CHAPTER 12: MEET THE SISTER
1360 Words
85 days left.
Today my sister meets my husband.
And I have no idea which one of them will cry first.
---
The call came at 8 AM.
"Aira's being discharged today," the doctor said. "She can go home."
"Home?" I froze. "But--"
"She's stable. She needs rest. And family."
I hung up and stared at Damian.
He was already putting his coffee down. "What?"
"Aira's coming home. Today."
Damian stood up immediately. "Okay. Then we pick her up."
"Together?"
"Yes." He came to me. Brushed hair from my face. "Unless you don't want me to."
"I do." I hugged him. "I just... she's going to have questions."
"About the contract?"
"About everything."
Damian nodded. "Then we tell her the truth."
---
The hospital was packed.
When we walked into Aira's room, she was sitting on the bed. In a hoodie that was 3 sizes too big. Hair in a messy bun.
And she looked... good.
"Maya!" She stood up. Ran. Hugged me so tight I couldn't breathe. "You're here!"
"I'm here." I cried. "You're okay."
"I'm okay." She pulled back. Looked at me. Then at Damian behind me.
Her eyes went wide.
"And you must be Mr. Strict Boss."
Damian stepped forward. Awkward in a suit. "Damian Voss."
Aira grinned. "The CEO. Wow. You look younger in person."
Damian blinked. "Thank you?"
I wanted to die. "Aira--"
"What?" She grabbed my hand. "I'm just saying. He's hot."
Damian coughed. "Should we... go home?"
---
The car ride was silent.
Aira in the back. Me in the front. Damian driving.
Finally Aira spoke. "So. Married, huh?"
"Yes," I said quietly.
"To him."
"Yes."
"For money."
The car went still.
Damian gripped the wheel. "Aira, if you--"
"It's okay," I cut him off. "Yes. At first. For money."
Aira was quiet for a long time.
Then: "And now?"
I turned to look at her. "And now... it's real."
Aira stared at me. Then at Damian. Then back at me.
"Okay," she said. "Cool."
Damian almost swerved.
---
We brought her to the penthouse.
Aira's jaw dropped. "This is home? Maya. This is a museum."
"It's home," I said. "Our home."
Aira looked at Damian. "You live here too?"
"Yes."
"And you sleep... together?"
"AIRA!" I hissed.
"What? I need to know if he's treating you right!"
Damian surprised me. He answered. "Yes. We sleep together. And yes, I treat her right. Very right."
Aira's face went red. "Okay. TMI. Got it."
Dinner was awkward.
Aira asked 100 questions.
"How did you propose?"
"Who said I love you first?"
"Does he snore?"
"Yes," Damian and I said at the same time about the snoring. Then looked at each other and laughed.
After dinner, Aira pulled me to the guest room.
"So," she whispered. "Is it real?"
"Yes."
"Like... love real?"
I thought about the contract. The kiss. The $5 million I gave away.
"Yes," I whispered back. "Love real."
Aira hugged me. "Good. Because he looks at you like you're the only person in the room."
---
That night, Aira slept in the guest room.
Damian and I slept in ours.
But at 3 AM, there was a knock.
"Maya?" Aira's voice. Small.
I opened the door. She was holding a pillow.
"Can I... sleep with you guys? Just for tonight? Old habit."
Damian sat up. "Of course."
So we did.
Me in the middle. Damian on one side. Aira on the other.
At 4 AM, I woke up to whispering.
"Is he good to you?" Aira asked quietly.
"Yes," I whispered back.
"Are you happy?"
"Yes."
Aira sighed. "Good. Then I like him."
I smiled in the dark. "Me too."
---
Monday.
Damian had to go to work.
Before he left, he knelt in front of Aira. "You need anything, you call me. Or Rina. Okay?"
Aira nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Strict Boss."
Damian ruffled her hair. "Don't call me that."
"Why not? It fits."
He looked at me and smiled. "See you later, wife."
My heart melted.
After he left, Aira turned to me. "Okay. He's not terrible."
"Just not terrible?"
"Fine. He's good." She sighed. "And you're glowing. It's annoying."
---
Tuesday.
Victoria showed up.
At the penthouse. With flowers.
"For the invalid," she said sweetly when Rina opened the door.
Aira was on the sofa watching TV. "Who are you?"
"Victoria Voss. Damian's cousin." She smiled. "And you must be the sick sister."
Aira sat up. "Don't call her that."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Aira stood up. Wobbly but mad. "My sister married your cousin. So be nice."
Victoria laughed. "Oh honey. This marriage won't last. It was a contract."
The room went cold.
I walked in from the kitchen. "Victoria. What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting." She looked at me. "Making sure the gold digger's sister is comfortable."
Aira stepped in front of me. "Don't talk to her like that."
Victoria raised an eyebrow. "And who are you to--"
"I'm her sister." Aira's voice shook but it was loud. "And Damian loves her. So back off."
Victoria's smile dropped. "This is cute."
"Get out," I said quietly. "Now."
Victoria left. But not before: "This isn't over."
---
When Damian came home, Aira told him everything.
He listened. Jaw tight.
"Are you okay?" he asked me.
"Yes."
He turned to Aira. "Thank you. For defending her."
Aira shrugged. "She's my sister. Duh."
Damian looked at her for a long time. Then pulled her into a hug.
Aira froze. Then hugged back. "Okay. You're not terrible either."
---
Wednesday.
Doctor's appointment for Aira.
Damian came with us.
In the waiting room, Aira got nervous. "What if the results are bad?"
Damian took her hand. "Then we fight. Together."
Aira looked at him. "You're okay, you know? For a CEO."
Damian laughed. "I'll take that."
The results were good.
Aira cried. I cried. Damian pretended not to.
In the car after, Aira said, "Can we stop for ice cream?"
Damian didn't even hesitate. "Yes."
We got 3 tubs. Ate it on the roof.
"Best day ever," Aira said, licking her spoon. "Even with Victoria."
Damian put his arm around me. "Agreed."
---
Thursday night.
Aira was asleep.
Damian and I were on the sofa.
"She likes you," I said.
"I know." He pulled me closer. "She called me brother-in-law today."
I laughed. "Did she?"
"Yeah. When she asked me to kill a spider."
"Did you?"
"I did. For my sister-in-law."
We were quiet.
"Damian," I whispered. "Thank you. For being good to her."
"Thank you. For letting me."
He kissed me. Soft. Slow.
From the hallway: "EWW. Get a room."
We pulled apart laughing.
Aira was standing there in pajamas. "I couldn't sleep. Too much love in the air."
Damian groaned. "Go to bed, kid."
"Make me."
So he picked her up. Bridal style. And carried her to the guest room.
Aira squealed. "Put me down! I'm too old for this!"
"Not to me," Damian said. And tucked her in.
I watched from the doorway.
My CEO husband. My baby sister.
Family.
---
Friday.
85 days left.
Aira was officially moved in.
Her room was purple now. With fairy lights.
At dinner, she said, "So. When's the real wedding?"
Damian choked on his water. "What?"
"The ceremony one. With cake. And dresses. You two just did paperwork."
I looked at Damian.
He looked at me.
"Would you want that?" he asked me quietly.
I thought about it. "Yes. But only if it's with you. And her."
Damian nodded slowly. "Then we'll have one."
Aira cheered. "YES! I'm picking the flowers!"
---
Later that night, I found Damian in the study.
He was looking at photos. Of Lily. Of Aira as a kid that I’d shown him.
"Thinking?" I asked.
"About family." He turned to me. "I never thought I'd have one again."
"You do now," I said. "Me. And her."
Damian stood up. Pulled me into his arms.
"Thank you," he whispered. "For giving me this."
I hugged him back. "Thank you. For giving us everything."
85 days left.
But with Aira here. With family here.
It didn't feel like a countdown anymore.
It felt like a beginning.
- Writer
