Together

Chapter 10

Toby's POV

Dad was really distant for the next few days, I was starting to reconsider my decision because I don't want to hurt him

He started to come around yesterday but I'm just not sure I guess

I want answers more than I want to know her, but maybe I don't need answers, I don't know

I hate this though, dad and I barely talking was awful, we've always been so close, God I hate all this

"Hey Toby, what do you want for dinner, we're getting takeout" Chloe sticks her head into the room to tells me, she's gone quiet too

"Oh umm, I don't know, what do you guys want?" I ask her but I then notice she doesn't look very well

"I'm not eating but your dad had to pop out so he asked me to sort it out" she explains to me

"Oh uh, yeah I don't really mind" I tell her, I see her try to force a smile

Then I realise it....did this hurt her too?

It never occurred to me before, I knew how dad felt about it but he seems to understand and he's coming around to it now but Chloe....she's been different too

She's not my mom so it didn't occur to me that there would be a real effect on her

"Chloe, can we talk?" I ask hurriedly trying to catch her as she turns to leave the room

She turns back nervously, she looks at me for a moment before nodding and coming in to sit down on the couch with me

"What's up?" She asks me quietly

"Did my decision to meet my mom hurt you?" I ask her awkwardly

"Oh, uh, w...what do you mean?" She asks but she's clearly just playing dumb

"It did didn't it?" I ask her sadly, I never meant to hurt her or dad, I just wanted to meet my mom

"No, I'm fine" she lies but not very well

"I'm sorry Chloe" I tell her but she just shakes her head

"Toby I'm okay, you have a right to want to meet her" she tells me but has to look away as she does

I move over to her and lean in against her, she puts her arm around me and we just sit like this for a while until she has to get up

"Just remember, your dad gave up everything to raise you alone when she left" she reminds me quietly

"I know he did, I'm so lucky to have him" I acknowledge

"We both are" she adds

I look at her carefully, she won't make eye contact but I'm pretty sure she knows that I'm looking at her

"Dad's lucky to have you" I tell her and she smiles a small smile in response

This has definitely been a subdued conversation

"Thank you" she replies

"I'm lucky to have you as well" I tell her with a small smile of my own

She finally makes eye contact and her smile becomes a bit bigger

"We're all lucky to have each other I think" she replies and I nod in agreement

As I take in those words I realise I really have some thinking to do before finally replying to her

"Yes we are"

----------------------------------------------

Finally got this ready to post even tho I promise Lia a half hour ago, sorry dork, but yeah, what do you think he has to do? What's gonna happen when Sophie shows up? Xoxo