I went downstairs to check on my mom and found her sound asleep in her room. Ever since she had been confined to a wheelchair and couldn’t walk anymore, she had chosen a room downstairs for convenience. I quietly closed the door behind me, making sure not to disturb her.
As I stepped back into the hallway, I saw Regan walking in with Owen by his side. A smile broke out on my face, and I hurried over to greet them. I gave Regan a quick hug and then leaned down to kiss Owen on the forehead.
As expected, Owen instantly pulled away, scrunching up his face in annoyance. "I’m 12 now, Aria! I’m not a kid anymore!" he protested, crossing his arms.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him. "Sure, sure. You’ll always be my little brother, no matter how old you get."
Owen huffed, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips despite his attempt to act grown up.
Regan chuckled as he watched the exchange, his arms crossed over his chest. "Bella and Chloe are coming over later this afternoon," he informed me.
"Really? That’s great," I replied, already thinking about catching up with my friends.
I glanced at Regan curiously. "When did you get here?" I asked, realizing I hadn’t seen him earlier.