I Think She Would Have Liked You.

I Think She Would Have Liked You.
I pushed myself up off the floor, my knees aching from kneeling on broken glass, and held out my hand to Isla. She sniffled once more, wiping under her eyes with the back of her wrist before finally slipping her fingers into mine. Her hand was trembling, but she managed a small, fragile smile.
“Come on,” I said softly. “Dinner’s gonna get cold.”
She hesitated, glancing around the room at the wreckage, the mess, the pieces of Bean’s room that would need more than a broom to fix. “Oh, hold on,” she murmured, starting to bend down to pick something up.
I shook my head quickly. “There’s time for that. Not right now, though.”
For a second, she looked like she might argue, but then she sighed and let me pull her toward the door. I didn’t let go of her hand as we descended the stairs together, side by side, still quiet, still catching our breaths.

Back at the dining table,I reached out, picked up my plate and then Isla’s. I handed hers over and nodded toward the lounge.
“Come on,” I said, trying to sound casual. “If we’re doing this, we’re gonna do it right.”
Kaiden gave me a curious look, Hunter raised an eyebrow, but neither stopped us. I plopped down on the couch, patting the spot beside me until Isla followed, still looking dazed. I grabbed two fuzzy blankets from the back of the couch and draped one over her lap, keeping the other for myself. Flicking the TV on, I scrolled until I found something cheesy. A romantic movie that looked like it’d have a tragic ending and too many tears.
“There,” I said, tucking the blanket around my legs. “I’m pretty sure...don’t quote me on this, because I’ve never had a girlfriend to do this with, but I think this is what girls do to make themselves feel better. Eat good food, fuzzy blankets and watch sappy love movies that make us cry.”
For a second, Isla just stared at me, her eyes still red and puffy. Then, she laughed. Really laughed. The sound was hoarse but real.
“Yeah,” she said, smiling weakly. “That’s what Mia would’ve done.”
I smiled back, “Then we’ll do it for her.”

Kaiden wandered into the lounge room a few minutes later, a plate of food balanced in one hand and a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Are boys allowed?” he asked, half-teasing, half-hopeful.
I laughed and nodded immediately, but Isla stuck out her tongue at him. “Of course you’re not allowed. Girls only.”
He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Well, too bad, because I’m joining anyway.” And before either of us could stop him, he plopped himself down on the other end of the couch, stretching one arm across the back like he owned the place. That was all it took for the rest of them to pile in. Hunter followed with a bowl, Mason and Nico not far behind, and within minutes, every seat on the lounge was taken. Thank God the boys had bought a big enough one for all of us.

The movie played, soft light flickering across our faces, and the room filled with the quiet sounds of clinking forks, occasional laughter, and Hunter making sarcastic comments about every romantic cliché that came on-screen. Mason chimed in, too, mocking the lead guy’s haircut, while Nico groaned every time someone declared their undying love in the rain. And yet… when the ending hit, when the music swelled and the inevitable heartbreak happened, every single one of them fell silent. I glanced around, catching them one by one. Hunter blinking too much, like that would hide the tears in his eyes. Kaiden pretending to rub his nose while wiping one away. Even Mason shifted, pretending to cough into his sleeve. Nico just let his fall freely, though, like a few tears didn't determine his worth as a man. Yeah. They cried. Every last one of them. I didn’t say anything, just smiled to myself, watching them all pretend they weren’t soft as hell. The night felt… different now. Softer. Like the chaos and the hurt from earlier had finally started to fade into something warm and familiar.
When the credits rolled, Isla leaned her head back against the couch, sighing. “That was terrible.”
“Terribly good,” I teased, and she grinned, just a little.
Yeah, she was still a little crazy. But maybe that’s what I liked about her. Maybe that’s what made her one of us. Sure, she still owed me a new nursery, but stuff was replaceable, relationships weren't. And her brothers —my men —they needed their sister. She just needed to break a little before she could start to heal. I looked around at everyone crammed together, laughing softly in the dim light. I couldn’t help thinking… maybe I could actually do this whole friend thing after all. At least I know that this one could take a hit here and there if needed.

Nico stretched his arms above his head and let out a long sigh. “Alright,” he said, glancing at Mason. “We should probably go pick Rosa up and get her home before she starts a pillow rebellion at Nonna’s.”
Mason chuckled, standing and patting his thigh. “Yeah, she’s probably got the whole place under her rule by now.”
Everyone started to shift, plates and glasses clinking as the night wound down.
“Thanks for dinner,” Mason said, giving Hunter and Kaiden a firm handshake each before looking to me. “Seriously. It was a good night.”
“Yeah,” Nico added with a small grin. “We’ll come back tomorrow and help fix up the nursery.”
I smiled, touched by the offer. “I’d like that,” I said softly.
Isla was the last to move. She stood a little awkwardly for a moment, her hands twisting together before she stepped up to her brothers. First Hunter, then Kaiden, she pulled them both in for tight hugs, murmuring something that made them both laugh quietly.
“You know,” she said, sniffing a little, “I’m sorry for being crazy.”
Kaiden chuckled, squeezing her shoulder. “You wouldn’t be our sister if you weren’t.”
“Yeah,” Hunter agreed with a grin. “We’re used to it by now.”
That made her laugh, a real, genuine laugh this time. And then she turned toward me.

For a second, she just stood there, her eyes flicking over my face like she was trying to figure out if she should. My stomach twisted, not quite sure what to expect, but then she stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. It caught me off guard. She smelled faintly of champagne and jasmine, her arms tight but not unkind around me.
She leaned in close, her voice a soft whisper against my ear. “I think Mia would have really, really liked you.”
My breath hitched, and I swallowed hard, my hands slowly coming up to hug her back.
“Thank you,” I murmured, my throat tight.
When she stepped back, there was a peace in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. I think Mia would like that too.