Chapter 1
I pulled my hand away.
"Exactly what you just said. If you can't acknowledge me as your daughter right now, then I won't treat you as my family either. Until then, we can just be acquaintances."
Oliver Kerley immediately left his spot by the window and strode over.
He was my biological brother. We'd known each other for less than two hours, yet he'd already mastered the art of lecturing me like a big brother.
"Mom spent 24 years looking for you. You've barely been back two hours, and you're already saying things like that?"
I was genuinely confused.
"She doesn't want me calling her Mom in public yet, and I agreed to that. What exactly are you upset about?"
For a moment, he had nothing to say.
My mother, Victoria Kerley, quickly shook her head.
"It's not that I don't want you calling me Mom, sweetheart. It's just that Phoebe's engagement is coming up, and I'm worried she won't be able to handle it if we reveal who you are right now."
Only then did Phoebe Kerley, their adopted daughter, look up.
Her long, pale-gold hair framed a pair of red-rimmed eyes. She looked like someone who'd just suffered a terrible injustice.
"Maeve, I never meant to take anything away from you. If my engagement is upsetting you, I can call it off."
"Phoebe, don't say that!" Victoria immediately turned toward her, while Oliver hurried to hand her a tissue.
"None of this is your fault."
I watched the three of them and nodded in agreement.
Somehow, that only made Phoebe cry harder.
"Are you angry with me?"
"No. You were only 3 when you were adopted. Nobody asked you what you wanted. None of this is your fault."
Virgil Kerley finally set down his coffee cup.
He was my biological father, and he'd barely said a handful of words since I'd arrived.
"Now that we've cleared everything up, that's settled. The engagement party is in 27 days. After that, we'll formally introduce Maeve to our friends and family."
"All right," I said.
His expression softened. He glanced toward the stairs.
"Your room's ready. You can move in tonight. I'll have the driver pick up your things."
"There's no need."
Victoria immediately sat up straighter. "Sweetheart, this is your home."
I reminded her, "If a young woman suddenly moves in, the housekeeper and driver are bound to ask questions. So will anyone who comes to visit. Someone will have to explain who I am."
Phoebe's fingers tightened around her tissue.
I gave her a reassuring smile.
"I understand. I'll stay at my apartment for now. It'll make things easier for everyone."
Victoria opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't insist.
As I was leaving, she hurried after me into the foyer and pressed a key into my hand.
"Whether you move in or not, you'll always have a room here. Come by whenever you want. You can let yourself in."
I accepted the key. "Thank you. We can talk about moving in once you're ready to acknowledge me as your daughter."
Her hand lingered around mine, but the smile faded from her face.
On my way home, messages from Victoria kept popping up on my phone.
What did I like to eat? What was my favorite color? Would I like to go shopping with her that weekend?
I answered every question.
I wasn't picky about food. I didn't have a favorite color. And I already had plans with a friend that weekend.
10 minutes later, another message arrived.
Victoria: Mom really misses you.
I typed my reply.
Maeve: Thank you, Mrs. Kerley.
The typing indicator appeared.
But after a while, it disappeared.
She never sent another message.
*****
The following afternoon, Oliver was waiting outside my apartment building. He stopped me the moment I stepped outside.
"Why did you call her Mrs. Kerley?"
"You asked me to hold off on being part of the Kerley family, and I agreed." I looked him in the eye. "You can't expect me to pretend we're not family in public and then call her Mom in private."
He frowned. "You're doing this out of spite."
"I'm doing exactly what you asked. Whatever arrangement works best for your family, I'll go along with it."
I started around him, but he stepped into my path again, holding out an arm.
"Phoebe's been part of this family for 24 years. You've only just come back. You can't expect everything to change overnight. You need to give us time."
"Of course. But I need time too."
He froze.
I continued, "You've spent your whole life thinking of Phoebe as your only sister. I've spent mine without a brother at all. You haven't even had time to learn how to care about me, yet you're already demanding that I treat you like the brother I've always had?"
Oliver's expression stiffened.
I gave him a small nod. "Understanding goes both ways."
This time, he stepped aside and let me pass.
