Page 20 of All of Me

The short drive to my dad’s house feels heavier than it should. The last time I brought Callie here, things went south fast when my dad found out she was pregnant with a baby that wasn’t biologically mine. The judgment in his tone that day still makes my blood boil. He didn’t say anything in front of her, but Callie had noticed the change in my demeanor that day. I haven’t seen him since.

As we pull into Dad’s driveway, Callie looks calm on the outside, but I know she’s nervous. She keeps tapping her fingers on her knee.

“You ready?” I ask, trying to sound upbeat.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replies.

I hate that she’s uncomfortable, but I hope it goes well today I won’t put up with any disrespect from him again. I’m sad that Ruby is nearly a month old and this is the first time my dad will meet her.

Barrett is the first out of the car, bounding up the steps like this is the highlight of his day. I’m grateful he is oblivious to how uncomfortable Callie and I are at this point. His innocence is refreshing. Sara clings to me, her blanket dragging on the ground, while Callie carefully lifts Ruby from her car seat.

Beverly answers the door, her polished smile firmly in place. “Owen! Barrett! And this must be Ruby,” she gushes, leaning in to peek at the baby. “Come in, come in!”

The house smells like cinnamon and baked ham, Beverly’s trademark hosting combo. My dad is in the living room, decorated perfectly, a beer in hand. He stands when we walk in, giving me a curt nod before his eyes flick to Callie and Ruby.

“Hey, Dad,” I say, my voice even.

“Glad you could make it,” he says, his tone neutral. Not warm, not cold. Just... flat.

Beverly takes over the conversation, chatting with Callie about Ruby while Barrett regales them with tales of the football game he played earlier. My dad stays mostly quiet, sipping his beer and watching the room like an outsider in his own house.

It’s not long before he clears his throat. “Owen, can I talk to you for a minute?”

I glance at Callie. She nods slightly, and I follow him into his office. The air in here always feels different—stuffy, like it’s holding onto every awkward conversation we’ve ever had.

“I owe you an apology,” my dad says, his voice low.That’s the fucking understatement of the century, Pops.My dad isn’t normally one for self-reflection though so I’ll bite.

“What for?” I ask sarcastically. He ignores my tone and continues.

“For the way I acted when you brought Callie here the first time,” he says, running a hand through his graying hair. “Finding out she was pregnant, that Ruby wasn’t yours... was a lot to process. I overreacted, and I shouldn’t have.”

I lean against the desk, crossing my arms. “You didn’t just process, Dad. You judged her. And me.”

He winces, nodding slowly. “You’re right. I did. And I regret it. But you haven’t been answering my calls so I couldn’t tell you how sorry I am. I’ve been thinking about it ever since, and I just... I wanted you to know I’m sorry.”

I take a deep breath, letting his words settle. “I appreciate that,” I say carefully. “But it’s not me you need to make things right with.”

“I know,” he says. “I will.”

When we return to the living room, my dad makes an effort to engage more. It’s awkward and stilted, but he asks Callie about Ruby and even joins in when Barrett starts talking about his favorite football players. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step.

As the atmosphere in the room starts to shift, the front door swings open, and in strides my step-brother Luke, like he’s arriving at the Oscars. “Fear not, family!” he announces. “The fun brother is here to rescue Thanksgiving from boring small talk!”

I let out a long breath, already bracing myself. Luke doesn’t do subtle. He’s the kind of guy who always makes everything lighter, even if he does it with a sledgehammer. We became step-brothers later in life but grew up in similar circles. Once his mom married my dad, we became fast friends and I cannot imagine not having him in my life.

His girlfriend Heather follows close behind him, carrying a tote bag and a jacket like she’s used to this. “Luke, tone it down. They’ve already had their Thanksgiving excitement, don’t make them regret inviting us.”

“Regret? Impossible,” Luke replies, spotting me immediately. “Owen! My favorite brother. Come give me a hug, fool!”

“Fool? That’s rich coming from you,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “I’m your only stepbrother, asshat.”

Callie’s laugh beside me pulls my attention to her. “I see the brotherly love is in full swing,” she murmurs.

“Talking shit is his love language,” I reply, smirking. Despite today’s chaos, she still looks beautiful, even when she’s obviously running on fumes.

Luke crouches down, his grin widening as he zeroes in on Sara, who’s standing shyly at Callie’s side. Her little hand clutches Callie’s leg, and the other holds onto her blanket like it’s a lifeline.

“Hey there, little lady,” Luke says, dropping his voice to a ridiculous whisper. “You must be Sara. You know, I bet you’re the coolest one here.”

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