“This one was reputable, but they still got it wrong,” Avery said.
“Doesn’t matter. I always knew you two were meant to be.”
“Mom, let’s go inside,” Grey said before she could spook Avery any more.
As Grey walked into the house, he was struck by the memories that assaulted him. The scent was familiar as his mom’s perfume lingered. And the pictures on the walls, the pieces on the shelves, the furniture in the living room were all equally familiar. They’d allowed him to buy the house, but they’d kept the old furniture. Some of the pieces were refurbished, but Ricardo always had a talented hand, and Grey felt certain he’d done the work himself.
Instead of frustration, a sense of pride welled up in him for both his mom and stepdad. “Is Ricardo home?”
“He’s out back. Why don’t you go help him with the grill, and Avery and I will go into the kitchen.” Grey glanced at Avery, but she was already following his mother into the kitchen, the only room she’d let him do a complete overhaul in because Susie loved to cook.
Grey found his stepfather outside on the patio.
“Grey!” Ricardo, a tall, slender man with salt-and-pepper hair, stepped over and pulled him into a one-armed hug, patting him on the back. “It’s good to see you.”
“Same,” Grey said.
“Your mother is over the moon. She’s so happy you’re here.”
Grey did his best not to squirm. Though he knew his stepdad wasn’t trying to make him feel bad or uncomfortable, he did. There were still things that needed to be said between them.
“So tell me how things are going for you,” Ricardo said. “Is the band really splitting up?”
Grey nodded. “We reached the end. It’s hard to explain, but we’re all ready to do our own thing.”
Ricardo reached into a cooler and pulled out two beers, handing one to Grey. They popped the tops, and he took a long, cool drink.
“I can understand that. You should be proud though. You went out and accomplished your dream. Not many people can say they did that.”
Warmth filled Grey’s chest as Ricardo gave him the words his own father had always denied him. “Thank you,” he said, infusing his tone with emotion and meaning. “So how are you? How’s Mom?”
“Living the good life, thanks to you.” He gestured to the backyard with the nice-size patio, a pool on the side with a spa. Where they sat, there was a barbeque built into a stone wall. “Put this in myself,” he said with pride.
Grey grinned. “The house looks fantastic.”
“I’m glad you pushed us to move. Your mother is so much happier here. Good neighborhood, nice friends. Thank you,” he said, not for the first time.
Grey shook his head. “Don’t. Don’t thank me. I’m glad you’re happy. It’s all I wanted, but back then I wanted …” He trailed off, the words sticking in his throat.
Ricardo put a weathered hand on Grey’s shoulder. “No need, son.”
“There’s every need.” Grey’s voice caught, the word son still echoing in his head. “Back then I wanted you to be different. I didn’t want you to be a janitor. I wanted you to have aspirations and dreams.”
“Nothing wrong with wanting more,” the older man said. “I was happy with a decent job that fed my family, but I respect what you accomplished.”
He didn’t get it. “I was embarrassed,” Grey said, needing to say the words, to purge them and the awful feelings from his brain. “I acted and treated you like my father treated me, and that’s unforgiveable.”
Ricardo led him to a set of chairs, and they settled in. “When I met your mother, you were an angry, hurting boy. You had good reason. I don’t imagine it was easy for you to go to school while your stepfather cleaned up everyone’s messes. Your reaction was normal for a teenager. Even more normal for one whose father messed up his head.”
“Even later, when I insisted you move, I wanted you to live where I thought you should. I didn’t understand or respect who you were or what you wanted.”
“You wanted to make our lives better. How can I fault you for that?”
“How can you not? Worse, I haven’t been home in too long.”
Ricardo leaned back in his chair, his long, tanned legs stretched in front of him. “You’re here now, yes? And you see what’s really important in life?”
Grey inclined his head. “I hope so.”