STEPSISTER [Discontinued]

Things Are Different Here

Suddenly, Philip remembers his mother talking about this people after Church one Sunday. Something about them being only confused young people that needed Jesus in their lives. But Philip was damn sure his father wasn't young, he had like fifty years old! (Thirty five, actually) nor confused. His father was a smart man, he knew that. He also had Jesus in his life, he had a bracelet with the cross around his wrist, how can you have Jesus even more than that!?

Philip thought he knew everything he needed to know when coming to live with his father once again, but now he realized that he didn't know anything. Now it was just his father and him, since Frances had run to greet the man (John, probably), and Philip had no idea of what to do.

"..What?" He squeaked after a few awkward seconds of silence.

"Well" His father licked his lips anxiously. "Sometimes, guys date guys. And other times girls date girls, and some date both" He tried to explain as simple as possible.

"B–But" Philip stuttered. "Mom said that people like that where just young and confused"

Alexander opened his eyes in surprise. "Is that what your mom has been teaching you?" He sighed. "I'll explain it to you better some other day. But I love John and he makes me very very happy, and uh, I hope you're okay with that"

His mom had said this was wrong, but he was living with his dad now and he said it was okay, so maybe it was fine after all.

"Um, I mean yeah, okay. If he makes you happy then I guess it's fine" He stuttered.

His father grinned, and wrapped his arms around him once more. This time it was more of a relieved hug more than anything else, and Philip didn't complain.

"Come on" Alexander said. "I want you to meet John"

They walked to the door that leaded to the garage and there they found Frances talking animatedly with a man who Philip assumed was John (And too, had freckles. This was already a personal offense for Phillip). His dad smiled at him reassuringly before walking towards John. He whispered something on his ear, and John let out a not very manly squeak which made Frances laugh at him. Then the man, John, looked at him with a smile.

"Hey buddy" He said and Philip tried to not cringe at the slight awkwardness. "You must be Philip. Your dad over here never shuts up about you"

"Hi, uh, nice to meet you, sir"
He awkwardly said.

John practically chocked on air and even almost gasped for some strange reason that Philip understand (like basically everything in this situation). "God, no. No "sir" or anything like that is necessary, seriously!" He exclaimed. Philip was not used to this, his mother had told him to always address strangers with respect,  but it seemed like that wasn't a rule on this house. "Just call me John"

"Okay" Me mumbled, glad that his mother wasn't here to see the encounter.

After a few more uncomfortable and embarrassing moments all four of them retreated to the dining table who was... well, different from the one on his house. Definitely brighter. The table was small and white (and kinda dirty) and the four chairs around it where all different colors (which were pink, green, light blue, and yellow), but it felt warm and cozy and Philip liked it. When he asked who had cooked what they all laughed at his face (Specially Frances) and told him that John had brought takeout. Apparently cooking isn't something usual here, he was officially going to die from obesity.

He had to admit though, the food was very good (and greasy, good and greasy) and the table was always full of conversation and laughter. It took Philip a while to overcome the awkwardness but eventually he too joined the conversation, in which he discovered that apparently his dad and John had met each other at court. Apparently John did courtroom sketches (to which Philip had to admit it was pretty cool) and one day after court his father saw the drawing and said something along the lines of "Damn you made me look even hotter than I am" to which John said "I only draw what my eyes see", ten minutes later they were already exchanging numbers.

The story made Philip remember his parent's meeting story. Eliza was Alexander's book editor when he still wrote books, that made them spend a lot of time together and eventually fall in love. Philip thought this story was absolutely adorable, but Alex and John's was definitely funnier.

During that conversation Philip confirmed that he didn't like Frances. She was too straightforward and sarcastic, her sense of humor was dark and weird and she used very strange words. Seriously, what does adscititious even mean?

When they showed Phillip his room he was disappointed to know that it was right in front of Frances', but he was very happy to notice that after the years they had been apart his father still remembered his tastes. Before closing his eyes one last time for that day, Philip sighed, and in a hushed voice he told himself:

"This will either be very easy or very hard, and I hope it's the first one"