Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 56376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
" Hi, I hope we're not interrupting anything", said an older man from the doorway. His dark blue eyes were shrewd as he took in the scene in front of him. Attached to his hand was Ethan, Claire's son.
" Dad! What are you doing here?", Claire asked in shock.
" Mommy!", Ethan cried happily and went running for her.
Claire scooping him up with a smile and hugged him tight.
" Someone has been non-stop asking about Henry, so I figured I'd bring him over so he could see for himself that Henry was okay", Claire's dad said, a soft smile on his face as he entered the room.
" Hey Frank", Henry murmured with a small smile.
Frank went to Henry's bedside and shook his hand, relief etched all over his face. " Glad to see you're doing okay, son, I was worried"
" Thanks Frank", Henry nodded, " The drugs help", he smirked.
Frank chuckled and patted Henry's cheek, " Good man". The fondness between the two was obvious.
" Dad, this is Henry's brother Sebastian and his mother Anne", Claire introduced.
Sebastian shook Frank's hand, " Nice to meet you, sir"
" Please call me Frank", he said then shook Anne's hand, " Mrs. Beck"
His mother gave Frank a tight smile, " Pleasure", her muttered.
" Henwee!", Ethan called and squirmed in his mother's arms as he reached out for Henry.
Henry smiled and it was nothing like Sebastian as ever seen cross his brother's face before. Sebastian blinked. Henry had dimples? Since when? Henry held out his arms for the little boy. Claire handed him over with a smile. Sebastian couldn't help but laugh when Ethan grabbed Henry's face and kissed him on the mouth before wrapping his arms around his neck. Henry tucked his face against Ethan's, squeezing his eyes shut and held him tight. Sebastian glanced at his mother to find her blinking back tears. Maybe now she would realize the other reason Henry wanted Claire in his life.
Chapter 11
Henry pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. Claire just left to walk her dad and Ethan out. They had stayed for about an hour. His mother had sat in the corner, completely silent the whole time. Which Henry knew wasn't a good thing. She had been glaring at Claire every chance she got, thinking no one noticed. Now, Henry waited for her to explode.
Sebastian was standing by the window, staring out with his arms folded over his chest. He'd been unusually quiet also. Henry knew he was still struggling with accepting that his wife was leaving him, but he didn't think that was his problem today. He had a feeling he was gearing up for their mother's explosion also.
Henry put his glasses back on just as his mother went and shut the door to his room. She then turned, her expression was hard to decipher. But Henry was sure this wasn't going to go well. He wished his father was here, but he was most likely at work.
" She's no good for you Henry", his mother said, her tone saying she completely believed the bullshit coming out of her mouth.
Henry saw Sebastian tense, but he kept his back to them. Henry waited, knowing she had plenty more to say.
" I don't like her. She's rude. Disrespectful. And apparently she's loose, having a child out of wedlock", Anne said.
Henry clenched his teeth. He knew his mother was going to be saying things about Claire that he didn't like, but that was a little too much.
Sebastian snorted, " Get with the times mom, that shit happens all the time now"
" I know that Sebastian", She snapped, " It's disgusting. I don't know why you would want a woman who has had a child with someone else Henry. Don't you want your own kids?"
" Of course I do. You think Claire can't provide me with my own children?", Henry frowned.
" Well I'm sure she could, but then you'd have to look at that little boy all the time and know that he's not yours"
" So? If I treat him like my own, what does it matter?"
Anne just shook her head, sending him a look verging on pity. " Honey, you need to find a nice girl who doesn't have any kids"
" I don't think it matters", Henry replied. He was getting a headache.
" I will never accept her into this family. You deserve better. She's beneath you. And what kind of mother would leave her child to take care of a man that she's not even with? She should be taking care of her kid instead of being here with you. You're not even together..."
" Enough!", Henry bellowed. His mother's mouth snapped shut. " You're talking about the woman I love! I don't give a shit about what you think. Claire is an amazing mother and she loves her son. I love her son. They are everything to me and nothing you say is going to change that! You can take your high and mighty talk and shove it up your ass!", Henry snapped.