Chapter32
Once everyone was fed and recharged, they got back to work. Christ gestured for Erin to sit down for a cup of coffee.
He could tell she had something to say, so he sat down without hesitation.
“Um, Erin,” she began gently, a little unsure, “how did you and Dora meet?”
“At a party.” Erin replied. “We’re about the same age and hit it off right away. It’s been… probably close to ten years now.”
“Oh.” Chris nodded thoughtfully. She hesitated, then said a bit more. quietly, “Dora’s been back for four or five days, but she still feels so distant. We don’t know much about her habits or interests. Would you mind telling us a bit about her? What she likes, how she usually lives.”
Now Erin understood. Dora might have her own reasons for staying with the Acosta family, but it was clear her birth parents genuinely wanted to build a relationship with the daughter they’d just gotten back.
The problem was, Dora had grown up without much affection. She’d built walls. Even when she seemed polite and easygoing on the surface, there was always distance between her and the idea of “family.”
Chris and Alberto clearly wanted to close that gap–to bring her into the fold and make her feel at home. But they didn’t know how, so they turned to him for help.
Erin sighed inwardly. From what he could see, the Acosta family were kind, gentle people. Ile’d initially worried Dora might suffer by staying here. Now, he actually hoped she’d let herself feel the warmth of a real family
So he began to share what he knew. “Back when she was with the Hendrix family. her adoptive parents weren’t really involved. Honestly, it was the two Hendrix brothers who raised her ”
But it wasn’t the kind of spoiling that bred warmth–it was a constant push- and–pull, full of rivalry and power plays. Dora grew up in a world of calculated moves and silent battles. There was little room for affection. and over time, it shaped her into someone who kept her emotions tightly guarded.
She had plenty of friends, and someone like Byron by her side, but even those relationships couldn’t fill the void left by the absence of real family love.
There was a time when Dora had longed for that kind of connection. When they first met, she was still a lively, curious little girl. But as the years passed, she grew more composed, more refined–graceful in a way that put most girls her age to shame. And yet, she lacked the spontaneity and innocence someone her age should’ve had.
The Hendrix family? It had never been a real home. There was no warmth, no petty family squabbles, no laughter. It was cold, clinical–more like a machine than a household.
The three children raised there were all prodigies in their own right, but none of them came out normal. Exceptional talents, yes–but with equally extreme flaws. They were brilliant, but broken in their own ways.
When Chris realized that Dora hadn’t been cherished in the Hendrix family–that she had grown up in emotional isolation–her heart twisted in pain.
She’d always assumed Dora had been living a life of comfort and luxury, and that her emotional distance now was just part of adjusting to a less privileged life. But now, she understood: Dora had never known warmth to begin with. She hadn’t grown cold because she returned home–she’d been that way all along.
Softly, she asked, “Do you know what Dora likes to eat?”
Erin shook his head. “Honestly, I have no idea. All I ever heard was that the Hendrix family went through chef’s like clockwork–twice a year. No one ever lasted more than six months.”
That afternoon, after school, Keith and Dora picked up Dewey from elementary school before heading home.
As soon as they walked into the neighborhood, several familiar faces greeted them–and couldn’t help sneaking in some gossip.
“Keith! Did your family win the lottery or something? Why’d you change. all your furniture?”
Keith froze for a second, completely caught off guard. He turned instinctively to glance at Dora.
‘Wait–isn’t it just a small remodel? Maybe adding a desk or two? Since when did they replace everything?’ he thought.
Dora blinked innocently, totally unfazed. “It was Erin’s idea. Don’t worry- he knows a ton of people in the furniture business. Didn’t cost much.”
‘Yep. Blame it on Erin,‘ she thought.
Meanwhile, mid–scolding at another site, Erin sneezed out of nowhere. He rubbed his nose, frowning. “Too much dust? Next time, I’ll remember to wear a mask,‘ he thought.
*****
When the three siblings got home, the living room was still a bit of a construction zone. Workers were cleaning up debris, and two more were in the kitchen, installing new cabinets and a sink.
