DISSONANCE
by
Duckling
Chapter 2
The Chapters
Frank lugged his bags up the three flights of stairs to his new apartment, the key tight in his grasp. As he inserted the key into the lock and entered his new home, a sense of well-being and pride washed over him. He had been planning and saving for this for months. He had taken his college money and other savings and set up a new account in another bank, miles away from Bayport, with this sole purpose in mind. He had yet to buy furniture, but he had money enough for the simple inexpensive pieces he could buy in discount stores. He chose the first of the two bedrooms as his own; the other would be for Joe.
He dropped his luggage inside his room and went on a brief tour. He had seen the apartment before, but wanted to revel in the knowledge that this was his own personal domain as he explored the two-bedroom, two-and-a half bath apartment. His pride grew as he stepped from room to room, examining the small but efficient kitchen, approving of the cozy living room. He sat down on the floor and pondered the placement of the furniture: the electronic piano over there for Joe, perhaps a wide-screen TV over against that wall, a comfy recliner in this corner for himself.
For some reason, Frank mused, Joe always preferred the couch. He never seemed to resent the fact that Frank chose the recliner whenever the opportunity arose. Maybe it’s because he can sprawl out more comfortably on the couch, Frank thought. A sudden gurgle of Frank’s stomach reminded him of the passage of time and his hunger. Getting up, Frank grabbed his new keys and headed towards the door. He still had quite a bit to do before the day was done.
***
Fenton returned late to the Hardy home; the only light he could see from the driveway was that of his and Laura’s bedroom window. As he walked through the door the last lingering aroma of Joe’s meal greeted him. He stalked to the kitchen in search of something to eat, pleasantly relieved to spy a plate of food awaiting him in the fridge. He was grateful for this act of thoughtfulness; he didn’t really feel as if he deserved it.
As he nuked the plate, he wondered again if Joe shared Frank’s animosity towards him. If so, then the teen had been concealing it remarkably well. Quite an achievement, actually, he thought, for his hot-headed, rash, and emotional son. But Fenton remembered too how adept Joe was at hiding his feelings and pain if he chose to do so. Sighing as he pulled his now hot meal out of the microwave oven, Fenton decided it was best not to assume anything and to ask Joe directly instead. But, perhaps, Fenton mused, not quite yet. Perhaps it would be better to wait awhile.
Fenton finished his meal, rinsed his plate and loaded it in the dishwasher before dousing the downstairs’ lights and moving on up to the second floor. Once there, he realized that either Joe had already gone to bed, or that he was not there. He opened the door to the bedroom he shared with Laura to find her curled up under the covers watching TV.
“Hi,” Fenton said softly.
“Hi.” Laura turned and greeted him with a smile.
“Thanks for saving me a plate. Joe’s an excellent cook.”
“Isn’t he though?” gushed Laura. “And he was so sweet too. When he discovered that it would be just the two of us for dinner, he got candles out and set out my best china. ‘Dinner for two’ he said.”
“Yeah,” Fenton said, “he’s a good kid.”
“They’re both good kids,” Laura reminded her husband sternly.
Fenton held up his arms in surrender. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Thinking it prudent to switch topics, Fenton started a new line of inquiry.
“Where’s Joe? He hasn’t gone to bed has he?”
“No,” Laura replied with a sigh. “He’s at Biff’s. He’s hasn’t said a word about it, but I just know this is eating him up. He promised to be back by eleven.” Laura glanced at the bedside clock. “He should be back in about half an hour.”
“Good. I guess I’ll go get busy on this, then.”
Laura looked up at her husband. “Fenton, Frank doesn’t want us to find him,” she said cautiously.
“I know what the note said,” Fenton exclaimed harshly. Then his strong shoulders slumped and he continued in a gentler voice, “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
He sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.
“Laura, I’m not going to search for him to antagonize him, or to persuade him to come home if he’s so dead set against it. But I have to look for him to assure myself that I can find him, that he’s still within my reach if he needs help.
“I can still look out for him that way; I can still be a father.”
***
Big, blond, beefy Biff Hooper placed the tray of snacks and sodas on the table beside his dejected friend. It bothered him to see Joe looking so low. Joe had unexpectedly appeared shortly after dinner. He had offered no explanations, but had merely asked if he could hang out a bit with his best friend. They had played pool in Biff’s game room and had even watched half a movie before Joe got restless and began wandering around the room aimlessly.
That’s when Biff had decided to bring whatever it was that was bothering his buddy out into the open, and he knew that couldn’t happen until he had laid out the snacks. If there was one thing he knew about Joe Hardy, it was that only in this manner could he be persuaded to talk without thinking up clever disruptions to derail the conversation. Biff opened a soda and poured a glass for each of them, setting Joe’s before him.
Joe looked up into his friend’s face and knew what was coming.
“You forgot the popcorn.”
“Popcorn? But you don’t really like popcorn.”
“I know, but every other time you had it ready, just in case I tried a last ditch effort to sidetrack you.”
Biff laughed. “No, slugger, I didn’t forget. Apparently those eagle eyes of yours failed to notice the new microwave we have over here in the corner. You know, next to the case of popcorn.”
Joe gave a short laugh. “All right,” he said, “You win.”
“I always do, Hardy.”
“Only because you’re on my team, Hooper.”
“Well, there is always that,” Biff conceded pleasantly.
The boys’ eyes met and they shared a smile.
“So spill,” Biff ordered. “I’ve waited hours and you haven’t said a word.”
Joe sighed as he leaned back into his chair. “It’s Frank, Biff. He left.”
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Disclaimer
The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.