Chapter 37

Harmione began doing things around the house for Hope. I think she was finally starting to feel comfortable with how our life was. How her life was. We were nearing late Autumn when Hope started to fully show. She seemed bigger than she was when she was pregnant with Harmione. Harmione took notice and tried to help Hope pick out clothes and help her with her shoes. Halloween was upon us again, and I still have flashbacks sometimes of that horrible night at the hospital; when Hope was thrown into that coma.

I tried not to let it get to me when I took Harmione trick or treating. She wanted to be a ballerina this year, and she was the cutest ballerina I ever saw. As I drove her around house to house I kept thinking about Hope back home, alone. The thought began to scare me as I always hate thinking of her like that. Nothing good can come from that.

"Daddy?!" Harmione yelled and hopped in the car again.

"That man gave me the last of his chocolate bars!"

"Hey did?" I said with a smile.

"Did you say Happy Halloween?"

She only nodded as she licked a sucker smearing a sticky cherry residue on her face.

"What did I say about your bucket, don't eat anything, until Mommy and Daddy check it first."

"Sorry..."

I shook my head at her and moved onto the next house. She opened the car door and ran out. Her pumpkin bucket swinging, and her bright pink tutu bouncing. I smiled and leaned on the steering wheel as I watched her.

I heard a ding from my phone and opened up a text message that read:

'Ben. Please come home right away.'

It was from Angel. I shoved the phone in my jacket pocket and honked the horn.

"Harmione!" I yelled for her.

We made it back home as soon as possible. When I arrived in the driveway a car was already there. It was a car I didn't recognize. I parked in the street and slammed the car door.

"Daddy...Daddy can I have my gummies?" Harmione asked as she happily trotted behind me.

"Sure baby." I responded quickly. She caught up to me and took my hand with her left as she carried her bucket with her right.

"Who's here Daddy?"

"I don't know darling."

I entered the house with Harmione. Hope was sitting in the living room. She stood as I entered.

"Ben...this is-"

Before she said another word I knew who it was. He stood proud and tall off our couch and his eyes met mine.

"Herve...with a lot of nerve...what are you doing here?"

"I realize this is awkward but I came by for Julie."

"Julie knows how I feel I don't need to explain it to you."

Hope stood close to me and touched my arm.

"He says you really hurt her this time Ben." Hope began.

"I hurt her?!" I questioned.

"Don't play dumb, you idiot." Herve spoke out of turn and out of character.

My eyes narrowed.

"Angel...take Har to her room, look over her candy."

"Come on sweetie."

Hope led Harmione to her room. As soon as they were out of ear shot I spoke.

"I'm not the idiot here...you broke up with her...why do you care what-"

"We said we'd be good friends and as her friend she came to me crying talking about you!"

"Friend huh...with benefits...or just casual pity sex?"

"See it's things like that, that made her dump your ass!"

"Why are you here Herve?" I folded my arms.

"I want the truth Ben Tennyson and I'm not leaving until I get it!"

"Truth about what?!" I shouted. "I told her I don't trust her, and I'm not going to be friends with someone that just uses and abuses me?!"

"That's rich coming from you, that's what she said you did!"

I sighed gathering my thoughts.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked plainly.

"I'm talking about last year, she told me that while Hope was in a coma you slept with her and left her for nothing...Don't even try to deny it, and when she came to see you back in the summer hoping to get back together; you blew her off again, you hypocrite!"

"Enough!" I yelled over him. "That's bullshit...she's really playing you Herve...And I'm married Herve!"

"Looks like that didn't make a difference to you!"

"It's a lie!"

"You hurt her Ben, stop trying to avoid it."

"She hurt me first!" I screamed. I drew back as if I was bitten. I didn't mean to say that.

"Just keep adding on to it...now that you got your wife knocked up again, it might not be the best time to tell her you stepped out...I actually never thought you could sink so low...but then again you were in therapy that one year after Julie broke up with-"

"Shut up!" I got in his face. "Get out of my house."

"Not until we settle this...I promised Julie I'd make you regret hurting her the way you did."

He looked me in the eyes. Our breathe close. Neither one blinked. His fist only clenched. I moved my hand over the Omnitrix.

"Go ahead." I uttered.

"I should have known you'd cheat on your wife Ben...She's just not the one for you is she...we all tried to warn you from the start...Julie tried to warn you about that bitc-"

Before he finished his sentence I backed him up into the wall with my arm across his chest, the Omnitrix put off a green glow on our faces.

"This is between us...don't you dare bring her into this...and you and Julie keep my Angel's name out of your mouths..."

He didn't try to pull away he continued to stare.

"I think you should just go home."

"I can't do that Ben...this is for Julie.

"Herve...I'm giving you a chance here...go home...I really don't want to hurt you."

He balled his fists at me.

"Herve...don't try me..."

He started to move and throw a punch, only I had him pinned and pushed him harder into the wall.

"I said don't...don't try me...get out of here and take your lies with you."

I let him go and eased off him. He fixed his jacket and stared deeply at me. Glaring.

"Take a picture...it'll last longer."

He scoffed and left the house in a huff. As soon as his car sped out of the driveway I let out a sigh. Hope was standing in the hall with a concerned look on her face.

"Hope..."

"I know Ben."

She rushed as fast as she could over to me and hugged me tightly. As tight as she could. I placed my hand on the back of her neck and the stroked her shoulder blades.

"I love you...and I trust you...and Gwen told me about what you went through when I was out of it and I...I just can't bring myself to believe such a...Oh Why does Julie hate you so much to do this to you?"

"Because she doesn't have what I do...and if she keeps acting the way she does...she never will."

I hugged her even tighter. If I hadn't of went with Paradox that day I wouldn't have what I have either. I'm truly happy with the way things turned out that not even Julie and Herve can mess that up. We've been through far worse than anything they could dish out. The way things have been, anything else fails in comparison.