Pomegranate

Benji - 12

On March 6th, it was Seth's birthday. He was having a real semi-party celebration on the weekend, but on the actual day, a Wednesday, he wanted to keep it small. When Benji arrived in his room, Meredith was already there, laying on her stomach on Seth's bed, looking at something on her laptop screen.

"Hey!" Seth's smile was wide when he saw Benji.

Benji dropped his messenger bag and violin case. He put the plate on Seth's desk before hugging him.

"Happy birthday," Benji said, holding Seth tightly.

"Thanks." He laughed and kissed Benji on the lips.

At first, it was strange being affectionate with him in front of Meredith. It was also kind of weird seeing her and Seth hug and hold hands, and for a brief second, he would feel like the third wheel. But then Meredith would hold him around the waist, or Seth would brush Benji's hair aside delicately. And then it felt normal again like this was something that just...happened.

So Benji didn't pull away when Seth paused, and kissed him again, deeper, having to lift himself to the tips of his toes.

"Yeah, yeah, this is cute and all, but what's in the plate?" Meredith interrupted, trying to lift the yellow plastic cover. "Is it dessert? I feel like it's dessert. Can we eat? Benjiiiii."

"You're so impatient." He laughed, stepping around Seth to lift the cover.

Benji always felt awkward giving presents. When he had to wait while the person unwrapped it, and obsessively tried to read their expression. Was it too expensive? Or too cheap? Or a book they already read? It always made him anxious.

So, instead, he baked a German chocolate cake. It took over two hours to make, frosting included, but he had some newfound free time once he stopped with the violin practice and orchestra.

"Ooooh." Meredith admired the cake.

"I love it," Seth said, smiling at Benji. He shrugged humbly, but, if he was being honest, he was proud of the result.

"Oh, and look at what I got him." Meredith passed Benji a picture frame. The frame looked hand-made, purple and gold and light pink, with patches of glitter. The picture in the center was of the three of them, taken from when they went to visit Persephone a few weeks ago. In the picture, they sat in the backyard, on the thick grass. Seth held the bunny in front of his face, and Benji leaned in next to him, his chin touching Seth's shoulder, and his fingers tentatively petting Persephone's head. Meredith was laughing hard, one of her hands on Benji's shoulder, and the other pointing to the camera. It was the first picture of the three of them together.

"This is great." Benji smiled.

"So, what are our plans tonight?" Seth asked, cutting a slice of the cake.

"Well, it has come to our attention," Meredith paused dramatically, "that you've never seen an episode of The Bachelor."

Benji shook his head in disapproval.

"That's correct," Seth grunted.

"We're here to remedy that. And you're in luck! Is the season finale!"

Seth rolled his eyes, but the smile on his lips gave it away.

They squeezed in Seth's twin bed, Meredith's laptop open in the desk in front of them. Seth sat in the middle as if they needed to make sure he was paying the proper attention. Meredith's head was snuggled on his right shoulder, holding his arm, while Seth's left hand held Benji's. They ate cake and tried to sum up to Seth the whole philosophy and process of the Bachelor in a single episode.

It was ironic, in a funny way. Because it was the season finale, Wyatt, the Bachelor, had to pick one of the two girls. During most of the episode, he just kept telling the camera I don't know who to pick, I like them both so much. It's going to be a difficult decision.

Benji laughed at that.

He ended up picking Millie, the girl from California. Meredith screamed at the laptop when he did not give Laura, Meredith's pick, the ring.

"How DARE he, Laura is a PEDIATRIC DOCTOR, she gave up her CAREER to be there, their connection was SO MUCH stronger than with Millie! The NERVE!"

Benji and Seth laughed at her string of comments.

After the episode was over, there was only a quarter of the cake left and it was past 11 pm.

"I have a 9 am tomorrow," Meredith sighed. "I probably need to leave soon."

"That's alright," Seth said.

"Wait, before we leave, I have something else." Benji jumped off the bed and reached for his violin case. Until that moment, he wasn't sure if he would change his mind about this.

The placed the violin under his chin, and the bow in position.

"Is it a cover?" Meredith asked, crossing her legs on the bed.

"No. I wrote it, kind of."

Benji started to play.

It wasn't very elaborate, or original. Nothing like the pieces he used to play. But it was his. It came to him while he did homework, the sequence of melodies and sounds to create that piece. And it felt like when he first started playing — rushing to the music room, practicing over and over, losing track of time, deep into the notes and sounds. It felt right, again.

When he finished, Meredith's and Seth's serious stares of attention and appreciation broke into smiles, and they clapped dramatically.

"This was great, Benji," Seth said. "I can't believe you wrote it. It's awesome."

"Thanks." Benji blushed.

Seth went to the kitchen, to put the rest of the cake in the fridge. Benji laid down in the bed, his head on Meredith's lap.

"Are you excited for Montreal?" She asked, playing with his hair.

In a week, they would be driving to Montreal. Meredith had already contacted their AirBnB host. He had no problem with a third person coming.

"Yeah. Can't wait to try some poutine."

"Hmm." Meredith nodded in agreement. "Oh, I forgot to show you! The place we're staying."

She pulled up her phone, tapping it a few times before handing it to him. On the Airbnb page, Benji scrolled through the pictures. A small, cozy apartment. Potted plants, tiny cherries in the kitchen wallpaper. Soft yellow walls and mushroom-shaped lamps. He could already imagine himself there, with them.

"It's close to downtown," Meredith added. "Great location."

Seth came back in. He leaned on his elbows on the bed, peeking at the pictures on Meredith's phone.

"Isn't it great?" He asked Benji. "What do you think?"

But Benji wasn't looking at the pictures anymore. He looked up, at Meredith's soft orange hair framing her face, her green eyes, at Seth's curving lips and raised eyebrows. The way they both looked at Benji. Happy.

"I love it," he said.