Laughter drifted through my room for another few minutes. Not loud. Not forced.
Just... the kind of laughter that happened when everyone forgot they were supposed to be acting serious.
Dad was still dramatically lying across my bed as if life had personally betrayed him.
He let out the loudest sigh imaginable. "I still can't believe nobody is on my side."
Mom folded her arms, shaking her head. "Oh, please."
She turned toward Jake. "You see why I'm always grumpy in the mornings?"
Jake looked at his father.
Then at Mom.
Then back at his father. "...Honestly?"
Mom nodded. "Go on."
"It's definitely his fault."
Dad gasped so dramatically I thought he might actually faint. "My own son?"
Mom pointed at Dad. "He wakes up talking."
Dad frowned. "...Everyone wakes up talking."
"No."
"You do."
"You wake up and immediately start asking unnecessary questions."
Dad looked confused. "They're important."
Mom began counting on her fingers.
"'Honey, where are my socks?'"
"'Darling, have you seen my watch?'"
"'Dear, did you move my keys?'"
"'Mayy!!, do you think cereal tastes better in a blue bowl or a white bowl?'"
Jake burst out laughing. Luca covered his mouth.
Dad defended himself immediately. "Those are perfectly reasonable questions."
Mom blinked. "The bowl question?"
"...I was curious, you know it's not bad to be curious."
I couldn't let this continue.
I immediately pointed at Dad. "I object."
Everyone looked at me. "Dad has done absolutely nothing wrong."
Dad sat up proudly. "See? someone knows"
I walked over and stood beside him. "Look at him."
I spread my arms dramatically. "He's so innocent, look at those brown eyes, this soft blonde hair, this angel."
Dad nodded to every word... "Thank you, they won't get it."
Luca blinked twice before looking at me. "...Of course you'd support Dad."
Jake laughed. "She's always been a daddy's girl."
I crossed my arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jake pointed at me. "When we were little, very little, Dad bought you one ice cream."
"And?"
"You followed him around for three days."
"I was grateful."
"You called him your favourite human."
"He bought me chocolate and I was three."
Dad proudly nodded. "It worked."
Luca sighed dramatically before walking over to Mom. "Don't worry."
He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'll stay with you."
Mom smiled immediately. "My sweet boy."
Dad shot up from the bed so quickly the pillow fell onto the floor. "Absolutely not."
Luca blinked. "What?"
Dad pointed accusingly at him. "You're trying to steal my wife."
Luca gasped. "I would never steal her."
"You absolutely would. You're capable."
Luca folded his arms. "She likes me more."
Dad looked horrified. "No, she doesn't."
"She does."
"She doesn't."
"She literally called me 'my sweet boy' five seconds ago."
Dad immediately turned toward Mom. "...Did you?"
Mom tried very hard not to laugh. "I might have."
Dad looked betrayed. "See?"
He pointed dramatically at Luca. "You've been stealing affection."
"I earned it."
"You've been here for five minutes!"
"I've been adorable for seventeen years."
Jake snorted. I nearly fell over laughing.
Dad marched toward Luca. "No."
"I refuse to lose."
Luca stood his ground. "What are you going to do?"
Dad narrowed his eyes. "I'm hugging her first."
Before anyone could react Dad wrapped both arms around Mom.
Mom laughed in surprise.
Luca immediately joined the hug from the other side. "No!"
"She's sharing."
Dad frowned. "My wife."
"Our Mom."
"My wife."
"Our Mom."
"My wife."
"Our Mom."
Jake slowly looked at me. "...Should we stop them?"
I watched the two of them arguing while still hugging Mom. "...No. They seem happy."
Mom sighed dramatically from the middle. "I'm literally being squashed."
Neither of them moved.
Instead They hugged tighter. "I love you more."
"No, I love her more."
"You met her after me."
"Details."
Dad looked offended. "Big details."
Just then... My phone buzzed softly on the bed.
The sound somehow cut through all the chaos.
I reached over and picked it up.Ethan.
A small smile found its way onto my face before I even opened the message. It was a photo.
The airport. Through the giant windows I could see the runway stretching into the distance.
The caption made me laugh quietly.
We've landed.
Seraphina tried not to throw up...
She failed.
I covered my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Poor Seraphina.
I could already imagine Ethan taking a picture while she glared at him.
I quickly typed back.
😭 Poor Seraphina.
I hope she's okay.
Stay safe, both of you. Get some rest.
A few seconds later...
A little heart reacted to my message. I smiled to myself before locking my phone.
"They landed."
Almost instantly everyone looked at me.
"They did?" Mom asked.
I nodded. "Yeah. They're in London now."
For a brief second...
The room became quiet.
Then Dad smiled. "That's good."
Jake nodded. "I'm glad they got there safely."
Mom let out a relieved breath. "Me too."
Even Luca smiled. "I'm happy."
It wasn't loud happiness.
Just... Comfort.
Knowing they had made it safely.
Jake stretched both arms above his head before letting out the biggest yawn of the night.
"I'm done." He rubbed one eye. "I'm going to sleep."
"You've been saying that for twenty minutes," I teased.
"I mean it this time."
"We'll see."
He pointed at me. "I am leaving."
"You said that five minutes ago."
"...Goodnight." He finally walked toward the door.
Halfway there he stopped.
Turned around. "...Don't tell Nena I called her a monster."
I smiled innocently. "No promises."
"You are evil."
"I learned from you."
He sighed dramatically before disappearing into the hallway.
Luca stood up too, stretching until his flower pajamas wrinkled even more. "I should sleep too."
I looked at him. "So early?"
He nodded excitedly. "Mark promised he'll teach me how to drive tomorrow before he leaves for college."
I blinked. "...Wait."
"Really?"
"Mhm!"
"Mark?"
"Yep."
"The same Mark who reminds people to hold the handrail?"
"The very one."
I laughed. "Teaching you how to drive. That's something I never thought I'd hear."
Luca smiled proudly. "I'll be a great driver."
Jake's voice echoed from the hallway. "I don't believe you."
"I'll prove you wrong!"
I smiled. "I'll come and support Mark."
Luca laughed. "No."
"You'll come and support me."
"I'll support whoever survives."
He pointed dramatically. "Wake up early."
"I will."
"You better."
"I said I will."
Mom looked at both of us before pointing one finger toward Dad.
"And you..."
Dad looked up. "Yes?"
She smiled sweetly. "If you sneak into the kitchen tonight..."
Dad immediately shook his head. "I won't."
"...If you do..." She continued. "I'm breaking your legs."
Dad blinked. "...That escalated quickly."
"And if you don't..." She added after a pause. "...I'll let you back into our room tomorrow."
Dad's eyes lit up immediately. "I suddenly have no interest in dessert."
"Good."
"I've changed."
"We'll see tomorrow."
"I've become a better man."
Jake shouted from upstairs. "Liar!"
Dad looked offended. "I was having a moment!"
One by one...
Everyone began leaving my room.
Mom wished me goodnight.
Dad followed her, still trying to convince her he deserved forgiveness.
Luca waved dramatically. "Goodnight, best sister!"
"Goodnight, baby."
"I'm not a baby!"
"You absolutely are."
He huffed all the way out of my room.
I couldn't stop smiling.
The door clicked shut behind them.
And... Just like that... Everything became quiet.
I sat there for a while, looking around my room.
It felt strange.
Not lonely.
Just...
Peaceful.
I rested my head against the headboard and let out a small breath.
You know...
I don't know if my life has become more interesting... or just more confusing.
Maybe both.
Back then, I used to be the loudest person in every room.
I'd argue with walls if they looked at me the wrong way.
Now...
I'm still chaotic.
Just... a little less.
Mostly because Nena somehow became louder than me.
And Luca... Well... One Luca is equivalent to approximately seven normal human beings.
It's basic mathematics. I don't make the rules. I smiled to myself. Life keeps changing.
People leave. New people arrive.
Somehow, somewhere along the way... I changed too. Not completely.
I'm still Ayana. I still talk to myself. I still argue over absolutely nothing. I still laugh at my own jokes.
I'm just... Growing.
And if life wants to keep throwing surprises at me...
Fine. Bring them on. I've survived worse.