Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Dan stood tall in the doorway, his broad shoulders leaning slightly against the frame, exuding a calm but curious air. Beside him, Mom stood rigid, her fingers clutching the edge of her shawl as her narrowed eyes darted into the room, scanning it with a mixture of impatience and unease.
“Lucy,” Mom called, her voice taut as she stretched her neck, craning to peer further into the room. Her lips tightened into a pale, thin line, and the weight of her emotions was evident in the furrow of her brow. “Where is Kaiden?” she asked, the tremor in her voice betraying a volatile mix of anger, frustration, worry, and a flicker of fear that darkened her eyes.
“K–Kaiden…” I stammered, but before I could finish, she shoved past me, her movements sharp and unyielding Her heels clicked with a brisk finality against the solid floor as she stormed into my room.
“Where is he?” Mom demanded, her voice rising as her eyes flitted around the room, sharp and unrelenting, like a hawk’s gaze scanning for any sign of prey.
“He is…” I stammered, my voice faltering as my hands clenched tightly at my sides, betraying my rising nerves. My eyes swept the room in a frantic search, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then, my gaze landed on the window. It was open- something I hadn’t done–which could only mean Kaiden had. He left via window. A soft, shaky breath of relief slipped from my lips, easing the tautness in my shoulders. “Nowhere,” I added, infusing my words with a forced casualness that I hoped would mask my unease.
“What?” Mom spun sharply on her heel, her piercing eyes narrowing as they bore into me. Cluelessness flickered across her face, deepening the furrow of her brows.
“I mean, is he nowhere in the house that you thought he would be here in my room?” I improvised quickly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I looked at Dan and nodded, signaling for him to back me up. “Ain’t I right, Dan? Kaiden would never come into my room unless there was some serious zombie apocalypse outside, and my room was the only safest zone in the whole universe.”
Dan chuckled faintly, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah, I don’t see any reason why Kaiden must be here, but I also don’t see any reason why you both, mother and daughter, should be so hyper.” He paused, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully before adding, “And… why do you think it’s apocalypse–needed impossible for Kaiden to come into your room? Aren’t you guys in a good place? Has he been rude to you in any way?”
“Ah… um…” I blinked rapidly, trying to process his unexpected concern. My chest tightened, a strange mix of shock and a reluctant sense of warmth spreading through me. It was rare for me to see my mom’s husband ask for my opinion. Dan was different from other guys she had married, and guilt twisted in my stomach. He didn’t deserve a wife like my mom, and after what I had done with Kaiden, I didn’t deserve such a caring stepdad like Dan. “He…” I let out a soft, nervous laugh, brushing imaginary lint off my sleeve. “He is fine. He is really great. No wonder he is your son. He proves it every time with his genuine care for me. I am glad to be part of your family, Mr. Sterwalt.”
“If you are glad, then call me Dad,” he said with a warm smile, his hand lightly tapping my shoulder. His expression softened, and my lips twitched to curl downward as I felt his fatherly warmth.
Dan Sterwalt, I wish I was really your daughter. Kaiden is lucky in every possible way.
“Yeah, call him your dad and call Kaiden your brother,” Mom cut in quickly, her tone sharper than usual. She seemed to put extra weight on the words “Kaiden” and “brother,” as if they were the most important part of the sentence.
“What’s wrong with you today, Sel?” Dan asked, wrapping an arm loosely around her shoulder. He tilted his head slightly, studying her face. “You look so tense.” Turning his attention to me, he added, “Did you know she came into my room running, saying that she just saw a burglar in your room and Kaiden is fighting with him to protect you?”
“W–whattttt?” I forced a laugh, clutching my stomach dramatically. “Lol, she got you. She was totally fooling you.” I laughed louder, the sound almost unnatural against the awkwardness of my lies. “You know, once, when I was a little kid, she said that she saw a unicorn getting married to a werewolf and giving birth to a giraffe.” The words tumbled out of my mouth, and I immediately cringed internally at how absurd my lie sounded.
12.49 wed, to API
Chapter 45
Dan snorted, his lips twitching in amusement. “Seriously? No way. You must be kidding”
* 78%
“Yes, I am kidding you both. Now leave. I have so much homework to do” I said with an exaggerated frown, folding my arms across my chest.
Dan raised his hands in mock surrender, his brows lifting in surprise at my sudden change in tone and demeanor, “Okay, we are leaving.” He reached for Mom’s hand, tugging her gently toward the door. “Come on, let’s go, Sel. We might be disturbing the poor girl.”
Once they stepped out, I leaned my back against the door and gripped the knob tightly, taking a deep breath as though I hadn’t breathed in years.
“Lucy… sounds a bit tense, right, darling?” I heard Dan’s voice, faint through the door, as he spoke to my mom. “Shouldn’t we do something to lighten her mood?”
Hearing Dan show a level of concern that Mom had never shown in her entire life gave a bittersweet pinch to my heart. It felt good to experience what it was like to be heard and cared for, but it also felt sad to realize how starved I was for such a basic feeling. It was the kind of love and attention every parent should give their child, but that had never been the case for
- me.
To be continued…
