Chapter 2
Repercussions
Hannah was angry now that she was in the midst of her punishment. She was to be grounded for two months. It didn't make her feel better that Hunter was grounded for four. She knew it was wrong to say something was wrong with her Mother and she felt bad doing it soon after she called them from camp with her concocted lie. Hunter and Megan? Megan Forman? Her best friend? Since when did they like each other? She didn't know if she liked them together or not. She couldn't talk to Megan as she was grounded for five months and she wasn't about to ask Hunter. She sat on the sofa bored out of her skull. They couldn't possibly love each other. It was wrong on so many levels. Her Mother was making lunch in the kitchen and her Father was at the only recording studio in town producing a record for an up and coming local band. She almost couldn't wait for school to start at least she'd be out of this house although she was told as Hunter was that it was only school and no hanging out with school mates. She felt cheated being grounded as it was only because of her brother and best friend that she was punished in the first place.
"Hannah, tell your brother lunch is ready." Jackie said, she's become quite a good cook over the years; it's hard to believe that long ago she couldn't bake a simple pie!
"Yeah," She got up and slowly walked to Hunter's room, she knocked on the door sharply, "Lunch is ready."
He put his sketchpad down on the bed; he was just doing some random scribbles. All he could think about was Megan and he hoped she was all right. She was grounded for one month longer than him that was purely Sgt. Donna's handiwork; Eric never would have grounded her for that long.
"I'll be there in a minute." He said to the door.
He missed her so much.
"Hunter, I'm not running an all day lunch counter." Jackie opened the door, dreading the day he was going to pack his bags and leave for good.
"I know. I told the troll I'd be there in a minute."
"Don't call your sister a troll."
"Mom, can I—"
"I know what you're going to ask, honey, and the answer is no."
"Fine." He replied coldly and went into the kitchen at his place at the table.
"Is Daddy coming home for lunch?" Hannah asked when Jackie came into the kitchen.
"No, he's working through the whole day so he can be home tonight."
Hunter wondered if he should even ask his Father since his Mother didn't even take the time to listen.
Donna typed yet another article as Eric checked on Megan in her room. She wasn't feeling well and had a small flu bug. She hoped in her heart that she wasn't too harsh but it was the only way kids learn. Eric, of course, disagreed with the five months and thought if Hyde and Jackie grounded Hunter for four that they should do the same. She was going to have a big talk with her daughter soon. She should have done it much earlier, but she never thought
Megan and Hunter would have those types of feelings for each other. She didn't want to talk to her after they brought her back from New York because everything just would have been an argument she wanted to wait for 'normalcy' to come back before establishing a heart to heart with her. She knew Eric was trying to get back on his daughter's good graces since this whole ordeal began. Donna thought, they're the parents, shouldn't it be the other way around? He always wanted to act like her 'best friend' and not her Father.
"Thanks for the juice, Dad."
"You're welcome. Megan---"
"No, Dad, I don't want to talk about Hunter with you or Mom. I'm tired, I just want to go to sleep."
'I'm not your little girl anymore'
"Okay. The doctor said you'll be yourself in a couple of days. Love you, lollipop." He kissed her warm forehead.
"Love you, too, Dad." She actually was tired and could use a little nap.
Did he really mean it when he told her that he loved her? It wasn't pity was it? Megan took off her glasses and put them on the end table. No Hunter was not that kind of person. She left her hearing aid on just incase she got a phone call, one of their parents would have stop being so strict during this grounding period and it wasn't about to be her Mother. And she didn't want to play on her Father's heartstrings because Donna might get angry with Eric and make him sleep on the sofa over it. She didn't want her parents to argue over her. Still, she wondered, as she let slumber take her, did Hunter really love her or was it something he just said To-Make-Her-Feel-Better?
For Your Own Good
Later that night
Hunter waited for two things to happen before even thinking about approaching his Father. For Hannah to be holed up in her room since she was grounded and for his Mother to be in her 'Diva Room' putting lotions and potions on her face. He was afraid to approach him as he read an indie music industry (is that an oxymoron?) magazine in his leather chair.
"Maybe, I should come back later?" Hunter wasn't frightened of many things, but he was scared of his Father.
Hyde was not an abusive Father, not at all; he just drew a hard line and expected his kids to treat him and Jackie with respect. 'Everyone' thought he and Jackie would be permissive parents 'Everyone' meant the Forman's. They had to earn their permissiveness.
"Come back, Hunter. I didn't see you all day, except at dinner. What's on your mind, son?"
"I had asked Mom a question earlier—well, I tried asking her a question earlier, but she said no before I could respond." He put his hands in his pockets.
That sounded like Jackie. He knew this had to be about Megan, but she should have at least listened to her son's question first before saying no.
"What's your question?" Hyde asked, putting his magazine down
"I want to call Megan."
He knew it.
"There better be more, because you realize you are not even done with your punishment."
"Dad, I know," He hoped he didn't come off as sarcastic, "I want to know how she's doing."
"I'm sure she's fine."
"I knew you'd be this way—I wish you ignored the question like Mom," He started to turn away to go back to his room.
"Hunter, sit down—"
'Oh-oh'
"Why?"
"Because I should have had this talk with you after we brought your lying ass home from New York, so you better sit down because I have a lot to say."
'F***'
"Okay, I'm sitting." Hunter said
"I want you to answer this honestly. Did you tell Megan that you loved her?"
"Why do you want to know that, Dad?"
"I don't have to explain my self to you. And I'm not asking you twice."
Hunter swallowed. "Yes."
"Did you mean it?"
Hunter stood up, why would his Father ask such a question? But then again he didn't have to explain himself to his kids, how utterly convenient.
"Yes."
"I don't think you did."
"WHAT?!"
"I think you two were caught up in a moment and Megan's a nice girl whom you shouldn't take advantage of."
"I DID NOT take advantage of Megan—she was quite willing---"
"Hunter, I'm not talking about that, but we'll get to it later. That's not what I mean when I say Megan is a 'Nice Girl'—Megan is the type of young woman who probably only wants ONE lifelong love. Even though she's adopted she's just like her Father on that one. Is it you? You better think about it."
"Is this because she's handicapped?"
"Don't insult me, son."
"But it's perfectly okay for you to insult me?" 'Oops. I shouldn't have said that out loud'
"Keep pushing me and I'll ground you for a year."
Hunter put his hands through his hair, it pissed him off that his Father had the better sideburns.
"I DO love her, I can't make you believe me, Dad."
"You two are only sixteen years old. Do you know how many ups and downs your Mother and me had? It took us a very long time to get married and have a family."
"I'm not you, I won't make those same mistakes."
"So, you're perfect now?"
"Why are you pushing for an argument? When all I came here to ask you was if I could call Megan?"
"Okay, fine," Hyde sighed, "You want to call Megan, do it, but I'm going to be here—and I'm going to make sure Donna," He hoped Donna answered the phone, he didn't trust that Forman could stay on the punishment track, "—Or Forman is right in the room with her, too."
Hyde had his cell phone on the table by his glasses and picked it up to dial.
"How long can we talk for?"
"I'm giving you five minutes." He might have to make it ten because he didn't know what Megan was doing and if she had to wheel herself to another room that one or both of her parents were in. "Hey, Donna, it's me. Hunter wants to talk to Megan and I told him it was okay provided you are in the room with her. Okay. We'll wait." Hyde handed the phone to his son.
"Hi, Megan. How are you?" Hunter asked
She sneezed. "H-hi. I have a little cold."
"Bless you. I hope you feel better. I miss you." He said nervously as his Father towered over him.
"I miss you, too."
"Who's there?"
"Mom."
"Oh. I'm sorry I can't talk long, I just wanted to see how you were doing." He couldn't say what he really wanted to with his Father right there.
"I'm glad you called, Hunter. I hope you get to call again soon."
"Me too. Bye, Megan. I think Dad wants to talk to Donna."
"Bye---"
Hunter watched his Father take the phone into the kitchen so he could talk to Donna in private. How come he got to have privacy?
Damn the b******! He planted the seed! Now Donna would probably have a talk with Megan and plant the 'get over it' seed in her head, too.
He did LOVE her, he did. Maybe sixteen-year-old love was different than OLDER PARENT LOVE. Hunter sat on the coffee table and put his hands over his face. It was an oil slick. He was going to have to sneak some of his Mom's face stuff because he didn't want to break out.
"How was your call?" Hyde came back in the living room
"You were there. I bet this call made you extremely happy."
"What?"
"You put doubts in my brain."
"Hunter, excuse me, but I did not put doubts in your brain. If you have doubts, then you have your OWN doubts. And do you know how much a rejection from you will HURT Megan? That is what I was trying to explain to you. You didn't EVEN THINK OF THAT when you two were stripping off each other's clothes and sneaking off to Tiffany's apartment."
"Yeah, well if our parents didn't freak out maybe we wouldn't be in this boat right now."
"How dare you turn the tables and try to blame us."
"Well, Dad, it's true—if everyone just left Megan and us alone—you want me to dump her don't you? You'll take pleasure in it—"
"What in the Hell is going on in here? I could hear you guys from all the way down the hall." Jackie came in wearing her silk robe her hair covered in a Turbie Twist.
"I do not take pleasure in other people's pain," Hyde said, well maybe when he was a smart ass kid, but not now and not with his children and Megan, whom he loved like one of his own, "I suggest you go to your room and spend some time thinking, maybe you'll be glad we grounded you."
'Damn, what if he's right?' Hunter thought as he walked back to his room.
Donna waited for Eric to be out of the house at one of his support group meetings, bless him for still attending those. She poured two glasses of iced tea with a tiny dab of natural honey in it for Megan's throat and she put some apple slices in a bowl since she didn't eat much all day. She couldn't avoid The Talk any longer. Especially after Hunter's phone call, which probably had her drawing, hearts and "Megan Loves Hunter" doodles on her notebooks. She might have had a bit of a cold but that wasn't going to stop Donna from having this heart to heart with her daughter. Donna carried the tray to her daughter's bedroom as Megan was looking at one of the old family photo albums.
"How are you doing, Megan?"
"Fine, Mom." She didn't look up. It was a just a minor cold.
"I thought we could talk for awhile since your Dad is out of the house." Donna set the tray down on her desk.
"What do you want to talk about?" She still didn't look up.
"I think you know."
Megan closed the photo album, she was looking at a picture of herself, Hannah, and Hunter when they were little kids on one of the many visits they had with each other's families.
"I already told Dad that the subject of Hunter is off limits."
Donna laughed, where did she get off saying that?
"Yeah, right. And don't think of turning your hearing aid off, I know your games." Donna put a glass of iced tea on her end table.
Megan sighed, her Mother was always more strict than her Father. When she was little he'd take her out to look at the snow and when they came back it wasn't smiles and hot chocolate that greeted them. It was something like, "Eric, what the Hell? How could you take her out with only her hat and gloves on?" It's not like they were outside for an hour. She'd get yelled at for her part because when she got to be a certain AGE she KNEW how to dress for the weather and should know better than to listen to her Father's hair brained schemes. Then after they got The Lecture they'd have the cocoa, but Donna wouldn't give Eric any marshmallows.
"Mom, I know ALL about sex." Courtesy of the Point Place School System.
"No, you don't know all about sex, when I was sixteen years old, I didn't know all about sex, so how can you? You only learned about pregnancy and STD's in school. NO Megan, you don't know all about sex. I know you and Hunter have known each other and have been friends for a very long time---"
"Mom! He told me he loved me."
Donna mentally rolled her eyes, 'Great'.
"Do you know how many doubts I had about being with your Father? You know
about our break up because your Father takes after his Mother's side of the family and can't let anything go. ---"
"I'm not you, Mom. Can't you be happy for me?"
"Happy? Happy that we caught the both of you stripped down to almost nothing on the sofa? Happy that you involved Hannah to lie about Jackie's health so we could give you and Hunter the perfect opportunity to go the bus station and go to Tiffany's apartment in NEW YORK CITY? Happy that he told you he loved you? No, I'm not."
Megan tried to hold back the tears especially on the last sentence. "I believe him."
"You might be adopted but you are so much like your Father it is scary, you have this fairy tale view of romance that the first boy is the ONLY boy. Your True Love, as it were. Megan, you have a lot to learn, a lot of places to go and explore. You shouldn't limit yourself. Who knows? Maybe in time you and Hunter will be meant to be. I just don't want you to feel that while he is a comfortable friend, you still settled for in the romance department."
"Do you think YOU settled for Dad?"
"I love your Father very much. But it took a long way to get to happiness. I broke up with him when we were kids because he wanted me to wear his ring and we were about the same age as you and Hunter. You think you are an adult now, but you're not, you're still kids—young adults."
"I told him I loved him back." Why did she not want them together?
'Great, I'm sure you did' "I want you think about your future. You and Hunter didn't even officially go on a date yet. I think the two of you need to get to know each other better before the two of you decide on anything."
"How can we when we're grounded?"
"Nice try. You and Hunter are still punished. I believe we will all be spending Thanksgiving together—and NO you can't see him before that. When your grounding is over you can have your internet privileges back. I don't want you to see me as a bitch. I just love you very much and don't want to see either one of you get hurt." Donna hugged her, but Megan didn't hug her Mother back.
"Okay. You said what you had to say, can I go back to what I was doing before you interrupted me?"
"Fine. And you don't have to be afraid to talk to me or your Father, we both love you."
'Yeah, yeah, yeah, go away.' "I know."
Donna left the room as Megan went to the end of the photo album. This was the one her Father put together because they weren't in chronological order. Which was odd considering he worked with numbers and statistics for a living. Hannah took the picture of her and Hunter when she slept over not that long ago. He was so cute. He was proud of the flea market find his Mother made for him and he wore his 'new' white button down shirt with thick blue vertical stripes.
He told her he loved her and he wouldn't have said it if he didn't mean it. Hunter was not a young man of false pretense. He was genuine like his Father.
He wouldn't have told her that he loved her if he didn't mean it. That's all there was to it.
Hunter's dream
Hunter and Megan were at the movies, but there was no film on the screen, it was silver. They were the only ones in the whole theatre.
"I love you, Hunter." Megan said
Hunter did not reply.
"Hunter," Megan turned her head, "I told you--I love you."
No reply.
Megan started to cry, "Don't you love me anymore? Were you just lying to me?"
She pushed him with all the strength she had in her arms, but he still wouldn't budge.
"Hunter—I thought you loved me?"
No reply. Megan was getting frustrated.
"Say something---"
~End dream~
That's when Hunter quickly opened his eyes. He looked at the clock on the end table in his room. It was 2:15AM. He meant what he said. He wasn't a liar. He loved Megan. He sighed and held on to his pillows tight. He couldn't wait to see her again. He wanted to prove his parents and hers that they were wrong. That they were in love.
Was she? Was he? Were they? Were they really In Love?