Today was the funeral. It was a somber affair, with friends, family, and colleagues gathering to pay their respects to Dad. The air was thick with grief, and I could feel the weight of everyone’s sorrow pressing down on me.
Mom stood by my side, her face a mask of calm despite the tears that occasionally slipped down her cheeks. Zinnia was there too, her eyes red and puffy from crying. It felt odd for me, not being able to cry like her, for not showing any emotion the way she did.
As the service ended, people began to approach us, offering their condolences. That’s when I saw her for the first time—Dr. Aurelia Oxide. She was tall, with sharp features and an air of authority that made her stand out in the crowd. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on me, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of recognition.
“Cadence,” she said, her voice smooth and controlled. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Lead was an extraordinary man.”
“Thank you, Dr. Oxide,” Mom replied, her voice steady. “He spoke highly of you.”
Dr. Oxide’s gaze shifted to me, and I could see her eyes narrow slightly. “And you must be Aura. He always talked about you.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say. “Yes, I’m Aura.”
Zinnia, standing beside me, seemed to notice the intensity of Dr. Oxide’s gaze. “Aura, you look a lot like her,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I glanced at Zinnia, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Like a younger version of Dr. Oxide,” she said, her eyes wide with suspicion.
Dr. Oxide’s expression remained unreadable, but I could sense a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “It’s remarkable,” she said softly. “But I can assure you, Zinnia, she isn't my daughter or anything. There were no such secrets. I prefer to look to my career, and I see him strictly as a friend and colleague.”
Before I could ask what she meant, she turned back to Mom. “If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Lead’s work was important, and we intend to continue it.”
Mom nodded, her grip on my hand tightening. “Thank you, Dr. Oxide. We appreciate your support.”
As Dr. Oxide walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to her words, something she wasn’t telling us in her monologue. And Zinnia’s comment about our resemblance only added to my unease.
***
At home
I heard the adults talking, if you can consider my 19 year old sister a full fledged adult.
Mom said something along the lines of, "That's impossible, Zinnia. There's no way he..."
"You told me yourself, he liked her in college before you joined and there was that whole drama with two guys and..."
Zinnia's voice. She cut herself off. "I'm your kid right? Just to be clear?"
Mom sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, no doubt there. But I will take Aurelia up on her offer."
"What is it? Something tells me it's definitely more than a phone call or something."
"Much more," Mom said, her voice breaking with tears. "I trust your father, and I want to trust Aurelia, but... I need a DNA test."
ns 15.158.61.20da2
