by Denise Daye
“I think we already did all the required dinners for this week,” she said carefully.
“I guess that would make this a voluntary event on your end.”
“On my end? What about you?”
Benjamin shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not afraid of taking a pretty lady out for drinks.”
Ava lifted her chin. “Good, because I’m not scared of having drinks with the town’s most eligible bachelor either.” Ava bit her lip. “I mean, eligible in a sense of… like…”
“All good,” Benjamin cut in. “Besides, we will have to come up with a quick rescue plan before Barney gets back or we might be out all night… and morning.”
Ava laughed. “How about I call you on your phone from the bathroom and you pretend it’s work.”
“Genius.”
“What’s genius?” Uncle Barney asked from the hallway.
“You, uncle.” Benjamin grinned. Barney nodded in agreement.
“Sounds like I am finally getting the respect I deserve around here. Let’s go.”
“Whatever you say,” Benjamin muttered as they both followed Barney out the door. His eyes were glued on Ava, who had that beautiful smile on her lips again. The one that could drive him crazy, if he would only let it.
“You two sit in front,” Barney suggested, which had sounded more like a command. “The couple always has to sit close to each other. In fact, I should drive and you two sit in the back.”
“We’re good here in the front,” the two had chorused. Barney shrugged and sat in the back.
As expected, Barney talked the whole time they drove. He was recounting some old tales while Benjamin sighed and tried hard not to pay any attention to him. Besides, it was hard to get his attention off Ava anyways. He had never seen her this cheerful before. She constantly laughed, looked at Ben, then turned to indulge Barney further—who kept shooting out embarrassing stories like a machine gun.
“Oh yes,” Barney laughed. “It was some kind of reasonable fear, I always say. Ain’t that right, Benjamin?”
Ava looked at him, still chuckling. “You were scared of swans?”
Benjamin sighed. “It attacked me at the beach house, chased me. Hissing and nipping like a demon.”
Ava and Barney laughed as Benjamin shook his head, still trying to keep a straight face. “I’m serious! Swans can be evil. And I wasn’t scared…” he said puffing out his chest. “…Well, maybe a little,” he confessed the truth a moment later.
“It makes no difference,” Barney laughed and turned to Ava. “I’ve always told the boy, ain’t nothing wrong with being afraid, just make it some kind of reasonable fear, like uh…” He smacked his fist on his knee as he thought and then went on: “Ah! Like not having a reason to live, or depression, or some deep stuff like that.”
“I was still a kid,” Benjamin repeated. Ava still giggled.
“How about you,” Uncle Barney asked from the back, “what are you scared of, Ava?”
Benjamin raised an eyebrow with a smile on his face. This marriage? Me?
“Heights,” she answered immediately. “I’m scared – no, terrified of heights.”
“No,” Barney said and leaned back, smiling.
“It’s true. I still get all jittery when I think of heights. Oh, and I have this thing about flying in airplanes.”
“You’re scared of flights?” Benjamin asked.
She nodded, “Scares the heck out of me.”
“But you have been on a flight, haven’t you?” Benjamin followed up on his first question.
His uncle chimed in before she could respond, “Ain’t nothing wrong with being scared of flights. I mean, I try to use my truck as much as I can.”
Ava giggled. “Thanks, Barney, but yeah,” she looked at Benjamin, “I have flown a few times. I got sick of my fear, so when I was in college, I decided to get on a flight for the first time.”
Benjamin scoffed and shook his head. “You were terrified of flights and yet you did it just to overcome your fear?”
Ava looked at him as if she was waiting for him to say something mean.
“That’s pretty amazing. My bad-ass wife, as Barney would say.” He couldn’t help but admire her for that.
Ava’s mouth hung open, her words broken off as she reached for a response, then Barney’s voice cut through her stutter.
“Dang right I would say that.”
“It’s not like I jumped out of a burning train,” Ava said blushing. “But you’re right, I am pretty bad-ass,” she then teased Benjamin with a pretty smile. He loved it. “Although in all fairness,” she added mumbling, “I am still afraid of flying.”
“You look like a strong woman, I’m pretty sure you’ll get over it,” Barney blurted out.
“You never said that to me about the swan,” Benjamin pouted.
“Yeah, but that’s because they are pretty, fluffy things, not metal cages thousands of miles up in the air.”
Benjamin couldn’t help but throw Ava a grin. She smiled right back at him. It warmed him from inside out. This woman must have the prettiest smile I have ever seen. He couldn’t help but let his eyes wander off to her full lips. They looked so soft. He blushed. Knowing her eyes were on him, he jerked his focus back on the road and mumbled something about putting on some music, to which his uncle said, “not that millennial crap you kids listen to. Turn on some country.”
Looking ahead at the gleaming skyscrapers, the evening sun descending slowly, they were coming up to the “diner” that Benjamin had referred to.
“Oh look, we’re here,” Benjamin chuckled and turned off the radio before Barney’s song had even played. Uncle Barney sighed and the exchange between the two made Ava laugh.
As they all got out of the car and Benjamin watched Ava and Barney walk up to the restaurant, he couldn’t help but admit for the first time since marrying Ava Burns that he was truly enjoying himself—more than he had in a long time, even before he had been forced into this unusual marriage arrangement.
Benjamin had been right when he called the place a regular diner. It had some sort of 60’s theme to it and most people were sitting in vinyl-covered booths.
Benjamin walked up to the bar as Barney and Ava exchanged confused looks.
“What?” Benjamin asked.
“Well, this place doesn’t look like the usual Radcliff hub,” Barney mumbled. Benjamin laughed.
“I didn’t know there is such a thing as the usual Radcliff hub, but yeah. I am a normal human being who likes normal restaurants and bars as well. Besides, this place has the best fries in town.”
“Fries?” Ava repeated with a teasing smirk. “Not caviar?”
Benjamin nodded. “Yup, fries. My favorite food. People think they are all the same but oooooh no. It has become increasingly rare to find places with amazing fries.”
Ava shook her head as they all sat on the metallic, round bar stools at the diner’s bar. Barney took a seat in between Ava and Benjamin when he realized that they were both avoiding sitting close together.
“You know what I feel like doing right now?” Barney asked.
“What?” Benjamin wondered.
He tapped the counter with his hands and smirked. “I feel like spinning around on this stool, swinging my arms and yelling out ‘drinks on me!’”
The two laughed.
“I’d look away and act like I don’t know you,” Ava giggled.
“I second that,” Benjamin said, looking over his uncle’s shoulder until his eyes met Ava.
“Why not?” Uncle Barney let out a mock gasp and looked at the two, moving his head as if on some rotating mechanism. “I can’t believe you two would deny ‘ol’ Uncle Barney his only wish.”
“Only wish? I’m sure you will find another the moment we walk out of this place.”
“Besides,” Ava chipped in, her soft voice drawing the attention of both men, “I don’t think this stool spins.”
&nbs
p; “Indeed, it doesn’t,” Benjamin agreed. They all laughed.
As bizarre as it was, Benjamin ordered fries for everybody and drinks. When they came, Barney scrutinized his choices. He shrugged when he saw Benjamin sip on a diet beer, but when his eyes caught the non-alcoholic drink Ava had ordered he shook his head in disapproval and signaled the waiter.
“We need whiskey here…” Barney muttered.
“No, I’m good with this. I have never tried whiskey before,” Ava protested but he’d have none of it. Benjamin leaned on the counter and shrugged when Ava looked at him, as if to say, “I’ll drink it for you if you don’t like it.”
“Nobody is getting hammered here, but I want you to at least taste a real American whiskey.” Uncle Barney laughed and directed his gaze to Benjamin. “Ain’t that right, boy? You should at least make your wife taste something patriotic once in a while.”
Benjamin opened his mouth, almost correcting his uncle about the wife stuff but held himself back at the last minute. “She’s her own person, I don’t think I can nor should make her do anything.”
Ava seemed to beam at his response. “I agree with him,” she said but Uncle Barney ignored them both.
“At least you kids can give it a taste.” Barney signaled the waiter and held up one finger, “One Kentucky bourbon please.”
He sparkled when his bourbon was brought out and positioned the glass in the middle of the group. “Tonight,” he said cheerfully, his eyes bright, “we taste ‘Merica.”
Ava and Benjamin just stared at him, chuckling.
“That was a toast, you two. Don’t leave me hanging, dammit.”
“Alright, alright,” Ava said grabbing the glass of bourbon. She took a whiff and instantly grimaced. “It smells so strong.”
“Mh-mmm.” Baney nodded satisfied.
“That’s the smell of ‘Merica,” Benjamin mumbled, leaning over to her.
Barney didn’t get that he was imitating him. “Dang right. Try it already.”
She exhaled. “Alright, it’s just one sip, right? How bad can it be?”
Barney and Benjamin stifled laughs and exchanged knowing glances.
One, two, three, Ava counted in her mind and took a big sip from the glass. She winced and shut her eyes tight as the liquid burned down her throat. She gulped, then opened her mouth and exhaled. “Smooth as silk,” she coughed.
“Yeah!” Uncle Barney shouted excitedly.
“Cool it, Uncle Barney, there are other people around here,” Benjamin cautioned, looking around the place. But no one seemed to care.
Ava grinned and pushed the glass to Benjamin, her hands shaking, her tongue still numb.
“You did good,” Benjamin praised her and took a sip exactly from the spot she drank from. She pushed back a strand of her hair and smiled. “I haven’t really had whiskey in like, well, ever.”
“Well, you got close to it once, remember?” Benjamin asked leaning closer to her.
She shrugged. “Not really.”
“When we were little. We found a bottle in the garage,” he said with a grin.
Ava smacked her knee in excitement. “Yes, of course. It was half empty and smelt like gasoline. You took a sip but looked like it burned you from the inside.”
Benjamin laughed. “Then you screamed and ran to get help.”
“I thought you were going to die.” They both threw their heads back in laughter.
“I just wanted to impress you,” Benjamin blurted out.
Ava looked at him with a calmer smile. “You did.”
Benjamin felt like somebody just awarded him a medal. He straightened his spine, his eyes sparkling. “Really?”
Ava nodded. “Oh yeah. Back then I thought you were the greatest thing next to chocolate chip ice cream.”
Suddenly she froze, her face grimaced as if she had said too much. Luckily the waiter brought the fries out and Ava instantly started to eat.
“They are really good,” she admitted, crunching gleefully. “Probably the best I have ever had.”
Back then I thought you were the greatest thing next to chocolate chip ice cream. Benjamin stared at her, his mind exploding with questions. But Ava was obviously embarrassed, her cheeks bright red. He decided he would let her have this distraction, at least for now.
“Well, that’s what I said.” He nodded in satisfaction eating his fries.
Suddenly, Ava looked at the empty chair in between the two where Barney was sitting not too long ago.
“Where did he go?”
Benjamin turned his head left and right, but no Barney.
“I guess he’s ditched us,” he said. “Seems like something he’d do. Maybe he’s trying to set us up or something,” he added with a short chuckle. Ava also chuckled at the idea but said nothing.
Benjamin grew serious again.
Back then I thought you were the greatest thing next to chocolate chip ice cream.
Ava noticed that his face changed instantly.
“Would you like to go?” she asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Benjamin now turned to her, looking her deep into her eyes. His smile was gone.
“Did…” He paused for a short moment. “Did you mean what you said?”
Ava tried to play innocent. “About the fries?” she joked, but Benjamin stayed serious. Ava let out a long sigh. “...Maybe...”
She looked away, down at her plate. Benjamin bit his lower lip. Why do you even care so much? Just pay the bill and go home.
“Then why did you stop coming over?” What happened to letting it go, you idiot.
Ava pushed around a fry with her finger, deep in thoughts.
“Ask me again when you know why you are even asking…” she suddenly said in a soft voice. It wasn’t in a mean way, maybe even a little sad. Benjamin still stared at her. He wanted to press the matter, but as when they were children, he let Ava take the lead, and gave in.
“Fair enough,” he said, although all he wanted to do was grab her by her hand, drag her outside, and ask her one more time, with nobody around them, just the two of them and the cool, evening breeze. But his thoughts didn’t stop there. For a brief second, he pictured pressing her against his car to kiss her. His gaze fell onto her lips again. Gosh, they were beautiful. Was she a tender, loving kisser, or wild and passionate? A sudden wave of heat rushed through his stomach. It was almost unbearable.
“Benjamin,” he heard Ava’s voice ring through.
“Y-yes?”
“If that’s okay, I would like to go. I had a lot of fun but I’m kinda tired.”
“Yes, of course,” he smiled faintly. “I’m sure Barney has left me the check,” Benjamin grumbled, and she laughed.
“So much for ‘drinks on me.’ Should we be worried about him?” she chimed in, her voice shaking from her soft laugh. He looked at her when he heard her laughter and also chuckled.
“You just gotta love Uncle Barney. And no, he’s probably already hitched a ride home.”
They pushed past the people in the diner. It had gotten packed since they were here.
“Fresh air,” Ava gasped as soon as they got out.
“You don’t go out very much, do you?”
They started walking towards the parking lot.
“Between my work and well, my work, not much. Those mandatory dinners with you have dragged me out in more in the past few weeks than in my entire life combined.”
“Do you hate it a lot?”
She looked up at him, feeling the night air which seemed much cooler given how hot the diner had gotten—or her body from being so close to Benjamin.
“No, I don’t think so.”
He shrugged and dug his hand into his pocket, reaching for his car keys. They walked the remaining few steps in silence before he asked, “Did you mean what you said?”
Her eyes went from a ‘missing cat’ poster which had caught her gaze, to him. “Huh?”
“Oh, that.” She looked away. “It’s nothing. We were just kids.”
“Nothing, huh? Are you hiding secrets from your husband?”
She caught the smirk on his face and looked away again.
“Fine.” They paused outside of the car. Benjamin’s eyes were glued to hers as if she was about to announce the solution to all the hunger in the world.
“I did mean it. Back then I was truly taken by you, Benjamin Radcliff. There wasn’t a prettier face nor a kinder heart I had ever come across.” She paused. Benjamin just looked at her. Speechless. He felt the intense urge to grab her, press her against the car, and kiss her soft lips. He would be gentle at first or passionate, whatever she preferred, but he had to do something, or he would die from that fire that burned inside him. But just when he made a step forward, she continued:
“Well, and then you ruined it all.”
“What?” He took a step back.
“Back then. It was about a year after your dad had passed away. You had friends over. I was playing by myself in the garden with the flowers, don’t you remember?”
Benjamin scratched his head, but then the memory came back… slowly but it surfaced.
“You were wearing a green dress that day,” he said.
“Yes.”
The memory now became clear again. Her hair had been shimmering like gold in the sun, and she was touching a flower as if it was a baby bird. Gently and lovingly. He was excited when his friend spotted her, ran over to her. He wanted to share his Ava with his friends, show her off. But then one of the girls his mother had invited to this get together said something mean about Ava’s dress.
“One of the girls said something mean to you.”
Ava nodded. “But that didn’t hurt me. You did. When all the kids were laughing, you just stood there. Didn’t say a word. I looked at you, begging you to help me, but you lowered your head, stayed silent. I turned around and ran away, and I never wanted to see you again.”
How did he just forget about this? All these years he wondered why Ava had stopped coming over, and he had never bothered to remember this incident of his childish cowardice?