Chapter 1

"Wait what?! Dad, since when have you been dating anyone? And what's this about marriage?!" Scratching his head with an awkward smile, my dad just chuckled before he continued, "well, you see son, actually a few months after your mom passed I met someone. She and I get along and she's part of the reason I was able to move past your mother. I'm not saying that she's a replacement for her, just that she also holds a place in my heart now. That's why I asked her to marry me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I thought this would be best."

I let out a long sigh while shaking my head, "whatever you say." Turning away and walking upstairs towards the door to my room, I looked over my shoulder at my old man, shaking my head before closing it behind me and flopping onto the bed. 'So, I'm getting a step-mom...this should be interesting at the very least, I hope my old man isn't making a mistake.' Smiling wryly, I turned on my tv for a while before going back downstairs to the kitchen. Seeing my old man smiling and talking on the phone, I did my best to push my worries to the back of my mind despite the alarm bells going off in it. Grabbing myself a glass of water, I nearly choked when I overhead my dad telling the woman on the phone that: "you and the girls should come over for dinner tonight."

"Hey, what did you just say? You're having her and 'the girls' come over? Who the hell are these girls old man? Don't tell me you got some woman and her friends coming over here, we still haven't even gotten everything of mom's in storage yet!"

"Relax," my dad said as he stood up after hanging up the phone call, "as for 'the girls' I mentioned, I was talking about her daughters. Of them is the same age as you, while the other is a couple years older, I think in her second year of college." Placing his hand to chin in a pondering expression as he walked into the kitchen before placing a hand on my shoulder, "won't having people around that are your age be a good thing? You never did spend much time with kids your own age, you've always been around us old folks. This is a good chance to branch out and learn to interact with your own generation."

"You say that like I've never talked to anyone my own age before. I don't spend time with people my age because they're idiotic and can't even hold a conversation. The only thing they know to talk about is the latest gossip surrounding whichever celebrity is dating another!"

"That may be, but I think you'll like these girls, from what I've seen they're both great young women that have good heads on their shoulders."

Standing their with my mouth agape like some kind of exotic fish, I just started blankly at my father. 'Is this really the same guy that I idolized growing up?' The guy that despite my moms illness was faithful and never complaining, doing the work of two parents in addition to his job? The man who loved my mother so deeply that he never balked at any expense or treatment, as long as there was a chance for her to recover? I struggled to believe that the man who refused to pull the plug on her even after her body completely shut down and there was confirmed zero brain activity could actually fall in love with someone else, and so quickly at that. After all, it had only been about 8 months since she finally passed away, so how could he just switch gears so easily? Massaging my temples as I looked at him, I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts before I spoke again.

"So let me get this straight. This woman that you've been dating for at most, 6 months?"

"Her name is Miranda, please don't just keep saying 'this woman' son, she's still a human being after all"

"Okay fine, so this 'Miranda' and her two daughters are coming here for dinner tonight? The first time I've ever heard of these people who are supposed to be a new part of my life and I'm meeting them in what, six hours? You didn't think that any kind of heads up was necessary? Even in passing, an 'oh son by the way, I met someone and it's going well, you'll probably meet her someday' would have been nice."

"Yes, I know you're right about that but I just didn't know how to bring it up, I was afraid of your reaction...that it would be something like this..." he added at the end in nearly a whisper. Now that put a quick stop to my oh-so-righteous indignation. Drawing in a deep breath for what felt like the umpteenth time today, I let it out and tried to be a bit more understanding of my old man's situation.

"Alright...alright yes I may have been a bit out of line on this one, I'm sorry. All the same though, you should have told me sooner, regardless of my reaction. It would have been preferable to getting blindsided by this like I am now."

"You're right, I'm sorry son, I should have told you sooner." Giving me a pitiful smile and scratching the back of his head, I just gave a small smile as I started pacing back and forth, muttering to myself about what all needed to be done if we were going to have company over.

This was something that for whatever reason earned a lot of praise for me amongst teachers and adults in my life, my ability to adapt and switch gears rather quickly. Maybe it stemmed from having to grow up too fast with my mother always going in and out of the hospital until the final years of her life, or maybe I would have been this way no matter what happened. This is all besides the point though, as I started making my mental checklist of what needed to be done, I noticed the soft smile on my dads face. I just smiled awkwardly as I started telling him everything that we needed to get done before rolling up my own sleeves to jump in and help get everything cleaned and prepared.

For two bachelors living alone, the place wasn't a total disaster. We had everything cleaned and ready fairly quickly before I tell my dad what we need from the grocery store before I head to the bathroom to shower and get ready.

After a long shower and a shave, I stare at my reflection for moment, wondering if I'll be satisfactory for my new "family" members. Running my fingers through my middle-length black hair and looking into the green eyes that stare back at me. I'm not exactly handsome, but not ugly either by any means, just a bit above average but not so much as to be full of myself. Looking down towards my bare top, the vague outline of my abs can be seen below my pecs.

Placing the towel around my waist as I walk out, I was not prepared for the sight that greeted me. Two unknown pairs of eyes looked over my body before locking back onto my own as the raised eyebrows all around expressed our mutual shock as I nearly dropped the towel in surprise. Muttering apologies as I hurried past them and into my room, I wasn't able to see the two smiles that would, unbeknownst to me, forever change my life.