My Ex-Stepfather

Chapter 43

Harry-

After Angel had calmed down she came home with me, that's when she met Gemma since she was watching Ariel and I knew I was in major trouble. Gemma could tell there was something between us, the way she eyed us spoke for itself.

Gemma seemed to like Angel though and vice versa, Gemma has a daughter Ariel's age which is nice.

Anyways, the next day we had the meeting with a school and after a rather large donation on my part Ariel was secured a place. The next few weeks were spent preparing him for school; getting his shots down, shopping and everything. Luckily Angel was out of school so she was able to handle a lot of it while I returned to work.

Over those few weeks Ariel had asked if he could just call her mom, it made sense to us because who really wants to explain that she's his sister with our weird chemistry.

Speaking of chemistry, after that night we both cooled it with the teasing. I gave her the privacy she deserved and she gave me mine but the longing, the want was still there. We'd find ourselves in compromising positions time after time and awkwardly laugh it off.

From the naked eye we seemed like a normal, functional family. Angel and I are affectionate enough that people just assume we're together when they hear Ariel call her mom and me dad. Little do they know we're really just roommates with amazing chemistry wasting away because she's my son's sister.

When Angel started school she was able to drop a few classes so Ariel didn't have to go to after school care, she usually just used my car while I took my motorcycle to and from work. I'd drive her to work most nights not liking that she kept her gogo dancer job, I can't control her though.

We fell into a good rhythm, for Halloween Angel had to work so it was just Ariel and I. He wanted me to be Darth Vader while he was Luke Skywalker which I of course agreed to, I mean the kid has good taste.

Soon it was Thanksgiving, with Angel's father still overseas she offered to help me cook. It was nice, just us with Gemma and my niece Alexa. It felt good, like a real family would.

Now it's the second week of December, it was Ariel's last day of school and he had a short day so I took it off to pick him up while Angel was at school. She had classes until late so she said she'd catch a ride with someone. I decided to take Ariel to see Santa and get some shopping done before going back and decorate the house, Ari liked the idea of surprising Angel with the house fully decorated.

Ariel was called up to see Santa, I stood back and watched my son interact with the large man in red. "What would you like for Christmas?" He asks, Ari looks towards me to see if I'm listening so I look off making him think that I'm not.

"I want a real family for Christmas," My son mutters with sadness in his voice and my heart breaks.

Maybe there's something I can do about that.

**

"Do you think Angel will like it?" Ariel asks as he stands back and admires the large tree that stood in the middle of the living room fully decorated.

"I think she'll love it, you know why?" I ask and he shakes his head, "Because you did most of the decorating." I wink and he laughs, the buzzer in the kitchen sounds letting me know that the lasagna is done so I pull it out just as I hear the front door open.

I smile as I walk in to see Ariel hugging his sister, she puts him down and looks around the room. "Wow, you two did a lot today didn't you?" She asks dramatically before smiling at me.

It's these moments that have kept me going, kept me from looking at any other woman. The way she smiles at me makes me feel things still that no other woman could.

I just hope she still feels the same.