ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 137

Alfred woke up in tremendous pain. He had been having a lot of fatigue and pained moments lately. Too many actually. He knew that as he aged more and more his current issues could get worse. He knew this intimately but it didn't mean he had to accept it. He saw his mother with her breast cancer every day getting up and going about her daily business. Treatments. Errands. Time with Drew , him and Dodie. Time with other family and friends. No matter what she had to deal with his mother did it with a cheery smile and a good positive attitude. Who was he to start the day or any day bitching and moaning about a little pain and tiredness ? He was used to it, he thought as he slowly got into a sitting position in the bed. If only his hip of his bad leg would stop hurting as bad it currently was. He would call in for the day but that wasn't his way. It certainly wasn't how his mother had raised him. Of course, he didn't want Gerald to see him in this much pain today. Or any day really. Although when they moved in together tomorrow it might be difficult concealing the bad moments from him. Gerald was not Scott , thank goodness, but he couldn't help but remember how negatively his ex had taken it on his bad days.

It was bad enough that he blamed himself for the scene between themselves and Cassandra Mayfield the other day. Of course, Gerald had been wonderful about it all. He said something about how government rules and regulations alone prevented the board from removing either of them from their positions. Even with the ridiculously old fashioned morals clause in his contract. He still felt guilty though. But he had been feeling guilty all his life really. Like about being born the way he was. For the longest time he had blamed himself and his condition for his father's cheating on his mother. At least until he understood that cheating was a Giadello family trait especially among the men.

He heard a knock at his bedroom door and he called out," Enter at your own risk. "

Andrew came through the door, laughing and holding a cup of hot black coffee in his hand. He offered it to Alfred who took it gratefully. He loved his stepfather so much. Maybe more than his own father really. Somehow Andrew always knew when he was in pain. He knew how to be fatherly without condescending. He took a long deep sip and pondered his stepfather. He looked sober. Thank God. His drinking after so many years had been worrisome to too many people including himself and his mother.

" Bad day , son ? ," Andrew asked as he sat on the bed next to him.

Alfred shrugged and kept drinking his coffee. " No worse than any other day, Drew. "

" Gonna call in ? "

" No. "

Andrew nodded and then looked at him seriously. " I apologized to your mother. I want to apologize to you too. "

" For what? You've done nothing to me. " Nothing but emotionally support him as his son whether blood was involved or not.

" For falling off the wagon. I had no business doing all that. Your mother deserves better than a drunk husband and you deserve better than a drunk step father. Same for the entire family. Anyway I'm better now. Might even attend an AA meeting with Faith tonight. "

Alfred , in spite of his pain, smiled at the older man. " I'm glad. You still don't have to apologize to me. If you really want to make "  amends" though you can make your famous chili for Gerald and my first ever dinner party at Gerald's on Sunday. It's going to be more of a potluck. And a buffet . And , we're not having alcohol there either. "

Andrew smiled faintly. " Deal. And , I definitely agree with the no booze rule. Especially around Faith who will soon have a bun in the oven and Lyle who can really not hold his liquor. "

Alfred laughed as he remembered vividly Lyle and his very amusing experience with Russian vodka at that one particular dinner at Nicholas and Jenessa's.

Then they both heard Andrew's phone ding with a text message notification. He watched as his step father pulled out the phone and then start laughing promptly as he looked at the text.

Andrew showed it to Alfred , saying," Richard sent me a picture of Niles' son Trey. My first great grand son. That's a really big baby to be premature ! "