Is this destiny?

Chapter 624 - Aurora Borealis

When sisters got back inside, the first thing they noticed is that fireplace is still NOT lit up.

JoAnna and Sophia rolled their eyes at this agreeing how their men are being silly. It's just few logs and a fire, how complicated can it be? Two of them went to check on Jeff and Felix in the kitchen.

"Smells nice!", Sophia praised Felix who was busy at the stove.

Felix showed a satisfying smile and craned his neck so that Sophia can kiss his cheek.

"It will be done soon." Felix proudly announced. He loves cooking for Sophia and does not mind making larger quantity so that others can eat as well.

"Impressive knife skills!", JoAnna praised Jeff who was cutting lettuce for the salad. JoAnna never saw Jeff cook, he always had chefs available to prepare food, or they would eat out. But Felix assigned him some simple dinner duties, and he happily accepted.

Jeff was elated that JoAnna praised him. He thought how it would not be bad if he learns to cook few things so that he can make a breakfast for JoAnna and serve it in bed. He imagined a tray with eggs and bacon and pancakes and orange juice, and there would be one red rose as well.

"Your cuts are uneven…", Felix reminded Jeff when he glanced at the chopping board.

"Oh…" Jeff scolded himself silently. Because of his daydreams he ended up making strips of lettuce of uneven thickness.

…

Sarah entered the bedroom and found Aiden in the bed. She glanced and saw that he is awake.

"How long are you awake?"

"Not long.", Aiden vaguely responded.

He saw that Sarah is rubbing her hands and reached out to hold them.

"You are cold.", he observed.

"Mhm… I made a snowman." She proudly declared.

"Come here." Aiden pulled Sarah in the bed, covered them with a fluffy blanket and held her close to him. "Let me warm you up."

Sarah didn't speak. She wanted to go and take hot shower, but this will work as well. She relaxed in his embrace and allowed his warmth to transfer to her body gradually.

…

They heard JoAnna calling them to come for dinner.

Food was good, and both Felix and Jeff felt a sense of pride hearing praises from others.

JoAnna was happy to see Jeff step out of his comfort zone. She made Felix promise to teach him few things in the kitchen with an explanation that if she ever catches a cold, she wants Jeff to prepare light dishes that will help her get better.

"There is nothing better for a cold than a homemade chicken soup made from scratch with love.", JoAnna explained.

JoAnna glanced at Sarah and Aiden and noticed that they ate in silence. No matter what Sarah said earlier, JoAnna can see that situation between two of them is still tense. She remembered that previous night she asked Jeff what would he do if they end up in a similar situation.

JoAnna smiled at his response and a serious tone: "I am very selfish. I would not be able to send you away even if that means that you will be closer to danger, because when danger comes, I will hold you close to me and not leave you out of my sight. And if ten bodyguards are not enough, I will get you a hundred, a thousand if needed. But you are not going anywhere."

She was happy with Jeff's answer. And she told him that if he ever changes his mind and decides to distance himself from her, she will make sure she uses him as a test subject for her concoctions first… His expression at this was priceless, and the only regret JoAnna has is that she didn't take a picture.

Sophia noticed that Felix and Jeff are bonding in their own way. She likes that two of them made dinner together and are discovering other things they have in common. Both Felix and Jeff were completely useless in starting the fireplace because they were overthinking it. And that makes another thing they have in common. Aiden lit it up within few seconds, ignoring outraged expressions of Jeff and Felix and their protests that logs should not be arranged in such a way.

Aiden is busy with the food. His goal is to finish as soon as possible and to go back to the room. He does not want to be with these people longer than necessary. When he came downstairs with Sarah, he saw that they are still setting up the table, so he used an excuse of starting the fireplace to stay away from others. He can tell that they are judging him, and they don't agree with what he did previous day. Was it only one day ago? It seems like forever.

Aiden knows that eventually he will need to face Jeff and Felix and hear what they have to say about this whole fiasco between Sarah and him, but if he can postpone that definitely unpleasant event, he will. And Sophia and JoAnna? Huh, no matter what the situation is, they will always scold him and support their sister. That is how Hill sisters work. Even if they are fighting between each other, when facing anyone outside of their sacred-sisterly-club-of-three, they will support one another unconditionally. And that is not a bad thing. Why does all this sound like Sarah and he are on the opposite sides, fighting? He does not want to fight with her, and he definitely does not want two of them to be on opposite sides.

Aiden finished his plate and used an excuse that he is still tired to go back to the room.

Sarah looked after Aiden with a troubled expression. She was about to go after him, when JoAnna held her back.

"Give him space to think. He needs to understand that he can't be alone. He has you… and all of us. And he needs to accept that."

Sarah reluctantly agreed with this.

After dinner, they moved to the sitting area around the fireplace and chatted while sipping tea and snacking on fruits.

Sarah likes spending time with them, but she could not help but glance toward the bedroom every few seconds, worrying about Aiden.

It didn't take long for Sophia to notice and point out magnificent show of nature outside. They all moved to the upper level sitting area and enjoyed the view of Aurora Borealis that huge windows provided. Slow dance of colors in the sky was mesmerizing: white and blue where mixed in with green and then purple. Each color overtaking the other gradually before disappearing and then showing up again.

Sarah stood in front of the window and thought how those white and blue hues remind her of the beach where she saw bioluminescent plankton… with Aiden.

The view in front of her was amazing, but she could not enjoy it fully. Not without him.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath when she felt familiar scent envelop her.

Aiden's hands snaked around her waist and he kissed back of her head.

Sarah turned around to face him. "You came."

His dark eyes reflected Aurora Borealis behind her. "I can't stay away from you."

Smile bloomed on her face and it reflected in her eyes.

They held each other and enjoyed the view of the northern sky.

Sarah remembered what JoAnna said and the more she thought about it, the more she agreed with that: there is no point in talking. Not in this situation. She also remembered Sophia's words: there is no point in worrying.

Sarah decided to feel. For the first time in her life, she will willingly ignore everything else and allow her emotions to guide her. She loves Aiden and right now she can feel that he loves her. And nothing else matters.

She rubbed her engagement ring with her thumb which is a reminder to enjoy the present.. Everything else will need to come later.