Maybe It's Time

JUNE, 1992

 Bradley's POV

I woke up in a morning and my underwear was wet. That was happening often and I decided to wash my own underwear then my mom would not see it. It used to be very embarrassing.

I didn't know very well what was happening to me and I had no male to talk about it. Noah would probably just laugh at me and mom's boyfriend didn't live with us, plus I was never close to that man.

One day I was getting home from school and I saw that Joe was walking inside his house. I ran from the bus stop to the spot he was. He smiled at me.

"Hey champ, how are you? Long time I don't see you or your brother. Stef is missing you".

"Well I have been busy with school, plus mom told us to not bother you now that you have a new baby at home". He laughed.

"You never bother us. What's up?"

"Can we talk for a while, Joe?"

"Sure, anything wrong? Come in!"

"I mean, I don't want anyone to listen to us".

"Well, let's take a walk then...". He seemed worried about me.

We walked in the neighborhood for around an hour and Joe explained me everything I wanted to know. He told me it was normal that parents usually do not like talking to their kids about those subjects, although it was important.

I started to understand that there was nothing wrong with me. I was just slowly becoming an adult. He even explained me how men and women were different. He told me Stefani was being educated the same way she would if she were a boy. He didn't want his daughter to be abused for not knowing what everyone should know.

Joe and Cindy had another kid, Natali. Joe's plan on having a boy didn't go as they planned, but they were very happy and done with kids.

I was not seeing Stef as much as I used to. I was not patient to deal with a kid anymore or play with her but when Joe told how she missed me, my heart was broken and I decided to see here more often.

There was this day some months later when I invited Stef to sleep in my place. She agreed and I remember how excited she was about that.

We had a fun night, playing video games, pillow fight and other fun stuff that children do. I realized in that day how I loved that little girl. I got the feeling I was born to protect her no matter how. And that's what I promised I would do. 

To be continued...