Page 38 of The Pucking Kiss

“I’m obliged to have a relationship with my father because I’m biologically related to him. Don’t flatter yourself by including yourself in this family.”

I knew I was being harsh, but I couldn’t help myself now. Being here in this house was bringing out years of resentment in the ugliest of ways.

“God, you’re such a brat,” Samantha finally lost her patience. “Your father and I are a family, whether you like it or not. Denying that will just cause you harm.”

I opened my mouth to reply, all fired up, but Romai came in between the two of us quickly.

“Hey, do we really need to be like this?” her gaze darted between the two of us. “Why can’t we all sit and talk like decent humans? I mean, to give Bryan credit, he drove all the way here. Do you really think he would have done that if he didn’t want to fix things?”

Samantha sighed, cooling down. “I just don’t want him to come in here and talk badly about me. I may not have been the first wife, but we have grown together.”

“Just give him some time,” Romai replied on my behalf, “You know this must be hard for him. I mean, you’re the adult in the room, and you should be more patient with him.”

“You’re right,” Samantha lamented. “Bryan, let’s not carry on the stupid stereotype of the stepmom being evil and never getting along with her stepchildren. I don’t want you to hate me.”

“See, Bryan? She’s trying…” Romai told me gently.

“Fine,” I replied, still feeling broody. “Where is he anyway? It’s kind of ironic that the man I came here to see isn’t even home when I arrive.”

Samantha shook her head. “He went to the store to buy you a gift. I guess traffic must have held it up. But you see? You make it sound like he’s horrible and didn’t want to see you when, in reality, he hasn’t stopped talking about it all morning. He was really excited, Bryan.”

I pressed my lips together. Hasn’t he realized that gifts aren’t the solution?

“He’s not perfect,” Samantha sighed. “But he misses you. Can you cut him a break for once?”

Just then, the conversation was interrupted by the sound of a car parking in the driveway. Romai and I looked at each other.

“It’s him…”

“Just please don’t go on being awful to him,” Samantha begged. “He’s excited about this, even though he may not always know how to show it.”

A few moments later, a tall man who looked almost exactly like him walked in the door. He was holding a large box in his hands, and he dropped it immediately once he saw me standing in the living room.

“Bryan…” he ran over to me, holding his arms open. “You’re here.”

“Hi, dad.”

He looked at Romai, then Samantha, and then back at me. I could sense how hesitant he was being, almost as if he was scared to do something wrong.

“I... you will have to excuse me, son,” my father said, “It’s just that I’ve thought about this moment for so long that I feel overwhelmed now that you’re here.”

“Go hug him,” Romai whispered in my ear and pushed me forward.

Against all better senses, I listened to her.

And for the first time since after my parents’ divorce, my father and I finally hugged. He held me tightly, and I could see that he was getting very emotional.

Tears began to well up in my eyes, too. It wasn’t until this very moment that I realized how badly I had needed this reunion.

“Welcome home, son.”

Just like that, my bitterness eased, even if it was just for the moment. And I knew I only had Romai to thank for it.

“That didn’t go too bad,” Romai was all smiles as we entered the guestroom after a long day.

My father and I had gotten a chance to bond. For the most part, it was a little awkward, but things were not as bad as I thought they would be.

We had dinner together as a family. Even though things had gotten to a rocky start with Samantha, they were now on the mend.

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