Chapter 303

Chapter 303
The house smelled like food.
Warm, comforting food — roasted chicken, buttered vegetables, soft bread rolls, and Mira’s loud complaints from the kitchen about how Serene should “seriously learn to cook something that isn’t pasta.”
Serene ignored her. She was too busy setting plates, trying to act normal.
Trying to breathe normally.
Trying not to look at the staircase every five seconds.
Damian was upstairs changing out of his travel clothes, but ever since Sia came down earlier… the entire house felt different.
Bigger.
Quieter.
Heavier.
Reid and Luna were running around the table like wild puppies, shouting:
“I’M SITTING NEXT TO DADDY!”
“NO! I’M SITTING NEXT TO HIM!”
“MIRA SAID I CAN!”
“MIRA LIED TO YOU!”
Mira popped her head out of the kitchen, a spoon in her hand. “Stop screaming or I’m feeding you raw carrots!”
Both kids froze.
Sia sat silently on the couch, hugging the blanket Serene gave her, watching everything with wide, unsure eyes. She didn’t look scared, exactly — just… lost.
Lost in the noise.
Lost in the warmth.
Lost in the way this house felt too alive compared to everywhere she had lived before.
Serene placed a small plate in front of her spot and whispered, “Is this okay, sweetheart?”
Sia nodded quickly. “Yes… thank you.”
Her voice was tiny. Almost invisible.
Mira's eyes softened when she overheard. “God, she’s adorable,” she whispered under her breath. Then louder: “Kids! Wash your hands! You too, tiny princess!”
Sia blinked. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” Mira said, waving her spoon. “No germs at my table.”
Sia hesitated, unsure if she should go alone. Serene noticed immediately.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, touching her shoulder. “Bathroom’s right there. I’ll show you.”
Sia nodded and followed quietly.
The twins shot her curious glances as she passed.
Reid whispered to Luna, “She’s Anna but not Anna but also Sia—”
Luna folded her arms. “Mom said stop saying Anna.”
Reid frowned. “But that’s how I knew her!”
“Well now you know her as Sia.”
“But I like Anna—”
“You like everyone, Reid.”
“Not true! I don’t like broccoli!”
Luna rolled her eyes.
Serene returned with Sia just as Damian descended the stairs.
And the entire room changed.
He wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t shouting.
He wasn’t cold.
But something about his presence was different — heavier, quieter, careful.
He paused when he saw the table set, the kids bouncing, Serene trying to hold everything together, and Sia sitting near the end of the table like a tiny ghost.
He inhaled slowly.
“Dinner?” he murmured.
Serene nodded. “Yes. We… thought it might help ease things.”
Damian nodded once, silently taking his seat.
Reid jumped onto the chair beside him and immediately grabbed his arm. “Daddy! Daddy! Guess what—”
Luna interrupted, “No! I want to talk first!”
“No, I want to tell Daddy about school!”
“No one cares about your boring school!”
Mira stepped forward and smacked both their heads lightly. “Sit down or I will tape both your mouths shut.”
They both obeyed instantly.
Sia watched this with fascination.
No fear.
Just curiosity.
Nothing bad happened when the twins argued.
Nobody screamed at them.
Nobody dragged them away.
Nobody said, “You’re causing trouble again.”
They were just… being loud.
And still loved.
Serene gently placed food on Sia’s plate. “If you don’t like something, you don’t have to eat it.”
Sia whispered, “I like everything.”
Damian stiffened at that — because Serene had explained earlier: children who had been moved around often learned to force themselves to “like everything.”
He pressed a hand against his knee, grounding himself.
Serene took her seat across from him. Mira sat beside the twins to supervise their chaos.
For a moment, the table was silent.
Then Reid, always dramatic, sighed loudly. “This is awkward.”
Luna nodded. “Very awkward.”
Mira glared. “Eat.”
Reid blinked. “But—”
“EAT.”
He grabbed his fork immediately.
Sia copied everyone quietly, cutting her chicken into tiny pieces.
Damian watched her hands. They were small. Fragile. She held the fork like someone used to being corrected — scared to make a mistake.
His heart twisted.
Serene noticed and placed her hand on the table gently, letting him know she saw it too.
Ten minutes passed in silence.
Then Reid suddenly blurted:
“So… Anna— I mean Sia— um… what do you like?”
Sia blinked. “Like?”
“Yes. Like toys? Or games? Or food? Or—”
Luna cut in. “She likes Reid.”
Reid gasped. “LUNA!”
“What? You said you like her!”
Sia’s cheeks turned pink.
Damian cleared his throat sharply. “Reid.”
Reid looked up. “Yes, Daddy?”
Damian breathed out slowly, rubbing his forehead before he spoke.
“Son… listen carefully.”
Reid sat straighter, serious.
“Sia,” Damian said gently, “is not Anna. You knew her as Anna because that was the name she told you at school. But her real name… the name her mother gave her… is Sia.”
Reid nodded. “Okay, I can call her Sia. That’s fine.”
Damian hesitated — then exhaled.
“She is also… your family.”
Reid blinked. “What do you mean?”
Damian said softly, “She’s your sister.”
The table went silent.
Completely silent.
Even Mira stopped eating.
Luna’s spoon fell into her bowl. “WHAT?”
Reid froze. “My… what?”
Sia’s eyes went wide like she was the one being scolded. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean— I didn’t want—”
Serene quickly moved closer to Sia. “Sweetheart, no. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Damian’s voice softened immediately. “Sia, look at me.”
She looked up slowly.
“You didn’t cause this,” he said firmly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. This is not your fault.”
Sia swallowed, eyes glossy. “Then… why does everyone look… shocked?”
“Because,” Luna said honestly, “I didn’t know Dad had another baby before us!”
Mira kicked her under the table.
Damian sighed. “It’s… complicated, Luna.”
Reid stared at Sia, mouth open, brain working slowly like a little machine overheating.
“So…” he whispered, “…I liked my sister?”
Mira burst out laughing.
Serene covered her face.
Damian rubbed his temple.
Sia tilted her head. “Is liking bad?”
“YES!” Reid yelped, horrified. “I CAN’T LIKE MY SISTER!! THAT’S PATHETIC!!”
Luna rolled her eyes. “Reid, you like everyone. You liked our math teacher. You liked the neighbor’s dog. You liked the janitor.”
“THAT’S DIFFERENT!” Reid shouted.
Damian held out his hand. “Reid. Look at me.”
Reid looked.
“Liking someone is not wrong,” Damian said calmly. “But now you know Sia is family. So you treat her like your sister. You protect her. You help her. You don’t… flirt.”
Reid looked like someone just stole his soul.
“Flirt? Daddy, I’m FOUR.”
Mira choked on her drink.
Serene foamed with laughter, trying to hide it.
Sia stared at Reid. “I didn’t know you… liked me.”
“I didn’t know you were my FAMILY!” Reid whined. “This is embarrassing!”
Sia frowned. “I’m sorry.”
Reid shook his head immediately. “No! No, don’t be sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. And you’re not… bad.”
He scratched his head. “You’re nice. Quiet. But nice.”
Sia softened a little.
Luna leaned forward. “Do you want to be our sister?”
Sia hesitated.
Everyone went still.
Serene’s heart pounded.
Damian held his breath.
Sia played with her fingers, thinking. “I don’t know… what sisters do.”
Luna smiled. “We fight. We share toys. We cry. We get in trouble. We eat snacks.”
Reid added proudly, “And we prank Mira.”
Mira slapped his head lightly. “NO YOU DON’T.”
Sia blinked. “Can I… try?”
Damian closed his eyes for a second, overwhelmed.
Serene’s throat tightened.
Reid nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! You can try!”
Luna grinned. “Welcome to the family!”
Sia’s lips curved into a tiny, tiny smile.
It was the first one she had shown since she entered the house.
Damian looked away quickly, blinking back tears.
Serene reached beneath the table and squeezed his hand.
The room slowly warmed again.
The air loosened.
The tension melted into something softer.
Family.
Broken pieces trying to fit together.
Sia ate quietly, but her shoulders weren’t as tight.
Reid whispered to Luna, “Do sisters like sandwiches?”
Luna smacked him. “Reid, shut up.”
Mira clapped her hands. “Okay! If everyone is done having an emotional crisis, can someone pass me the bread?”
Damian let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
Serene exhaled too.
Sia whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear:
“I think… I like this house.”
Damian’s chest tightened painfully.
His daughter.
His lost baby.
Sitting at his table.
Smiling.
He swallowed hard.
“You’re home, Sia,” he whispered back.
And this time…
She believed it.