Chapter 15
Mila
It’s Christmas Eve, and we’ve just arrived at Skylar’s apartment in Brightly Bay for a ten day surprise visit. The idea of her spending the holidays alone was too heartbreaking to bear that we didn’t even think twice about making plans to spend Christmas and New Year’s in Melbourne with her.
Last night on the boat with Dean was just indescribable.
He had me screaming and moaning like a bona fide pornstar.
There wasn’t a single spot in his yacht he hadn’t fucked me on, and my poor, battered pussy was left nearly destroyed from all the rough sex we had.
Who would’ve guessed that Dean—a charming, handsome, and refined man—was such a beast in bed?
He’d chosen to spend Christmas and New Year’s with his family and friends at his parents’ holiday house—or rather, their mansion—up in Byron Bay.
Just before we parted ways, he promised to text and call me every day.
And though it’s only day one, he’s already blowing up my phone so much that I had to silence it the moment I arrived at Skylar’s doorstep.
I make a quick mental note to check it before bed, but for now it’s family time.
My mother, Tina, knocks on the door first, while Kirstin, my sister’s best friend, and I, stand on either side of her holding our luggage and a bag of groceries.
A few minutes later, we hear the sound of the door unlocking and Skylar’s muffled voice muttering, ‘Oh my God,’ on the other side before the door swings open.
“No bloody way!” my sister screams as she bursts out the door, practically launching herself into my mother’s arms with a joyful squeal, her excitement infectious and childlike.
“Merry Christmas, my darling,” my mother says, her voice catching as she holds back tears.
Skylar releases Mum and charges straight into me, throwing her arms around me in a bone-crushing hug.
“I can’t believe it. You guys actually came!
” she cries out in exhilaration, the sound of her voice trembling with emotion.
We cling to each other, swaying side to side, completely lost in our little moment.
“Hey, what about me?!” Kirstin exclaims, flinging her arms around Skylar from behind in a warm embrace.
Before we know it, we’ve become one big, swaying bundle of hugs and gleeful squeals.
Off to the side, mum stands quietly, dabbing happy tears from her eyes with the collar of her shirt as she watches us, her face glowing with joy at seeing us all reunited again.
After what feels like hours of hugging and crying, we finally pull away and follow Skylar into her apartment.
She guides us to our shared rooms to drop off our luggage before giving us a quick tour of the place.
Her apartment is enormous—easily twice the size of my studio in Sydney.
Yet it feels strangely empty. Sure, there’s furniture in every room, but the walls are bare, with no photos, artwork, or even a single plant to bring it to life.
It lacks all the little touches that make a place feel like home.
I can’t help but wonder if this starkness mirrors her own world—hollow, distant, and void of any warmth.
After the brief tour, we dive straight into preparing a Christmas Eve feast with the ingredients we picked up from the grocery store on our way over.
Mum has chosen to make her signature maple honey glazed ham with fresh mango and avocado salad, while Skylar whips up some mouth-watering cheesy garlic and herb bread using the soft bread rolls she already had in her pantry.
Kirstin and I are on dessert duty, since we’re the two least skilled in the kitchen, but we’ve decided to tackle the traditional pavlova.
We all move in perfect sync around Skylar’s kitchen as Christmas tunes fill the air.
Singing along to all our favourite classics, we belt out each song with wildly off-key renditions—so much so, you’d think we were deliberately trying to butcher them.
Sorry, Mariah! Between sips of wine and bursts of laughter, we throw ourselves into our cooking, intent on making this a Christmas to remember.
“This is literally the best surprise, you guys. I’m so happy you’re all here!” Skylar says, looking genuinely thrilled.
“Honey, we would never let you spend Christmas and New Year’s alone,” my mother says, as she glazes the ham for the third time before placing it back in the oven.
“Sorry to say but you’re stuck with us for the next ten days,” Kirstin playfully teases.
Skylar winks at her best friend. “You’ll get no complaints here.”
Once the food is cooked and ready to serve, Kirstin and I set the table and pour wine into everyone’s glasses, while my mother and sister deliver the food to the table.
We gather around the circular table, pausing for a quick prayer of thanks and hope for the new year before diving straight into our meal.
As I glance around at all my loved ones together under one roof, an irrepressible smile of pure joy spreads across my face.
This is what it should always feel like—home.
My smile grows wider as I watch Skylar laughing and joking with Kirstin, her laughter so genuine it’s almost as if the heartbreak and pain she’s endured over the past few months never happened at all.
Since she left Sydney, we’ve made it a priority to stay in touch, checking in regularly to see how she’s doing. I can imagine how difficult it must be to uproot your entire life to move to a new city, leaving behind family and friends and starting over on your own.
The way she’s navigating it all while also grappling with her own grief is a true testament of her strength and resilience. I can honestly say, I have never been prouder to call her my sister. She has accomplished what few others could in the same situation.
“What’s that smile for?” Skylar asks, pulling me out my thoughts.
“I’m just so happy to be spending time with you, that’s all.”
“Well, I for one am thrilled to have you all here. Seriously, this is the best gift I could have asked for this year.” She lifts her glass up to cheer and we all clink our glasses together.
“You’ll always have us, sweetheart,” my mother says with a warm, nurturing smile.
“Don’t ever forget that.”
“Thanks, Ma. I won’t.”
“So, catch us up on what’s been happening with you?” Mum asks.
“Aside from furnishing the apartment, I’ve been at work the past couple of weeks getting everything ready for my new Pre-K class next year. It’s been nice catching up with my old boss and meeting some of my new colleagues at the school.”
“And how are you coping with everything else?” Mum probes.
“It’s been tough, I won’t lie,” she says with a heavy sigh.
“I’m still seeing my therapist and doing my best to stay active, both physically and mentally.
I’m just taking it one day at a time.” She chugs the rest of her wine down, offering us a tight-lipped smile that falls short of her usual warmth.
I hop up from my seat and move around the table to wrap my arms around my sister’s shoulders in a firm hug.
Leaning in, I whisper, “I love you,” in her ear and she immediately eases into my embrace.
I plant a wet kiss on her cheek that has our mother smiling with affection before heading back to my seat.
Kirstin clears her throat. “Okay, so now we got all the mushy stuff out of the way, Mila has some news.”
I snap my head in her direction, my eyes shooting daggers at her for bringing up the one thing I was hoping to avoid tonight, especially with Skylar still going through a separation.
When I randomly confessed to Kirstin that I was dating someone new during our flight to Melbourne, I should’ve known she’d turn it into juicy table gossip. She lives for this kind of news.
“Thanks for that, Kirstin.”
She nods and does her usual ‘you gotchya’ wink.
“What’s your news?” Skylar asks, lifting an eyebrow.
Well it’s too late to hide it now. Might as well just lay it all out on the table. “I’m seeing someone.”
“Really? Milz, that’s amazing!” My sister beams with genuine excitement. “Tell me all about this new man of yours.”
“It’s still very new. Like freshly out of the oven.
His name is Dean, he’s 24, and he’s from the Northern Beaches.
He works with his father and older brother in managing the family’s luxury boat hire and Harbour cruise business.
We’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks, and he’s been nothing but sweet and caring. ”
“He sounds dreamy.” Skylar grins.
“If you ask me, I thought you and Jason would have hit it off.” Kirstin says with a knowing smirk. “Think of how juicy it would’ve been with a little forbidden romance.”
My mother nearly chokes on her drink. “Jason? You mean Skylar and Kaden’s friend, the one who’s also her much older boss? Why would you assume that?”
“Because Jason is actually one of the decent ones—perfect for Mila.”
“I agree,” Skylar says unexpectedly. “I’ve known him for years, and in all that time, he’s been nothing but kind and respectful.
He’s also a great friend and a wonderful dad too.
But that’s beside the point—we’re talking about Mila’s new boyfriend, and by the sounds of him, he seems pretty amazing too. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Luckily, the conversation shifts to Kirstin’s upcoming art exhibitions and Skylar’s new job teaching Pre-K students, quickly bypassing any more talk about Jason and Dean. Thank the lord.
After dinner, we all pitch in to clean up before heading out of the apartment for a leisurely stroll to the beach to watch the fireworks.
As we sit on the sand, waiting for the fireworks to begin, I steal a quick glance at my phone.
The screen lights up, and I immediately notice several missed calls and texts from Dean and one photo message from Jason. I tap on Dean’s messages first.
Dean: Merry Christmas, baby. I hope you’re having a great time in Melbourne.
Dean: I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Wish you were here.
Dean: Do you miss me yet?
Dean: What are you up to?
Dean: Babe?
Dean: Why aren’t you replying?
Shit! The last message was sent more than an hour ago. I hadn’t planned on checking my phone until bedtime. I wanted to focus on being fully present with my family, assuming he’d be doing the same. I had absolutely no idea he’d been messaging and calling me the whole time.
I quickly type a reply, hoping I’m not too late and that I haven’t made him worry sick.
Me: Merry Christmas to you and your family, Dean. I’m sorry for not replying sooner. I wanted to enjoy some uninterrupted family time, especially after not seeing my sister for months. I hope you understand.
Me: We just finished having a feast and we’re now about to watch the fireworks at the beach. Wish we could’ve watched it together. Anyway, I miss you too and hope you’re having an incredible time in Byron Bay. Talk to you soon xoxo
I exit the message thread with Dean and tap on Jason’s message next.
It’s a single image attachment of Jason, Jake, and his father, Jim, all wearing matching Santa hats and grins on their faces.
I smile as I read the caption, ‘Merry Christmas, Mila. From our family to yours. Love, the Hawkins’.
’ With the fireworks now in full swing, I quickly snap a selfie of us sitting on the beach, the vibrant explosions lighting up the sky behind us.
I send the image to Jason with the caption, ‘Merry Christmas, Jason and family. Love the awesome foursome.’ As soon as all messages have been responded to, I slip my phone into my back pocket of my shorts.
After the spectacular display, we grab some gelato from one of the food trucks on the side of the beach. The Australian summer heat has the ice cream melting instantly, forcing us to scoff it down as quickly as we can.
A moment later, we head back to the apartment to watch our favourite Christmas movie of all time, Home Alone.
But even as we gather in the living room with the movie playing, my mind keeps drifting back and forth to the photo of Jason and his family, their smiling faces stirring an overwhelming mix of joy and longing in me.
And long after the movie ends, as I lie in bed waiting for a reply from Dean, my thoughts still circle back to that photo.
When I finally drift off to sleep, still with no word from Dean, my last thought as a new day begins isn’t of my handsome new boyfriend, but of my boss and his son—and how much I can’t wait to see them both again.