Page 99 of Live Like Legends

I simply nodded.

She still gently held onto Beetee’s chin, moving her hand to place her palm on her cheek. “You act just like her, you know. My cousin, your mother…she had this way of acting a little shy andshe didn’t like to step on toes, but when she loved, oh did she do it with her whole heart.”

“That sounds just like our Beetee,” Willa said, placing her hand over her chest.

My father slowly made his way over to us, assessing the situation. “So what you’re saying is you’re the baby that the whole massacre in Oculus was over? You’ve been alive this whole time?”

“She didn’t know. We kept her in the dark for her own safety,” Louise said, defensively.

My father raised his hands as if he meant no harm. “I get it. Believe me, I fully understand protecting your child by any means necessary.” He didn’t look at me even though I knew he wanted to.

“We would have come to talk to you sooner, but there was just a lot going on and we all wanted this to be her decision,” I added, not really knowing the trajectory that this moment was heading towards.

Daya nodded as if she was absorbing every tiny piece of this conversation. She placed her hands at her face, discreetly wiping away her tears. “Layla would have done the same thing, if she had been in your position. I am eternally grateful for what you did.”

“Layla?” Beetee questioned, her voice small, like she was testing out the name on her lips.

Daya tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ear. “Oh. That’s your mothers name, Layla. She and your father loved each other very much and boy, did they love you.”

Beetee’s eyes were shiny and her lip quivered as if she was holding herself together with the tiniest thread. “I wanted to say something while I was staying at Natalia’s, but I couldn’t. I should have said something after we all came back from the Dani mission.” She shook her head, gathering her thoughts. “I justdon’t know what to say or where to go from here. I don’t want to intrude on the family you already have…”

“Oh, honey no. Absolutely not. Distance and time will never make you any less a part of my family. It seems as though you have been raised by some wonderful women and I wouldn’t want to force myself on you when it seems you’ve had a pretty good life.” Daya smiled over at Louise and Willa, who granted her their own smiles back.

Alex hummed from her place on the couch. “So, what you’re saying is that I’m related to a snake shifter?”

Daya ran her finger over her eyes, removing the last bit of tears. She gave her daughter a stern look. “Alex.”

Her daughter giggled. “I know this is a heartfelt moment and I would love to know every single detail of this entire thing, but come on, we all need to admit that makes me ten times cooler in the eyes ofliterallyeveryone.” Her eyes widened with amusement. She removed the humorous tone from her voice after a minute and gave Beetee a soft smile. “If you are nervous about the snake thing, my mom has always hoped that you were alive, so I think she will learn to get over her fear. When it comes to family, the woman would do practically anything.”

“Yes, yes she would.” My father leaned in to kiss Daya on the cheek.

Daya started to open her mouth to say something, but Beetee’s incoming hug stopped her. I could see from the way her arm muscles tightened that she was putting all the strength she had into that embrace. Daya hugged her back with just as much fierceness. Neither of them said anything, but words didn’t seem quite as important right now. Willa and Louise looked on, like they were happy that they were no longer harboring this secret from their daughter; they were happy she could be whole. Beetee could have the family that raised her and the family that shared her blood.

Both women pulled away, the air in the room feeling lighter. Daya held Beetee’s face between her palms. “How about we all sit down and I tell you all about your mom and dad. And then you can tell me everything I need to know about you.”

“She is quite the entrepreneur,” Willa chimed in, wagging her finger.

“Mom…” Beetee whined, blushing. She turned around while Daya laughed and motioned towards the couch.

“Nice tattoo,” Alex complimented, eyeing Beetee’s back.

Daya pointed at her daughter. “Don’t even think about it.”

Alex stuck her tongue out, winking at Beetee. “We’ll talk.”

While they got settled on the couch, my father sidled up next to me. “You look like you thought that might take a turn for the worst.”

I let out a small laugh. “Eh, I guess. I had every right to be worried that she might just decide to shift right in the middle of the living room.”

My father held his stomach as he laughed. “Daya’s snake fear would either get worse or be instantly cured if that happened.” He ruffled my hair, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close to him. “Should we go listen in on their conversation?”

“Um, I actually wanted to talk to you.”

“About?”

“Dani.”

My father nodded, looking over towards the chattering woman in his living room. He ran his index finger over his mustache before he nodded his head towards the backyard. I followed him out, rubbing my palms over the front of my pants.

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