As soon as I reached home, I smelt a delicious aroma lingering in the air. I loved it when dad cooks. He was a great cook in the family. During Christmas, we would gather in the kitchen as dad whipped up a fine roast beef, oven grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, soups, and the most moist chocolate cake I have ever tasted. Mum was lucky as she did not have to do anything except decorating the christmas tree which she adored so much. 

"Dad! I'm home." I shouted. 

"Great. Come in here. Have a taste of my meatloaf," he said.

I quickly changed into my comfiest sweatshirt and sweatpants and joined him in our warm kitchen.

He placed a plate in front of me and scooped a heap of salad and a big chunk of meatloaf on it. I took a big bite and grinned. It was heavenly. "This is good dad. You should sell it," I grinned.

He smiled,"Really? Do you think I should reopen a small cafe?" 

"Yes!" I said enthusiastically. I fondly remembered when dad was working in his small cafe as the chef and mum was the cashier. People from all over the city would come to taste his famous beef noodles. We had to close it down when mum fell ill. Dad devoted all this time to look after the love of his life.

"If you do that, I would help you out as a cashier." I said. He smiled and put some food in his own mouth. 

"Nah! You would just make a mess by showing magic tricks to the customers", he laughed. I covered my mouth to prevent my meatloaf from spraying out. I clearly remembered how I pullled the tablecovers to showoff my magic skills to the customers. To my horror, the bowl of soup spilled all over the me and on the floor. The customers were shocked, so were my parents. I smiled sheepisly. Embarrased by my own act, I ran out and hid behind the cafe. When my dad found me minutes later, he could only laughed as he knocked my silly head. Mum punished me by making me do the dishes for a week. I was 7.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" I asked, unsure if I should proceed.

"Go ahead," he said as he stood up to clear the dishes. He walked towards the sink and the tap.

"Dad, am I really your daughter?" I couldn't believe my own ears that I just said that.

The water stopped running. A dish plonked onto the metal sink. Dad stood still and hardly moved. I could hear his shallow breathing.

"I'm..I'm sorry dad..sorry. Forget i said that," I stammered, shaking my head. I stood up, unsure of what to do and where to go. I walked towards my bedroom.

"Wait! Fiona, we need to talk. Please sit here with me Fion," dad sighed as he sat.

I walked slowly towards the dining table again, regretting my words earlier on. I always knew deep down that dad will tell me. But never have I imagined that it will be this way and this painful. I felt like cowering under the blanket. Hiding in the dark space. I should have just kept quiet. 

"I know you have been dying to know. I am quite surpised that you kept your curiosity at bay for so long. Knowing that you are always a curious child. You always want to find out about things around you, I always wondered if you have already made your own presumptions," dad said while looking at me.

I could only nod my head. I always knew something was amissed about the three of us. But my love for my parents, I always stopped myself.

"Twenty-five years ago, when your mum and I just got married, we have always wanted a child. We prayed so hard that our dreams would come true. But alas, a doctor confirmed that your mum and I could not be blessed with our own. Your mum was devastated. Nevertheless, we continued praying for a miracle. One day, I was invited to Taiwan to appear in a cooking show. Your mum could not follow as she was alittle unwell at that time. After the show, my guide decided to take me around the city. That's where it all happened. Our car passed by an orphanage and I thought I saw an angel. I saw you. I stopped the driver and asked my guide to lead me inside.I have always been a rational person, Fiona. I would never make any big decisions, without consulting your mum. But that day, I became irrational. I told the guide that I couldn't leave without you. I just had to adopt you." dad said.

"After speaking to the manager at the orphanage, and settling your paperwork, which mainly involved a lot of my life savings, I flew you home immediately. You couldn't stop crying. The manager said that you went through some kind of accident before that, you couldn't even speak well. Your mum was shocked when she saw me carrying you home but she could not stop looking at you too. Her motherly instict kicked in. She took care of you. And immediately you stopped crying. She loved you. I love you. We knew you would be curious about where you came from. I mean, there's no denying it. You look really different from us. Your jet black hair and brown eyes are something that we could not change to be like ours," he continued. His fingers ran through white hair as his green eyes winced as if in pain. 

"So, your mum and I tried to trace down your real family. Remember when your mum and I left you with Aunt Christy for a week? Well, we went back to Taiwan to look for the orphange, hoping that they would still have your records so that we could find out more about your real family. However, the orphange has been shut down for years due to cases of bribery and fasifying of documentations. The manager was also apprehended for 'selling' children and misusing the funds. No one could tell us where we could get information about you. To avoid being further questioned, we left the country and never returned." He looked at me with his gentle eyes. "We knew at that instance, that you were the gift that we prayed for. Even though, I had unknowingly went against the law of adoption, I was glad that I found you."

My tears rolled down my cheeks. I looked at dad. "Dad, I am glad you found me too."

I hugged him. I knew that someday I would find out about my real family. But for now, I am contented with what I have.