This Feeling: Love

Preview of This Feeling: Forgiveness

Monday

A young man in his mid- twenties, with brown hair, green eyes, and fair skin stepped out of a compact silver Ford Fiesta. He took a deep breath and looked over as another man stepped out of the passenger side of the car and smiled. "There is no place like home. Eh, Sam?" the man commented.

Sam nodded and returned the smile. "You have no idea how long I've waited for a chance to do this, Trevor," he replied.

Trevor's smile widened. "Then go for it, it's not every day you get to do something like this."

They shut the doors of the car and walked toward the front door of the house. "You're sure they're both in the house?" Samuel questioned. Trevor nodded assurance. "Yes. I've wanted to do this for a while now, too. They hadn't seen me in such a long time either," he answered.

They stopped at the front door and stood there for a few moments before Samuel rang the doorbell. Moments after the doorbell finished its tune, they heard the door being unlocked. Samuel's heartbeat quickened with nervousness and excitement. The door opened to reveal Samuel's mother. She stared for a few moments and her hand went up to cover her mouth. It never made it to its destination before she got over her shock, she reached out for a hug.

Samuel returned the embrace and held her. "Hi, mom," he said with a smile on his face. A man whom Samuel recognized as Trevor's father, came into view and caught sight of Trevor. "Trevor!" he cried. Trevor reached out for a hug and his dad grabbed him and embraced him.

Samuel's mother moved away from Samuel's embrace and looked at the two men. "Why didn't you two call us?" she asked.

Sam and Trevor smiled. "We wanted to surprise you," Samuel answered.

Sam's mother shook her head and turned to signal for them to come in. "Come on in, guys."

Samuel and Trevor walked in and Samuel looked around. He found there was more of a ceiling to the living room than the last time he'd been at the house. "The living room is getting covered?" he asked.

Samuel's mom nodded. "Yeah. Thought we might need a little bit of shade from the light in the kitchen."

Samuel grinned. "You've always been one for building projects," he commented. His mother giggled as Trevor slipped his arm around Samuel's waist and pulled him closer.

Samuel's mom directed them to the living room. "We can reconnect over snacks and such," she said.

Samuel and Trevor sat on the couch under the original balcony, while Trevor's dad sat across from them.

Once Samuel's mom returned, she had a sad look on her face. "Why the sad face, mom?" Samuel questioned.

His mother looked at him before she looked back at the tray of snacks to see where she was putting it. "I have some upsetting news for you, Samuel," she replied.

Samuel sat up straight at the sound of his full first name from his mother. "What is it?" he prompted.

Samuel's mom sighed, hesitating a little before Trevor's father spoke instead. "Why don't we recap what's happened over the years the boys have been gone? Then we can get serious," he said.

Sam glanced between his mother, Trevor's father, and Trevor before he relaxed and nodded. "Good news, I'm set to become a teacher's assistant in a few weeks," Samuel confessed.

His mom smiled. "That's great sweetie. What grade will you be helping teach?"

Samuel slumped against the back of the couch. "Third grade."

Trevor snickered. "Sammy doesn't want to deal with the pubescent attitudes of middle school and high schoolers," Trevor put in. Samuel elbowed him while he smiled, and their parents laughed.

When the laughter subsided, Trevor leaned forward. "Well, I became a delivery driver for UPS not too long after Sam left for college, and I have my own place and everything," he said. He looked over at Sam. "I even have stuff prepared for you if you want to move in," he suggested.

Samuel gave him a wide smile. "I have been waiting fr you to ask me that for ages," he said. His smile faded before he continued. "Although, are you sure you'll be able to handle bringing in another person?"

"I've already talked to the landlord about it, and my current lease is just about done. All I need you to do is sign the papers, and we'll both be good to go."

Samuel snuggled up to Trevor. "I would love nothing more."

His mother coughed to get their attention. "Now...for the bad news..." she said.

Samuel sat up straight again, staring at his mom. A pit formed in his stomach as he swallowed. "What is it?" he asked. I hate to sound rude, but what else is there to say? he thought.

Sam's mom leaned forward and sighed again while Trevor's dad rubbed her back as she gathered the courage to speak. "It's okay, take your time," the man said.

His mother looked at her with another sad look again, and as Samuel knew by the pit in his stomach growing larger, and the same sad and sorry look his mother was giving him, what the news was before she even had a chance to utter the words.

She'd given him that look only once before, and he didn't like what he heard from her lips.

"Your father's in town."