VI.

Sherry found Chris standing on the second floor veranda while smoking casually and looking at the moonlit sky. She never really had the chance to know about him personally other than the stories that his Claire told about him; how he always wanted to play hero—that he was such a tough nut to crack, but when you do, he's actually a gentle, caring person on the inside; and he may not be the perfect brother, but he's definitely the best that she'll ever have.

Chris noticed her presence and turned around to greet her as he crushed his cigarette on the ashtray that he was holding, "hey, Sher."

"Hi—oh wow, the view from here is lovely. Perfect sky too," Sherry exclaimed in awe as she scanned the lake that lined the horizon, admiring its mysterious glimmer under the moonlight, "you got yourselves a really good location for a house here, Chris."

"This is what your Uncle Al had wanted, and I think it makes a lot of sense," the brunette replied as he popped a mint candy into his mouth to neutralize the taste of tobacco, "I like it here."

"Hopefully Jake will too. He needs a family," Sherry said as she crossed her arms and breathed in the cool evening breeze. It had a faint smell of jasmines and gardenias, and it calmed her nerves as it went through her nostrils.

"That kid needs to learn how to be a son first. I don't blame him though; he's got it tough back in Edonia. Manners wouldn't get you anywhere in that shithole if you want to survive."

"You bet. I'm just really thankful that you're here, Chris. He needs someone like you to change and adapt to his new life… and to forget the horrors that he has experienced too."

"I gotta admit I didn't like him at first, but when I learned that he's Albert's son, I kind of took it upon instinct that he's gonna be mine too—he's my self-proclaimed son, if you get that."

Sherry laughed lightly, "Yes I get it. He should just appreciate what he has right now. He's still got a father to talk to or to come home to, and don't worry about him, you'll see his softer side soon enough." She looked up at the sky and sighed heavily, "I wish I still had my parents."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Sherry."

"It's alright. I got to live with it and be tough. I want to make your sister proud of me and what I've become."

"She surely is. I heard nothing but good things about you."

Sherry smiled heartily, "that's nice to know."

Chris shifted his weight and leaned against the veranda's marble railing, "and I haven't told her anything about me or this situation yet."

The young woman's blue eyes widened, "are you serious?"

"You bet I am. She's the only family I have and I don't want her to think differently about me or worse, deny me as her brother."

"I'm pretty sure that Claire is open-minded enough to understand her own brother! You were good to her, Chris. Nobody has the right to judge someone just because of their sexuality!"

Chris nodded and managed to laugh bitterly, "Considering if I come out to her and she accepts me for who I am, I'm pretty much damn sure she can't handle Albert. She knew everything that he has done and he once tried to hurt us and shit. Please don't tell her anything, Sher."

"I won't… I promise," Sherry replied when she realized that she almost called Claire earlier to tell her the "good news" about her brother, his grand love nest that he shared with a handsome blonde in a scenic location, and how much of a good-looking couple they actually are. Now, she was thankful that it slipped though her mind or things could have gotten worse.

Chris wanted a change of topic, and came up with it shortly, "Al told me that you were the spittin' image of your old man when he saw your picture before you arrived here."

"I don't know, some people say that I look more like my mom. Maybe he just misses my dad that much."

It was now Chris' turn to have his eyes opened wide, "you knew about your dad and Albert?"

"What do you mean? They're very close, right?"

Chris had said an 'oops!' mentally. He didn't know that Sherry had no idea about her father's past with Albert, and his feet got cold when he almost let it slip, "y-yeah… they're good friends!"

"Or more than that", he noted in his mind.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

Chris could've just ran away to avoid further questions from Sherry, but he didn't want to look stupid so he needed to lie to avoid said stupidity from happening, "about your dad and your Uncle Al?" The well-built gentleman shook his head nervously and cursed at himself for sucking at being calm and composed, "hell no."

Sherry cupped her hand onto her mouth while she laughed, "oh my god Chris, you're a bad liar. I just wanted to see your reaction and you should've seen that ridiculous look on your face!"

"What the hell?" Chris asked in utter confusion.

"I've always known about them—that their friendship isn't limited to that term alone. I caught them twice or thrice; and on that third time it was when I finally got to know how two guys do it," Sherry bellowed a laugh as she slammed both of her hands on the railing, "my back is killing me!"

Chris kept his eyes as wide as saucers the whole time as Sherry revealed the somewhat embarrassing details to him, "You were twelve, Sherry! You weren't supposed to know those things yet!"

Sherry tried her best for the laughter to subside, "twelve is the new twenty, Chris. Welcome to the real world," she said almost breathlessly.