Hook an Angel✔️

Chapter 41

"But that's all over now. Why are you guys worried about me, what about Shay?"

"Despite what you think of your sister and her husband, she loves him and he's a good, decent man. They will be fine."

"Great! So it's only me the dysfunctional child that can't seem to get it together. Always picking the wrong guys, huh. You never approved, even in high school with the one boyfriend I had."

"Honey, I knew he was a loser day one, but had to let you see that on your own."

She sat on her parents' bed and looked down at her fingernails. "Mom, how do you know if you have really found the one then? Like, how do you know it's really true love that stands the test of time. Like you and dad."

Her mother walked over to the bed and sat beside her.

"Honey, you don't know. I still don't know. After thirty-five years your father could up and leave me tomorrow for no reason. Love is fickle. Love ain't everlasting. And forget the happily ever after bull shit you read about and see in movies. Huh!"

"You and dad are that happily ever after, right?"

"We both work very hard, to make it this far. We fight. We argue. We go days without talking sometimes. And child, that man annoys me half the time down in that man cave with them sports. He hates my cooking. He hates me shopping all the time. He hates my hair sometimes. He thinks I'm a crazy woman because I say what the hell I feel."

She chuckled. Why did her parents' relationship sound like her and Hook?

"But I love him, always have and always will. No guarantees for happy ever after until one of us takes our lasts breath I guess...and what's happy about that? Unless we go peacefully together, maybe that's a happily ever after."

"Mom, stop being so grim," she said, hugging her mother. "You're going to be here forever."

"I'm guessing you're asking all this because of how you feel for Hook."

"Yes."

"And what do you think?"

She had been thinking about it a lot. "I think love is not enough. We're so different. And things keep happening trying to pull us apart. I don't know. We're just so different."

"I agree with that," her mother said. "But that's not a reason to not fight for it if that's what you want. I know people. I know that man. He loves you, and baby, that should be enough to work through anything else."

"What about...Dr. Hart."

"Why is that man even an issue?" Her mother stood up from the bed. "I swear Angel sometimes I worry about you. Always have been smart, but when it comes to love...or whatever the hell this is with that man! Why would you even be thinking about him when you're supposed to be in love with Hook?"

She shrugged. She did not know. If she knew she would stop thinking about him. She would devote all her thoughts to Hook and their life they could have. Maybe. Could they? She was so confused.

"Okay, now get it together child. We're going downstairs and have a nice, lovely meal with a man that adores you. He's showing you he loves you, why can't that be enough?"

"It's just not," she said.

Her mother held up her hands in defeat, she was done talking to her. She walked out of the room. Clearly, her talk with her mother did not help at all.

Her father was helping Hook set the table.

"He-ey! My two gorgeous ladies," her father said loud and obnoxious. "See, the men can cater to our women and didn't even need to be asked."

"And if you did it more than once a year that would be a treat," her mother said, playfully slapping her father's hand away who was setting the placement of forks incorrectly. "And if you want something done right, just do it yourself. Angel Dear, you want to show Hook the proper place setting?"

"Does it matter we have two forks, two spoons, and a knife?" Hook asked.

"Dinner place setting we only need one spoon. Formal there are two. We're not going to be too formal here," Angel said, fixing the place setting.

"Well I helped Hook with the salad," her father said, going into the kitchen.

"I'll help bring the food in," her mother said, following him.

She busied herself fixing the table while Hook watched.

"Lot of work. I guess you grew up knowing all this fancy stuff, huh?"

"Many of my mother's sorority Mother-Daughter Brunches and dinners. Soo many! Which is why I probably didn't pledge anything." And the fact that her mother told her she either pledged the same sorority or nothing. And well, she did not care for her mother's sorority, nothing but a bunch of snobs, so nothing it was.

"I hope they like what I made. I mean, it's nothing fancy."

"Hook, you cooked, they will love it."

"Hey, you okay babe," he said, putting an arm around her.

"I'm fine," she said, kissing his cheek. "Starving! Let's eat!"

Hook should be a professional chef, she believed he had the goods. The man made fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and homemade rolls from scratch. He even chopped up a salad filled with green onions, carrots, tomatoes, black olives and tossed in a dressing he made himself. Her mother plated everything in platters and they brought it to sit on the table.

"Looks like we're celebrating something special with this meal," her father said. "You two have something you need to tell me."

Angel groaned and covered her face in embarrassment. Hook just chuckled as he tossed the salad.

"Eddie, let them be," her mother said.

"I just like to cook," Hook said, serving her mother salad on her plate. "It's relaxing for me. I used to stand in the kitchen with my mom, you know, my aunt, and watch her cook every single day. Then she started teaching me. Then I started cooking for her so she could get some rest."

He put salad on her father's plate and then served her.

"I don't think cooking should be something that just women do."

"This man has won over my heart," her mother said, glaring at Angel.

"Mom, he hates cleaning! I have to do all the cleaning!"

"Everybody hates cleaning...but you. That's why I hire maids," her mother said. "Only you would run after the maid and do her job for her."

She shrugged. "It's my calm."

The food was so good there were not any leftovers. Her parents said they would handle the cleanup so she and Hook could have some time before he had to leave for home.

"I think my parents like you more than they like me now," she said with a pout.

"Naw, but they're cool. We cool?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"You sure babe?" he said, rubbing a finger down her nose then her lips. "I have to drive all the way back to the city, but I'm wishing you were with me."

"Me too," she said, hugging him.

Then she realized what she needed to do.

A/N: Angel doing something wrong if she is still thinking about the professor when she's supposed to be in love with Hook. I need her to get it together.

XOXO
Kimberly