"Oh, my sweet pumpkins!" Mom practically radiates happiness, unable to stop pacing in her immaculate white cabin. Everything here seems to shimmer with a glow. If I woke up in a room like this, I'd probably assume I had already passed on to the afterlife. The one glaring contrast amid all this snowy-white decor is an obscenely large bouquet of red roses. I even tried to count the blossoms, but they got me dazzled.

All four of us - Todd, Mel, Stacey, and me - stand before mom, as we often did at our house, waiting. However, this time it's not a lecture or a list of chores we're anticipating; it's something entirely different. Mom's cheeks are flushed, her eyes shine with excitement, and her vibrant red curls seem to have a life of their own.

"My sweet sweet buns!" she exclaims once more, struggling to halt her restless movement in front of us. "I," she starts in a solemn tone, her eyes misting up immediately. "I'm getting married!" Her final words dissolve into joyful sobs.

Everyone stares at mom, flabbergasted. Everyone except me. Nolan had already filled me in on this, otherwise, my jaw would be scraping the floor right now. I might even have been objecting to such a rushed wedding - after all, they've known each other for a mere two days. However, after talking with Nolan, I managed to somehow make peace with the idea, so my mother's announcement didn't catch me off guard. But my siblings clearly weren't prepared for this bombshell. I even gloat a little internally. At last, I knew more than others.

"You're getting what?" Mel asks dumbly.

"Married! Married, my dear!" Mom chimes. "To Richard!"

Mel turns to me as if searching for support, but bumping into my calm expression, she shifts her gaze to Todd, who seems equally baffled.

"Hooray!" Stacey cheers, leaping up. "I'm going to live on a yacht!"

She dashes over to mom, enveloping her neck in a hug. Mom scoops her up, and they press their noses together. Stacey hides her face against mother's shoulder before peering up again, flashing a broad grin. Sliding back down onto the floor, she springs onto the bed, knocking the perfectly arranged white bedspread askew.

"Mom," Mel tries again, her voice teetering in disbelief. "Are you serious? I mean... are you really serious?"

"Yacht! Yacht! Yacht!" Stacey chants, bouncing on the bed.

"What is it, my dear?" Mom inquires, taken aback. "Aren't you happy for me?"

"I... I am happy for you!" stutters Mel, blushing, a reaction I find surprising, as does Todd, I suspect. It's a no-brainer that she's not happy. The question is, why? "It's just... what do we even know about this Richard, apart from that he's incredibly rich?" Mel's voice starts to sound strained, and she again looks towards Todd and me as if seeking allies in this cause. Yet, both of us are equally clueless about where she is heading. Slowly, the glow of joy on mom's face fades into a furrowed brow. Yes, this expression on my mother's face is far more familiar.

"What else do you need to know about him to be happy for me?" she asks.

Oh no, I should have stayed outside the door with Nolan. All this tension and squabble... I glance at Todd, and it seems he's sharing my sentiment.

"Perhaps it's bothering you that instead of your own wedding, there'll be mine?" Mom's exclaims. And from the look on Mel's face, I can tell that this is exactly what she thought. But I doubt she'll voice it.

Mel's face turns blotchy, she opens and closes her mouth like a fish out of water, but no words emerge. Even Stacey stops her bed-bouncing.

Finally, Mel closes her mouth and storms out of the room. Mom sinks onto the bed and a pang of sympathy for her washes over me.

"I'm glad that you're marrying Richard," Todd suddenly utters in his typical detached tone. I watch in surprise as he walks up to our mother and rests his hand on her shoulder. Stacey settles down and wraps her arms around mom from behind. At first, I'm uncertain, standing there, not quite sure how to react. Yet, the moment calls for me to step forward and offer my support. Even Todd could do it...

"Yes, mom, we are very happy! And we wish you happiness!!" A slightly awkward but entirely sincere smile appears on my face as I approach and take a seat beside her. She hugs my shoulder, kisses Stacey on the temple, and puts her hand over Todd's hand. A tear glistens in her eye, but a shy, joyous smile plays on her lips. I have never seen my mother so happy, and I am glad that we were able to support her. Although not all of us...

I sneak out of the room. Still, this is unusual, but I experienced a rather touching moment of unity with my family for the first time in I don't know how many years... perhaps for the first time ever, apart from the distant memories of childhood that I can't recall.

The corridor is empty, I go upstairs to the open deck. I don't even know who I'm looking for... Actually, I thought Nolan was waiting for me outside. He took me to my mother's room and stayed outside the door. It was clear that he did not want to interfere in our family affairs, but for some reason, I thought that he was outside, waiting for me. But he was not. Mel was not there either. On the way, I knock on her room, but there is no answer.

Out on the deck, I'm greeted by the salty breeze. The sky above is clear, not a single cloud on the horizon. The water stretches out in all directions, seeming like an endless expanse. Seagulls dive gracefully into its depths, emerging each time with their catch, as though privy to some secret. At the bow of the deck, I spot Mel. She's seated on the floor, her back resting against the front wall, facing the yacht's heading. Her knees are drawn up to her chest, and she's smoking. The wind gusts cause her cigarette ash to scatter. It tousles her lush brown hair, which she occasionally tucks behind her ear and then into the collar of her T-shirt, only for it to be teased out again by the wind.

I stand there for a moment, uncertain of what to do. Eventually, I gather my courage and approach her. I settle on the floor, leaning against the side wall. As if acknowledging my presence, Mel brushes something off her face hastily.

"What do you want?" she says, her tone feigning anger more than it truly holds. Beneath that facade, something else seems to be lurking.

"I... I wasn't actually looking for you. I just wandered around..."

"Well, then, go wander some more," she retorts, taking a drag from her cigarette. "I want to be alone."

I sit there in silence, idly inspecting my fingers and watching the seagulls.

"Do you... do you not like Richard?" I ask.

"Who cares whether I like him or not?" Mel snaps.

"So then..."

"You won't understand anyway," her voice is tinged with bitterness and a hint of tears. "So don't ask."

"But... I'm sorry if I said something to upset you," I say, genuine remorse coursing through me. She remains silent, only sniffling lightly. "You're still very beautiful."

Mel bursts out laughing. "Well, color me surprised!"

I peek at her face.

"Beautiful or not," she sighs, "no one came to pick me up on the yacht. And Nolan seems to like you better."

I flare up. "You mean what now?"

Mel chuckles softly, a smile that doesn't part her lips. Then, she turns her head to look at me with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"I gotta feeling I'll be a bridesmaid at two weddings," she laughs.

"What? What weddings?" I wonder, genuinely perplexed. She playfully ruffles my hair before getting up.

"I'm off to congratulate our mom," she states, her gaze carrying a hint of concealed sadness. "Properly this time." She dabs her eyes discreetly and walks away.