When he entered the house, the sweet smell of a freshly baked caramel cake rose in the air.
“Let’s talk in the studio,” she said. They walked past the living room and he noticed the cake cooling off on the kitchen counter with a top layer of powdered sugar covering it.
They entered the studio and sat down at the dining table. The table was empty, aside from a pair of metal cuffs hooked to a metal loop attached at its center. He was suddenly overcome by recent memories.
“Yes, what did you want to talk to me about?” she asked.
“What do you mean, what do I want to talk to you about?” Ben asked. “About everything. You just threw me in the water and hoped I wouldn’t drown.”
“After the treatment I gave you, it should be a piece of cake for you, no?” she asked indifferently.
“No. It’s not. Fred won’t talk to me.”
“You need to give him time.”
“Tina won’t talk to me, and George is mad at me.” He kept throwing his troubles at her.
“Well, George…” She acted as if he wasn’t relevant.
“My father wanted to speak to me today,” Ben suddenly remembered. “I haven’t been to work in over a week.”
“I’m sure it’s all temporary. You’ll soon find the right path to continue your routine.”
“It’s not just that! I can’t work, I can’t eat properly, I can’t sleep well!”
“What’s happening to you?” she asked.
“I think about you all the time.”
“I told you already. You’re not my type,” she said, trying to pull away and cool off their relationship. It was tough for her. She had feelings for him that she fought to hide.
“How do you know? I’ve changed—I don’t even know who I am anymore. I see things I haven’t seen in the past, unpleasant things. I’m suddenly aware of who I was, and I want to stop being aware, to stop seeing things. I had it so easy once. Now everything is hard, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to handle all of that. I really need your help. I really need you.”
“I don’t know how I can help you. The treatment is over. The change that was made is a good one, and you can’t go back—you know that. What do you want now?”
“I understand, but I feel so lost… I… I want…” Ben thought for a moment. “I want…to continue the treatment! I’ll pay for it!” he said finally.
“Nobody continues a treatment once it’s over. And even if it were possible, I’m not sure how I would continue it with you or what its end goal would be.”
“You’re a good, skilled caretaker, and I trust you.”
Shira didn’t answer right away. Instead, she paused for a moment. “You understand the implications of this, right?” she finally said.
He nodded.
“And even if you’re paying, it doesn’t mean you can decide on anything or quit in the middle if it doesn’t suit you… It’s a commitment.”
He nodded again.
She thought it over some more.
His heart filled with hope—she was considering the possibility!
She mulled it over until she came up with an idea. “You’ll have to do as I say, which means first going back to your work and routine. You will come back here at the end of each day. You will be tied at my discretion, and whatever happens, you cannot disobey me.” She tried to make it harder for him to decide.
He smiled and nodded in agreement.
“And don’t think it’s going to be easy for you. It’s actually much harder to come in and out on a daily basis, you understand?”
Ben nodded happily, not really sure what he was agreeing to. All he knew was that this was the only way to keep Shira at his side. This way, she couldn’t stay indifferent to him, and he would remain her “important case.” In his situation, he couldn’t ask for more.
Shira contemplated it quietly. For a brief moment, she allowed a little joy locked inside her heart to be set free before she resumed her aloof conduct. “Okay, I have to think it through thoroughly. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, let me test your sincerity. Place your hands on the table and spread your fingers.” She pointed to the metal cuffs.
He looked at the metal cuffs, held his breath, and then looked at Shira’s serious expression. He was sure he saw a little glimmer in her eyes. He couldn’t believe how easily his hands moved toward the cuffs, as if it were natural. The old Ben would have lost it then and there.
But this was the new Ben. He was born into this situation. It seemed wrong to him, yet so familiar and safe. He spread his fingers on the table, and Shira cuffed his hands. She went to the kitchen and came back with a jar with white powdered sugar in it. She sprinkled the powder evenly on his hands and the handcuffs and around them.
“If you move, the powder will show it,” she said. “From now on, you’re not allowed to move or speak without my permission. Call me when you change your mind.” She got up, left the studio, and turned off the light.
❧
To be continued…
The Light Between The Shadows Page 24