Chapter Twenty-Nine:
"Jake, buddy. At least try to wipe some of that dirt off. Your mother's going to kill me. Remember last time?" he said. Looking into his son's brown eyes. Trying to get his point across. "I already tried, Dad. It's not working," Jake said. Just picturing his mother's reaction. He wasn't really afraid of his mom. She was all bark. No bite. It was his grandmother he was worried about. The same thought was running through Hank's head.
They pulled up in front of the Hotchkiss Estate, and Hank killed the engine. Then turned to his son. Trying one last time. Deciding it was useless. And shaking his head. Man, they were in trouble, he thought as he rang the doorbell. Jake stood beside him. Nervously shuffling back and forth on his feet. The door flew open, and Hank cursed his rotten luck.
"Oh good Lord! Bennett! Must you always bring that child home looking like he's been playing in the city dump?" Rebecca screeched. He ignored her. Winking at Jake. "The dump is the coolest place to play. Isn't it Jake?" "Yeah, Dad. The best," Jake played along. His grin shining brightly from his dirty little face. "Oh my god!" Rebecca exclaimed in horror. Bringing her hand to her chest and rushing off. Leaving them standing on the doorstep.
"That was so much fun, Dad," Jake giggled loudly. Hank laughed with him. "Did you see your grandma's face, Jake? It was priceless." "Grandma's too easy," Jake said between breaths. Hank slapped his son affectionately on the back and led him inside. "Oh. Hello Mr. Hotchkiss," he nodded politely. "Grandpa!" Jake gleefully yelled. Running to his grandfather's outstretched arms.
"Well," Jonathan Hotchkiss chuckled. "This is what sent my wife screaming to the other end of the house. So, Jake--my boy--was it worth it just to see the look on her face? What about it Hank?" he questioned. A amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Jonathan Hotchkiss, Hank thought, wasn't all that bad. He was saved from answering when Jake piped in. "She had steam coming out of her ears, Grandpa." Hank shook with silent laughter. Answer enough, he guessed. All three of them laughed at Rebecca's expense.
"Daddy, what's wrong with Mother? Why was she so upset? So horri....Oh. Nevermind. Hank Bennett," Gwen said shaking her head. Sighing as she looked at her son's filthy face. Hank immediately sobered. Or at least tried to. But it was extremely hard while Jonathan Hotchkiss still rumbled with laughter. "Jake," she scolded as she took him from her father's arms. "Go upstairs and get cleaned up. I'll deal with you later."
"But Mom," Jake whined. "No but's, Jacob Henry. Get upstairs. Now," she warned. "I'll be up later," she said. Softening her tone and ruffling his unruly brown hair. She watched him ascend the stairs. A loving smile on her face. Then she turned back to Hank. Arms crossed. Face a blank mask. "Look, Gwen. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to let him get so dirty again. I swear," Hank rushed. "Go easy on him, Darling," her father said. Kissing her cheek as he passed by.
She stood there. Silent. Making Hank suffer. But inside she wanted to laugh out loud at the look of panic on his face. She listened to his excuses. Waiting to see what he came up with. She had already been warned. By Pilar via telephone. She had to give it to him. He sure was a good spinmeister. "Save it, Hank," she said. Totally catching him off guard as she came closer and closer. Now he really looked scared, she thought as she came to a stop in front of him.
Downright terrified. "But Gwen," he tried to say. "It wasn't really my fault. Ali was..." He couldn't get another word out of his mouth. Because she was kissing him. And he was so stunned he couldn't think straight. "Wow," he breathed as she pulled back and smiled at him. Smiled at the confusion in his eyes. "Wow," he repeated once more. Rubbing his finger across his lips. "What was that for?" "Oh, nothing. Just felt like it." "Well. Anytime you feel like it, just lay another one of those on me. I don't mind. Not at all," he said with a cocky grin.
She rolled her eyes at him and turned to go. To follow her son upstairs to get ready for their pizza date. She laughed softly to herself imagining the look that must be on his face. "And Hank. Shame on you. Trying to pin the blame on a four-year-old little girl. At least be man enough to take responsibility," she called out behind her. Grateful he couldn't see the enormous smile on her face. And wishing she could see the look on his.
"Jake, buddy. At least try to wipe some of that dirt off. Your mother's going to kill me. Remember last time?" he said. Looking into his son's brown eyes. Trying to get his point across. "I already tried, Dad. It's not working," Jake said. Just picturing his mother's reaction. He wasn't really afraid of his mom. She was all bark. No bite. It was his grandmother he was worried about. The same thought was running through Hank's head.
They pulled up in front of the Hotchkiss Estate, and Hank killed the engine. Then turned to his son. Trying one last time. Deciding it was useless. And shaking his head. Man, they were in trouble, he thought as he rang the doorbell. Jake stood beside him. Nervously shuffling back and forth on his feet. The door flew open, and Hank cursed his rotten luck.
"Oh good Lord! Bennett! Must you always bring that child home looking like he's been playing in the city dump?" Rebecca screeched. He ignored her. Winking at Jake. "The dump is the coolest place to play. Isn't it Jake?" "Yeah, Dad. The best," Jake played along. His grin shining brightly from his dirty little face. "Oh my god!" Rebecca exclaimed in horror. Bringing her hand to her chest and rushing off. Leaving them standing on the doorstep.
"That was so much fun, Dad," Jake giggled loudly. Hank laughed with him. "Did you see your grandma's face, Jake? It was priceless." "Grandma's too easy," Jake said between breaths. Hank slapped his son affectionately on the back and led him inside. "Oh. Hello Mr. Hotchkiss," he nodded politely. "Grandpa!" Jake gleefully yelled. Running to his grandfather's outstretched arms.
"Well," Jonathan Hotchkiss chuckled. "This is what sent my wife screaming to the other end of the house. So, Jake--my boy--was it worth it just to see the look on her face? What about it Hank?" he questioned. A amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Jonathan Hotchkiss, Hank thought, wasn't all that bad. He was saved from answering when Jake piped in. "She had steam coming out of her ears, Grandpa." Hank shook with silent laughter. Answer enough, he guessed. All three of them laughed at Rebecca's expense.
"Daddy, what's wrong with Mother? Why was she so upset? So horri....Oh. Nevermind. Hank Bennett," Gwen said shaking her head. Sighing as she looked at her son's filthy face. Hank immediately sobered. Or at least tried to. But it was extremely hard while Jonathan Hotchkiss still rumbled with laughter. "Jake," she scolded as she took him from her father's arms. "Go upstairs and get cleaned up. I'll deal with you later."
"But Mom," Jake whined. "No but's, Jacob Henry. Get upstairs. Now," she warned. "I'll be up later," she said. Softening her tone and ruffling his unruly brown hair. She watched him ascend the stairs. A loving smile on her face. Then she turned back to Hank. Arms crossed. Face a blank mask. "Look, Gwen. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to let him get so dirty again. I swear," Hank rushed. "Go easy on him, Darling," her father said. Kissing her cheek as he passed by.
She stood there. Silent. Making Hank suffer. But inside she wanted to laugh out loud at the look of panic on his face. She listened to his excuses. Waiting to see what he came up with. She had already been warned. By Pilar via telephone. She had to give it to him. He sure was a good spinmeister. "Save it, Hank," she said. Totally catching him off guard as she came closer and closer. Now he really looked scared, she thought as she came to a stop in front of him.
Downright terrified. "But Gwen," he tried to say. "It wasn't really my fault. Ali was..." He couldn't get another word out of his mouth. Because she was kissing him. And he was so stunned he couldn't think straight. "Wow," he breathed as she pulled back and smiled at him. Smiled at the confusion in his eyes. "Wow," he repeated once more. Rubbing his finger across his lips. "What was that for?" "Oh, nothing. Just felt like it." "Well. Anytime you feel like it, just lay another one of those on me. I don't mind. Not at all," he said with a cocky grin.
She rolled her eyes at him and turned to go. To follow her son upstairs to get ready for their pizza date. She laughed softly to herself imagining the look that must be on his face. "And Hank. Shame on you. Trying to pin the blame on a four-year-old little girl. At least be man enough to take responsibility," she called out behind her. Grateful he couldn't see the enormous smile on her face. And wishing she could see the look on his.