HaLo Effect

Chapter 1

Wiping her hands on the towel Harmony takes out two plates putting them on the table. Looking out the window on top of the sink she watches her 5 year old son Hunter playing fetch with his 2 year old Great Dane named Rex. Hunter has café au lait skin with blue eyes that he got from his dad, small nose, and tiny pink lips with a rounded face and a head full of curly black hair. He is the spitting image of his mother with the exception of the eyes. Walking to the door she calls out to Hunter.

“Time to come inside buddy, dinner is ready.” She watches as he drags himself not wanting to stop playing as he got closer she ruffles his wild curly hair as he passes by her to get inside. “Go wash your hand, I made your favorite tonight.”

Rex - not one to be ignored - put his two front paws on her stomach sniffing her in his special way, telling her he wants his dinner too. Laughing she rubs behind his ears where he likes it. Grabbing his food from the pantry, she fills his bowl with food and makes sure he has water in his other bowl.

Checking on the food, Harmony turns off the stove and picks her wine glass off the side and takes a sip. This is the part where everyone would expect the husband to come from the front door greeting his lovely wife with a peck on the lips, pet the dog then play with his son when he is supposed to be eating to go to bed. This is not it. Hunter’s bastard of a father denied he was the father before he was even born. She changes the direction of her thoughts to happier things when Hunter enters the room. He is such a good boy it aches. As a baby he was quiet, watching the world with such fascination and slept mostly all day. She lost most of her baby weight by breast feeding him.

He piles his plate with Mac and cheese, baked chicken, string beans and mashed potatoes. Rex gets close to Hunter hoping to get some food falling off his plate. Seeing he is almost done Harmony goes to the bathroom to get his bath ready by the time he is done. Filling the tub with water and his favorite toys, checking the temperature one more time to make sure it’s not too hot. Leaving Hunter to clean himself she goes to the kitchen to clean the dishes.

Going to Hunter’s room to read him a story of his choice. Tonight it was Goldie Locks and the Three Bears. Harmony animates the voices of each character in the book making her son giggle with happiness at the silliness of his mother. When story time was finished, and she was going to kiss him good night, what came out of Hunter’s mouth made her freeze in her track.

“Why does daddy hate me?” his little voice held so much anguish it broke her heart.

Hunter, dressed in his Sunday’s best greeted his grandparents Jeffery Henry Williams the second, who was dressed in a navy blue suit and has his still fully black hair slicked back, and Meredith Williams soft pink two piece suit and her blond hair in a slick bun and they showered him with compliments that got a huge dimpled smile out of him.

As soon as Jeff saw Hunter and Harmony sitting at the dining table he blew. “What is this whore and bastard of a son doing in our house?” he demanded from his parents.

“Jeffery watch your mouth you will not talk to your son or his mother that way in this house,” Meredith scolded her son. The once happy and smiling Hunter looks like he is about to cry but doesn’t.

“Maybe it’s better if we just leave,” Harmony suggested getting ready to get up and leave.

“Yes and take your bastard son with you, you money grabbing bitch,” Jeff sneered at her with hatred in his eyes. At the moment the doorbell rang. “My date is here and I want you both to disappear.”

Harmony wondered to herself what did she ever see in him sure he’s handsome with blue eyes that Hunter have, sandy blonde hair, angular jaw and a lean body. But she guess that’s what she gets for getting drunk and having sex with him. One night and it changed everything.

“I’m so sorry Harmony about his behavior I don’t know what got into him,” Meredith apologized for her son.

“No it’s okay, I expect it,” she said drying the unshed tears from Hunter’s face.

“It’s no way to talk to you or his son, what am I going to do with him?” Jeffery said with a frown marring his face shaking his head at his son actions.

Coming back with a blond bimbo in his arm he scowled noticing Harmony and Hunter where they were when he left but didn’t say anything from the look he got from his father. Jeffery’s date didn’t eat anything but a salad that was served as an entrée and kept complaining about the amount of calories in the food and not wanting to get fat.

During dessert, the walking malnutrition as Harmony like to call her, asked the question that made the finally pleasant dinner go into shambles. “Who’s the kid’s father?” she tilted her face to the side.

“Not mine,” Jeff growled.

“Jeffery Henry Williams the third you will stop this right this second that boy is your son and I’m surprised the Harmony hasn’t asked you to start taking care of your parental duties. She had the paternity test like you asked and it came back positive. Harmony hasn’t asked you or us for money to take care of your child nor has she taken this to the court. Stop being ungrateful and own up to your responsibilities.” Jeffery yelled at his son.

“You know I don’t need this, I’m leaving and that thing is not my son,” he said before leaving.

“I think I should leave also, it’s almost Hunter’s bedtime,” Harmony said through the silence.

“Okay honey let me walk you to your car,” Meredith replied getting up from her seat but was stopped by her husband.

“No honey I got it”, he kissed her forehead and helped Harmony to her car.

“Oh honey don’t worry about that just know mommy and your grandparents love you with all their hearts,” she says laid next to him on his bed. Rex who is curled up at the end of the bed comes and lays his head on Hunter’s lap to comfort his master.

“Okay, I love you mommy,” Hunter replies rubbing his eyes. Kissing his head she turns on his night light and leaves the door ajar.

Grabbing her phone from her pocket she texts Nate asking if he will meet her for coffee at their favorite café after her class tomorrow. Nate who she has known for basically all her life is an eccentric gay guy with black curly hair, straight nose, green eyes, full lips, lean body who is an owner of ‘Just for You’ spa and salon. He likes to say what is on his mind and Harmony is pretty sure he wasn’t born with the filter between the brain and the mouth.

Harmony: Café Nuit at 3?

Nate: Like you have to ask.

Harmony: I’ll make sure to bring a tranquilizer for you then.

Nate: Why?

Harmony: What I have to tell you I’m pretty sure you’re going to try and find Jeffery and kill him.

Nate: Then it’s going to take more than a tranquilizer to stop me but whatever it is I’ll try to restrain myself since I love you too much to cause you pain.

Harmony: Thank you and love you too.

Nate: Until tomorrow my sweets.

Harmony: G’ Night.

Walking to her room lips pinched together and her arms crossed against her chest. Lighting scented candles around her room, Harmony turns off the lights and sits cross legged on the yoga mat at the end of the bed on the floor. Meditating is the only way she can tap down her anger, she tries to keep negativity away from her house and let it be a place of peace and serenity.