Chapter 36 #2
She grins and steps back to look at me. “Still the same old Olivia. Come on, everyone’s out back. We’ve got food, music, and oh, Mom and Dad are here too. They’ve been asking about you.”
“Aw, I’ve missed them,” I say, grabbing my bag from the passenger seat. “Lead the way, birthday girl.”
We head around the house, and the party’s already in full swing.
A long table is set up under a string of Edison bulbs, piled with platters of barbecue, cornbread, and pitchers of iced tea.
Kids are running around chasing each other through the grass while a guy strums a guitar near a fire pit.
I spot my aunt and uncle, Jona’s parents, chatting with some neighbors.
Then my parents wave at me from across the yard.
Mom’s got her usual sundress on, and Dad’s holding a beer, looking tan and relaxed.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen them in person.
I feel a little pang of guilt for being so busy lately.
“Olivia!” Mom calls, hurrying over with Dad trailing behind. She pulls me into a hug. Her perfume is all floral and familiar. “You look good, sweetie. How’s the blogging going?”
“Pretty great,” I say and smile. “Just hit a million followers last month.”
“A million?” Dad whistles and claps me on the shoulder. “That’s my girl. Still can’t believe people pay you to take pictures of beaches.”
“It’s more than beaches, Dad,” I tease. “But yeah, it’s fun.”
We catch up for a bit. Mom asks about my last trip to Greece, and Dad tells me about his new fishing rod.
Then Jona tugs me away to meet some of her friends.
The party’s loud and easy. It’s the kind of gathering where everyone’s got a story and nobody’s in a rush.
I’m halfway through a plate of ribs, laughing at Jona’s friend Matt telling me about his runaway goat, when I hear a voice that stops me cold.
“Liv? Oh my God, is that you?”
I turn, and Ace is standing by the dessert table with a plastic cup in his hand.
My ex-fiancé. The guy I broke up with two weeks ago after he admitted he’d been seeing someone behind my back.
He’s got that same cocky grin. His blond hair is pushed back like he just stepped out of a magazine shoot.
My stomach twists, but before I can say anything, my sister Aira steps up beside him.
She’s holding his arm. Her auburn hair catches the light, and she’s beaming like she just won the lottery.
“Hey, Olivia,” Aira says. Her voice is all bubbly. “We didn’t know you’d be here!”
I blink and try to process this. Ace and Aira? Together? My fork clatters onto my plate. I glance at Jona, who’s frozen next to me. Her eyes are wide. She looks as blindsided as I feel.
“Uh, hi,” I manage and force a smile. “Yeah, Jona invited me. What’s going on?”
Ace clears his throat, and Aira giggles. She holds up her left hand. There’s a ring on her finger, a shiny little diamond that glints under the string lights. “We were gonna wait, but since you’re here,” she says and glances at Ace, then back at me. “We’re engaged!”
The words hit me like a punch, but the party keeps moving around us. Someone cheers. I hear Mom gasp behind me. “Engaged?” she says and rushes over with Dad. “Aira, honey, when did this happen?”
“Just a few days ago,” Ace says and wraps an arm around Aira’s waist. “I popped the question, and she said yes. We wanted to tell everyone tonight.”
Dad claps Ace on the back and grins. “Well, damn, son! Welcome to the family, again, I guess!”
Mom’s already tearing up. She hugs Aira like it’s her wedding day. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you. Olivia, isn’t this exciting?”
I nod. My throat is tight. “Yeah. Super exciting.” I shoot a look at Jona, who’s gripping her beer bottle so hard I’m worried it’ll crack. She’s not smiling either.
“Thanks, everyone,” Aira says and leans into Ace. “We’re still figuring out dates and stuff, but we couldn’t wait to share the news.”
People start crowding around them, offering congratulations and asking about the proposal.
I hang back and pick at my cornbread. My appetite is gone.
Two weeks ago, Ace was telling me he needed space to figure things out.
Two weeks ago, I was crying on Jona’s couch while she handed me tissues and cursed him out.
And now he’s engaged to my sister? I didn’t even know they were a thing.
He’d said there was someone, but Aira? My Aira?
Jona sidles up to me. Her voice is low. “You okay, Liv?”
“No,” I mutter and keep my eyes on the ground. “Did you know about this?”
“Not a clue,” she says and shakes her head. “I’d have warned you if I did. I thought Ace was out of the picture for good.”
“Me too.” I take a sip of my iced tea and wish it were something stronger. “How long have they even been together?”
“No idea. But I’m pissed.” She glares across the yard at Ace and Aira, who are laughing with my parents. “She didn’t even tell you? That’s messed up.”
“Yeah, it is.” I set my plate down. “I can’t believe Mom and Dad are acting like this is normal.”
Jona snorts. “They’re probably just happy someone’s getting married. You know how they are.”
“Maybe.” I watch Aira show off her ring to a group of Jona’s friends. Her laugh carries over the music. “I’m not doing this tonight, though. I’m not gonna make a scene.”
“You sure?” Jona raises an eyebrow. “’Cause I’d back you up if you wanted to call them out.”
I almost laugh. “Tempting. But no. I’ll deal with it later. This is your party, and I’m not ruining it.”
“It’s already ruined for me,” she grumbles, but she bumps my shoulder with hers. “Fine. We’ll play nice. For now.”
“For now,” I agree and force another smile as Aunt Lynn calls us over to cut the birthday cake.
I follow Jona and keep my distance from Ace and Aira, who are still basking in the attention.
My parents keep shooting me little looks like they’re waiting for me to say something, but I don’t.
I can’t. Not yet. I just stand there and clap when Jona blows out her candles.
I pretend my world didn’t just flip upside down.
Two weeks since the breakup, and now this.
I came here for a vacation, not a family drama bomb.
But that’s life, I guess. It always throws curveballs when you least expect it.
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