I guess it was up to me to think of a good excuse.
“You could say that.” I fiddled with the handle of my mug, drawing my dad’s attention. Knowing fidgeting was a sign of nerves, I put my hands in my lap and smiled at them. “The doctors think a more restrictive diet will help reduce inflammation which might make my illness easier to treat.”
My dad set his coffee cup on the table. “Is it serious? This illness?”
The concern in his face made me pause. It held a mixture of love and worry. Behind it all was a fear that things were more serious than I was letting on.
No parent wanted to hear their child was sick. They wanted to see them suffer even less. My dad was no different.
I reached out and took his hand, noting how warm it was compared to mine. “I won’t die from this.”
Dad’s eyes were rimmed with red as he looked down at the table.
“But I won’t be able to live the same way I did before.” I squeezed his hand in reassurance, my eyes smarting when I felt his return squeeze. It felt like I was a little girl again, finding comfort in her dad’s presence. The one who’d believed everything would be okay as long as he was there.
“As long as you’re healthy. That’s all that matters.” Dad sounded gruff as he picked up his coffee again.
Jenna and I pretended not to see the sheen in his eyes as he turned his face toward the window.
“If you can’t have pancakes, what can you eat?” Syrup was smeared on my niece’s lips and chin. A few spots on her jacket glistened where it had dripped.
“Blood and nightmares.” Connor stuffed a bite of pancake in his mouth.
Linda’s nose wrinkled. “Eww. Does that mean you’re a vampire?”
“Yes, and I’ve come to suck your blood.” I curled my fingers into claws and reached for Linda.
She shrieked and backed away laughing.
“Okay, okay.” Jenna blocked her daughter’s flailing hand when it almost hit her in the face. A second later, she removed the fork with a speared piece of pancake from Linda’s hand and set it on the plate. “Enough playing around, before you hurt someone.”
“Sorry, Mommy.” Linda didn’t resist as Jenna took her hands to clean the syrup off them.
While Jenna was preoccupied with her daughter, I rested my head on my hand to watch Connor eat. “How is your first time eating pancakes?”
Linda stared at Connor with her mouth open. “You’ve never had pancakes before?”
“No.”
“How is that possible?” Linda gasped. “Pancakes are the best. They are everything.”
Linda wasn’t the only one surprised; Dad and Jenna stared at him in confusion.
“They don’t have them where I’m from.” Connor tucked another bite into his mouth and chewed, unconcerned by their reactions.
From his expression, it was hard to tell if he was enjoying the pancakes or not.
“Where is that?” Jenna asked, quick to seize the opportunity to learn a little more about the person I’d introduced into our circle.
“Ireland,” I answered before Connor could.
Part of me feared he’d mention the Fae land where he’d spent his last few centuries. It was best to cut him off before that could happen.
Dad still looked suspicious, but he didn’t press.
White hot agony pierced my mind. I clutched at my head as a whimper escaped from between clenched teeth.
“Aileen? Aileen!”
