Sunlight poured in through the windows from both sides of the door, lighting up the foyer and the path forward; redwood walls with all sorts of furniture registered with me at a glance.

After ensuring that I was much better, I placed the things I carried on the side table and pulled off my boots, placing them beside Dad and Mom's.

"You have got this," I affirmed while I got into the indoor slipper.

With a sigh, I picked up the bag of fresh vegetables and ingredients and left the foyer, passing by the stairs and the living room opposite each other.

I steeled my nerves as I passed the dining table that was now short of one chair.

Light poured in from the bay window up front as I took a left turn right into the kitchen.

Stepping through the doorway, I announced my arrival.

"I'm back."

"Just in time."

Mom's voice greeted me from where she huddled by the table, cutting up some ingredients.

Her blonde hair was tied in a bun and covered by a net.

Seeing the net, I realized I had forgotten to put on one.

"Oh, give me a minute." I notified as I dropped the bags on her table and picked a net from the wooden rack.

Digging into my pockets, I located the ribbon, which I always kept with me, just in case.

And as a precaution, I stepped farther away from the door to deal with tying my hair up.

My hair was full and thick, like Dad's. Unfortunately, it also meant that it was harder to manipulate, unlike Mom's straight and soft type.

And since mine was harder and fuller, stray hairs were common for me, and I certainly didn't want any stray hairs getting into my birthday lunch.

After battling with it for more than a minute, my red curls were finally in a bun, albeit a very messy, misguided, and fragile bun.

Tugging it gently, I ensured it would not fall apart anytime soon and wore the net before stepping into the kitchen.

"Unpack what you brought. Store the things we don't need and leave the ones we do. Rinse whatever you need to."

"Okay." I nodded and inserted myself into her dynamic, soon finding a rhythm.

"Oh, and get the meat from Erys once you are finished."

Erys-Dad.

I gave her the affirmative and got to work quietly.

I liked cooking because it helped focus my mind to a certain degree as there couldn't be mistakes when it came to getting the right flavor and texture.

It was also a way to escape some things, even if it were just for a short while.

So before I realized it, it became a hobby. And because I didn't have much freedom growing up, I had a lot of hobbies. I needed to occupy myself with things, after all.

And I would confidently place cooking among the preferred ones. Years had practically sealed the bond between me and the kitchen.

"Where's Dad now?" I asked as soon I was done with what I was assigned.

"Probably at the study."

She turned around to face me, using a napkin to dry her hands.

Her bright upturned lavender eyes, accentuated by the lovely smile her heart-shaped lips projected, stared straight at me without a single sign of age.

She looked so young and preserved.

I was about an inch or two shorter than her five-eleven.

Her most striking feature, however, was this short scar that ran down the left side of her chin.

She got it many years back while she served, but it didn't diminish her beauty; if anything, it enhanced it.

"Okay, I'll go and get it." I was about to head out when her voice stopped me midway.

"You know what?" I turned around to face her.

"Just tell him to bring it to me. Afterward, get some rest. You look exhausted."

"But-"

I didn't want to disagree, but I looked forward to the cooking.

"No buts. You deserve it, so leave the rest to us. You've fulfilled your working quota for today as an adult." She smiled and shooed me before I could get a word in.

Mom was incredibly assertive, whereas Dad usually acquiesced.

Huh.

"Oookay." I was skeptical about the sudden change in her attitude.

Indeed, when the day started, I expected a complete break from anything stressful, but then she pulled out the 'pull your weight' card. And I did.

Now she was telling me to take a break.

I wasn't sure if it was something other than the boiling fish, but I smelled something fishy about the entire situation.

I made a few casual turns while stealing a few glances at her to read whatever she could be hiding while taking off the net and apron.

Unsurprisingly, she didn't give anything away.

Confronting her was also not an option.

Even if I had a thousand times more courage, I wouldn't dare to confront her on something seemingly so minor.

Suspicions aside, I was happy to take a break. I had other things to take care of, and the rest period was just what I needed.

It is a win.

"I'll be leaving then," I announced, then left.

Crossing to the other side of the dining room, I entered the corridor and stopped at the door to the right.

Dad's study.

On account of the fact that I shared the place with him, self-proclaimed but still valid, I went inside without knocking or whatever.

As Dad had the study to himself, Mom also had the attic. I had both; as I said, self-proclaimed but still valid.

The familiar scent of rosemary and sage incense, new and old books, and paper and oak shelves hit me as I walked in, causing my eyes to flutter momentarily.

Sigh.

Pride welled up inside of me as I recalled the fact that I was the one who chose the scent and saw that it perfectly mixed with the room.

Calmly, I inhaled heavily without restraint, waving my hand in a breathing gesture like I usually did to loosen whatever tightness I might've had in my body.

What the-

Suddenly, by instinct, I scrunched up my nose when an irritatingly familiar acrid scent wafted into my nose.

Where?

I was violently thrust out of a good place and proceeded to scan the room, with an equally violent scowl on my face, for the culprit.

I spotted the shaggy, red-haired delinquent standing before the fireplace on the left, his fingers straddling a cigar.

You have to be joking.

Seeing as he didn't notice my entry, I tilted my head sideways, cracking my neck and fingers menacingly, before marching quietly up to him.

Swiftly, I made a high jump and slapped the object that neared his wide lips into the fireplace, eliciting a yelp from him.

"W-what?!" He was visibly shocked as his stunned look alternated between my smug stare and the burning cigar, which soon turned ash.

Exactly what I intended.

"You were smoking." I started, "In the study!" I paused as I watched him try to gather his words.

"Again!!" I exclaimed with exasperation while giving him a 'why do you do this?' look.

The man was insufferable.

I mean, what part of flammable did he not understand about every one of the wooden objects in this room.

I had incredible memories here, and I wasn't about to let his carelessness set everything aflame.

"But-" He wanted to protest, his eyes that I inherited from him darting around.

"But what? The rules of your occupancy state clearly that this room should remain cigar free at all times." I reminded him as I pointed at the visible inked rule chart hanging on the door behind me.

He sighed, "This is my study, though." and stared at the lost cigarette in a way that let me know that it was probably the last one he had on him.

But I didn't put it past him to have stashed more elsewhere.

The battle revolving around the cigar could never end so quickly.

"While that is true, I am biologically half of you. Therefore, it's our study." I retorted and pointed out, thus emphasizing my point.

"You insisted on having a fireplace, so what's wrong with a cigar?"

I sent him a berating stare as he pointed at my splendid idea of a fireplace. He moved to stare back, engaging in a staring contest that I could predict he would lose badly at as always.

"The fireplace is a sheltered and controlled form of fire, unlike the cigar. And we both have experience with unrestrained fire." I stared back, shuddering as I recalled a past event.

"Well-" he paused, unable to beat my point.

"And it is a bonus in visibility at night and aesthetic." I blocked any path he had left and watched as he tried and failed to retort.

Until "Ivora likes the scent of smoke."

He gestured and looked away, effectively losing the staring contest, to the reptile that curled up before his desk by the window, Ivora.

I crossed my arms and raised a brow. He also raised one in response. Rolling my eyes, I answered.

"Enough is coming from the fireplace for her." I looked at the visible smoke that traveled upward.

"Besides, what does the reptile know?" I snorted and eyed the animal warily.

I had zero love for reptiles whatsoever. They creeped me out.

"Hissss."

I backed away a few steps when its eyes focused on me, then contracted, and its tongue shot out of its mouth for a split second.

Stupid cold-blooded lizard!

"Don't talk about her like that. She has actual feelings." He scolded and turned to shush it/her gently.

Her freakishly long tails unfurled themselves and oscillated in the air.

"Yeah, right." Sarcasm was a beautiful addition to the language we spoke, was it not?

"Next time, I will tell Mom." I pulled out the winning card as I had gotten tired of arguing.

Hehe.

It worked wonders.

When he faced me again, his round, slightly wrinkled eyes were eclipsed by the specialty grin on his face.

"Amare, it was just a silly joke... Don't take it too seriously." He chuckled, his nervousness heavily apparent as his voice rose by a pitch.

He was going to fawn on me.

Quickly he turned to send Ivora out of my sight, leaving the reptile crawling away grudgingly. Then rushed back to lead me to sit on one of the leather couches facing the fireplace.

"Today is your birthday, and nothing should come in the way of you enjoying it, correct?" His six-nine figure knelt before me and somehow still felt taller than me.

"I'm glad you think so too." I didn't resist his fawning since I now firmly held his weak spot.

I snuggled into the chair and watched his hairy, amber-skinned hands pull my legs into a massage.

Suddenly, the scene caused a memory to resurface faintly, and I disappeared into a comfortable silence for a while.

"-phne, Daph-, Daphne!"

"Oh, sorry, what were you saying?" My mind traveled back after he called my name a few times.

"I was saying that because of this day, I had a present for you." He continued with the massage.

"Present?" I raised a brow.

"Yes." He nodded.

"The usual?" I asked with a mocking smile as I recalled all the years of carvings I had.