Chapter 27 #2
The shift works, and the tension eases a little. We agree on a nearby restaurant, something casual and fun. The rest of the evening is spent catching up, trading stories, laughing at old memories, and remembering what it was like to be brothers again.
The next morning, Jay heads down to the office to work, while I stay behind and make breakfast for everyone. James and Luke are sitting at the table, quietly drinking coffee, when James’ phone chimes with an alert.
“Holy shit,” he mutters.
His news alert, set to flag anything about our father, shows a story just posted by a national news agency with a bombshell. He reads the article aloud.
New York State Representative and conservative pastor Reginald Amato is under investigation for sexual misconduct.
Following the recent revelation of an affair with a young woman on church property, at least five more claims have surfaced.
One accuser, a former staff assistant within his Albany office, alleges that Amato threatened her job unless she submitted to his advances.
No further details are available at this time, as the investigation is still ongoing.
Amato holds a widely recognized position of strong opposition to same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights in New York State.
James finishes reading, shaking his head. “This just keeps getting worse. We need to talk about Mom. She needs to file for divorce as soon as possible. I won’t let her go back to him.”
I place a hand on his shoulder. “You heard her yesterday. She needs to figure this out in her own time. Our job is to support her.”
James exhales hard. “I still think she needs to hear where we stand. She’s had no one in her corner, and I’ve let her down. I hate I wasn’t looking out for her.”
“You were a kid, James. None of this is your responsibility.” I meet his eyes, hoping he hears me. “She’s where she needs to be right now. Ronda’s been through a divorce, and she’s the best person to support her and help her make the right decision.”
He nods slowly. “I hope so,” he says before heading next door to wake up Shelly.
Luke’s been quiet. I nudge his foot under the table.
“Hey, you okay?”
He takes a moment to respond. Looking down at the table, a deep crease forms between his eyebrows.
“My life is a lie,” he whispers, his voice cracking as he chokes on the words, sounding utterly broken.
Then he completely falls apart, burying his face in his hands as sobs shake him, his body trembling. I move closer and wrap my arms around his shoulders. There’s nothing else I can do but let him get it all out.
Eventually, the sorrow eases, and he takes a deep, shuddering breath.
He lifts his head, his eyes swollen, and his voice raw. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I say softly. “You needed that.”
I get him a glass of water and a box of tissues to wipe the snot and tears from his face, giving him some space to pull himself together.
After a long pause, I ask, “Have you thought anymore about going to that retreat center?”
“I’m considering it,” he replies, still avoiding eye contact and picking at his nails.
I’ve noticed the anxious tells—fidgeting with his clothes, biting his nails, and the downcast eyes. This isn’t normal behavior. He’s unraveling.
“I think it could be good for you,” I say, trying to sound encouraging.
I looked up the place last night, and it seems reputable. Given Luke’s struggles, it could be a good fit for him.
He doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t shut it down either. For the moment, I’ll take that as a win.
We spend the next couple of days sightseeing around Astoria and exploring the coast. On Friday, Ronda and Heather bring my mom so that we can spend some time with her. That evening, we all pack into our living room.
She clears her throat and takes a deep breath, her voice steady. “After talking with Ronda, I realize not being honest with you boys about the state of my marriage was a mistake.”
I’m amazed at how confident and strong she is during all this. There’s a newfound resolve in her that wasn’t there before.
“She’s also helped me recognize that staying with your dad is not good for me. So, I’ve decided to file for divorce.”
There are nods around the room and sighs of relief.
“I’m going to need your help and support,” she continues. “Ronda has offered me a place to live and will help me find a job. And Heather is helping me find an attorney in New York.”
We all speak at once, offering whatever we can, promising to be there for her. I’m beyond relieved and thrilled she’s going to be close by.
“Have you heard from him?” James asks her.
She nods. “He’s called me several times, but I only answered him once. I didn’t tell him where we are, and I don’t plan to. He’s furious that we left and expects us to come home and stand by him. I’ve ignored the rest of his calls.”
Luke hesitates, then pulls out his phone.
“He’s been calling and texting me, too. I probably shouldn’t have responded, but…
even knowing everything, I still feel like I owe him something.
I told him we needed time to process, and he was understanding at first. But now he’s getting more persistent and demanding that we come home.
He keeps saying we have to show a united front. ”
James tenses. “That’s bullshit.” He glances at Mom. “Sorry. I know you don’t like it when I swear, but that’s exactly what it is. Even if this was a one-time mistake, he shouldn’t expect that from us. And you’ve seen the news articles—this is a pattern with him.”
My mom gives him a look but doesn’t disagree. “I don’t love the language, James, but I agree. Leaving him has been a long time coming. I didn’t stay with him because I wanted to. I stayed because I didn’t have anywhere else to go. But now I do, and I’m not going back.”
Heather, who’s been surprisingly quiet, looks like she’s about to burst. She finally speaks up, “The sooner we move on this, the better. The media firestorm is likely to get worse the more they dig.”
Her gaze shifts to me. “Aiden, it’s only a matter of time before they find out about you. Once they do, the press will explode with it. We need to protect each of you as much as possible.”
We spend the rest of the evening in planning mode. With gentle nudging from our mom and encouragement from Shelly, Luke finally agrees to go to her uncle’s retreat. They’ll all return to New York in a few days to pack up their lives.
James and Shelly have decided to move here, too. They’ve fallen in love with Oregon and plan to rent the apartment next door from me. They’ll finish school online while looking for work in town. Having one of my brothers living next to me is a gift I never expected.
We all know the next few months are going to be hard. But for the first time in a long time, it feels like my family is stepping into something better. And that makes everything worth it.