She was gone, and it was for good this time. He couldn't really blame her. Henry had never been the overtly emotional type. The closest he ever came to romantic was when he asked her to marry him. After that, as far as he was concerned, the deal was done. It just didn't occur to him that he was expected to keep wooing her after that. It wasn't like he was a bad husband. He never cheated, was never abusive, never drank too much, smoked cigars in the house, or stayed away for days at a time. In actuality, Henry thought of himself as an exceptionally considerate provider. He worked a steady job, willingly putting in overtime when possible. He cooked meals, took an active interest in the raising of their son, and kept his family safe. But…
He sighed, rotating the thick gold band with his thumb and forefinger. He'd been officially single for two hours. Oh, they hadn't met with the lawyers yet, hadn't signed any papers… but it was still official. Tonight, she was sleeping in a hotel on Henry's dime, and he was sleeping alone. Well… actually, he was sitting on the edge of a bed, staring at a circlet of gold that summed up all that he'd lost. He took a sip from the clear glass resting on the end table. The alcohol was harder than he typically liked, but tonight, he needed the warmth.
A hesitant knock at the door made him glance up to see the concerned gaze of his son peering through the doorway. "Shawn, you should be in bed son, you have school tomorrow."
Shawn bit his lip, gripping the door tightly with one hand. "Dad… is mom…"
Henry sighed again, gesturing his son over. Reluctantly, the young boy slid into the room, dropping down on the bed next to his dad. "Kid… your mom and I…" He paused, for the first time that he could remember, at a loss as to what he would say to his son. However, Shawn's eyes… deep with hurt… didn't really need the confirmation.
"She's not coming back."
Henry shook his head. "No."
Nodding shallowly, Shawn stood again, silently making his way from the room. Alone once more, Henry glared at the glass on his table. He felt the tiniest stirrings of temptation at the sight of that amber liquid. It'd be very easy to drown himself in liquor, let himself sink into a haze for this first night… it really couldn't hurt. But…
That look in Shawn's eyes.
Reaching out, he shoved the glass away. It wasn't just about himself. No matter how much it hurt, his child would be hurting more. And it was just the two of them now. Standing, he rubbed the back of his head. His kid would hate him, he was certain. However, the boy deserved an explanation. He was fourteen now… he was old enough to understand. Rubbing a hand across his eyes, Henry walked from the room; thinking that maybe, someday, he would be old enough to understand too.