Chapter 1

That winter, the army drafted both my father and my uncle.

Only my uncle came back.

Mother told me Father had gone to a very, very faraway place.

I was only nine, but I knew what that meant. Going to a faraway place meant he would never come back.

Then, one night, I overheard my grandmother and uncle talking in hushed tones.

That was how I learned the truth: the cold, distant man living in the room across, the man I called "Uncle", was actually my "dead" father.

When I told my mother what I'd heard, she held me close and cried for a long time.

Then, wiping her tears, she asked softly, "Lily... would it be alright if I found you a new father?"

I nodded hard. "Yes," I said.

*****

Ever since my dad died on the battlefield two years ago, my mom and I had been scraping by.

Even though we shared the same courtyard with Uncle Andrew's family, they never gave a damn about us.

It was like Grandma only had eyes for them, always fussing over her golden grandson, Tommy.

Andrew and my dad were twins. They looked so much alike it was almost scary.

Sometimes, catching his back from a distance, I'd almost think my dad was still here.

But if my dad were really alive, he'd never stand by and watch us choke down scraps, pretending he didn't care.

That day, just like always, my mom left before dawn to sell pancakes. I was out in the yard, playing with the kite she'd made me.

It was made from old ledger paper, crooked and uneven, but it was my favorite thing in the world.

Tommy stomped over and tried to snatch it from me.

I hugged the kite tight, but Tommy just grabbed it and snapped the frame.

"You owe me a new kite!" I shouted, shoving him.

Tommy froze for a second, then flopped down on the ground, kicking and thrashing.

He started wailing, "Mom, Dad! Lily hit me. That fatherless kid hit me."

Those words "fatherless kid" felt like needles stabbing right into my heart.

"You're lying!" I shouted, my eyes burning. "I do have a dad. My dad's a hero."

Tommy just cried louder, as though I were the one who'd done wrong.

"That's enough!" My aunt Martha burst out of the house like a storm and shoved me to the ground without a word.

My hand scraped against the gravel, burning like fire. When I looked down, blood was already pooling in my palm.

Andrew walked over, his face grim. He didn't even glance at my hand. He just frowned and said, "Lily, you're the older one. Can't you let your little cousin have his way?"

Tears stung my eyes.

It was so clear Tommy broke my kite and called me names...

Just then, the gate creaked open.

My mom came back, her forehead glistening with sweat, carrying her empty baskets.

She spotted my bleeding hand right away, dropped her things, and rushed over. "What happened?"

Martha shrilled, "Oh, Grace, you're back just in time! Look at your daughter. Already bullying her little cousin.

"No wonder she's got no manners. Her mom's out all day hawking pancakes, never here to raise her right. What kind of upbringing can you expect?"

"Mom, I didn't... He broke my kite..." My voice faded to a whisper, tears choking me. "And he called me... a fatherless kid."

My mom went still, her face turning pale.

She pulled me close, her voice soft and aching as she rubbed my back. "Don't cry, Lily. You still have me. I'll fix your kite in a minute..."

Andrew looked at Tommy howling, then at us, his expression dark. "Enough. Take him inside and calm him down."

With that, he put an arm around Martha and Tommy and steered them back into the house.

My mom didn't say another word. She brought clean water and gently washed the cut on my hand.

She was so careful with me, but I saw her eyes were red, her lips pressed into a hard line.

Afterward, she took the homemade paste and thin sticks and carefully pieced my kite back together.

She handed it to me and gave my head a gentle pat.

"Lily," she said softly, "from now on, keep your distance from Andrew's family. We... we can't stand up to them."

My heart ached, but I nodded.

That night, my hand throbbed on and off, and I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, but rest wouldn't come.

Finally, I slipped out of bed and headed to the kitchen for water.

Passing Grandma's window, I caught the sound of muffled voices.

"...We can't keep this a secret forever," Grandma said, her voice thick with worry.