Chapter Forty-Seven
Anger filled her and without thinking, she jumped to her feet and glared at the woman in front of her. "Mother! How dare you say such a thing! This is none of your business. What I decide is my business so shut up." Rebecca Hotchkiss closed her gaping mouth in shock and raised a hand to her chest.
"I can't believe you're speaking to me that way. Your own mother." "Well, believe it, Mother. Get over yourself. I'm my own person. I make my own decisions. And," she said taking Hank by the hand and pulling him to his feet, "I choose Hank. Hank," she said. Turning her full attention on the man by her side. "I love you. Yes, I'll marry you."
"My life is over," Rebecca shrieked. Loud enough for everyone who wasn't listening before to hear her. "Jonathan, take me home this instant. I can't take anymore of this public humiliation." Jonathan Hotchkiss looked at his wife and with a smile said, "Take yourself home. You're perfectly capable of doing it yourself. I want to stay and celebrate my daughter's engagement. Welcome to the family, Hank."
Rebecca's eyes rolled back in her head, and she promptly passed out. Hank's mouth hung open in shock, but Jonathan just acted like nothing happened and said, "Some other time. You two kids get out of here. Go somewhere special and celebrate. I'll take care of your mother, Gwen. She'll be alright," he said. Nodding his head at the young man kneeling at Rebecca's side. Fanning her in an effort to wake her.
Gwen kissed her father's cheek in goodbye. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure." They all turned at the distinct sound of someone moaning. Rebecca. "See. She's already coming to. You better get out of here before she wakes up." "I love you, Daddy." "I love you, too. Bring that grandson of mine to see me. Soon. Bye, sweetheart. Bye, Hank. You take care of my little girl."
For the first time since the whole scene began, Hank found his voice. "I will, Mr. Hotchkiss. I'll take the best care of her." "Alright now. Enough with you two. Hurry and get out of here while you still can." The grin on Hank's face grew impossibly wide at Jonathan's words, and once he and Gwen were safely in the car, he turned to her and asked, "Did I ever tell you how cool your Dad was?"
She just laughed. "He is pretty cool, isn't he? At least one of Jake's grandparents is not a total fruitcake. I don't know why it took me so long to realize how crazy my mother was. And it's all because of you." He smiled at her. Then started the car. They rode in silence. Until he brought the car to a stop. At the beach.
She took his hand and followed him to the shore's edge. The light wind whipped her hair around her face, and she laughed after many failed attempts to get it under control. Finally just letting it go. They stood there. Holding on to each other. Not saying a word. "Did you mean it?" he asked in a quiet voice beside her. "Or was it just for your mother's benefit?"
"Hank Bennett! How could you think such a thing? Of course, I meant it. Every word. I love you, and I would love to be your wife. Giving my mother a heart attack was just an added bonus." By this time, she knew he was certain of her sincerity. He wore the brightest smile on his face. A smile that matched hers as he slipped the ring on her finger. "And I can't wait to be your husband. Even if Rebecca will be the mother-in-law from Hell," he said with a shudder before leaning in and kissing her. "I can't wait, either," she whispered as she kissed him back. And it was true. She was more ready than she had ever been in her life. Marriage to Hank would be anything but boring.
Anger filled her and without thinking, she jumped to her feet and glared at the woman in front of her. "Mother! How dare you say such a thing! This is none of your business. What I decide is my business so shut up." Rebecca Hotchkiss closed her gaping mouth in shock and raised a hand to her chest.
"I can't believe you're speaking to me that way. Your own mother." "Well, believe it, Mother. Get over yourself. I'm my own person. I make my own decisions. And," she said taking Hank by the hand and pulling him to his feet, "I choose Hank. Hank," she said. Turning her full attention on the man by her side. "I love you. Yes, I'll marry you."
"My life is over," Rebecca shrieked. Loud enough for everyone who wasn't listening before to hear her. "Jonathan, take me home this instant. I can't take anymore of this public humiliation." Jonathan Hotchkiss looked at his wife and with a smile said, "Take yourself home. You're perfectly capable of doing it yourself. I want to stay and celebrate my daughter's engagement. Welcome to the family, Hank."
Rebecca's eyes rolled back in her head, and she promptly passed out. Hank's mouth hung open in shock, but Jonathan just acted like nothing happened and said, "Some other time. You two kids get out of here. Go somewhere special and celebrate. I'll take care of your mother, Gwen. She'll be alright," he said. Nodding his head at the young man kneeling at Rebecca's side. Fanning her in an effort to wake her.
Gwen kissed her father's cheek in goodbye. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure." They all turned at the distinct sound of someone moaning. Rebecca. "See. She's already coming to. You better get out of here before she wakes up." "I love you, Daddy." "I love you, too. Bring that grandson of mine to see me. Soon. Bye, sweetheart. Bye, Hank. You take care of my little girl."
For the first time since the whole scene began, Hank found his voice. "I will, Mr. Hotchkiss. I'll take the best care of her." "Alright now. Enough with you two. Hurry and get out of here while you still can." The grin on Hank's face grew impossibly wide at Jonathan's words, and once he and Gwen were safely in the car, he turned to her and asked, "Did I ever tell you how cool your Dad was?"
She just laughed. "He is pretty cool, isn't he? At least one of Jake's grandparents is not a total fruitcake. I don't know why it took me so long to realize how crazy my mother was. And it's all because of you." He smiled at her. Then started the car. They rode in silence. Until he brought the car to a stop. At the beach.
She took his hand and followed him to the shore's edge. The light wind whipped her hair around her face, and she laughed after many failed attempts to get it under control. Finally just letting it go. They stood there. Holding on to each other. Not saying a word. "Did you mean it?" he asked in a quiet voice beside her. "Or was it just for your mother's benefit?"
"Hank Bennett! How could you think such a thing? Of course, I meant it. Every word. I love you, and I would love to be your wife. Giving my mother a heart attack was just an added bonus." By this time, she knew he was certain of her sincerity. He wore the brightest smile on his face. A smile that matched hers as he slipped the ring on her finger. "And I can't wait to be your husband. Even if Rebecca will be the mother-in-law from Hell," he said with a shudder before leaning in and kissing her. "I can't wait, either," she whispered as she kissed him back. And it was true. She was more ready than she had ever been in her life. Marriage to Hank would be anything but boring.