"Oh" Jensen said. "I gotta say that I'm really glad you told me about this. It's kinda hard to believe how fast you have grown. I mean, there was a time when all you cared about was video games, but now here you are, having girl problems"
Tim grinned. "Don't tease me dad" he said.
"I'm not. I'm not" Jensen said, raising his hands. "And I gotta say that In my time, I was never turned down by a girl. Not bragging"
Tim rolled his eyes and smiled. "Show off" he said, and Jensen laughed.
"But," Jensen continued, "With your mom, I hesitated. I was stupid. Didn't know what I had. I was enjoying all the attention I was getting that I forgot to go after the one thing that mattered, and I almost lost her. So I say, suck it up kid. To hell with that fear. Just ask her to go to the dance with you, what's the worst thing that could happen? "
"Ermmm, she could turn me down," Tim replied. "I could get embarrassed and I will never ever show my face in school again"
Jensen threw his head back and laughed. "Oh please" he said. "You will be fine even if she says no. But I don't think she will say no though"
"Oh really? How do you know that?" Tim asked.
Jensen smiled. "Let's just say I have a gift". He said. "I know these things. Just ask her."
"Fine" Tim said, then he leaned closer and said. "So while we are still on the subject, I want to ask. Are you and mom getting a divorce?"
Jensen almost spat out his fries in his mouth and immediately went wide eyed. "What!" he exclaimed. "Where did you get that idea from? Did your mom say we are getting divorced?"
Tim almost laughed at his reaction, but he knew this was no laughing matter so he held it in. "No she didn't say that" he replied. "I was just wondering, you know, because of the way you guys have been acting. First yelling at each other and then you moving out. It just seems like the first step to getting divorced"
"Oh" Jensen said, sounding very relieved. "Look, Tim. Your mom and I are just going through a rough patch right now. And I didn't really move out. I just thought we needed some space. But we are definitely not getting divorced. Hopefully that thought hasn't gone through her head." he paused then added, "I miss all of you. You, Deanie and your mom"
"Then come home," Tim said. "It sucks not having you around. Deanie misses you so much...and it's even worse for mom because she is trying so hard to act like she's fine. And she might kill me for telling you this, but she misses you too"
Jensen sighed. "Oh I don't know, son," he said. "I messed up really bad this time"
"And I'm sure mom will forgive you in a heartbeat because she loves you. You know I hear her crying sometimes in her room or sometimes in the kitchen when she thinks no one is listening... Or when she thinks we have gone to bed" Tim said. "Can you guys just talk. I don't wanna be from a broken home"
Jensen smiled at him. "Thanks son," he said. "Don't worry. Your mom and I are going to fix this."
"Thank you," Tim said. "Now can you give me lines? You know... Things to say to Chloe in case she says yes to going to dance with me... I wanna ask her to be my girlfriend too"
Jensen grinned at him. "Luckily for you" he said as he took a big bite to his French fries, and relaxed in his chair. "Your dad is the master. Buckle up kid. It's show time"
Tim laughed.
----------------------
Jensen tucked his hand into his pocket and shook his head nervously. He was holding a beautiful bunch of flowers in his hands. His finger ran over the edges, For a long while, he stared down at it before breathing deeply again.
As his driver pulled to the curb in front of Crimson Bay, he held the flowers closer to his chest. He had asked his driver to drive today because he wasn't sure he could drive with the way his hands were shaking.
Katherine wouldn’t be expecting him. Hell, he wasn’t expecting him. To be here, that is. He was supposed to have flown back to San Francisco. He had a number of issues to deal with including talking to his team about their new projects. Yet, here he was, getting out at his building because he wanted to see his wife. He missed her. He missed his family and he wanted to fix things. Couldn't travel without talking to her, so he put it on hold. Right now he was choosing his family.
He instructed his driver to find suitable parking and to swing back around when he phoned to say he was ready. Then he headed into the building to take the elevator up to her floor.