A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Don't worry, my brothers are pros at this. The fireworks they make are way better than anything you could buy at the store," Calliope said matter-of-factly, a confident grin on her face.

She had no doubt about their skills.

Portia nodded, "True, nobody's gonna play around with their own safety. If they're setting them off, they must be really good."

She looked up at the sky, her eyes full of excitement. "The ones we just saw were already amazing. Do you think the next ones will be even better?"

"Of course!" Calliope replied, her gaze brightening.

Silas, still holding Calliope's hand, glanced over at Quentin, who was prepping another round of fireworks. "Should I have brought some of my own? Maybe something extra special?"

Calliope laughed. "No need. My brothers brought enough to light up the whole neighborhood. Just relax and enjoy the show."

She turned back to the others, pride bubbling in her voice. "Quentin's been making fireworks since we were kids. He's a total genius, and he's even better at it now. Nobody does it like him."

She knew Quentin was talented, not just at fireworks, but at almost everything. Among their group, he was always the calmest, the most reliable, the guy you could count on for anything.

couldn't help but tease, a hint of jealousy in his voice, "So I'm

a league of your own. Everyone's got their strengths,

important in different ways.

nodded, letting it

burst of color, like a thousand stars painted across the winter sky. Red, blue,

bigger than anything anyone else had set off that night. In fact, you could probably see it from every corner of town. For a moment, it felt like the whole

and the others were

and creative than the last.

Uriah had already shown up, but Archie still hadn't arrived. That

let's light this one next! You used to love the big ones you

your shoulder," Norton called, lugging a massive firework toward

me make a call first," Calliope said,

Silas asked,

still isn't here. I'm getting worried," she replied, already pulling out her phone to

life was like. Things had