This story left me with a lot of questions, but this does not detract from the liking. Was Gerald not out to his sister and her husband ? If yes, why did they decide to put him in their will as responsible for their kids, since they apparently brought them up as Baptist-churchgoing bigots. And why did Gerald let them continue at the church rather than wean them away from hate ? Or did he only just take on the job as guardian ? In any case, he should tell the kids to enter the 21st century and become proper humans, preferably by paying for them to see a good therapist - which they should be doing anyway, if they witnessed their parents getting killed.
As for Phillippe, I like his sensible and calm attitude. He tries to get the best out of his life and doesn't wallow in useless regrets. It seems like the calls from Gerald may be the push he needs to be more active in shaping his future. Friendships can be more valuable than romance at our age.