Chapter 28 #2
“Just go straight. Scott’s house is the first one on the right,” I told him, trying not to focus on the fact my vision wanted to tunnel and send me down into a spiral.
Cal turned into Scott’s driveway. The gravel crunched loudly under the tires, announcing our arrival to the world. Scott’s red truck was the only one home, signaling to me that my aunt Jayme wasn’t there, and hopefully, my cousins weren’t either.
I stared at the house longer than I needed to. I didn’t even move when I heard Cal open his door. The heat of the afternoon rushed into the car, carrying the scent of pine needles and damp earth.
“Baby?” he said softly from outside.
I blinked, coming back to earth. “Sorry—I just—”
“I know. I love you,” he said, leaning down to look at me through the open window. His hazel eyes were steady.
“I love you too. I feel like I’m going to fucking die,” I said honestly as I opened my door.
We walked up to the house together, not touching, not holding hands, just in step.
Together. The house seemed daunting right now, though it never was.
It was a normal home, ranch style, with a huge wrap around porch that held a thousand memories.
It could use new paint; Scott knew that, he just put it off every year it seemed.
There were bikes leaned against the railing and a pair of muddy work boots by the door.
We got to the door, and I knocked on it. The sound echoed. The wait for Scott to answer felt like drawing out my own death. I swear we stood there for two hours, listening to the cicadas scream in the trees, before the door swung open.
My heart fell to the floor immediately.
Scott looked at me with a huge smile and pulled me into a hug.
It always felt so strange seeing Scott after a long time apart.
The older I got, the more I favored him.
My face was more chiseled like his, my hair color was a lighter shade of brown, nearly blonde like his, and our eyes were nearly identical.
It always felt as though I was looking at a reflection of myself, who I treaded the line of becoming if I wasn’t careful with my own sanity.
“It’s good to see you, son!” he said as he hugged me, smelling of sawdust, motor oil, and Old Spice.
As soon as he pulled away, he noticed Cal standing behind me. He raised a brow, surprise flickering across his face.
”Uh, Scott, you remember Callum Kincaid, don’t you?” I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck.
Thankfully Cal took the lead, noticing my brain short circuiting on where the fuck to go from here.
“It’s good to see you again,” Scott said, recovering quickly and extending a hand out to Cal.
“Good to see you too, sir,” Cal said, shaking his hand firmly. He stood tall, respectful, but I could see the tension in his shoulders.
“Come in, come in,” Scott said, ushering us out of the heat. “Don’t stand out there letting the bugs in.”
We walked into the living room. It hadn’t changed in twenty years. Same worn leather couches that swallowed you whole, same photos of the family on the mantle, me training, the twins in diapers, Maverick looking grumpy at a barbecue.
“How was the flight?” Scott asked, heading to the kitchen to grab us waters.
“Brutal,” I admitted, sitting on the edge of the couch. “Tourist season started early. The airport was a zoo.”
“Tell me about it,” Scott called back, the fridge door opening. “Trying to get to the hardware store is a nightmare these days. Traffic backed up to the bridge. So, how’s training going? Empire is just around the corner. You guys feel ready?”
“Going good,” Cal answered, taking the seat next to me but leaving a respectful distance. “Silas is hitting harder than ever. We’re ready. The card is stacked.”
“And Evan?” Scott handed us the waters, wiping condensation off the bottles. “Still bouncing off the walls?”
“Still Evan,” I laughed, though it sounded hollow to my own ears. “He sent his love. Or, well, he sent an inappropriate joke, which is basically the same thing.”
Scott chuckled, shaking his head. He sat in his recliner, crossing his legs comfortably. He was looking between us. The silence stretched a little too long. I was picking at a loose thread on my jeans, unraveling it. Cal was staring at the floor, his leg bouncing nervously.
“So,” Scott started, his tone casual but curious. He set his glass down on a coaster. “I gotta ask. What’s the Champ doing here on his off week? Shouldn’t you be in Philly with your folks? Or basking in the glory somewhere fancy?”
I froze. This was it. The air left the room.
I looked at Cal. Cal looked at me. He gave me a barely perceptible nod, a silent I’m right here. Take your time.
I hesitated. My throat felt like it was closing up. I looked around the room, desperate for an out. “Is… is anyone else home?”
Scott paused. He set his tea down slowly. He looked at me, sensing the shift in the air. The “Dad Radar” pinging loudly.
“No,” Scott said softly. “Jayme took the girls prom dress shopping in Wilmy. They won’t be back until later this afternoon. It’s just us.”
Just us.
I took a deep breath. I was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the jagged rocks below.
“Cal isn’t in Philly because…” I trailed off, looking at my hands. “Because he’s with me.”
Scott frowned slightly, confused. “Well, I can see that. You two are joined at the hip again, which is good. Your dad’s happy about it. It makes him feel better when you’ve got someone to travel with you. But—”
“No, Scott,” Cal interrupted gently. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, dropping the formality. “I’m not just with him for work. I’m with him.”
Scott went still. The room was so quiet I could hear the clock ticking on the wall. He looked at Cal. Then he looked at me. He looked at the space between us on the couch, realizing why it felt so charged.
“Oh,” Scott whispered.
“We’re together,” I said, my voice trembling. “Like… together. We have been. For a while.”
Scott didn’t yell. He didn’t recoil. He just sat back in his chair, processing. He ran a hand over his face, letting out a long breath.
“How long?” Scott asked quietly.
“Since the beginning,” Cal answered for me. “Or… Nearly. So…A little over seven years.”
Scott’s eyes widened. “Almost eight years?”
“Off and on,” I clarified quickly. “But… yeah. The feelings? The whole time.”
Scott sat there for a moment, his brow furrowed as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. He looked at the floor, then back at me, the pieces clicking into place.
“Wait,” Scott said, his voice lowering. “The botch happened in almost eight years ago. And after that… you stopped talking about him. Completely. I thought it was just guilt…”
He looked at me, his eyes piercing.
“But it wasn’t just the botch, was it? Did something happen before that with you two? Is that why you were so in your head that night?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes. “It was so fucking stupid I broke up with him the night before… it fucked me up before the botch even happened. And leaving the ring?”
I took a shaky breath.
“I didn’t just leave because of the guilt, I left because I couldn’t be there without him. Every time I looked at a ring, I saw him. I missed him every single day, and it hurt too much to be close to it.”
Cal looked at me, surprised. I had never told him that part. He reached out and touched my knee, a silent comfort.
“So what’s the plan?” Scott asked, leaning forward again. “Do you guys even have one?”
“We don’t know,” Cal admitted. “But we know we want to be together. We’re done hiding from the people who matter. I want… I want to be his boyfriend. I want to build a life here. With him.”
Boyfriend. Hearing Cal say it out loud in this house, in front of Scott, made my chest ache.
Scott stood up.
My heart hammered. For a split second, I thought he was going to kick us out. I thought he was going to tell us to leave.
Instead, he walked over and pulled me up off the couch, wrapping me in a hug so tight it knocked the wind out of me.
“I love you, kid,” Scott choked out. I could feel him shaking. “I am so proud of you.”
I broke. I buried my face in his shoulder and sobbed. All the years of fear, of hiding, of thinking I was broken, it all poured out.
“I’m sorry,” I managed to sob into his shirt. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Scott pulled back, grabbing my shoulders. His own eyes were wet.
“Don’t you ever apologize for that,” Scott said fiercely. “Silas, look at me. I am the one who is sorry.”
He took a breath, his voice trembling with years of guilt.
“I’m sorry you didn’t feel safe enough to tell me.
I’m sorry for the shortcomings your dad and I had.
I know… I know I wasn’t there like I should have been when you were growing up.
I was lost in my own demons, getting clean for the girls while you were dealing with everything else alone. I carry that guilt every day.”
“Scott, no—”
“Yes,” he insisted. “I can’t fix what Maverick did. I can’t fix the past. But I can try to heal what’s left. I want to make it right. All I want is for you to be happy.”
He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb, smiling through his own tears.
“You may be Maverick’s kid, Silas,” Scott said, his voice thick with emotion. “But you were always my son. Always.”
That broke me. It healed a part of me I didn’t even know was still bleeding.
Scott pulled me into another hug, then turned to Cal. He reached out and clapped a hand on Cal’s shoulder.
“You seem like a good man, Callum,” Scott said sincerely. “You two… you deserve happiness. And I will do everything I can to make sure you have it. Because that’s what a father does.”
He paused, narrowing his eyes slightly in a playful, protective glare. “But if you hurt him, I assume you know I can beat your ass?”
Cal laughed, wiping his eyes. “Yes, sir. I know. I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good.” Scott clapped his hands together, shifting modes instantly. “Alright. Let’s discuss the plan for your dad.”
The panic flared in my chest again. “He’s going to freak out.”
“We’ll handle it,” Scott said firmly. “We’ll do a dinner here tonight. I’ll call Jayme, tell her to pick up food on her way back. I’ll call your dad and tell him you’re in town. You don’t stress. We are in this together.”
“Scott,” I said, my voice small. “What if he… what if he hates me?”
Scott sighed, leaning against the mantle.
“Silas, I’m going to be honest with you.
I don’t know what his reaction will be. He’s old school.
He’s fearful. But one thing I know for certain?
Maverick will never turn his back on you.
He will never stop loving you. He sucks at showing it, God knows he does, but you are his boy. He isn’t going anywhere.”
I nodded, trying to believe him.
Cal reached out and took my hand, lacing our fingers together right there in front of Scott. I didn’t pull away.
Scott watched us, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
“It makes me happy,” Scott said softly. “Seeing you like this. Knowing you found someone who adores you. Who treats you the way you deserve. I hope my girls find that one day.”
I squeezed Cal’s hand. We looked at each other, and for the first time since we landed, the weight lifted.
“Go take a breather in the guest room,” Scott said, waving us off. “Wash up. Reset. I’ll make the call to your dad.”
We walked down the hall to the guest room, stepping inside and closing the door.
Cal immediately pulled me into his arms. We didn’t speak. We just stood there, holding each other in the quiet of the house, surrounded by the ghosts of my past and the promise of my future.
The hardest part was over. We were doing it. Our lives would never be the same after this, but looking at Scott, feeling Cal’s arms around me… I was okay with it. Hell, I was ready to embrace it.