Sunkissed Serendipity

Chapter 35

Julian

For dinner, we have leftover barbecue, and my mom fixes up some salad as well. Dinner is eventful, with all the cousins at the table as well as my aunts and their husbands. Cecilia's husband wasn't able to come, but even without the extra adult, it was such a big family gathering. But we have had worse; on Christmas, it's a full riot with family from my mom's and dad's side.

Tonight, it was a full table for laughter and jokes. Everyone was debriefing their year so far after having not seen each other since Christmas. We had a half-year to talk about. While we ate, Isla was mostly silent beside me. She talked here and there when my parents mentioned her, but she was quiet. I knew this was out of her element as per the way she had to keep turning her head to keep up with the conversation, but I could see she welcomed it. She was keeping up with us, even though it's hard.

After dinner, everyone stands up to head to the living room. Isla and I both stand up too, and as we walk over to the front room, I say, "I know it's a very large party we have here, but do you want to stay for a movie?"

"A movie?" she asks, and I nod. "Every fourth we spend the entire day out and then come back inside to watch a movie. The entire living room gets turned into a dark-like theater, with people on the couch and some on the floor. It's a lot, but it always turns out to be fun."

"With family comedies, right?" she asks, remembering the words of my mother from earlier. I nod, giving her a smile, and say, "It will be fun. I know the cousins will be okay with you being there."

She mulls that over, and while she does, I add, "And I know I'd like for you to stay."

She flicks her eyes up to my own. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," I answer, and suddenly it feels as though it's becoming intimate. I didn't want it to be seen as something intimate because I didn't want to scare her away. I clear my throat, averting my gaze, and say, "Yeah." Giving her shoulder a nudge, I say, "It'll be fun."

Isla looks over at me and then at the boys, who were getting set up in the living room with pillows in hand and fighting over spots. Then she smiles and says, "I guess I don't mind being here a little longer."

"Yay," I say softly, even though I was actually happy for her to be here. I liked her company today and knew that I'd like to spend more time with her tonight. "Okay," I say as we walk closer to the living room. "I'm glad you want to stay. Want to choose the movie?"

As soon as I say that, we walk into the living room to find that Joe and Jack are already fighting over the movie options. As the kids fight, Harry shouts over, "Hey! It was my turn this year."

That causes all of them to shout at each other, and I cringe as I turn to Isla. Giving her a sheepish smile, I say, "I guess not."

"It's fine," she says to me with an amused smile, no doubt. I break out into a smile as well as I move toward the couches. There is only a seat left on the couch, so I gesture to her, "Here, you can take a seat here." She takes the seat as suggested, and I take a seat right under her feet. I settle myself on the floor and feel her moving her legs to my side so I can lean back. I glance back at her and say, "Thanks."

She nods, and it takes me a moment to realize I'm sitting right in between her legs. It feels funny for some reason that I don't need to think about. I move my eyes back to where my cousins were still fighting over the movie and sigh. After a long time, Harry wins the argument over who will choose the movie when his option is voted for by the majority.

Jack and Joe both groan at that, and the both of them walk up to where I was sitting on the floor. "Not only do we not get to choose a movie, we also don't even get a seat on the couch," Joe rants as he takes a seat next to me. "Like what?"