Page 62 of Steel & Thunder
“That was Jarek, our father,” Yogik answers. Wait, what?
“He is really more of a stepfather to myself and Ayla,” Khazak explains. “But we do not think of him any differently.”
Ayla is quick to correct him. “Please, you hated him when we were little.”
“I did not hate him. He was new and I was having a hard time adjusting to him being here,” Khazak growls through his gritted teeth. Okay, I think I understand what’s going on now.
“Sorry, I thought Orlun was everyone’s father.” I guess the family stayed close after Khazak’s mom and dad split.
“He is.” Ursza speaks her first words to me, rolling her eyes in the process. Now I’m lost again.
“So why don’t you like being called Dave, Dave?” Okay, now Yogik’s doing it just to piss me off.
“I just don’t.” Five pairs of eyes stare at me in silence, expecting more of an answer. Dammit. I sigh. “My dad goes by Dave, so I just prefer David.” Let’s leave it at that, please.
“You were named after your father?” Khazak’s voice questions from my left.
“Yeah. I’m technically David Cerano Jr.,” I answer then turn my head back to everyone else. “Sorry, can we go back to Orlun and Jarek both being your father? You have two fathers?”
“No,” Ignatz scoffs, even more exasperated than his sister, but there’s an odd look on his face. He knows something. “We have three.”
Wait, what?
“You have three fathers?” I look between the five of them, confused.
“Yes, Orlun, Rurig, and Jarek.” Yogik lists them off like it’s the simplest thing he’s ever done. Which it probably is.
“I feel like I’m missing something.” Like how many times their mom got remarried.
“Why did you not tell me you were named after your father?” Khazak asks before anyone can clarify things for me.
I’m sorry, I’m standing here struggling to remember half-a-dozen new names and faces, getting bombarded with both piles of new information and personal questions, all while his two youngest siblings treat me like the world’s dumbest foreign exchange student, and that’s what he’s focused on? Are you fucking kidding me?
“I don’t know. Why didn’t you tell me you had three fucking dads?” I spit out in frustration.
The room goes silent. Everyone’s staring at me. And also kind of behind me. Ursza and Ignatz look like they’re trying to hold in their laughter. I turn and am greeted by the sight of Orlun, Jarek, and a shorter, stouter orc—I’m guessing Rurig—who have just entered the room. Probably to tell us dinner is ready. Great.
“I’m sorry. That was very rude,” I say to them as calmly and politely as I can before slowly turning to face Khazak. “Can we talk somewhere in private?”
“So that was...”
“A shitshow?” I finish Khazak’s thought.
“I was going to say interesting.” He frowns.
“I agree. It was a very interesting shitshow.” The two of us are standing in his childhood bedroom. It’s not as exciting as I would have hoped. A bed, a bookshelf, a couple of bows on the wall. He was a real party animal.
“You may have overreacted to the news about my parentage,” he offers, taking a seat on his bed.
“My mistake. I must have been distracted by how close you and your sister are.” I stand in the center of the room facing him, arms crossed.
“Our relationship may be a little more...strained than I let on.” He rubs the back of his neck.
“And you don’t think having three fathers was something worth mentioning?” Just a heads up would have been nice, really.
“It did not seem important.” I give him a look. Really? “Honestly. It is not that uncommon here to have a family arrangement like ours.”
“How come you never mentioned it?” I really feel like this should have come up before. “I distinctly remember you saying ‘father,’ not ‘fathers.’”
