Ben (The Sherwood)

Disa walked to me. “Are you sure everything is all right?” She asked.

“Positive,” I replied. Then I leaned over Asia and kissed Disa. Her lips were cool from being outside. “Did you walk here?” I asked her.

“I did,” she replied. Her voice was soft and held a hint of something that alerted my brain something was off with her. “It’s such a beautiful morning and just a little bit cool.” It was thirty-five degrees this morning. Unusually cold for October in Ohio but that was the great state of Ohio. It could be ninety, one day and sixty-five the next.

I didn’t walk anywhere I didn’t have to while Disa walked whenever she could. She was health conscious and maybe I needed to start working on that since I now had a child.

“How did she take it?” Disa asked me.

I shrugged. I wasn’t really, sure. Mom had only asked if I had slept with Disa which I hadn’t, so I was hoping that was a good sign.

“Can I take Asia?” She asked me. I sighed at her. She didn’t need to hide behind my child anymore, but I gave her my daughter anyway.

“I’m beginning to think you like my child more than me,” I teased her. She rolled her eyes at me.

“I like you just fine,” she informed me. “You’re comfortable to sleep on and you’re warm.” Her voice became softer, so no one would hear her in case my parents returned to the kitchen.

“Don’t worry, they make a ton of noise. We’ll hear them coming,” I let her know.

She laughed while she rocked back and forth with Asia. Her eyes were locked with mine though. We were just standing there looking at each other when my sister and her husband came into the room.

“Disa,” Danni declared stopping in the doorway with India in her arms. Walker nearly crashed into her back. His arms were laden with bags of goodies for our brunch. Danni and my mother shared the cooking responsibilities with Jen and Layla before she left Matt.

“It’s so good to see you.” I watched the two of them hug over the babies in their arms. Then Danni was gazing at me strangely wanting info on why her old friend was here.

I tugged Disa to my side giving them the only explanation that I felt was necessary. I forgot one important thing…I was a Hatfield and so was Danni. My sister wasn’t giving up without an explanation.

“Ben could you help me carry in the rest of the food from the car?” Danni asked. Walker looked over his shoulder at her, confused by this request. He had been expecting to carry it in. “I was going out to do that as soon as I unloaded this stuff.”

“Ben will help me,” she informed her husband. Then she handed him their daughter. He looked even more confused by this change of events.

I had no choice but to leave the kitchen with my sister or make a scene. I followed Danni down the hall, through the living room and outside onto the porch. She still hadn’t said anything which made me uncomfortable. When we reached the driveway, she turned on me like a mother protecting her young. I backed up a step or two.

“Are you sleeping with Disa?” She growled at me.

“Jesus, will you relax. Mom about gouged out my bicep with her fingers when she saw her. I have not slept with Disa.”

My sister crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowed, and it frightened me for a moment how much she reminded me of our mother.

I took another step back.

“Don’t you hurt her,” Danni warned me shaking her finger at me. “I remember how much you hurt her the first time you dated her. She was crushed when you gave her the it’s me not you, speech,” my sister said in a lame ass voice, mimicking what she thought I sounded like I’m sure.

I kicked my toe around the driveway for a moment. “Danni, are you hearing me? I have not slept with her. I have feelings for her then and now.”

My sister’s arms dropped to her sides. Suddenly she was standing toe to toe with me. “I know you had feelings for her before, Ben. I know you hurt her feelings too. I never understood why you broke up with her

.”

I gave her that look that said I didn’t know why either. Dad’s opinion didn’t seem so important anymore but at the time, I was young and still scared of him. I still lived at home. I did what he wanted. I backed off. I explained this to Danni.

She laid her hand on my cheek that was rough with whiskers then she smiled at me. “Ben don’t mess this up, this time,” she told me. “She’s good for you.”

“I won’t.”

Then she turned to the car and handed me bag after bag of groceries to carry inside. When I got to the kitchen, Dad was holding Asia at the kitchen table, making faces and cooing at her while Mom and Disa were starting to cook. I sat down by Dad who smiled at me.

“How are you son?” He asked me.