_______
Benjamin
16 hours prior…
Emily’s behavior had been strange since yesterday. I didn’t know what was the matter. I just knew she had her nails bitten down to the skin. Something was eating at her. When I asked her about it, she blew me off and that frustrated me because she was upset and that made me upset. I wanted to make her feel better.
Instead of avoiding me like she had been doing, she was watching me in an almost restless manner. It had my skin tingling with awareness. I’d turn around, and she’d be focusing on my back with her finger to her mouth.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer. I placed my keys down on the counter and hurried back into the living room where she sat. “Emily, I know when something’s wrong. Don’t make me go to work worrying about you,” I said painfully because it was the truth. If she hurt, I hurt.
“It’s nothing,” she lied. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Go on to work, Ben.”
My eyes widened. The world could have fucking ended for what it felt like. “What did you just say?”
“Should I say Benny?”
She was being passive aggressive, and I didn’t know why, but it was having the right effect because I was madder than hell. “What the fuck, Emily!” I bellowed.
“What?” She met my eyes with defiance.
“That’s not my name and you know it. You always call me Benjamin.”
“Everyone else calls you Ben and Benny! Why can’t I?” She tossed a hand up at me.
“Fuck everyone else!” I hissed, then I slapped my hand over my face. “I hate yelling at you, and I hate us arguing so let’s just not. Okay?” I turned away from her. “I’m heading to work.”
I heard her feet hit the floor. “Wait, Benjamin!” She grabbed my arm and yanked me around. Her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears. “Don’t give Kelly your grandmother’s pearls!” She was full-blown crying now. She pushed me back with her hands. I didn’t budge, but I didn’t think that was her goal. “How can you get so serious that quick?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked her, completely confused.
“You and Kelly!” Tears poured down her cheeks. No, this couldn’t be happening…
“Yeah. I’m still trying to figure out what you’re talking about.”
“The pearls!” She grew slightly angry with her tears.
“What fucking pearls?”
She sniffled, her tears slowed. “Your mom already told me all about her giving you some pearls to give to Kelly like it was meant to be something special.”
“There are no pearls, and there’s nothing going on between me and Kelly,” I told her.
She stared into my eyes. “But your mom said so… Why would she…”
This was what Mom did. She gave me the truth. What I was too afraid to see. She did it in a horrible way, but… Emily just revealed the biggest sign I needed.
“Emily, why are you so upset about it?”
Just bringing it up had her bursting into tears and covering her eyes. Her head was pointed straight in the air as she did and…my heart was fucking melting. We both…
“I can’t stand it. I hate it. The thought of you and her.”
“I’ve not seen Kelly in a month,” I told her.
“I saw you two leave that day together.”
“I drank. She drove me home because I got a little too carried away drinking… Because of you.”
That made her pause and breathe. “What? I don’t understand—”
“Emily,” I breathed. “Look at me. Just fucking look at me.” She did. “Really look because you haven’t been looking.” I needed her to grasp my words. I saw the moment she did. “Does it look like I’m fucking around with Kelly?”
Leaving her with those words, I turned and gave her time because by the time she got home tonight she’d have no more chances.
I was coming at her with every part of me.