It was a bright spring Saturday, which was welcome after the long winter. Hank Booth was soaking up the sun on a park bench, waiting for his grandson to return from a nearby shop and enjoying watching Christine and Tempe playing on the swings and relishing the sound of his great granddaughter's laughter. He saw Seeley strolling across the park with a drink carrier and paper bag in his hands. Hank smiled knowing that the bag likely contained some sweet treat which he and Shrimp would enjoy thoroughly while Temperance looked on with disapproval. As he watched his grandson approach, Hank offered up thanks that at long last the boy was happy and that he had lived long enough to see it.
His thoughts drifted back, as they often did these days, to the past, and the first time he and Seeley had shared coffee.
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Hank was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee not reading the morning paper. His mind was busy thinking about his grandsons, particularly his oldest. Seeley and Jared had been living with Hank and Mary for a little over a month. To an outsider all looked well - the boys had adjusted to their new home and were doing well in school, Jared was happy and outgoing and all of Hank's friends commented on what a good kid Seeley was. That was the problem in a nutshell, Hank thought. Shrimp was quiet, polite, did chores and homework without complaint, watched over his little brother and kept their room clean. He made no demands on his grandparents, not even asking for seconds at meals although he would eat them heartily if offered. It was not normal for a twelve year old boy to be that cooperative. Hank longed for the boy to relax enough to be a kid, but he was at a loss as to how to make that happen.
Hank had been a witness to at least the end of the last beating Edwin had given Seeley and it made him sick to think about what his son was capable of. The bruises inflicted on his grandson had only recently disappeared. Hindsight being 20/20 he could guess how long the abuse had been going on, but neither of the boys would talk about it. Jared had let some things slip, but Shrimp never volunteered any information and was a master at changing the topic if asked. Hank and Mary were leery of causing the boy any more discomfort and so didn't press the issue.
It was still pretty early when the boy walked in, rubbing his eyes. This had been happening more often, and Hank suspected bad dreams were the reason, but when questioned why he was up so early, Seeley would just shrug and say he didn't know what woke him up. As he looked at his groggy grandson Hank sent up yet another prayer for guidance. "Morning Shrimp! Did you sleep well? Hey, before you sit down, can you give me a refill?"
Seeley nodded, grabbed the coffee pot and poured his grandfather a cup. Going to replace the pot on the burner, he misjudged the edge of the counter and struck the bottom of the carafe shattering it, sending coffee and glass shards all over the floor. Seeley stood for a second, stunned and holding the handle. He looked at his grandfather, stricken and immediately stammered "I'm sorry Pops, I'll clean it up." He stepped towards the sink when Hank yelled "Stop, don't move!" The boy froze and gasped.
Hank was busy contemplating the best way to get his barefooted grandson out of the middle of glass and hot coffee. He pulled a chair over and motioned for the boy to sit. When Seeley didn't move, Hank raised his hand to push the boy into the chair, and felt his heart stop when the boy flinched. It was then he took a good look at his grandson. The boy was staring at the floor, holding the handle in both hands as if his life depended on it, jaw clenched, entire body stiff. Anger flared in him - anger at his son for hurting this kid and anger at himself for taking too long to recognize the signs. Doing everything in his power to reign his temper in, Hank bent slightly so that he was at eye level with the boy and said gently, "Shrimp, you need to sit down. I don't want you to cut your feet any more. "
There was still no response. Hating himself, Hank made his voice harsher and commanded, "Seeley, look at me." That broke whatever trance the boy was in, as he met his grandfather's eyes nervously. "Sit down". The boy quickly obeyed. Hank pulled the chair out of the mess, "Stay here son, I'm going to get a first aid kit." He pulled three pieces of glass out of Seeley's feet, bandaged them and applied aloe gel to the red blotches where the coffee had splashed. The boy never made a sound even though Hank knew it had to hurt. Doctoring finished, he fought the urge to hug, knowing that Seeley didn't like to be touched. Giving them both time to compose themselves Hank told Seeley to stay put and set about cleaning up the mess.
When order was restored, Hank looked at his grandson again. Seeley hadn't moved and still looked like he was waiting for the blows to fall. Hank pulled the kids chair back to the table and than sat back down in his own. Hank sighed, this sort of thing was not his strong point. He hoped to find the right words to put the boy at ease. Finally he blurted, "Shrimp, do you want some coffee? "
That was probably the last thing the kid expected to hear. Dumbly he nodded. Grateful to have something to do with his hands he fixed the boy a cup, heavy on milk and sugar and then confessed, "I always think better with a mug in my hands." When Shrimp didn't respond Hank continued, "I think we need to have a talk here or at least I need to talk and you need to listen. Have I ever lied to you?"
Hank could almost see the gears turning in Seeley's brain. Before the boy could answer he added, "I mean about anything important. Fishing lies and not telling your grandma about my cigars don't count." That was the loophole that needed to be closed, so the boy shook his head.
"Ok, then you know I am not lying to you now. No matter how many things you break, how big of a mess you make, I will never raise a hand to you or Jared. I might yell if I get mad or scared, but that is all I will do. I promise. This is your home now, and you boys are safe, and your grandmother and I love you very much and will never hurt you. Do you believe me?"
Seeley looked at his grandfather, wanting to believe. Finally he nodded.
"Good. I've said my piece. Anything on your mind?"
The boy looked like he was about to say something, but instead took a sip of his coffee. Hank smiled at the expression on his grandson's face as he tried to decide if he liked the brew. Seeley caught his grandfather's grin and returned it, then tentatively asked, "Could we have pancakes for breakfast?"
Hank nodded. He started grabbing the supplies, thrilled that his grandson had finally asked for something. It was a baby step in the right direction.
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That was the first of many cups of coffee with his grandson. There was THE TALK that came after Seeley came home with Vanessa Taylor's lip gloss on his collar. The endless cups as Mary's illness progressed and then more when she passed away. The happy morning when the scholarship letter was opened. High school graduation, leaving for college. Returning from college with his arm in a sling and another letter, this one cancelling the scholarship which lead to mornings of discussing options, followed by a departure for basic training. Then there was the return from the army when the mornings started with shouting, and were quickly followed by the sound of crutches pacing. Not knowing what else to do, Hank would put on a pot and send up a extra set of prayers that his grandson would be able to do what his son could not - find a way back from the horrors of war. After the recovery, the kitchen table sessions became less frequent as Seeley went on one mission after another. Each leave he returned to his grandfather a little quieter and a little more tense. Then finally he had enough with the army and came with news of a job at the FBI.
The bittersweet morning when Seeley announced he was going to be a father but not a husband. Hank was actually okay with the latter, but sad that his grandson was crushed. Meeting Parker for the first time, and the many Sundays after mass when the two of them would come visit. Coffee at the safe house after he told the FBI director national security be damned, find a way for him to see with his own eyes that his grandson was ok. The confusing couple of weeks at Shrimp's apartment after his brain surgery when he struggled to remember his life. The last cups in the old house as they packed Hank up to move to the assisted living center. The day Seeley, with bloodshot eyes, explained that Temperance would only ever be his partner. Then the seven months without visits as Shrimp was in Afghanistan. The return where Hank had to bite his tongue as Seeley told him of the new woman in his life. Then the period where Seeley was heartbroken and it took all of Hank's willpower to not break his promise of long ago and slap his grandson upside the head. The joyous morning when the two of them came to tell him not only had they come to their senses but that another great grandchild was on the way . Meeting Christine. The horrible period where they would sit in silence because Parker was in London and Christine and Temperence were god knows where. The day they'd come to announce their engagement, when neither of them could stop smiling. The wedding.
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His reverie was interrupted when Shrimp nudged him with a cup.
"You were a million miles away there Pops. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing, just coffee."
