Chapter 15

                                    

                                          
Jeanie's POV:
                          
Alice and I continued shopping all throughout the early hours of the cloudy Sunday morning, until I smelled Gio's cooking coming from the kitchen. I heard him let out a loud cuss in Italian before I stood up from the bed and stretched. I laughed as he cussed again this time in Russian and I knew that whatever he was trying to make was not going well. 
                          
"Who is that?" (Alice)
                          
"Oh did Emmett not say? That's my cousin Giovanni, he's been staying with me for a few days now. He's supposed to leave either tonight or tomorrow, but right now it sounds like he's struggling with breakfast. Come on let's see what type of mess he's made downstairs." (J)
                          
I let out a small laugh as we walked downstairs and could hear him muttering, this time in Hebrew as he placed a pot in the sink to soak. Alice started to giggle as well just as he turned around and froze in place seeing us, though honestly it might have been seeing her that made him freeze. 
                          
"Morning Gio, this is my friend-"
                          
"Alice?" (Gio)
                          
"Wait. You know Alice?" (J)
                          
"I don't think so, I don't know you." (Alice)
                          
I saw Gio squint a bit as if he was trying to remember something before he brushed it off, sending me a look that said we'd talk about it later. Alice seemed a bit tense though after Gio's greeting and I cleared my throat before sending Gio a pointed look. Alice was my friend after all and I didn't need help scaring them off. I could probably do that all my own. 
                          
"Sorry, you just looked familiar, definitely an Alice look though you know. I'm Giovanni but my friends call me Gio. You though, may call me whatever you like." (Gio)
                          
I watched as he winked at her before coming over and taking her hand into his and kissing it. He winked again as he let go of her hand as I sighed and felt a headache coming on due to his antics. I was about to apologize to Alice when she suddenly burst out laughing before looking at me then him. 
                          
"I think I'll call you Aladdin then." (Alice)
                          
"Never heard that one before. Oh well I tried, besides Florence out to have more women that would die to have me." (Gio)
                          
I watched as Alice contained another laugh, but it didn't matter as one slipped through my mouth. Alice soon joined me and Gio like the good sport he is joined us towards the end. My laughing ended as I saw the mess that the kitchen was in and I turned to see Gio staring at the ceiling with great interest. 
                          
"What were you trying to make in this war zone?" (J) 
                          
"Fresh beignets, and I did it too. The grease just fought back a bit is all." (Gio)
                          
He moved aside and I saw a small plate of beignets sitting on the counter behind him, but I also grease on the stovetop, on the floor, and on him. I sighed before looking back at Alice who was still smiling. 
                          
"Well want to join us for breakfast?" (J)
                          
"Oh I'd love to but if I'm not back for breakfast at my house Esme might really take my car." (Alice)
                          
"Well you and Jasper can come back after lunch today with Emmett and hang out with us if you'd like to." (J)
                          
"We'd love too! I better get going so I can wake Jasper up and make him get ready in time! See you both later!" (Alice)
                          
I waved to her as she walked out the door this time instead of climbing in through the window. I heard Gio make a weird noise as I slowly turned back to see him stuffing a beignet into his mouth. I sighed before I let out a smile at the grown ass genie with powdered sugar and grease all over him. 
                          
"She came over earlier this morning because she couldn't sleep. Good thing though, she woke me from a nightmare." (J)
                          
"Who was it this time?" (Gio)
                          
"Emperor Nero and the fire." (J)
                          
"It wasn't your fault you know. He wished for it to happen, you had no choice but to grant his wish as his slave." (Gio)
                          
"I know, but it doesn't make the memories any less volatile than they are." (J)
                          
"She was especially pretty, and a descendant of a master I once served I believe. Or at least the human disguise they have created is modeled after her." (Gio)
                          
"Who?" (J) 
                          
"Mistress Lillian Brandon, she had two daughters I believe. Alice and Cynthia, and your friend is a look-alike for Alice." (Gio)
                          
"I don't remember this master." (J)
                          
"I believe it was a few years before Uncle G found your bottle after...." (Gio)
                          
I felt the blood in my veins seem to freeze for a moment as I knew exactly when he was talking about. Each year spent trapped in my bottle after Master Smith was like a knife directly piercing my soul. I forced my mind away from thoughts of him, one nightmare being enough for this week before looking back to Gio with a far away look in his eyes. 
                          
"Was she kind?" (J)
                          
"Oh the best. Could probably have given Cleo a run for her money as far as masters go. She once wished for her daughters to find their true loves and to find happiness in life. How many humans still wish for things of that nature?" (Gio)
                          
"Very few from what I've seen in the last thousand years or so. What happened to her?" (J)
                          
"Died. Car crash, my bottle was in the car with her when it happened. I was sold to a pawn shop a few weeks after and then Uncle G bought me and let me out a few weeks after that. He had found you a week or two earlier and you were with Aunt Jinny then." (Gio)
                          
"Seems like Uncle G or I rescue your ass a lot." (J)
                          
"Hmm and I've never been more thankful towards you both for that, even if I don't seem to portray that." (Gio)
                          
"I know." (J)
                          
We stay silent as we sit at the kitchen counter next to one another, eating the beignets. I had tried taking his mind off the death of Lillian Brandon, as I knew how it felt to lose a master that was more like a friend. I had wept many tears over the death of Pharaoh Cleopatra who was more like a friend than a master, having wished me never to have to return to the bottle while she was my master. 
                          
"Ever wish for a normal supernatural life to live?" (J) 
                          
"Ha, my dear cousin, we're anything but normal. We're extraordinary, why would our lives be any different." (Gio) 
                          
I shook my head but smiled nonetheless as the heavy mood was soon replaced with his deep chuckle. He was soon talking about the time he got wasted with another genie friend of his and woke up butt naked in a tiger exhibit at the San Diego Zoo, with no idea where he was except a note saying 'Bet you wished for something different now huh?' 

I don't think Giovanni will ever truly grow up, but honestly I don't really want him to if it means not having anymore stories to laugh about with him. Or rather laugh at him a bit.