Page 139 of Dream Mates
“Are all your parents professors?” I asked as I followed him across campus, not really knowing where I was going.
He shook his head. “Just Mom and Dad. She’s head of the chemistry department here at Marquess. Dad teaches organic chemistry at Briar. Mumsy works for a chemical company. Baba used to be a professor but now works in pharmaceuticals. Mama’s a translator and professional wrangler of children. Harry has a restaurant.”
“Mom, Dad, Mumsy, Baba, Mama, andHarry?” I grinned. Right, families with lots of parents would mean lots of parent names.
Oooh, what would my guys call themselves? Oh my god, there’d be so many dad jokes, wouldn’t there?
Creed laughed. “Harry’s a newer addition to the pack. But the littles call himDaddy.What about your parents? Oh, wait, that wasn’t so good was it. Sorry.” His voice went soft as he looked at his phone.
“My dad owns a hardware store. We all worked there. I don’t even think my parents went to college. My mom was very young when I was born.” I shrugged. “Me going to college was never not an option, though.”
His smile went rueful. “I think my parents were a little disappointed that I went to engineering school instead of a PhD program.”
“I’m sure they’ll be proud of you regardless. Where are we going?” I looked around, as the path grew more fairy-forest-like.
“We’re taking the fairy gate to Briar to meet Verity. Wait, backtrack a minute, I thought you said that you didn’t know your dad?” he asked.
“The dad who raised me has the hardware store. I didn’t know he wasn’t my biological dad until I was getting my PhD. That secret died with my mom.” That had been a tough conversation to have with him.
“You didn’t want to try a genscan and see if you could find him?” He opened a little wrought iron gate, with a sign that saidBriar University.
“Why? I don’t care why he ran out on us. If he has a new family, I don’t want to be reminded of what I missed out on.” Very real tears pricked my eyes. I’d never know who he was. And I was fine with it.
This was also exactly what I’d told my therapist when she’d asked if I wanted to take a DNA test to try to find him.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He went to put an arm around me and froze. “Sorry. I have to keep reminding myself that you’re not my sister.”
“It’s okay.” I sighed as we walked through a rose garden. “I look that much like them?”
“You do. Mercy has brown hair but has a lot of your features. Hope’s a blondie and probably going to be a little thing like you. But then I was a little thing and look at me now.” His smile went baleful.
I was missing something. We walked through an area filled with some sort of lily. It was similar to the basicEaster LilyI knew but smaller and with multiple flowers on a single stem. A beautiful aroma drifted through the garden.
Stopping, I smelled them. “These are amazing.”
Taking a picture, I sent it to Evan and Brennan.
Me
I like how these smell. Can we have them in the estate garden?
Evan
Omega lilies are always a good choice.
Brennan
There’s lots of them at the estate. They probably haven’t bloomed yet.
Creed was smiling at me. “My sister bred these.”
“That’s what your sister does in plant genetics? Breeds flowers? I love it. Flowers make people happy.” This garden was beautiful.
He nodded as he led us out of the garden. “They do. And that’s what she does–she makes happy flowers. The parents think it’s frivolous. But not all discoveries need to change the world. Sometimes they only need to touch one person.”
That was profound.
“Did they think you would be an omega?” I asked softly. “Sorry if that’s a weird question.”
