The Driven

Chapter 19

Hank

The two days absence from work went by so fast, and Hank was back again at Thea's house knocking on the door. He heard laughter from inside as the door was opened and was surprised to see Jamal.

"Hey," he greeted. Jamal hugged him and Hank frowned as he returned the hug. "Are you okay?"

"Yea. Thea was just telling me about her dad."

Apparently. That was the only subject that mattered to him. "Okay."

Hank stepped in and went to the kitchen. Thea made him a plate and he stared at the egg and avocado while Jamal sat beside him. For a moment, no one spoke and soon after Jamal picked the newspaper to read.

Hank tried not to look at Thea too much but he smiled at her when she passed him a cup of tea. He stirred some sugar into it and tried to read his step brother's body language, Jamal didn't seem like someone who knew his wife fucked another man.

"See you two later," Jamal said as he carried his briefcase, Thea followed him to the door and Hank heard their laughter.

She looked over at his plate when she came back in to the kitchen. "Is something wrong with the food?"

"No, I'm just full." He was sick to his stomach but not for the obvious reason. "You didn't tell him what happened?"

"Hank, you told me not to," she whispered.

He left his food and went to her. Thea created more distance as he drew nearer and he stopped walking. "I think you should tell him, he has a right to know."

"Are you insane?"

Maybe. "It's not just fair to him."

"What do you care? Anyway, I'm not losing my family over a mistake that isn't going to happen again."

He closed the distance between them and sighed when she didn't look at him. "I've had time to think about everything that happened and I think it's best you tell him."

"To what end?" she asked. "It's going to ruin my family."

"What family?" he asked in annoyance. "You're not even happy in your marriage and you two are barely a family."

"I knew you were an asshole but I put up with your brooding and sad music everyday you came to work, what I'm not going to put up with is you thinking you know how I feel."

"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately. He went back to the stool and took a sip of his tea. When he noticed her biting her lip, he spoke again, "Thea, you don't have to feel guilty for whatever happened."

"That's the thing, I don't feel guilty."

Hank didn't know what to think of her admission. "Thea, I'm leaving by the end of the month and you can come with me."

"What?"

He didn't like the look on her face. "Think about it, you don't have to be in a marriage that isn't working."

"I don't even like you. I barely know you enough to like you, what the heck are you talking about?"

"I like you, Thea. I could tell you about me if you really want to know."

"I don't care to know. I have a family and I'm not destroying it over whatever you think this is."

Hank grounded his teeth and smiled. "It's fine."

"Hank, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but I've always wanted a family."

"I understand."

Thea took the stool next to him and sat. "When I was little, I asked my dad about my mom and he gave me the most insane explanation. He wanted a kid and he fertilized some eggs and got me, that was it." She sniffed. "There was never a mother, only bunch of maids that didn't really loved me enough or cared to."

"I'm sorry about that."

"My dad's sister used to come over sometimes and I wanted her to be my mother so badly I used to call her mom. When her daughter visited during one of the holidays and I called her mom, she told me her mother wasn't my mom."

"Damn. That must have hurt like hell."

"We were just kids of course, but I was beyond hurt. I would ask my dad for a mother every Christmas and he would ignore me. I'm an adult now and I've gotten my own little family. I know you don't think it's much but it's mine."

She smiled and Hank realized if delusional was a person, it'd be Thea. It irked him to no end that she was wasting her time with Jamal who only had time for his job and no one else.

"I know our marriage isn't perfect but we'll work on it. I'm not going to give up and Jamal is the perfect husband any woman could ever ask for."

"You're right."

"Don't worry, you'll find someone for yourself. Maybe, you should take my cousin out on a date. She really likes you."

"Was she the one that told you not to call her mother your mom?"

"We were just kids, Hank. Well, her mouth is still as sharp as ever but you'll survive."

"There's no harm in trying, I guess."

Thea giggled, "That's what I'm talking about."

Hank ate the cold eggs on his plate when Thea left the kitchen to go change. How could she still choose her marriage after everything she was going through? The fact that she was holding unto the tiniest thread of hope that her marriage would somehow work was upsetting. Wasn't it glaring enough for her? Jamal did not give a single fuck about her.

Hank went straight to the strip club after getting off from work. He got a private room again and requested for Lollipop. She smiled when she recognized him as she sashayed into the room.

"You're becoming a regular. What did she do this time?" She sat on the other sofa and lit a cigarette.

"Who? I'm here for the dance."

"You've still not learnt not to bullshit the bullshiter."

"She's never going to leave him," he confessed.

"Is she married?" When he remained silent, Lollipop laughed. "She's going to break your heart, you little fool."

"You've got jokes. I have no heart." He laughed lightheartedly.

"Says the man that comes to the strip club to talk about her. Where are your friends and why aren't you bothering them with this?"

"My friends are dead."

Lollipop took a drag of her cigarette and passed it to him, he refused it and she raised a brow. "Are you judging where my lips have been?"

"I wasn't thinking about that."

"I think you should forget about her."

"I think so too." He poured brandy into two glasses and gave her one. "To nothing," he said and raised his glass.

"To nothing."

Hank left the club later that night after waiting for Lollipop to get off work.

"Since you're going to be showing up every night to talk about her, how about you return the favor by walking me out of the club to a cab every night."

"You know I pay to get in, I really don't owe you any favors."

"Any gentleman would jump at the chance to help a lady in distress."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm no gentleman."

"I've noticed alright." She lit a cigarette and took a drag before continuing, "You wouldn't have to pay to get in anymore, deal or no deal?"

Hank needed a friend more than he was ready to admit so he took the deal. They walked in silence for some minutes until she got into a cab.

Hank walked some more to think about his situation. He could understand why Thea was hesitant to leave a failed marriage. Civilians preferred to waste time hoping for things that might never be instead of just living in the moment.

Hank had witnessed too many "Had I known" moments with soldiers as life drained out of them on the battlefield. So if he liked someone, he was simply going to be with them. In this case, she didn't like him as she'd rudely told him today and he was going to leave her alone.