Endless Sea

Chapter 2: Hugh

Howard entered the house, quite happy from his time spent with the English boy. As he removed his shoes, a large man approached him. Peering down, he was pale, had long hair to his shoulders, and deep-set eyes.

Howard stared up at the man with curiosity, before he was able to speak his father entered the room.

"Howard! Good, you're home, this is your grandpa." Howie said, setting his hand onto the big man's shoulder.

"What?" Howard asked, looking back at his grandfather. "No, dede is my grandpa." 

Howie shook his head. "This is your other grandpa, my father." 

"You will address me as Hugh and nothing else." The man said, his voice was cold and deep. Howard didn't quite like this man, something about him seemed so distant and unrelatable. 

Howard stood up straight after setting his shoes onto the rack, watching the man walk off into the sitting room. Howie pet Howard on the head, assuring him his grandfather would warm up to him before following him. But Howard felt so unsure, why did this man seem to envy him so much? Howard never even met him before. He shook off the feeling and walked down the hallway to his parent's bedroom, opening the door and seeing his mother sat up in bed. She always looked beautiful to Howard, wearing a long deep purple scarf around her head with a  tighter black scarf underneath, her flowy nightgown was a lighter purple and accented with small black flowers. She had oval-shaped lips and deep green eyes with long lashes, her face was round with tanned skin. Howard crawled up onto his mother's bed, feeling her set her hand onto his curls. 

"Anne?" He asked, he had called her that for as long as he had known. Despite hearing Pete call his mother 'mama' or 'mom' whenever he spoke of her. 

"Yes?" Nimet replied, gently stroking his small brown curls as he laid his head onto her lap. 

Howard paused for a moment before speaking, "Does Mr. Hugh not like me?"

Nimet sighed and was quiet for a while, not sure what to say. "he does not dislike you, he resents you for something that is not your fault. You've never done anything wrong, my boy. Your mother will always love you, no matter what Hugh may think."

"What does he think?" He asked, not sure what she meant.

Nimet bit her tongue, she didn't want to tell her son about the bad things in the world. He didn't need to know of such traditions and other European standards and opinions. "Well, when you were born. Me and your baba, were not, married yet." She tried to explain the best way she could, "And, that is none of your concern. There is nothing for you to worry about, okay, Howard?" 

Howard felt confused, what did marriage and children have to do with anything? "Okay, Anne." he nodded, he didn't want to pester his mother with more questions.

"Why don't you go to sleep now." Nimet gently patted his back to urge him to get up,

He nodded, sliding off of the bed and running to the door.

"Howard!" She said.

Howard stopped at the door, watching his mom use her index finger to tell him to come to her. He walked to her bedside, looking up at her. "Yes?" He asked.

"You didn't give your Anna a kiss,"

Howard smiled, pulling himself up onto the bed and scooting over to his mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Anna!" 

Nimet kissed her son on the head, smiling softly. "Goodnight, my dear boy."

The next day was much different, Howard spent the whole day doing chores for his grandfather from sunrise until after dinner, where Hugh told Howard he was free for the rest of the day. Howard was used to such a schedule, doing chores and errands like cooking and cleaning for his family while his father was off doing things and his mother was asleep. It was normal to him, he was just happy to be of help. Howard walked outside, running a stick along the fence which incased the yard and humming.