FLYING | Sequel of FALLEN (NaNoWriMo 2022 WINNER)

13.

To my big surprise, it turns out that Marcel had not only organised this whole surprise gathering at my event, but he also had organised a family dinner. My parents insisted that all of us stay the night. I don't think we've ever spent the night under one roof like that in five years. I agreed to share my room with Marcel as Will will take back his room with Cynthia, and even Ronnie decided to stay the night with Simon. It's no secret they've been sharing the bed also lately.

I don't think I've ever felt this happy in my life. Today was very rewarding. I got to see everybody I hold dear in my heart. We sold the double amount of books we usually sell. We ended it all gathered in our pyjamas around the dining table. Mum made hot chocolate, and we are setting up Scrabble for a little friendly tournament in pairs.

"Why don't we pair up as couples?" Will suggests, and my response is immediate without thinking it through.

"Not all of us here are couples, Will."

"Amen to that, Grace," Ronnie responds, which gets a quick glance from Simon. "I don't want to lose either. If I had to choose, I'd want to team up with Papa Hemingway."

"That's quite the compliment, Veronica."

"Then, I choose to be with the new guy. A doctorate should be enough to wipe all of your arses."

"Simon, language." Mum silences him, but it doesn't affect my brother in any way. "In this case, I want to play with Cynthia. Sorry, children."

"I guess you are stuck with me, little sister." Will takes his mug and joins me to sit by my side of the table.

"Marcel looks so proud to be Simon's favourite." I tease him out loud.

"Because your brother knows what a winning team looks like." Mace retorts a large smirk on his lips, making him incredibly more attractive so suddenly.

"Let's see if it's just trash talk or not, shall we?" William takes the pouch to randomly pick a letter to see who gets to go first.

"Scrabble is really a sport here," Cynthia comments to Mum with a chuckle. "I've never seen this side of Liam before."

It warms my heart that she calls my brother differently than everybody else. I usually do that too. I did with Marcel. Eddy calls him Marce. I prefer Mace. It rolls better on the tongue. I also secretly liked that it rhymed with my own name.

"You have no idea." He responds with the most tender look her way. It makes me swoon. It makes me glance at Marcel the same way until I realise what I'm doing.

"We've never played this way before. I can't remember the last time Simon played with us." Dad adds with a shy smile on his lips, looking at Ronnie putting the tiles in front of them on their rack. "This means a lot to us to have you all gathered here tonight. I know Mum is certainly happy to have you all stay the night."

"It would be delightful if we could do the same for Christmas. This house has felt empty for so long... It's nice to feel all this Love. We are all so proud of what you have accomplished to be where you are today. We are very proud."

"We are very proud indeed," Dad repeats, nodding his head, still not making eye contact with any of us. He clears his throat.

Simon pats Dad on the back. I take Will's hand in mine, and he reaches for Mum next to him. This delicate moment lasts for the time it takes for my Dad to make eye contact with us again. It makes me happy, yet again. I haven't felt lighter in my life. I feel like no matter what happened in my life before, the trauma I've suffered, I feel delighted with my life right now. I'm proud to be where I'm at.