11. Dark Knight

As Jo entered the kitchen, she felt consternation. In the background, she heard the Zimmers' music score from The Dark Knight. That moment she knew for sure they were playing with her. That was the sophisticated game they've been playing for years: a game of words, music, lyrics and gestures. They expected her to be the foreground character so she would play along as they wished.

She didn't mind their way of playing. She was good at it too. The only thing that surprised her was that they didn't take into account that she really felt bad. Today she should have been fasting because of the tests and visit to the hospital, but judging by the smell throughout the apartment, the two had prepared her favourite breakfast. Were these two friends of the seven sorrows so ruthless?

"Good morning my handsome, heartless heroes!" She smiled.

"What are you talking about, Sweetie? We haven’t saved the world today yet. Did you sleep well in my bed?" Matt hesitated for a second. "Without me?" He added looking at her from head to toe. He noticed her lack of clothing but did not comment. He wondered what she had come up with.

"Yeah, a very hard mattress, but incredibly comfortable. It was worth a lot of money."

"Are you hungry?" Mike interrupted their sweet conversation, sitting at the table with a mug in hand. He had a dark expression on his face.

Jo immediately knew that something had gone wrong. Could the plan have failed? ‘Sorry guys, nobody plays with my emotions.’ She was laughing in her mind.

"Do you have no conscience?" She asked with disbelief. "Why do you torture me? What's wrong with you two?"

Who is torturing who? Mike did not reply to her question and only kept that thought in his mind.

"What are talking about, Sweetie?" With an innocent expression on his face, Matthew spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. He knew exactly what she meant. "Who is torturing you?" He asked. ‘Hm… Is it you or us who are playing today?’ He thought. ‘You're doing it deliberately, one more minute and Mike will lose control. Look, he's already drooling. Ehhh… the day began so beautifully.’

"You were baking croissants!" Jo was speaking in a serious tone, pointing her finger at him. "You! I have to go for the blood test. I shouldn't eat! So? What is it?"

Matthew, with an innocent expression, was trying really hard to look straight in Jo’s eyes, and not at her breasts and magnificent body.

"It is premeditated abuse!" Jo continued very slowly with a serious expression on her face. "It is punishable by law, my dear attorney!"

"Sit! Listen, before you punish us!" Mike finally shook off the shock. "I took some blood for tests yesterday. I got the results very late last night, but you were already sleeping. You can eat. You will have more tests tomorrow." 

He was confused. Many painful memories were swirling in his mind. He had hurt her, but she did not owe him. It was so hard to concentrate on anything with the love of his life standing almost naked in front of him. She looked great, much better than she did years ago. He wanted to tell her this, but he knew that any compliment from his lips could end in a war. "Do you know that we bet on what you will do? Who will you kill first?" He added with a smile.

"We are following Thomas’ gambling habits." Even Matthew tried to relieve the tension that became more and more visible with each passing second. "What would you like to drink?"

"Russian earl grey tea, please." He had an excellent one, she had it yesterday. “And may I have croissants with it?"

"You can have it all!" Mike put a big plate full of croissants in front of her and a huge bouquet of flowers, which was earlier resting by the window, so that he did not have to look at her naked arms. "And you can admire these beautiful flowers, which look similar to the one in France." He said realizing that he was starting to act irrational.

Jo could hardly hold back a laugh. The flowers blocked her view. She had never expected that Mike would lose control so quickly.

"It's still cold." Mathew said, covering her back with his white robe. "You had a fever yesterday. We still don't know if it is just a cold or something else." After a moment of reflection, he added. "Eat! Your favourite orange and figs marmalade made by my mother. Bon appetit!"

It wasn't cold at all. He was trying to save their faces. Ok. It was pathetic. Jo decided not to tease them on that fortunately. ‘Breakfast first!’ She thought. She will deal with them later.

They were eating in silence, only accompanied by the Zimmer's dramatic soundtracks from The Dark Knight movie. Each of them fought with their own thoughts.

"Guys, I have to go soon. You can enjoy yourself. Jo, just rest today. You have lunch ready in the fridge. All your clothes are clean and ironed by our dear doctor, who didn't sleep much last night." Matthew broke the long silence. "Wish me luck!" He said while getting up from the table.

"You can do it, Bro. You are well prepared!" Mike stated. "You practiced your speech for almost half of the night! I can bet..."

"Shut up, Mike!" Jo would not stand any more bets.

"If I win today, I am taking a week or two off! Let's go to France for a few days if I win."

"Stop it! I can't take a leave. Why are you being mean, Bro?" Mike was irritated by his friend's sudden idea. He just came back and there was no way he could sneak out again.

"I would love to!" Without even thinking for a second, Jo agreed. She really missed her trips to the places she loved the most. That was a good idea. "I’d really love to!"

"Ok. I’ll hold you by your word, Beauty!" Matthew liked her enthusiasm. He started to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher when Jo interrupted him.

"Leave it to me. Get ready!" She said with a smile.

In a few minutes, Matthew was ready with a backpack, his laptop and a huge file of documents under his arm as he stood in the corridor with his two friends who were bidding him goodbye.

Jo straightened his tie! She kissed him on the cheek and finally patted his buttock.

"Kick their asses! You’ll surely win this lawsuit, I can feel it!" She said as she closed the door as he walked out. "Paris, we are coming!" She added.

Mike was furious. He was looking at her with disbelief. What was that? Thoughts swirled in his head. How could she do that just in front of him?

Jo only saw his stupid expression on his face. She knew he wanted to ask her about her outrageous behaviour he had just witnessed.

"Get lost!" However, she didn’t give him the satisfaction of getting answers from her and walked towards the bedroom.

After a moment he only heard the click of a closing door.

"The Dark Knight. Haha. Rather the Dark Dame!" Mike summed up her behaviour.