by Unknown
I left Haley’s, slamming the door behind me.
JANUARY HAS BEEN a long month. Bentley has kept true to his word and has not contacted me once. Too tired to cook after the long week, I decided to head to the diner for a greasy cheeseburger and beloved strawberry milkshake.
I slipped off my shoes and rubbed down my calves as I waited at the counter for a waitress. My legs have started cramping in the last few days, which was new for me, but it must be another symptom of pregnancy and working on my feet all day long.
“Hey, Haley, I didn’t see you there.” Whitney said bubbling with energy.
“What has you so happy?”
“Nothing. I graduate in four months, my grad photos kick ass, and I’m going dress shopping tomorrow.”
“Sounds fun.” I tried to sound excited for her, but I think my exhaustion gave me away.
“Hey, what did your graduation dress look like?”
“I didn’t have one,” I replied simply, still rubbing my legs, man they hurt tonight.
“What do you mean you didn’t have one?”
“I didn’t go to graduation.”
“Haley...” her voice was laced with sadness.
“Don’t be sad for me.”
“But you missed out on a big milestone of life.”
“I went to the cap and gown ceremony, just not the gown and party part.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t have a boyfriend to take me, or friends that wanted to hang out with me in public.”
“That’s so sad.”
“That was my high school life,” I sighed.
“Strawberry milkshake?”
I nodded, grateful she let the subject drop. “With extra strawberries, please.”
The bells on the diner door rang and I turned my head to see who was walking in not surprised to see Dad and Maggie laughing and holding hands.
“Hey, kido, what are you doing here?” Dad asked sitting beside me.
“I didn’t feel like cooking.”
“Cheeseburger and fries?” asked Maggie.
“You missed the extra pickles.”
“Of course,” she smiled. “Has anyone taken your order yet?”
“Whitney just went to make my strawberry milkshake.”
“I’ll get CJ started on your order; you look pretty tired, so the sooner you get to eat, the sooner you can crawl into bed.”
“Thanks, Maggie, I appreciate it.” And I really did. I went back to rubbing my legs under the counter.
“What are you doing?” asked Dad.
“I’ve been getting cramps in my legs lately, and they seem to be worse tonight.”
“Have you been bathing in Epsom salts?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.”
Dad grabbed my legs, pulling them on his lap and started rubbing them.
“What are you doing, Ben?” Maggie asked as she sat on the stool beside Dad.
“Haley has been getting leg cramps, so I’m just rubbing them out for her.”
“Ben, take her into my office and lay her on the couch. She probably just needs to get off her feet.”
I pulled my feet from my father’s hands, “I’m okay, really. I’m just going to eat my burger with the extra pickles, drink that delicious milkshake I see making its way over here, and then I’m go home to sleep. It’s been a long week.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Dad asked concerned.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Maybe you should go see the doctor,” Maggie said with just as much concern. “We’ll take you, we can take your food to go and leave right now.”
“Why does Haley need to go see the doctor?” Whitney asked, setting my milkshake in front of me.
“Dad and Maggie are worried I’m over working myself.”
“Are you?”
“Okay, enough from all of you. I am fine, just tired which is to be expected since I’m finishing my second trimester. Once I finish my dinner, I’m going home to sleep, and when I wake up tomorrow morning, or afternoon, I’ll be fresh and feeling fine.”
I punctuated my rant with a gulp of my milkshake, but apparently I wasn’t clear enough because the three of them were still giving me the look.
“Stop it. I’m fine, baby is fine.” I closed my eyes to ignore them and took another sip of my delicious milkshake. “So dad what is on the agenda with you and Maggie tonight?”
“I was going to cook for this beautiful women.” Dad grinned at Maggie, “but I think we’d rather have dinner with my daughter.”
I put up my hands, “No, I don’t want you cancelling your date because of me.”
“Nonsense.” Maggie took my shake and passed it to dad, “Go grab a booth at the back and we’ll all eat together. Whitney take your dinner break and come eat with us.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Whitney laughed taking off her apron. “What can I get everyone to drink?”
“I’ll take a Coke,” Dad replied getting up.
“Make that two,” replied Maggie, “Ben, do you want me to make your usual?”
“Dad, you have a usual here?”
Maggie chuckled, “Honey, your dad has eaten the same thing every day since he would come here in high school.”
“What?” I asked.
“Meatloaf sandwich.” Dad grinned, “But I want you to sit with the girls while I make your dinner, sweetheart.” He kissed her cheek and checked in with Whitney what she wanted and disappeared into the kitchen.
Whitney set my burger in front of me before taking a seat beside me. Biting into a fry I asked her, “Who all’s going shopping with you?”
“Maggie.”
“Not your mom?”
“You mean my drunk of a mother?”
I nearly choked on my fry, “I’m sorry I didn’t realize.”
“Nobody does, she hides it well. Honestly she hardly acknowledged I existed at home growing up, and she probably doesn’t even know I graduate this year.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I muttered.
“Don’t feel sorry for me, really. I have a good life, and between Charlotte and Maggie, I have the two best mothers in the world, and they come with family. I have someone who loves me with everything he has, and in return, he has my heart.”
“SO YOU’RE COMING?” Whitney begged.
“Who’s coming?” Travis asked sliding in beside Whitney and kissing her cheek.
“Haley. I want her to go dress shopping with Maggie and me tomorrow.”
“Great, just pick me up a tie that matches your dress,” he ordered, popping the rest of my fries into his mouth.
“Baby, what are you doing here?” Whitney asked, snuggling into him as he put his arm around her.
“I was wondering if you want to come to Cullen’s with me?”
“I can’t, I’m working.”
“I can pick you up after work,” he offered.
“Whitney, go,” Maggie said. “I have things covered here, and Ben is here to help if it gets too busy.”
“Are you sure, Maggie?”
“Yes, I’m sure I owe you sick time anyway.” she winked.
“Thanks Maggie, you’re the best.”
Travis and Whitney slid out of the booth and I followed. The charley-horse in my calves buckled me and I gasped, “Shit.”
Travis caught me before I fell to the ground, “What the hell, Haley?”
I straightened my legs out, “I just have damn cramps in my legs.”
“Let me take you to the doctor.” My dad got up.
I waved him off, “No, I’ll walk it off, and I’ll be fine.”
Travis hoisted me up higher, “Let me at least walk you to your car.”
“I walked.”
“Then I’ll drive you.”
“You and Whitney are heading to Cullen’s. Go have fun and I’ll see you tomorrow, Whitney. Just text me a time when you want to leave so I can get ready to go,” I insisted.
“Haley, s
it your ass back down.” I turned to my dad and the sharp tone he used.
“Dad…”
“Do not cut me off. You may be having a child of your own, but I will always be your father. In fact, all of you sit down.”
Dad waited until Travis and Whitney sat before he continued, “When are you going to get it, Haley? You are not in this all alone. You have all of us; we care for you, and we love you. Get off your high horse and let us in.”
I gulped at what he was saying, “I know.”
“I’m sorry your mother left you. I’m sorry I left you to live life on your own, and I’m sorry Bentley let you down.”
I had nothing to say, what would I say, anyways?
“You are going to let Travis take you home, and you are going to have a warm bath and a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, Maggie and Whitney are picking you up at eleven, but only if you are up to it. And if this leg cramping continues then Maggie is taking you to the hospital. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Dad,” I mumbled like a ten year old kid.
“Good.”
I accepted Travis’s help out of the booth.
“One more thing, I’ll be sending my credit card with Maggie tomorrow, and I want you ladies to go to the spa and out to a nice dinner.” Dad turned to Whitney and said, “Whitney, I would like to buy your dress as a thank you for being so kind to my daughter, so pick out the dress you really want.”
“Really?” Whitney squealed, hugging my dad.
“Yes, now you three go and enjoy you’re evening. I got the bill.”
I kissed Dad and Maggie, “Thank you…both of you.”
“We love you.”
“I love you guys too, Daddy.”
IT’S BEEN A month since I slammed Haley’s door, and the more I think about it the more pissed off I am. Slamming tools around did not help my aggravation at all.
“Can you throw that hammer a little harder?”
I turned around, “Sorry, Ben, I didn’t see you there.”
“Didn’t think you did, son.”
“What can do for you?” I looked around the shop for something to wipe my hands off with.
“I came here to talk to you.”
“About?” I asked, leaning against the workbench, wiping my hands.
Ben lifted a cooler, “Beer?”
I checked my watch, “It’s not even ten.”
“Seeing you put the tools away, I’d say you’re ready for one.” He held out a beer, which I took and cracked it open.
“Want do you want to talk about?”
“I more want to tell share some things with you, about me.”
“Why?”
“Because I think it will help you understand Haley.”
“I love her, Ben.”
“I know you do, which is why I am here, and the fact you are here throwing tools around instead of waking up in someone else’s bed tells me a lot, too. Look, Bentley, I like you, and I think Haley will be blessed to have you in her life.”
“I fucked up, and I know that, but when is she going to forgive me?” I said, tossing the rag to the trashcan.
“Bentley, she has forgiven you. She’s scared and afraid to let anyone in; that’s the real issue.”
“I’m not leaving her again, I have told her that a million times.”
“I know, but look at the bigger picture. Has she really ever let anyone in besides my parents?”
I didn’t understand what he was getting at, and I let him keep talking.
“I know she is close to your family and Maggie, but did you ever stop to notice she keeps people at arm’s length? She never asks for help, and I’d bet money your family offers, or just does things for her.”
“I never thought about it.”
“Bentley, even with me she has her boundaries. Sure, we have a great relationship, but she never asks for anything. I have to give her things, or just take of it. Ever since her mom left her, she’s been independent and pushed everyone away. Pawning her off on my parents didn’t help, and neither did letting my job take me all over the world.”
“How do I get through her brick wall? At this point I feel like I’ve tried everything.”
“One chip at a time. Don’t let her go like I did with Maggie all those years ago; I wasted so much time, time I will regret until the day I die, and then some.”
“I want to marry her. I even have the ring, but when I told her she completely shut me down and pushed me out.”
“Tell me about it. I have Maggie’s ring in my pocket as we speak. I’m just waiting for the right moment.”
“Do you think she will say yes?” I asked smiling.
“If she doesn’t, I will club her over the head and get a very good judge friend of mine to marry us while she is unconscious.” He laughed, “I am going to marry that woman if it is the last thing I do, make no mistake about it.”
I cheered him, “Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks. Anyway, I talked to Haley last night.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her to get her head of out her ass and live life to the fullest.”
I smirked, “I bet that went over well. What did she say to that?” I asked, curious.
“’Yes, Daddy.’”
“That simple?”
“That simple. Just give her some more time. She’ll come around, Bentley, I promise.” With that, Ben jumped off the bench and headed out.
“Thanks” I called out to him.
He lifted his cooler in response as he walked away.
I TWIRLED HALEY’S engagement ring around in my hand as I sat on the dock looking out onto the water. I don’t know how long I sat there, just staring at nothing. I felt my cell go off just as I went to tuck the ring back into my pocket.
Haley: I didn’t mean to ruin everything.
I sighed with relief.
Bentley: You didn’t.
Haley: I’m sorry.
Bentley: me too.
Haley: you have nothing to be sorry for, this is all on me. Come over?
Bentley: I’d like that.
Haley: I hope you’ll kiss me when you get here.
Bentley: I’m on my way NOW.
I haven’t run that fast to my truck in a long time, but I still couldn’t get to Haley fast enough.
AS SOON AS Haley open the door, I picked her up and kissed the hell out of her, slamming the door with my foot and walking us back to her bedroom.
Pulling apart I set her on the bed and just looked at her, “God, I missed you.”
“Show me,” she instructed while taking off her top.
Just watching her undress in front of me almost had me coming apart. “Haley, honey slow down,” I groaned. “It’s been a long time for me and watching you is torture.”
“How long?” she teased slipping her bra straps off her arms.
“Since us.” I pulled at the collar of my t-shirt, trying to catch my breath.
Lifting her breasts, she took their weight into her hands and played with her nipples, “Is that so?”
“Yes,” I hissed between my teeth.
“Like what you see, Bentley?”
“You have no idea.” I ripped my shirt off and threw it somewhere in the room before hovering over her body, “God Haley, you have no idea how much I like what I see.”
Lying back, she continued caressing her breasts, “This feels so good.”
“They’d feel better in my mouth.” I dipped my head down and nipped at a nipple before sucking her breast into my mouth.
“They do,” she moaned. “It’s been so, so long, Bentley.
“I know, sweetheart, and I’m going to take care of you.
HALEY WAS DRAPED across my ribcage playing with my chest hair when I whispered into her hair, “I love you.”
“You’re not moving in with me,” she snickered.
“No?”
“It wasn’t that good of an orgasm,” Haley stated, pulling on my chest hair.
“Hey!
I made you scream out my name at least three times.”
“And I think I still have one more in me,” she crawled up top of me, “but this time I’m riding on top.”
“Good, because I like watching those titties bounce in my face.”
“You say the most romantic things.”
I WOKE UP and stretched, feeling sore in all the right places. Smiling, I rolled over to kiss Bentley, but his side came up empty. I flopped onto his pillow and breathed him in.
“I hope I smell better in person.” I rolled toward the door, pulling the sheet up over my chest. “Please don’t cover those.”
“Where did you go?” I asked.
“To make you breakfast…well brunch, actually.” Bentley ripped the covers off and dove into the bed. “I love you, Haley.”
I threaded my fingers through his hair, “I love you too, Bentley. I have for a long time.”
Kissing me along my legs, he commanded, “Say it again.”
I leaned up on my elbows, “Bentley, I love you. I love our baby, and I love that we made her together.”
“Her?”
“Just a feeling I have.”
“And if it’s a boy?” he asked with a quirked eyebrow.
“We’ll still name him Lucy.”
“Nice.”
ENJOYING A BIG bowl of scrambled eggs, I sat and watched Bentley drink his coffee.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged, “Just thinking how I’m enjoying this moment right now.”
“It could be like this every day, you know,” he smirked.
“Bentley…”
He gently set down his fork, “Haley, I know you are not ready, and I understand that, but I’m here, and I promise you will never regret it.”
I sat back in my chair and continued eating in silence, thinking.
“Bentley, are we together-together?”
“I never considered us apart.” he answered simply, reading something in a baby book he saw laying around.
“Okay.”