They pulled into the driveway parking next to his mother’s car at ten minutes until noon. As Sam put the car in park, he looked over to Sy who was staring up at the brick and mortar home that held so many wonderful memories, and some of the worst of his life. The look in his eyes reflected the memories that played through his mind. 

When Sam set his hand on Sy’s shoulder, he jumped the slightest bit before turning to look to his left, meeting Sam’s worried expression. “You gonna be okay doing this?” Sam had his reservations about returning to this house, but kept them to himself. He knew that gaining a relationship with his little sister and even his mother, while slower going, was important for Sy to reforge. What worried Sam about coming here today were the potential consequences Sy would face mentally later that night.

Sy shook his head slightly, his eyes shining but dry, with the emotions running through him. “No. No, not really. But…for now, I have to be.”

Sammy, who had already undone his seatbelt and slid off his booster seat, leaned forward and kissed his father’s cheek before wrapping his arm around Sy’s chest. “I love you, Daddy.”

Sy smiled as he craned his neck to look at Sammy over his left shoulder. “I love you, too, my sweet boy.”

“And if you get too sad or scared today, just hold my hand okay? I’ll make sure that you’re safe, Daddy, like you always do with me.” The boy smiled a beaming smile and Sy felt his heart lighten the slightest bit. 

“Thank you, Sammy. You’re the best son anyone could ever ask for. I love you, kiddo.”

Sy stood slightly behind Sam, his hand clutched tightly in Sam’s as they waited for someone to answer the door. Jenny’s face appeared on the other side with a wide smile and bright, happy eyes. “Sy!” she exclaimed before jumping into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her, catching her, and held her close to him as her feet dangled above the ground. “I’m so glad you came,” she whispered against his cheek.

“I am, too,” he whispered back. “Happy birthday, baby girl.”

When her feet once again touched the ground, she wrapped her arms around Sam in greeting before picking up Sammy in a tight hug. “Hey, little man. I’ve missed you.”

Sammy grinned at her, happy as ever to have the extended family he always dreamed of, said, “I missed you, too, Aunt Jenny. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you,” she told him as they entered the living room. As Jenny was setting Sammy down, Beverly entered the room via the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. 

“Grammy!” Sammy said with a small giggle as he ran up to her. She lifted the boy to her, hugging him tightly, her eyes meeting her son’s over Sammy’s shoulder. 

“Hi, my baby boy,” Beverly said before she set him back down. She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair. Almost hesitantly she approached Sy, her arms longing to have him wrapped within them. “I’m glad that you could make it,” she said, running her hand down his arm. 

Sy smiled, though he was a bit uneasy. “Me, too.” When he wrapped his arms around her, and hers around him, Sy felt himself relax the slightest bit. He’d waited so long, had given up hope completely, to ever feel his mother’s arms around him again. “I love you, Mom,” he told her so only she could hear.

Her arms tightened then and he felt small tremors vibrating through her smaller body. “I love you, too, Sy. So much, my baby. So much. I’ve always loved you, Sy. Always.”

As he nodded into her shoulder, he could hear Sammy chatting happily away with Jenny. Their voices sounded further away, as if in the kitchen and he wondered if Jenny had pulled the boy away to give Sy and their mother a moment. Sy also could feel Sam standing slightly behind him, always supporting and watching over him. 

When they broke apart, Beverly had tears in her eyes and Sy swallowed around the thump in his throat. Smiling over at Sam, Beverly also embraced him before the three of them followed Sammy and Jenny into the kitchen. There was a cake laid out on the table with white icing and a cursive script that read ‘happy 14th birthday Jenny’. Around the border and the wording were icing flowers of red, blue, yellow, orange and purple. There were also fourteen multicolored candles on the right hand side of the cake. 

Sam placed the two gifts they picked out at the mall among the small pile of gifts on the table. Smiling, Jenny said, “I said you didn’t have to get me anything, guys.”

Sy grinned and pulled her into his side. “What’s a birthday without gifts?” She hugged him as he kissed the top of her head. 

Looking up at him with the happiest expression on her face, she said, “Having you in my life again is all of my birthdays and Christmases wrapped up together. I just wanted my big brother back.” She wrapped her arms around him once again, burying her face into his side. 

Sy closed his eyes, his heart gaining momentum at her words. “I always wanted you back too, little one. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I haven’t thought about you.”

When he released her, the tension and most of the extra emotion in the air dissipated. They each sat at the table, singing 'happy birthday' before slicing the cake and dishing out the plates, each with a slice of cake and two scoops of ice cream. They chatted jovially as they ate and Sy made sure to snap many photos as Jenny worked her way through the birthday gifts. When she opened the jewelry box that Sy had picked out, her eyes became round and she smiled widely. 

“Wow!” she exclaimed, turning the box over in her hands. She opened the lid and when she saw the inscription on the underside of it, nearly cried. I’ve waited a lifetime to finally meet you and now that I have you, I hope to never lose you again. Love, Sy.

“Daddy picked it out, Aunt Jenny,” he told her. “And he wrote the inscription, too.” He beamed at her, obviously happy being there. She smoothed the boy’s hair and stood before she wrapped her arms around her older brother, who in turn hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

“I love it, Sy. Thank you so much.”

When his father stepped back, Sammy grinned at her before turning and grabbing the second gift they brought with them. “This one is from me!”

After the gifts were open and all the cake and ice cream was consumed, they migrated to the living room. They sat on the couch and loveseat, talking easily. Sam kept a close eye on Sy throughout the day and while he seemed a bit more relaxed than he had when they had gotten there, he could see that Sy was still on edge. He could see the subtle stiffness in his shoulders as they sat on the couch. He knew that Sy was giving it his best effort to not allow the memories that he knew were invading his mind overtake everything else. It was nearing almost four and Sam was wondering how much longer Sy would be able to remain in this house.

As a lull appeared in the conversation, Sy stood, clearing his throat. “If you’ll excuse me. I have to use the restroom.”

“You’ll have to use the one upstairs,” Beverly said. “The one off the kitchen is being remodeled.”

Sam watched as Sy’s expression shifted before he quickly schooled himself. Sy nodded at her and made his way to the stairs, and to Sam he moved like a man being led to his executioner. He wanted with everything inside him to follow after him, but he also knew that it wasn’t the time. 

When Sy exited the bathroom, he looked to his left before following the hallway down to the second door on the right. The door was shut, but when he tried the knob, found that it was unlocked. He entered the room and was immediately transported back to his childhood. Everything looked exactly the same as it had the last time he had been in it.

The dresser, the bed, the side tables and their lamps, his desk…it was all exactly the same. Next to the window on the southwest wall was the dresser. It was an oak, five drawer dresser and something that sat atop it caught his eye. As he approached it, he realized what it was and his breath caught. It was the picture. The picture that his father had found that started this whole thing. He looked at the visage of his younger, happier self and felt all the air go out of his lungs like the room had transformed into a vacuum chamber, devoid of all oxygen.

He wondered as he looked at it, who had put it in the frame? His mother or his sister? And when? Setting the picture down, he walked over to the foot of his bed, his mind playing one of the worst moments of his life, before he turned his back on the memory. 

Downstairs, Jenny was getting anxious that Sy had been gone so long. They heard footsteps above them, and she knew where he had gone. They all knew. Except Sammy, who seemed to be unaware anything outside his father’s tension of being here to begin with was happening, engrossed as he was in the movie Beverly had put on for him when they came into the living room.

“I’m going to go find him,” she said as she stood. She looked at Sam, as if she knew something that she wasn’t telling anyone, before making her way toward the stairs. When she entered his room, she found him on the floor with his knees drawn slightly up and his hands folded together above his knees. “Sy?” she said as she sat down beside him. He looked at her and tried to smile as his eyes once more wandered around the room. “Are you okay?”

“Everything is exactly the same,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

Jenny’s eyes followed Sy’s as she said, “Yeah. Mom could never bring herself to do anything with your room. She doesn’t let any of the people that clean come in here. She cleans it…makes sure nothing stays too dusty…I never wanted her to change your room, either.”

“No?”

She shook her head as she sat down next to him, their legs and shoulders touching. “No. I was so little when you went away…most of my memories of you were in this room. I remember coming in here all the time to be with you. At least I think I do, anyway. I’d always come in here when I miss you the most. When I wanted to be close to you while I was growing up. It’s something I’ve always done. Sy?”

“Hm?”

She turned the slightest bit to better see his face, chewing on her bottom lip. “I know that it’s hard for you to be here. I know that there’s a lot between you and Mom. But…I’m so happy you gave us another chance to be in your life.”

“Jenny, I always wanted you in my life. As far as Mom…we have things we need to work out…and it’ll take time to do so…but…” He shrugged and looked at her. “I always wanted you in my life. It’s not a second chance for you, Jenny. Not in the same way that it is for Mom, I mean. We get a second chance together…but I’m not giving you a second chance. You understand what I mean?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m glad you’re here, Sy. I love you.”

Sy smiled lightly and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, little one.”

Downstairs, Sam and Beverly sat awkwardly, unsure of what to say to one another. “You look like you’ve grown up well, Sam.”

Sam smiled tightly. “Thank you.” It wasn’t until then that he realized just how angry that he was with her for what happened to her son so long ago. Not until he was left alone with her. His whole body was tense, but he didn’t want to cause a scene in her house or on Jenny’s birthday.

“Sam,” she began and he turned his head to look at her. “I know and even understand that you’re angry at me. You’re not hiding it all that well, though I do appreciate the effort it’s taking you to not give me your all. I also appreciate everything you’re doing for him.”

Sam didn’t say anything. He couldn’t say anything without saying everything, and now wasn’t the time nor the place. He nodded his head in acknowledgment of her words, but nothing more. Clearing his throat after another few minutes of silence, he stood and excused himself. “Dad?” 

Sam looked down to the boy sitting on the carpet and smiled. “Yes, my love?”

“Can I come with you?”

Sam ruffled Sammy’s hair as he knelt to the boy’s level. “How about you stay here and keep your Grammy company, okay?” Sammy seemed disappointed, but he didn’t argue and as Sam headed toward the stairs, he heard Beverly call the boy over to her lap.

Sam suddenly felt like a teenager again as he walked up those stairs on his way to Sy’s room. As he approached the door, he heard soft voices coming from within. When he entered the room, he was taken back in time and for a moment had to remind himself how to breathe. His eyes roamed around the room, taking it all in. The walls were still blue and gray. The same metal band posters hung on the walls.

“Wow,” he said as he looked down where Jenny and Sy sat together. They both had tears on their cheeks, their arms linked together with her head resting on his shoulder. Sy smiled with just the slightest upturn of his lips as his and Sam’s eyes met. “It’s like a blast from the past in here. Mind if I join you two or would you rather be alone?”

Jenny answered before Sy had the chance. “Sit. Join us.”

By the time they got home, it was close to seven, having gotten caught in the last part of rush hour traffic. When they entered the house, Shelly was just finishing her dinner at the table, but as they came fully into view of the dining table, realized that she wasn’t alone. 

It was obvious that neither woman expected them to be home just yet, if the looks of surprises were anything to go by. Sammy, sleepy from his outing today, leaned against her in greeting. “Who’s your friend, Aunt Shelly?”

Shelly, who looked like a teenager caught in the act, blushed deeply. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine glass before she smiled at the boy. “Sammy, this is Reagan. This little guy is my nephew,” she said looking at Reagan. “Sy, Sam, this is Reagan.”

The woman seated across from Shelly smiled brightly at them. Her skin was a dark ebony that almost glowed against the light overhead. Her smile lit up her high cheekbones and she was the picture of beauty. Standing, she shook both Sy’s and Sam’s hands. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about both of you.”

“That’s a scary thought,” Sam said with a jovial smile.

Laughing, Reagan said, “All good things, of course.”

Coming to stand beside her, Shelly slipped her hand within Reagan’s. The vast contrast of their skin tones made Sy think of a yin yang, Shelly’s eyes reflecting the peace within as she laid her head against the other woman’s shoulder. “Well, my lovelies, we’re going to head out as soon as I clean up here. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.” Not letting go of Reagan’s hand, Shelly leaned up and placed a kiss against Sy’s cheek. “You doing okay?”

Sy smiled at her, trying to be reassuring as he said, “I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me, though. You go have fun. Enjoy your night.”

Smiling widely, she responded, “Oh, I will. Don’t you worry.” Turning, she scooped up Sammy into her arms and kissed all over his face, igniting a round of giggles from the sleepy boy. “I love you, my sweet baby. You be good for your daddies, okay?”

Sammy nodded and hugged her tightly before kissing her cheek. “I will, Aunt Shelly. I love you. Be safe while you’re out, okay?”

She smiled at his adorable seriousness. “I promise to be very safe just for you, my little man. And you have the sweetest dreams tonight and I’ll see you when I get home tomorrow.” Setting him down, she shifted her focus to Reagan’s dark, almond shaped eyes. “You ready, beautiful?”

Reagan inclined her head. “When you are.”

“You two go. Have fun.” Sy chimed in. “I’ll put up the leftovers and stuff.”

“You sure?”

Sy rolled his eyes and grinned. “Of course I’m sure.” Sy kissed her forehead and smiled widely at her. It had been a long time since Shelly had had anyone in her life, and even longer since that person put that look on her face. “Go on.” Looking at Reagan, he said, “Make sure to have her home by midnight, young lady.” He winked and they all laughed as Reagan and Shelly walked out the front door.

After the dishes were put away and Sammy was safely tucked under his covers awaiting the Sandman, Sy and Sam retired to their room for the night. As the door shut behind them, Sy turned into Sam, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Sam said nothing as he rocked them in the middle of the bedroom, trying to calm the small quaking throughout Sy’s body. While Sam knew that today was difficult on Sy, and in its own right, on Sam, Sam thought that the man in his arms handled it all extremely well.

“I love you,” Sam told him as he felt tears soaking into his shirt.