“Yes?” Even the tone of her voice is beautiful, and all I can hope in this moment is that I will mature into this stunning woman. This ismymother, there is no doubt of that.
“Hi.” I raise my hand and wave. “Are you Tali?”
Her lips part, and it’s impossible not to stare. They’re a deep red, fading into an ombre of black at the corners. She does them so perfectly that I can’t even see the texture of the lipstick.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so beautiful before in my entire life.
“Yes.” She seems irritated, but I suppose that makes sense. A stranger did just show up on her doorstep knowing her name.
“My name is Xeraphine. I’m sure you don’t remember me since it’s been, I think like eight years, but I’m?—”
“My daughter.” She releases a soft hum, one of knowing, not relief. I prepared myself for her not to accept me. Truth be told, I expected her to just turn me away. “You didn’t need to tell me your name for me to know, child.”
I don’t want to swoon over the fact she recognizes me, but my heart does do a few skips and a soft flutter in my stomach rises.
“Is there a reason you are coming to see me?” Her tone is flat as she looks from side to side, before bringing her gaze back to me. “Did you bring your foster family?”
I live just outside of the main city of Ashfer, which is where Tali—or maybe I should call her my mother—lives. Right in the heart of it.
“No, I took a bus to get here, and I was just hoping… to meet you and my dad.”
I’ve beendyingto know why they called me Xeraphine. I love the name, but it is so unique that I get questions at school because of it. Truth be told, I swoon over the attention of it. That, and the compliments about how pretty I am. I get to thank this woman for that, and I can’t believe how good of a detective I am.
Mental patty on the back for doing a good job, Xera!
“I see.” She takes a deep breath and steps aside. “Come in.”
I can’t stop my mouth from falling open in shock. Is she really inviting me in? Am I really going to get to meet my dad and talk with them both?!
F@ll0ut online users were so wrong about kids finding their parents and being shunned away.
Ha. Take that, trolls.
Stopping myself from clapping, I dart through the front door into theverydark home. I appreciate the mood, because as much as I like bright colors, they do strain my eyes. Having nearly white color irises does take a toll on my ability to see in brightly lit rooms.
Red roses in a vase sit elegantly on a table in the front room. A staircase ascends to the second floor, disappearing into the pitch-black above, while an archway leads into a dimly lit foyer.
“Come.” Tali brushes past me, and I don’t hesitate to follow right behind her.
Her long, onyx hair falls down past her butt, right to the middle of her thighs, and I can only hope mine will grow to be that long.
As we pass another room—this one with a closed door—we step into an average-looking kitchen. It’s the brightest space in the house I’ve seen, with an open window above the sink and gleaming white tile covering the walls and floor.
“Remind me, how old are you now, Xeraphine?”
A strange sensation comes over me, and even though I was going to tell her, it was like Ineededto speak as quickly as possible. “Fourteen.”
She hums and turns to face me while simultaneously leaning against the island in the middle of the space.
“Your father is dead.”
I’m not too sure I heard her correctly, because that can’t be what she said, not just out of nowhere like that.
“I’m sorry?” My words fumble out, unsteady and uncertain.
“It isn’t your fault, you don’t need to apologize, Xeraphine.” She crosses her arms under her chest.
“N-No… I-I’m—what did you say?”
