Forever Winter

“I don’t know what this is.” If I’m willing to hurt someone I do truly care about to have her, it has to be love. Or am I just a selfish bastard? Here I thought I’d been trying to save my family for the past five years from the mess my father made and I’m likely about to crush it in one move. Just in a whole different kind of way.

“You know your father once said to me he wasn’t sure if you’d be a good fit to take over the family companies. He didn’t know if you would be able to handle all that was involved in running so many things.”

So many things is putting it mildly. Things were a fucking mess when I’d stepped in. The familys company’s finances need a total rehaul. Still, it’s a little shocking my father had thought that. We were never the closest. You can’t be close to someone who’s never around. It was always unspoken that I would take over someday. We just hadn’t realized it would be so soon.

“He said you were rash. Always all or nothing. Either in or out.”

I nod in agreement. There’s no denying that. Some like to ponder an idea and really think things through. I’ve always gone with instinct. Trusted my gut. My grandfather taught me that.

“Said you were too much like his own father.” She practically plucks the thoughts right out of my head. “It’s done you well. Maybe your father should have done the same.” I stare at her for a moment.

“You think I didn’t know the mess your father made?” She lets out a small laugh. “That man was always a mess. Just took me a few years to see it.” She sighs. “By then I had two beautiful boys and, well, that’s all I cared about at that point.”

I had no idea she knew about the mess he’d left behind, but I also don’t know what she’s getting at. “And I did love his parents. They were better to me then my own had been.”

“I miss them, too.” It had been harder to lose my grandparents then my own father. They were the only ones we had. Mom never talks much of her own, but I do know they passed when we were young. It’s why I made sure we kept this home. It had been my grandparents’ that we’d all been close to. So many good family memories were attached to it.

That was love. When I think back on how my grandfather was with my grandmother. They were truly in love. My parents never showed affection to each other like they had.

“It’s good you’re like him and not your father.” With that she turns and heads for the door. “I know like everything else you’ll handle this,” she says as she pauses at the door looking back at me.

I give her a nod. Looking down at my phone, I know I need to call my brother. I drop down into my chair trying to process what my mom said. I can’t let Winter go, but I also can’t rip what was left of this family to pieces either.

I try and think what my grandfather would have done. I smile knowing there’s no way he would have ever let Grandma go. Mom is right. I’m just like him.

Chapter 6

Winter

I jolt awake, sitting up in in the biggest, softest bed I’ve ever been in. The last thing I remember is being in his lap. None of it was a dream. No, it felt too real. It was clearly very real.

I look around, wondering where he put me. The room smells like him. I fall back onto the bed, my hand going to my stomach. What the hell am I going to do now? I still can’t believe Bo and Robert are the same person.

I rub my stomach thinking about the kind of father Robert would be. From what I’ve seen he isn’t that great of a brother. He’s more of a workaholic than Cory. Not to mention I’ve heard he was something of a dictator.

That’s not how I saw the Robert I’d met the night of the event. Oh, he was controlling and bossy but in the sweetest of ways. I’m not sure how that was possible. Though I saw it again today.

Maybe I should go and try to find Cory. He has to be here already. He could help me sort this all out. I wonder how he’ll react when he finds out it’s his brother’s baby. I know he somewhat idealizes his brother and views him as a paternal figure he always strives to impress.

I slip from the bed, my stomach growling and reminding me I really need to eat something. I glance at the clock on the nightstand and see it’s already after ten. I can’t believe how long I slept.