hope we can be friends because he didn’t want that. Not by a long shot. “We’re going to run into one another and that can’t be helped. But this-” Henry waved a hand between the two of them,”-this is done. I don’t need a few days to cool off. There is no one else. We were never right for each other. I let it linger far longer than it should have, and I apologize for that.”
Jackie stood there speechless but shaking her head.
“Okay, I’m going to go now. Bye Jackie.”
And with that, he walked away. He considered that she might just jump on his back and attack him but then thought better of it. That wouldn’t put on a good show for his family. And if there was one thing that Jackie was good for, it was putting on a show.
Henry walked back into the house. Every eye was on him as he walked by and toward his father’s room to say goodbye.
When he emerged from the room ten minutes later, they were all there except for Jackie, Tara and Julie. Pat sat at the dining room table with a scowl on his face. Obviously, his wife had not been happy with how things had gone down. Henry shrugged his shoulders and went to kiss his mother goodbye and retrieve his leftovers that she would never let him leave without. Leftovers, to Frannie Hayes were actual full on meals, several days’ worth to be honest. It was the only real home cooking to be had at Henry’s place. He didn’t particularly care to cook and wasn’t the best at it. Most nights it was takeout. Jackie had done some cooking at his place, but for some reason, he preferred to go to hers. Even if it was just for dinner, not because he liked her place better, he didn’t like her invading his space. The fact that he thought of it as she was invading his space should have set off alarm bells a long time ago.
Carrying his mother’s Tupperware containers that were probably older than he was with her warning to bring them back unscathed, he made his way back into the dining room to say good bye to Pat, Annie and Louis.
Henry kissed his sister on the cheek and thanked her for running interference. He gave his brother a friendly punch to the shoulder and told Pat to call him soon so they could meet up and watch a game. Pat just grunted, he was pouting. Henry guessed that was because he was not going to be getting laid that night.
“Louis my man, how about we hang out next weekend? Just you and me what do you say?”
Louis’s eyes lit up. “Hell yeah!”
“Louis!” Annie yelled, but then covered her mouth and held her stomach trying to suppress the laughter. This made even the miserable Pat laugh.
Henry ruffled his nephew’s hair and left the house.
He had survived.
Chapter 5
C LOSE to two weeks had passed since the family dinner with Jackie. They had been relatively uneventful and Henry was grateful for that. The following Sunday dinner went by without drama; except for the fact that Tara wouldn’t give Henry the time of day. She said hello and was civil, but Henry was sure that it was for his mother’s benefit; for no one else, not even poor deprived Pat.
That weekend he also took Louis out to the New England Aquarium. Henry had lost count of how many times they had been. Little did anyone know that Henry enjoyed going as much, if not more than Louis. It was one of his favorite places. Henry had needed the outing and to spend that quality time with his nephew. It was so nice to just have fun, enjoy life and be carefree. Kids always brought those feelings out in him, that was one thing that he and Pat had in common. Pat would be a great father someday. Annie was a great mother. And Julie, well she was so wrapped up in herself that would be a long time coming, he thought. They had wonderful parents. If he were to be a parent, he would hope to make his children as happy as his parents had made him. Despite the fact that he had been a disappointment to his father when it came down to it and it was his fault that his father was living life the way he
Jackie stood there speechless but shaking her head.
“Okay, I’m going to go now. Bye Jackie.”
And with that, he walked away. He considered that she might just jump on his back and attack him but then thought better of it. That wouldn’t put on a good show for his family. And if there was one thing that Jackie was good for, it was putting on a show.
Henry walked back into the house. Every eye was on him as he walked by and toward his father’s room to say goodbye.
When he emerged from the room ten minutes later, they were all there except for Jackie, Tara and Julie. Pat sat at the dining room table with a scowl on his face. Obviously, his wife had not been happy with how things had gone down. Henry shrugged his shoulders and went to kiss his mother goodbye and retrieve his leftovers that she would never let him leave without. Leftovers, to Frannie Hayes were actual full on meals, several days’ worth to be honest. It was the only real home cooking to be had at Henry’s place. He didn’t particularly care to cook and wasn’t the best at it. Most nights it was takeout. Jackie had done some cooking at his place, but for some reason, he preferred to go to hers. Even if it was just for dinner, not because he liked her place better, he didn’t like her invading his space. The fact that he thought of it as she was invading his space should have set off alarm bells a long time ago.
Carrying his mother’s Tupperware containers that were probably older than he was with her warning to bring them back unscathed, he made his way back into the dining room to say good bye to Pat, Annie and Louis.
Henry kissed his sister on the cheek and thanked her for running interference. He gave his brother a friendly punch to the shoulder and told Pat to call him soon so they could meet up and watch a game. Pat just grunted, he was pouting. Henry guessed that was because he was not going to be getting laid that night.
“Louis my man, how about we hang out next weekend? Just you and me what do you say?”
Louis’s eyes lit up. “Hell yeah!”
“Louis!” Annie yelled, but then covered her mouth and held her stomach trying to suppress the laughter. This made even the miserable Pat laugh.
Henry ruffled his nephew’s hair and left the house.
He had survived.
Chapter 5
C LOSE to two weeks had passed since the family dinner with Jackie. They had been relatively uneventful and Henry was grateful for that. The following Sunday dinner went by without drama; except for the fact that Tara wouldn’t give Henry the time of day. She said hello and was civil, but Henry was sure that it was for his mother’s benefit; for no one else, not even poor deprived Pat.
That weekend he also took Louis out to the New England Aquarium. Henry had lost count of how many times they had been. Little did anyone know that Henry enjoyed going as much, if not more than Louis. It was one of his favorite places. Henry had needed the outing and to spend that quality time with his nephew. It was so nice to just have fun, enjoy life and be carefree. Kids always brought those feelings out in him, that was one thing that he and Pat had in common. Pat would be a great father someday. Annie was a great mother. And Julie, well she was so wrapped up in herself that would be a long time coming, he thought. They had wonderful parents. If he were to be a parent, he would hope to make his children as happy as his parents had made him. Despite the fact that he had been a disappointment to his father when it came down to it and it was his fault that his father was living life the way he
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