Mafia Desire (Erotica)

She walked over to the side of the bed between Catherine and Ben causing the other woman to move back and release his hand. Ben caught the tension between the two women. He closed his eyes recalling the blow out in the kitchen before he collapsed. He recalled pleading for them to accept each other, rely on each other. He opened his eyes and looked into Hannah’s. He saw her pain there. The betrayal still haunted her.

“I’m sorry to have been the one to say those awful things.” he said as he tentatively took her hand in his.

“It was the truth and we shouldn’t run from the truth.” she said firmly.

Ben looked away from the pain in her eyes. His own pain at Wendy’s leaving was never far from his heart. “You have to take care that you don’t accept them as truths about yourself. Those truths aren’t about us. And there are more important truths you need to take to heart instead. Like, you are a good person. You are a loving person. You deserve to be loved.” he said, recounting a mantra he told himself during the dark times when his depression got to be too much. While he hadn’t managed to get past his own fear of betrayal he was certainly an expert in recognizing it.

Gabriella was as perceptive as she was beautiful. She caught his slip when he said ‘us’. “Those sound like words you know well, Ben.” she said gently.

He glanced at her and a sad look flitted over his face. She squeezed his right hand and he felt Hannah squeezing his left.

He schooled his expression and looked back at Hannah. “It seems some of the other things I said that day didn’t sink in.” He looked at Catherine and saw her looking sadly at Hannah. So Hannah’s pain was still blocking their communication. He looked back to her with compassion.

She dropped her eyes to his hand holding hers. “It’s hard. I still have so much rage yet I still love him or who he was before the truth came out. I don’t want to lose that. It’s part of who I am.”

Ben’s heart was breaking all over again. He was seeing betrayal from the other side. Perhaps how people saw him. Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice went rough with emotion. “You- you aren’t defined by your relationship to the man you thought you knew. Who you really are is this wonderful person right now, right here in front of us. A person who is capable of love and forgiveness.”

He sighed and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb absentmindedly as he recalled what it felt like to be in love. She gasped slightly at the wonderful feelings his thumb was giving her. It had been a very long time since she’d experienced an intimate touch. It felt so good! She felt a wave of affection for Ben sweep through her. She dipped down to kiss his forehead in thanks. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the motion and tilted his head back to see what she was doing. At the last moment she unexpectedly diverted her course and their lips met.

Hannah felt a shock shoot through her body waking up long unused nerves as Ben’s lips pressed against hers. His eyes flew wide open and she pulled back in surprise. His look echoed hers. She released his hand and walked out of the room and didn’t stop walking until she locked her office door behind her. She walked slowly to her desk and sat in her chair. Hannah touched her lips and felt an aftershock ripple through her.

Back in Ben’s room Catherine had reclaimed his left hand. Jealousy was sweeping through her body though she struggled to suppress it. She looked over at Gabriella and saw her feelings plainly mirrored on her friend’s face. She looked down and saw Ben was luckily oblivious to their frowns.

“What the hell is it about this hospital?” he muttered.

The following day, true to her word, Gabriella brought in Miriam who leapt up onto Ben’s chest to give him a huge hug. Gabriella squawked at her to be careful but Ben just chuckled and gave the girl a big hug back. She kissed his cheek and slipped off the bed to stand with her mother beaming at him. He gave her a grin right back.

“Mr. Shepherd, you have to promise me that you will be diligent in your physiotherapy so you can get better and come some soon.” she said to Ben.

His eyebrows went up. “Of course Miriam! But only if you call be Ben.” he smiled.

Her smile went up another 1000 watts. Gabriella smiled indulgently at her daughter. She looked at Ben. “Daniel would like to speak with you ‘man to man’ so he is waiting his turn in the hall.” she explained.

“Ah, ok.” he said, puzzled. He recalled the serious expression the young boy had at the funeral home. Gabriella patted his hand and Miriam did the same. He snagged her fingertips as she left and she pulled them free with a grin and followed her mother outside.

Ben watched the 12 year old step into the room and look at him. The boy tugged the door closed and Ben’s eyebrows rose. Daniel walked over to stand beside Ben’s bed and gave him an evaluating look. His face was so serious it was all Ben could do to keep from smiling. He suppressed it as the young man wanted a man to man after all.

“Daniel.” Ben said.

“Mr. Shepherd.” the boy replied, barely hiding his pleasure at being addressed with his new, more mature name.

“Please, call me Ben.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Thank you, Ben.” Again that flicker of pride before the serious face returned.

“What’s on your mind, Daniel?”

“What are your intentions towards my mother?”

Ben froze. The young man waited patiently.

“Uh, what do you mean?”

“I think the question was fairly clear.” the boy said calmly.

Ben thought furiously. Did he do something, anything, at any time that might have led Daniel to believe he was in a relationship with Gabriella? He came up blank. “The question is clear but I’m at a loss to understand its context.”

He’d finally caught the boy off guard. The confusion showed momentarily then cleared. “Please explain.”

“Why do you believe I have a relationship with your mother outside of just being her friend and neighbor? Your father passed just a few nights… sorry, less than three months ago and I’ve been here sleeping for the last two and a bit.”

The confused look returned. He seemed to be struggling with something.

“Speak to me Daniel.” Ben said gently.