Giggling softly as she shook her head at her lover, Annalia flapped her hand as he laughed quietly as well. “No! That isn’t what I said you goof! I said that when we get into the diaper mode, you will have to learn as well!” she cried and giggled even more as he made a face before laughing.

“Changing diapers and I just do not mix!” Talin retorted and smirked as she snorted in disbelief. “I am serious! When I had to help out one day in the nursery at this old village in Germany, I was so lost as to how to do that simple task that an old woman who was half my age had to come over and do it!” he claimed while gesturing with his salad full fork.

Laughing even harder as she clutched her ribs, Annalia shook her head at that claim. “Half your age?! Only you could get away with that!” she shot back while pointing at him, still laughing. He snorted this time, surprising and delighting her at that crude sound, while he grinned at her playfully. Oh she was going to get it later!

“What are you laughing at, sis?” Ryan’s voice startled the two and Annalia looked up and over to focus on her two brothers as they sauntered over easily. “And who might this man be?” he added in interest as they sighted Talin across from their sister.

“Ryan! Anthony! Hey when did you get here?!” Annalia demanded happily as she stood up and hugged her brothers tightly before kissing their cheeks and receiving the pecks that they gave her in return. “Oh! And this is Talin Esin, my boyfriend! Talin, these are two of my brothers, Ryan, who is the oldest of us, and Anthony, the youngest of us!” she introduced them excitedly as she gestured to the appropriate people as she spoke.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you both. Annalia has shared much about you in her fond tale telling about her family,” Talin remarked warmly as he stood and shook hands with both young men while smiling.

“Well she’s kept rather quiet about you, Mr. Esin, so mind if we interrogate you to get the goods on how you’re treating our sister?” Ryan asked innocently as he shook Talin’s hand firmly, though his smile held a touch of suspicion as he searched the older man’s gaze.

“Ryan! I don’t need to have you babysitting me!” Annalia huffed playfully. It was almost standard procedure for her brothers to interrogate any men she dated because of the couple of times when the man had turned out to be a sleaze ball that had been intent on just taking what he wanted from Annalia. But still, it was a great teasing point all around.

“You know us, sis. Have to check that your judgment call is legit!” Anthony commented wryly as they sat down in the two chairs next to Annalia and Talin and he smiled brightly at their sister as she huffed again, which made Talin chuckle. Focusing on Talin, Anthony smirked. "So, how long have you been seeing each other?" he began while cocking an eyebrow as he leveled an interrogative stare on the older man.

"We have been seeing each other for about four weeks now," Talin answered easily and smiled as both brothers' eyebrows shot up before they focused on a fidgeting Annalia.

"Four…weeks?" Ryan's voice was low and almost angry, though it was more tinged with hurt as he stared at his sister. "You haven't said anything to your family, whom I do believe you are close to, about a man you've been seeing for four weeks?!"

Annalia flinched at his accusation and trembled as she saw the hurt and anger in both her brothers' eyes. "I-I'm sorry! I know I should have said something, but we had just started and then I, well, kinda put it off so you wouldn't be fighting over it!" Annalia admitted as she looked down while chewing on her lip as she wrung her hands nervously.

"Please. Do not yell at her, for it was mainly my idea. We were just recently reunited and, in a small act of selfishness, I wished to have her to myself," Talin added soothingly as his face remained calm when twin glares were shot at him from Annalia's brothers.

"What do you mean by 'reunited'? So you two met before this?" Anthony asked as he leaned his chin on his hand with his eyes narrowed even though his tone held a sweetly curious note to it. Annalia flinched at that. The only time her youngest brother went that way was when he was mad. And she could tell not only by that but by their body language that both brothers were very angry.

"Yes, we did. She is the mother of my child," Talin replied quietly and smiled as the brothers stared at him in stunned silence.

Ryan's head whipped around as he stared at his sister in disbelief. She smiled wanly and shrugged while nodding in confirmation of what had been admitted. But she nearly groaned as Anthony snarled at Talin. "So you're the bastard that made our sister's life a living hell by running out on her when she got pregnant after knocking her up?!" he demanded as he pounded his fist on the table.

"Tony please!" Annalia protested as she reached for her brother, but stopped as Talin put a hand up.

"I never ran out on her. Yes, I disappeared, but I had promised her that I would find her when I could." Talin's voice was warm, yet filled with steadfast conviction as he gazed at the two brothers. He laid his hand over Annalia's and laced their fingers together. "She is a strong woman and I knew she would be able to handle herself until my return. I would never willingly leave her nor will I any time soon." He smiled at them and nodded sympathetically. "I know you are angered at me and have a right as her brothers. But that is the past. I ask that we at least try to learn more of the other so that we may become friends, for both Annalia and our child's sake," he urged them quietly and his eyes were kind with encouragement.

Ryan and Anthony glanced at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation with their eyes. Annalia closed her own eyes, very much afraid that they would reject Talin and tell him to leave. She opened her eyes though when she heard Ryan’s quiet reply. “All right. We’ll let ya be for now. But hurt our sister in any way or her child and you’ll know what hell can be like early.” His warning hung between them, soft yet powerful in its seriousness.

Blinking in surprise when she heard how stern they were being with Talin, Annalia realized just how much she meant to her brothers and that it had hurt them when she had kept silent. She watched as Talin smiled and nodded in acceptance of the terms before she sighed in relief that they had at least passed this hurdle. Grinning as the three men began discussing various things that were subtle ways of discerning likes, dislikes, and intentions, she drank her tea while finishing her stew. She didn’t notice the change in her brothers’ tones as they spoke with Talin, but looked up when Anthony and Talin stood to go and pay the bill. Blinking in surprise before looking at her watch, she shrugged in confusion. Had she been so lost in thought that she didn’t notice so much time had passed?

“Hey Lia…can I ask you something?” Ryan’s voice broke through her musings and she looked over while smiling as she nodded. He grinned back and then lounged in his chair. “So, how did you luck out?”

Cocking an eyebrow, Annalia took a sip of her tea before refocusing on her brother. “What do you mean, ‘How did I luck out’?” she asked in bemusement while tilting her head.

“Oh come on, Lia!” Ryan cried softly as his grin widened while he leaned closer to his sister. “You act like it’s no big deal to be dating and carrying the child of one of the wealthiest bachelors in the entire world!”

Staring at her brother in confusion, Annalia smiled slightly. “What are you talking about, Ry? Talin is just a business man here in New York,” she said uncertainly before glancing over to where her lover and youngest brother were paying for lunch.

“And England, France, Italy, most of Asia, and part of Africa! Jeez sis! Don’t you know that Talin Esin is the owner of Avalon’s Bard Inc.?!” Ryan demanded excitedly as he held tightly to the edge of the table.

“O-Owner?! Wh-What do you mean?!” Annalia hissed out in shock as her face paled while she stared at her brother, stunned.

Concerned as he saw her reaction, Ryan grabbed her hand. “Hey now…calm down sis. It’s great news that’s all! I mean come on! You get to be married to one of the richest guys in the world!” He rubbed her shoulder and continued to reassure her, but her focus wasn’t with him.

She looked over to where Talin and Anthony were talking, feeling confused and lost. ‘Why didn’t Talin tell me about that part of his life? Is that how we were able to ‘live it up’?’ she wondered as she tuned out her brother. She looked down as she contemplated what had been said. How much did this knowledge change things? And why hadn’t he told her in the first place? Looking up again as the other two men came back over, Annalia allowed herself to be led out by them with Talin’s arm snug around her waist. After a kiss good bye, Annalia found herself wondering just what it was that had kept him from hiding such an important piece of information from her. And why did she feel so hurt from it?

Frowning silently, Annalia vowed to speak with her lover on this revelation and soon. With a nod, she went to her bedroom and laid down for a nap, exhausted from all that had happened that day. The next day would bring answers…of that she was certain.