Sorry for the delay! I have been really busy and haven't had a chance to finish up this chapter until now! I hope you all enjoy it! I hope to have more soon!
The morning light trickled through the cracks in the shades and drapes of the living room causing Hank to waken. He looked around the room, disorientation overwhelming him. The semi naked form of Kate lay snuggled close to him and then he remembered what happened the previous night. They had made mad love right there on the floor. He smiled to himself and sat up easily, prying Kate's grip from him. She stirred, her eyes wavering against the impeding sunlight.
"Morning," She sighed and sat up while pulling her gown tightly around her. No trace of regret on her face, Hank thought as he scanned her for any type of remorse.
"Morning," and she kissed him softly.
Oh joy! A perfect kiss to start the day.
"Breakfast?" He asked as she got to her feet and began to retreat down the hall to the den.
"Yes, I'm going to shower. You should talk to Bobby," Hank had forgotten all about telling Bobby about Peggy leaving. He watched Kate's delectable sway which seemed to hypnotize him into some type of hot fog. He gasped as she turned the corner to enter the den and blew him a sweet kiss. Okay, he thought, snapping from the sexy daze he was captured in. Back to Bobby. Make a big breakfast, fill his stomach, then break the bad news to him. Maybe he would take it better with pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs and hashbrowns. Hank threw his pants on and buckled his belt into place before heading into the kitchen to work on the meal.
"Morning, Dad," Said Bobby who stumbled into the kitchen half asleep and still in his pajamas. Hank was startled out of deep thought as he flipped the pancakes in the skillet.
"Oh, morning son. I'm making some breakfast for us," Hank placed a few empty plates on the counter beside where he was preparing things.
"Where's mom?" He asked. "She never came home last night?" Hank glanced at his son who over the past month thinned out a bit, since Kate was whipping him into shape. Wow, that girl, she really is something else, Hank thought to himself.
"Well son, that's what I need to talk to you about," Hank rubbed his neck after placing a plate in front of Bobby. His son eyed him wearily.
"Morning everyone," Kate said happily as she sat at the table. Hank placed another plate in front of her and she smiled at him, causing his heart to skip a beat.
"Hey Kate! Did you see my interim?"Bobby said as he swallowed a gulp of juice. Kate sliced a bit of egg off and scooped it into her fork neatly.
"Yes, I am so proud of you, Bobby! You are doing so well!" She applauded him. "Hank, isn't he doing well?"
"Hank? You never have called my dad by his first name. Sounds strange," Bobby commented as he stuffed a large slab of pancake into his mouth. Kate chuckled nervously and looked at Hank who was adjusting his glasses nervously.
"Yeah son, you're doing great. I always knew you had it in you," Hank said. "Now, about your mother…" The phone rang, abruptly pulling everyone's attention away from the conversation that was beginning.
"Who the hell is calling at 8 am?" Hank said angrily. Bobby grabbed the phone.
"Hello?"
Hank looked over at Kate who was picking at her food. He noticed the swelling had gone down on her face but a purple circle still sat darkly on her cheek, and her lip was split and irritated. Probably all the kissing, he thought.
"What do you mean?" Bobby said looking over at Hank with a careworn expression.
"That's impossible! Ridiculous! No it can't be," Bobby slammed the phone on to the receiver. Hank looked at him expectantly. Bobby didn't turn to face the two, he began to sniffle and cry loudly.
"Son, what's going on?" Hank looked over at him. Kate began to get up, when Bobby turned.
"You knew about this?" Bobby screamed. Hank jumped to his feet. "You knew and didn't tell me?"
"Bobby, I was trying! I just found out myself," He put a hand on his son's shoulder. Bobby looked disillusioned.
"I don't' understand. She just left? She didn't even tell me good- bye?" He looked up at Hank with tears running down his face.
Kate sat quietly watching the two come to terms with the issue. Hank looked over at her and gave a small sad smile.
"Son, sometimes things like this happen. You can't control it, you can't predict it, it just… happens and you have to move on and continue your life. Despite what you think at this point, your mother loves you very much. She… she… well… she has to get things together in her life. And if this is what she needs, then she needs to do it," Hank said. Bobby looked devastated, but this is the truth of life. Sometimes bad things happen to you, but you just got to pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Bobby sat at the table heavily and slammed his fist on the table.
"This doesn't just happen, dad. Is there something that you did?" Bobby asked, gritting his teeth and squeezing his fist. Hank was shocked and he sighed loudly allowing his head to drop into his hands.
"Son…"
"Bobby," Kate took his hand in hers and looked at him warmly. "Your mother is a wonderful, caring, kind, intelligent woman. Your father is a loving and supportive husband to her, but sometimes after years and years of marriage, people change. It's no one's fault. It just happens. It's life," She rubbed his hand sweetly and glanced at Hank. Bobby nodded and looked at his father.
"Dad, I'm sorry. And you're right, Kate," he sat back in his chair. She always had the warmest affect on people, almost as though she was surrounded by an enchanting bright light that if anyone looked at it, they'd be bewitched by it. "I think I'm going to take a walk and talk to Khannie," Bobby stood up and tucked his chair underneath the table.
"Ok, son. Why don't you get home this evening early and we'll all go out to dinner at that fancy place in Mcmaynerberry. What do you say? You can bring a friend if you'd like?" Hank smiled at his son who's heart was obviously broken by the news of his abandonment.
"Yeah alright, dad," Bobby exited the room leaving Hank to ponder at what effect this really had on him.
Kate and Hank sat in silence for a moment before Hank thanked her.
"Hank," she smiled and touched his shoulder. He loved the sound of his name as it rolled from her honey-sweet tongue.
He touched her hand and looked up at her tiny form standing behind him.
"Do you think you should have told him about us?" that probably would have been too much information to cram into his little mind in one morning. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her.
"Not yet, but soon," He stroked her hair. She nuzzled him, trailing warm kisses down his throat.
"Well, Mr. Hill. How about another go round?" she whispered in his ear. Hank chuckled and followed her to the bedroom.
The sky was gray and cloudy above the three as they made their way to Mcmaynerberry. Bobby sat in the backseat of the truck dressed in a brown pair of pants and white dress shirt, the pants becoming slightly baggy around the waist since his recent weight loss.
"Bobby, you are looking quite dapper, if I might say so myself," said Kate as she adjusted her seatbelt. "And Hank, you look nice as well," Hank chuckled heartily and rubbed his neck, cheeks flashing a deep crimson.
"My pants are a little loose, but I guess that's a good thing," Bobby laughed. Hank glanced over at Kate who herself was shining brilliantly in a simple black sleeveless knee length dress and black stilettos. Her hair was pulled into a neat bun, a few tendrils of hair hanging around her porcelain face and a pair of plain white pearls around her throat. They were a handsome group for sure, Hank thought.
"Kate, what happened to your face?" Bobby questioned as Kate smiled back at him from the front seat. Kate touched her eye and lip where the bruises were present and looked over at Hank.
"I had a little accident," She smiled sadly and peered out the window silently. "But I'm fine."
"Oh ok, well you should be more careful. You could have put an eye out!" Bobby joked. Kate looked over at Hank who was gritting his teeth, the thought of that little jerk putting his hands on her still made him so angry. He could feel the heat washing over him and the need to kick someone's ass was simmering inside his belly. She touched his hand softly and curled her little fingers around his, her warm, comforting eyes immediately knowing that the thoughts of yesterdays event were still lingering. Hank's heart softened and relaxation was close.
"Reservations for Hill, party of three," Hank said as they approached the podium for the hostess.
"Right this way sirs and ma'am," She said happily. The restaurant was very classy and the delicious scent of roasting meat could be detected in the air. The three sat down at a table in the dimly lit dining room and began looking over the menu.
"So dad, you'll never believe it, but Daphne, remember the girl I was telling you about that I really liked, well she likes me. She asked me to prom," He said excited. Hank and Kate smiled happily.
"You know Bobby, that's great news! I'm glad to hear you are finally getting into the normal things a kid your age should be interested in," Hank said as he flipped through his menu.
"I really think that none of this would have been possible without you, Kate. You have helped me a lot," said Bobby, who was inspecting his hands bashfully as he confessed to his tutor. She grinned and pushed a strand of hair from her face.
"Well Bobby, you are a wonderful student who just needed encouragement and a push in the right direction," Hank marveled at her kindness and couldn't believe this girl, this woman, could ever feel the way she feels for him.
They ordered their meals and basked in the lavish beauty that the restaurant had to offer along with its finest pinot noir and rich amaretto almonds desert. The service was topnotch and very professional, the meal impeccably delicious. With their belly's full of the evenings offerings, Hank decided it was the proper time to break the news to Bobby about he and Kate.
"Bobby, there's something we have to talk about, son," Hank peered over at Kate who sipped her wine gracefully, her slender fingers placing the crystal glass down onto the table.
Bobby looked up from downing his ameretto almond desert and nodded. "Yeah dad?"
"Well," Hank rubbed his neck nervously and coughed. "Kate and I… Well, we…" Hank stuttered.
"You and Kate, what Dad?" Bobby looked puzzled.
"Well, uh, Kate and I," Hank took Kate's hand and held it tightly, hoping that some of her grace and strength would transfer over to him. Bobby's eyes grew large and he stopped eating suddenly. He looked at his father and at Kate who was holding Hank's hand and smiling gently at Bobby. Realization washed over his pale features and he looked appalled for a moment.
"How could you, dad?" He stood abruptly and slammed his chair down, anger filling him. Hank stood in turn.
"What do you mean how could I?" Hank asked loudly. A heated argument ensued between the two leaving a distraught Kate in the center.
"How could you move on so easily? How could you walk away from over twenty years of marriage with mom?" Bobby's eyes filled with tears and he was red in the face.
"Remember, who walked away from w ho? Who did what here?" Hank answered back easily.
"You know, Dad, it's like you didn't even feel sad mom was gone before moving on to someone else. I mean has this been going on before mom left? How could you know you want someone in one day? This is crazy. I'm out of here!"
"Wait son, please. It's not like that!" Bobby ran out leaving Kate and Hank to wallow in an uncomfortable situation, the entire dining room now gawking at the two of them.
Hank sat down heavily and let his head drop into his hands. Kate looked at him with compassion and caressed his face with the back of her soft hand. He touched it and sighed.
"I think I screwed up," he whispered as he took a sip of Kate's wine.
"No. You did the right thing. You were forthright and honest with him and he deserves that. He doesn't deserve to be lied to," She was right after all, he thought as he finished off her glass of wine.
"You're right, but why does it always back fire on me like I'm the bad guy?" Hank asked as he took his wallet out to pay the bill.
"Bobby is an understanding person. You just need to talk to him again. Remember that he is very sensitive and needs you to be just as sensitive. He adores you and the last thing he wants to see is his perfect family disintegrating into what the other 65% percent of America has turned into. Just sit down with him and explain everything," her voice was like honey pouring over him, catching him and clinging tightly to his mind.
"Yeah. I'm going to go talk to him. Look, take my truck back to the house and I'm going to find him and try to get through to him. We'll take a cab," Hank said as they stood and began walking to the door.
"Are you sure, sweetheart?" She asked as he handed her his keys.
"Yeah, I'm going to sort this out. You just go home and get in bed and get some sleep," He took her shoulders in his hands and looked at her sweetly, his heart overwhelmed with emotion. Her tiny stature was the most endearing thing to him as she stood on her tip toes and kissed him. He held her tight and put his arm around her narrow waist, pulling her closer to him, her scent clinging to his clothes before she walked away. His eyes were intrigued by her virulent sway as she sauntered to his truck.
Hank searched all around for the next few hours for Bobby, but to no avail he did not find him. He probably got a ride earlier, but either way Hank needed to get his mind right and the night air was helping him out. His mind was a blur and he was upset that his son had left so angry. He didn't mean for that to happen. He really wanted Bobby to be happy and it was never meant to be like this. Thank God, Bobby hadn't blamed Kate because it wasn't her fault he felt the way he did for her. It was his fault for not being able to control himself. He sat down on a bench outside of the mall and looked at his watch, 10:30. The pale moon hung low in the black night sky and the smell of rain was heavy in the air around him. The cool wind echoed in the buildings behind him as he looked up at the sharp streaks of blue lightening that flashed vibrantly. The mall was empty and not a soul was around, it was almost an eerie emptiness that crept up Hank's spine as the first few raindrops pricked his flesh. Without delay, he phoned a cab company, hiding under an overhanging as the sky began to pour.
The house came into view as the cab crept down Rainey Street, the rain stopping momentarily as he exited the vehicle. He ran to the back door and entered the house quietly.
"Dad, is that you?" It was Bobby. Hank felt his stomach jolt as he heard his son's voice calling from the kitchen table.
"Yeah, son," Hank said as he rounded the corner, Bobby coming into view. He took a seat across the table and looked at the boy eating some ice cream from a bowl.
"I'm sorry I ran out at dinner," Bobby said quietly, regret obvious. Hank looked at the young man before him.
"It's alright. I can understand what you are going through right now," Hank answered back.
"I just don't get why and how you could have moved on so quickly. I never even saw you cry over mom," the thunder boomed outside loudly, causing Hank's eyes to avert out the sliding glass door.
"Well son, sometimes adults have to suck it up and move on," Hank gave a weak shrug and slumped over in the chair. "Your mother did easily."
"Do you think mom loves Mr. Gribble?" Bobby asked his father. Hank didn't really know the answer to that. He didn't know what she felt or why she left or how her and Dale came to start an affair, but he hoped she loved him and he hoped she made it worth the while. She did give up a good life.
"I'm not sure, Bobby. I hope she does and I hope she is happy wherever she is," Hank responded and adjusted his glasses carefully. Bobby's face was dim and there was sadness about him there behind his boyish eyes. Something that almost made him age.
"Do you love Kate?" He asked his father. Hank knew the answer, but fear caused him hesitation. What was he fearing though? Saying it out loud? Letting the world know he was really a softy for blue eyes, soft lips and warm young skin?
"Yes."