Page 166 of Aftersome
Maybe it was a mixture of everything, and just as I decided to get out of my car, I heard the front door swing open and smack the house.
Immediately, I peered over the top of my car and that’s when I noticed Greg.
Standing with his one hand on the door and the other as a visor to block out the sun.
I froze.
Not knowing what to say or do, I clammed up.
“Mal? Is that you?” he shouted, causing my heart to skip a beat at the sound of him calling my name.
With my throat all clogged up, I swallowed quickly before nodding my head and taking hesitant steps around the car and toward the front porch.
“It’s me,” I confirmed with my hands in my pockets and my head slightly downward as a sharp gasp filled the air around us.
Shelia.
Mom.
In a flash, a flurry of blonde came running toward me and arms encased my waist in a tight hug.
“Mal! You’re… You’re here. You’re actually here.” She cried into my chest as I wrapped my arms around her and held on for dear life.
“I’m here,” I reassured her, hating that I was the cause of the torment she had to live with when I left.
Both of them.
My hazy eyes lifted and I found Greg watching us. Still the same man, only older and grayer, he looked torn on what to do. Almost like he couldn’t believe that I was actually here and was struggling on how to handle it.
“It’s okay, Mom. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere again, okay?” I tried to calm her down, but I knew my words meant nothing right now.
Neither of them could trust me.
Eventually her cries settled and I was able to finally get a look at the woman who had raised me more than my own mother did.
Still beautiful, she reminded so much of Hayes and the brightness he radiated.
“Let’s… Let’s go inside for a minute.” Her voice wobbled with emotion and on the tilt of my mouth, I followed her up the steps until I stopped next to Greg.
Unmoving and silent, I cautiously took a step toward him.
“I know I’m probably not your biggest fan right now, but I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry for all the pain and confusion I caused you. Neither of you deserved it and I hope that one day I can make it up to you.”
He looked at me like I was someone foreign to him. Like he was trying to figure me out, but then when I went to take a step back thinking that he needed a moment to process this, he reached for me and pulled me in for a hug.
Still, he had no words, only an overdue hug that told me everything he needed to say.
That he missed me.
That I was still his son.
An hour later, we were all inside the house, sitting in the living room and talking about everything and anything. They couldn’t emphasize enough about how proud of me they were and how they never missed any of my games on TV.
It made me feel good knowing that they never gave up on me.
I just wished I would have gotten my head out of my ass sooner because there was now eleven years without them that I could never get back.
I apologized over and over to them and expressed how guilty I was for making such a rash decision. They told me they understood and didn’t hold it against me, but it didn’t stop me from apologizing some more.
