A/N - nobody speak 🧍🏾♀️
I wanna see everyone commenting on the last chapter cure the hole in my heart 💔
~~~
"I feel like I'm in an episode of Hell's Kitchen", I couldn't help the laugh that came from me as I watched all five of my brothers navigating around the kitchen together while I watched from my seat at the kitchen island.
"And instead of Gordon Ramsay it's fucking Xan", Xavier snorted, "these potatoes smell".
"You fucking smell", his twin scoffed, "this is like overstimulation at its peak".
"Tell me about it", Xavier scrunched up his face, grabbing the potato masher and inspecting it, "and I just mash them with this?".
"No, you shove it up your fucking ass", Caleb deadpanned, slapping him on the head, "are you stupid?".
"What kinda question is that?", Alexander scoffed, "have you met him?".
"Have you met him?", Xavier mocked him, Chase just made eye contact with me and rolled his eyes, I just chuckled at his exhausted expression. He'd had his hearing aids out for the majority of the time he'd been home now, and it had me wondering if he ever took them out when he wasn't alone at college- if he was embarrassed, or something like that.
"How's the chicken look?", Prescott asked, peering over Alexander's shoulder and being swatted away like a bug.
"Too fucking close", he scowled, "it's nearly done".
"No offence Zane, but I don't think we'll all be cooking for you again", Xavier smiled sheepishly, "birthday tomorrow or not".
"I gathered", I mused, sipping my champagne and watching Caleb fill it up in an instant, "where am I? A five star restaurant?".
"Oh please, we're better than that", my youngest brother scoffed, "you're all just fucking everywhere, can you all piss off a sec?". I'd been waiting for the moment where he snapped, and was surprised it had taken this long to be honest.
"Why don't you step outside for a minute?", Caleb suggested, "the food's not going anywhere".
"And leave you all supervising it?", he stared at our brother like he'd grown two heads, "I'll pass".
"Then stop whining", he said, continuing to chop some carrots, "Xav, open your mouth". The seventeen year old did as he was told without a second thought, laughter filling the room when Caleb threw a piece of carrot and Xavier caught it; it was a privilege to see everyone so happy like this.
"Fucking immaturity", Alexander grumbled, "mash the fucking potatoes".
"I'll throw the fucking potatoes at you in a minute", Xavier scoffed, "it's like living with the grinch".
"We should paint him green in his sleep", Caleb wiggled his eyebrows, Xavier's face lighting up.
"Caleb", I warned him to which he surrendered, "don't provoke him while he's agitated".
"I'm not agitated, I'm fucking pissed off", he snapped, poking Chase's shoulder and speaking while moving his hands slowly, "the mac and cheese".
It was almost comical watching him finger spell the words, and I could see the amusement in Chase's eyes as he watched too; while the rest of us were what could be deemed very experienced with sign language, the twins had always struggled to pick it up, not to say that they didn't try.
"It's in the oven", Chase signed back and my lips twitched upwards upon seeing Alexander's confused expression, Chase just rolled his eyes and jabbed a finger towards the oven.
"Oh. Right", he nodded, "I didn't even see you do that".
"Too busy screaming at us all", Caleb rolled his eyes, throwing a piece of carrot at Alexander, just because he had to piss him off even more.
"I will beat the shit out of you", he warned, just as his phone beeped and he checked it, facial expression softening within the blink of an eye.
Well then.
"This friend must have magical powers if they're making you look like that", Prescott chuckled, the glare returning on our brother's face as he pocketed his phone, "jeez, you look like you could turn someone to stone".
"Zane, you actually expect me to come out of this with sanity?", as if he had any in the first place, "this feels like abuse".
"Nothing we haven't had before", Xavier shrugged, eyes bulging as the room fell silent, "too soon?".
"Too far", Caleb winced and I rolled my eyes, "this was your idea Xav, I feel fucking claustrophobic".
"It's a birthday present for Zane", he hissed, "it's his birthday in...six hours".
"Then you'll be pushing thirty", Prescott laughed, I just flipped him off, "should we get you a cane?".
"I'll knock you out with it", I warned, he just laughed, "do you know what would make this present even better?".
"Everyone but me leaving the fucking kitchen?", Alexander raised an eyebrow and I laughed, shaking my head, "then your idea's shit".
"Some live entertainment", my lips twitched up in amusement, watching them blink at me.
"Like a clown?", Xavier scrunched his face up and shivered.
"I was thinking a musical instrument", I narrowed my eyes, the recognition flickering across Prescott's face.
"Two seconds", he rushed out of the room and Alexander sighed.
"I cannot listen to his fucking guitar while I'm this hot", he muttered, "this is like my own personal torture chamber".
"Oh loosen the fuck up", Xavier asked, "take your anger out on these potatoes".
"Or I can just take it out on you?", he cocked his head, I rolled my eyes and watched him snatch the potato masher regardless. Prescott entered the room with his guitar in hand and a pick in his mouth, he pulled the chair out from beside me and moved it so he was a little away from me, perching on it and clearing his throat.
"I can't believe only one of us has musical ability", Xavier sighed, "I'm talentless".
"Have you forgotten you skate better than you walk?", Caleb frowned, "your brain worries me sometimes".
"Oh well", he waved a hand, "come on Scotty". We all shut up as Prescott began to strum the guitar, I wasn't aware of what song he was playing, but he did it effortlessly, not even having to look at the instrument he was holding at all. The grumbles coming from Alexander while he manoeuvred around the kitchen had me chuckling to myself, I'd never met someone who could be so grouchy sometimes.
The four of them continued to work around the kitchen while Prescott filled the room with music, I sipped my champagne contentedly while watching them all; I couldn't think of a better present for the night before my birthday.
~
"I know it's only just August, but I'm dreading school", of course Xavier would be thinking of that now, "aren't you Xan?".
"I forgot it existed until you said that", he grumbled, "thanks a lot".
"You're ever so welcome", he grinned, receiving an elbow to the ribs which made him cough, "fuck".
"Alexander", I warned, his blue eyes meeting mine.
"Zane", he said in the same tone, this boy would be the death of me eventually.
"No violence at the dinner table", I replied, his lips twitching into a sly smile, "or away from the dinner table". His smile fell.
"Predictable piece of shit", Caleb laughed, "Theo's gonna come over tomorrow".
"That's new", Xavier laughed, "we see him more than Chase nowadays".
"Because he's busy with his other half", Caleb grinned as he ruffled our brother's longer blonde hair, "you need a haircut".
"And you need dye", he replied, raising his eyebrows as he lowered his hands, Caleb just scowled in response as I chuckled to myself.
"So you're actually not doing anything tomorrow Zane?", Xavier asked, I placed my fork down and lifted a shoulder, "why not?".
"What's there to do? I'm happy where I am", I replied, "I intend to drink coffee, watch Home Alone, and relax".
"He really is getting old", Prescott teased, I reached over and shoved his head, "only teasing".
"You're literally twenty-three this year", I reminded him, "not too far behind me".
"Shut up", he frowned, "Xan, you know we barely use our phones at the table".
"The key word in that sentence was barely", he tore his gaze from his screen and raised an eyebrow, "two seconds, it's just my friend".
"The mysterious friend", Caleb mused, "hey Chase? You and Rory are friends, right?".
"Caleb", he surrendered and shut up, "let's enjoy the meal, hm? It tastes exceptional".
"Because I was there", Alexander claimed, putting his phone on the table. Everyone around the table rolled their eyes, the usual response when our youngest brother spoke.
~
"I knew I'd rope you all into this", I grinned, leaning forwards and placing my coffee on the table before sinking back into the sofa and wrapping an arm around Chase as he rested his head on my chest.
"It's not even Christmas time", he mumbled, yawning.
"You know you can go to bed", I told him, feeling all too grateful that they were all joining me for my impromptu Home Alone viewing in the living room.
"I'm fine here", he declined, removing his glasses but keeping his hearing aids in, then proceeding to just close his eyes, "wake me up when they break in".
Well then.
"The popcorn fucking smells Xav", Alexander grumbled from the other sofa, arms folded and a frown on his face, viewable even in the dimly lit room, "get away with that shit".
"Maybe you're the one who smells", his twin stuck out his tongue and I rolled my eyes, secretly praying they never lost their childishness.
"Can we watch the fucking film?", Caleb groaned from beside Prescott on the floor, I found myself agreeing with him for once.
"Thank you, Caleb", he flashed me a grin, "everyone shut up".
~
I couldn't sleep.
No matter how much I tossed and turned, stared at the ceiling, the walls, sleep wouldn't find its way to me tonight.
My gut was telling me something was coming, and I never ignored my gut.
When I checked the time on my phone and realised it was five in the morning, that I'd been lying here for four hours, I decided enough was enough- I wasn't sleeping tonight. Or this morning, I should say. Upon leaving my bedroom and checking all of my brothers', I soon learned that Prescott wasn't in bed, nor had he touched his at all tonight.
It was perfectly made, and he wasn't the type of person to get up in the middle of the night and make it; so I ventured downstairs to try and find him.
It wasn't hard, nor did it take me long, because my brother was sitting right outside the patio doors in the kitchen and living room, what looked like an energy drink in his hands. After turning on the coffee machine I slid open the doors, heading outside where the sun had barely risen yet, the chill of the morning making me wince.
"Couldn't sleep?", I sunk into the chair beside him and watched him shake his head, sipping his drink before extending it in my direction, I shook my own head and he took it back, "you and I both".
"Happy birthday", his lips curled up into a smile, his blue eyes meeting mine, "that why you couldn't sleep? Birthday excitement?".
"I wish", I scoffed, shoving him slightly, "and thank you". He hummed, silence falling between us for a minute or two; I loved Prescott's company because it felt so..normal.
"Spill then, I never see you down here at this time", he raised an eyebrow, finishing his can of drink and placing it on the floor beside his chair, "you're invading my personal hours".
"Well I strongly apologise", I smirked, "I just couldn't, my mind was keeping me awake".
"Dangerous", he teased, "about what?".
"Just a hunch that something's gonna happen", I lifted a shoulder, probably sounding like I was losing the plot.
"Something bad?", he asked, raking a hand through his blonde hair, "I don't know how much more bad news we can take Zane".
"Not necessarily bad", I shook my head, "just a hunch".
"A hunch", he parroted with a hum, "you never ignore a hunch". He knew me better than I knew myself the majority of the time.
"Precisely", I nodded, "so here I am". He chuckled, peering out into the still almost dark garden with a sigh, I couldn't say I actively came out here at this time, but Prescott looked completely used to it.
"I didn't even go up to bed", he revealed after a few minutes and I turned to him, "I've been watching tv in there all night".
"You're something else", I shook my head with a chuckle, "and you still won't take the pills?".
"You know I won't", he rolled his eyes and smiled, "twenty six huh? How's it feel?".
"The same as I did five hours ago", I snorted, "nothing's changed".
"Maybe so...but things are about to", he replied, "everything's gonna change".
Isabella.
"Indeed it is", I sighed, tipping my head back to stare at the sky, "indeed it is".
~
I don't know how I ended up at the cemetery at seven in the morning.
After practically forcing Prescott to go to bed and at least try and sleep, and telling him I was going to go on a drive to see if that tired me out, I'd ended up at the cemetery instead. I couldn't say I'd been here recently...but it felt right today, for some reason.
I sat on the dew-covered grass, not caring about it slightly dampening my sweatpants, and sighed; it had been seven years since I'd lost Cairo, and yet I thought about him almost daily. What could have been, what would have been, and while I knew it wasn't healthy to cling onto such thoughts, I still couldn't help myself sometimes.
"I haven't been here in a while", I swallowed, my fingers fiddling with the blades of grass beneath me, "I'd say I was busy, and even though it just sounds like a shitty excuse, it's the truth". I'd give anything to hear his fucking voice again, to feel as euphoric as I once did when he used to kiss me, and yet all I was left with was hazy memories and feelings of uselessness whenever I thought about him.
"We're all basically adults now, the twins and Chase might as well be with the amount of shit they've been through", a small smile graced my lips, "you'd be laughing at me today...twenty six, at least you wouldn't be calling me a teenager trapped in a grown man's body". I chuckled softly to myself at the memory, how he was the chilled out one in our relationship, constantly trying to loosen me up a little.
"I miss you. Even seven years later it still feels like yesterday", I raked a hand through my hair with a sigh, "but I'm getting better, I feel like I'm healing- like I don't need to come here as much...and I think you'd be telling me to move on, I don't know if I can yet though".
The thought alone made me shiver, after meeting Cairo I didn't ever think there would be an after Cairo.
"And I have news...we want to bring Isabella home- I know how much you wanted to meet her, I'm sorry", I closed my eyes for a moment and puffed out my cheeks, "I'll never stop being sorry Cairo".
And that was the truth; as much as I could heal from this, move on, it would always be in the back of my mind. What I'd done, what it had cost me, cost us, cost them - forgiving myself simply wasn't in the picture, never would be.
~
His fingers worked their way through my hair, down the side of my face, tracing my jawline, then repeating; my head was on his chest and I could say with confidence that I hadn't felt safer than this for ages.
Years maybe.
"I love you", I mumbled, burying my face against him and feeling him chuckle beneath me, "what?".
"I'll never get used to hearing you say that", he admitted, "say it again". I sat up, looked him dead in the eyes, and then kissed him deeply.
"I", I broke apart and smiled against his full lips, "love. You".
"And I love you more", I rolled my eyes and he copied me, tapping the side of my head lightly, "I mean it Trouble, I only see it being you". I couldn't hide the smile on my face then.
"Well it's a good thing I feel the same", I grinned, kissing him again before lying back down on his chest, a comfortable silence falling between us, until Cairo spoke up.
"I want you to promise me something Zane", he only used my name when it was serious, "about when you bring Isabella home to us all".
Us all.
I nodded, trying to ignore the pounding in my heart at his not so subtle hint that he was going nowhere for now.
"What is it?", I asked, wondering what he was about to say to me.
"That you'll do it when you're all ready", he replied, "I know you, I know you put everyone before yourself, but please Trouble, make sure you're okay up here before bringing her home". He tapped my temple gently as I looked up at him, admiring his care for me more and more every day.
"I promise", I agreed, watching one of my favourite smiles spread across his face.
"Good", he hummed, satisfied with my answer, "I love you, yeah? I'll always love you".
I didn't doubt that for a second.
~
"I'm not putting that on my head", it was about two in the afternoon now, and the guests had decided to start arriving already. Even though I'd stated multiple times that I had no intention of doing anything today.
"It's just a- just a- hat!", Theo handed it to me with a grin, "come on".
I hated this.
Aurora laughed as I placed the yellow party hat on my head, my eyebrows pulling into a deep frown.
"Beautiful", my brother's girlfriend snapped a picture and I huffed, especially when Chase and Theo began laughing at me.
"This is why I don't celebrate", I grumbled, tugging at the elastic on my chin, "you're all insufferable".
"And yet you love us all", I was about to reply to Chase when the phone in my office rang.
That phone never rang.
I'd heard it so little that it reminded me of my father answering it and barking orders down the line.
"The office phone?", Chase scrunched up his face, "who would call that?".
"You're asking the same questions I am", I muttered, sauntering out of the room and down the hall, picking it up and holding it against my right ear, "Zane Delgado".
"Mr Delgado, I'm calling on behalf of the London Metropolitan Police", London?, "can you confirm that you are the biological brother of Miss Isabella Delgado?". I froze, my heartbeat increasing as the tightness in my chest I knew all too well came back to bite me in the ass.
London.
Police.
Brother.
Isabella.
THE END
~~~
A/N - I actually cannot I am NOT okay rn 😃 the full circle this book did and Isabella starting with her on the plane don't 😐
Had to throw in Cairo one last time 🥹🥹
It's nearly 2am so I'm going to sleep on this DISTRESS and give you all the author's note in the morning ❤️❤️❤️
(And before you ask about the aftermath of the phone call, the author's note will explain all🫶🏾🫶🏾)