C11 She was his!

Ben didn’t sleep peacefully that night. He kept tossing and turning. He could see his happiness but couldn’t reach it. He thought back through the events of the day. His lips curled up into a smile as he recalled the kiss. He had never felt this way. ‘No matter how hard or unattainable, he would persevere- she was his!’ that was his last thought as he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

The next morning, Ben woke up with the first rays of light. This was his norm, no matter how late he went to bed, he would wake with the first ray of light. He didn’t have a plan for the day. Normally, he would catch up with friends in the evening on Saturday and catch up with family on Sunday. They would all gather back at the Adalase Manor for breakfast and spend the rest of the day together.

Contrary to usual, seeing Ben walk downstairs in his PJ’s, Mrs Bentley asked “Aren’t you going to the Manor? Would you like breakfast?” On Sunday’s Ben would walk down dressed in casual attire to head towards the manor at this time ‘what was going on today?’

“I will go around later. I will take breakfast in my study” He drank a glass of water before heading back to the study. He wanted to listen to the recordings from the listening device and then just … keep listening…

He closed the door behind him, turned on the earpiece. Since it was quiet, he decided to listen to the recording. It played back from when they last heard… there was nothing other than the sound of wind. He turned off the recorder and kept reviewing his documents while listening to the background noise transmitted from the listening grain.

‘Maybe we can have breakfast together’ Ben picked up the phone and dialed Mrs Bentley as the thought crossed his mind

“I will call when I am ready for breakfast”

“Ok”

Ben worked in silence till he was disturbed by the humming from the earpiece. ‘This was not Dana’s voice’ he kept listening without paying attention

The humming was accompanied by the sounds of pots clanging, stirring, cracking, whooshing, crackling…and so on….

Ben picked up is phone and dialed again “I want bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast”

“Eh…. ok young master”. ‘Something’s definitely not right, young master does not like bacon’ Mrs Bentley thought as she hung up. She still followed orders.

Lara finished cooking breakfast and knocked on Dana’s room

“Dana… Dana… I am coming in” She announced as she opened the door and walked in without waiting for an invitation.

“Go away” Dana threw the pillow she was cuddling

“Get up … let’s have breakfast, I’m hungry”

Dana raised her hand and pressed on her phone with half opened eyes

“You crazy??? It’s only 8’oclock” Dana retorted sleepily

“Come on sleepy head” Lara nudged

“No… no… it’s the one Sunday of the week that I get to sleep in as the church service is in the afternoon. I am not getting up” Dana put the pillow over her head.

“Lazy cat” Ben who was listening in on the other end mocked with a doting expression.

Lara kept nudging and calling with no effect. She had a full day planned. She was not going to let Ms sleepy head destroy it.

“Listen up Ms. Williams” Lara raised her voice in a threatening tone “15 mins! If you are not at the dining table when my timer sets off, we are going to shower together.”

Ben raised his eyebrows

“What?” Dana sat up screaming “Don’t you have something better to threaten me with?”

“Nope. This is fun” Lara laughed evilly

“You…. Get lost. I am not friends with you anymore” Dana pouted and threw her pillow at her.

“I am still going to shower with you if you are not out in 15 and the timer starts now” Lara pressed the start on the timer and walked out with a jubilant smile.

“Ah…ah…” Dana ruffled her hair and muttered “I am not going to come here on weekends anymore”

She still got up and closed the door. She rushed about to make it out before Lara’s timer went off.

After the muttering, Ben heard the sound of door closing and then it went quiet again. Ben leaned back against the couch thoughtfully ‘their interactions seemed …. Interesting’. Ben picked up the phone “I’ll have breakfast now”

“I am here…where’s your dammed timer” Dana asked with a resentful pout as she sat down.

“She’s here” Lara laughed as she bought the plates.

Ben looked at the watch curiously ‘14mins! Looks like my woman’s really shy… she can be threatened by such a stupid thing… heh…heh… knowledge is power’.

Mrs Bentley’s timing was perfect. She walked in with the breakfast tray and placed it on the tea table and pulled it closer to the couch Ben was sitting.

“How come you cooked breakfast? Don’t you normally insist on ‘I country’ cuisine on Sundays? Dana asked curiously sizing up Lara. She would normally wait patiently till she woke up and insist on ‘I country’ cuisine breakfast.

“I am celebrating your birthday today” Lara declared with a straight face.

“Puchi….”

Lara ignored her outburst “I have the whole day planned. First, we’ll go shopping at Archies plaza then we’ll have lunch at 360 degrees and then at 2pm, we’ll watch a movie at the movie complex”

“But…”

“Don’t worry we’ll be back by 4:30 and you can prepare and go for mass at 5:30… see I have it all worked out!” Lara smiled proudly.

“I hate to burst your bubble” Dana smirked

“Then don’t…its perfect” Lara rejected any comments

“Have you booked at 360 degrees?” Dana raised her eyebrows. The waitlist for 360 degrees was usually 3 months.

“Didn’t you always want to go there?”

“Yes… but the waiting…”

“No buts… I will call the manager” Lara had an awkward expression.

“Lara, no beauty tricks…. You know I hate it when you do this!”

“But..”

“No but’s … we can still do everything you planned but lets’ have lunch somewhere else?”

“Next year then…” Lara tried to sound cheerful but soon asked in a depressed tone “Then where?”

“Let’s just have street food near the movie complex”

“Ok”

While they were quietly eating, Dana looked at the roses and remembered the dinner she promised Mr Adalase.

“Lara” She called hesitantly

“Um”

“I need a favor. Are you free tomorrow night?”

“Tell me?”

“It’s like this……I promised to treat someone to dinner tomorrow night and I don’t want to go alone. Can you come with me?”

“Dinner” Lara’s eyes lit up with gossip and lifting her eyebrows teasingly “Who….who…”

“That annoying man from yesterday” Dana gritted her teeth

“Ok”

“Thank you…thank you… you are a life saver!”

“Don’t you want to go?”

“No”

“Then why do you have to go… just refuse! Isn’t that what you always do?”

“But he… that….” Dana didn’t know how to explain nor did she want to …

“What?” Lara raised her eyebrows.

“I don’t want to owe him, it was from the deal for helping me with Jeremy” Dana came up with a reason.

“Umm” Lara was not convinced but she didn’t ask further.

Instead she urged her “Let’s get ready quickly or we won’t finish on time” She raised her hand in a hurry to gather the plates and knocked the vases with the roses…. Water spilled all over the table and the roses.

Ben pulled of the earpiece in annoyance; the conversation was cut off with the crackling sounds. He was still happy as he had picked up some useful information.

‘Annoying … heh? We’ll see!!’

‘Free tomorrow to be an electric bulb?? Not if I can help …Heh’

Ben sat plotting with a wicked smile on his face.

“Dring…..dring…”

Ben picked up the phone “Mom”

“Ben, how far away are you? The kids are getting hungry”

“Mom, go ahead. I won’t be joining today”

“What do you mean, you’re not coming” Shrill voice came over the phone.

“Irene, I have something on… I won’t be able ….”

“Nothing other than family on Sunday….that’s the rule” Irene was adamant.

Ben could hear his mum in the background trying to get the phone back.

“Irene, I really have something I cannot afford to miss” Ben desperately pleaded.

“Work can wait, Ben”

“I know, it’s not work”

“Is it related to life and death?”

“Yes”

Irene held the phone biting her lower lips

“Well, you can’t decide on your own. Let’s cast the family vote. Wait for me to call back”

Ben waited for what seemed like ages for him.

“Dring.”

“Yes”

“Is it that urgent, Ben?” Helena asked in a concerned tone. The phone did not even ring before Ben answered. It seemed that he was very anxious.

“Mom”

“Ok, you do what you have to but as a penalty, you will be in charge of organizing activities for the next 4 Sundays”

“Mom” Ben resented

“Do you want to go do your life and death thing?” Helena asked in a teasing tone “or come home right now?”

“Mom, is this even fair?”

“Well, you should have called your siblings and me and told about the change in plan so we could organize another day” Helena paused “but you didn’t. Now everyone’s here and you want to go do your life and death thing… is that fair on everyone?” Helena calmly reprimanded.

Ben could hear his sibling laughter and the little ones giggles. They were doing this on purpose. He swore he would get back at them.

“But mom, I swear this wasn’t planned. Isn’t there always 3 options?”

“Mom didn’t think you would consider for the 3rd option, that’s why I didn’t mention it. But since you asked let’s start again.” Helena cleared her throat which was accompanied by giggles. Ben heard Bryan say “Mom, if its option 2, put it on speaker before he starts talking”.

Helena’s voice came over the phone –

“Ben, there’s three options right now-

1. You are excused for today and you are responsible for the next 4 Sundays

2. Tell us what your life and death thing is

3. Come home

Now, it this fair?

“Mom” Ben wanted to negotiate. He knew these three options would be the brainstorming of his evil younger siblings. He couldn’t believe they still kept at it!

“Ben, do you want to wait till we cast another vote?” Helena teased; there was a doting yet mocking zest in her tone. She knew he was anxious.

There was no way he was choosing option 2. As much as he loved his family, he knew they were trouble even in the best case scenarios. He hadn’t even caught up with Dana. Adding Dana’s background, mom’s priorities and Irene’s prejudice into the equation would mean he would never reach his destination.

“Ok, option 1” Ben could only reluctantly agree.

The Adalase family members got together on Sundays. Each member would take turns organizing the activities for the whole family to participate. The same activity can’t be repeated in the same month. If anyone has any commitment preventing them from participating in the family gathering, then it has to be discussed with everyone and another day has to be picked for the gathering-Bottom line, they had to meet once a week. This has been the rule since the last 4 generations. Until Ben’s generation, there was only one child in the family and hence the discussions were easier as it only involved two to three parties- grandparents, parents and child. However, in Ben’s generation they were 5 siblings and considering they were all living separately, that meant discussions with 6 families. This was the responsibility of the person organizing the activity. Ben was sure his siblings already planned a conspiracy to make the next 4 gathering discussions eventful. Although Ben was resentful at this moment, he was grateful to this age old tradition, it kept the family connected and close even though they had all dispersed to their own dwellings. They would still plot against each other with the innocence of their childhood. Unlike other wealthy families, Adalases were close knit bunch. Plotting and scheming was not done for fame and wealth; it was more to have a laugh and get on each other’s nerves.

Ben dialed again “Shadow, are you doing anything today?”

Shadow was free to do whatever he wanted on Sundays as Ben would be at the Adalase Manor and they had their own security arrangements. Shadow still preferred to follow Ben even though it was not necessary.

“Sleeping” Shadow had heard the conversation from the window sill and was aware that Life and Death could only mean Dana. His boss was up to no good, he was sure!

“From the window sill? That’s dangerous. Let’s go shopping.” Ben chuckled.