Stuck on You | All American

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Sam." Dad breaks out into a smile when he sees me walking towards him, he doesn't say anything until I'm standing directly in front of him. "You know, I was a little surprise when you text me back saying that you willing to meet me. If I knew you would actually come I would have texted you weeks ago."

I'm not for small talk so I cross my arms and ask, "I'm here so what do you want to talk about?"

"Your mom and Dillon misses you a lot, you know that right?" Dad questions, pressing my lips together I look down at my feet because I really do feel guilty for missing Christmas. "You need to come back home, I know you left in the first place because I kept showing up at the house but I have my own place now." I look up to see him gesturing to the house behind him. "So you do not have to worry about me just popping up everyday."

I move to sit on the porch step. "I admit I was avoiding going home cause you kept showing up but that want why I haven't been home lately, that's a whole different reason."

He sits besides me on the steps and ask, "Wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe another time." I say as he sits besides me then we sit in silence for a minute until I break the silence. "You know my feelings with you have been a roller coaster, it's just that I had accepted the fact that you left and everything was going great. Then—"

"Then I came back and blew up both your worlds." He finish my sentence. "I'm sorry, but I just wanted to see my kids again."

"You didn't see us for eight years, so we couldn't have been that important. How do you think it was for us? We're your kids and every important moment that has happened in our life, you've been gone. And I don't think I can ever forgive you for that." With everything going on in my life right now I can lessen the load of problems. "But I would like to try."

Dad lets a deep breath and nods his head. "I would like that too. I promise I'm here to stay and I won't break you or your brothers heart." He breaks out into a smile as he opens his arm wide and ask, "Can I get a hug?"

"It's way to early for that." I pat his knee and stand up. "But we'll get there eventually."

"Okay, baby steps."

"And as far as playing for you at Crenshaw, I have to decline the offer. I need you to just be my father right now, not my coach."

Dad nods his head. "Being your father means way more than being your coach."

"Well, good night." I clap my hands together. "I have to get going, there's one more place I have to go before I head back to Beverly."

"Before you go." Dad stands up and joins me on the sidewalk. "I don't want there to be any more secrets between us so there's something I need to tell you. I was living in Nevada and I started dating this woman who was in the army and she has a son around you and Spencer age. I knew him since he was eight, with his mother is in the army she would get deployed and he would end up alone so I basically raised him and became a father figure to him. His mother got deployed again and he doesn't want to he left alone in the house, so in a couple of days he's moving down here and is going to be staying with me."

"I'm not gonna lie, it does hurt knowing that you were okay with sticking around to raise another man child but couldn't do the same for your own kids." Even if I wanted to be mad I'm just mentally drained and so tired of holding grudges. "It's better for him to be here with somebody he's consider family then be alone wondering if his mom is going to come home this time or not, and his mom doesn't have to worry about him being alone her whole time away. Thanks for telling me this now instead of him just popping up one day."

"You know, you we're always the more understanding twin." Dad chuckles. "I haven't told Spencer, I haven't figure out how to tell him just yet."

"Good luck with that one."