Survivin' - [B.C.]

Chapter 3: No-Brainer

"Aw, come here, love." Ben stood from his stool but I couldn't move. I tried to cover my face with my hands as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I wanted to keep in the sobs, but when Sophie joined in the hug, I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I let myself crumble into their arms. I let myself be vulnerable. I let them hold my broken pieces knowing that they would do everything they could to put me back together again. Shall it be my death or resurrection, it shall always be them.

===== SURVIVIN' =====

I wound up crying for a long time in Ben and Sophie's embrace. All they did was baby-talk me. They didn't even shush me. They just held me and took turns wiping my tears. At one point even, Sophie sat in the stool next to me and gently pried my hands away, holding them with one of hers and using the others to occasionally wipe at my cheeks. Ben did his part in petting my hair and just squeezing me to his side periodically. It had been a loooong time since I'd felt so loved, so cared for. Since I'd felt like I had parents. And sure, maybe they weren't my birth parents; the ones I knew and loved for my first 13 years of life. But they were the next best thing.

When I'd finished my breakdown and finally got hoarse after repeating "thank you so much" over and over, I went to clean myself up and take a breather in my own hotel room. Ben and Sophie's was made for a couple and mine was made for two people who weren't in a relationship, so that's why they figured to let me keep the room to myself for the time being. It also turned out that part of Ben's new Doctor Strange movie was being filmed in New York (while other parts being filmed in various other location) and it was coming to an end soon.

I stood over the bathroom sink for probably close to 10 minutes, just breathing deeply and trying to make sure I didn't throw up or cry or anything. There were no words to express what I felt. Happy? Sure, slap a label on it if it makes you feel better. Excited? Why not? But there couldn't possibly be something to describe what I felt when those two lovely people offered to adopt me.

Now it felt like a dream. I clenched the porcelain basin as hard as I could until my knuckles turned starch white. I ground my teeth together. I tensed up every muscle in my body and then when I felt satisfied that I wasn't dreaming, I exhaled and let all that stuff go. I opened my eyes and there I was; in the mirror, clear as day. Still in the Marriott Marquis, across the hall from Sophie and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Shortly after I got myself together, Benedict retrieved me from my room and we all went down to the food area of the hotel for breakfast. The big clock displayed on the far wall said that it was 9:15.

We found a nice table somewhere in the back where we wouldn't be too eye-catching to the general public outside of the hotel staff. This restaurant was called the 'Broadway Lounge' and that made me so excited because I expressed to Ben and Sophie how much I loved Broadway. The exact sentence Sophie said was, "well haven't we got a treat for you!"

We all ordered regular breakfast meals, like Ben got waffles and waffle fries, Sophie got pancakes and bacon, and I got French toast with whipped cream and sausage. I hated ordering my meal, though. I was anxious over whether what I wanted was okay, if the two of them would think I'm fat and greedy, if the price was too much or if I just did something wrong in general. But they both expressed to me when the waiter left that I could have whatever I wanted and to never worry about anything — ever. That they've got me from now on. It took some time but I eventually mustered up the courage to ask them the Big Question before we received our meals.

"So, guys, um..."

"Hmm?" Ben responded, setting down his phone to let me know he was listening. I almost smiled at this gesture.