𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 ~ 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

n i n e t e e n

amelia pulled into her driveway, noticing her parents in the kitchen baking a cake. amelia knew it was luke's birthday, they'd celebrated it for years, and this year would be the first time amelia celebrated it having actually met her dead brother. she got out of the car and noticed lillie pulling up beside her. "hey honey" she said as she climbed out

"hi auntie lillie, how are you?" amelia smiled

"same as every year" lillie smiled "but how are you mils? after you know"

"i don't know but i wrote 2 killer songs out of it, but today isn't about me" amelia said "we can talk about me later"

"are they in the kitchen?" lillie asked

"same as every year" she nodded

amelia and lillie headed towards the front door, amelia unlocking it as the pair of them walked in "mom, i'm here with auntie lillie"

"in the kitchen honey" emily called

amelia walked in and sat herself on the counter, watching as her mike started to ice the cake she had baked "how are you today, mama?"

"i've had worse days" emily leant over and pecked her head, keeping her tears at bag "tell me about the dance last night, any good news?"

amelia paused, she didn't want to take the day away from luke, even though he was dead, but she wanted to cheer her parents up "it was good, i actually got over my stage fright yesterday"

"woah, sweetheart that's amazing" mitch beamed at her "we're so proud of you"

amelia noticed that emily had more tears on her face, she also noticed that luke had poofed in at the other side of the counter, tears in his eyes "i'm so proud of you mil, you know if luke could see you now he would be beaming to have a little sister like you"

unintentionally, amelia's eyes drifted to luke, who nodded with a watery smile. "i would have loved to have met him"

mitch sat at the table with lillie making small talk, while emily flittered around the kitchen. amelia stayed on the counter, but luke moved to sit beside her. luke was silently crying and amelia didn't know what to do, part of her was mad at him, but the other part of her just wanted to comfort him, since he was clearly in distress. naturally, she reached out to grab him hand, bringing it to her lap as to not draw attention to her.

emily picked up the cake and placed it on the table, holding her hand out to amelia, who grabbed it with her free hand. she climbed off the counter and sat in the chair next to her mom, luke accompanying the one beside her.

"happy birthday luke" their parents sniffled

"happy birthday you big doofus, hope your doing well up there" lillie grinned with tears in her eyes "or down there, we know what you were like"

luke let out a choked sob, as amelia ran her thumb over the back of his hand in comfort. "happy birthday luke, i'm sure you would have been the best big brother"

"i bet you'd fight like cats and dogs as well" mitch chuckled

"but you'd always make up" emily choked out, making amelia's eyes fill with tears

they all linked hands, amelia and mitch leaving a gap as if holding likes hands, unknown to the others that amelia was indeed holding his hand. mitch lit the candles and luke leant forward to blow it out, making his presence slightly known. everyone looked around in confusion before mitch lit it again. together as a family they all blew out the candle, luke's sobs intensifying.

"i just need a minute" amelia said, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

she stood up and walked out the front door and onto the porch, completely unaware of julie, alex and reggie stood behind the bushes watching the scene.