Knock Knock

Chapter 7

Rey emerged from the dressing room with a sigh.

'These people are being way too nice to me, how am I supposed to have my pretty woman moment if they refuse to look down on me and try to eject me from the store?'

She spun around in front of Ben in her latest outfit.

'What do you think?' she asked him.

Ben folded his newspaper and looked up at her from his armchair.

'It's not right for you.'

'What do you mean? This looks just like something an architect's wife would wear.'

'If she were fifty years old, yes. I want you to look young and hot.'

She raised her eyebrows at him.

'You heard me, no wife of mine would wear that dowdy brown monstrosity.'

Rey disappeared back into the changing room. She changed into the sluttiest outfit she could find, a skin tight illuminous pink strapless dress, and walked back out.

'Well?'

Ben sighed.

'I said hot, not I charge by the hour. Go back in there.'

'You sure are bossy,' she complained.

She rolled her eyes and walked back into the changing room once more.

They finally settled on some simple day wear, jeans and blouses, and some evening dresses. Ben even went so far as to cover the cost of an array of shoes, a designer handbag and a few new coats for different weather situations.

As they left the store with their purchases, Rey couldn't help but be touched by the gesture.

'So this is what it's like to have someone in your life to look after you,' she murmured under her breath, thinking Ben wouldn't hear.

'Have you never had someone look after you before?' Ben asked softly.

Rey blushed.

'No, I was in and out of foster homes and then I was out on my own. I've always looked after myself and I'm pretty good at it, but it's a nice feeling, to feel, cared for. Even if it is just pretend.'

Ben looked at her thoughtfully but didn't respond. Rey rushed to fill the silence.

'Oh look it's dinner time! Where are we going? My treat,' Rey offered.

'Seeing as I'm covering your costs, it's actually on me,' Ben interjected.

Rey huffed.

'Fine on you then.'

They decided on a nearby cafe. The town was quite small and didn't have that many options for dining out. Rey chose a grilled cheese sandwich and Ben ordered a chicken salad after grilling the waitress about the ingredients used.

'Geez, you are wound up so right,' Rey muttered as the waitress walked away.

'I just don't compromise on what I want,' Ben replied with a shrug.

'You can tell you've never had to dumpster dive for food before.'

Ben's face turned serious and he leaned across the table.

'You've seriously had to do that?'

Shit. There was that sympathetic face again. She smirked, trying to appear light and breezy.

'Nah, I didn't say me did I? I just said you've never had to.' She tried to hide her discomfort.

Ben looked sceptical but accepted her answer. Their food arrived and Rey looked gratefully at the server. She needed a distraction from the way Ben was looking at her. She hated people thinking she was a charity case. She'd rather go hungry than beg. They ate their food in silence.