Chapter 9
Seth
I have dinner simmering on the stove as the boys play a video game, and Emily is on her tablet, watching one of her videos, when I hear a knock on my door.
I wash and dry my hands, then rush to answer it before my kids do.
The very last thing I expect standing on my front doorstep is Calvin with a teen boy who looks as if his entire world has collapsed. Heck, Calvin doesn’t look much better.
“Hey,” I say stupidly.
My neighbor rubs his neck and winces, like it’s painful for him to be here. Seriously? God, he’s such a turd.
“I, ah, could use some help,” he says, reluctantly meeting my eyes.
As much as I want to lay into him, since he doesn’t deserve my help, I say nothing out of respect for the boy. I step aside to let them in.
The teen leans close to Calvin and threads his fingers into the crook of Calvin’s arm, clinging to him and not stepping inside.
“It’s okay, Braeden. This is Seth, my neighbor. He’s got three kids.”
“Hey, Braeden,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hey…” he says so quietly I barely hear him.
Who’s this boy to him? Is it his son from a past relationship? I never got the impression he was a father. Not once. It could have been sprung on him, I suppose.
Calvin steps inside, and the boy follows close behind. It’s clear he needs some sort of help, but I have no idea what other than the fact that it has to do with Braeden.
“Daddy!” Emily suddenly yells, coming to stand in front of me, looking up at Calvin and Braeden. “Hi!” She always has to know everything that’s going on.
“Hey there,” my neighbor says, giving her an awkward wave. Jesus. I want to roll my eyes, but they stay planted on my guests.
Emily, being Emily, grabs Braeden’s hand and tugs him away. “Come. Watch ‘Supa Why’ on my tabwet.”
Braeden looks desperately at Calvin, who nods at him. The boy lets my daughter drag him to watch her favorite show on her tablet. She’s the boldest and most outgoing of all my children. She loves other kids and will make them her best friends whether they want to be or not.
Calvin’s shoulders deflate, and he rubs his face. “Thanks.”
I’ve never seen him as anything other than arrogant, so this humbling show he’s putting on confuses me.
“Uhm, sure. Come on in. Want something to drink?”
He laughs self-deprecatingly. “Gotta full bottle of vodka?”
“Non-alcoholic.”
“I’m fine.”
Since he’s clearly stressed, I relent. “I actually have some white wine if you want some.”
“My favorite. That’d be great, thanks.”
We step into the kitchen, and he heads straight to my stove, where I have cheese sauce simmering. The mac ’n‘ cheese is almost ready for the oven. He lifts the lid and peeks inside. “Smells good.”
I’m not about to invite him over for dinner if that’s what he’s hinting at. “Have a seat,” I tell him as I pour us both a glass of chilled wine.
Calvin sits at the kitchen table and gulps half the glass. He then stares at his drink, his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He appears casual, but his face is tense, and the V between his brows is pronounced.
“What can I do for you, Calvin?”
“Cal. You can call me Cal.”
I say nothing, waiting him out as I also take a sip of wine.
“I need your help with Braeden.”
“What do you need help with exactly?”
“I’m the winner of a grieving teenage boy. Yay me.”
“Don’t be a butthead.”
He downs the rest of his wine, so I stand to pour him another.
“I’m not trying to be,” he says. “I tend to use humor when I’m stressed out. Well, I always do, but more so when I’m stressed, which is pretty much always. It’s either that or scream into the void. I’d rather laugh at myself.”
I tip the wine bottle into the glass and fill it. His honesty surprises me. “That’s rather vulnerable. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“To be fair, we don’t really know each other. I should probably remedy that.”
I set the half-finished bottle down on the table and relax at his words. “I guess I’m guilty of that, too.” I sigh and look back into the living room, where my boys are playing a game, and Braeden is just sitting there watching a video with Emily.
“I swear that’s the calmest I’ve ever seen your daughter,” he chuckles.
I ignore him and say, “What exactly do you need help with, Daddy?”
He laughs despite himself. “I deserve that.”
“In all seriousness, what happened? I can’t say I’m not wholly curious as to what’s going on and how you ended up with a teen boy.”
“Let’s just say that even if you want to remain childless, sometimes fate laughs in your face and tells you ‘tough sh—doo-doo.’”
I smirk, and Calvin’s eyes land on my mouth. “It sure does. Go on.”
His eyes close for a minute, and he takes a deep, shuddering breath.
He looks like he’s trying to keep from crying.
When he’s calmed down, he opens his eyes and takes another sip of wine.
“This is delicious,” he says, lifting the bottle to read the label.
“I’ll have to grab some of this.” I wait patiently as he gathers his thoughts.
“So my best friends are gone.” He quickly coughs back tears and glances away.
My heart aches for him and Braeden. “Oh, god, I’m so very sorry. I’m assuming they were his parents?”
“Yeah. They made me the godfather of Braeden while his mom was pregnant. I didn’t take it seriously.”
“To be fair, you probably didn’t think they’d… be gone this early in their lives.”
He gives me a look that’s filled with appreciation.
“Yeah, exactly. They said it was in name only. I didn’t think for a second they’d put me in their will and make me Braeden’s guardian.
” He takes another deep breath and exhales all his pain.
He has the look of a man barely holding it all together. “I’m not equipped to be a father.”
“Of course you are.”
He scoffs at me and takes another sip of wine. “You don’t even know me.”
“You’re here now, being open with me and asking for help. You’re already on the right road.”
Calvin sits up straighter as a smidgen of doubt vanishes from his face. “Yeah?”
“Yep.”
“Does this mean you’ll help?”
“Yes, anything to help make Braeden’s transition smoother.”
I stand to check on the simmering cheese and noodles. Satisfied they’re ready, I transfer everything to a casserole dish, sprinkle it with a bread-crumb mixture, and place it in the preheated oven. I sit back down, and we finish off the wine. Well, he finishes off the wine.
“Do you know anything about him?” I ask.
Calvin shrugs. “A little. Only what Marisa and Robert have supplied me. There’s a file with details about him, all his legal documents, and such. Still, it was written over two years ago. He could’ve changed and now has different interests. How can I learn about him if he doesn’t talk to me?”
“He’s grieving. We all handle things in our own way. I’m sure he feels that if he speaks, he’ll crumble. I know I can get like that.”
“Yeah, I can, too. I’m the king of bottling up sh—stuff.”
I smile and point at him. “So, there is a decent human under all those muscles.”
He grins coyly, looking better already. “Aww, you noticed my muscles.” He raises his arms and flexes his ample biceps. My face suddenly blooms red. God, I hate when I blush. It’s like my face has no control over any cringe factor.
I stand and check the casserole in the oven to hide it, but I’m sure it was as visible as the sun. “Tsh, it’s hard not to when you’re always running around outside without a shirt on,” I say before turning back to him.
His smile abruptly drops. “Seth?”
He turns around and wraps his arms around himself. “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. Truly. At first, I found your kids annoying.
” Calvin says that last part quietly so they don’t hear.
“Then I found it was fun teasing you. You’d get so flustered…
in a cute way. It’s not a flirtatious thing.
Seriously, I have nothing against you or your kids.
I’m just a… butthead, as you like to call me.
Jesus, not swearing is weird. I generally put sailors to shame. ”
I lean against the counter and fold my arms, but not defensively.
I didn’t expect any sort of apology. Then I blurt, “Are you and Braeden hungry? Why don’t you stay for dinner, and then tonight, after the kiddos get to bed, we can talk more openly about what to do and where to go with Braeden mentally. ”
His stomach growls in response, and I burst out laughing, not so embarrassed now from the blushing.
Calvin looks down and scowls at it. “Traitor,” he tells it, making me laugh harder.
“Yeah, we could use a bite. I don’t know if he’ll eat.
He showed up at my door this morning, and neither of us has eaten since. ”
“You can’t go wrong with mac ’n‘ cheese.”
“It smells delicious.”
“Oh, and I forgive you.”
Calvin breathes out a laugh. “Thanks.”