"Tow the line and play their game
Let the anaesthetic cover it all
'Til one day they call your name
You know it's time for the hammer to fall"
In which friends of friends are going to change each other's lives.
They just don't know it yet.
Mostly So...
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11:33 pm.
Adrienne didn't mean to show up at Ben's door that late, but with a long flight, dinner with her brother and sister-in-law, and five attempts of putting an antsy Elias to bed, there wasn't much else to be done. To add to the list, it was a 45 minute taxi drive from Joseph and Charlotte's to Ben's. She had shown up in basically her pajamas and two more days worth of clothes. With a shaky hand, Adrienne knocked on the door to Ben's apartment.
Adrienne smiled weakly as the door opened, and Ben returned a tired glance, motioning for her to come inside.
"You've got incoming." Ben muttered. Adrienne glanced up at him in question, but felt two little paws scratch at her leg. Adrienne set her things down to greet Frankie, who immediately smothered Adrienne in puppy kisses.
"Oh sweet girl.." Adrienne giggled as Frankie began to whine a little as she attempted to smother her some more. "I missed you too."
"I think she missed you more." Ben chuckled. Adrienne gave Frankie a sweet kiss on top of her head and stood up to come face to face with Ben. She took a deep breath as they met eyes and stared, almost as if they were trying to create more tension than there already was.
Adrienne was the first to speak up. "I'm sorry."
Ben cocked his head and his expression turned downcast. His heart ached at the sight of seeing Adrienne so upset with herself. What she had said to him hurt, but he had to come to terms with the fact that it was because she cared so much. Whether it was her motherly instincts or not, Ben was still baffled by the compassion she and their friends were returning to him. It was something he had to get used to again. Instead of opening his mouth to speak, he gingerly embraced Adrienne, who gratefully returned the hug he offered, opting to rest her head on his chest and close her eyes. She understood if he didn't want to accept the apology yet.
"I'm sorry too."
Adrienne looked up in an instant.
"What?"
Ben pursed his lips and gestured towards the couch. "Can we sit?"
Adrienne nodded nervously, and did as he asked. She placed herself at the opposite end of the couch and brought her knees to her chest.
Ben took a deep breath."You still want to talk about us, right?"
"Of course that's what I want to talk about. That's why you helped fly me out here, right? To talk about us? We need to have that conversation but I can tell something has been wrong, Ben. What aren't you telling me?"