I own nothing, as usual.
Enjoy!
Night Watch
Henry sat down in the armchair in front of the window. He had already meticulously dusted the entire shop and just settled restlessly down with a pot of tea that he knew he would ignore. The book he had brought to share the passing time proved as poor company as it did distraction. After more than an hour of rereading the same paragraph in between glances to the street below and the clock upon the mantle, he gave up on the tome and resorted to drumming put the milliseconds that passed.
It was far past when Abe had said he'd be home. He had gone out on a date. As he had not yet returned and it was long past midnight, Henry felt quite justified in his concern.
Finally, with a hopeless sigh, he collapsed into the cushioning, staring up to the ceiling. "Where did we go wrong, Abigail?"
Her voice came, muffled by distance, in response. "You're over reacting, Henry. You never stayed out all night on a date?"
"When I was his age dates did not exist. There was courtship and there was sin." He replied, with a note of scorn of the past era.
"And how much sin did that charm of yours get you into?"
"It was different, I didn't have anyone waiting at home for me."
"What then would you call it when we were together, before our marriage?" Abigail prompted, her voice suddenly close by.
"Ahh, yes that… Now you see, that was blessedly sinful courtship." He replied, smiling fondly.
"Blessed?" She asked, lightly teasing, softly into his ear.
"Yes. You were the most divine thing ever to happen to me. And you know it."
"Who's to say Abe isn't finding a similar love."
"Abigail, I don't know if I can survive another of Abe's loves."
"Now, now. Just you sit down and read your book. You old fuddy-duddy." She told him, then she disappeared, But not before adding, "Goodnight, Darling."
"Good night."
Henry had nearly finished the book by the time he heard the door open, and his son came upstairs. Abe entered the dimly lighted room, stepping softly on his toes in the vain attempt to return silent and unnoticed.
"Where have you been, young man?"
Abe physically jumped at his father's voice. "Jeez, pops! You nearly gave me a heart attack. Have you been up all night waiting for me?" He asked, exasperated disbelief in his tone. "This is ridiculous, you know that. I'm too old to worry about getting home before a curfew because my father will freak out."
"You're also too old to be out this late at such activities as you were. You're nearly seventy!"
"Firstly, you can't pull the age card on me. You're 235!" Abe retorted, annoyed in the extreme. "Secondly, just what activities do you think I was at, huh?"
"One's that, as a gentleman, I can not speak of."
"And you'd be wrong."
"Abraham, I'm your father, I know you." Henry pointed out, giving his son a doubtful look. "I would not be surprised to find a Casanovian memoir hidden under your mattress."
"I take offense to that. I haven't hidden anything under my mattress since you found those playboys when I was 12."
"Who was your companion for the night, may I ask?" He asked, before an answer came to mind. "It wasn't Maureen, was it?"
"You may. And no, it was Fawn."
"The widow? Oh, Abraham!"
"It's not what you think, nothing happened."
"Then what, pray tell, were you doing until four o'clock in the morning?"
"Caught up mostly, we had 60 years to cover. We started with coffee then went to her place and shared a bottle of wine. We talked the whole time. Well except that nap we took, during which we both actually fell asleep, in separate armchairs. When I left she kissed me on the cheek."
"Sounds like a lovely night. And I promise, in future, to be more trusting of your judgement." Henry admitted.
"Thanks, pops." Abe replied, appreciatively.
"That's not to say I won't wait up when you stay out late." This gained him a meaningful look of annoyance from Abe. "I am and will always be your father, whether you like it or not."
"I love you too, pops. Can I go to bed now?"
"Yes, you may. It's time I go as well." Henry said with a yawn, rising from his chair.
I had you fooled there for a minute didn't I? Hope you liked it. And I would love to hear what you thought.