HEAR ME TOO!

PART THREE

Vivian Williams sat in a daze after the call with her son. She was trying to put the puzzle pieces together but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't figure out what happened. Judging from Ben's voice, he was in pain and probably didn't want to talk about the issue but she had to know what exactly went wrong.
After a few minutes, she snapped out of her daze and called her secretary.
"Good morning madam," the young woman answered on the first ring.
"Good morning to you too Judy. Could you book two tickets for L.A? Ben and I would be going there this weekend."
"Okay madam. Would you be coming to work today?"
"No dear, something very urgent came up so I need you to clear my schedule."
"Certainly madam," Judy answered.
Vivian was about to end the call when she remembered something.
"Oh, and Judy?"
"Yes madam?"
"Charge the cost to my husband's card."
"Yes madam." Judy answered.
Vivian ended the call with a smirk on her face. There's just something satisfying about spending your husband's money, even when you have yours. She could picture him laughing whenever he gets the bank alert. Remembering she had her son to worry about, she decided to think of her husband later and just focus on Ben for now.
She took a quick shower, threw on jeans and a t-shirt and headed to her car. The driver was already on standby when she got there.
"I will be driving myself today," she told him.
"Okay madam," he said and nodded in understanding.
Viv, as she was fondly called, loved to drive. But her husband had insisted on getting her a driver and she got tired of arguing about it. But on days when he would go on business trips, she would take the opportunity to drive herself everywhere. And today was such a day.
*****
Ben hurriedly freshened up and then headed to the sitting room to wait for his mother. He knew she'd arrive in less than 20 minutes, since his parents house wasn't far from his. He got a house that was somewhat close to theirs as he didn't want to be so far away from them. Not because he was a mummy's boy or anything, he just wanted to spend as much time with his parents as possible because he knew how fleeting life could be. He had seen children grow so distant from their parents as they became immersed in the adulthood maze and he didn't want something like that to happen to him. He wanted his parents close by and his own children to be raised in part by them.
He heard the doorbell ring and went to open the door. His mother gave him one look and then hugged him tightly.
"Oh, my baby, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice solemn.
He said nothing and just hugged her back, fighting the urge to cry. She stepped back and looked at him again, the worry evident on her face.
"Let's go inside mum."
They sat down and his mum headed to the mini bar to look for the perfect bottle of wine.
"I need wine to process this whole fiasco," she said and then asked "Do you want a glass?"
"No mum, I think I've had enough to drink for the next 1 year. My head still hurts from yesterday." Ben answered.
She nodded in agreement, poured a glass of wine and then came to sit beside him on the sofa.
"Now honey, tell me everything and don't leave out any details, no matter how small.
He took a deep breath and then told her all that transpired between him and Tina the previous day. By the time he was done, she looked more confused than he felt.
"Ben, are you sure you didn't do or say anything that might have made her do something this drastic?" She asked, and then continued, "I'm just asking because I really don't understand."
"I didn't do anything mum. I'm more confused than you are."
"Okay then. Stop beating yourself up."
"I don't know what to do mum. How do I live without her?"
"Benjamin, you've been living even before she came into your life so don't say that. When things like this happen, it just means the person wasn't supposed to be in your life and as much as you don't like the situation, thank God for it all the same. It's a good thing this happened before you took her to the altar. Imagine if it was after you got married."
Ben was quiet for a few seconds and then he asked in a voice that was almost inaudible, "What is the point of love, when it hurts so much?"
"Love isn't the problem Benjamin, people are. These days, a lot of people do not know what love really is and use the word carelessly. The world would be a better place if people really loved each other like they claim. Just because you got hurt by someone you loved so much, it doesn't mean you should give up and resent everyone. I and your father love you very much and someday you'd find the woman who would love you just as much as you love her." She said and then smiled warmly at him.
"Thank you mum, you always have wise words," Ben said and returned the smile. He didn't want to see her at first but after all she just said, he realized that she was exactly the person he needed to see.
"I took the day off so stop being a grumpy cat and let's have a mother-son date," she said and then threw a cushion at him.
"Where do you want to go mum?" Ben asked with a laugh.
"Anywhere my son takes me." Viv replied.
"And by the way, we're going to L.A on Friday. I want to surprise your father and use the opportunity to have a family trip with my two favorite boys. I already made arrangements, so you can't say no," she added.
Ben didn't plan on saying no. He knew how persistent his mother could be and that she was just trying to help. Maybe a trip was exactly what he needed.
"Let me guess, you charged the trip to dad's card?" Ben asked.
"Ha! You know me so well," she replied and then burst into laughter.
Ben joined in the laughter and then realized his mother was doing a better job at cheering him up than alcohol did.