Nomads

Chapter 25

Pulling into the driveway and turning off his car, Luca sighed wearily as he replayed the conversation with Mara about him and his uncle.

He couldn't help but feel nervous, because Mara was almost always right about these things. And the thought of having any kind of conversation with his uncle that surpassed 'when will you be home today' or 'did you eat dinner' unsettled him.

But there was nothing to be nervous about, right? It would be incredibly out of character to have any kind of deep conversation with his uncle. There was no way Mara was right this time, or at least that's what Luca tried to convince himself as he steeled his resolve and exited the car.

Luca quietly and carefully opened the door to his house and surveyed the area. No sign of Uncle Bruce so far. Now all he had to do was make it to his bedroom without a hitch.

"Luke?"

Wincing, Luca made his way to the kitchen where he heard his name get called. "Hey, Uncle Bruce. Did you, uh, need something?"

The older man hesitated, looking much older with a conflicted sort of concern gracing his features. After a moment, he nodded and gestured to the chair across from him at the messy kitchen table. "Come sit with me. I think we should talk."

Inwardly cursing Mara for being right and robbing him of ten dollars, the younger man sat down as he was told. "Is-is something wrong?"

Bruce was quiet for a beat, trying to gather his thoughts. "I... I'm trying my best to give you whatever you need. you know that, right?"

Luca nodded a little too hard. "Of course, and I appreciate everything you've done for me, uncle Bruce."

Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just... I'm worried that I'm not doing it right. I'm worried that my efforts to do right by your parents are failing miserably and I am just so lost about what to do."

Luca's chest tightened at the mention of his parents, but remained silent so as to allow his uncle the time he needed to get his thoughts out.

"I just... I want to be what you need. But I don't know what you need. And I don't know how to figure it out without asking you. I'm trying so hard not to put any pressure on you or make you feel unwelcome here, but I'm worried that in doing so I might have made things worse." He sighed again, running his hand down his face. "I know you and I were never all that close. I was never really in the picture when your parents were around, and none of that's your fault. There were issues between me and your dad that... they're so pointless now. It was so stupid. I..." He trailed off, fighting to maintain his composure. "I guess what I'm saying is, I want to change that. I want to be there for you, and I want you to know that I want to. As long as you want me to."

Bruce's eyes were on Luca, waiting for a response and making the stretch of silence that ensued feel deafening and unbearable. But Luca was reeling, and he needed a moment to think. He didn't want to say anything wrong.

"What, um, what happened with you and dad?"

Bruce drew in a breath, clearly not expecting that question. "I... Your dad and I are half siblings, as I'm sure you know. There was a lot of... scandal... surrounding my birth. Our father cheated on his mother with my mother when your dad was 8. He took me from my birth mother and pretended that I wasn't illegitimate. Your grandmother resented me, understandably, because I wasn't her actual child but she was forced to pretend like I was. And the picture perfect family was ruined, because of me.

"Your father, he... He resented me a lot for his family falling apart. And I didn't know anything about the circumstances of my birth growing up, so I just idolized him, thinking he was mean because I was his annoying kid brother. As I got older, it seemed like our father always loved him more, and Andrew, he never warmed up to me. I felt ostracized and I thought I had something that I needed to prove, but I could never measure up to him. And then he married your mother and became mayor and had you, our father was so proud of him. Meanwhile I had gotten accepted to Harvard's law program, and nobody batted an eye.

"I got bitter. And I moved out and made a name for myself and now I run my own law firm. And even still, the only one my parents boasted about was Andrew."

There was a long pause, and then Bruce cleared his throat, glancing up at Luca before returning his gaze to the messy table. "I guess I never got over it. I never learned how to accept the fact that I'd never measure up to your dad, and that he would never see me as anything more than the reason why his parents despised each other. And now I'm worried I won't be able to measure up to the way your parents raised you."

"But Uncle Bruce, you are so much more than that." Luca stated, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. "Even though you and dad had a bad history, and even though you and I never had much of a relationship, you took me in. You let me invade your home and take up space here and you're trying so hard to do what's best for me. And I can't express how much that means to me." Luca cleared his throat, trying so hard to loosen the tightness in it. "Besides, you're much better at this than dad was."

Bruce looked up from the table and took in the harrowing look on Luca's face. "You don't mean... Luke, I know your dad often lost his temper, but he wasn't..." Bruce swallowed. "What are you saying?"

Luca shrugged, clearing his throat. "You're not the only one who knows they could never measure up to the expectations their father laid out for them."

"I know it must be hard with your parents gone now, but don't let any regrets you have tell you that your father didn't love you. I'm sure he did."

"He made it clear that he didn't, too many times to count..." Luca mumbled, trying to blink back the tears forming in his eyes.

"What... What happened? What did he do?"

Luca shook his head, covering his mouth. He didn't say anything.

Bruce scooted closer in the chair and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Luke. You can tell me anything. I promise I will listen and I won't doubt you."

"My dad, he... I don't think he loved me. He never had anything good to say about me, he was never proud of anything I did, he shouted at me all the time and always took his anger out on me. There were times when... when he h-hit me... I really don't think he loved me."

Bruce's eyes widened with shock, and he tightened his grip on Luca's shoulder. "Have you... have you told anyone about this?"

Luca nodded. "I've told Naomi everything. She's helped me a lot... She helped me realize that I don't need to feel guilty for never being good enough, because there's someone who accepts me and loves me more than anyone else ever could."

The older man's brows furrowed as he noticed the change in Luca's expression, but he remained silent to allow the teen to continue.

Luca swallowed, sniffling as he attempted to regain some composure. He looked his uncle dead in the eyes, with this strong, determined look, and said, "I want to tell you how I met Naomi, and how she helped me to forgive my dad and let go of my guilt over not being good enough. But it's a little strange, and I understand if you don't believe what I have to say. Please, just, bear with me. I think what I learned might help you to forgive my dad too."

Well this was a heavy chapter.

We're you guys surprised to find out about what Luca's dad did to him? Or did you see it coming?

What do you think of Bruce's story about his childhood and parentage?

Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the chapter :)

<3 Ava