Oh, she loved her sister.
Reyona almost gaped in shock when she saw her car parked in Maxwell's home.
To make their story whole and believable, they had gone to the children's services department that morning in Maxwell's car.
The car that Reyona had left sitting pretty in her parking space that morning was currently in front of Maxwell's parking lot like it had always belonged there.
As Reyona helped Junior out of the car, she almost laughed out loud when Maxwell's domestic staff came out of the magnificent door and lined up at the entrance.
Six of them to each side of the door, they all bowed and chorused. "Welcome home, Mr and Mrs Rohan"
Before Reyona could laugh at the ridiculous gesture that she was sure her sister was behind, the culprit herself was coming out of the house with a hooting sound and a confetti tube in her hand.
"Welcome home, lovebirds!" Toria said as she pulled the string from the tube and a shower of confetti rained down.
Junior clapped his hand excitedly while his sister and Miss Macaulay looked at the display in surprise.
Reyona was surprised as Celia came out of the house with the baby on her hips.
She beamed at them all and said "Oh, I see you have the kids too. I am sure they would love it here. They can be big sister and brother to my baby. Isn't that wonderful?" she beamed straight at Miss Macaulay.
The befuddled woman had no choice but to smile in the face of Celia's exuberance.
Celia was beside her in no time, and she wound her free arm through the woman's arm before the latter could protest.
"Come, let me show you the children's room. You are going to love it."
Miss Macaulay looked uncertainly towards Maxwell and Reyona as she asked "Isn't that something that the owner of the house should do?"
"Oh, it makes not much difference. We are a big, big family here, you see. The kids will have so much love from all of us that they won't even know what to do with it. Gabriella here would show us a tour of the rooms while the lovebirds here introduce their wards to their new home. I am sure they can't wait to have some time to themselves too if you know what I mean?" she said in a suggestive tone that had Reyona's ears heating up.
Gabriella, one of the ladies, quickly nodded, broke rank and led Celia and Miss Macaulay inside while the others waited for Reyona and Maxwell to pass.
Reyona raised her brows at Toria and her sister winked at her before she sauntered in with her hand on the housekeeper's shoulder. "Maria, we don't want to appear inhospitable to our guest now, do we?"
"No, miss," the housekeeper said as she followed Toria in, no doubt her sister was going to join forces with Celia.
Reyona was so filled with gratitude for her sister.
She was grateful that Toria had insisted on waiting for her till she got back home before leaving Kayooma.
She had no idea what she would have done if Toria had not been around for her to quickly send a message about what she needed.
Toria had taken things into her own hands and even done more than Reyona had stated.
The love for her sister shone in her smile as she looked at the quiet Allysyn while Junior regaled Maxwell with different questions.
Maxwell mouthed "What is going on?" to her, and she shrugged as she responded just as quietly "Got it handled."
"Come on, kids. Let's show you your new home." Reyona said a bit more cheerfully as she inclined her head towards Allysyn.
Junior held on to Maxwell's hand excitedly while Allysyn took the rear.
Reyona almost missed her step as she entered the living room. She abruptly stopped in her stride and just gaped at what awaited them.
"Oh my…"
Maxwell's quiet words of amazement were enough to cover what Reyona was feeling disguise that disguise.
Okay, her sister had gone crazy with her plans. The first thing that anyone with eyes would be drawn to in the transformed living room was the overblown life-sized portrait of the two of them on the wall.
Reyona had no idea how on earth Toria had found someone who could do that within the few hours it took them to round up the whole process, but it was believable.
The image that Celia had cajoled them to take together at the registry to commemorate the moment has been edited so well that it has a dreamy quality to it.
That was the least of what had stopped Reyona.
Toria must have gotten the idea from one of those series of dramas she loved to watch.
Happy married life paraphernalia and some other decorative items that are predominantly in red were almost everywhere.
On the walls. On the railings. Behind the couch and all.
Reyona understood why Maxwell's staff had seemed so at ease and familiar with her sister and Celia earlier.
No doubt those two had rallied them together to pull off this elaborate display.
Maxwell's chuckle pulled Reyona out of her thoughts.
She looked at him as his eyes twinkled with mischief and his chuckle became a quiet laughter.
Reyona tried to show an annoyed expression but that only lasted for the first two seconds.
She couldn't help herself as she started laughing. "You…" she tried to hold in her laughter, but her mirth overpowered her.
The more she looked at some of the tiny Chinese, oddly looking decorations, the harder she laughed. "You… I…none of us is even Chinese," More laughter as Maxwell's laughter also grew louder and Junior started jumping up and down while clapping and shouting "Oh, fun! What is funny?! What is funny, Reyona? Ally, do you know?"
Allysyn ignored him and sat on the couch, trying to look unimpressed.
The adults were too caught up in their laughter as Maxwell said "Your sister's idea, I assume?"
"She watches…too…too…much drama, I am afraid" Reyona struggled to complete amidst laughter.
In his curiousity to know more, while jumping with excitement, Junior suddenly knocked into Reyona.
It was so sudden that she staggered a bit towards Maxwell, and he quickly reached out to stop her from falling.
"Thank you," she said as she looked at him with an animated face while still a bit breathless from the prolonged laughter.
"You are beyond welcome. I don't think the idea was for you to fall amidst all this splendour, you know. What would the Chinese say?" he said with a mock horror in his tone.
Reyona lost it again as she laughed out loud and unconsciously held his other arm.
A little clap from the landing interrupted them as Celia gestured towards them like a performer showing her prowess. "Have you ever seen two people more in love with each other?" she said to the smiling Miss Macaulay, looking down at the couple standing so close to each other and sharing a laugh.