silly, sitting opposite, learned to speak, so for us, you are like a daughter. And if he suddenly screws up anywhere, just tell me! I will teach him a lesson!"

David looked at his mother disdainfully. 'Mom, were you threating or something?' He, of course, assumed that he might have rivals, but he would never have thought that these rivals would be his own family. He decided to make a note for the future that he and Elena would come here only on holidays.

Dinner was fun, and the living room was filled with lively discussion and laughter. Elena for the first time in her life felt what it was like to have a big and friendly family. With her father, in terms of relationships, everything was fine, but she sometimes noticed his sad look during big holidays, which he tried his best to hide from her. It was obvious that he still misses his wife and son so much. Perhaps, if they were alive, they would also have the same fun feasts?

Elena decided that as soon as dinner was over, she would definitely call her father and tell him how much she loved him. After all, they were the only and precious family for each other.

'I hope he is doing well,' she thought. A barely perceptible feeling of sadness and anxiety began to form in her chest, but it was still so unconscious that the girl did not attach any importance to this.