Oneshots: A Benley Collection

Slow Down

Miranda cooked dinner and laid out the food. She washed her hands and went upstairs to get her sons to come eat.

"Tuck" She walked upstairs and knocked on his door "Joey" she knocked on his door

"Yes mom" Tuck came into the hall

"Yeah Miranda" Joey walked out

"Dinner is ready" She smiled

They excitedly ran downstairs and almost knocked her down as well as almost tripping over each other. She shook her head and walked downstairs to join them. They were piling food on their plates and went to go sit down in the dining room. Once she got her food and went to sit down they were shoveling food in their mouth like there was no tomorrow. She witnessed them eat like this at the stations spaghetti dinner fundraiser and she wondered if this was her life with two teenage boys. She stared at them concerned if they were even chewing. Maybe she should take it as a compliment. Her food is so good they can't get enough of it. But then as she recalled again they ate the spaghetti like this. She shook her head.

Of course she missed her unborn daughter. But moments like this sitting at the table with just two teenaged boys eating like they never get fed at her house, she really wished she had a daughter.

"Boys" She tapped the table

They looked up from their plates and looked at her. They dropped their forks and wiped their mouths.

"Must you eat like food is a rarity in this house" She asked

"Sorry mom" Tuck said with his mouth full of food

"Apologies" Joey also said with his mouth full

"That's gross boys" She sighed

"Oh right" Tuck swallowed "Mom has OCD"

"Not even that, I'm trying to raise civilized young men here and instead I have two wild animals shoving food in their face. I'm afraid if I reach towards you I may lose a finger"

"We're growing boys mom" Tuck laughed

"Right growing boys" She nodded "But can my growing boys eat with manners"

"Sorry "Tuck picked his fork back up

"In my defense, I'm used to doing my own thing" Joey picked up his fork

"And now you have a mom who is going to tell you to mind your table manners young man" Miranda smiled

"I like that" He ate his food

"Yeah she's the best" Tuck nodded

"Family" Ben walked in

"Hello husband" She kissed his cheek when he walked over to her

"Dinner smells lovely can't wait to dig in" He got himself a plate and sat down to eat. He was shoveling food into his mouth and Tuck and Joey stared at him

"Ben please have some manners" Joey shook his head

"I have been at work all day. I am starving. Who are you to be telling me how to eat. Didn't you boys eat your weight in pasta at the spaghetti dinner

"Mind your table manners Ben Warren" Miranda rubbed her finger on his chest

"I see, if I eat like I lack manners then so will the boys" Ben nodded

"Yeah that's it. Mom we eat like that because Ben does" Tuck nodded

"If Miranda is the mother that tells me to mind my table manners then Ben is the father who makes me forget them" Joey laughed

"And I'm the brother that's going to compete with you to see who can eat more" Tuck laughed

"I live in a house overrun by testosterone" Miranda got up to clean up her plate. She stood in the kitchen and imagined what her life would look like with a little girl. The smallest things made her think of her daughter. Even yelling at her boys for eating food like she doesn't feed them somehow made her grieve. Ben joined his wife in the kitchen

"Hey what's up" He rubbed his wife's shoulders

"We were having a daughter and then we weren't" She sighed "A little girl to even out the madness that is this guys house"

"Yeah a little miranda to put us men in our place" He laughed "Pretty sure that in heaven she'll be bossing everyone around"

"That's my girl" She laughed

"I love you" Ben hugged her tightly

"I love you too"

They stood in the kitchen hugging for a bit before the sounds of the boys loudly eating broke them from their little bubble.

"Why do they eat like that" She shook her head

"They're teenaged boys. I think that's just how they develop" He laughed

"They're both straight A students, good head on their shoulders, on the college track. Tuck has a girlfriend and yet put a plate of food in front of them and they turn into the common man" She looked at her husband " I just don't believe it"

"That's teenagers for you"

"Our teenagers" She chuckled

"We have two teenage boys" Ben shook his head "I just keep getting blessed by you"

"What do you mean"

"I was blessed with a wonderful life partner when I met you and you came with a wonderful son who I immediately loved as well. And we've been the best family a man could have ever prayed for. And even though we lost our daughter we had that moment together that I will cherish forever. And then you in all your saintliness brought Joey in. Now I have two sons that I can bestow all my manly knowledge to"

"How about you go in there and teach your sons to slow down when they eat huh" She laughed

"I'll do my best" He laughed

They kissed and walked back into the dining room. Tuck and Joey sat back in their seats obviously full

"You boys done" Ben sat down "You didn't eat the silverware did you" He joked

"Stuffed" Joey nodded

"Everything was fantastic mom" Tuck nodded

"We're going to work on tasting our food instead of inhaling our food" Ben laughed "Sometimes you just gotta slow down and appreciate it"