Standing in the hall outside Josh’s room, I watched him nostalgically gaze at a photo on his phone of his father, Derek, me, and him at a picnic. “I wish we could go back to those happier times,” he sighed, echoing the ache in my own heart.

Our family used to be so close, but it felt fractured beyond repair after the divorce and Derek’s swift move to start anew with someone else, even before our official separation.

Josh’s attachment to his father had always been strong, making the divorce all the more difficult for him. Despite the constant fighting that had become the backdrop of our last years together, he missed the semblance of family we once had.

Finally stepping into Josh’s room, I asked what he was doing, trying to mask my own turmoil.

“Nothing, Mom. Just looking at this old picture of us. Remember this picnic? I was so mad you guys finished all the strawberries,” he said, trying to lighten the mood with a chuckle.

Sitting beside him, I couldn’t help but reminisce. “Oh, yes. It feels like a lifetime ago. Things are so different now between your dad and me. He’s changed… he seems to only think of himself these days,” I sighed.

“I just wish things could return to how they used to be,” Josh mumbled.

“Yeah, well, that’s life, Josh. Things change. Come now, get ready for school,” I added, kissing his forehead.

I wanted Josh to understand the truth about his father. He was an easy-come, easy-go kind of guy, upset at the thought of losing his freedom when we learned I was pregnant with Josh. This selfish streak had only grown over the years.

Josh had an upcoming dinner to meet Derek’s new girlfriend, Sylvia, and the idea weighed on my mind. Josh’s reluctance was palpable, yet I knew he would act nicely because I had raised him right and because he craved to see his father again. He told me how that meeting went later.

“Hi, champ!” Derek greeted Josh at the door.

“Josh, I would like you to meet your new mommy finally, Sylvia,” Derek had said. Josh instantly felt uncomfortable with the term ‘new mommy’ but held his tongue.

“Nice to finally meet you, Josh. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Sylvia had said, shaking his hand.

Josh admitted to finding Sylvia kind and even beautiful but firmly stated she could never replace me. Their evening together, filled with puzzles and laughter, was a bittersweet revelation.

But the “new mommy” comment fueled my outrage.

“New mommy?!” I repeated, my anger boiling over as I washed the dishes harder. “Has Derek completely lost his mind?!”

Josh tried to calm the waters, suggesting Derek was joking. But I couldn’t see past the insult.

“No, Josh!! He can’t say things like that! The nerve!” I exclaimed. “Listen, I don’t want you going over there anymore!”

“Mom, that’s not fair! You can’t forbid me from seeing my father!” Josh protested, looking into my face, determined.

“I can and I will! I don’t want you contacting or communicating with him either!” I insisted with a huff.

Josh knew better than to argue with me when I was this angry. He dragged his feet into his room, and I stayed back, thinking about the situation. I was too angry at Derek to see reason then.

***

Weeks had flown by since Josh and I had last spoken with Derek, but Josh kept in touch with Sylvia through texts. As hard as it was to admit, it was a small comfort, knowing he had some connection to his father’s life, albeit indirectly.

Then, one day, Josh received a call that turned our already tumultuous world upside down.

“Mom, it’s Sylvia,” Josh began, his voice strained. “She called me in tears. Dad left her after she told him she was pregnant. She’s alone, with no family here, and she’s scared.” He was still holding the phone in his hand.

My heart sank. Despite everything, the news hit me like a freight train.

“I’m sorry, Sylvia,” I heard Josh say into the phone. I was sorry, too, but the situation was beyond anything he, a 16-year-old, should have to deal with.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he promised Sylvia, though he glanced at me and frowned. He hung up and asked me directly if we could help.

My immediate reaction was resistance. The mere mention of Sylvia’s name brought a surge of old resentments. But seeing the desperation in Josh’s eyes, I was torn. Yet, as a mother, my protective instincts were at war with my anger towards Derek and the situation he’d left in his wake.

Our home had grown colder since the divorce, and laughter and warmth were replaced by long, awkward silences. Ultimately, I told him that he could try to find his father and visit Sylvia to check that she was alright. I was not okay going over there to offer support myself.

***

Months later, I paced back and forth, glancing at the clock with growing irritation. Josh and I were supposed to be on our way to a lawyer’s appointment, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Where could he be?” I muttered to myself, my frustration mounting with each unanswered call. It was completely out of character for Josh to disappear like this.

The thought of calling the police was just beginning to cross my mind when I heard the door open. There stood Josh, but not as I expected. In his arms, he cradled a baby. My heart skipped a beat at the sight.

“Josh?! Whose baby is that?” I demanded, my eyes widening.

“I’m sorry, Mom, but I couldn’t leave him,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “This is Sylvia’s child…my brother. Dad left her, and she’s in the hospital. She’s got no one else. I told them I would take him home.”

The news was a blow I hadn’t anticipated. The child in Josh’s arms symbolized so much more than another complication; he was a reminder of Derek’s failings and the impact of his actions on innocent lives.

I didn’t have time to protest as my son explained more about Sylvia’s dire condition, her health deteriorating rapidly after childbirth, leaving her in intensive care.

“You’re 16, Josh! What was your plan here?” I asked, shaking my head.

“Please, Mom!! I’ll adopt him myself as soon as I’m of age. Please!!” he pleaded, desperation clear in his voice.

I nodded, realizing quickly that I had no other choice. Despite everything, my son had done the right thing for his half-brother. It wasn’t something I could fault him for. An innocent child was on the line.

“But we’re going to contact your father,” I said. “He has to take responsibility once and for all!”

***

Our attempts to reach Derek were met with silence, a final confirmation of his abandonment. Watching Josh take on the role of caregiver in the following days was both heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring. He was determined to be there for his brother in ways his dad hadn’t been for him.

Then, the call came—the one we’d dreaded but half expected. Sylvia had passed away, leaving the baby, whom Josh named Andrew, without a mother. The thought of placing him in the system was unbearable for my son. So, he came to me.

“No!! No way, Josh!! I’m not going to be the guardian of this child!” I yelled, feeling the tears in my eyes.

“Please, mom!! I’ll adopt him myself as soon as I’m of age. Please!!” Josh pleaded.

“No, Josh!! I’m sorry, that’s just a responsibility none of us are ready for. Especially you. I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” I insisted, my voice determined.

But the next day, I saw Josh’s heartbreak as he prepared to take Andrew to the hospital, and something shifted within me.

“Wait. Maybe we can give your idea a shot. He is family, after all,” I said hesitantly.

When Josh turned 18, he was allowed to officially adopt his brother, and his new girlfriend, Emma, had taken on the role of a mother in Andrew’s life. I was… prouder of my son than I had ever been. He was working, going to school, and caring for a child. My son had more maturity in his pinky toe than Derek.

Months later, as I watched Andrew play with Josh and Emma during a picnic outing at a local park, a sense of peace settled over me. Surprisingly, Derek called me at that moment. He had a knack for wanting to disrupt people’s serenity.

Apparently, he had just heard about Sylvia’s death and asked for forgiveness and a place in Andrew’s life. However, I knew what our answer would be.

“It’s too late,” I said, watching our family—complete and content. “Andrew already has a family that loves him dearly. Goodbye, Derek.”

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