Page 21 of A Silenced Midlife

"Mom," I managed to gasp, but it came out muffled against her shirt. Over her head, my eyes met Phira's. Her smile was like sunlight breaking through clouds, no judgment, just warmth. It was clear; she didn't mind this embrace between mother and daughter.

"Sit down." Mom released me and fixed me with a look that brokered no argument.

"But the tea—" I protested weakly.

"I'll get it. You've done enough."

Before I could counter, Phira stood up. "I'll help," she said, extending a hand to Mom. "I'm Phira."

"Claire," Mom replied, shaking her hand with a brief, polite smile.

I collapsed into my chair, flanked by Dad and Lucifer. They each laid a comforting hand on mine, their quiet support grounding me. That's when it happened. The absurdity of the evening hit me like a thunderclap. I started giggling uncontrollably.

Sam gave me a sideways glance, his tie looking like it might pop off any moment. Sammie, oblivious to the tension, was shoveling shells into his mouth with gusto. Devin and Jessica couldn't contain themselves either. They joined in the laughter, creating a chorus of chuckles that filled the room.

"Family dinners, huh?" Sam muttered, loosening his tie with a sigh of relief.

The clink of porcelain on wood echoed as the two moms returned, hands full with a tray carrying a large jug of tea and an assortment of cups. I straightened up in my seat, cleared my throat, and met the stairs of everyone seated at the table.

"Okay, everything out in the open," I began, my voice steadier than I felt. "This is my biological father, Lucifer. And that's my biological mother, Phira. This is my adoptive mother, Claire, and this is my adoptive father, Gordon." I watched their faces for signs of shock or disbelief. "Yes, Lucifer is the devil. King of Hell. Fallen angel. The whole nine yards." I paused, letting that sink in. "Phira is fae."

Claire placed the big jug of tea down on the table and slowly sank into her chair. "The devil? Fae?"

"Yep," I said, nodding. My heart thrummed in my chest, but I kept my tone light. "That's the biggest bombshells to drop. I am half fae, half..." I turned to Lucifer, searching his face for any hint of what label I should use. "Devil? Angel? What?" I asked.

Lucifer's lips quirked into a sly smile. "Think of yourself as a minor god. Goddess if you prefer."

I let out a shaky laugh, looking back at Mom and Dad. Their expressions were unreadable, but I pushed on. "So there you go. That's what I am."

Dad gave me another reassuring pat, while Mom reached for her cup, her motions slow, deliberate. The room was heavy with unspoken thoughts and questions. Oh, man. I hoped I'd done the right thing by laying it all out like this.

Dad's eyes, despite his pat of comfort, were now hard, unreadable. Mom cleared her throat and asked, "What does this mean for you, Olivia?"

"Life's different," I admitted. "Since finding out about...everything, my powers have been unlocked. It's like waking up one day to find out you've got a whole new set of senses."

Jessica piped up from across the table, eager to shift some attention away from my trembling hands. "When Mom's powers got unlocked, ours did too. Mine, Devin's, and Sammie's. We're all learning what it means to be Fae."

"Speaking of learning curves," Sam said, leaning forward with a half-smirk. His fangs glinted briefly under the dining room light. "I'm a vampire."

Claire gasped, her hand flying to her chest. She grabbed her napkin and fanned herself, her breath coming in short bursts. "This is a lot to take in."

I reached across the table, trying to offer some solace with my touch. "I'm just glad you were there to see magic was real with everyone else. Imagine having to absorb the entire paranormal world at once."

"No, no," Claire interrupted, planting her hands firmly on the table as if trying to steady herself against the tide of revelations. "This is quite enough to be getting on with for now."

"Let's just eat and give it a moment," Lucifer suggested, gesturing to the dishes spread out on the table. We all settled into our seats, the clinking of cutlery replacing the tension with a sort of domestic normalcy. As we ate, I caught my dad's gaze softening from their stony gaze, and mom's curiosity bubbled over.

"How long will you live?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of fear and wonder.

"I'm immortal," I said, swallowing a mouthful of garlic bread. "As in, forever."

"Sam," Dad interjected with a nod towards my husband, "do you have to, well, drink blood?"

Sam set down his fork, his face calm. "Yes, sir, but not directly from people. I get what I need without harming anyone."

Mom let out a relieved sigh, but before she could relax completely, she turned to Phira with a furrowed brow. "I have to ask. Why would you give up Olivia for adoption, only to come back now?"

Phira looked at her, eyes shimmering with old pain. "My father didn't approve of Lucifer. After Olivia was born, he locked me away in the Inbetween. It's not a place for fae. It's for witches who pass on. A sort of purgatory for them."

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