Lily nodded, her expression thoughtful. “And call your family?”
“No,” I scowled.
“Don’t you think they should know?”
“I’ll tell them when I go back in a week. I just need to get everything sorted first.” I insisted. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to protect them forever, but Ben had been like a second son to them since we were little.
I thought back to the first time I met him. I was ten years old when Kyle first brought Ben home.
“Mom!” Kyle yelled, and the screen door slammed behind him. I jumped at the loud sound. I was sitting at the kitchen counter watching our mom make an apple pie and was startled by Kyle’s loud entrance. Mom had an exasperated smile on her face as she looked at me and shook her head with a chuckle.
“Kitchen!” She hollered back and went back to pressing a fork into the crust edging and humming to herself.
“Can we set an extra plate for dinner?” he asked as he ran into the kitchen.
“Why?” Mom looked up, surprised.
“I want to bring a friend to dinner.” Kyle scowled. He was a typical grumpy twelve-year-old boy.
“Of course.”
“She said yes.” He yelled as he turned around and faced the doorway. A few seconds later, a second boy stepped quietly into the kitchen. He was a little taller than Kyle and had shaggy brown hair, was wearing a well worn pair of jeans, and an anime shirt that had seen better days. p.a.t.r.e.o.n. O.G. He had a nervous expression on his face, but still walked right up to our mother and stuck out his hand.
“Hello M’am, my name is Benjamin Landon.”
My mother wiped her hands off on her apron and eyed Ben. Whatever she saw in the young boy before her must’ve told her he needed more than a handshake, because instead of shaking his hand, she pulled him into a tight hug.
“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Mrs. Walsh, and you are always welcome at our table.” She slowly started to release him but waited until he made eye contact to fully let go. With a small nod and a big smile, she turned to the sink and washed her hands before returning to the pie.
Ben stood, shocked, for a few seconds and stared at her. I smiled, amused, because Mama had always been good at stumping people.
“I’m Melanie,” I called out, which broke his little trance, and his head pivoted to look at me.
His eyes widened a little as he looked me over. I looked down at my outfit and blushed. I’d forgotten that my hair was still a mess from when I’d tried catching frogs in the stream earlier, and I was still in my muddy jean overalls and a powderpuff girls shirt.
“Don’t worry, she’ll wash up before dinner.” My mother grinned, and I could feel my cheeks heat up even more.
“Mom!” I whined. Kyle rolled his eyes.
“That’s my little sister. She’s two grades behind us.”
“Uh.” Ben cleared his throat, “It’s nice to meet you.” He finally mumbled, but didn’t move any closer.
I nodded but didn’t speak. I hopped off my stool and told Mama I was going to go wash up, and she nodded.
“Your father will be home soon.” She reminded me with an affectionate twinkle in her eye. Mama and Daddy were still DISGUSTINGLY in love.
Ben looked at Kyle with a nervous expression. I frowned. Why would Daddy's coming home make him nervous? I looked at Kyle, too, buthe was too busy mumbling something to Ben. Mama watched this exchange with the same intensity as me. Our eyes finally met, and when she gave a little shrug and a gentle smile, I shrugged back and skipped to my room.
After that, Ben became a regular guest in our home. He sat for more dinners at our table than at his own. Kyle and I rarely went to his house, even though he lived on the same street as us, but the times we did, it was just his mom around. We later found out his dad only came home when he ran out of couches to crash on. I didn’t meet his father until Ben and Kyle were Juniors in high school, and his father showed up at our house in the middle of a pretty intense Mario Kart tournament. It only got more intense from the minute we opened the door until the minute the cops drove away with his dad in the backseat while the EMTs praised Ben for his bravery.
I pulled myself back from the memories with a little sigh. The boy I was remembering was not the man who had over a dozen NDAs hidden in the home he shared with his wife. I was sure that the boy who had punched his drunk father for stumbling into his best friend's little sister would’ve been just as horrified as I was by the man he became.
“OK. I’ll call around for a hot tub removal while pick a lawyer.” Lily said when she realized I was listening again.
“Sorry, got lost in my thoughts.” I stretched. “It really isn’t fair that he was the one getting laid and I’m the one getting fucked.” I grumbled. Lily cackled.
“Girl, you are NOT going to be the one getting fucked in this divorce.”
