by Mel Gough
And another thought had been looming ever larger in his mind since the reality of the divorce had hit home. “How…how’s Laura?” he managed to croak, a roundabout way of approaching the subject that was making him feel more and more afraid. Helen held out her hands for the paperwork, and Ben slowly pushed it across to her.
“Hmm?” She turned over a page absentmindedly. “Laura’s fine.”
“Don’t take her away from me, Helen.” It broke from him suddenly in a rushed garble, before Ben could quite get his tongue around the words. They sounded both melodramatic and feeble in his ears, and he winced.
Helen looked up, genuine confusion on her face. “We’ve been through this before. Why would I do such a thing, Ben?”
“Well…”
Sudden understanding dawned on Helen’s face. “Ben, what kind of a backward bitch do you think me?” she asked, sounding insulted. “I’d never refuse you access to our child for…for being with another man.”
There was a lump in Ben’s throat, even as relief began to flood him. He briefly considered telling Helen about Donnie’s HIV status, too, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Ben couldn’t make himself believe that Helen would just be okay with that, not yet, anyway, despite what she had just said. But there was one other thing he had to tell her.
“I’ve got a new job, up in the city,” he said. “I’m starting in three weeks. Donnie and I are moving to Atlanta weekend after next.”
The surprise on Helen’s face was fleeting, but it registered before she controlled her features.
“Oh Ben!” She smiled at him warmly, her emotions back under control. “Congratulations! You got a promotion?”
Was it strange that Helen was happy for him, even though he had finally gotten something he had spent years working for, often at her and Laura’s expense? But Helen really was the least vindictive person he’d ever met. Ben had to remember that. She would genuinely wish him well, now that they were putting the final line under their mutual life, and she could move on, too.
“I did, yeah.” Ben leaned forward. “Helen, do I have your word? That you’re okay with…with Donnie, and everything?”
Helen initialed the last page of the divorce papers with a small flourish, placed the pen on the table and looked Ben straight in the eye. “Yes, Ben. You have my word. I’ll not stop you seeing our daughter. You’re a good dad, and Laura needs us both. I want what is best for her. And—” She smiled a little sadly. “—it wasn’t all bad, was it? We can still be friends?”
Ben returned her smile a little stiffly but feeling relieved nonetheless. “Yes, Helen. We can be friends.”
Epilogue
“HEY…”
Ben looked up. Jason was standing right before him with two mugs of coffee, looking embarrassed. “Can…can we talk?”
Ben nodded guardedly and Jason sat down next to him on the low wall that ran along the path to the station’s parking lot. He handed over one of the coffees, and Ben accepted it gladly. He had just spent his lunchtime making phone calls about furniture for the new apartment, and his head was swimming with delivery dates and measurements.
“Listen, Ben…” Jason rubbed his neck. “I gotta apologize. What I said, that wasn’t cool. It’s your life, and I… me and Saun—Donnie, we started off on the wrong foot.”
Ben considered his friend, feeling an incredible sense of relief. This here was the Jason he knew, the good guy with the big heart, who always owned his fuckups just like he did his acts of heroism.
“You two did, yeah. You could start over, though.”
Jason nodded, relieved that his apology was being so readily accepted. “I’d like that. Will he want to, though? He seems a stubborn dude.”
“You’re not wrong. Donnie is that.” Ben smiled. “But he will, for me. You’re my best friend. He’ll want to get to know you.”
“Cool.” Jason grinned, looking as happy with their reconciliation as Ben felt.
For a moment, they sipped their coffee in silence. Then Jason said, “It was never, ya know…that he’s…that you’re with a guy. I was surprised, is all.”
“I get it, Jason, believe me,” Ben said. “It’s a bit of a departure from what I thought my life would be.”
“You can say that again,” Jason agreed. “But hey, so long as you’re happy.”
“I am,” Ben said quietly, smiling. “Very happy.”
Jason regarded him. “Hey, that’s all I’m asking.” He returned Ben’s smile, his expression gentle now. That really suited him much better than the recent permanent scowl. “When’s your last day here?”
“A week this Friday,” Ben said.
“Lots of change, huh?”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Ben sighed.
“Not a bad thing, though. You’re a big-city police now, man. Nice.” Jason grinned. “And I hear you got a promotion, too. Lieutenant Griers, huh?”
“Yeah,” Ben said, feeling himself go red. “That’ll take some getting used to. Lots of extra desk work, I hear.”
“Better you than me,” Jason scoffed good-naturedly.
“You just wait, one day soon it’ll be you,” Ben said.
“Not if I can help it,” Jason grumbled.
Ben winked at him. His friend would come around eventually. He might not be great with the paperwork, but Jason was a good cop. “Hey, we’ll have a sofa and a TV after tomorrow,” Ben said. “Why don’t you come over on the weekend?”
Jason nodded, clearly pleased. “I will.”
Ben looked Jason directly in the eye. “Don’t bring any beer, though.”
“You got it, brother.” Jason rubbed his neck again. “I’m real proud of you, man. You done well. Can’t’ve been easy.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Ben agreed. “But it was—he is worth all of it.”
About the Author
Mel was born in Germany, where she spent the first twenty-six years of her life (with a one-year stint in Los Angeles). She has always been fascinated by cultures and human interaction, and got a Masters in Social Anthropology. After finishing university she moved to London, where she has now lived for ten years.
If you were to ask her parents what Mel enjoyed the most since the age of six, they would undoubtedly say “Reading!” She would take fifteen books on a three-week beach holiday, and then read all her mom’s books once she’d devoured her own midway through week two.
Back home in her mom’s attic there’s a box full of journals with stories Mel wrote when she was in her early teens. None of the stories are finished, or any good. She has told herself bedtime stories as far back as she can remember.
In her day job, Mel works for an NGO as operations manager. No other city is quite like London, and Mel loves her city. The hustle and bustle still amaze and thrill her even after all these years. When not reading, writing or going to the theater, Mel spends her time with her long-time boyfriend, discussing science or poking fun at each other.
Website: https://melgoughwriter.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melgoughwriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/melgough_writer
Also Available from NineStar Press
www.ninestarpress.com