Texan Home- Innocence

Chapter Fourteen

Hank was furious with Honey but he had quickly let the anger pass by. He knew that she wasn't good at dealing with death; he had felt that he had been to harsh with her but she had to learn. She had to understand that she just couldn't say things like that to her own flesh and blood because she was upset and hurt. Everyone in that house was upset and hurt. Roy opened the door to his office and asked him to come in. Hank stepped in and Roy closed the door behind him, he asked him to take a seat and he took one himself. The office was quite for sometime as he looked outside at the very same spot that he had held his mother. 

"Lizzie's not taking this well is she?" Roy said. 

"That might be a bit of an understatement." Hank said lowly. 

Roy nodded, he knew his sister well. 

"Before mom died, we were outside talking about you two." 

"Really?" Hank said interested. 

"She knew." Roy said. 

His hand was covering his mouth when he said it but Hank heard him. 

"She knew? Knew what?" 

"About the fake marriage. She knew you two were just getting married so that she could see Lizzie walk down the isle." 

"Really." Hank said 

He leaned back in his seat surprised that she hadn't said anything or that she hadn't scolded him for doing such a thing. The look on his face made Roy respond, 

"It's because you love her." 

Hank looked up at Roy, his eyebrows lowered to show that he was confused as to what he was talking about. 

"Mom knew you loved Lizzie which is why she didn't say anything. It's why she didn't stop the marriage. She knew you loved her, she told me to make sure that you tell Lizzie how you feel about her." 

Hank shook his head, 

"No I can't do that. She's too young and she'd never believe me." 

"Then make her believe you." Roy said sternly. 

"Look I'm not going to tell you when to tell her but just make sure you tell her. Mom said so, technically you were still her son-in-law when she died so you have to listen to her." 

Hank gave a sad smile to Roy in which he returned the same smile, 

"That's the finest logical if I ever heard any." Hank said. 

Roy nodded to Hank and Hank stood up and walked to the door. 

"Promise me you'll tell her." Roy said. 

Hank had stopped at the open door and turned to Roy, he nodded and said, 

"I'll tell her. I promise." 

Hank then walked out of the house and went to the stables to feed the horses. He wasn't sure when it would be appropriate to tell her but he was going to tell her. The rest of the day no one saw or heard from Lizzie. At some point she'd obviously gotten up from her bed to lock the door, Hank tired opening it only to find that she'd shut him out as well. He slept in his room, the one he was originally staying in before they got married. He thought back to the conversation he had with his father. How he explained that he didn't actually cheat on his mother, despite all of that he still harbored resentment towards his father. Even if he hadn't cheated he sure as hell allowed everyone to walk away, he pushed everyone that was close to him away because it was easier to let them go then to fight for them. Gale had said she was going to give him another chance. They weren't  officially back together but she was going to allow him back into her life if he could prove that he wasn't going to just walk away. If he could show her the same strength he showed her when they were younger. The same strength that drew her towards him in the first place.