Inferno Part 4

~99~ Baby Steps

Ellie's POV

The room is tense for a moment as Colton processes. After a second, Alex takes another step closer to his son.

"Are you ok, buddy?"

Colton shakes his head in anger and takes a step away from his dad.

"No. I hate you for destroying this family...And I hate you for making me blame myself for it."

"What happened to your mom and me was my decision. That's not on you."

"But if I didn't have a gambling addiction would you guys have had problems?"

At Alex's silence, Colton shakes his head. "So it's my fault....."

He turns around and leaves, slamming the door as he goes. When Alex drops his head and takes a deep breath, I go over and hold his hand.

"At least he came over, right? He doesn't truly hate me if he came over? Right?"

"Right," I whisper as I rest my head against his arm, and he silently squeezes my hand and goes upstairs, staying in his apartment for the rest of the night.

~*~

The next week Colton doesn't come around at all, and Alex doesn't visit him. He doesn't even badger Gabby for info at all, even though I knows he wants to.

I'm working in the kitchen making chicken enchiladas for dinner one afternoon when the door opens.

It's Colton

"Hey Aunt Ellie," he says with a forced smile as he looks around quickly to make sure his dad isn't here.

"Hi Bud," I say as I set my spoon down and go over to him, hugging him as tight as I can't.

"I've missed you so much," I say as I force myself not to cry.

He nods as he sits at the bar and clasps his hands together. "I missed you too."

"Hungry?" I ask as I go into the pantry and get out some zucchini bread I made, cutting him a slice and getting a Mountain Dew out of the fridge.

He takes a bite and closes his eyes. "I missed your cooking."

I grin as I go back to stirring the food. "Wanna stay for dinner?" I ask softly, and I can see that he actually wants to.

"Where's my dad?" He asks as he stabs at his bread.

"Work"

"Will he be here for dinner?"

"....yeah"

He blows out a breath and takes a swig of his soda. "Aunt Ellie, can I ask you something?"

"Always," I say as I set the spoon down again and stare at him.

"Was their divorce my fault?"

Tears are filling this man's eyes as he's begging me to ease the guilt he's being riddled with.

I sigh as I take his hands. "Real talk?"

At his nod, I figure out how to choose the right words.

"You did not force your parents to divorce, no. But Colton, your choices didn't just affect you. They had a ripple effect and they caused serious problems."

He bites his lip as tears trickle down his face. "So it's my fault....."

I sigh again and force his chin up to look at me. "Your parents are adults who chose something that they felt they needed. That isn't on you. Hear me?"