I pulled my car into the driveway of the home that I spent part of my childhood in. The home that reminded me of what I had lost. Not because things were bad there, but because it wasn't the home that we lived in with our parents. It was the home that we lived in as the result of their death.

I knocked on the door before turning the knob and letting myself in. Uncle Dwight was expecting me, and he still considered his home to be mine too. He saw no need for me to wait for him to come to the door.

I made my way to the living room where I knew I would find him. He was sitting in his recliner chair with a root beer and a rerun of Bonanza on the T.V. I knew he had to have seen every episode a hundred times. Heck, I’d seen them a handful of times myself simply from living in the same house.

He turned his head toward me when he heard me enter the room.

"Hey, there's some dinner on the stove if you want some."

"Hey Uncle Dwight," I answered.

I was usually pretty diligent about the things I ate, but I knew if he cooked that he intended for me to eat dinner there. When we were kids, he would do his best to cook us a hot dinner. Since we’d grown up and left, he usually ate frozen meals. The fact that he took the time to cook had me heading to the kitchen to make a plate.

I filled my plate with green beans, baked chicken, and mashed potatoes. I could tell he tried to keep it kind of healthy for me. He was a man of few words, but he showed his love through simple gestures. I headed back to the living room, sat on the couch, and dug into my plate.

"How's it been going at the gym?"

"Good, I've been growing my client base. How's work been for you?"

Uncle Dwight had worked at a factory for over thirty years. I knew that the manual labor was starting to take a toll on his body, but he didn't ever mention retiring. I imagined he would try to work until he drew his last breath.

"Same as always."

I nodded my head in response. No point in probing for more when I knew I wouldn't get it.

"You met any women? You aren't getting any younger you know."

I laughed to myself. I was far from old, but my uncle always asked if I had a "woman". I think he was afraid that I would end up alone.

"Yeah, I have met someone actually."

"What's her name?"

"Penelope, she's one of my clients."

"Mixing business with pleasure."

I let out a huff of a laugh."Something like that."

"Is it serious?"

"I think it's getting there."

"Look, son, I know I don't talk about feelings and all of that often, but I want you to find someone that makes you happy. I know you hardly date because you’re afraid if you let someone in that they’re going to leave. You may not know that's what you’re doing, but it is. Your parent's died in a freak accident. Your sister, well she's a troubled girl. I think the right woman could help you heal."

I thought about Penelope and how I opened up to her so easily. I hadn't opened up to anyone, let alone a woman like that. The story of my parent's and Abigail just poured out of me. She didn't run or judge me when a few tears escaped. She just held me and let me feel. I hadn't been held like that since before my parents died.

"Maybe you're right unc."

"I am, boy. I don't want you to live most of your life alone like I have. If it wasn't for raising you two, I would have been a lonely hermit."

"I was always afraid we were the reason that you didn't have a girlfriend."

My uncle moved his eyes from the T.V. and looked at me. I saw a sadness in eyes that were much like my own.

"You had nothing to do with it. I was happy to raise you two. I just never put myself out there. After my first wife, I didn't much see the point in courting another woman. Now I'm an old man."

Something about his words hit me in the heart. I hated that he had closed himself off. If I was being honest with myself I was headed down the same path just like he said. If I wanted to see where this thing with Penelope could go I was going to have to trust her and trust myself.

I watched another episode of Bonanza before I decided to head home. Right before I walked out of the door Uncle Dwight called out from his chair.

"Bring that girl over here for dinner soon so I can meet her."

A feeling of gratitude filled me. For all intents and purposes, this man was my parent. My second father. I may have lost my biological parents, but I still had a living parent that cared about me.

"I will."

I pulled out of the driveway and started toward my house. My mind was on the things that Uncle Dwight said to me. The next thing I knew I was outside of Penelope's place. I didn't even realize I was driving there until I was out front. The universe must have drawn me to her.

I hesitated a few minutes debating if I should go knock. I thought about texting her from the car but decided against it. Finally, I got out and walked to her door. If she was busy or didn't want me there, I would leave. I just needed to see her.

I knocked and waited. A few seconds later I heard her unlocking the locks, and there she was.

She was wearing a thin white tank top and boy shorts. She looked sexy as hell. I could see the outline of her breasts through the material and her behind was cupped in the form fitting shorts. If they could even really be called shorts.

"Reed, what are you doing here?" I could hear the concern in her voice.

I stepped closer to her. So close that our bodies were touching. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me. She tilted her head up and looked at me and smiled a sweet smile. Just for me.

A feeling of need came over me and I bent down and pressed her lips against mine. My hands slid down to her round behind and squeezed. Her body felt so good against mine. She’d definitely lost some weight since we started her workouts, but her body was still curvy, just the way I liked.

A moan escaped her lips as she ran her hands through my hair. My body was reacting to her soft caresses, and I knew she had to feel it against her. My body was craving hers. Before we went too far, I reluctantly pulled away. I palmed her face in my hand.

"Penn, I needed to see you. Now that I'm here I feel like I need you, but I don't want to move too fast or make you feel pressured. I'll wait for you to be ready."

She looked at me and I saw the same heat I felt reflected in her eyes. She glanced down between our bodies and then slowly drug her gaze back up to meet mine.

"I don't want to wait, Reed. I want you too."