Rhea's gaze lingered on each of them, drinking in every familiar detail, the glint in her father's eyes, the way her mother's laughter made her eyes sparkle, Jake's crooked grin that always came before mischief, Eddie's smug smirk that screamed confidence, and Ricky's mischievous grin that promised trouble before it even started. Her chest tightened. Her heart ached with warmth and disbelief. She wanted this to last, to stay wrapped in this moment forever, but a part of her feared it could vanish at any second.
"Before I forget," her mother said suddenly, her voice lilting with excitement. "I brought something back for you."
Rhea's head snapped up, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "For me?" she asked softly, blinking in surprise.
Her mother smiled and rose from the couch, moving to the pile of luggage stacked neatly in the corner. She rolled one closer and settled down between Rhea and her husband, her eyes sparkling. "Guess what it is," she teased.
