I sip my glass of water as he stares at me. The silence is uncomfortable. I think of dozens of things to say, discarding them all. What can bridge the last six years? I swallow, blink, and then say the only thing I can think of. "Hello Ben."
He smiles. It's a slow spreading thing, like a fire slowly grabbing hold of a fresh log that works its way across his face lighting up everything around it. Does he know he's striking a pose or is he just naturally this graceful?
"Been a long time," he says.
"Yeah," I reply.
Great conversation here. We can't even do small talk. Each statement creates a long pause. Is he as nervous as I am? Is he pissed? Does he hate me?
"Why are you here?" I blurt out.
He looks surprised and his expression turns dark. His smile fades. "Mom's lawyer is supposed to stop by."
Silence sits heavy between us. I wait. Then wait some more.
"Well, there's business to take care of here," he says at last.
"Oh, I see. Well." I push off the counter and start towards the bedroom. "I promised Dad I'd sort all of your mom's stuff for you."
I start past him but the archway isn't wide enough for me to go through without touching him. He reaches his arm in front of me stopping my progress. The intoxicating scent of him fills my nostrils.
"Ben, let me by."
He stares down at me and I look up at him defiant. I bite the inside of my lip to stop the quiver that threatens. It takes all my will to stare into his eyes, to not reach out my arms, embrace him and forgive the past. He doesn't get that, he chose to leave, I didn't.
He drops his arm and I push past him.
Chapter three
The front doorbell rings so I go that way instead of back towards the bedroom. When I open it Mr. Morian is standing there with his briefcase.
"Hello Victoria," he says smiling.
Mr. Morian's an older man, balding but with a nice smile and a round jovial face. He was my step-mother's lawyer for years and years so he's been to our home many times.
"Hello," I say giving him a return smile.
I feel Ben walk up behind me more than I hear him. My head aches as my shoulders tense.
"Oh good, you're both here," he says seeing Ben. "I need to go over some things. Shall we go into the den? There are some specifics of your mother's will to go over."
Specifics? What does that mean? If I'm cut out of the will I won't be able to finish college. Dad doesn't have any money of his own to put me through school. I'd already considered that she might not continue supporting me. It's my worst nightmare. I just need to finish my degree, then I can get a job.
The family lawyer leads the way with Ben behind him and I follow. My mind's racing about what I can do to fight this. I can't lose my education. Surely she hasn't cut me out?
"Sit down kids," Mr. Morian says motioning to the two leather chairs in front of Meryl's old desk. "Now, your mother thought the world of both of you. She told me that her greatest regret was that you two are no longer as close as you once were."
I look over at Ben and then back at Mr. Morian. Her regret? What? She never mentioned it to me. Hell she collected books full of Ben's exploits, I was just going through them.
"We talked a lot once she found out she didn't have long to live you see. She told me that you Victoria were every bit the find your father was. That when she married him it was so she could be a mother to you as much as a wife to him. She also told me that you Benjamin became a much better person when Victoria entered your life. That the two of you would be unstoppable together. This was important to her."
I watch Ben but his face is an unreadable mask. He's had years of schooling himself for high end business deals and being chased by paparazzi so he doesn't give away his feelings on his face.
"So to that end before either of you can claim yo
ur inheritance you must spend a month at her villa in the countryside of France. There's an itinerary of things you will do which includes three meals together every day, a daily outing, and other various sundries."
"No," Benjamin says.
Mr. Morian sits woodenly and I turn to Ben with shock. Even for an inheritance he can't spend a month on vacation with me? He'd turn down all that to avoid me?
"Benjamin, there really is no choice. You're living and working with your mother's company. If you want to gain your full inheritance, including keeping your position on the Board of Directors, you have to comply with her last will and testament."
Ben shakes. He literally shakes as he stares straight ahead not even sparing a glance for me.
"Is that all?" I ask.
I'm still waiting for another shoe to drop. There has to be another catch. One month on vacation to secure my education? You bet. Spend it with my stepbrother who hates me? My heart does a nervous flip in my chest.
"Yes, in essence that is it. I've made all the arrangements. It's set around your school schedule so you don't have to worry about that Victoria. I also talked with your Secretary Benjamin and she has cleared your schedule for the duration."
Ben leans back in his chair, steeples his fingers in front of him staring at Mr. Morian. "I'd like my own lawyers to look this over," he says through gritted teeth.
I close my eyes feeling small. It's hard to catch my breath as my chest tightens. It hits me that I'm having an asthma attack. My vision darkens around the edges as I gasp for air. I fumble around trying to find my purse where I keep an inhaler but it's in the kitchen. I try to stand up but fall back into the chair which falls over and I'm on the ground looking up. Ben's face appears in the closing tunnel of my vision.
"Vic!" he yells then he's gone.
It's okay, everyone leaves. He doesn't want me around anyway.
Don't leave me! echoes through my mind as blackness overwhelms me.
Chapter four
Gray eyes inches from my fluttering sight and boring into me are the first things I see. I blink again. I'm having a hard time thinking clearly. It's like cobwebs are holding me down. One and one aren't adding up to two. Why are these eyes so close?