Dad was sitting alone on the giant sectional near the fireplace. I plopped down beside him, and he pulled me close.
“Where is everyone?” I felt so at ease with him already. It was like he’d always been here.
“Jesse and John took the guys out to show them their new outdoor kitchen that Adelaide had apparently surprised them with for their last birthday.” He sounded upbeat, but his expression didn’t match. He had missed so much, and I knew it pained him.
I didn’t comment and just smiled, leaning my head on his shoulder. He’d been through so much that it would take time to recover fully, if he ever did.
Dad cleared his throat.
“Are you doing well in your classes?”
I smiled inwardly at his adorable awkwardness.
“I’m doing great. Grumpy, Pop, and Mom taught me so much that this first year seems a little redundant. Mom, Grumpy, and Pop began teaching me about our culture at a very young age. Their unique way of explaining things made learning fun, and I am well ahead of my peers in most of our classes.”
“I wish I could have been here.” He sighed, then leaned his head on mine.
“I do, too, but you’re here now.” I sighed in fake misery, “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunities to torture me with all of your knowledge.”
He chuckled, “That’s not really my strong suit. I’d rather torture you in training. I’ve already talked to John and Jesse about some fighting techniques you need to learn.”
We sat silently for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet moment together. He had a presence about him that made me feel safe and protected.
“I tried so many times to get to your mother, never losing hope that she was still alive,” Dad mumbled into the silence.
I twisted to see him better. “I’m sure you did. I never doubted it.” He turned so we were facing each other.
“I would have done anything to be here for both of you. I missed so much,” he cupped my face in his large hands. “I still can’t believe you’re real.” Tears welled in his eyes as he continued, "Rue always said he wanted a daughter to spoil. It pains me that he’s not here to see you. I’ll always regret that I couldn’t find him.”
“Dad, you did all you could. You stayed behind to search for him. You sacrificed so much to try to keep this family whole. No one could ask for more. I’m just glad you’re here now.” I hated how tortured he looked. If my mom hadn’t already claimed the right to kill Selene, I’d do it. She had it coming even more than Kristine did.
“Me too, kid.” He grabbed my hand and stood, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “Let’s see if we can rush your mom along. I’m starving! I’ve had dreams about that Chicken Creole while I was gone.”
We gathered around the kitchen table, and Zeke placed the massive dish in the center, steam rising in the air.
“Damn, Momma, that smells good,” Nathan was literally licking his lips. He loved my mother’s cooking almost as much as I did.
I cuffed him in the back of the head, “She’s not your Momma. She’s mine.”
The first time Nathan had referred to her as "Momma" was when we were nine, and he came over for a playdate. Apparently, I was a little possessive of her and hadn’t liked it. I’d thrown an entire container of glitter at him, and he’d sparkled for weeks.
Now, I didn’t mind, but it was fun to keep the argument going. Grumpy smiled at me in approval.
“Next time, hit him harder.”
“I enjoy my Nexi using a firm hand.” Nathan stuck out his tongue at Grumpy, then squeezed my leg under the table.
Dad’s eyes bulged. “Was that a sexual innuendo?”
“Absolutely not!” Nathan looked and sounded affronted. He then leaned over and whispered, “It definitely was.”
Mom was trying not to laugh.
“Everyone, eat while it’s hot.”
Zane piled his plate high with rice, added two chicken breasts, and then poured so much sauce onto his plate that it spilled over onto the table.
“Show some manners, brother.” Zeke hissed.
