"Have you seen her?"

"No, not yet."

Samuel looked around at the faces that passed by him. June, his sister-in-law, was flying into the city, and Kali had sent him to pick her up. The plan was for him to take her to the apartment for a surprise party Kali put together. Her plane landed thirty minutes ago if his details were correct, but he couldn't see her anywhere.

"Have you tried calling her?"

"I am about to. I'll call you back, alright?"

"Okay."

He scrolled through his contacts for her number. The phone rang, but she didn't answer. He tried a second time, and she answered the call. He could hear the sounds of the airport from her end; the announcements, the crowded charter and the scratching of tires on the tile floor.

"Brother-in-law."

"June, hello. Where are you?"

"Samuel?" He turned with the placard still above his head and spotted June running past the crowds of people to get to him. "Samuel, it is you."

She gave him a warm hug. "Hi."

"It's so nice to see you."

"Likewise. It's been a while. How was your flight?"

"Fantastic, thanks for paying for my ticket."

"It was my pleasure."

"And my sister?"

"She forgot to get your gift, so I offered to pick you up while she ran to the mall and picked something."

June smirked. "She is always trying to spoil me. Getting married has seemed to change little. Anyway, I am happy to have you as my ride. We barely spoke after I left, and that can not be. We are family now, Samuel Madden."

"That is true, June Hastings." Flambouantly, he offered her his arm, and she took it with a dramatic straightening of her spine. "We are in the same city now, so we can get to know each other better."

June took her time to fill him in on her journey to the city as they drove to Kali's apartment. She gushed about the plane, the food she ate, the movies she watched, the service, and a young couple on the seats beside hers. She admitted that aside from when she flew in for the wedding, she had never lived anywhere outside her city. So, the plane ride had been terrifying, but once was enough to get her used to it.

Out of curiosity, Samuel asked, "Why didn't you move with your sister?"

"It was easier and cheaper to stay home. The school was less expensive there, and maintaining a good life was effortless. We decided that I'll finish high school back home and live here for my uni."

"Must have been a long wait for the chance to live with your sister close to you."

"It was. Kali has plastered a beautiful image in my head about living in this city. I know different people have different experiences, but I hope to be half as lucky as she has been."

"In what aspect?"

"In being happy. I don't mind how different it feels from home as long as I have the chance to be happy here."

"Time will tell."

June looked at him, a Cheshire smile on her face. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"Do you know what my sister is getting me?"

Samuel chuckled. "Yes. I do."

"Great. Any hints? I like gifts, but I am always anxious to know what they are. Is it large or compact? Are fabrics involved?"

He laughed. "Your sister would kill me if I told you anything."

"You don't have to be specific. That's why I asked for a hint."

"All the same. I sleep next to the woman, I would rather not wake up to pillows raining down on my head."

"Oh, my sister is a teddy bear when it comes to family. No matter how angry, she'd never show her claws. So, come on. Spill the beans. Better to ask forgiveness than permission."

"And we are here."

Samuel gratefully sighed, parking the car and shutting the engine down. June was temporarily distracted, looking around the parking lot.

"I thought we were going to your place?"

"That's the plan. I just wanted to pick up some things here first. Your sister asked me to bring some of the stuff she stored here. Would you mind coming with me and giving me a hand?"

"Of course." She rushed, stepping out of the car. "What are we getting?"

To avoid answering the question, he pretended to be distracted by a message from Kali. He had seen it before arriving at the airport, but it was the best he could do to keep from spilling the beans.

"We need to hurry." He told her, picking up the pace to the elevators. "Kali must be waiting for us to get back."

"Fine. Fine."

They made it to the fifth floor, and June spent the entire time trying to question him about what her sister planned to give her as a gift. Samuel held his ground, promising she would know when she arrived at the mansion. He fished the keys out of his pocket, making enough noise as he turned the lock so Kali knew to hide.

"Why does she still keep the apartment?"

"Erm, storage. Sort of. We are moving important things to the house little by little."

"Oh."

He opened the door and allowed her to walk in first to the rain of loud and resounding "Surprise!"

Everyone screamed and jumped out of their hiding places, the light came on, and they rushed a giggling June away from the door. She was hustled into a seat and flooded with hugs and good wishes. Kali waited for everyone to step away before dragging her little sister into her arms.

Samuel entered, closing the door and taking a seat on the arm of the sofa.

"Welcome, baby girl." Kali sung. "How was your flight."

"It was great! What are you guys doing here?"

"Throwing you a surprise party. Obviously."

"Thank you."

Ember grabbed a tray of drinks from the table and offered one to June first. "As our guest of honour, this is for you."

"Thank you." June looked around, noticing the change in the apartment Kali spent days making.

The walls had been stripped of the original wallpapers and replaced with cobalt blue paint, and the carpet was replaced with polished hardwood. The curtains had been changed, as well as the ceiling fan and couches. Samuel didn't know how much work went into redecorating. He was pleased to see Kali's hard work pay off.

"You redecorated?"

"Yes," Kali affirmed.

June looked at him. "I thought you said you were using this place as storage. Everything looks gorgeous. Where are all the old things?"

"Somewhere safe." Kali took her by the hand and walked her to the centre of the room. With her glass in the air, she beamed at her sister, her eyes dancing with laughter. "To my beautiful little sister. I hope this is to your liking because this is your place now."

"Mine?" June stuttered when she was able to find her voice. Her head snapped around, looking at the faces surrounding her. "I am staying here?"

"Yes!"

"Ah!!!" June jumped into her sister's arms, and everyone erupted in cheers. "Thank you so much."

Samuel stepped out when the celebrations were in full swing to pick up the suitcases from the car. He took them to June's room and tucked them in a corner before he went by the kitchen to wash his hands and face.

Kali met him there, placing a glass of punch in his hand and pushing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thanks. For driving her over here and making all this possible."

"You're welcome." He replied honestly, taking her hand in his. "I am glad I didn't ruin the surprise on the way here. She kept asking a lot of questions."

"She's like that." Kali agreed. "I think she'd love my last gift even more."

"You plan on spoiling her rotten, huh?"

"As much as I can."

"When will she go to the university?"

"That's her choice. As much as I want to baby her, she is adamant about getting things done herself. I want to respect that. She would go and see the school on her own time, drive her own car, buy her own clothes."

"Basically, she'll live."

"Yeah."

"Why does it sound like you are not too thrilled about that."

"I am." She didn't sound it. She sounded disappointed. "I want to be."

"But?"

"I guess I have always wanted to pamper her. Done it for so long from afar, with a city between us. It's strange I can't do it now that she is so close to me."

He rubbed his knuckles against her cheek. "You grew up. She will too. Besides, you can still spoil her. Just don't meddle too much."

"I don't meddle."

"Right." He dragged humorously and earned a slap on the shoulder from a chuckling Kali.

"Hey, love birds." Peter teased from the door. "Join the party and save the loving for your private time. You are making us single folk jealous."

"Why is he single?" Kali threw back. "Isn't it by choice?"

"It is. But that's beside the point. Get yourselves out here."

Samuel pulled Kali along before she and Peter could get started on each other. The relationship between Peter and Kali was growing, budding into something interesting. His brother was introverted when it came to strangers and was usually more comfortable with the immediate family. But he was warming up to Kali, showing more and more of his character to her.

It felt good to not have the pressure of tension with most of his family, but it also got him thinking of the future. What would his siblings do when they discovered his marriage was a lie? They were making so many memories now, accepting June into their family, planning parties, going out, and having dinners. The Hasting sisters were encroaching, further and further, into everyday life for people other than himself.

"There are cupcakes," Ember exclaimed, dragging out a rolling table with the dessert sitting on top.

"Did you make these yourself?" June wondered aloud.

"No, dear. I am not skilled in the baking department. This was an order from a dear friend with the skills to pull this off. It's a pull-apart cake. After you blow out the candles, you can yank out any part to eat."

June held Kali's hand as she stood behind the cake. She closed her eyes and thought of a wish before leaning over to blow out the candle. A wish was made that day from the mind of a teenage girl. A silent prayer that only she knew. A hope that her sister, the light of her eyes, would continue to thrive in the family she had finally found for herself. Hope that she will become part of this family too.