Holding Out For A Hero

Peppermint Hot Coco

What is family? For the longest time I considered family to be a loving mother and a protective father. Something that I desperately wanted and everybody seemed to have. It wasn't until Blake came into my life that it became clear that there were many different types of families.

They came in many different sorts. From just fathers to grandparents to adoptive parents. Nobodies family was perfect. Not a single person had what the typical family was made out to be. So with that being said, I concluded me and Blake were a family.

Sure, we didn't have the picket fence or the golden retriever but we had love. We cared for one another and would do anything to help the other. We had our ups and downs but we didn't give up. We stayed together.

When Benjamin said he didn't have any family, I wanted to point out all those around him. He had Priscilla, who continually came to that hell hole (even though her ex was there). He had Finn and the porn-star maybe wasn't much but I had to give him some credit. He was there for Benjamin whether as Quickie-Quick or jackass.

Either or friends could be family. It depended on if you accepted them or not. It takes awhile (I speak from experience) but once you do, it feels better to have them than being alone.

"Benjamin, seriously. Stop for a minute!" I shouted in frustration. For the last fifteen minutes he had been throwing workout clothes into a duffle bag.

The floors were semi-decorated with many different color cloths. They each were scattered across the room. On the bright side at least the mess gave a little spunk to the boring space.

My optimism didn't last long. As soon as he finished stuffing materials, he zipped the bag closed. A determined glint upon his gaze.

God forbid he slow down for a second and explain what the hell was going through his mind. He was acting like a child. No that's not even correct. This reaction seems so familiar.

I followed him through the hall to the dinning area. He didn't care a bit that I watched him from the sidelines while he continued along. He stole an apple than an orange. Nothing said.

We finally ended up to the car in the drive way and he opened the passenger door before escaping to his own seat. Well at least we know he doesn't mind me joining him.

I snuggled into the comforting leather still a bit exhausted. The tiredness wasn't going to keep me away from eyeing him closely though. Those emotions must be driving him mad.

Why won't he just speak and get them out? This didn't seem like him. He was suppose to be the talkative one. He's making our roles go off balance. Bennie needed to come back. I don't like this stranger.

"Bennie," I sighed while we pulled into the highway. The roads were empty and he sped down them at a high speed. His knuckles white. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere." He whispered as if he were trying to keep it a secret from himself. "Somewhere where no one will hear me break...."

•••

A few hours later the Mercedes pulled into a gravel driveway without a second thought. I stared at the two story house before us unable to comprehend Benjamin's want to go here. It was completely beat up. The white paint was chipping and the whined around porch was half way sunk into the mud.

The whole place called for remodeling with all the damage and out dated materials. Thousands of wood pieces were scattered all across the yellowing yard. It felt like a scene from a horror film.

Benjamin didn't seem to have the same reaction. He reached towards me. His fingers curled around my forearm, gripping a bit tighter than usual.

There is that look again....