Chapter Fifteen

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I had woken up the next morning on the floor of my bedroom still covered in dirt and sweat.  After taking a freezing cold, relieving shower, I had gotten dressed in a pair of shorts and tank top, not yet used to my new boiling temperature to wear anything warmer. 

I cringed and slapped my hands over my ears as I sat in my bed at the booming sound of someone closing a door.  A human wouldn't have even heard the noise, but I am now, apparently, not human. 

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to block out an array of strong smells and sounds.  The smell of Billy's coffee in the living room and Jake's gross dirty laundry hamper.  The TV sounded like it was on full volume right in my ear, and the sound of two faucets dripping made my eye twitch.  My eyesight had improved too, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming. 

I groaned and fell back onto my bed, trying to focus on a spot on the ceiling to get a hold of these newfound abilities. Slowing my breathing, I tried to block out the annoying sounds.  I could feel myself getting more and more irritable, and didn't want to shift into a giant wolf and ruin my room.  Priorities. 

The sound of the TV faded slightly as I took meditative breaths, the smell of coffee lessening and faucet dripping softening. I sighed a bit in relief and tried to hold that concentration. 

Knocking at my door roughly snapped me out of my concentration.  The sound boomed through my ears, and I groaned in irritation. 

"Adair?" I heard Billy call from the other side of the door. 

I cringed again and took my hands off my ears, attempting to look normal.

"Come in." I muttered, annoyed as the sounds and smells continued full force. 

I squeezed my fist as the squeaking of the door hinge buraded my ears as Billy opened the door. 

He wheeled in, sitting in the doorway of my room and playing with his hands. 

"Can I talk to you?" He asked nervously. 

I nodded in response, biting my inner cheek harshly, the sounds and smells even more prominent now that my door was open. 

He cleared his throat, looking to me,"I first off just wanted to apologize," I looked away and glared at the floor, "I shouldn't have kept the truth from you for so long.  I was just," he sighed, "I was worried for your reaction," He wheeled in a little further, "But Adair, you have to know that whoever is your biological father, your parents will always be your parents, your brother your brother, and they will always love you." 

My eyes softened a bit at his words and I finally looked up to him, my shoulders slumping slightly, "How?" I whispered. 

He sighed, "Your father, mother, and I were always best friends," He looked away guiltily, "On a  drunken night your mother and I, well, you know.  Before we knew it she had fallen pregnant with you.  She didn't know you were mine at first, but as soon as she figured  it might be a possibility, she ordered a paternity test," He looked to the ground, "Sarah and your father weren't happy, but we all decided it would be better if we didn't confuse you at such a young age, so we didn't tell you.  But, I still wanted to know you. To see you grow and thrive.  To have the opportunity to be close to you and care for you the way a father should, so they made me your godparent." 

He finished his spiel and kept his gaze on the ground, tears glazing his dark eyes. 

I should still be furious.  I should yell and scream at him, and tell him how betrayed and hurt I was.  Ask why they think it would be okay to deceive and lie to me my entire life.  Cry about not being able to look my parents in the eye and tell them no matter what I would always love them, and they would both always be mom and dad to me.  

Petrichor ~ P.L.Where stories live. Discover now