what goes around comes around

Part 6

Ralph got ouf of his car and stepped towards the police department. His son had often spent the night another place the last weeks. He did not care about that. Henry only had to make sure his grades stayed stabile. When he came in, one of his collegues was talking to an elder woman. Then he turned around and looked over: "Ralph, will you please come over for a moment?" He took his cup of coffee and stepped towards his collegue. "What's wrong George?" "Well, I don't know..." "You don'tknow what?" Then the woman turned to him. "Excuse me, Mr. Bowers, but the students and some teachers are all talking about one thing." Raph's eybrow liftened. George cleared his throat without looking at him. Ralph got annoyed. "Something about my son?" "He has got a relationship with this writer, Miss Lena Wellington!", she said in clear voice. George could see his hand shaking. "I am not sure wether I got you right, Miss. My son Henry has got a relationship with Miss Wellington?!" She nodded. George still did avoid eye contact, as Ralph's eye started trembling. He swallowed. "Did you see this personally?" "No, I did not, but I have heared it from my daughter, her teacher and several other parents some days ago." Ralph had trouble, putting his cup on the desh silently. "I see." He touched his nose fugitively. The woman spoke on: "I really do not want to interfere in your buiseness, but in my opinion you should not allowe this kind of behaviour." Ralph did not say a word. The woman left the department. George and he looked at each other. "Was this the only reason she was here for?" "Yes", George admitted. "I see..." He shook his head. "I cannot believe that!" Ralph got a little louder. He slamed the cup on the table and rushed into his office.

Henry was in the basement, taking the laundry out of the washing machine and putting it into the dryer. He thought about Lena. He wondered what the director had told her. She would never break up with him because of what someone else said, right? He had to put his trust in that. Henry started the dryer and was finally done with the housework. It was six o clock; now he could just go on with his homework; he sighed deeply and shook his head. Henry did not know that Ralph had come home earlier today and he did not realising him coming down the stairs either. His father's clear throat did frighten him. Henry turned around and saw him standing in the door. His look was more than pure anger. Henry's heart sank faster than his mood. He lowered his gaze; a bad intuition creeped over him. He swallowed. "What's wrond, dad?" Ralph stepped towards him with his hands in his waist. Then he stood in front of his son. "What's wrong?", he repeated. His voice was cold. "I heared about your relationship..." Henry still did not look up. Ralph didn't know if he was serious. No answer. He got even closer and Henry flinched immediately. "Tell me, is this true?" His voice was still low, but started to tremble. "You suppose to tell me if that is true!!", he yelled into Henry's face. His whole body started shaking then he finally looked up. His father was as furious as he had not been for a long time. "Yes!", he finally admitted. Ralph did not know what to say. "Is this all you gonna say about that?! When were you gonna tell me?!" "Never." Ralph nodded. "Finally honest. Very well. How long is this going?" "For three weeks." "You're gonna stop this right now." Henry looked up again, as if he could not believe it. His father's look was more than clear. "Anything you did not get?!" "I won't!" "Sorry?" Henry stepped back, getting an angry look as well. "You've heared me right. I will not break up! I love her!" He got a cynical hiss. "What the hell do you think, that you got a chance together?! Do as you please, but not as long as you are under my roof, got it?!" Henry's face got furious. "No! I will stay together with Lena! You've ruined everything in my life from the day mom left us, but this thing you're not gonna ruin!" Ralph's face got furious as well; Henry dodged from his grip and fast walked out of the cellar upstairs; his father followed him. Henry was hardly in the kitchen, when he felt the hard knock of his fist in his back; he fell down and his face hit the ground. Henry swallowed and tried to get on his legs again; his father grabbed his shirt, pulled him up and beat him into the face; Henry's lip burst open and he tasted his blood; he started hating his father again. Ralph stood in front of his son with crossed arms. Henry sat up and wiped the blood away. He did not look up. "I hope you now get me right." Without saying another word, Ralph left the kitchen. With trembling legs Henry finally got up again. Seemed like his father was upstairs. Henry rushed out of the door and run away from the house; he felt the same way like the evening some weeks ago. No. He felt even worse. Henry run his hands through his hair and felt tears coming in his eyes. But he hold it back and run to Lena's house.