Holding an umbrella, an omega boy came down from the bus carrying a backpack on his back and a large bag in his hand. Looking around, Theodore felt every part of his stomach turn as he followed the dirt road so well known to him.
The only good thing about visiting his father was that he lived in a place outside of the small town. The problem was having to take the bus to get close to the road, and the long walk to find the portal that wished him welcome.
If it were in other times certainly your father would pick him up at the school door with the truck. But those times would not come back. His father had not even texted asking what time the blonde would arrive.
Theodore did not complain about his long walk, although his feet and back hurt to the point of needing to make a few stops before continuing. When he saw the blue portal with bulls emblems, the boy prepared for a few more meters of walk to the main house, hidden among trees in the background.
As he walked, had not been able to repress the memories of his childhood. Theodore kept running between plantations while his father and the workers of the cooperative worked on the harvest. Or the times he brought lunch to his father at his mother's request.
Those were good times.
Theodore was grateful for the beautiful memory.
The sun was already setting when the woody house was reached. Theodore had left the bag on the welcome mat and breathed deeply to knock on the door three times. For a moment wished that it was not answered, that there were no people in the house so that he could enter and go straight to his old room to lock up.
But the door was open.
A woman had opened it.
The jovial smile of the omega woman with long dark hair surprised the blonde. She had opened the door and had her eyes shining in joy without hiding a spark, when she took a step towards the boy.
― Theodore, isn't it?
The blonde had blinked a few times, feeling shy with the bright aura that woman emanated. Timidly agreed with the head, tightening the strap of the backpack on his shoulder.
― Ahn...
― I'm Maggie, the bride. ― Laugh she crouching to get the bag on the floor pulling her in, giving way to the boy.
Closing the umbrella, Theodore had removed the lame shoes before entering the house. Looking around, he realized that the house seemed brighter than he remembered.
― I was already worried about your delay in arriving. I thought you had some trouble along the way.
Returning to look at the omega, Theodore realized that she was shorter than him.
― The rain made the path very slippery, I walked calmly.
— Did you come... Walking? ― Noticing the girl's bulging eyes, Theodore had just nodded. ― Should have called, I could have picked you up.
― I don't want to disturb.
― It's no bother. We'll be a family soon, right?
Theodore's cheeks blushed at the sight of that woman's bright eyes gleaming with happiness. For heaven's sake, how dull he was around a woman like that. They always looked beautiful who would hardly know what to say in response.
So the boy just smiled and waved.
Fleeing from that personal glow of the woman, Theodore began to look around the house noticing the silence. He had not seen the truck in the garage, and the absence of the intimidating aura, a certain person should not be at home.
— He's not here yet. ― Whispered the woman leaving Theodore's bag on the living room rug ― In fact, it will arrive late today, as the cooperative wants to plan the next season.
― Oh... All right...
— No need to be nervous. ― Laughed her, making a light caress on Theodore's shoulder. ― Actually, I was really looking forward to meeting you, seeing as how your dad has pictures of you in his office.
Unconsciously Theodore had looked at the television shelf, where they used to have pictures of him and his mother. Instead there were portraits of his father and Maggie. If he had thrown away his photographs, the omega wouldn't be surprised like now.
― Well... here I am.
― Thank you for coming. I've already started making dinner, what do you think about going to your room to take a shower?
― Okay, then I'll go. Excuse me.
Eager to get rid of that awkward feeling, Theodore had again picked up his bag and gone up the stairs to his room.
Maggie seemed to be a good person, at least in his first impressions. Not that Theodore feared the evil stepmother model that makes father-son coexistence hell. This would not be necessary, since hell was established before the arrival of this omega.
If she were a good person, at least Theodore could find some peace that weekend.
As he entered his old room, he realized that his toys and furniture were still in place. Smiling nostalgic, Theodore sat on the bed strumming toys arranged at the head of the bed. How he loved to play with them, devote hours and hours of imagination and fun in his little world.
Before going to take a shower, the boy remembered to call his mother saying that he had arrived at his father's house. He made sure everything was okay, and anything would call for help. After half an hour talking on the phone, the boy opened the suitcase taking a light clothes and went to his bathroom.
After a warm bath and comfortable clothes, Theodore went downstairs to go to the kitchen where the delicious smell of dinner came from. He had stopped at the last step watching Maggie fry the pieces of meat, while humming smiling.
"Try to act naturally, Theodore. Naturally". Taking a deep breath, the boy had entered the kitchen being welcomed by that joyful glow of his future stepmother. She pointed to the table almost ready, where some pots were already set.
― Is it warm? If you have taken rain, you must take care not to get sick.
― I'm fine, thank you.
— I will leave your father's plate ready in the microwave, so that he will warm up when he arrives ― Whispered the woman as she picked up a plate and served a little of each thing, being constantly watched by Theodore. ― Lately he's been eating too late, I imagine things at work are tough.
― At that time it's normal.
― Isn't it? Haha.
After storing the dish in the microwave, Maggie returned to the stove to get the last pieces of meat she had fried. And then she sat down in front of the blond boy, who had begun to serve himself.
Initially none of them had said anything, but the atmosphere was not tense. Theodore felt comfortable with the woman, realizing his effort to welcome him well. Despite leaving him somewhat shy in front of her, he struggled to bring up the subject.
― How did you meet? ― Maggie raised her dark eyes to Theodore ― I mean, you and my father?
— Ah. He came to give a lecture in my graduation class, and I picked up his phone to do an internship at the cooperative. At first he was very closed and did not talk, but then the thing was flowing.
― How long are you two together?
The woman chewed slowly while thinking then pointed the fork at the boy.
— It's been two years since we met, but it's been a year since we started having something serious. ― Facing the teenager, she then lowered her eyes to her plate opening a embarrassed smile. ― It seems that we went too fast, no?
Theodore denied with his head while cutting the meat on his plate. He didn't remember his father commenting on a new relationship before that fateful night. He wondered how much she knew about the father-son fight, and what she thought about it.
Unfortunately it wasn't always easy to ask something.
Eating quietly, Theodore did not uncouple his eyes from his plate. Only when he had finished eating had he come to the conclusion that he should ask. It had been a year since he saw his father and was curious to know if he had commented anything.
After all, it was your father.
Raising his eyes to the omega woman, he turns to eat the rest of the tomato salad in silence. He still seemed happy and comfortable near him, which gave him the hint of courage he needed.
― My father... did he say anything about me?
Maggie raised her face to the teenager, nodding silently as she swallowed. She had pulled out a paper napkin to wipe her lips by crossing her arms on the table.
— Your father is well known in the region, so when I began to show interest in him some colleagues already warned me that he was divorced and had a child. So when things started getting more serious I asked him to tell me about you.
― So what?
— It was the first time I saw Bill look so silly. ―Maggie let out a low laugh ― I mean, he always had his face tied up, looking cold. But when he started talking about you, he just seemed like a happy, proud father.
― And now he talks about me?
The question shattered the smile on Maggie's face, and she just denied it with her head. Theodore had not been surprised, yet the tip of sadness had become clear in his clear eyes.
― Actually, I insisted a lot on getting to know you, because we're going to become a family. Let's just say I overcame it.
― I imagined. I was very surprised when my mother said that he called asking me to come, and that he was about to get married.
― Is it weird for you? Watching your dad marry someone else?
Theodore denied it with his head.
— Actually, I'm glad he has someone on his side. My mom got married after the divorce and then got pregnant with my sister. So... I don't think it's weird that my dad's moving on either.
— I'm glad to hear that, really. Knowing you is an important step for me, even though you and your father are going through a delicate moment.
Theodore raised his eyes to the woman, who directed a friendly smile at him. His cheeks blushed at the time.
― Did you know... what happened?
Slowly she shook her head.
— He called me completely drunk. I got worried and came to see him, finding your father in a very deplorable situation. I took care of him and the next morning he told me what had happened.
The boy had never imagined how his father might have looked after that night. He had completely emerged in his own pain, becoming blind to the world around him.
Theodore wanted to know more. He wanted to understand what that year was like for Dad.
But he was afraid.
Just as he was afraid to speak so openly to that woman in front of him.
― He told... everything?
― I don't keep secrets from my fiancé.
― And you're okay with that?
― You seem like a good boy, Theodore. I admit I'm more worried about you not accepting me as your father's wife than your sex life.
Theodore had let out a low laugh with such sincerity of the woman. That laughter would frighten any fear between those two. The blond boy had come to the conclusion that having a stepmother would not be so bad, especially when he already had a stepfather.
Then the noise of an engine heralded the arrival of the main subject. Theodore had felt the nervousness bother him as he longed for the front door to be opened.
Without the courage to see him, the boy stood up joining the dirty dishes leading to the sink, where he had begun to wash. He could hear the door being opened and the heavy aura entering the woody house.
― Welcome back, baby.
The grayish-haired alpha had looked toward the kitchen, where he had seen the young bride sitting at the dining table, and just behind her a tall, blond omega who had not dared to look at him.
Clearing, the man was just pointing to the stairs.
― I'll go to my room, then I'll come down.
Without giving time for the awkward moment, neither father nor son shared the same room. Theodore had only breathed relief when he later went to his room, after saying good night to Maggie.
When he finally laid down in his bed, he imagined that silence and mismatch would be the best ways to avoid his father.