Say Something...

by T. A. Roth

“Damn tease, you’re going to get it,” I call out behind her.

  She looks at me over her shoulder with a grin. “Promise?”

  Why did I agree to dinner again?

  After almost needing a cold shower to get my pants on, we’re finally in the car. I listened to the voicemail my mom left and she was calling for the exact reason I suspected. I decide not to call her back. It’s just a few minutes past six; we should get there in plenty of time. I look over at Ari. Her knee is bouncing, and she’s staring out the window. I place my hand on her knee to calm her. My touch no longer causes her to jump. She looks away from the window and her eyes land on me. I smile.

  “You look gorgeous.” She smiles back at me weakly.

  “It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, what I say, or what I do, she’s going to hate me anyway. Isn’t she?”

  I don’t want to admit that she’s probably right. I’ve never brought a girl home. So, honestly, I don’t know. I know her reaction at the hospital was partly from being in shock. I didn’t think this through. My mom trusts no one.

  “You’re the first girl I’ve ever brought around her or anyone in my family. Once she sees how happy you make me, she’ll come around.” I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss it. She gives me a sad smile, not believing a damn thing I just said. Truth is I’m still trying to convince myself.

  ARI

  We pull into the parking structure about thirty minutes later. That damn swarm of bats is battling it out in my belly. I get out and slide my hands against the front of my dress to dry my sweaty palms. I fidget with my necklace. My heart is racing, and I can’t seem to calm down.

  “Ari.” I look up and Ben is smirking at me.

  “You need to calm down, babe. I’ll be right next to you the whole time. You’ll be fine.”

  Why do I feel like I’m about to meet my executioner? This woman scares the bejesus out of me. I take a deep breath.

  “Fine, let’s go.”

  We make the short walk from the parking structure to the restaurant weaving our way in and out of crowds of tourists at L.A. Live. We finally reach the front of Morton’s and I take one final swipe at the front of my dress. Here goes nothing.

  I spot his mom as soon as we walk through the door. She’s sitting at a table near the bar smiling. There is an older man sitting next to her. He has salt and pepper hair and a short beard.

  “I see them,” Ben says while pulling me toward the table.

  I didn’t realize I was staring like an idiot. It could have been the sight of his mother smiling. She looked so happy. I’m still trying to shake off my nerves. I say a silent prayer that she keeps up her good mood.

  As we approach the table, Ben’s mom spots us. She’s still smiling, but her demeanor changes. She squares her shoulders and takes on an air of authority. Here we go. The hope that this will be a relaxing dinner goes right out the window. I take a slow and steady breath and get ready to roll with the punches. Ben’s stepdad, Adam, is the first to greet us.

  “Ben. I’m so glad you both could make it. Hello, I’m Adam. Ari, is it?” He holds his hand out. I take it and notice his bright emerald green eyes.

  “Yes, it is. Nice to meet you, Mr. Biram.”

  “Oh, call me Adam, please.” I smile and look over at Ben’s mom.

  “Hi, Mrs. Biram. Nice to see you again.” She smiles and puts her hand out to give me a weak handshake.

  We sit at the two empty barstools across from Elizabeth and Adam.

  “They are getting our table ready. It should only be about fifteen minutes. Can I get you kids something to drink while we wait,” Adam offers.

  I could use a few shots right now, but being drunk off my ass would not make a very good impression.

  “I’ll go with you,” Ben offers. “Ari, what do you want to drink?”

  My stomach does a flip. He’s going to leave me alone with her.

  “A glass of wine would be good.”

  He leans in and kisses my cheek. ”I’ll be right back.” I want to hold on to him for dear life. He smiles and walks away with Adam.

  As soon as they are out of earshot, Elizabeth turns and sets her honey-colored eyes on me. That glare is back. She’s assessing me again.

  “So, Ari, how did you and Benjamin meet?” Let’s see if I meet up.

  “We met at his fraternity house. My best friend, Vonne, goes to school with him. She invited me to one of their parties.”

  “Hmm . . .” she mutters. I straighten my shoulders and wait for the next round.

  “So, you aren’t in school?” Here we go.

  “No. I attended a trade school. I now work full time at a small law firm downtown.”

  “Oh, well that’s nice. What do you do there?” I can feel the disdain in her voice.

  “It’s a criminal defense firm. I assist two attorneys.”

  “Well, that probably keeps you very busy. Do you plan on continuing your education?” I’ll never be good enough for her son.

  “I’ve thought about going back maybe for paralegal.”

  She nods her head and takes a long pull of her drink. She sets the glass down and sets her eyes on me.

  “Did you know Ben has an internship in London this summer and that he will be moving to Boston to attend law school in the fall?”

  That sentence punches me in the gut. I have the reaction she’s looking for, and I can see it in her smug smile. I let my smile falter for a bit as I try to regain my composure.

  “No, we haven’t discussed it. That’s a really great opportunity.” I plaster a smile back on my face.

  “Yes, it is. So you see, Ari, I hope you two aren’t getting too serious. I can’t see this going very far with him planning on being so far away.” My hands fist at my sides. I want to punch that smug look off her beautiful face. I’m about to answer when Ben and Adam return with the drinks.

  “Here you go, babe. I got you a glass of Moscato.” I smile, willing the knot in the back of my throat away.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  I jump off the stool and head straight for the door. I need air. I feel like my chest is closing in on itself. I step outside, shut my eyes, and begin to take deep calming breaths. My heart won’t stop racing, and I feel a full out panic attack coming on. I pace back and forth and shake out my hands. He’s leaving. London? Boston? What the hell. Why wouldn’t he tell me? He said I was different. Why would he string me along knowing he was leaving? She’s right. It’s an incredible opportunity. I can’t make him choose, but I can’t just let him go either.

  I’m in a complete tailspin when two arms wrap around my waist startling me.

  “Hey, it’s me. What’s going on? What are you doing out here?” He has too much on his plate for me to be selfish and bring this shit up right now. Maybe she’s lying. He would tell me, right? Maybe he doesn’t plan on going. Maybe. I shake my head at my scattered thoughts and try to get it together. I have to make it through dinner. I can’t let her think she got to me.

  “I’m good. I just needed some air. It’s a little crowded, right?” He looks me in the eyes, and I try to hold his gaze. He knows when I’m lying.

  “What did she say to you?” His eyes narrow. If I tell him, he’ll march in there and tell her off and this night will go to shit. I won’t get in the middle of this already strained relationship.

  “Nothing. I’m fine. Our table is probably ready; let’s get back inside. I just needed some air.” I grab his hand and start walking toward the door. He pulls me back into his arms, pressing his mouth against my neck.

  “I know you’re lying,” he whispers. “Tell me.” I close my eyes and immediately decide against it, shaking my head no.

  “After dinner, okay. Let’s just get through dinner.” He wraps his hand around the back of my neck and rests his forehead against mine. I place a soft kiss on his lips.

  “I’m fine. Really. Let’s just get back inside, okay.” He nods, still holding me. I kiss him quickly and lead us back into the restaurant.


  BEN

  My mother seemed to be in a good mood tonight. She promised me that she’d behave. I was only away from them for ten minutes. What could she have possibly said in that short a time? I guess the better question is what didn’t she say? Dammit. I saw when it happened, too. I was pretending to pay attention to Adam at the bar. The whole time I was looking over his shoulder with my eyes trained on Ari.

  I’ve become very good at reading her. She acts strong, but her eyes always give her away. Whatever my mother told her stunned her, but she was quick to recover. She put on that mega-watt smile and rolled with the punches. She wants to continue with this farce of a family dinner; I’ll give her that. Frankly, I’m too exhausted to argue with my mother tonight anyway. I drop it and let her drag me back into the restaurant.

  The hostess is getting ready to show us to our table as we approach.

  “Everything okay?” Mom asks. Her innocent smile in place.

  “Fine, thanks. Sorry, there was a long line for the ladies’ room. I tried the one outside,” Ari answers. Mom and Adam nod and we follow the hostess to our table.

  We look over the menus, place our orders, and settle into a steady flow of conversation. Ari seems to finally relax. Adam is talking about their next trip to London.

  “So, speaking of London, your mother tells me you got an internship.” I feel Ari tense up. Shit.

  “Well, I got an offer from my dad’s old firm. They have a satellite office out there. I have a few other offers I’m considering.” I place my hand on Ari’s knee.

  “Nonsense. It’s an incredible opportunity, Benjamin. I won’t let you pass it up to stay here and take care of your grandmother. We can hire nurses to do that.” Thankfully, Adam interrupts before I can unleash my anger.

  “Elizabeth. Ben is a grown man, and he can make his own decisions. If staying close to home is what he decides to do, you will need to respect that,” he admonishes.

  The waitress comes with our food, breaking the tension. We eat in awkward silence for a while. I think it’s the end when my mother starts up again.

  “So, does that mean you’ve changed your mind about Boston, too?” I drop my fork against my plate causing a loud clank. Ari jumps at the sound.

  “Benjamin, it’s Harvard Law. No one in their right mind would pass that up.”

  “Call me crazy, mother, but sometimes family comes first,” I say through gritted teeth.

  She closes her eyes like I’ve wounded her. Ari places her hand over mine. She rubs her thumb across the top attempting to calm me. I want to flip the damn table over. I can’t believe she’s bringing this shit up right now. She promised me.

  “Ben. Your mother just wants the best for you. She knows how hard you’ve worked, and she doesn’t want to see you pass up the opportunity.” Adam is trying to run interference. I could appreciate that. He loves my mother, and I know he genuinely cares for me, too.

  “Look, I can’t make any decisions until I have Nana settled. I won’t leave her alone with nurses in her condition. She needs family around. Uncle Amos is too busy with work to be with her. I’m all she has.” All eyes are on me. “As soon as I have everything figured out, I will let you know, okay? Just know that I have it handled.”

  My answer doesn’t appease her. She’s dying to say something else, but the look on my face must make her reconsider. She leaves it alone for now, and we finish our dinner. Adam tries to change the subject. He starts talking about some crazy client who decided to throw a raging party on one of his jets. I pretend to listen, and smile and laugh at all the appropriate times. I look to my left, and Ari gives me a reassuring smile. We need to get out of here. I have a lot of explaining to do.

  ARI

  THE WAITRESS DROPS OFF THE check. Ben pulls out his card, but Adam insists on paying. After Elizabeth’s little show, I thought we would cut out early. Luckily, Adam had a way of defusing the situation. My mind is reeling. There is so much to talk about. I’m almost dreading the car ride home. I know what he said, but there is still a chance he’ll go. His mother is right—who passes on Harvard? I know he wants to be with his grandmother, but she won’t let him give up this opportunity. I’m not naive enough to think he would change his life plan for me, and I won’t be selfish enough to ask him to.

  Ben places a hand on my shoulder, and I snap out of my wayward thoughts and look up at him. I didn’t realize everyone was standing. He reaches his hand out to help me up and leads us out of the restaurant.

  “Thank you for inviting me to dinner,” I say reaching out my hand. Adam takes it into both of his.

  “It was a pleasure, Ari. We hope to see you again,” he says with a sincere smile. I’m not so sure his other half agrees, but it was nice to hear. Elizabeth puts her hand out giving me another weak handshake.

  “Nice seeing you again,” she says with a tight smile. Yeah, right. I hold back my eye roll. Ben exchanges handshakes with Adam. His mother brings him in for a hug, kissing both cheeks.

  “I’ll be in touch,” she says as they walk toward the black Town Car waiting for them curbside.

  Ben turns to me and smiles. “Ready to go? It’s getting late.”

  “Yeah.”

  He keeps my hand in his, and we walk back to the car. The silence is palpable. We both seem unsure of the other. We reach the car, and he opens the door for me. I slide into the passenger seat and wait for him to come around and get in. He closes the door and places his hands on the steering wheel, releasing an exasperated sigh. He drops his head back against the headrest and closes his eyes.

  “I was going to tell you,” he says eyes still tightly shut. I have a million questions, but once I start, I may not be able to stop. I wait for him to finish.

  He must take my silence as anger and immediately opens his eyes to look at me.

  “Baby, I swear to you. I wasn’t purposely keeping this from you. There’s just a lot going on and I wasn’t even thinking about it.” I believe him. There has been a lot going on. In all fairness, it never came up, and I never asked what his plans were.

  “Ari?”

  “It was just a shock is all. That is something we should have discussed. I’m not mad. I know a lot is going on right now. We’re new. It’s just . . .”

  I don’t want to cry, but my damn tears fall anyway. He cups my face and wipes them away, only making me cry more. The stress of the day overwhelms me.

  “Please don’t cry. I’m sorry, babe. Please.”

  I shake my head and wrap my hands around his wrists pushing his hands away. I wipe the tears with the back of my hand, getting angry with myself for breaking down.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just a lot, you know. I just found you and the thought of you leaving-”

  “But I’m not-” he says firmly.

  “You can’t say that. She’s right. It’s Harvard, Ben. How could you not go?”

  “Honestly, I just applied to see if I could get in. I never really planned on going. I could never leave my grandmother, and now that I’ve found you-”

  “No, don’t say it. I won’t get in the way of your decision. As much as it would hurt to see you go, I would never make you choose me.”

  “See and that’s exactly why I would.” He cups my face again leans in and kisses me. First on the mouth, and then over each of my closed eyes. A few tears escape, and he wipes them away.

  “I’m not leaving. I can’t.”

  “What about London?” He lets out another exasperated sigh.

  “That was a conversation I had a few months back with one of my dad’s old partners. He asked if I had started looking for internships this summer. He mentioned that they were looking for interns at their satellite office in London. It’s available if I want it, but so is the one in L.A. I haven’t accepted yet.” I look down at my hands.

  “I didn’t even tell my mom about London. He must have told her. He calls to check in on us every now and then.” He tugs at my chin so I’ll look at him.

  “Are we good
now? Can I get you home so we can go to bed?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me suggestively, and I start to laugh. He smiles and rubs his thumb across my cheek.

  “I’ve been dying to get you out of that dress all night.”

  BEN

  I pull the car out of the parking structure and head back to the apartment. The conversation settled things for now. I hate to see her cry, especially if I’m the cause of it. Of course, I was honored to get into Harvard, who wouldn’t be. I mean, how many people could say they got in. I told her the truth. I only applied for the hell of it. I never thought they’d actually accept me. The truth is even if my grandmother wasn’t sick, I wouldn’t go. I love living in Los Angeles. Sure, we may not get to see the seasons change, but if I want snow, I’m only an hour away from Big Bear. If I want the beach, it’s the same thing. I could never leave L.A. It’s my home.

  She stares out the window on the drive home. It’s been a long day so I don’t push her for a conversation. I pull up to the apartment and notice that she’s dozed off. She looks so peaceful that I hate to wake her up. I run my fingers through her silky hair.

  “Babe, we’re here.” She startles a little.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”

  “It’s okay. It’s been a long day.”

  She unlocks the front door, and we head straight for her bedroom. She stops and grips the doorframe to remove her shoes. The soft glow of the moonlight seeping between the blinds illuminates her curves. My hands are desperate to touch her.

  “Leave them on,” I whisper.

  I press myself into her and she sighs, resting the back of her head on my shoulder. My restless hands work the knot of her wrap dress. It opens easily, and I waste no time sliding it off her shoulders. It’s like Christmas morning, and I’ve just unwrapped my favorite gift. I hum my approval against her neck while cupping her breast. My other hand slides around her waist as my fingers inch their way into her lace panties. She jerks her hips adjusting to the intrusion and the movement causes her to rub against my straining erection.

  We moan in pleasure. She’s so fucking wet. I work a finger over her clit, and she moves her hips in a maddening rhythm. Her hand wraps around the back of my neck, and I bring my mouth to hers in a passionate kiss.