Color Me

I found you

The road trip was awesome!! Kai took some dope pictures of everything and some people they met.
Tammy watched when she interacted with one family at a gas station and made them all laugh and smile genuinely for pictures.
Kai had an energy about her that said trust me, it will be okay.
Memories to keep.
Memories are precious.
They weren't sure if they were going to the same university yet so might as well have the most fun now.

Rissa kept to her word.
When her daughter turns 18 she gets to know all the information on her father.
She must know. The man she was told not to hate, not to be angry at but she needed to know.
And now she does.
So here goes nothing...

"You will call me when you get there right. Dont you wanna call him before you leave or send a message? I could come with you, it would be easier-"
"Mom!!!  Stop worrying okay. Besides if things go side ways with him. I'm still going to NY to check out Berkeley. Take the tour and what not. I will be fine."
"Are you sure?  I'm so nervous."
"Okay enough. You go to NY and send me pictures. I'll let you know which letter comes back."
"Okay take care of her for me Tammy."
"I'm not a child and I'm right here. "
"I know. I love you Mom."

Kai's P.O.V
Flying is easier when you are asleep. And i did just that.

Hope i dont get mugged. Getting a taxi from the airport was easy.
And this girl in the airport tried to get my number.
Cute but not my type.

Anyways in as much i had told my mom that I'm fine,  truth is my nerves are shredded to bits.
I am sweating,  i can feel it.
What if he hates me for being different?
What if his family is repulsed by me?
Too late. The taxi parked right at the drive way.
"Thanks mate."
"Cool."
If it wasnt stupid probably would have asked the driver to knock the door for me.
House wasnt magenta big but it was over average sized. Looked like the style for the whole neighborhood.
Modern style, brick stone outside and seemed like it had space behind it.

stop being a cat and ring the doorbell idiot..
My shaky fingers rang the door and i hoisted my satchel up waiting for the ultimate disaster to happen.
A man opened the door. He must have just gotten home, tie slightly pulled down, rolled shirt sleeves and watch in hand.
I looked at his face as he looked at mine.
This could be me years later had i been born a male well a complete male. But my genes were tainted.

Throat clears..
"Hello I'm looking for Richard Williams."
"You are looking at him. What can i do for you?"
"Ummm i dont know how to say this any better but you are my father."
He knew. He felt it before the sentence was over. He knew when he looked into those eyes. They werent the same but they felt the same. Familiar, warm and true.
"Rissa."
"Thats my mothers name."
"Why dont you come in. I need to sit down for this."

We ended up in his study. Neither of said anything for a bit. I just guess it made sense. I gave him my birth certificate,  ID and the letter Mom had written. I hadn't read it.
He took all the papers and glanced at them. No surprise, no fear just absorbing.
He looked at letter longer then opened it. His hands didn't shake but he held the white page as if it was the moat fragile thing he had ever touched.
I watched him as he read it, studying him in his element.
His desk was littered with papers and i believe what looked like engineering plans, busy man. The office had pictures of a family mounted at different angles as if a child did it,  God help me i didn't want to cause strife. They look happy together smiling and laughing. 

He sat slightly bent forward and elbows on a mahogany desk, concentration face on as he read. I could see very faint freckles on his nose and cheeks. Soft blue eyes that didnt seem deceiving or evil. Hands werent marred by fighting tissue but he didn't look like an easy target.
He began to shift like he was rereading the letter,  most definitely was he doesnt look like a slow reader. He played with a chain of some sort around his neck, subconsciously  probably.
Richard reread the letter probably three times. He had missed that hand writing... Damn he had another daughter, his actual first born.

"Stay for a few days please."
"I was gonna stay on campus for a few days for the tour, i ummm got in for business management and photography at NYU."
"The twins are going there as well. You can stay here for the tour instead of the school campus if you want that is. I'm sorry I'm starting to feel all of it at once, I'm excited and scared at the same time. Jesus I'm rambling!"
Richard was pacing by now.
It was sort of cute.
"I'll stay if your kids are cool with it. Dont force this on them. Its still okay if they don't warm up fast or at all."
"I wont force anything on them but they will love you."

"Austin don't bang the damn door. Alyce I'm hungryyyy!'
"I didnt bang the door kim. Zee did."
"Liar i didn't."
"You guys are such kids. Lets check if dads home, i saw his car."
"Daaaaad!"
Everybody just looked at Kim like seriously kid. He's not in China you are in the same house.

"Only one person can be that loud."
"Daddd."
"Hey kimmy.. You guys good? I need you to meet someone..Come on..."

Kai watched the interaction, no attitude from the kids. He was a good dad. The youngest seemed like daddy's princess..
The twins were like gender versions of each other. Kai was taller than the boy.
He had his fathers eyes.

Their attention turned to her. In that moment it was like she stretched to her full height and stood tall.
She wasn't ashamed of herself or how she came to be and nobody will make her feel that way.

Austin studied the boy nope thats a girl standing behind their father. You couldn't miss her. Tall and dominant, dangerous even but her eyes looked kind and mysterious like she held so many secrets.
He could see it.

"She's our sister isnt she?"
"Yes."
Aly squealed so loud she rivaled kims record that moment. " i have another sister yessss and she's not underage."
"Heyyy you cant forget about me right. You wont forget about me right.?"
It sounded like a good rejoinder but Kai saw the flash of pain and panic in the little ones eyes. She wasnt little maybe 14/15 but to Kai's frame she was little. Kai thought she'd better start reaching out.

"I doubt anyone can forget you kim. I'm Kai. Our names start with K and there's two of us now. Two As and two Ks. Sounds cool to me."
Kim smiled a million dollar grin. She already loved Kai.

Zoe walked in the dining room, oblivious and unconscious of her surroundings.
It felt like walking into a brick wall then being pinned by steel, unable to breathe but unwilling to break the spell.
Yup she had walked right into Kai and the aftermath was her staring into her eyes and freezing.
"Hie."
"Ummm hie can you let go now?"
"Yeah sure. Sorry. I'm Kai."
"Zoe or Zee. But preferably Zee. "