VILLA OF THORNS

THE LAKE HOUSE

The gravel driveway wound through towering pines before ending at the rustic‑chic lake house, its slate roof and wide wrap‑around porch glowing in the late afternoon sun. Katie's heart fluttered with excitement—two days of pure solidarity lay ahead, a chance to escape deadlines and worries and simply be together. Milly was the first to leap out of the SUV, her champagne‑pink sundress catching the breeze as she spun in place.

"Welcome to our home for the weekend!" she shouted, arms wide. Her laughter echoed against the trees.

Aria and Alina tumbled out next, arms full of shopping bags. "Matching silk robes!" Aria waved two blush‑pink packages. "And rose‑scented bath bombs!" Alina added, jingling several small boxes.

Andrea, Hannah, Wendy, and Louisa hauled the luggage inside, already debating whose lavender‑scented pillow spray was the best. Katie paused on the porch, taking in the view: a glassy lake framed by pines, a lone canoe tied to the dock, and golden light dancing on the water.

She joined the group with a grin. "Let me handle the towels," she said, digging into her tote for a stack of fluffy white ones monogrammed with each girl's initials. Milly swooped in to steal one. "Kate, you're the best," she said, draping hers over her arm.

Inside, the house smelled of fresh pine and homemade apple cinnamon tarts cooling on the counter. Overhead, exposed beams and Edison bulbs gave the living room a cozy, modern‑cabin vibe.

"Tour time!" Louisa clapped her hands and whipped open her planner. "Bedrooms, bathroom sign‑ups, kitchen station assignments, and—most importantly—the champagne fridge location."

"Louisa, only you could make the restroom schedule sound exciting," Aria teased, slinging an arm around her friend.

Katie slipped into the master suite with Milly. "We've got the sunset view," she announced, pointing to the sliding glass doors overlooking the dock.

Milly flopped onto the king‑sized bed, smoothing the silk sheets. "This is perfect." She took a picture of the bedroom and sent it to her fiancé.

Andrea and Hannah claimed the two guest rooms down the hall—one painted a soft teal, the other a pale blush. "We'll be the fashion police," Andrea declared. "Cotton robes only past midnight." They giggled.

Wendy and Louisa took the suite with the reading nook and wood‑burning stove. "Ideal for deep conversations," Wendy said, arranging her hardcover memoirs on the built‑in bookshelf.

Aria and Alina fought over the room with the four‑poster bed. "It's like Bridgerton in here," Alina sighed, tracing the carved posts. Aria bounced onto the mattress. "I call shotgun bed!"

With rooms assigned, the girls flopped back into the living room, each holding a glass of chilled rosé Katie had popped open. They clinked glasses. "To Milly!" "To friendship!" "To zero responsibilities this weekend!".

⸻

Late afternoon light filtered through the pine needles as they settled on the wide porch swing and Adirondack chairs. Andrea pulled out a charcuterie board she'd assembled: aged cheddar, goat cheese, honey‑roasted pecans, fig jam, and fresh berries.

"Food tastes better when Katie plans it," Hannah sighed, popping a blackberry into her mouth. Katie smiled, passing around slices of crusty baguette.

Alina produced a deck of cards with conversation‑starter prompts:

"Share a childhood crush that never worked out or tell us your most embarrassing moment". But—surprise!—they flipped the script and shared only silly memories: Wendy's attempt at karaoke (complete with air‑guitar), Milly's disastrous first cooking experiment and Andrea's fashion faux pas in junior high.

Laughter rang out like bells. Even Katie's cheeks ached from smiling so much.

⸻

Golden hour beckoned, and the group wandered down to the dock. Wooden planks creaked underfoot as they dipped their toes into the cool water. Milly produced her phone for a photoshoot.

"Okay, everyone in a line—arms around each other—and splash the water at my count!" she announced. Cries of "One! Two! Three!" were followed by shrieks and giggles as water flew, dresses floated, and candid shots captured their joy.

Aria and Alina insisted on a slow‑motion boomerang of them jumping off the dock—landing in synchronized canonball splashes. Andrea's perfectly timed shot made it into the group chat before their feet even touched solid ground.

⸻

Back inside, Alina told everyone she had hired male strippers, and they would be coming the next day. The girls cheered loudly. They then transformed the kitchen into a cozy dining space. Katie and Louisa oversaw the final touches: a big salad tossed with candied walnuts and cranberries, garlic‑butter pasta, and a lemon‑herb roasted chicken. The aroma was mouthwatering.

At the farmhouse table, they lit a cluster of candles in mason jars. Milly stood up with her wine glass. "I love you all," she said, her voice a little catching. "You're my family."

"And you're ours," Katie replied, eyes glistening. They clinked glasses once more.

"I can't wait to see who is next to get married", Louisa laughed.

"Well, we know one of us will die a virgin". Aria teased as she pointed to Katie.

"Hey, don't say that. I know Katie is scared of falling in love, but I know she will one day, and I am going to plan the best bachelorette party for her when the time comes". Milly said, making everyone laugh.

"Well then. We still have six weddings to go after Milly is married". Alina add. Wendy was the first to get married in the group.

Dessert was Katie's signature sea‑salt brownies, still warm from the oven. "Divine," Alina declared, scraping the last crumb.

Louisa then pulled out a stack of "Never Have I Ever" cards—clean edition. They sipped their wine and took turns, revealing hilariously tame secrets:

"Never have I ever gone skinny‑dipping"

"We have now!" Aria cheered and everyone laughed.

"Never have I ever binged Bridgerton in one weekend,"

Louisa and Milly took shots, making the other girls laugh.

"Never have I ever crashed a wedding."

"Well I hope not". Katie looked worried.

"Calm down, it's just a joke. No one is going to crash our precious Milly's wedding". She teased.

⸻

After dishes were cleared, the rest of the house drifted off. Katie and Milly remained on the porch swing in plush robes, wrapped in a soft wool blanket.

"I needed this," Milly whispered, leaning her head on Katie's shoulder. "So much."

"Me too," Katie said, tracing patterns on the wood. "We should make this our tradition."

Milly sighed happily. "Next year, desert retreat?"

Katie laughed. "Count me in."

They sat in companionable silence, stargazing over the glass‑still lake, hearts full of joy and friendship—no other worries allowed.