"Hi son."
"...."
Silas was silent for a while as he didn't know how to respond.
'Son?' He scoffed when he heard the word.
He can't remember his father ever calling him word since after the death of Alex's mother. The names he remembers his father calls him are always derogatory terms.
Silas looked at his father again and he saw the difference between his appearance then and now.
The previous appearance of his father was a very haggard and unapproachable. His father always had this constant smell of alcohol and cigarettes on him, but his current father doesn't.
If Silas is to describe his current appearance, it would be casual and professional at the same time.
The previous distasteful and pungent odor that usually followed him around are no more and they had been replaced by the smell of his shampoo.
He was curious about one thing. How did his father know the address of their new house? He thought of it and he remembered what Kim told him before, about his father's call from the rehab.
He thought of this and felt that the only possible explanation for this is that Kim was the one that gave him the address.
"Silas, who is it at the door?"
Silas' train of thoughts were broken by Kim's question.
He didn't reply as he stepped aside, allowing his father to walk into the house.
After his father walked in, he closed the door and followed behind.
As he followed behind, he was curious about another thing.
They were supposed to go and pick him today from the rehab, then why is he here? Was he released early?
He couldn't help but feel that he would use the rest of his days doing nothing but making up for everything.
Chris noticed that Kim had stopped shaking and was now quiet. He stopped hugging her, as he took a good look at her face and he use one of his finger to wipe the tears at the corner of her eyes.
Silas quietly watched the interaction between his father and Kim, before he decided to go back to the dining area.
His father was back from rehab but it doesn't mean that everything will be bed of roses, neither would everything work out immediately.
He knew that it would take a lot of time and efforts for things to become normal. This is especially with the awkwardness between them.
Silas doesn't hold anything against his father unlike what anyone might think but that doesn't mean he's going to be all friendly and familiar with him, when they didn't even have an familiar relationship.
After he took seat at the dining table, Silas noticed Kim and his father walking into the dining area.
His father took his seat opposite him and Alex, followed by Kim and a heavy and awkward silence enveloped the dining area afterwards.
Chris' eyes were darting from between Silas and Alex, as he thought of what to say to start a conversation with them, but nothing came to mind.
Chris knew that things were going to become even more awkward with if things continues like this. He knew that he has to say something, anything to break the silence.
"Silas.... Alex.... Dad is sorry for everything. Please forgive him."
Chris felt that this was only way he could start, by asking for forgiveness. He knew that this was the bare minimum of what he can do before he can actually think of wanting to make amends.
He waited quietly as he looked at his two sons, waiting for them to give him a reply.
"I hold nothing against you. I vented all the stored negativity that I had towards you that night. The only thing I will want from you is to take care of Alex like the father you are to him. Make up for the years of your absence in his life and we are good," Silas said stood up from his seat.
Silas ruffled Alex's hair one more time before going up to his room. He didn't feel the need to stay any longer as there was no need for it.
For Silas, there was one silver lining to everything. Since his father is back, then he can leave the responsibility of taking care of Alex fully to him and Kim.
Also, now that there's the presence of a father figure in the house, Silas can rest easy and focus on what he wants to do.
"Time to move things up."