“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.