𝟐𝟒

♕

𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛'𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑣

Aurora's soft touch grazed the picture of a younger version of her and her nonna. The audacity of her parent's actions still clouded her head, but she knew better than to expect anything good from them.

A shift in the bed caused the blonde to look behind her, catching sight of Ariella and Iris cuddled closer to each other to fill in the absence of a warm presence.

Aurora smiled before soundlessly leaving the guest bedroom in search for— well she wasn't sure, the picture of her grandmother braiding her hair left behind on a dresser.

They'd arrived in her hometown a few hours ago. The flight was quite long and Ariella tired herself out by watching multiple Disney movies. Iris comforted both girls throughout the night; with a kiss on Aurora's cheek here and there and her arm thrown over Ariella's body as protection.

Arriving into the quiet home of her now deceased relative, Aurora rapidly began to blink her eyes. All of the memories had seemed to form an attack on her at once. They weren't brutal but more like tickles— intended to make you laugh or giggle but instead it just causes a continuous ache in your stomach from the aggression.

Aurora was quick to help herself and her small family into her bedroom. There were still tiny details from when she was a teenager that remained on the walls, but for the most part the bed had a major upgrade for whenever she visited.

The sleepiness had undoubtedly caught up to everyone and so sleep wasn't hard to come.

However, the tall blonde found herself roaming the silent home at five in the morning. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, perhaps for this all to be just a joke. For her nonna to burst through the front door and say that this was all a tactic to get her back home.

And it seemed that her thoughts became true for a moment. The front door of the home had indeed opened, but it wasn't her nonna that appeared from the other side of it.

It was Daniel and his wife.

A heavy breath of disappointment escaped past the blonde's lips.

"Don't try to sound too excited. Jeez." the brother mumbled, helping his wife into the dimly lit home.

Aurora huffed, palming her forehead, "Sorry. . . I'm just still in disbelief."

Although the two siblings argued like enemies at times, their bond was nothing less than strong and loving. Daniel's playful demeanor cracked once seeing his sister in such a state. It couldn't be hidden from any one of how much she was currently struggling with this situation.

Daniel wordlessly excused himself to help Ava to bed. He lied her body underneath the covers of the guest bed, placing a tender kiss on her forehead before exiting the room.

Back in the main area Aurora had found herself in front of the fireplace, her exhausted body thrown into the cushions of the soft couch.

Daniel comfortably sat beside her, throwing an arm over his eyes to mask his tiredness. The news was sudden, but the need to come out to support his sister was more important than anything. Daniel loved their nonna just as much as Aurora did, but he knew the relationship between his sister and her was far more significant.

She was a safe place.

". . . It was cancer." Aurora whispered into the still air.

Daniel lifted his arm slightly to peek, noticing the pile of envelopes that sat on the coffee table infront of them.

He began to speak, "I—"

"I feel so stupid." Aurora sniffled, "All of those calls, the summer visits, random texts and I still had no idea."

"You can't blame yourself for something like this." Daniel consoled, furrowing his eyebrows at the hole his sibling was digging herself in.

"Why not? I should have known, Danny. I should've been here with her." Aurora pushed, now crying as her hands supported her heavy head.

No more words were uttered after that. Daniel only pulled his devastated sister into a hug, whispering comforting words to support her despite what her thoughts were saying.

"You cannot blame yourself for something that she hid from you, Rory. You and I both know that she was as stubborn as ever. She didn't want you to worry. You need to not hold yourself accountable for this. Life is going to do its thing and unfortunately there's nothing we can do about it." Aurora's breaths began to level out and Daniel smiled at that, "She loved you and that's all that matters in the end."

The house was quiet. Aurora had returned her breathing to normal and allowed her older brother to soothe her aching heart with a warm hug. Snores erupted from one of the rooms, causing the two to laugh. They knew all too well that it was Ariella.

"Such a tiny body but such manly snores." Daniel chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief, "She is her mother's daughter."

"Stronzo." Aurora scoffed, pushing Daniel as far away from her as possible.

♕

A few hours later, the sun began to show itself in all of its great beauty. Everyone was fast asleep, both siblings had retreated to their respected rooms where their tiny families lied waiting for them.

As expected, Aurora was the first one awake. However this time it didn't take Iris long to wake from the missing blonde's body. Aurora had only just finished washing her face before the shorter woman squeezed herself into the bathroom with her lover, wanting to provide comfort even if it wasn't much needed at the time.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked as she moved towards the sink, her pink, cased toothbrush in hand.

"Could've been better." Aurora admitted.

Her answer was short and simple. No lingering gaze on Iris' face as she awaited an answer— instead her eyes were casted on her fingernails that she seemed to be picking at. No taunting smirk or smile. She even seemed hesitant on moving away from the sink that Iris needed access to.

It was all understandable and she knew that.

There was nothing but the sound of Iris' toothbrush cleaning her morning breath. She willingly gave Aurora her silence, but she still managed to loop her pinky through the other woman's as a sign of security.

Aurora exhaled shakily with her eyes now down casted on their interlocked fingers, "My parents invited us to lunch."

Iris resisted the urge to show her unpleasant reaction by clearing her throat, settling her now partially dry toothbrush on the sink. She rinsed her mouth out and turned to her girlfriend while taking in her ambience.

"And I assume that you don't want to go?" Iris whispered.

"Of course not. I refuse to sit at a table with those. . . monsters. They have no empathy or respect for me or anything that I love. I'm so tired of it all, cara." Aurora confessed with teary eyes.

It was such a vulnerable moment. It was something about seeing a strong, determined person's walls begin to crash down in front of you at once.

Iris grabbed a hold of the taller's face, smiling softly, "I understand, my love. Let's just take an off day today, yeah?"

Aurora hummed with closed eyes, loving the idea of having a day off after what she's been hit with recently.

Iris kissed away any tears that managed to fall with tenderness.

"I can't help but adore you, Ro. You're so incredibly strong."

Such small words and yet such a huge impact. Aurora's heart bloomed with a newfound sense of strength.

"I adore you more. I love you." and she meant those words wholeheartedly.

Iris giggled, "I love you so incredibly much."

And there it was.

That beautiful laugh that Iris was dying to hear.

She watched Aurora giggle, her crinkled eyes as they shut and her teeth showing from behind that recent frown.

That was her Aurora.

"I smell pancakes!" a voice shrieked, turning the two women's attention over to the bedroom.

Ariella was wide awake and was grinning so heavily as if it was Christmas morning all over again but she wasn't lying. Aurora and Iris were too involved in their sentimental moment that they didn't catch the smell of a fresh breakfast being cooked.

Unbeknownst to them, Daniel and Ava were both in the kitchen twirling around one an other's bodies and preparing a meal for themselves and everyone else to eat.

It was then that Aurora realized how much positivity she was surrounded by. Despite her parents' horrible behavior, she was in a home that she once— and still does— felt safe in with everyone that she truly appreciates.

So everyone got ready for the day after engaging in a memorable morning at the dining table; pancakes with chocolate smiley faces were passed around, Aurora managed to pull out pictures from her earlier years that she reminisced about with everyone, and the morning, golden sun made everyone's smile look almost dreamlike.

It was the calm moment needed before the storm hit.

Later on in the day Aurora found herself sitting on the living room carpet. She had a guitar in her lap, courtesy of Daniel who made fun of the silly songs she used to make, and her family as her crowd. The guitar wasn't old looking or tethered. But you could tell that it hadn't been touched in a while.

It was a gift from her nonna.

"I know you aren't sure how to play, but I wouldn't mind teaching you a few things."

And a wink was sent with a grand ole smile.

Aurora smiled at the flashback before she shook herself back to reality and made eye contact with Iris who was rocking back and forth with Ariella in her lap. It was such a basic motion but the young girl seemed to enjoy it more than one would think. It was clear by the sound of her giggles.

Ava and Daniel sat with their legs thrown out and their arms wrapped around each other, small kisses being traded back and forth.

"I forgot how to play—"

"Bullshit!" Daniel immediately booed, pointing both of his thumbs down to show emphasis on his statement.

Aurora hid her chuckle and instead positioned the instrument at a comfortable angle. The blonde pondered on what song to play, and just as she made a move to start the doorbell rang.

Daniel groaned and got up before heading over to the door, mouthing a 'lucky' to his sister as he reached to open the door.

And God had he wished he kept it closed.

"You've got some fucking nerve."

♕