Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1556

Richard was beaming. "No family discipline, Winona, don't be nervous. I won't use family discipline." Richard then looked at Keaton. "You, come outside with me first!" Keaton was wary. "What for?" Richard said, "To the family study." Keaton's eyes widened. "Didn't you just say you wouldn't use family discipline?" Richard paused for a moment, then said, "Does going to the study always mean discipline? Can't it be to praise you?" Keaton looked skeptical. "Praise me for what?" Richard's lips moved, but with Winona present, he was too embarrassed to say it outright. He just said, "Good man! Get out here!" Good man? Keaton was floored. To his dad, he'd always been the problem child, the black sheep, the good-for-nothing disappointment. How had he suddenly become a 'good man'?! Keaton grew even more suspicious. "No hitting?" Richard smiled. "I already said, no hitting! Winona is listening. Would I go back on my word?" Janelle also chimed in with a smile, "Go on. I'm sure your father couldn't bring himself to lay a hand on you today. As long as you don't burn down the study, he won't get physical." Seeing that Richard was indeed in a pleasant mood, Keaton got up and went out. The father and son walked towards the study. Keaton couldn't help but ask, "Dad, is there really some good news in the family today?" Richard looked at him with a loving smile. "Good man! You've finally grown up! I thought you'd be a lost cause for the rest of your life! I never expected you to give me such a wonderful surprise! I'm so relieved. My boy has finally seen the light!" My boy has seen the light? That didn't sound right. It sounded less like a compliment and more like an insult! "Dad, your son has always been a good person! Just tell me, what's the big surprise today?" Richard just smiled at him again, retorting, "Playing coy and not wanting to say, are you?" "It's not me..." "If you don't want to say it, you don't have to. You can tell your grandfather, your great-grandfather, and all the Huber ancestors in the study. You've finally done something worthwhile. Let them have a reason to celebrate." Keaton was speechless. So, he'd never done anything worthwhile before? He couldn't for the life of him figure out what this good news was. He had a vague feeling it might have something to do with Winona. "Dad, is this surprise you're talking about related to Winona?" Richard nodded. "You know your mother and I both adore Winona. The fact that she's willing to start a family with you is a blessing for the Huber legacy!" He continued, "Of course, without you, Winona wouldn't be joining the Huber family, and we wouldn't have such joyous news. So, you, my boy, are the hero here!" Keaton was stunned. Carry on the family line? He had just told a little lie about them secretly dating. How did it escalate to carrying on the family line? Before Keaton could ask, Richard let out a long sigh and lamented, "For the past few years, Dad really thought our family was done for. I had completely given up on you!" "Just because you said you wanted to be a bachelor for life, I had so many sleepless nights." "Look at my gray hair—half of it is because of you! Your sister never gave me this much grief. It's just you, always causing trouble!" "It's not like our family is short on money, but we're short on people!" "Your mother and I have been wishing on every star, hoping you'd get your act together, settle down, and find a good girl to marry and have kids with." "But you? You were about to turn thirty and still yelling about not getting married or having kids! I'd lost all hope in you!" "Who would've thought... there'd be such a shocking plot twist. Heh, you've really impressed me, son... my good boy..." As Richard walked and talked, he was showing a rare moment of genuine emotion, and Keaton didn't have the heart to interrupt him.