Chapter 24

I entered the house it was quiet and somewhat cold without Harmione there. The lights were off. I backed up into the door and stood in silence. I started praying she'd get through her first day without anything bad happening to her. Our clocked chimed in the living room to signal 10:00 am. The first two hours gone and I continued to count them down.

I quietly entered the living room and sat down. About that time, Hope walked by with a basket of laundry. Her beautiful white curly hair tied back in a ponytail with a braid.

"I didn't hear you come in."

I sighed and motioned a wave.

"I'm here." I breathed back.

"Are you...okay?"

"Yeah...I'm fine."

Hope put the basket down and began to fold the clothes.

"She'll be okay you know?" Hope said and gave a smile. "Didn't you say that?"

I smiled back.

"I did, yeah."

Hope's eyes beamed brightly and her smile lit up on her face.

"How's Gwen?"

"Fine." Hope replied. "They won't be going back to the doctor until December to figure out the gender, unless they have problems."

"I'm glad we didn't have problems."

"Yeah..." Hope continued to fold the clothes as she spoke.

"Hope?"

"Hm?"

"When you...pictured your life with me was it always this quiet?"

Hope exchanged a smile and shook her head.

"No, in fact I saw a couple of kids, maybe a dog or a cat here and there...a seemingly perfect life...well not perfect just happy...warm...and loving."

"Hope."

I stood and sat on the couch next to her.

"What would you say if I wanted to try for more kids?"

"I'd say you're crazy!"

I sighed.

"Ben...you work at Mr. Smoothy during the day, fight aliens at night, I work as a teller at the bank...and I try to help with the fighting stuff...but you know our income isn't that great."

"I know but..."

"Gwen went to college, and Kevin a technical school...they have it a little bit better than we do...they'll probably have two or three kids."

"You said happy not perfect."

"Ben...I am happy...You've given me everything...you have gone above and beyond our wedding vows..."

I interlocked my fingers with hers. Our wedding bands in full view.

"You are more than a wonderful husband and father to Harmione...I thought a lot of kids and a pet would make me happy but the truth is...I love my life...I love you."

Hope pecked my lips and brushed my bangs back.

"I love you too...it's just I really miss our Harmione."

"Well...She'll be happy to see you at 2:55...this first day of hers has really got you shook up huh?"

"Uh-huh."

I propped my elbow on the back of the couch and leaned into my fist.

"I don't...I don't want her to get hurt...the way you got hurt."

Hope paused and looked deeply at me. It grew even quieter. Hope then presumed folding and finished up the basket.

"You didn't see the way she looked at me when I left her today...how she cried and didn't understand why I had to leave."

"Babe...you can't protect her indefinitely...you can't be in two places at once...and you can't watch her 24/7."

"I know...but I want too."

Hope smiled shyly and stroked my knee.

"Tell you what...let's go out to lunch and try to think of something else...okay?" Hope picked up the basket and we later departed for a burger place. We sat in the car eating cheeseburgers, French fries, and sipped on chocolate shakes.

"Your turn." Hope spat out before she held her straw revealing salmon pink nail polish on her nails; and sipped her shake.

"Okay...um...do you like it when I wear cologne?"

Hope smirked.

"You do?" I grinned.

"I didn't say anything yet!" She exclaimed and put down her shake.

"I love it when you wear the cologne I buy..."

"Oh yeah the one you got me on my birthday...Prada... something."

"Prada L'homme L'eau" Hope interrupted.

"That." I said back. "Okay...your turn."

"Mm..."

Hope ate another fry and I continued to eat my burger.

"Oh...okay, what's one question you're scared to ask me, but really want to know the answer to?"

"Oh God..." I wiped my mouth on a napkin.

"You said any question...we could ask anything."

"Yeah I know...its just...I don't want to hurt you."

"Ben...you should know by now you can't hurt me."

"Okay..."

I thought about it for a while. There was something I wanted to ask. There were lots of things actually.

"Why did you let Hex hurt you?"

Hope turned away as though bitten. She looked back up at me slowly and her eyes never left mine.

"I think it's because I felt like I had no one else...and no one left to turn to...I hate to admit it but he taught me a lot, Uncle did."

She finally looked down and played with her wedding ring.

"I wouldn't be able to help Harmione otherwise...as if through my struggle it found worth...and through every difficulty lies opportunity."

My ears perked up.

"Say that again."

"Through every difficulty lies opportunity." Hope repeated.

I just smiled and shook my head. Paradox you sly bastard. If the hardship before led up to this moment, I would have relaxed a little more and worried a lot less. Time is a heartless bitch to which I now know can also be timeless and rich.

"That's good to know."

Hope kissed my cheek.

"What about me, anything you want to know?" I asked.

"Yes...but I'm not ready to ask yet."

"Later then?"

Hope nodded as she ate a few more fries.

I awaited the question as we both waited for 2:55 to roll around. Harmione was greatly missed by us both; no question about that.

Hope and I returned home and took a nap. We were thankful we both had the day off. I left around 1:30 to get in a long line of cars waiting to pick up their children. Seeing as it was everyone's first day, everyone was anxious to get in and out of school as fast as possible. I parked across the street opposite the gymnasim. From the driver's side I had a full view of the side exit. Harmione would be coming out of those school doors any minute now. I tapped my finger on the steering wheel. Suddenly I saw her. My little princess was being escorted across the crosswalk to the car. Mrs. Brunner had her by the hand. I quickly got out of the car as they approached. Something was wrong.

"Mr. Tennyson."

As Harmione got closer I noticed something very wrong.

"I'm afraid she got into a bit of trouble at recess today." Mrs. Brunner began.

Harmione looked up at me. I gasped and got on my knee taking her face in my hands. Her right eye was swollen and purple.

"What happened?!" I shouted not meaning too. "Get in the car baby."

I took her backpack and opened the car door for her. Harmione climbed in and I gave her back her backpack and shut the door.

"Mrs. Brunner, why does my daughter have a huge black eye?!"

Mrs. Brunner looked down then back up at me.

"Mr. Tennyson you should know that, the other student was also punished."

"Also punished?!" My voice got louder as my anger grew. "You mean Harmione's punished too?"

"Yes sir..." Mrs. Brunner replied with a nod. "You see at recess today there was a little boy...he made fun of her necklace so she hit him...the boy got angry and hit her back."

"I see...and this boy did he have a black eye too?"

Mrs. Brunner started to speak and shook her head.

"No." I answered for her. "So he hit my baby 10 times harder than she hit him."

"I think you're missing the point Mr. Tennyson...she started a fight on the playground...she has been prohibited to play on the playground for the next few days and has received a paddling by our school principal.

"Why weren't Hope and I called about this?"

"If your child was in bad health, or if it were an emergency we would most certainly call, but for discipline we leave it up to the administration, and as a teacher I talk with the parents or guardians about their child's behavior...please we're not overly strict and Mr. Don hated to do it...to both children but both were very much in the wrong."

I looked at Harmione in the car.

"Okay I...Uh...I'll talk to Harmione...I'm just concerned about her eye."

"The school nurse applied ice to it this afternoon to help with the swelling...I didn't mean to upset you Mr. Tennyson...Harmione's a very bright girl...I enjoyed her in class today."

"Thanks Mrs. Brunner...thanks."

On the ride home, Harmione didn't speak. She hardly moved. I didn't like the idea of not being called and actually called the school to see if that could be changed. I tried my best to stay level-headed. Her teacher was right she shouldn't have hit him. But that boy should lay off my little girl. I had mixed emotions about the day. I'm sure Harmione did too. Hope wasn't happy about Harmione's eye either but there wasn't much neither of us could do about it now, except promote comfort and healing.

Hope took Harmione in the kitchen to tend to her. She sat her on the counter and began to flush out her eye. Juju pawed at Hope's ankles desperate to see what was happening.

"No...Harmione stop trying to rub it." Hope demanded.

Hope was upset about the eye and Harmione's behavior. I was more upset about the eye.

"Harmione Kay Tennyson what did I tell you?!"

"Not to touch my eye."

"No, about fighting!"

"I shouldn't..."

"And that's what upsets me the most...is that you knew that...oh..."

Hope clicked her tongue and grimaced her face at Harmione's own eye as if she felt the pain herself.

"Well I don't see anything in your eye...Ben, just get me an ice pack please."

I did as she requested only we didn't have one.

"Peas?" I asked promptly. "That's all we got."

"Yeah...that'll work." She replied as she continued to look Harmione over. I handed her the peas. Hope wrapped them in a dish towel and placed them gently on Harmione's eye. Harmione hissed. My face distorted as if I felt the sting. Hope placed her down on the ground and Harmione held the peas to her face.

"We'll talk later...go on with Juju, go lie down in your room."

Harmione obeyed. Hope sighed. Subsequently, later that night; Hope entered the bedroom after tucking Harmione and Juju into bed. She seemed bothered. She slowly unbraided her hair, and wavy curls drooped down her back and shoulders. She took off her robe revealing a tank top and panties underneath. I turned over as I heard her enter the room. She sat on the bed and sighed heavily. I leisurely sat up and massaged her neck and shoulders.

"She...she's not like me at all."

"What do you mean?"

"I should be upset that she fought back but I'm proud she fought back...is that wrong?"

"No..." I told her in an airy tone. "All I want now is for her to be safe if she doesn't fight back...and when she chooses too...and I know you'll be able to show her how to that."

"Mm." She hummed.

I kissed her shoulder and stroked her back.

"How was her eye?"

"Uh...better..."

Hope flipped her hair over to one side with her neck completely exposed. I traced my fingers up and down her neck.

"The swelling's gone down some and I gave her a Tylenol...might help."

"I...I prayed all day about her; hoping she'd have a good day...guess I didn't pray hard enough."

"Ben...it happened...okay we couldn't predict it, stop it, or prevent it...let's just sleep on it...okay."

"Yeah okay."

I laid back down, Hope lied with me and I put my arms around her.

"Ben?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you that question now?"

"Shoot."

"Okay...when you fell in love with me..."

"Mm-hm."

"You could have lost your friends and your family for siding with me...I could have been as bad as they said...I could have destroyed your life."

Hope rolled over to face me.

"Yeah...but you aren't...and you didn't so..."

"But why?"

"Why what?"

"What made you love me so easily, to almost give up your family, for me?"

"Angel...as far as I was concerned then...you were the only family I had."

I smiled shyly at her.

"Baby, you are my best friend in the whole world. You are more fun than anyone or anything I know. You are the most perfect you there is. You are enough. You are one of the strongest people I know. Your outlook on life is amazing. You just light up the room. You make a bigger impact than you realize. You are always so helpful. You have the best laugh. I appreciate our friendship as your inside is even more beautiful than your outside. You just glow. I love the way you bring out the best in people, and our family is better because you are part of it. You bring out the best in the rest of us. Nothing can stop you, and when it comes to cooking, no one's meals are quite as delicious. I am a better person because of you. You have taught me so much. I like the way you are. I mean...You make me want to be a better person. You are one of the bravest people I know. You are so trustworthy; I always believe what you say. Everything seems brighter when you are around. Even the things you don't like about yourself make you interesting. I know that you will always have my back, because that is the kind of person you are. You have the best ideas. You are a great example to others. I know that if you ever make a mistake, you fix it. You've got great leadership skills. You have amazing creative potential. You are stunning. You really seem to know who you are. I admire that. You are the reason I am smiling today. You're a gift to everyone you meet. You have a gift for making people comfortable. I enjoy spending time with you. I am really glad we met. I tell everyone how amazing you are. You are kiss to me from an Angel, Angel, and I could not ask for a better friend than you. I admire your beauty, your courage and your spirit you use to take on the world everyday. You're so damn beautiful...I...I...You are simply amazing, and you are so near and dear to my heart. You can make anyone laugh, you can dance, you can sing. You amaze me, inspire me, and make me happy...and I saw all of that when I first saw you...and I'll always see it."

Hope shook her head in unbelievable tears as she listened to my words.

"Angel...you've charmed me and I...I can't let go even if I tried."

Hope stroked my face. I stared deeply into her eyes. Suddenly she rolled over on top of me, her white hair falling forward.

"You've charmed me too Benjamin Kirby Tennyson."

I smirked.

"There are days I sit and wonder...Damn how did I get so lucky?"

I pulled her hair behind her ear.

"You don't have to wonder...good things happen to good people."

Hope smiled from ear to ear and bent down to kiss me. We grinned into the kiss. Abruptly her tongue danced across mine. She pecked my cheek, then my neck, then my chest. I knew what she was thinking, and I was thinking it too.

The next morning, the sun peaked in through the blinds. A mocking bird was heard somewhere in the distance. We awoke next to each other completely bare. I kissed her forehead and snuggled close to her. There was a knock at the door. We both jumped and gasped not expecting it.

"Mommy?!" Harmione called.

"Mm...what sweetie!?"

"I want pancakes!" came Harmione's voice through the door.

"Alright sweetie!"

We didn't want to get up. We didn't want to leave each other's side. The bed was warm and cozy. Hope put on her robe and tied her hair up in a messy bun. I sat up rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Ben...I'm about to open the door could you..."

I reached for a used rubber on the nightstand.

"I'll take care of it."

Hope smiled and started to leave.

"Thanks for talking to me last night..."

She left and I spoke out after to her:

"Thank you...for my life."