Will You Love Me? : The Golden Years

Chapter 5

"Promise me you will be nice," you said to Ben, as you smoothed your hands down his semi-wrinkled shirt."It's her birthday and she wants him here. She is officially sixteen, so don't go being a hard ass." He sighed and rolled his eyes. 

He muttered something under his breath, as you walked away, but you pretended not to notice. "If he steps one bloody foot out of line, I won't promise not making a scene," he sneered. He's been in an awful mood since she brought Tanner home, but you couldn't blame him really. Tanner was pretty bad. 

The twins' birthday party started up around noon. Even though it was December, the crazy ones wanted to take a swim in the lake. The crazy ones included Em, Tanner, Nate and about five of their friends. "They are insane," you giggled, as you stood by Ben and watched through the kitchen window.

Since there were two sweet sixteens going on, the kids obviously didn't want their parents (who planned, paid, and designed this party) to stick around. Of course, they were allowed to be inside, but not outside, where the party was taking place.

"Come on, let's go upstairs and watch a movie or something," you suggested. Ben hummed as he acknowledged your words, but didn't care for them. He stayed looking out the window. Nate was jumping into the freezing lake, trying to impress the girls, who were clearly infatuated by him.

He was very much the lady's man, but never really acted on it. He like the attention, but never used it because he was so focused on his art. But that's just another thing they loved about him. They loved that he could draw and draw so well. During class, he would draw a couple of the girls he found were cute and give them the picture after class.

That's what really got them.

Ben had to chuckle at the way his son was trying to subtly flex his muscles for the giggling school girls. He was like Ben when he was his age. All he focused on were girls when he was sixteen. He took a glance over to what Em was doing...and scowled. 

He disapproved of the two-piece bathing suit she was wearing because, in his opinion, it showed too much. But then there was Tanner, who had her slung over his shoulder, as he ran into the lake. Ben clenched his jaw and tightened his hands into fists when he saw Tanner's hand way too up high on her thigh.

"Mother fucker get your hands of my daughter," he grumbled. You went over to him and put your hands on his shoulders. "Stop spying, Mr. Holmes," you told him, "and come into the bedroom with me. I'm sure they'll want to come inside and get warm when they're done. We don't want to cramp their style." 

He grunted, but allowed himself to be pulled away when you took his hand and dragged him away. "We have them all to ourselves tonight," you told him. "I've got the cake and the presents are in the closet, ready to be torn open."

Ben smiled at the thought of his gift for Em. He knows she's going to love it. "She shouldn't be out there for too long without her tank," he then told you. "Tanner better know that." You kept pulling him along, then shut the door to the bedroom once you were in. 

He immediately went over to the window that had a view outside. He watched as Tanner and Em came back from the lake. Tanner grabbed her tank, then put her oxygen tubes on her and pull her in for a kiss. "Bloody hell," Ben muttered.

He took himself away from the window, then fell on to the bed next to you. "He's sticking his tongue down our daughter's throat," he told you. You hummed and told him, "Yes, that's what boyfriend's tend to do to girlfriends." He grunted and turned himself to lay with his back facing you. 

"Ben, you can't worry about this," you told him. "It's a fling at best. Once she sees what a dick that guy is, she'll dump him. I promise. Now..." you ran your hands down his back and over to his stomach. "...I think my husband needs to stick his tongue somewhere--ah!"

You squealed when he quickly rolled on top of you.

**

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Emma and Nate! Happy birthday to you!" You, Ben, Scar, and Conner clapped and cheered, as Em and Nate each blew out the candles to their cakes.

You picked out the candles from their cakes when they were done, then jokingly said, "See, isn't this a lot more fun than being here with your friends?" Nate and Em both lightly laughed...so did Tanner. Much to Ben's dismay, he decided to stick around for a little longer. 

"Alright, so, where's the good stuff?" Nate asked, as he rubbed his hands together. "I'm talking a laptop, maybe a new phone..." Ben let out a loud laugh, then tossed him a very small present. Nate looked at it oddly.

"Well, it could be a new phone, but I don't think you'd throw it at me." He opened his present and found some very expensive drawing pens that he's been asking for. "Oh, sweet!" He said. "Thanks, dad!" 

He got up and hugged him. Ben laughed and patted his back. "Here's mine," you said, as you handed yours to Em. She unwrapped it with Tanner's arm annoyingly around her shoulders, practically breathing down her neck. 

"Oh, no way!" She gasped. You smiled, as you told her, "That's the same make-up kit I use on sets, but yours is for more...formal and everyday use." Em got up and hugged you. She sat back down next to Tanner and they looked through the kit. 

You then handed Nate yours and Ben handed Em his. You got Nate some new drawing paper, the one's the professionals use, but Ben wasn't focused on his excitement. All he could focus on was Em unwrapping hers. 

She took off the neatly wrapped paper, then found herself staring at a decent sized box. She slowly took off the lid, then saw a very familiar looking stuffed animal lamb inside. She took it out and looked it over. 

The last time she saw it, it was missing both eyes, some of the stuffing was out from it because of the cuts and slashes it's endured through the years. But she tossed that one a while back when she was cleaning out her room. This one looked new. Almost exactly brand new.

"Another lamb," she said. Ben chuckled, as he told her, "No, it's not another one. It's the same one I got you sixteen years ago. I know you threw it out and I can understand why. It was bloody old and ruined...but I got it fixed up. You used to not be able to go anywhere without that."

She quirked up a small smile, but then said, "Um...thanks. I...I guess. I forgot about this." Everyone looked over to Tanner when he started to laugh, but had his hand over his mouth to muffle it. "I mean, out of all the things you could have gotten," he laughed. 

Em started to laugh a little, too. 

You couldn't believe this. Ben doing that for her was the sweetest thing you've ever seen! The hurt in Ben's eyes was absolutely heart shattering. Even Nate could see it and was giving Em a sharp glare. You sighed and shook your head.

"Fine," Ben said. He snatched up the wrapping paper from the table, then snatched the lamb from Emma's hands. She looked at him in shock, everyone did. He quickly walked to the trash and threw all of it away.

You put your hand over your mouth and closed your eyes. You heard him stomp upstairs and slam the bedroom door shut. You opened your eyes, then looked over to Em. "That meant a lot to him," you told her. "Happy birthday."

While you went upstairs to try and calm Ben, Nate scoffed and shook his head at his sister. "Guess you're not daddy's golden child anymore."