KIMBERLY

the first thought that popped into my mind when I saw Jace's childhood home was that it made sense.

It was a modest two story home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and I could imagine little Jace and Emre playing around in this quiet neighborhood. According to Jace, Emre's house was right next door, making it easier to understand why these two guys loved each other like brothers.

They've been terrorizing the neighborhood since birth.

Speaking of the big guy, Emre was the first to greet me, barreling out of the door the second our car pulled into the driveway. I had to carefully maneuver the flowers out of the way to avoid them being crushed by his hug.

"Let go of my wife," was Jace's only response. His best friend simply laughed, still letting me go to see a smiling Carina on the doorstep.

"Someone's a little possessive," Emre responded, hitting Jace's shoulder before running back inside the house after kissing Carina on the head.

Carina shook her head, stretching her arms out for me to hug. I obliged, basking in her warmth. "Those boys... Wow, Kimmy. You get more beautiful everyday."

I laughed. "Coming from you, that's the best compliment I've ever gotten. I got you some flowers." I pulled away, handing her the bouquet.

"Take notes, Jace," Carina teased her son, pulling him into a hug.

Jace rolled his eyes, kissing the side of his mom's head. "I have a feeling you'd still like her more than me no matter what I do."

Carina shrugged playfully, gesturing us inside.

I barely got my shoes off, when a little girl bumped into my legs, tumbling down. I quickly bent over to pick her up so she wouldn't start crying. "Hello there, cutie."

"Hi," she replied, taking my hat with her little hands. "I'm Defne. Who are you? Why is Uncle Jace with you? Are you dating? Can I have your hat?"

I smiled at her, taking the hat from her hands and putting it onto her head. "Hi Defne, I'm Kimberly. Your Uncle Jace and I are married. And, of course you can have my hat."

"Thanks!" Her bright smile lasted for two seconds before she crossed her arms. "Wait, Uncle Jace is mine."

I heard a snort from next to me, but I still replied. "Honey, if you want him, he's all yours."

Jace proceeded to tug gently on my ponytail before taking the cute girl out of my arms. "I like you more than her anyway." I rolled my eyes playfully, internally laughing when the girl wrapped her arms around his neck.

A boy, who I was assuming was Aydin, came up to me and winked. "I'm available."

My jaw dropped as my eyes widened in shock. How do you even respond to a flirty five-year-old?

"Aydin," a woman called out. "Don't flirt with Jace's wife. Yallah, Emre, you've corrupted my child. I'm so sorry about the miscreant. Kimberly Astor, right?" The mother of the two kids came up to me with a warm smile and outstretched arms.

I gave her a polite hug. "That's me. You must be Aleyna."

"Bingo! This is my first time in the presence of someone famous," she laughed. "I have to admit, when Jace told us he was getting married to you, we were all shocked."

"May I ask why?"

A younger voice answered for her. "Jace's boring and you're Kimberly Astor. I spent enough time obsessing over your makeup collaborations and modeling career to know that Jace is... relatively bland in comparison."

"I missed it when you were a baby that couldn't talk," Jace snarked. The girl stuck her tongue out before turning her attention back to me.

"I would panic right now, but my therapist told me I needed to work on my breathing. I really hope you can't tell that my heart is beating like three hundred beats per minute," she stated blandly.

"You must be Azra," I laughed, going up to her for a hug.

During the hug, another voice called out. "I think I burnt the biscuits." Emre's other younger sister entered the house with a tray of blackened biscuits. The second she laid eyes on me, the tray tumbled to the ground as her knees buckled.

"They didn't look edible anyway," Emre's mom said as she took a look at the floor covered by the ruined carbs. "It's nice to meet you Kimberly. I would tell you my family's not normally this crazy, but that's a lie."

I laughed, hugging her as well. "Wait till you meet my family. It's a miracle we haven't killed each other yet."

"That's how you know you love them. Leyla, get off the floor. You're embarrassing yourself."

"Oh my god," Leyla panted. "When Emre and Jace told me that Jace got married to you, I thought it was a prank and they paid some tabloids to print photoshopped pictures, but oh my god. It's you. Well done, Jace. I didn't even know you two were dating."

"Sometimes it feels like a prank," I joked, earning a glare from my husband but laughing from everyone else. Leyla got off the floor and I got a better look at her face. "Wait... I've met you before."

"You remember?" Her eyes shone bright.

Another great deal of emotions ran through me at the memory.

The private academy I attended was known for hosting events for schools across the nations for different organizations. One of the particular events was one about young entrepreneurs that Astor and Co. sponsored. I was seventeen at the time, and that night was one of my fondest memories.

It was before everything went to shit.

"Yes, at Bellevue Academy. It was the Young Entrepreneurs of America event," I recalled. "You created that organization app, I remember. Back when I had a busy schedule, I used to use it all the time. God, you're so grown up now. I can't believe that was like eight years ago."

"Oh my god!" Leyla ran into my arms. "I can't believe you remember. Sammy's gonna lose his shit."

"The kid with the bow tie?" I asked and she nodded, still in my arms.

The overwhelming need to cry was back again. I couldn't remember when I last thought about a memory from around that time without feeling like shit. In all honesty, this was just what I needed tonight.

A memory that felt good.

I made eye contact with Jace, who still had Defne in his arms, and he smiled at me.

A warm, beautiful smile.

Wow...

♕♕♕

"Please tell me you're lying," Azra got out in between bursts of laughter.

"I wish I was," I replied, sipping on my water. "I remember it so vividly. Young Kim had a lot of sass."

I had just finished telling them the story of how I asked my grandmother when she planned on dying so I could get her jewelry and clothing collection. Even at a young age, I didn't like the way she treated Mom, so I used my young age to excuse my behavior.

It worked like a charm.

"As opposed to you now?" Jace asked.

I rolled my eyes at him, stealing a piece of chicken from his plate. When Defne opened her mouth indicating that she wanted me to feed her said piece of chicken, I obliged. The girl warmed up to me in the last couple of hours that we were here, upgrading me from man-stealer to best friend.

She pressed her lips to my cheek in gratitude before returning to her iPad.

What I would do to be pregnant right now... I couldn't help how much I loved kids.

"You're really good with kids," Mevkibe commented. "You plan on giving Carina any grandchildren. I need her to join the club so I can finally stop feeling so old."

Jace promptly choked on his water and I was stunned. Given the information she had of the situation, it was a well-warranted question. To her knowledge, Jace and I have been in love with each other for over a year. So, a child wasn't too out-of-pocket considering that we were married.

I looked to Carina to see her eyes warm at the prospect. She knew it was arranged, but she didn't know about the two-year deal Jace and I had. I didn't want to break her heart either.

"Ma," Emre groaned. "You can't just ask that."

Thankfully, I spent enough of my life trained in diplomatic responses. "No, it's fine. In all honesty, we haven't really discussed having kids."

It was as truthful as I could get without revealing anything.

"It's a shame," she frowned. "Kids seem to really like you. Defne normally takes ages to warm up to people."

"Let them go at their own pace and enjoy their time together," Aleyna replied, trying to get food into her five-year-old. "Once the little monsters come out, you get no time to yourself."

"I've always wanted kids," I smiled down at the little girl who was preoccupied in a game. "My mom used to get scared that I'd randomly come home one day with a kid I snatched up on the street."

"I remember the first time I met your mom ages ago. You remind me so much of her," Carina sighed wistfully. "How is she doing?"

"She's great! We just saw her this morning," I replied. "She'll be happy to hear you say I'm like her. Everyone always comments about how I got my dad's temperament."

"I think you're worse than he is," Jace commented, smirking slightly at me.

I smiled in response before kicking his shin. "You're right."

Emre called out with a mouth full of food. "Marry me instead, Kim. I'm begging you."

"For the last time, this one's mine. Find yourself another one," Jace snapped at his friend.

I internally rolled my eyes at the possessive nature he had on for show. I should really tell him to tone it down next time. This was too convincing.

"If he keeps his disgusting mouth open like that, he won't," Azra responded. I already loved this fifteen-year-old. She was the more passionate and emotional version of my best friend. I'd have to tell Vivi all about her.

"Kim, if you know anyone who can fix my son up, please let me know," Mevkibe asked with a pseudo-serious tone.

I glanced knowingly at Emre, remembering a certain family member of mine he seemed to have his eyes on at the wedding. If there's one person who could whip him into shape, it's the Wicked Witch of the West, herself.

"I don't think anyone's cut out for that," Leyla responded, sticking her tongue out at her brother.

"Mevkibe," Jace started. "Can you believe that Emre flirted with Kimberly at our wedding?" Jace was really milking our arranged marriage to his benefit.

Emre's jaw dropped, clear of food this time, but the poor dude couldn't defend himself without outing us.

"Boys, behave," Carina warned in a no-bullshit tone. Damn, that woman could be scary. "Or I'll tell Kimmy about all your embarrassing stories."

"Tell me." I practically jolted out of my seat in excitement.

"No!" Both the boys screamed in unison.

"I'll tell you." Azra clapped her hands. "There was the time that Jace and Emre were found cuddling in bed together. Or, that time when Carina walked in on Emre walking in on Jace with a girl in his room. Ooh, what about that time when Emre had a rash on his-"

"Stop!" Emre shoved a hand to cover his sister's mouth. "Never bring up the rash. And, we weren't cuddling."

"Yeah!" Jace joined in. "He fell on me."

"It was after practice."

"I was too sore to push him off."

"And we were just so tired."

"Before we knew it, it was morning."

"And the girl thing was an accident," Emre groaned.

Carina laughed at the memory. "Jace turned so red that day. I felt bad for the poor girl. But Emre, if I remember correctly, you were there for a while before I came up."

"Because your son wasn't giving me attention."

"I was busy!"

"Forget which one of you gets to marry me," I laughed. "You two should marry each other."

Emre shot me a comical betrayed look and Jace just tugged on my ponytail again.

I couldn't stop laughing. For once, I was completely surrounded by people who didn't know about my past and didn't treat me like a wounded baby bird. I loved my family with everything in my heart, but this felt so freeing.

So, I didn't stop laughing.

***

finally, a shorter one.

y'all someone needs to stop me, man. i'm getting carried away.

love, zia.