Olivia, Samuel, my father, all part of the conspiracy.
Anyway, shortly after that, they ran off to West
Virginia.
"I don't know who your father is," he added
before I could ask again. "I'm not holding back
anything anymore, especially since you have spoken
with my father. Haille never told me. When I asked
her, she laughed and said, 'You are Kenneth. In my
heart, you always will be.'
"That was why I was so taken aback when you
told me you suspected I might be your father. It was
eerie, as if Haille were speaking again through you. I
know how much you want to know. I wish I could
give you the information, give you that gift, but I
can't. The truth is buried with your mother, Melody,
I'm sorry."
I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the tears
drip off my chin. Kenneth rose and handed me a
handkerchief. I blew my nose, wiped my eyes, and
took a deep breath. He smiled and nodded at me. "You know this makes me your uncle, don't
you?" "Yes."
"Do you mind?"
"No," I said but I meant yes. I minded because
for a while I had dreamed of him as a lover, too. Now,
that looked even more ridiculous. I felt so ashamed, so
lost. Will-o-wisp dreams never came true for me and
never would. There were too many clouds in the skies
over my family's past.
"Well, we'll have to give all this some serious
thought now," he added and turned back to the