He studies me long and hard. “Well, by the looks of it, there’s still some chemistry there.” He chuckles lightly.
I grimace. “Right.”
“And you feel it too?”
“Yes.”
He closes his eyes, like he does when he’s trying to put his thoughts together. “Does Sera know?”
“Not yet.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Well, you came from the nursery, did you not? Who does she think he is to you?”
“A friend.”
He shakes his head and sighs.
“She likes him.”
My dad studies me. “And how do you feel about that? Her liking him?”
“It makes me happy that she likes him. And he lights up when he’s with her. It’s been really special to see.”
“You need to tell her.”
“We will.”
He leans forward again. “Have you told your mother?”
“Not yet.”
He reaches for the phone.
“Dad, wait.”
He doesn’t.
“Kate, darling, Alie has something she’d like to tell you.”
I give him an exacerbated look. “Hi, Mom.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Her voice is anxious.
I feel sixteen again. Caught. Cornered. About to confess something I’ve rehearsed a thousand times and never actually said out loud. I suck in a deep breath. “Liam Pitz is Sera’s father.”
The words leave my mouth, and for a split second, the world goes unnaturally quiet. Like sound itself is waiting to see what happens next.
“I’m sorry,” she says slowly, like she misheard. “What did you just say?”
“I said,” I repeat, steadier now, “Liam is Sera’s father.”
Silence.
Then a little laugh.
“I knew it!”
I blink, looking at my dad. “Wait, what? You did?”
