𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | 𝗯. 𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘇

04

BENNY
- point of view -

"Hey, dad..?"

I glance up from my book and look at Andrew as he walked into the living room with his pajamas on. I sigh to myself and sit up.

"Hey Drew, It's 11, what are you doing up still?" I asked him, I patted the empty spot next to me and he sat down. He pushed his glasses up and I fixed his messy hair.

"I couldn't sleep." He mumbled.

I hummed and leaned back on the couch, he fiddled around with his fingers and I asked him if he needed anything. "A warm cup of milk?" he kindly requested, I nodded my head and got up to go to the fridge. As I pour the milk into a cup he sat down on the dining chair.

"What was mom like?" He asked out of the blue. As the words left his mouth I froze and stared blankly at the counter. Mom. To him, it was mom, but to me, She was way more than that. I put the milk into the microwave then I closed it, I let out a soft laugh. The thought of Kae instantly hit me like a truck. Her sweet, soft smile that was contagious, Her cute laugh that she constantly hated, just every single thing about her in general that made me love her, even more, came to mind.

"Dad?"

"Yeah? Right. Mom. She, She was an amazing person." I deeply sighed and leaned against the countertop. The side of his lip curved into a small grin. "Why'd you ask Drew?" He guiltily looked down and pushed his glasses frames up again. "I saw photos of you two, When you were younger," He said. He slowly pulled one out and handed it to me.

I looked at it and it didn't take me long to realize where we were at the time. It was the time that Kae and I went out on our very first date, I'm surprised she didn't reject me that day like she did the other times I asked. I placed the photo back on the table and gave him his warmed up milk. As I took a seat in front of him and watched him drink it, He asked me another question.

"Do you miss her?"

Yes. Absolutely. Not a day goes by where I wish it was me and not her. There is a void that can never be filled because there is no other love in this world like the love that she gave to me. Hearing her name tugs my heart, harder and harder every time, leaving me with a very unsettled feeling.

"Of course I do. I miss her every day, It sucks that she can't see how big you are now." I said, rubbing his head and trying my best to hide my sadness.

It has officially been 8 years without her, 8 full years without her physically here with us. It still seems vastly unbelievable that she's really gone. It hurts me every time I think about her. When you've spent half of your life loving the same girl, Difficult is an understatement when talking about going through a day without her crossing your mind.

"Do you think she'd like me?" He took a sip of his milk and held the glass tightly with both hands, being extra careful with it.

I laughed as I pressed my lips firmly together, forming a straight line. "Like you? Man, She loved you dearly before you even came into the world." I try putting on a happy face for Drew, but he can just sense the huge amount of grief right past my smile.

Everyone tells me that I should move on, find someone new, Fall in love all over again, But it just felt wrong, I couldn't do that to my Kae, even when death took her early before our actual lives could begin.

"Can you tell me about her? Since I never got to meet her?" He begged as he stared at the picture of us. All these years, I've never really told Drew about our past. It was usually my mom that explained everything to him.