Their Sister, Their Strength

Chapter 6 - Birthday (Pt. 2)

"When did you do all this?" I asked, marveling at the effort.

Harley shrugged nonchalantly, and Cole was too busy sampling the sandwiches to answer. But their silence spoke volumes— hours spent while I was sleeping: baking, planning, decorating, all to make sure that my birthday would be unforgettable.

"Thank you so much. It's really sweet of you," I said, a little bashfully.

Harley led me to a seat at the table, and we all indulged in the delectable finger sandwiches prepared by Gio. Among them, my favorite was the cucumber and cream cheese.

A few minutes later, Elijah poked his head into the room, followed shortly the tantalizing aroma of a familiar treat.

"Wouldn't be a birthday without my cinnamon rolls," Elijah announced, placing a tray of them before me. However, a hint of suspicion flickered in his gaze. "I could have sworn I made more."

Cole's face turned a shade redder, and Harley quipped, "I don't think we'll be lacking in sugar today."

As I took a bite of the familiar treat, I noticed Cole shooting me a look with a shake of his head. Oh, the little thief had stolen Elijah's pastries for our sunrise adventure. I played along with a grin, pretending to savor the deliciousness for the first time. Oscar-worthy performance, if you asked me.

As the lunch wore on, the sugar began to take its toll, and I found myself giggling uncontrollably at Cole's jokes. But amidst the laughter, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned, meeting Mason's gaze as he stood at the entryway of the kitchen. He appeared more awake than before, his sharpness restored to his eyes, and his white shirt impeccably pressed once more.

"Good morning!" I chirped, cheerfully.

"Morning," he replied cautiously.

"It's my birthday!" I proudly declared.

Mason raised an eyebrow, glancing at Elijah as if seeking clarification. "And what exactly did you put in those cinnamon rolls?"

"Too much sugar," Harley muttered with a grin.

"A balanced birthday diet for our cinnamon roll," Cole interjected, pulling me closer to his side with a squeeze.

I glared playfully at him, before offering the plate of treats to Mason.

He eyed the tray warily, as though it were an ambush, and politely declined with a shake of his head.

"More for us then," I grinned with a shrug.

Elijah's lips twitched into a smile.

It was then that Mason revealed his plans for the evening—a dinner in the dining room with all the brothers present. He inquired if there was anything specific I'd like to do to celebrate my birthday—whether it be a trip to the cinema, the theater, or even a shopping spree.

"Would you mind if we stayed home?" I said sheepishly. "Maybe watch a movie?"

"Anything in particular you'd like to watch? I heard The Little Mermaid is coming out," Elijah suggested.

Cole let out an exasperated groan, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Save me."

Chuckling at Cole's antics, I shook my head. "I don't think it's out of cinemas until next week."

In my peripheral vision, I saw Mason's eyes flicker with determination as he walked out of the kitchen.

In less than an hour, I found myself sinking into the plush, maroon cozy seats of the twelve-seater home cinema as the opening credits of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' began to play.