I gulp at the image and drop the toast. Not that I ever thought about eating it in the first place. “How about your father?”

“Never knew him. Dad is the only father we had.”

My heart warms as if I were thrust from a dark icy winter night straight into a summer day. Dad took two lost children and gave them a home.

“Did he take you in since the basement incident?”

He nods. “We used to live in a separate home with Agnus, but Dad came by all the time. After the fire, we moved in with him.”

“But he was in a coma.”

“He was still Dad even while he was sleeping.”

Everything that Knox told me about his father before makes sense now. He never stopped considering Dad his father even after he was in a coma with a slim chance of ever waking up again.

“Thank you for being there for him when he needed you.”

“Hey, don’t go all sappy on me. He’s my dad, too.” Challenge sparks in his eyes. “And I’m his favourite.”

I smile and take my first real bite of food this morning. Knox and I talk about the times he stopped himself from finding me. Apparently, Agnus didn’t like for us to get in touch without Dad in the picture.

We chat for a bit when a commotion sounds from the front door. I stand and Knox comes to my side. We both frown in confusion as we follow the source.

The butler talks to someone at the door. I barely manage to take a step forward when I’m hugged out of nowhere.

Nina Ricci’s perfume clogs my nostrils as slim arms hold me so close, it’s nearly suffocating.

“Elsie,” she cries in my neck. “Oh my God, you’re all right. You’re going to be all right, hon.”

“Aunt?”

“I’m here. Aunt is here.” She pulls back to search my face with frantic eyes. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Have you been eating well?”

“I’m fine, Aunt.”

“Calm down, Blair.” Uncle’s voice is as soothing as I remember. He holds my backpack and stands with stone calm by the entrance.

I smile faintly at him.

I’m such a horrible person. It’s been two days since I told them I’d come home, but I disappeared without a word.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to him.

Even though I’m still mad about how they hid the truth for a decade and actively forbade me from searching for it, Aunt and Uncle are still my parents. One way or another.

“Let’s go home, hon.” Aunt digs her nails into my arm. “Let’s leave this place behind.”

“Absolutely not.” Dad’s voice echoes from behind me like thunder, strong and non-negotiable. He stands beside me and addresses Aunt, “You’re welcome to stay here all you like, but Elsa isn’t going anywhere.”

Both Aunt and Uncle freeze, watching him as if he’s a ghost — which he is in some way.

I can’t say I blame them. My reaction was the same when I first saw him.

“You are alive,” Uncle whispers.

“I don’t care whether you’re alive or not,” Aunt snarls. “Elsa is my adoptive daughter.”

“Those papers can be annulled any time now that her real father is alive.”

Aunt’s lips tremble, but she visibly straightens and guards her cool. “I won’t leave Elsa with you so you’ll destroy her like you destroyed Abigail.”

“You of all people know Abigail was unwell way before I married her.” He takes a menacing step forward. “I was there for her until the end, but where were you, Blair?”

Aunt flinches as if he slapped her.

This is the side of Dad I never get to see; ruthless and merciless.

She touches the side of her neck. “Elsa, let’s go, hon.”

Somewhere deep inside, I miss Aunt and Uncle, and I do feel sorry for her — for her past, and her abusive father.

It must’ve cost her a lot to come to Birmingham when she associates this place with trauma. She’s been slightly shaking since she hugged me, and I’m sure it has to do with this place as much as with me.

A few months ago, I would’ve taken her hand and followed her without question.

However, that was the Elsa of the past.

I gently pull my hand from her. “I’m staying.”

Uncle briefly closes his eyes with a pained expression.

Aunt’s mouth opens and closes like a fish. “W-what?”

“I’ll stay with Dad.” I swallow. “I’ll call and visit. I promise.”

“Is that your final decision, pumpkin?” Uncle asks with a note of sadness.

I nod once.

He passes me my backpack. “Your phone and necessities are in here.”

“Thank you.”

“No. No, Elsie. Don’t do this.” Aunt grabs me by both my arms like a dying woman holding onto her last breath. “You can’t leave us.”

“I’m not leaving you, Aunt. I’ll visit.”

A sob catches in her throat as Uncle pulls her back.

I watch them as Uncle drags a numb Aunt towards his car. A tear threatens to fall free, but I seal it in. I won’t cry.

I will not cry.

Dad holds me to him by the shoulder and Knox — who has been watching the entire scene silently — smiles.

I smile back with so much internal peace.

Aunt and Uncle aren’t my only family.

8

Elsa

On Friday night, Dad takes us to a fundraiser held by one of his friends.

Oh, and it’s in London.

I’m not panicking or anything.

Scratch that, I’m totally panicking.

He told me that I could stay back in Birmingham if I wanted to, but it would make him happy if I stood by his side in his first official appearance.

I couldn’t refuse him. Truth is, I want to appear on my father’s side. I want the world to know I’m his daughter.

We have been separated for too long.

Knox is the most excited amongst us. He’s game for any party — his words, not mine. He’s wearing a stylish dark blue suit with rolled-up sleeves and a white T-shirt with Metallica’s logo on it.

When Dad told him he can’t attend a fundraiser at a duke’s house with that shirt, Knox rolled his eyes and buttoned his jacket.

I laughed so hard when he said, “You just insulted the die-hard metal fans. Happy, Dad?”

I swear Knox and Dad have the strangest, most entertaining interactions ever. They’re so different and yet, they’re in tune. Knox’s competitive streak about being Dad’s favourite is so entertaining, but can also be threatening sometimes.

If Eli didn’t die so young, I wonder if his relationship with Dad would’ve been the same as Knox’s.

Teal joined us, too, but she has a bored expression like this is the last place she’d want to be.

When she came down the stairs wearing a denim skirt and a T-shirt with ‘Annoyed’ written across her breasts, Dad and Agnus motioned for her to go back upstairs, put on a dress, and remove the gothic makeup.

She changed into a dark blue dress with a wide tulle skirt that stops a bit above her knees. Her inky hair shines in blue under the light and falls on either side of her face. She still has dark eyeshadow and eyeliner, but she’s put on light pink lipstick for a change.