Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

What She'd Want

I just got home and quite literally fell on the couch when I began to treat a cut I got on my forearm.

I didn't cause it.

When I was at work, I had asked a co-worker for a pair of scissors and held out my hand without paying any attention. I guess she had every intention of putting them in my hand without drawing blood but one of the blades made contact with the skin on my forearm and it's fairly deep. It stretches pretty far too.

I'd expect a good scar when it heals. 

I don't blame her. I could've paid more attention to possibly prevent the incident. 

Florence didn't think so and ended up firing the girl. It was a subtle show of favoritism but she owns the place so what can you do.

Which, by the way, hasn't opened yet and she must come from good money or have been really good at saving it in the past to still be able to afford it before we open. We're 4 days away but still, she's owned the property for a good month at this point.

I cleaned the wound with alcohol and now I'm just wrapping the bandage from a few inches below my elbow to a few inches before my wrist.

We had some stuff at the store to prevent it from bleeding out too much but it didn't hold together all that well. 

Just long enough for me to get home.

I'm now looking for the tv remote which is probably under a pillow or blanket somewhere when I hear my phone go off.

Benny: I need you to come over 

Benny: When you can

I immediately grab my keys and phone before walking across the street.

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Benny's pov:

"Just pick something. She's worm food no matter what she's dressed in." my aunt complains as I try to decide what mom should wear for the funeral without shutting down.

I've been grieving the last few days and I can kinda think about her without crying but it's never for that long. I usually just have Lily to distract me before I get worked up.

I know it's important to "let it out" but I've been doing a lot of that to the point when I have to chug a gallon of water after.

I hear the front door open and feel relief flood my body and mind at knowing who it is.

Before I can go out to greet her, she makes her way back here, pushing past my entitled aunt.

"What's wrong?" she asks, walking towards me.

"I... uh..."

"He's whinning about picking out an outfit for my dead sister's funeral." my aunt scoffs before leaving us.

"I'm about to go after her." Lil says, glaring at the open doorway to mom's bedroom.

"How'd you get here so fast?" I ask her.

"I was already at home."

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

Instead of answering me with words, she pulls the sleave of her jacket up, showing a bandage wrapped around a lot of her forearm.

"Are you okay?" I ask panicked while holding her arm with my hands.

"Yeah. Nothing too bad." she brushes it off and pulls her sleave back down. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, this just isn't something I was looking forward to."

She nods showing she understands before taking a better look at mom's closet.

"I assume you want my opinion."

"Yeah. You're the one in fashion." I try to joke.

I kinda regretted saying that since I clearly wasn't in the mood and this is not the time but that all disappeared when I saw her smiling about it.

"You could do this green shirt and just about any of these pants or her blue dress. Depending on which way you're leaning." she suggests.

"Aren't both of those too... bright for something like this?" I ask.

"It's all about her. I don't think she should match with everyone else." she responds. "But if you wanna go darker-"

"No, no. It's a good idea." I cut her off.

I didn't think it was bad when I heard it. More surprised.

People are usually dressed in black.

"I think mom would like too." I tell her. "You pick. I haven't been able to."

She looks at me with a small smile before turning back to the outfit choices.

"She always did like to wear dresses when she wanted attention." she says while picking out the dress and walking out of the closet.

She puts the dress on the bed and walks back in.

It takes her about 5 seconds until she matches it with some shoes.

"I think we're good." she says before closing the closet.

"Not yet." I say and get up to walk over to her dresser.

I get the bracelet that has young mi vida's hand writing before turning back to show her.

She recognizes it immediately and I can tell tears are quick to cloud her eyes.

"Now we're good." I say as I set the bracelet down on the bed with the dress and shoes.

When I look back at her, she's already looking at me.

We hold eye contact for a minute before she comes towards me and pulls me in a hug.

I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in. Just enjoying her.

Her presence here, her help, her encouragement... her.

When we pull away, she takes our her phone and checks the time.

"I gotta go." she tells me. "My dad will be here in half an hour or so."

I forgot he was coming.

"Can I come?" I ask, grabbing her hands to pull her back into me.

She only nods before interlocking our fingers.