Silver Screen Romance (Book 3)

44. Makeshift Love

       

Benji's POV

I walked into Joel's house with him and Brian. I could see the sliding door was open, so I imagined that everyone was here already. I hoped that Alex was here with Ben, but that really was wishful thinking.

"We've all been here before, so don't take it to heart if you get the cold shoulder from some of them." Brian said gesturing for me to walk out back.

Joel was already outside, he hadn't really spoken to me, but I expected that, as Brian said we have all been here before.

I walked outside and everyone was here except for Mandy, Matt, and as expected Alex.

Jimmy was playing with Jamie, Robin, and Nathan, Val was sitting with Michelle and holding Brian's son, everyone else was kind of scattered around. The first person to notice me was Robin, she ran up to me and immediately put her arms around me.

"Uncle Benj!! I missed you so much!" She exclaimed.

I smiled and took in the moment with my niece. I knew that she didn't understand why I was gone for so long, she was innocent in all of this and in that moment I realized that I needed to stop screwing up before she and Ben were old enough to hate me for all of this.

Val started to walk over to me with the baby in her arms, but before she could even get near me, Michelle took him from her arms. Brian squeezed my shoulder and sent me a sympathetic smile before going over to Michelle and his son.

Val gave me a hug and apologized for Michelle's behavior.

I sighed. "Don't worry about it. I expected it. Where's Alex?"

She pointed to the door behind me and I turned around to see her with Ben in her arms.

I walked over to her slowly, giving her a chance to leave if that's what she wanted. I knew that making amends with everyone wasn't going to be easy, especially with her.

I reached out for Ben, but he turned away and grabbed onto Alex.

I looked at her and she didn't say anything, just watched me, I imagined she was waiting for me to say something.

"Hey." It was all I could come up with in the moment. When she remained silent, I continued. "How are you?"

She shook her head. "That's what you're going to go with?"

I nodded.

She sighed. "Well, I'm perfectly content. And to be blunt, I've never been happier with my life. Ben is happy and healthy as am I." She answered coldly.

I couldn't say that that didn't hurt, because it did and a lot, but I couldn't argue with her, I had put myself in this position. I reached for Ben again and this time she put him in my arms.

He immediately started freaking out and screaming. He had never reacted that way with me before and I didn't know how to handle it, before Alex could take him from me Mandy was standing in front of me, with Matt protectively at her side, she took him out of my arms and he stopped crying instantly.

"I'll take him so you guys can talk." She said to Alex. "Nice to see you're still alive Benji." She also spoke coldly.

As she stood in front of me, I could easily tell she had been through so much in these past few months, she had lost weight and looked weak, something that Mandy never was, but she hadn't lost that sparkle in her eyes, she hadn't lost her faith or her happiness, happiness that was obviously found in Matt.

Alex walked inside and I followed her.

She grabbed a beer out of the fridge.

"You're not breast feeding anymore?" I asked.