The living room looked like an explosion of pink, gold, and glitter had decided to throw a tantrum. Balloons clung to the ceiling, confetti stuck to the carpet, and in the middle of it all, baby Ellie sat in her bouncer, waving a tiny sparkly tiara someone had put on her head.
Mina stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at the chaos in disbelief. "You said small celebration, Naarah."
Naarah grinned, holding up a glass of mock champagne. "And I delivered. This is small — for me."
"Your definition of small involves strobe lights." Mina eyed the twinkling fairy lights and the cake that read 'Goodbye Freedom, Hello Husband'. "I'm starting to question my life choices."
Stacey laughed from the couch, sipping her drink. "You think this is bad? Ken tried to plan a 'small' dinner for our engagement and ended up renting a yacht. I've learned to lower expectations around this group."
Stacey joined their little group not long ago, and she can say she is over the moon. She always wanted friends like Naarah and Mina. And she got one. They met the next day, and Mina got proposed to.
Ellie squealed loudly, kicking her legs, and Naarah immediately scooped her up. "There's my favourite person in this house!"
"Of course she's your favourite," Mina muttered. "She doesn't argue with you."
Naarah tickled Ellie's belly, ignoring her. "Tell Mommy we're going to teach her how to have fun before she becomes Mrs Vetercio. No more serious faces!"
Stacey raised a brow. "Wait, how serious are we talking?"
Naarah smirked. "The kind where she hears Aaron's name and suddenly forgets other humans exist."
Mina groaned, tossing a pillow at her. "I do not."
"Sweetheart, you do," Stacey teased. "Remember last week? We were talking about paint colours, and you zoned out mid-sentence because Aaron texted 'I miss you.' You literally blushed like a teenager."
"I—" Mina sputtered. "Okay, fine. Maybe I did. Once."
"Once?" Naarah cackled. "You're lucky I love you."
Ellie gurgled as if joining the laughter.
"See? Even your daughter agrees," Naarah said proudly, making Ellie do a tiny dance in her arms.
The music got louder, laughter spilt over the walls, and for the first time in a long time, Mina forgot about everything heavy that came before. Stacey started telling wild stories about Ken's awkward first attempts at flirting, which made Mina laugh so hard she nearly spilt her drink. Naarah danced with Ellie in her arms, twirling her gently while the baby squealed with delight.
At one point, Mina leaned back on the couch, watching them — her best friends, her daughter, her life. The world wasn't perfect, but it was theirs.
"Okay," Naarah announced, breathless from laughing. "You get to make a toast before the night ends, Mrs.-Almost-Vetercio."
Mina raised her glass, eyes shining. "To love that doesn't cage, friends that keep me sane, and babies who remind us that joy can fit in the smallest hands."
The three clinked glasses, and Ellie let out a delighted little squeal right on cue.
"Perfect timing," Stacey said, grinning. "Clearly, she gets her dramatic flair from her parents."
Mina laughed, her heart light. For once, the night wasn't about surviving — it was about living.
And it felt like everything she'd fought for had finally led her here.