doppelgänger --> there's never just one {sequel}

bex

"Okay, now, Wolf, look at me," Bex told her son as she met eyes with him, after she had helped him get dressed for church that Sunday morning, "Remember at mass you have to stay quiet and try to listen when Father John is talking, okay? Just try your best."

"Okay," Wolf replied obediently.

"You usually do a really good job, so I know you can do it."

Wolf smiled at his mother as she leaned in to kiss him. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, Mommy."

Bex smiled and stood up as best as she could without help, and rested her hand on her back. "Go downstairs to eat breakfast; Grandma and Grandpa have it all ready for you guys."

Wolf nodded and ran out of the room, his almost-bleach blonde hair on his head whizzing by.

Dani wouldn't be going with the rest of them, though, that Sunday, because Ethan had come 'home,' really just to a recovery home for a few days in Cincinnati that his general had sent him to, so that he could rest a little from being so exhausted and beat up lately.

Once Bex could tell Wolf had headed downstairs, she made her way to she and Dennis's room, and when she saw him up and dressed in a band t-shirt, black jeans and a leather jacket, along with a pair of studded boots on his feet, she sighed. Hearing her, he looked around at her from the mirror, seeing the half-disappointed, half-frustrated expression on her face.

"What?" he asked, completely unaware of what she was frustrated and disappointed about.

"Well, happy Sunday, Dennis. You're supposed to be dressed for church."

He rolled his eyes, only a little, though, and not super dramatically this time, as if doing it like that would prevent her from really seeing, and turned around again to face the mirror, looking in it to finish fastening the backing on one of the earrings he had just put in. "You know I don't do that stuff."

"Dennis, please. Don't be like this. And think about the example you're setting for your siblings, and your son."

He let out a long, exasperated sigh, staring at his reflection in the mirror for a couple seconds. "Fine," he said, turning to her. I'll go. But I'm not going to dress much differently that I normally do and act like I'm someone else. Anyway, people who believe in God accept others for who they are," he said in a mocking tone. "Or at least they're supposed to," he then mumbled, turning back around again.

Bex shut the door and sat on the bed, thinking. Why can't he just not complain about things like church? It's disrespectful and completely exhausting.

She watched him as he got dressed in an all-black tuxedo, tie and everything, and he changed his boots to much plainer ones, so the legs of his pants covered the tops of the ankle part, making it look nicer for church, in her opinion.

Once he finished changing, he turned to her, tugging at the edges of his suit jacket once. "Does she approve?"

Bex rolled her eyes, but started to smile a little at the same time. "She approves."

*

After mass, Wolf doing a better job of sitting still and listening than his father did, they drove home, Dennis, Bex, and Wolf getting back before everyone else.

As soon as Dennis turned the car off and was about to get out, he stopped when Wolf started talking.

"I love church. It's so fun when you get to learn about Jesus and stuff. He did really good things for us, and died on the cross for us and to wash away our sins." Wolf looked between Dennis and Bex, his expression confused. "Mommy, Daddy? Why don't more people love God?"

Dennis was silent, staring at the dashboard as he chewed on his lip ring.

Bex let out a breath, looking back at Wolf. "That's right, Wolf, he did die for us. Some people just don't believe because they don't take the time to to learn about Him or understand Him or His ways. But God still loves them just as much as he loves people like us. Isn't that amazing?" she told her son while pointedly looking at Dennis. "Eventually, though, those people will understand. It just takes time."