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They look at each other again.After a moment, Dad jerks his head sideways, which I take as a no.

Mom falls into her seat again, covering her mouth with a shaky hand.“It’s true.You’re not from Earth.Dear god, Elsie… you were never from Earth.”

“But she’s alive,” Dad says, having a hard time keeping his voice from breaking.“Alive and well.”

“I am.And I’m so sorry, Mom, Dad.I’m really sorry for making you worry.”

“It…” Mom lets out a sniffle.“It’s not your fault.”

Dad remains the logical one, even in the midst of the unreal situation.“The important thing is, you’re here now.Does this mean you’re coming home?”

I inhale deeply, bracing myself for telling a white lie.“I love you very much.You know that.But on Zerra, I’m strong and healthy.”

“Not dying,” Dad says.

“Exactly.”I hold out my arms, displaying my new body.“Feeling better than ever.I can run and climb stairs without getting tired.I even have an appetite.”

Mom gives me a teary-eyed look.“We’d never deny you that, Elsie.That’s all we’ve ever wanted for you.”

“I know,” I whisper, biting my cheek on the inside not to cry.

She shrugs out of the coat and turns her face to Aruan with a lifted chin.“If you don’t mind, I’d like my curtains back.”

He obliges with a smile.“Of course.”

In no time, the curtains are back in front of the windows.

“You have to keep everything I’ve told you to yourself,” I say.“You understand why, right?”

Mom bobs her head up and down.Dad makes a sound of agreement.

Mom’s question wavers.“Are you happy?”

My smile freezes in place, becoming stilted.“Very.”I’m not going to put them through more pain by telling them Aruan will never let me leave.That thereisno choice but to stay.

Dad glances at Aruan.“This is what you want?”

Aruan puts a hand on my knee.The touch is light but the warning it carries is clear.

“Yes,” I lie.

It’s so much more complicated than what I want.I’ve decided to stay because I don’t know what will happen to Zerra if I leave, and I don’t want to hurt Aruan.I can’t stand the thought of him suffering.A voice in the back of my head says those are good reasons but not necessarily the right reasons.

“Well.”Mom sniffles some more as she looks at Dad again.“That’s all we want for you, honey.”

Dad adjusts his glasses.“I have to admit, it’s a lot to take in.It’s so…”

Aruan’s smile is friendly.“Farfetched?”

Despite the fact that Aruan is a giant compared to my dad, Dad nails him with a look as he poses a question at me.“Is he treating you well?”

“The way you deserve to be treated?”Mom pipes in.

“I wouldn’t be here with you if it weren’t for Aruan,” I say.“He convinced his mother to make an exception to their no-contact policy and open a portal for us.”

Mom gets up and walks to Aruan.Like a gentleman, he stands.

“Thank you.”Her voice is tremulous.“Thank you for bringing our daughter home.”