As the clock struck 6 am, Ben found himself stuck in the rush hour traffic on Liberation Rd, with his brother Scott sitting beside him in the Range Rover steering through the chaos. His impatience was evident as he drummed his fingers on the wheel and let out a heavy sigh. The silence between him and his brother Scott, who was seated beside him, hung in the air, thick with unspoken tension. Finally, Ben gathered the courage to broach the subject with Scott about his plans while staying in the foreign country. He was eager to know if Scott intended to find work or if he planned to stay cooped up in the apartment for the duration of his stay.
To Ben's relief, Scott expressed his desire to find a job during his time in the country. With a master's degree in accounting, he was confident about securing employment but wanted to take some time to familiarize himself with the city before diving into the job hunt. In the meantime, he offered to assist Ben at his firm. However, Ben was quick to establish some ground rules. He made it clear that Scott would need to run any decisions by him and maintain a professional demeanour by not addressing him by his first name in the workplace. Additionally, Scott would be working with Margaret and her team on decorating the office space and then assisting Matthew in the server room under the supervision of David.
Agreeing to these terms, Scott began his first day at the firm with determination. Despite receiving praise from his colleagues, he felt disheartened by the lack of acknowledgement from Ben. Nevertheless, he remained committed to working hard and earning Ben's approval.
Later in the day, as the sun cast its warm rays through the office, Ben sat behind a grand mahogany desk positioned in the centre of the room, in front of a large glass window. The office remained largely undecorated, as Ben had instructed Margaret to focus on other areas first. Engrossed in a video call with Mr. MarQueen, Ben, with a pen in hand, discussed the list of applicants who had made it to the interview stage.
"We need to narrow down the list," he remarked. "We can't afford to hire more than we can accommodate at this stage of the firm. Let's focus on interviewing five lawyers and three paralegals, with the aim of hiring three lawyers and two paralegals after the interviews. As for an assistant, I still need to find one," Ben explained. Mr. MarQueen nodded in agreement, adding, "That sounds like a solid plan." Shifting the conversation away from work, he asked, "How have you been managing with your brother's visit, Ben?" Ben was taken aback. "You knew about his visit? Why didn't you inform me?"
Mr MarQueen went ahead to explain. "Some time ago, Scott had called me, expressing feelings of anxiety and frustration." He said something about feeling worthless and not being able to go out without people pointing fingers at him. He said he wanted to talk to you but didn't know how to approach you. I told him you weren't around. He inquired about your whereabouts, and understanding his desperate need for guidance, I told him where you were and advised him to approach you instead. I apologize for not consulting you first, but I think that boy will benefit more from being around you."
Ben sighed heavily and slumped back into his chair, clearly frustrated. "I don't know how to deal with him," he admitted. Mr. MarQueen offered some advice, saying, "Just be there for him. You can even involve him in creating the interview list and sending out the invitations. I'm confident he can handle that without any issues."
"I can't make any promises right now, but I'll definitely consider it," he said with a thoughtful look. Just then, his phone started ringing, and the caller ID displayed "Shelley." "Mr. MarQueen, could we possibly pick up this discussion later? I have an incoming call that I really need to take," he explained politely. "Sure, later then," he ends the call.
As he held the phone to his ear, Ben heard a warm voice on the other end of the line. The voice greeted him with a smile in its tone, saying, "Hello, handsome. How are you?" Ben's face lit up with joy at her endearing words.
"Hello to you too, sweetheart. It's wonderful to hear your voice, and I'm doing fantastic, by the way, now that I've heard your voice."
Shelley giggled. "I'm glad I still have that effect on you. I was worried you lost interest in me since you stopped coming by."
"Of course not; I've just been preoccupied with work," Ben replied with a slight chuckle, trying to brush off the concern in Shelley’s voice. He stood up from his seat, stretching slightly as he moved toward the expansive window that framed the bustling city outside. One hand casually slipped into his pocket while the other held his phone up to his ear, listening intently to Shelley's words.
“I guess you must be exhausted half the time,” she continued, her tone tinged with genuine concern. “You really should take some time to rest,” she added, emphasising the importance of self-care. “I really don’t want you to break down, you know.”
As he gazed out at the skyline, Ben could feel the weight of her worry sinking in, mingling with the relentless demands of his work.
"You don't have to worry, Shelley; I am getting plenty of rest." Who am I kidding? That is an outright falsehood, and deep down, I know it. Lately, with the overwhelming amount of work involved in preparing the firm for its launch and managing the daily operations of the offices, I find myself perpetually exhausted, often barely able to keep my eyes open as I sit at my desk. It’s become a blur of late nights and early mornings, and I can't even recall the last time I actually slept in my own bed, surrounded by the familiar comfort of my sheets. Instead, I've been crashing on the office couch or squeezing in catnaps wherever I can. The toll it’s taking is becoming harder to ignore, and having Scott around is not helping matters.
"Do you want me to come over this weekend? We could relax together, and I truly believe you're not taking it easy," she said with concern.
Panic washed over him. I can’t let her come to my place with my half-brother around. The last thing I need is for them to cross paths—not now, anyway. Still, the thought of her visiting stirs something warm inside me. I truly missed her. A better idea struck him.
“What if I came to your place instead?” He suggested, excitement creeping into his voice as he spoke to Shelley on the other end.
“Sounds perfect! See you this evening!” she replied, and he could practically hear her smile through the phone.
When Ben finished his call with Shelley, he leaned back in his chair and quickly dialled Scott's number, asking him to come to his office for an urgent discussion. While he waited for Scott to arrive, he resumed his work.
Scott steps into Ben's office with the door half open and says, "You wanted to see me."
"Yes, please come in and be sure to close the door behind you," Ben said, his voice steady as he observed Scott enter the room. The soft click of the door echoed softly in the quiet space. As Scott stepped further inside, Ben gestured toward the chair positioned in front of his desk, its dark leather upholstery inviting yet formal.
Scott moved towards the chair, his footsteps measured and deliberate. Once seated, he shifted slightly, trying to find a comfortable posture as he placed his hands on his knees, drumming in the process. Ben leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he remained focused on Scott. The air between them felt charged with anticipation as he prepared to speak.
"It has come to my attention that you've been putting in a lot of effort at work," he says, his gaze steady and piercing, as if he's trying to read Scott’s thoughts. A subtle smile creeps onto Scott's face, a flicker of acknowledgement that momentarily brightens the room. "This is a commendable attitude, and I sincerely hope you maintain it," he continues, letting the words hang in the air.
He studies Scott intently, waiting for a glimpse of surprise or concern, but instead, Scott's light smile remains unfazed. "Now, that aside," he says, shifting the tone of the conversation, "the main reason I called you here is to inform you that I won't be able to take you home today." His voice shifts slightly, emphasizing each word. "David will be the one dropping you off this evening. I regret to say that I’ll be missing for the night."
The room feels a touch heavier for a moment as he continues, "You’ll be in the apartment alone tonight, and I expect you to respect the space while I’m away. I trust you won't invite anyone over in my absence." He pauses, allowing the weight of his expectations to settle. "If there’s anything you need or if you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to me by phone. Do you have any questions?"
"No," he replies, his tone barely above a whisper. "Good. That will be all for now. You may leave."
YOU ARE READING
THE LONG WAIT
RomanceA whole year has slipped by since Ben went back to his hometown, and in that time, not a single word has reached Shelley from him-not a phone call, not even a quick text. Now she stands at a crossroads: should she keep the door open for him, or is i...
