by Aj Harmon
“Would that be me you’re referring to?” asked Ben as he stopped behind them.
Sophia whipped around and was face to face with Ben…the Ben that Alex adored and Willis despised.
“Are you the pedophile who’s been stalking my son?” Willis demanded.
Ben stood at least four inches taller and a good thirty pounds lighter than the punk in front of him. And this wasn’t a good time to goad him.
“I haven’t had a particularly great day today, so I suggest before you open your mouth again you think about what you want to say,” Ben replied.
“I asked you if you were the pedophile who’s been stalking my son,” Willis demanded again.
Ben turned to Sophia. She looked thoroughly distraught. “This is Alex’s father, Willis Grossman,” she said.
“Where’s Alex?” asked Ben.
“He’s upstairs with mom,” she replied.
In one swift move, taking him completely by surprise, Ben swung his right arm and popped Willis right in the jaw. He went down like a sack of potatoes. Leaning over him, Ben fought back the urge to kick him.
“First of all, I am not a pedophile and second, I happen to enjoy spending time with Sophia’s son and he likes hanging with me…doing guy stuff…stuff he should be doing with his father, but unfortunately for him, his father is a douchebag of the worst kind. If I catch you yelling at Sophia again, or even looking at her wrong, I will not hesitate to break every one of your ribs one at a time. Got it?” He yanked on Willis’ arm and pulled him upright.
“This is the asshole you’ve picked to replace me?” Willis yelled over his shoulder as he hurried away. “Real nice!”
“You okay,” Ben asked Sophia, who’d lost all color in her face.
She nodded and Ben placed his hand in the small of her back and led her back into the safety of the store.
“Let’s get you sitting down shall we? And maybe a glass of water,” Ben said, a tenderness in his voice that surprised her.
“Bravo!” cheered Aldo. “Well done. Wish I could’ve done that.”
Ben smirked a little. “I thought he deserved it.”
“Sure did,” grinned Aldo. “Come sit here, Sophia. I’ll get you a drink.” He disappeared into the back room.
“It sounds as though I was the subject of that argument,” sighed Ben. “I’m sorry. I…”
“No!” Sophia said. “This is his fault. He’s the asshole that chooses not to spend time with Alex and then he’s pissed when Alex spends time with you. You are not the problem…he is. I wish that I could tell Alex that his father doesn’t want to be a father…that he prefers his freedom to having to babysit, as he calls it. But how do you tell a twelve year old boy that his dad doesn’t want him?”
“You don’t,” Ben said. “He’s a smart kid and unfortunately, he’ll figure it out all on his own, if he hasn’t already.”
Aldo returned with a glass of water and Ben made his exit. What a shit-filled day!
*****
Ben sat nursing a beer and staring at the television, not watching the game but his mind on the events of the day. There wasn’t anything else he could do…for either situation.
When he’d approached Sophia and her ex arguing he was shocked to hear his name brought up. The last thing he wanted was to be in the middle of a fight about Alex. Willis was a jerk and he had a hard time believing that someone as smart and as beautiful as Sophia had fallen for such a scumbag. She’d given him a look as he’d punched Willis and he wasn’t sure if he’d actually seen what he thought he’d seen; gratitude, admiration, desire?
His thought was interrupted, gratefully, he thought, by the shrill ringing of his cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi Ben. It’s Maria.”
“Are you okay?” his concern immediate.
“Yeah, but, Luca game home with a cut on his forehead.”
“What happened?
“Initially, he said he’d fallen, but I eventually got him to tell me the truth. He was shoved into a light pole by a couple of kids who have been bullying him at school. It appears to be a combination of where I work and the fact that he is considered an American bastard.”
“Oh shit,” he muttered into a phone. What is it about these asshole men who father children and then refuse to accept their responsibility? “Maria?”
“Yes?”
“How’d you like to accept a position in New York? MEL Holdings will move you immediately and you can work here where, sadly, it’s almost the norm to not have a father.”
*****
The next morning when Maria told Luca they were moving to New York rather than just visiting, his reaction was more than she expected.
“How will my dad find me if we move? He knows we live in Brazil…not America.”
It broke her heart into a million pieces. “You know honey,” she began, “when you were still inside my tummy, your dad didn’t think he’d be a very good dad and he knew that I would love you enough for both of us. Sometimes people aren’t ready to be parents and your dad is one of those people. But I love you so much and I will always be here for you.”
“But maybe he’s ready to be a dad now,” Luca replied.
“I don’t think he’s ever going to be ready, honey. I’m sorry that it didn’t work out between him and me and I’m sorry that you don’t have a dad but I’m not sorry that I’m your mom. I love you with all my heart.”
“I love you too, mom,” he said with a sigh. “But at least I’ll get to see Ben more if we live in New York, right?”
“Maybe,” she said, hoping that she wasn’t trading one problem for an even bigger one.
*****
“There’s a Vicente Rivera of Latin World Corporation on the line for you Ben.”
Ben dropped the pen in his hand and looked at his phone. “Thank you.” He lifted the receiver and held it to his ear.
“Mr. Lathem,” came the voice before Ben had a chance to say a word. “I wondered if you’d had a chance to reconsider my offer.”
Ben chuckled. “You’ve called me every day for four days now Vicente, and the answer is still no. Why would you think I would’ve changed my mind?”
“Because each day I up the offer,” came the honest reply. “And today I sweeten the deal.”
Ben had no intention of accepting the offer but he was curious. “And what bonuses are you throwing in today?”
“I am going to offer you a job you cannot refuse.”
“You think you can entice me away from my brother’s company? You’re crazy!”
“It is because it is your brother’s company that you’ll consider my offer.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You work for your brother and sometimes that is hard. It will always be his company, no? But you work all day for him, not you. You come work with me and I make you partner, not employee.”
“You can’t afford me!”
“Oh yes I can. You tell me your wage and I will double it.”
“No.”
“No to telling me?”
“Yes and no to the offer. I’m not leaving.”
“I give you the weekend to consider. Goodbye Mr. Lathem.”
Ben sent a quick email off to Matt making him aware that another offer on Crystal Towers had been made, but withholding the job offer. He didn’t plan on telling Matt about that.
At six o’clock he grabbed his jacket and swung it over his shoulder and left the office. He’d worked well into the night all week and was going to go home at a reasonable hour. Next week was their conference and he still had to prepare his presentation on ‘The future of MEL Holdings – Where we’re headed next.’
He walked through the warm September air, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts, jumping all over without one real coherent thought. Before he realized it, he was opening the door of Aldo’s Market and walking to the counter. What the hell? he wondered. Why am I here?
“Hello Mr. Lathem. How are you this evening?”
“Mrs. Manning! It’s wonderful to see you! How are you?”
“I’m doing well. Much better now. Thank you for asking. What can I…”
“Mom?” a voice yelled.
“Excuse me,” Gloria patted Ben’s hand and gingerly walked to the end of the counter. “Helping a customer!” she yelled back. Then she carefully returned to stand in front of Ben.
“I apologize,” she smiled. “Now, what can I get you?”
“Um,” he said, having no idea what brought him into the store.
“Mom? Where’s Dad?” Sophia asked as she rushed into the store from the back room.
“He’ll be back shortly. He just ran to the bank.”
“Why didn’t he tell me? You should be upstairs! Oh, hi Ben.”
Ben smiled and said hello.
“I’m getting stronger every day and ten minutes in the store isn’t going to kill me. Breast cancer didn’t kill me. You think this will?” she said.
“Well at least sit down,” Sophia cried.
“I was!” Gloria exclaimed. “Until someone started screaming at me and I had to get up to go and see what they wanted!” There was a sparkle in her eye that made Ben smother a grin. “Now, what can I get for you this evening, sir?”
“I just need a…a…a book of stamps please?” Phew! Thought of something!
“Certainly,” Gloria smiled. “I hear there’s a new Italian place just opened up on Pearl Street. Have you eaten there?”
Ben shook his head. “I haven’t.” He took the stamps she offered and handed her a ten dollar bill. “Tell Alex he can keep the change,” he grinned.
Gloria smiled and pulled the coins from the till and dropped them in her apron pocket. “He’ll add it to his jar,” she said. “Sophia? You’ll have to check it out for me. Lucia Wyman says their meatballs are better than mine.”
“I’d be happy to take you,” Ben offered. What the hell did I just say?
Sophia shook her head. “That’s kind but Alex is home and…”
“We’ll all go?” he said. I need to stop my mouth from talking!
“What a fabulous idea!” clapped Gloria.
“We’ll bring you back an order of their meatballs so you can try them yourself,” Ben smiled.
“Sophia! Run up and change.”
“We can’t go now! I’m not leaving you here by yourself!” she replied.
“Oh pfft! Aldo will be back in a minute.”
“I’ll go home and change and then come back and get you,” Ben smiled. “About twenty minutes?”
“Oh that will be perfect!” Gloria exclaimed.
As Ben hurried from the store he didn’t see the look of total contempt Sophia shot her mother. As he ran across the road, he was in a state of confusion over what had just taken place…what he’d done.
He stood looking in the mirror, adjusting the collar of his polo shirt. There were a whole slew of reasons why this was a bad idea, yet he was in the elevator heading back over to pick up Alex and Sophia before he knew it.
*****
“Mother! What the hell? Why on earth would you push me into something like this?” Sophia hissed.
“You are either blind or stupid, and I know you’re not blind,” Gloria frowned.
“Thanks!”
“Ben Lathem is the catch of a lifetime and for some unknown reason, he likes you.”
“He does not!”
“He does! He likes you. Now I’m not saying he’s in love with you but liking is a start.”
“Mom! I am not interested in Ben Lathem!”
“Well then you really are stupid! He’s gorgeous and tall and that thick black hair! I would run my hands through it any time he wanted.”
Sophia looked as though she was going to vomit. “Mom,” she choked. “Stop! Please!”
“And those eyes! My goodness those dark blue eyes. They just suck me in every time. Oh to be a fly on his bathroom wall and…”
“Enough!” she screamed. “I get it! He’s gorgeous and sexy but please don’t speak any more!”
“Go get changed for your date.”
“It’s not a date! Alex is coming, for heaven’s sake.” Sophia stomped out of the store and up the stairs to her apartment.
“What’s all the yelling about?” Aldo asked as he walked in the door.
“Ben Lathem asked Sophia and Alex to dinner,” she winked. “With hardly any prodding from me.”
With a grin and a skip he kissed his wife on the cheek. “He’d make an excellent stepfather for Alex. And not a bad son-in-law.”
9.
Ben Lathem was a confirmed bachelor. After he’d split with Jill he made a conscious decision to remain single – unattached – alone. Yeah, so marriage seemed to agree with his brothers, he’d told himself. Actually it appeared to agree with all of his brothers but that meant nothing for him. He wasn’t ready to settle down to the doldrums of monogamy. And becoming a father? He’d decided that wasn’t for him either. And if anybody had ever asked, he could say with complete honesty that he was happy with his choices.
But something happened at a little Italian restaurant, that incidentally had the most delicious meatballs he’d ever tasted, when the owner stopped by Ben’s table as he, Sophia and Alex were wolfing down dozens upon dozens of the scrumptious little things, and said, “What a delightful family! Thank you for joining us and I hope you are enjoying your meal.”
Alex wasn’t paying any attention to the older gentleman, as he was too busy trying to out eat Ben. Placing his fork on the edge of his plate, Ben looked at Alex and thought that perhaps it might be nice to think about having a family…one day…far into the future. To have a son to take to ball games and play video games with. A family to take vacations with and a wife to make love to every night. His eyes traveled to Sophia, who looked mortified, which instantly irritated him. Ben’s immediate reaction had been one of pride – completely unwarranted pride. It left him bewildered and confused. Confused as to why in this moment he’d thought about having a family and bewildered because Sophia wasn’t interested in him. Her expression made that painfully obvious. The whole thing just irritated him…to the point that he couldn’t continue eating, which was another source of irritation because that meant he would lose the bet to Alex, and Ben never liked to lose. He picked up his fork and tried to put the comment, and his reaction to it, out of his mind.
With her embarrassment past, Sophia returned her attention to the plate of spaghetti in front of her.
“How is it that your parents are Italian and you can’t eat spaghetti?” Ben asked in frustration after watching her try to swirl the noodles around her fork.
“I can eat spaghetti,” she scoffed, and lifted the fork to her mouth as noodles dropped onto her plate leaving three or four strands at her lips. “See?” she smirked as the sucked them into her mouth.
Ben’s stomach lurched at the innocent movement. He watched her full pink lips latch on to the fork and then slowly ease the metal from her mouth, leaving behind a tiny drop of marinara in the corner where her upper and bottom lips met. And then she stuck out her tongue and licked the sauce away and it was Ben’s turn to be mortified as he felt an erection forming under the constraints of his jeans. He quickly looked away, cleared his throat, took a drink of ice water and picked up a breadstick.
The waitress came by to see if they’d like some gelato for dessert, which of course Alex did. Sophia and Ben graciously declined.
“Last of the wine?” Ben asked as he lifted the bottle of red from the table.
“All yours,” she smiled.
He poured the last few drops into his glass and swallowed it all in one gulp. He just might need another bottle.
As always the gentleman, Ben walked them to the door after they climbed from the taxi and handed Sophia the takeout order of meatballs for Gloria. “Whatever you do,” he said to Alex in all seriousness, “DO NOT tell your grandmother that these are better than hers. Got it?”
“Got it!” A
lex nodded. “Bye!” he said, walking into the store as Aldo was lowering the metal window bars to lock up for the night. “Hi Grandpa,” Ben heard him say. “I can’t tell grandma that we had better meatballs than hers.”
Ben chuckled. “He’s a good kid.”
Sophia smiled. “Yeah…he is.”
Then came the uncomfortable silence. They both knew it wasn’t a date, but…
“Thank you for dinner,” Sophia said. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Yep. I’m sure you will. Good night.”
As Sophia opened the door to the store, Ben swung the other way and almost sprinted across the street and into his apartment building.
“Good evening, Mr. Lathem,” smiled the doorman, as Ben entered.
“Evening,” he replied and hurried through the lobby. He needed to get up to his apartment as quickly as possible and take a cold shower.
*****
Standing at the baggage carousel, Maria watched for the luggage to pass by and Luca stood, mouth open, taking in his surroundings. It had been a long flight; first to Atlanta - Luca had curled up next to the window with a pillow and slept most of the way, and then on to New York. Now they stood hauling bags off the carousel, starting a new chapter in their lives in New York.
MEL Holdings held several apartments in the city for the purpose of housing visiting employees. Ben had made sure that one of them was ready for Maria to use until she was settled enough, both in the city and in her new job, to find a permanent home. While she had mixed feelings about leaving her home and relocating, she was grateful for Ben’s concern for their safety and was looking forward to her new position in the company, even though she wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
Human Resources had given her a new title – Support Staff Training Director – and eventually she hoped to learn exactly what the job entailed, but Ben had told her she was tailor-made for it and seemed excited enough for the both of them. She trusted him and had packed up her belongings on a moment’s notice and now here she stood in New York City.
A car had been sent for them and the driver, obviously a skilled Tetris player, managed to stuff all the luggage in the trunk and their new adventure officially began.
