Rewrite the Stars

Chapter Twelve - Grocery Store Scuffle

Work has been tediously slow this morning. Dr. Wilkinson is locked up in his office going over some papers. I stare at the time as I tap my foot on floor. Suddenly, the bell above the door jingles as a small kid walks in holding a paper bag in his tiny hands.

"Are you Rosa?" He asks me with a slight lisp.
I nod my head with a sweet smile. "Yes, I am." My voice is bubbly.

"This is for you." He shoves the paper bag in my face with a toothy grin then practically runs out without another word.

Well, that was weird I think to myself, but I am curious as I start to open the brown bag. Inside is a croissant and a small piece of paper.

I'm picking you up after work. Bon Appetit.
Ben.

There's a smile on my face as I start eating the croissant. Ben really is the sweetest. I have always loved his little gestures, and he's really making it hard right now for me not to feel anything.

As closing time approaches, butterflies start swarming my stomach. I feel really nervous about meeting up with Ben.

Dr. Wilkinson resurfaces from his office and removes his reading glasses before rubbing his eyes. "You're still here?" He asks me.

"Yes, I'm waiting for someone."

Just as I say that, the door opens and in walks Benjamin looking so confident in his suit and tie.

"Dr. Wilkinson." He nods his way. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you, son?" He asks him with a tired smile.

"Couldn't have been better." His eyes are trained on me with a sincere smile on his face.

I turn around and grab my bag from the counter behind me to try and hide my heated cheeks. "Ok, we'll be leaving now. Goodnight Dr. Wilkinson."

"Good night, Rosa. You too, Ben."

Benjamin starts loosening his tie once we were inside his car.

"Still hate those, I see." I chuckled.

"They're so constricting." He tells me.

It's silent as we drive to the grocery store. Benjamin looks exhausted from work "Can I?" I ask him as I point to the radio.

"Be my guest." He tells me with a tired smile.

I fumble with the radio trying to find something to fill out the silence until I reach a station playing Enya's song. I settle on it and lean back on my seat. I look at Benjamin from the corner of my eyes and catch him smiling.

"Nice choice." He compliments me.

"Mm." I nod. "Glad you approve."

Benjamin pushes the cart as we go from aisle to aisle getting all of the essentials. He tries putting in junk food when I'm not looking, but I always catch him in the act and place it back on the shelf. Once we reach the frozen food aisle, I grab a couple of frozen whole-grain vegetable pizza that he can heat up when he doesn't feel like cooking something late at night. When I come to put them in the trolley, I find that he's already got some ice-cream tubs in there.

I stare at him with an angry look on my face. "Would you stop that?"

He raises his hands in surrender. "I thought you could come back to my place and we could heat up those pizzas and then have the ice cream for dessert."

"We won't be doing that." I tell him with a shake of my head.

"Okay, fine, but at least you can come in and help me back up the groceries." He offers.

I stare at him for a moment as he gives me a sweet smile. How can I say no to that? Plus I'll get to see Rusty. Yes, I'm just there for Rusty. I keep telling myself that. "Fine."

We grab whole wheat bread, pita pockets, and English muffins. We pass by the meat and sea food aisle and grab some turkey breasts, salmon, and chicken. We also grab some whole wheat pasta and a packet of brown rice. Sauces and condiments are next because who doesn't need those? I also made sure to grab some canned and frozen food so that he can make use of on days when he's feeling tired. Fruits and vegetables are what we grab next and lastly some milk and cereal.

"That's it?" Benjamin asks amused.

"Those are the essentials that you lack." I tell him and he nods.

We walk through the parking lot with Benjamin carrying half of the bags while I carry the other half. Benjamin closes the car trunk once all the grocery bags are inside and we're about to get in the car when a voice startles us.

"So, you've thrown Cheryl to the curb?"

We both turn around to the sound of Harry. He looks as menacing as he used to be. A cigarette hanging loose from his mouth. He takes a puff, inhales, and blows the smoke back out before throwing the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it.

"Get in the car." Benjamin's tone is no longer playful. He's serious.

I don't do what he says, instead I grab onto the back of his t-shirt. If what Layla told me was true and Benjamin did get into a fight with Harry before, then I didn't want history to repeat itself.

"Let's just go." I whisper.

"You got tired of Cheryl?" He asks Benjamin, but his eyes are on me as he looks at me from head to toe. I feel so naked under his stare. "Gotta say, you definitely upgraded." His stare is so dirty.

"Get in the car, Rosa." Benjamin is fuming right now.

"Please let's just go. Please, Ben." I plead. I grab onto his t-shirt even tighter and he must have felt that I was really scared because he grabbed my hand and walked me to my side of the car.

"Always a pussy. Doing what a woman tells you to do."

Benjamin stops midway. "Please, Ben." I whisper so only he could hear me.

He opens my door and lets me in before he starts walking over to his side. At least that's what I thought he was going to do until I see him hit Harry square in the face. For a big guy, he really is lightweight because he falls down on his ass groaning. Benjamin then gets inside the car and starts driving.

I'm shaking the whole way ride to his house. I don't say a word and neither does he. What the heck just happened back there? There's clearly some bad blood between those two. They didn't use to interact at all before I left town. So what Layla told me isn't just a rumor after all.

The car suddenly stops outside Benjamin's house, but neither one of us make a move to leave the car.

"Are you okay?" Benjamin asks me. His voice soft.

"I don't really know." I tell him honestly as I look at him. "What was that?"

Benjamin shakes his head. "It's a long story."

"I've got all the time in the world." I retort.
Benjamin seems to be deep in though as if contemplating something. I watch him as he stares ahead and sighs. He turns his head sideways and looks at me.

"Come on." He places his hands on my knee. "Let's get those grocery inside." He changes the subject.

"Ben, I'm not going anywhere." I won't let him change the subject so easily. I don't like what happened back there. Not one bit.

He releases a harsh breath as if he's got the weight of the world on his shoulder.

"Then, brace yourself for a long night ahead."

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