"Step by Step, Brother "

By Lorrie

Chapter 2 – Decisions

Drake parked his car at the entrance to the park and grabbed his acoustic guitar from the backseat. Finding a nice quiet, shady spot under a tree, he sat down and began to play a somewhat sad melody.

Suddenly he quit and looked up towards the sky. "I really want to go, dad, but this was mine and your thing, you know?" He paused, as if waiting for an answer. "Walter's great and everything, but he's not you and besides he and Josh have been doing this trip for years, it wouldn't be right for me to intrude." He could feel the tears stinging his eyes.

"Whatcha doin'?" A little voice asked from behind the tree.

Drake turned to the sound. "Uh, nothing."

A little girl sat down in front of him. "Would you play me something?" She asked.

Drake smiled. "What would you like to hear?"

The little girl shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." She paused. "What were you playing earlier?"

Drake hadn't realized that anyone had been close enough to hear him earlier. He began to play the soft melody that he started when he first sat down. As he hummed along with the tune, he noticed that the little girl was softly crying. He immediately stopped playing. "Hey, why the tears?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "It's so sad. Did you make it up?"

Drake nodded. "Yeah, I wrote it last night."

"Does it have words?"

"Not yet." Drake replied.

"Oh." She said quietly. "It makes me think of my mama. She died last year."

Drake gently lifted her chin. "You know what, it makes me think of my dad, he died three years ago."

"Play it again." She said and as he played, she softly hummed and as she did, the lyrics seemed to write themselves. Drake began to sing:

I don't want to forget

The feelings I've felt for you.

I don't want to lose

All the things we've shared.

And just because I move on,

Just because I keep on living,

Doesn't mean I'll forget,

Doesn't mean I'll ever forget . . . you.

He strummed a few more chords and ended the song there.

"That's perfect. It says what I wanted to say." The little girl said softly.

Drake nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"Abby!" A voice called from the other end of the park.

"I have to go. That's my step-mom. We're supposed to be leaving for vacation tomorrow. We're going to the beach." She paused. "My mom loved the beach and until now, I wasn't sure I wanted to go with my step-mom and step-sisters, but I feel much better about it now thanks to you."

Drake watched her run off and practically leap into her step-mother's arms. He looked heavenward again. "Thanks dad."

Dinner was already on the table when Drake came in. "Hey mom!" He said happily, giving her a quick hug before heading up to his room to put his guitar away.

Josh was just about to go downstairs when Drake came into the room. "Hey brother!" Drake greeted.

"Hey yourself." Josh replied. "Are you OK? I mean, you seemed kinda down when you left and now . . ."

Drake smiled. "I'm fine. I just had to sort some things out, so I went to the park."

"Good." Josh said. "I'm glad you're OK."

"Hey, it's not too late for me to change my mind again about going camping, is it?" Drake asked.

Josh smiled. "So you want to go?"

Drake nodded. "Well, only if I'm not going to be a third wheel."

"No way, brother!" Josh wrapped his arm around Drake's neck and gave him a noogie.

"Hey, the hair! Watch the hair!" Drake yelled.

Josh released him and the two headed downstairs for dinner.

"Hey dad, Drake's decided to come on the trip!" Josh announced as Walter came into the room.

"Great!" Walter's eyes met Drake's. "What changed your mind, son?" He asked.

"That." Drake replied.

Walter looked at him, puzzled.

"You just called me son. It took a lot of soul-searching for me to be OK with that. I mean doing father son things with you instead of my real dad, but I'm OK with it now."

"You're sure?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Drake replied, taking his seat at the table.

Audrey smiled at her son. "You know what? Your dad would be very proud of you. I know I am."

Drake blushed slightly, glad that Megan was at her friend's house for the night. "Thanks mom."

"Now, eat up. Dinner's getting cold."

To be continued . . .