Page 72 of Hero for the Holidays

“I never really worried about it. I mean, in the sense that I didn’t feel like my parents dumped me off or gave me away or anything. Because I had such great parents. That it didn’t matter what my biological parents did, or how they felt. I was just glad I ended up with the parents I had. And I didn’t look at it as being very different from being born. It’s kind of random, right? You don’t get to choose. So, I never worried about it. Because my mom and dad made such a big deal out of how much they loved me. How much they wanted me. It wasn’t, like, creepy, you know, where they acted like they were saints because they chose me or whatever. They just made it so clear that I was theirs.” She lowered her head. “But then when I didn’t have anyone... I realized how much I needed you.”

“You have us. Believe me, kid. You do. We are very glad that we found you. I know Landry never let go of you. And I didn’t either. Just in a different way than him. I kept you with me.”

“It’s really brave. I think. I always have. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings when I said that you didn’t want me. I know it wasn’t that. I always thought... If it ever happened to me, I’d want to be brave like you were. Be able to do the right thing.”

“Feel whatever you feel. Like Landry said before, when you’re thirteen, it’s completely all right to not know what you think or feel about anything. You don’t have to. We don’t know everything. Why should you?”

“I don’t know. I guess because it just feels like the last year I’ve had to take care of myself and figure out what I want. But you’re right. I didn’t choose it.”

“No. And it’s not what I would’ve chosen for you. But I am really grateful that you’re here. And I can feel both of those things. You can too.”

“Okay.”

They sat there for a while longer. “Do you like the birthday party?”

Lila nodded. “It hurt because it was too nice. Because it made me realize how much I want to be here.”

Fia wiped a tear off her own cheek. “I hope it shows you how much we want you here.”

Lila nodded.

“It’s time to open presents,” Fia said. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.”

“I think everyone got something for you.”

“His family is so great. So is yours.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I love them.”

She realized it was easier for Lila to say that than it was for her to say that she loved Landry and Fia. But Fia completely understood that. Aunts and uncles were something that people were used to having lots of. As far as parents went... That was a little different.

She could see that this whole thing was going to be a difficult process. Because of course it was. They were people. And all of this was not easy.

Then of course there was the added factor of her and Landry.

It hadn’t really hurt her feelings to hear all the things that he thought. She already knew them. She also knew that he had listened to what she’d said. And that was a start, maybe.

“Why don’t we bring everyone out here?” She was conscious of the fact that Lila would probably feel like a spectacle walking back into the house after having vanished.

“But aren’t the presents inside?”

“Not all of them,” Fia said. “You stand right here.”

She went into the house and grabbed Landry’s arm. “You and I will have to have a talk later. But don’t worry about anything for now.”

“You can’t just say don’t worry. That instantly makes me worry.”

“That’s not logical.”

“I’m beginning to understand this whole parenting thing is not that logical.”

“Well. No. But we can do the horse now.”

“Okay,” said Landry, addressing everyone in the room. “We got a very special gift for Lila for her birthday, but she’s going to open it outside.”

---