Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 19
 
 

" Thanks for the ride, Whitney.", Simone said, as they pulled up into the driveway.

" No problem. The Bennett house was on my way home."

They entered the house, and Simone was shocked, " What the hell? Looks like someone broke into our house. "

" Oh my God! Mom and Daddy! MOM! DADDY!", Whitney yelled.

" MOM!", Simone joined in.

Just then, the girls see their father walking down the stairs. They run up the stairs to him. TC  hugged his daughters.

" Daddy, what happened? What's wrong? What's going on? Are you hurt? Is Mom hurt?", Whitney asked.

" Your mother is fine….I guess."

" You guess? What kind of answer is that?", Simone asked.

" Girls, we need to talk. Why don't we go upstairs to my bedroom?"

Whitney and Simone follow their father and sit in the bed, while he's standing and pacing around. Simone sneaks her hand over to Whitney's and holds it.

" Daddy, what happened downstairs?", Whitney asked. " Where's Mom?"

" Your mother and I got into a difficult discussion."

" Difficult discussion? What is that supposed to mean, Daddy?", Simone inquired. " She left because you lost your temper and trashed downstairs?"

" I didn't trash downstairs. Your mother did."

" MOM? I don't think so, Daddy…WHY? Mom never gets that upset."

" Well, she was last night Whitney."

" What happened?", Simone asked.

" Your mother found out some disturbing information, and it upset her greatly. "

The girls were now holding both hands with one another, and TC saw it. TC looked at his daughters. Fear was all over their faces. Their beautiful faces. But, he couldn't turn back now. He had to tell them the truth, if only so that they can help Eve.

" I told your mother that I had an affair, and that the other woman is pregnant with my child."

TC turned to look at his daughters, who were sitting in shock. There was no movement in the room for a few moments, and then TC saw Simone's tears streak down her face.

" You? You had…..an…an affair? You got a woman pregnant? You…you did that to Mom? To us?"

TC looked at Simone's face. So beautiful, so innocent, but, he could see her innocence crumbling. While Whitney had always had an unusually strong faith in Eve, Simone was his. Whitney was his 'Princess', but, Simone was his 'Sugarbear'. They shared the same temperment. The same moods. Whitney touched his heart, but, Simone had always had his soul. So, while Whitney was still reeling from the shock, TC could see the rage building up in Simone's eyes. It finally reached her mouth.

" YOU hurt Mom that way? YOU who has always spouted off family, honor, responsibility? Where was that honor when you were fucking another woman?"

" Watch your language?"

" Watch my language? What the FUCK for? I'll say any DAMN thing I want. After all, it wasn't me who came in here and SHIT all over this family. You DESTROYED us! Our family.  How could you? How could you sleep with another woman? A baby? Are we supposed to give a shit about this baby? Consider it our sibling? What did you expect? That we would be all hunky-dory with this? That it's nothing? Are you as stupid as your best friend Chief Bennett?" Simone put her hand up. " I don't care what you have to say. I'm outta her. YOU MAKE ME SICK! SICK!" Simone ran out of the room and down the stairs as quickly as possible.

TC ran to the top of the stairs, but Simone was out of the door, her father's calls in her ear, but, she was running as fast as she possibly could. TC went back to his bedroom where Whitney was still sitting there. There were no sobs, but the tears were coming down her face.  TC wanted to sit next to his daughter, but, he just stood there. After a few moments, Whitney finally spoke up. The voice was quiet, but, the tone was cold as ice.

" All my life, you have pushed me. Pushed me because you expected some level of perfection. You did it to Mom all the time too. I watched, as year after year, she was the 'perfect' wife, mother, doctor. Sure, part of it is Mom's personality, but, part of it was you. The pressure you put on her. So, she did it. She was what you asked her to be, and in the end, I am to understand, that it wasn't good enough. You not only broke your marriage vows, but, even if Mom could get past that, you have fathered another child. A living reminder of your infidelity. Of that Mom wasn't 'perfect' enough. Do you know what people are going to say about us? Do you know the smirks and pitying looks that we'll all be subjected to now? Did our family mean so little to you that you ruined it for cheap sex? You ruined us for cheap sex. How could you Daddy?"

With that, Whitney got up and left the room. TC finally sat on his bed, and heard the echoes of the front door slamming.
 

" Hi Mom. What did you want to see us about?", Jessica asked.

Kay and Jessica were sitting on the couch in the Bennett living room.

" Where is Charity?"

" Mom, you know that she went on that day trip to the coast with the oceanic group."

" Yeah, I remember. Sorry."

" So, what did you want, Mom?"

" Kay…Jessica, it's about me and your father."

" Mom, we already know that Dad isn't moving back in anytime soon. He told us about his new 'bachelor pad'.", Kay said, with a snarl. " Can you believe it? He even gave us keys and his new phone number, as if I wanted either one. I can't believe Daddy hurt you like that, Mom?"

" Kay, it's not all your father's fault. I've made my share of mistakes. In fact, that's why we're here. It involves the entire family. There's no easy way to tell you, so here it is: I'm pregnant."

Kay and Jessica look at their mother with stunned looks on their faces. The face one another, and then they burst into big smiles and go over to see and hug Grace.

" A baby? Mom, that's terrific news!", Jessica comments.

" Mom, fantastic. So, Dad must have been thrilled? When is he moving back in?"

" Kay….your father isn't moving back in."

Kay looks at her mother confused. " Mom, you're having a baby. Of course, you and Dad have worked things out."

" No, Kay. We're still separated."

" Mom, you wouldn't do it. You'll forgive Dad because of the baby. You and he will work things out. Go to counseling. See Father Lonigan. You believe in family above all else, Mom. It's what you've taught all of us."

" I know, Kay. I know I taught you about family. But, the reason that I can't forgive your father is because of the baby. Because the baby isn't his."

Jessica's eyes grow wide. " N….Not Daddy's?"

" No. I…I…slept with someone else, and he is the father of the baby."

Kay shakes her head. "Whoah…no way. No way in hell. You're like the Saint of Harmony, Mom. Saints don't have affairs, and they definitely don't have the babies of men NOT their husbands!"

" I am no Saint, Kay. I'm human. Very human. In a desperate time, I made a mistake, and now, I have a baby because of it."

" You have to get rid of it! Before Dad finds out!", Kay said harshly.

" Katherine Bennett! I am NOT getting an abortion. It's against every belief I have. It's against my religion."

" Well, I think 'thou shalt not commit adultery' was part of that religion too, but you don't seem to have any problems with it!"

" Kay!"

" Jess, don't 'shush' me! Our Mom is standing in the home that we grew up in, WITH OUR PARENTS and has just told us that SHE had an affair, and is now KNOCKED UP with some other guy's kid! WHAT reaction were you expecting?"

" I…I don't know. Maybe a little understanding?", Grace asked.

" NOT! Wrong answer, Mom. You get no understanding about this. I can't believe it. Some parents I have. A cheating Dad. A cheating Mom who isn't smart enough to use effective birth control, so now the WHOLE world will know how messed up this family is. UGH!!"

Kay gets off of the couch and storms out, not bothering to close the door. Jessica just looked at her mother. She is crying, but, she runs out of the room and up the stairs. Grace can hear her slam her bedroom door and lock it.

Grace sat down at the desk. The tears were streaming down her face. That had been as horrible as she had thought, yet there was one more thing to do. She picked up the phone and dialed.

" Hi Noah. It's me. Mom."