Mrs Bloom sighed and rose to her feet. She folded her palms before Henry as if she was praying. "I'm sorry son. I don't know what has gotten into my husband. He's not like that." she apologised."Mom is right. We are all surprised that Dad is acting this way." Liam said. Eleanor agreed with a nod.Henry waved his hand down. "It's okay guys. Maybe it's a mood swing or he had a bad day. I understand." he said with a half smile.Mrs Bloom heaved another sigh. "I'll go and talk to him." She turned to Eve. "No one must leave," she warned. Eve agreed with a nod and pulled back her chair. She sat. Henry sighed and reluctantly crashed beside her.Henry leaned toward Eve and whispered into her left ear. "I can still leave. It's not a big deal.""My mom said no one must leave," she replied to everyone's hearing. An awkward silence took over the room.Eleanor decided to break the awkward silence hovering around the dining. "Does anyone know why dad acted the way he did?""It's freaking me out.
"You knew my father?" Henry asked with a surprised expression taking over his face."Richard Carter and I were not just high school buddies. We attended the same college before our fallout." Mr Bloom replied.Henry and Eve exchanged glances. "Fall out?" asked a confused Eve.Her father nodded and went on. Mrs Bloom who heard a part of the story from her husband a while ago was the only one who wasn't displaying any element of surprise."Richard and I were the best of friends. Sadly, we had a fallout and it's all because of him." Mr Bloom said and gave Henry a hard stare. Henry's face was reminding him of Richard and his treachery."On our final day in college, Richard and I came up with a business idea but couldn't put it on the line because we were both these struggling young guys. Then the moment we had been waiting for finally came. Some investors showed up at school and decided to give all final year students a chance to put their business ideas to display." Liam dropped his plat
"I'm sorry Henry. You are not your father. You are my daughter's guest. You deserve proper treatment." said Mr Bloom.Eve smiled. Her father turned to her. "Eve!""Yes, father.""I'm sorry for the way I treated your boss. That was unfair. He's my guest and doesn't have to pay for all his father did to me.""Thank you, Dad." Eve appreciated him with a loving blink.Mr Bloom rose to his feet and smiled at Henry for the first time. "Enjoy your dinner. I'll be in my room."No one stopped Mr Bloom from walking away. His anger was justified and even though he claims to have no grudge against Henry, his mood was bound to turn ice.Mrs Bloom stood up and grabbed two plates from the table. "There's more in the kitchen. You all should pull off those long faces and have fun," she said and left the table to join her husband with a smile. Henry cleared his throat. "I'm very sorry everyone." he began. "My father was a jerk. What he did to your father is..." he sighed and shook his head in disappoi
Henry opened his eyes with a slight groan. Eve was standing by the open window. She turned to him with a smile, slightly blocking the sun rays penetrating the room."Good morning." She greeted with a warm smile.Henry sat up and rolled the sheet down to his waist. "Good morning," he said and rubbed his eyes with the edge of his palms.Eve walked up to him and dumped a pair of new clothes on the bed. Henry watched her with inquisitive eyes. She was dressed in blue jean trousers and had slapped a pink top on it. Henry gazed at the blue wall clock hung above him. It was a few minutes past 8 am."Eleanor and Liam had a trick on their sleeves. They invited our close friends and well-wishers in the neighbourhood for a party this afternoon which I just learnt of. I can't go to work today. I'm sorry. You'll have to leave this morning without me." Eve told Henry.Henry shifted his gaze to the clothes by the bed. "And these?""Oh, those are for you. I had Liam pick them down from the store thi
Mrs Bloom motioned to Eleanor to head out. The girl shifted to the kitchen. Mrs Bloom moved behind Eve and wrapped her arms around her.Even lifted her head and clasped her mother's hands to her shoulder. "I'm deeply sorry mom. I got involved with a married man. I'm so ashamed and..." she went on crying.Mrs Bloom sighed and gave Eve a tight hug from behind. "It's okay my child. I'm sorry for yelling at you Eve. I just couldn't help it. I was pissed."Mrs Bloom pulled out the chair next to Eve and sat. She took charge of the girl's hands."You don't know how difficult it is for me mom. I have tried countless times to stay away from him but I always get back to the same spot." She looked her mother straight in the eyes and confessed. "You don't know how guilty I feel mom."Mrs Bloom pulled Eve to herself. The crying Eve buried her face in her mother's chest and wept. Her mother kept stroking her back tenderly till her wails died."Do you love him?" Mrs Bloom demanded. Eve pulled away
Henry cleared his throat loudly and presented the same offer to Eve. "Just a little dance.""I'll be right back." Mike excused himself from the scene.Finally, he'll now have her to himself Henry thought. He turned to Eve who seemed uninterested in his request."I'm sorry sir. I can't dance with you." was Eve's reply. Her tone was cold and to Henry's ears, it sounded mean.Henry placed both his hands on his waist. Did she just call him sir? He thought she addressed him as such because of her ex earlier but now, he was gone. "Come on Eve. It's just a dance." He pointed to the dance floor that was getting crowded. "Look everyone is dancing, don't be such a bore," he said with a smile."I'm sorry Sir. I just can't dance with you. I had already promised Mike earlier that I will be his dance partner." Even disclosed.Henry's lips parted and "what the hell slipped out? Mike is gone Eve, so you and I can hit the dance floor.""He just went to get something, sir. He'll be back." Eve replied
"My sister loves you too. She might be a hot head sometimes but trust me, she does care about you. I see the way she looks at you." Liam said.Henry heaved a deep sigh, pondering whether the statement Liam just made was valid. Judging by her actions earlier, Henry couldn't tell whether Eve was into him as much as her brother alleges.Liam gave Henry a soft pat on the shoulder. "My sister barely trusts people. Last night, she brought a man to our home as a friend. She had never done that before. Damn, Mr Richard. you must be really special."Henry smiled. "I'll take a stroll down the street to meet some of my guys. I'm not a fan of parties especially boring ones that are meant for old people." Liam told Henry with a twinkle."Okay, Liam. Stay safe."Liam left. Henry fixed his gaze on the dance floor. Eve was resting her head on Mike's chest while his hands were wrapped around her waist. Henry tightened his jaw. He felt like disappearing from the backyard at least, he won't have to see
Henry fell back on the chair. He didn't wipe the sweat lining up on his forehead. If he had gotten a cold shoulder from Eve herself, then Eleanor's words were not a coincidence. At this point, he won't be wrong to conclude. The Bloom family now despises him.He went into the house and traced his steps back to Eve's room. The outfit he wore to the house the previous day had been washed, neatly ironed and folded. He smiled and grabbed the outfit from the bed. He marched into Eve's bathroom, took a shower and decided to move to the living room. He could hear whispers.Henry got to the living room. Liam was not yet back. Mr and Mrs Bloom were conversing with their daughters. The anniversary party was over. Eve lifted her head and saw Henry staring at them from a corner.She cleared her throat loudly. "I can see you are ready sir."Henry forced a grin and walked up to her."I'll get some of the equipment outside." Mr Bloom said and turned around to leave."Oh let it be Dad. Why don't you a