I definitely don't love you...

Chapter 3: Second round

      Ben had just finished the last dates of his show. He had played for three years and now he planned to rest a little, enjoy his family, his friends. To celebrate, he had organized an evening just with Serena, his wife, a magnificent brunette with an intense, slightly severe look. Serena was at the head of a lingerie brand that was very famous. They had been together for almost fifteen years. They now had two little girls. They tried to spend as much time together as possible despite their busy schedules. Ben had insisted on taking Serena for a drink at the club after going to a very fashionable restaurant near the Eiffel Tower. Ben as usual greeted everyone, he received a lot of hands on the shoulder and hugs. Serena was also greeted but with more reserve. Tio greeted him from the bar. A waiter, Jean, came to serve them, wiping the table with a cloth.

Jean = Hey Ben! Hi Serena! How are you? Were you playing tonight?

Well= No, that's it, the tour is over, we came for a drink to celebrate. It's been a long time since Serena came to see someone other than me play, she's not crying anymore, she can't stand me anymore, I don't make her laugh anymore, she wants to see everyone play except me!

   Jean laughed. Serena agreed.

Jean= I'll be back with your glasses!

The scene faded. Ninon had just entered the stage. Ben felt a little nervous despite himself. He wiped his hands on his jeans. He hadn't been very honest in offering to have a drink here. He hadn't had much time to think about Ninon, or rather he hadn't allowed himself to. But tonight, he felt the need to go back, just to see, just to be sure. He thought he detected something new in her. He had always loved discovering new talents and he felt that there was something special about her. He also knew that stopping his tour gave him a lot of time and perhaps he needed to embark on a new professional project, he could help him.
Ninon began to speak. Serena looked at the woman without being very impressed. She didn't particularly like comedians, which was quite ironic she admitted, but when she met Ben, he was still searching for himself and she found him funny. She loved him for him.
Jean came to give them their glasses. Ben drank his fruit juice in one go. He glanced a little worriedly at Serena.

NINON= This evening I would like to try to talk to you about something funnier than usual. I would like to tell you about my mother. I feel like you want to know more about my relationship with her. You say to yourself, she didn't get to this point by chance... It's true. Already, we are four children from four different fathers. It's not easy in terms of organization. Especially since my mother was manic-depressive and an alcoholic. But there was entertainment. And it makes for good anecdotes in therapy... I make my therapist laugh a lot...

For example, one day, my mother comes into my little sister and I's room, very happy, and kisses us on the head - I was playing Barbie - and so, she comes into the room, she jumps everywhere with joy and tells us: "It's good! I don't have AIDS! I did the test but I don't have it! »... Although I was happy for her, I see myself again watching the door close and already I understand that my family is not everyone's family... A little later, my father-in-law, who told him 'had on the other hand, but for a long time, wanted to throw it out the window, nothing to do with AIDS at the time, it was just drugs and alcohol, we didn't see him again, it's idiot because, he was adorable, plus he had more than one eye, so sometimes he got into doors, it wasn't his fault, we had a good laugh, but with the 100 meter restriction he couldn't get any closer, so for my mother it was rather good, because a priori, she could no longer catch AIDS. So there was some good. But it made me feel strange, when I came back from vacation, we had been urgently rehoused, I would never see the apartment I grew up in again, I was changing schools and no longer had a stepfather. Things move quickly sometimes. And then I am told that I have a great capacity for adaptation. It's possible. Like when my father hit me and I went to live with my older sister at 6 a.m. with my backpack and my ID card. I have a sense of priorities. Second undeniable quality. I don't know if it makes me a better actress. But at least if there's a fire in my house, I think I'll be one of the first to get out. With my ID card... I think we'll stop there. I've told you enough about myself. But thank you, it did me good. I don't know about you... I still love my family, but from afar. As far away from me as possible, that's all. And I tell myself that I wouldn't be here without them. I think I would be happier or at least more stable but it is what it is. Especially with my mother, already when I was little and she hit me, she showed me her swollen and turned thumb, she said to me: look, it's your fault! Well, today finally, I can return the favor: look if I'm here, it's your fault! Okay, we'll stop there!