I started my narrative – began at his own history, and finished with my finding of the adoption certificate.

After I had finished, he was completely stock-still.

”...Raine? Are you okay?”

“I don’t think so.”

I sighed, stretching my hands outwardly, trying to flex the muscles in my biceps to get them working again.

“I thought you’d say that.”

There was another pause.

“But it’s the people that count, right?” I asked, tilting my head at him. He looked at me curiously, as if I were saying something that didn’t make sense.

“I mean, Mama’s the one who took care of me and Papa was always my father…so why should it change now?”

I really, really had to thank Emma for her lecture. I had seen the light on this subject.

Raine waited before he spoke again. “You’re too forgiving for your own good.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’ve forgiven me for a ton of things.”

Oh, I know.

“Uh-huh…like what, smarty-pants?”

“Like the fact that I kissed you.”

...What?