Heartlines

46: Counting Stars

Ben wakes me up fifteen minutes before his partner, Sam shows up for dinner. I didn't meet her at the wedding, due to my endless drinking and embarrassing exit. Sam was going to move into the apartment next door, so I guess it's time to meet her. 

While I napped, Ben spent the afternoon cooking tonight's meal. I move from my bed and pad quickly to my closet. My stomach is growing at a rapid speed with two babies, I grab the black maxi dress. Comfort is my new fashion. 

Walking into the kitchen, Ben gives me a quick kiss before I pull the brush through my hair and pull it back. 

"Did you sleep well?" 

"It was a little cold and lonely." I grin across the breakfast bar. 

"You'll appreciate the delicious dinner I made for you." He smirks back. 

When the doorbell rings, I hurry off the stool to answer the door. A woman and man hurry into the condo, Ben greets them both from the kitchen. I close the door behind them and turn to greet them. 

The woman hands me a beautiful bouquet of calla lilies. "Ben mentioned these are your favorite. I can't show up anywhere empty handed." She hands the flowers to me. 

"Thank you, they are beautiful." 

"You are as gorgeous as he described. The boy never shuts up about you." She offers. 

I look across the kitchen in surprise. He is shaking his head while he starts plating the meals. My heart warms at just the thought of him talking about me, I just assumed I was a secret from everyone. 

"You are beautiful as well." I thank her. 

Sam was. She was shorter than me with a beautiful olive complexion. Her eyes are dark brown, almost black. She parts her hair in the center, it's black, shiny, and totally smooth of flyaway. 

"This is my husband, Mike." Sam introduces the much taller man beside her. 

Mike is pale next to his wife. He wears glasses and has a full set of facial hair, perfect beard and mustache combination. 

Ben makes us sit at the table so we can eat while the food is hot. Mike brags about how tough his wife is and how uncomfortable that makes him. He has a desk job for the New York Times as a sportswriter, and I tell him that I have a boring desk job as well. We laugh and shake our heads at our partners. 

"Do you worry about her?" I ask Mike across the table. 

"Every single minute." He looks at me with his concern green eyes.

"I get it. I hate when Ben walks out that door in the morning, I can't breathe until he's home and crawling into bed safe."

"Sammy promises that when this assignment is over, she'll take a desk job and we can start our family." Mike shares. 

I giggle. "Oh you planned when to start a family. Ours just sort of happened. I think no matter how much I would beg, Ben will never take a desk job. He needs the adrenaline rush and would rather die in the line of duty than behind a desk pushing paper." 

Mike and I laugh, when really I want to cry thinking about the statement. Silence falls on the room while we all start eating. Sam and Mike both compliment the chef on his dishes, Ben is a great cook. 

"So, we should talk about the plan..." I see Ben take a deep breath and looks at his partner. "Sammy and Mike are moving next door, however, Mike needs to come in through your condo and pretend to be your live-in boyfriend...the father of my children." 

I look at Ben and glare at him, Mike doesn't seem surprised by the plan, which leads me to believe his wife already asked if he was okay with this plan.