Sweet Summer Sunsets- A Robert Irwin FanFic

Ashley

AN/TW: This chapter contains depictions of self-harm.

Robert and I were enjoying the silence and warm summer breeze out on the back deck, until he nudged me gently, prompting me to sit up. I looked up to see my mum and a man, who I'm assuming must be my uncle James.

"Hey kids," mum said, approaching the steps to the deck. "I figured you two would be out here by now. Did you get the cookies made?"

"Yep," I said coldly. I was upset that she didn't mention bringing James over today, I was supposed to meet him tomorrow and I was barely mentally prepared for that as it is. 

"Oh, Robert, this is my brother, James," mum said. They were standing closer to us now, and Robert stood up and shook James's hand. 

"Well, I'm going to go home now," Robert said, awkwardly. "I'll see you both tomorrow." He turned and looked at me, raising his eyebrows quickly. It was as if he was trying to say "well this is awkward, I hope it goes well" with just his eyes. I figured I would call him later, or he would call me if I didn't. 

I sadly watched as Robert walked away, wishing he would have stayed to make this more bearable, but I respected and appreciated that he was trying to give me and my family boundaries. 

"Well, let's get this over with," I said, not trying to hide my annoyance. I grabbed my phone and opened the sliding door and went inside the house, stopping in the kitchen.

"Ashley!" My mum scolded. 

She and James followed me inside, sitting down at the table. I leaned against the kitchen island, crossing my arms over my chest and staring them down. They did look a lot alike, so there was no mistaking him as my uncle. And boy, Cait looked so much like him.  

"What!? You keep this from me, all of this, and expect me to be okay with it? Plus, you didn't even tell me that he was coming over today, and I wasn't even mentally prepared to meet him tomorrow!" I practically yelled. I was angry. So angry. 

James cleared his throat, and I can tell he felt awkward, no doubt drowning in the tension between my mother and me, as well as my anger.

"Ashley, I'm sorry for not keeping in touch with your mom and not trying to meet you sooner," he spoke. He had an American accent, like my mum. I rolled my eyes. 

"If that was the whole situation, I would have been more or less fine with it eventually," I said, "But it's not. There's also Cait and her mum, who also have feelings, you know, as humans do." 

"Yes, I know," James said, looking down. "And whenever they come back after Christmas, we're all going to sit down and have a conversation." 

"How do we even know you really are Cait's father?" I said, earning another scornful look from my mum. 

"Ashley, she looks enough like him that it can't be coincidental," Mum said, sighing heavily. 

"I still think there should be a DNA test. Also, what about Bill, ya know Cait's "dad"? Did nobody think about how he would feel? Or what could possibly happen to Cait's family?" 

"I will admit, I did not think of that," James said, looking back up at me. His eyes were watery like he was holding back tears. I rolled my eyes again. 

"Of course, you didn't! You know, for adults, you two are both being so... childish,"  I said, scoffing. 

"Ashley, I know this is hard, but you don't have to have such an attitude about it," my mum said. 

"Really? That's your concern here? Not how this will affect Cait's whole family? How she's technically our family now? How I've had to keep this from her?" I retorted, trying to keep my voice steady and not break down in front of these two.