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“What?” Dad shakes his head.
I take a deep breath. “Well, sometimes I burst into flames. And I teleport.”
“I think I should sit down.” Dad makes his way over to a chair at the table. He sits down before looking up at me. “Can I see?”
“Maybe outside,” I suggest.
He nods. “Right. The kitchen isn’t immune to flames.”
We walk out the back door and off the porch. I think about the fire and I will myself to teleport about ten feet away from where I’m standing. I feel the familiar heat and see the bright light of the flames. Once the fire dies down, I see that I’m right where I wanted to be.
Dad makes his way toward me, his eyes wide. “You just… there… and now…” He points to where I am standing, shaking his head. “And fire.”
“And fire,” I repeat.
He rubs a hand on the back of his neck. “I haven’t been completely honest with you—about your adoption.”
“Oh?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“There was one thing left with you. A piece of paper. The paper simply said, ‘Her name is Seraphina.’ I didn’t want to keep your name because I was scared the person would come back. I was scared they would change their mind. And I didn’t want to give you up. So I decided to name you Henley. But after seeing your fire powers, the name Seraphina makes so much more sense. The name means fire in Hebrew.”
Whoever my parents were must have known what I am.
Why didn’t they keep me? I have so many questions for them—starting withwhatI am.
“There is one more thing I need to show you,” I admit.
Dad looks at me, his eyes still wide. “What else can there be?”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I will my wings to appear. My entire body relaxes as they are released.
Dad sucks in a sharp breath, so I dare to open one eye and look at him. He’s looking behind me, at my wings.
“They kind of appeared one day.” I motion toward my wings. “I’m glad we weren’t in New York when that happened because I’m not sure how I could have hid these.”
He nods, still staring at my wings. “You’re special, Henley. I’ve always known it. It’s why I wanted to adopt you. I could’ve easily found another supernatural family to place you with, but I was selfish. I couldn’t bear to be apart from you. I know that I haven’t been as good of a dad as I should have been, but I love you.”
“I know you do. I love you too.” I take a step closer to him. “You have been good to me. You’ve got me everything I’ve ever needed or wanted. Sure, you work too much, but I understand why you do.”
“That’s no excuse,” Dad says. “I should’ve been there for you more. Maybe then you would have trusted me sooner.”
I smile at him. “It’s okay. I understand now. You needed a distraction. Your soulmate died. That can’t have been easy.”
“No. It wasn’t.” He lets out a long breath. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a daughter like you, but I’m glad you were dropped off at my hospital that day. I never should have run from my problems, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you. So I can’t bring myself to regret it.”
“I’m glad you were there too.” I don’t know what I would do if he wasn’t there.
“Why didn’t you tell me all this sooner?” Dad asks.
I shrug one shoulder. “Because I was scared. I thought you would send me away once you knew. And I figured if you knew about my wings and my powers that you would figure out what I am. I keep waiting to be sent away to live with my own kind.”
“I willneversend you away, Henley,” Dad promises. “You are my daughter. Nothing ever is going to change that.”
I worry my bottom lip between my teeth, finally making eye contact with him.
“Nobody is taking you away from me,” he says.
I will my wings to go away before I step forward and hug my dad. He wraps his arms around me, squeezing me against him.
