He nods. “I couldn’t reach it to take it out, but I disabled it.”
Of course, he did. “We can get a family doctor to take it out.”
“They can’t be trusted—”
“Ours can. They’re family.” And if I can get my hands on that chip, I can track it back to its manufacturer. “We can worry about that later.” And by later, I mean very, very soon.
“Temperance doesn’t have one of those.” Talon takes a breath.
“Can I see?”
If I were Everett, I’d want to see proof with my own eyes, too.
Mom pushes up out of Dad’s arms and walks over to Everett. She turns around, lifting her blouse in the back. There’s nothing but smooth skin and a few healed stretch marks that she probably got from giving birth to Milia or me years ago.
Everett stares silently, lifting a finger to the middle of her back.
Is that where his mother’s was?
Dad walks up and wraps an arm around Mom as she turns around. “How old are you, Everett? Do you know when you were born?”
Everett nods. “I’m fifteen. Why?”
DNA doesn’t lie, but it does tell partial truths.
“Because my wife can’t be your mother. I know every movement she’s made, and she’s spent every night in my arms for more than seventeen years.”
That means…
“I don’t have a sister,” Mom blurts out. “I’m an only child.”
“It appears you do. An identical one,” Dad states the obvious.
“What?”
“I’m not your mother. But it appears that I might be your aunt. How that is possible, I don’t know. But I do know that from now on, if you accept, I would like to treat you like you are my own child. To care for you and protect you just like I would Milia and Max.”
“Really?” Everett’s voice is barely a whisper.
Dad nods. “A man can never have too many sons.”
Look At Me Weird
Fiona
“Why are we even doing this? You hate parties.”Daria signs before picking up her purse and assistive device from the coffee table.
“I don’t hate parties.” Much.
She drops it along with a book into the bag she calls a purse. “Yes, you do. Unless they’re street parties, you avoid them like the plague.”
It’s not that bad. “You hate these things too.”
“All I need is a book. You know that.”
I slide on a pair of ankle boots. “You shouldn’t have to hide in the corner and read at a party.”
“But I want to. And you’re just deflecting because you’re nervous.”
