Stepbrothers

28:Pure Souls

"Alright"

We put on our coats and boots and gotten ready.

"Let's go upstairs and tell mom we're going first. I don't need to worry her more than I had already done"

I agreed.

For the first time after mom's being gone, I went to the left side of the stairs instead of the right one. To dad's room. Evan knocked on the door while I lingered behind. We heard a muffled "Come in" so we entered.

Linda quickly shushed us with the old fashioned finger to the mouth gesture, my son in her arms.

My son in her arms. I was never going to get used to this.

Evan went to his mom and gave her a small hug and kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear.

Dad was sitting on his Chaisse Lounge sipping on a glass of red wine. He never gets drunk because he sips just a tad bit.

We were out as quickly as we entered. When we reached the main door, a voice called behind us.

"Where are you going" dad asked to my surprise. He rarely does.

"We're going for a long walk to clear our minds" I answered dryly.

"Mind if I tag along?" it was a form of a question but the type where the answer is always affirmative. Like you're not allowed to say no.

"Sure"

It wasn't raining anymore but I took an umbrella just in case.

We were walking hand in hand, with the slightly cold breeze hugging us as we walked. And dad, yeah he was there too, walking a few steps behind us. I didn't know where he stood with the whole situation anymore. We were just walking.

After a short 20 minutes, we were downtown. Our house wasn't as far from downtown as my grandparents'. We did some lighthearted window shopping which seemed to amuse dad.

"We need to come back to this store to get some Christmas decorations and some stuff to put on our tree" Evan said marvelling at the decorations store. They sold decorations for any occasion all around the year.

"We don't put up a Christmas tree" I stated bluntly.

"What? Why is that?"

"We just stopped when mom stopped being around the house as much. The house started to feel devoid of its soul, so we just stopped doing things"

"Oh. I'm sorry"

"We can always start again" surprisingly, dad was the one who said that. He took us to the bench near the store and made us sit each on his side. "Even dead traditions can be revived if the right people did it"

I was listening intently. Dad rarely spoke, but when he did you did not wanna miss it for the world.

He took my hand in his, and Evan's in the other.

"You can always bring back life to a dead place, but our home was never dead. She's still there"

"I know I can feel her sometimes"

"I feel her too, always" dad said.

"I never really asked you, but are you okay with Evan and I?" it wasn't an easy question to ask your dad, but I had to get it off my chest. Evan seemed to get nervous too.

What he did surprised me even more.

He put my hand in Evan's, and kissed them both.

"I know your mom knew about you, I knew you too"

"You did?"

"Yes"

"For how long"

"Let's just say that I know the real reason why you wanted to switch schools and move towns"

"You did!?" where was all that coming from? I thought he didn't have a clue. He nodded. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted you to say it. I wanted you to have the courage to tell me yourself. You know I would never have not accepted you. Isaac you're my son, you're half of me and half of your mother. I loved your mother so much, and I loved her more for giving birth to a son I will never not be proud of"

He stopped and turned to Evan, who was so much in awe I thought he was gonna tear up.

"I never thought I'd see happiness on Isaac's face after his mom left. He was always distant and lifeless. Until he met you. When I saw him sprawled on the couch with you in his arms, he was hugging you in his sleep like you're his life raft, and he looked happy. I got back to hearing his laughter around the house. For that I'm forever grateful"

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"Where are we now?" Evan asked for the twentieth time so far. Dad had went back home but Evan and I weren't ready yet. I had some place to take him before we went back.

"We're almost there" I answered for the twentieth time too.

"I'm tired. This hill is hard to climb"

"we're literally 2 minutes away"

"okay" he huffed. "but just so you know I would've been more athletic if I had made the team"

"You're never gonna let that go?"

"Nope"

"We're here" I looked at him. He looked scared as fuck.

"Nah. To the Ah. To the No No No"

"Oh yes come on"

"Hell no"

"We're going there even if I had to carry you in myself"

"You can't car--" I lifted him on my shoulder before he was able to finish his words.

Soon enough, we were right at the spot. I took the white lillie that was in the inside pocket of my coat and laid it on her grave.

"Hi mom"

Evan started to take a few steps back. "I'll leave you alone with her" but I grabbed his arm before he got too far. I dragged him down next to me.

"This is Evan. I wanted you to meet him. He's the reason why I have motivation to wake up and live again. He makes me really happy, mom, and I wanted for you to have a chance at seeing how pure his soul is."

He kissed my cheeks and laid his head on my shoulder as we were both crouched on the ground.

"He makes me happy too" He told her. "I love him".

Thanks for reading. Thanks for commenting and voting you guys are the best. These past few chapters are draining me and I really wanna know what y'all think of them. So please if you have something to say, tell me it. Thanks again! Aiden x