again.” He swallowed hard. “You have no idea how much I loved her. I waited for Her every single day. But I was a fool. I made her angry. I ruined her home. I… I couldn’t even protect her. And then I forgot her.”
There was a heavy silence. The hum of the air conditioner filled the room, and a sliver of afternoon sunlight crept through the window, bathing the space in warmth.
He hugged me tightly, almost painfully so.
“How could I ever let her go?” His voice was raw. “You don’t understand how much I loved her, how much she meant to me. I’m a scoundrel, and I just can’t move on. I only want her. Even if she rejects me a hundred times, I’ll keep pursuing her. And when we’re both old and gray, I’ll steal her wheelchair. That way, she’ll have to sit in my arms.”
The wind outside howled, the chimes swaying on the porch. He held me close, but the moment I even made a move to leave, he pulled me tighter.
I lifted my hand, slowly resting it on the top of his head. His short hair felt soft beneath my fingertips, comforting in a way I hadn’t expected. He froze for a moment, and a shadow fell across his face as the light danced around us.
I whispered gently, “Okay. If we grow old… just stay with me, Ben.”
Extra:
That night, as we stayed at his place, Ben took me out to see the stars in the mountains. His room had a skylight, and we could lie in bed and gaze up at the endless sky.
But as I stared at the stars, something didn’t sit right with me.
“Ben.” I sat up, squinting at him. “Your grandfather seems to spoil you. Did he really kick you out just for changing your name? You lied to me, didn’t you? Just so I’d feel sorry for you? How could you-
Before I could say anything else, his lips pressed firmly against mine, silencing me.
He chuckled softly in my ear, his hands starting to wander
“Shh, Jen,” he murmured. “The night is long. We’ve got other things to explore together.”
A few days later, I brought up Ben’s name change to Perry.
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Chapter 16
+25 BONUS
Perry’s response was nonchalant. “He changed his name? I don’t mind, as long as he’s happy. Grandpa wouldn’t mind being called Ben either, if it makes him happy.”
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