When the thirty minutes were up, Hank and Paul's father came back into the room. Paul and Hank still weren't looking at each other, but neither one was quite as angry anymore.
"That's better," their father said. "Now, let me see if I can figure this out. I know my sons, you've always been as different as you can be, but I've seen you be best friends and support each other since you could both talk...."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other and quickly looked away again, both slightly ashamed.
Their father leaned against a table with his arms folded, looking at both his sons intently. "So you must both have some real concerns to be so angry. Hank - you first. What are you feeling here?"
Hank shrugged. "Well - you know - I just don't want Paul to date someone weird."
Paul made as if to jump up again, but a gesture from his father held him back.
"And why is that, Hank?"
"Well - it'll ruin his reputation. He thinks she'll be cool and different and quirky, but she'll just end up being crazy! Then he'll start getting bullied all over again."
Their father nodded. "And Paul? What do you think about Hank's choice?"
Paul sat up. "No one that pretty is ever really nice. She's just using him, and he won't notice how mean she is until it's too late!"
Paul and Hank's father nodded very slowly. "So neither of you wants the other to get hurt by choosing the wrong girl."
"Yeah...." muttered Paul.
"I guess," added Hank.
Their father smiled, glancing from one of his sons to the other significantly. "I would have thought you two would know better than anyone that you can't judge on appearances."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other, and slowly, they both began to laugh.
"I guess he has a point," Paul admitted.
"Yeah." Hank gave his brother a small grin. "Sorry, Paul."
"I'm sorry, too."
"Now, if you really want to approve each other's girlfriends," their father went on, "how about the four of you all meet?"
Hank glanced at Paul. "I bet Charity wouldn't mind a double date. She'll like meeting new people in town. And Maeve must... I mean, what do you think she'd like?"
Paul smiled. "I think she'd love a double date."
"That's better," their father said. "Now, let me see if I can figure this out. I know my sons, you've always been as different as you can be, but I've seen you be best friends and support each other since you could both talk...."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other and quickly looked away again, both slightly ashamed.
Their father leaned against a table with his arms folded, looking at both his sons intently. "So you must both have some real concerns to be so angry. Hank - you first. What are you feeling here?"
Hank shrugged. "Well - you know - I just don't want Paul to date someone weird."
Paul made as if to jump up again, but a gesture from his father held him back.
"And why is that, Hank?"
"Well - it'll ruin his reputation. He thinks she'll be cool and different and quirky, but she'll just end up being crazy! Then he'll start getting bullied all over again."
Their father nodded. "And Paul? What do you think about Hank's choice?"
Paul sat up. "No one that pretty is ever really nice. She's just using him, and he won't notice how mean she is until it's too late!"
Paul and Hank's father nodded very slowly. "So neither of you wants the other to get hurt by choosing the wrong girl."
"Yeah...." muttered Paul.
"I guess," added Hank.
Their father smiled, glancing from one of his sons to the other significantly. "I would have thought you two would know better than anyone that you can't judge on appearances."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other, and slowly, they both began to laugh.
"I guess he has a point," Paul admitted.
"Yeah." Hank gave his brother a small grin. "Sorry, Paul."
"I'm sorry, too."
"Now, if you really want to approve each other's girlfriends," their father went on, "how about the four of you all meet?"
Hank glanced at Paul. "I bet Charity wouldn't mind a double date. She'll like meeting new people in town. And Maeve must... I mean, what do you think she'd like?"
Paul smiled. "I think she'd love a double date."