Zelda was relieved when she saw the realization spread over her husband's still-gaunt features. This was probably going to happen a few more times, Rafe having to get used to things being different. She realized they probably should have gone over all this before. Frank was going to have questions, but it was all covered for now. What Frank needed to do was focus on the end of term and then come on home so they could all have a holiday.

Frank meanwhile was trying to mitigate disappointment. He had to agree the adult thing to do would be talk about this in private, but he still felt like he was being sent out of the room while grown-ups talked. But he could deal with that. He wanted to show both his parents that he was mature enough to handle this, that they could tell him things. So he smiled and ate more chips.

"Yup! Train's on the seventeenth. Hey, actually, you can get me a the train station and we can just go straight over to the shop. Figaro's been working there sometimes," Frank informed him.

"I don't know if he does a good job or not, but he's been helping."

Was it possible to simultaneously pull someone out from under a bus even as you shove them back?

Zelda ate a chip and arched an eyebrow. "Figaro's been doing just fine. Big help," she assured them both with a smile.

"We've got to get back soon, love," Zelda said then. "Soon will be sooner than you think."

Frank seemed okay with that and stood up from his chair. "Oh yeah, no problem. We're going to Honeydukes to stock up."

His smile faltered, not sure what to do next. He felt like he's spun around in a circle from a half-hour ago. Then, suddenly, he stepped forward and gave Rafe a hug around his broad shoulders.

"Bye, dad!"

Frank was on his feet ready to go off and rejoin his friends. Rafe wasn’t so sure what to do, so he had another chip.

It was, therefore, a shock when Frank closed the distance between them and went in for a hug. Chuffed and a little surprised, Rafe wrapped his arms around his kid in a firm hug back. It was perfect. Even when it stopped, it was still perfect.

There was a lopsided grin on Rafe’s expression when Frank said bye, and he waved a hand back.
“See ya kiddo. Soon.”

With that, Frank was gone, and Rafe was slumped back in his chair, looking at Zelda.
“That was harder than I thought it would be.”

Zelda's stony heart was melted with motherly affection for Rafe and Frank. How that boy managed to throw himself back into the relationship was surprising. She knew it wasn't going to be a straight line up and up from the hurt and walls Frank had put up towards perfect father/son bonding. It was going to be a tumult. And Rafe will have his own shit to work through.

"Oh? I was expecting worse," she smiled and had a drink of her beer. "That was good. That was good."

fin