Page 16 (1/2)

"Hey, Pika," I say when I open the door to our rooainst the wall across the hall

"Kai asked in to follow hiotten a little easier between Pika and me, but I still hate the look of pity I souess it helps that he doesn’t talk et he is even around

"Did you have a good night off?" I ask, trying to fill the silence between us

His eyes cos "Didn’t do

"Sounds like fun," Iwhy the hell I said that

Normally, Aye is with us, so it’s easier to deal with Pika and his cold deuy--if you like the silent, broody type ould be more inclined to watch paint dry than to talk to you

We walk the rest of the way in silence, and as soon as weroo and Kai tell her that I was getting out of the shohen he left the roo ready to take overwhat I did

When we enter the dining rooe open doors that lead out to a balcony If you didn’t know any better, you would think I’ical child We have the same blond hair and blue eyes, and she is also tall and lean

My dad is sitting at the table with a newspaper open in front of hirown it back since He is also tall, but his body is larger, and where he used to be fit, his body has started to go soft with age His dark-brown eyesback froirl," he says quietly, wrappingin one of his wonderful hugs--one of s in the world

"You doin’ okay this ?"

"I aoes soft, and he leans in and kisses et over how beautiful you have becoulfsyesterday e picked the her words I hadn’t realized just how much I missed them They are the only parents I have ever known, and there was never aup that they didn’t make me feel welcome and loved

"I’m happy you’re here," I whisper back honestly

"You knoherever you are in the world, if you needed h hell to make it to you"

A sob cli the truth, and that is why I have always tried to protect bothto them because of what their son has done has always made hter then whispers into murder someone I don’t think he likes it when you cry"