LINKAGE (boyxboy)

CHAPTER 98: A CASE OF GRACE

"What was that back at the table?" Isaac walked by the side of his father in the exterior lounge of the house, located in the back side of it. The area contained trees, solid paths, bright floating illumination and people talking in groups while drinking. Benjamin was smoking an amelieva cigarette, which refreshed his throat in each blow inside his lungs. It was a blue plant that didn't grow more than thirty centimeters above the ground and it could get an individual insane if consumed in huge amounts. Now in the middle of the dark but fun night, Isaac wondered about what his father said hours before.

"About what exactly, son?" He let out a long dense blow of smoke, making Isaac frown. He did not like any type of smokes around him, so with an open hand, he tried to dissipate it a little.

"Please, stop smoking around me." He crossed his arms.

"Do you know that the amelieva roots have regenerative properties? So, basically, my lungs are fresh and new by now." He blew it all again and Isaac gave up on trying to convince him. "What were you talking about, Isaac?"

"Calling Gavin 'son'. I could expect it from everyone but you." Isaac looked straight into his father's eyes, who responded in surprise. His eyebrows were up at the question.

"Oh." Initially he was thinking about a proper way to answer. "You know, son. My behavior towards him before was shameful. Completely shameful. As your father I must not interfere in your life like that, neither be that unpleasant to be around. Gavin is my son from the sun, son in law, call it how you want, and with that, I want to have a normal relationship with him. That was me just trying to do it." Isaac deeply analyzed his father while having that conversation, and either seemed honest or Benjamin was the best liar of both countries.

"And why doing it now?" Isaac questioned.

"Your mother has a part in it, but it is mainly because of you. I realized that you spent five years away from us, when we all thought you were dead. I kept thinking that I should take the most out of your presence, son, because we are lucky to have you here. I know you wouldn't like to have your family segregated like that. I know he is your family as well. Let's get over what happened in the beginning, son. I cannot erase it but I am trying to change."

"Gavin is a reasonable person. Give time and he will come around with you as long as you keep this way." Isaac stayed silent for a moment, but returned talking later, revealing his future plans to the man who raised him. "He is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, father. I saw online several articles saying that our relationship is motivated by interest of our family, that we have contracts protecting our integrity in case it ends, that it was just a move of our family to become the most powerful of the country... I never thought about these things before I read them. I am with him because of him not because of his surname. In short story, it feels good to have your support, mother's support, when we are surrounded by so much disapproval." Isaac opened his heart, revealing that gossips online bothered him a lot, even more because people believed in what they read and created more and more theories about what they didn't have a single source of.

"I understand where everything you said comes from. I have been in your place when I was your age. My mother didn't like Angelina by all means, and that made me upset. Nowadays I know they learned how to respect each other's presences and boundaries but I do not want to do like my parents did. I do not want to make you feel the way they made me feel. It was not good. It took me some time to realize I was doing just like my loved Oleszka but my mind is in a better place now. This helps." He was talking about the cigarette he had between his lips. Indication from the psychological automatic report.

"Then I will let you smoke it in my presence." Both of them smirked at the joke. "He is a good person, father. He looks like Chemeris but they are nothing like each other."