The Marriage Decree

Chapter 166: She Didn't Even Leave a Will

The sharp beep of a car horn draws Hyperion back to the front door. He opens it to find two cars parked awkwardly across the driveway, blocking in James' Jeep and Charles' Range Rover, not that either man will be leaving any time soon.

James' daughters, Susie and Linda, are already locked in a tight hug by the gate, their cheeks pressed close as they exchange half-sentences and familiar noises that only sisters who shared a bedroom could understand.

Their husbands loiter by their cars, waiting for the sisters to break apart and include them in the family reunion. Carl, Linda's husband, helps their ten-year-old daughter, Emily, fetch her book from the boot. They had argued all the way from the church to the house. Her parents insist that she won't have time to read, while Emily insists she won't play with the boys in the garden. Eventually, they gave in, unsure what to do with a child so different from themselves.

From the back seat of Susie's car, three figures draped in black mourning coats climb out: Jason, Mandy and Laura. The siblings move quickly, not bothering to glance at the charade their parents were putting on for their relatives, whose cars are now pulling up behind them.

Upon spotting Hyperion standing in the doorway, their faces light up.

"Ryan!" Jason calls, his voice warm as he opens his arms for a quick embrace.

Hyperion smiles, stepping forward. "Glad you could make it."

"We wouldn't have missed it," Mandy says, giving him her own hug.

Laura snorts, her immaturity as the youngest sibling shining through as she jokes, "Not that we had a choice." She glances back towards the gate, where their parents are now loudly greeting Arche Jr, Arthur's eldest son.

Mandy takes Laura's wrist and pulls her into the house, heading straight to the kitchen, to the only place they've ever felt they belonged in Sarah's home.

Hyperion watches them go fondly. Over the years, he's heard stories about their upbringing with Susie and Ken, who invited their grandfather to live with them after his wife passed away. According to Sarah, James' presence changed the household dynamic. His expectations weighed heavily on his grandchildren as he demanded perfection at all times. No wonder they keep their distance as adults, not only from James but also from their parents.

Laughter rises from the kitchen, the unmistakable sound of the Kitchen Crew coming together with warm hugs and sincere greetings. A stark contrast to the melodramatic scene playing out on the driveway.

In the kitchen, Draco leans against the counter, where the kettle is boiling. Hermione had taught him early on that when a group of Muggles gather, it's polite to pop the kettle on. Draco thought he should make himself useful, since Lisa and Mark had been so welcoming.

Lisa squeals and jumps out of her seat when three people, clearly siblings, enter the kitchen.

"How are you? Was the travel over okay? You know, I don't know why the five of us didn't just come together," she rambles, not allowing them to answer one question before asking the next.

The youngest glances towards the hallway, making sure they're not within earshot of their parents. "Mum was adamant we arrive together, to put on a strong front for Grandad."

"Does he still live with your parents?" Mark asks, semi-reluctantly accepting a hug from the eldest sister.

"Yeah," the brother answers. "And Mum wonders why we all moved away after university," he scoffs.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Lisa grins, wrapping her arms around the two sisters. "I love having my cousins so close."

Mark and the other man roll their eyes fondly, taking a seat beside each other at the kitchen table.