Sisters
Sienna
“You look… like your pet just died,” Tatum states as he drops onto the sofa opposite me, stretching his legs out.
Scheherazade shakes her head as she sits beside him, smoothing her skirt before glancing my way. “She’s missing her mate. Can you blame her?”
“It’s only been two days,” Ahren says as he saunters into the lounge, flipping through a book.
“And that’s a long time,” Mama adds from where she’s sitting beside Heaven, an amused smile on her face.
I nod in agreement, heat burning my cheeks as everyone turns their attention towards me. “It does feel like it, but I’m happy to be here. It’s Heaven’s birthday soon; I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”
Even if the distance with Jayce feels like a part of me is missing – an emptiness. We’re texting a lot and calling, but it’s not the same as being in his arms.
“Well, it’s not long now until you move there permanently,” Ahren says as he finally looks up from his book. “Has a day been finalised for the ceremony?”
“Not yet, but I think it’ll be decided by tonight. That’s what Jayce was saying,” I reply, smiling softly.
Heaven crosses her leg as she tilts her head. “Good, because I don’t like seeing you look so gloomy.”
“I don’t look gloomy.” Everyone looks at me, and I pout, sighing in defeat. “Fine. Maybe a little.”
“How is the baby doing?” Mama asks gently, smiling fondly in the same way she has every time she’s mentioned her grandchild since I returned.
“Well, the same as it was this morning when you asked.” I smile despite myself. I had a scan before returning home two days ago, and seeing that tiny life on the screen – hearing that steady heartbeat – is an experience I wouldn’t exchange for anything in the world.
“Well, I have to make sure,” Mama says, completely unbothered by my teasing.
“You’ve asked her at least four times since breakfast,” Ahren points out. “And she can’t really see the minute-by-minute well-being of the child.”
“And I’ll ask another four if I want to,” Mama says, frowning at Ahren. “This is my first grandchild; let me ask.”
Ahren sighs. “Fine, forgive me for stating facts.”
I smile, my gaze moving around the room before I realise I haven’t seen Aunty Ri for a while. “Where is Aunty Ri?”
Heaven looks up.
“Outfits.” The single word is enough to make me nod.
Of course.
Aunty Ri has taken it upon herself to make sure everyone looks incredible, and once there’s a celebration involved, it stops being a simple gathering and becomes an entire Rossi Legacy event.
Every colour has to match, every detail has to be perfect.
Somehow, she manages to make everyone feel comfortable in what they wear, whilst being coordinated with everyone else, but in outfits that are to their liking.
“She always puts in so much effort,” I murmur.
“She doesn’t consider it work,” Scheherazade says with a small smile. “She really enjoys it, and she’s good at it.”
Mama laughs. “Oh, she definitely does.”
“Come to think of it, have you finalised your outfit?” I ask Heaven.
Heaven cocks a brow. “Mine? Mama is handling the theme. I just told her what I didn’t want.”
“For your eighteenth, you’re letting your Mama choose?” I ask, surprised.
Heaven has had ideas for her eighteenth birthday for years. She had a vision, and just like Aunty Ri, she is excellent at design.
“I’m not having a birthday party; the dresses she’s working on are for your ceremony.”
Her words shock me, but from the way everyone else remains silent, it’s clear I’m the only one who didn’t know.
“Why not?” I ask.
It’s got to be because of either Theo or what happened with Endora.
“There’s too much to do. Besides, I’ve donated the money for my birthday to a few charities.” She reaches for one of her tomes that sits on the table, her expression composed. “I don’t have time for it.”
Something about her words tugs painfully at my heart.
The Heaven I know loves big parties, beautiful dresses and being surrounded by everyone she cares about. Her eighteenth birthday was supposed to be one of those nights we talked about for years afterwards.
“Trust me, I tried,” Tatum says quietly, his earlier amusement fading.
“Sienna, aren’t your brownies done?” Heaven asks, clearly wanting to end this conversation.
“Oh, yes, I’d better go take them out.” I stand up. “Want to come with me and taste test them?”
“So subtle,” Ahren coughs.
Tatum snickers as Heaven simply flicks her hair over her shoulder and rises, shutting the tome with a snap as she falls into step beside me without acknowledging either of them.
The scent of chocolate fills the kitchen, reaching our noses the moment we enter. I reach for the oven gloves before glancing at her.
“Are you sure about cancelling it? We could still donate the money and do something here. It doesn’t have to be enormous.”
“Uncle Ray already said he’d match the donation and still throw the party, but I’m not in the mood to celebrate.” She leans against the counter, folding her arms. “I need to focus on training, control and finding a way to expose Aunty Raven’s killer. I’m getting closer, Sienna.”
I open the oven and take out the tray, placing it carefully on the cooling rack. “I know, but don’t you think you deserve to celebrate such an important birthday? You’ll be shifting.”
“I’m not interested.” Her voice isn’t harsh, but it’s final. “If- when Theo returns, I want to present him with answers. So no, I don’t have time to waste. Let’s try the brownies. I don’t want to discuss it further.”
I don’t push it and instead slice the brownies.
Theo… please come visit her. She needs you.
Heaven picks up one of the squares, taking a bite. Her expression remains composed, but her eyes close for the briefest moment.
“Mm, these are good,” she says.
“Only good?” I tease
She opens her eyes and gives me a look. “Very good, but you already know that. I am going to miss you cooking here.”
I smile. “I’ll still visit,” I promise.
She nods. “I know.”
I watch her turn towards the window. She’s always been good at hiding what she feels beneath elegance and control, so no one can tell.
I move closer, resting my head against her shoulder.
“I won’t pressure you,” I say quietly. “But you don’t have to spend every day training either. It’s your eighteenth. We can still do something small. Just you, me and Allie.”
I glance up at her, but her mask doesn’t slip.
“I’ll think about it.”
It isn’t a yes, but it isn’t the complete refusal she gave everyone else either, and for now, I’ll take it.
“Good.” I pass her another brownie. “Now eat up; thinking requires fuel.”
She rolls her eyes but takes it anyway, and when the faintest smile touches her lips, I decide that maybe her eighteenth doesn’t need to be the enormous celebration she once planned.
It just needs to remind her that even while she waits for Theo to return, she isn’t waiting alone.
My phone beeps, and I take it out of my pocket, and Heaven looks down, too, seeing Jayce’s name on the screen. “Maybe they’ve set a date for the ceremony.”
“Maybe…” My stomach is a bag of nerves as I open the message.
JAYCE: The date’s set for this coming Friday. Love you, Darling.
Friday…
My heart thunders as Heaven smiles. “Finally, you will take your rightful place, although I’m going to miss you around here.”
“Until you join me there…” I say softly. Our eyes meet, and she looks away.
“One day.”
“One day,” I repeat before replying to Jayce.
SIENNA: I look forward to it. Love you, Handsome.
With a date set, it just makes everything feel so much more solid.
And I can’t wait.
Two nights later, Allie and I stand inside Heaven’s bedroom, looking over everything one final time.
Extra pillows and blankets cover the floor in front of the television, two large pizza boxes sit on the table beside bowls of crisps, sweets and popcorn, and a small tray of purple-and-silver cupcakes rests near the window.
There are no decorations beyond a few candles we’ll light closer to midnight, because Heaven made it very clear she didn’t want a party.
This is simply a sleepover that happens to begin a few hours before her eighteenth birthday. That is what we’re going with.
Allie lifts the lid of one of the pizza boxes.
“Allie, don’t,” I warn, giving her a look, and she lowers the lid.
“I was checking whether it was still warm,” she replies flatly.
“Mhmm, I’m sure.” I smile.
She’s coming up; I can’t keep her any longer. She already snapped, Ahren says through the mind-link. Since Tatum has returned to his pack, Ahren was given the job to keep Heaven distracted.
We’re ready for her! I reply.
Footsteps approach from the corridor, and I quickly reach for the remote whilst Allie settles onto the blankets.
The door opens, and Heaven steps inside, pausing as she takes in the room.
“Allie? What are you doing here? What is this?”
“A very small get-together,” Allie says.
“It’s a sleepover,” I explain. “Not a party.”
Allie narrows her eyes. “Why add that?”
“There’s cake…” Heaven points out.
“Cupcakes,” I correct.
“They’re too small to count,” Allie adds.
I step forward and take her hands. “You said you didn’t want a party, and we listened. No guests, no DJ, no speeches and no one forcing you to smile for photographs.”
“It’s just a sleepover like old times. You know once Si has this pup, we won’t get these times again?” Allie points out.
Heaven’s eyes soften. “True… But I get to choose the movie.”
“Fine.” Allie shudders. “As long as it’s not romance.”
“That’s my choice,” Heaven replies haughtily.
Allie simply gives her a disgusted look.
We settle amongst the pillows, Heaven between us as she scrolls through the films. She eventually chooses one with magic, fighting and enough romance to keep me interested.
The first pizza is almost gone before the opening scene ends. We sure can eat.
The film continues, and we spend most of it arguing over which character is clearly going to die first and why people in films insist on following strange noises.
“They should leave,” I say as the woman on screen approaches a dark stairwell.
“They won’t,” Allie replies. “They never do.”
“Why not?”
“Then the film would be ten minutes long.”
Heaven nods. “Fair, but this isn’t horror, so they’ll survive.”
We laugh at some of the scenes; Heaven and I ‘aww’ over others, Allie gags at another, and soon we’re laughing and simply joking about the movie, the outside world forgotten.
When the movie ends, we all change into our pyjamas before Heaven allows Allie to choose the next movie, and then we begin on our snacks.
Ten minutes into the next movie, someone is brutally murdered.
Heaven turns to Allie. “Really?”
Allie shrugs. “It had good reviews.”
“That man was just decapitated.”
“Like we don’t see actual death all the time,” Allie points out.
By eleven forty-five, the three of us are stretched across the blankets, the second film playing quietly in the background.
I glance at the clock.
Fifteen minutes.
Allie notices and sits up without saying anything. Together, we move the cupcakes in front of Heaven, and I light the candles with a small flick of magic.
Heaven looks down at them, her expression softening.
“You didn’t need to do this.”
“We know,” I say. “We wanted to.”
Allie passes her one of the cupcakes. “I chose the black and silver sprinkles to tone down the lilac icing.”
“I could have guessed,” Heaven says, amused.
We remain there as the final minutes pass, talking about the Academy, training and my upcoming ceremony with Jayce.
We don’t mention Theo.
Not directly.
But when the clock draws closer to midnight, Heaven’s gaze drifts towards the window.
At eleven fifty-nine, Allie turns off the television.
Heaven looks at her. “It wasn’t finished.”
“It was getting predictable.”
I take Heaven’s hand as the seconds begin to change.
Ten.
Nine.
Heaven looks between us, her composure slipping slightly.
Seven.
Her fingers tighten around ours.
Three.
Two.
One.
Then the clock strikes twelve, and I fling my arms around Heaven. “Happy Birthday!”
“Eighteen. You survived,” Allie adds.
Heaven laughs softly, tears gathering in her eyes.
I pull back enough to look at her. “Make a wish.”
For a moment, sadness flickers across her face.
Then she closes her eyes and blows out the candles.
Smoke curls between us as Allie switches the lamp back on.
Heaven glances at her. “You couldn’t leave it dark for a second?”
“No,” Allie says. “I was inspecting the food.”
Heaven smiles. “Thank you, both… It means a lot.”
Maybe this isn’t the eighteenth birthday she spent years imagining.
There are no fancy venues or huge cakes, and no crowd waiting to watch her enter in some incredible dress Aunty Ri spent months designing.
But she’s smiling.
I laugh as I place a cupcake in front of each of us, then wrap one arm around Heaven and reach for Allie with the other, pulling her closer despite the look she gives me.
“Sisters for life,” I murmur.
Heaven smiles. “Sisters for life.”
Allie sighs quietly, although her arms tighten around us both.
“Sisters for life,” she repeats.
We may be cousins by blood and friends by choice, but somewhere along the way, we became something more.
Sisters.
And whatever happens next, that will never change.