Affairs of the Heart

28 (final)

At home, Ben took his sons out back to talk to them. They sat on lawn chairs and looked at their dad with embarrassed looks on their faces.

"Now" He crossed his arms " We're having a little girl and things really need to change around here. The arguments between you boys have gotten out of hand. So can someone tell me what is going on here"

"Tuck bosses me around and I don't like it" Ben Jr spoke up

"I'm the oldest" Tuck got defensive

"That doesn't mean boss us around" Danny added " You can be sharp Tuck like you're our dad"

"Because you guys are irresponsible"

"Stop acting like our dad. We have a dad" Ben Jr yelled

"You're not our dad. You're not even our full brother" Danny teased

"Hey" Ben's voice boomed making the boys jump in their seats " That is something I NEVER want to hear in this house again do you understand me"

"Sorry Sir" Danny looked at the ground

"You all are brothers. I am his dad just as much as I am your dad. And your mother carried all of you. You all are brothers. Say it"

"We are brothers" They spoke in unison

"Again"

"We are brothers" They repeated

"Never. Ever. Let those words come out again. From any of you"

"I didn't mean it" Danny sighed

"But you said it. Words can't be taken back once you say them. That hurt that those words cause will last with that person. Same with actions. You are all family. Instead of arguing and being against each other, you are supposed to link up. Be there for one another. Have each other's back. And most importantly don't cause your mom too much stress"

"Yes sir," They said in unison

"About what happened earlier today with the lamp," Ben's voice hinted with flecks of disappointment. "And I want you to know that it's okay to make mistakes. But it's not okay to lie about them."

The boys shifted uncomfortably, their guilt evident on their faces as they looked down at their feet."I know you were scared to tell the truth because you were worried about getting in trouble," Ben continued, his tone gentle but firm. "But keeping secrets only makes things worse in the long run."

He paused, giving his sons a moment to digest his words before he spoke again."From now on, I want you to remember that honesty is always the best policy," Ben said firmly. "No matter how difficult it may seem, I expect you to be truthful with me and with each other. Can you do that?"

The boys nodded. " Yes sir"

"Good," Ben looked at them. They were good kids but their personalities were so similar and yet different it often caused them to butt heads "Remember, I'm here to help you through anything, but I can only do that if you're honest with me.

"I broke the lamp" Ben Jr confessed " I didn't want to get in trouble"

"Son, part of being a man of integrity is owning up to what you did even if it means getting in trouble. I'm raising men of integrity. To be clear, I'm not asking for perfection from any of you. I've made my fair share of mistakes too."

The boys looked at Ben, their curiosity piqued by his admission. They had always seen their father as someone strong and infallible, and his vulnerability surprised them.

"I've made mistakes in the past," Ben continued, his tone reflective, "and I've had to learn some tough lessons along the way. And I forgot an  important rule of thumb is that you should always try to own up to those mistakes and learn from them."