Page 112 of Soft
Everywhere I turned, there were pieces of me mixed with the life my boy had built. I stood in the living room for a moment after we’d unpacked the last box just taking it all in.
Pops had found the iced tea in Grizzly's refrigerator and helped himself to a glass. He came over to the couch, dropping down right beside my boy. He looked around the room with his slow assessing expression taking it in much the same way I had.
I could sense the moment he noticed the big, fluffy bear who’d been supervising our efforts—Grizzly’s words, not mine
Wells was sitting slightly off to the side on a folding chair I’d put out for him earlier in the day. He’d been on the couch more often lately. Grizzly had started leaving him in the living room, which was a beautiful shift from how he’d tucked that part of himself into a single room. It was also a step up from Wells being in the bedroom.
Pops got up from the couch, walked over to the chair, and crouched down in front of the bear.
"Well, hello there, friend. I don’t think we’ve met."
Grizzly made a sound from across the room that he immediately tried to cover with a cough.
"Don't mind me," Pops said to the bear. "I know we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Paxton’s father.” He tilted his head, studying the bear. "You look like you've been around. Seen some things. Got any secrets to share?"
Grizzly's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. I loved his happiness, but I also knew my pops. He would keep going for as long as I let him.
"Pops," I called out.
"I'm meeting more of the family." He glanced back at me. "This is important. You can't just walk into a house and ignore somebody." He returned his attention to Wells.
Grizzly had given up on trying to be discreet entirely. His hand pressed over his mouth as he giggled at the interaction.
Pops straightened up and looked at Grizzly. "What's his name?"
Grizzly's hand came down from his mouth, his emotions sobering quickly. "Wells."
Pops's eyes widened. He looked at the bear and then at me. "Wells," he repeated.
"Yes," Grizzly said.
"After—"
"Yes."
Pops nodded slowly, as if soaking up the news. I could see the wheels turning in his head. "You named a bear after my son. You used our family name."
"I did," Grizzly confirmed. “It’s the only name that seemed right.”
Pops pressed his lips together and closed his eyes. "Paxton," he choked out.
"I know, Pops. Pretty much had the same reaction.”
"This man… You have to…"
"I know,father.”
He turned back to Grizzly. "How did he find out?" He gestured between me and the bear. "How did Paxton find out the name?"
Grizzly's mouth turned down. "That’s a great question. Your son still won’t tell me."
"It’s not all that interesting of a story," I said.
Pops scoffed. "Let us be the judge of that."
“I guessed.”
Both men stared at me blankly, as if what I said didn’t make sense.
