Bennett's Monologue
“How are you holding up?” Her mom knew the answer, why did she even ask?
“Same as you I’d guess.” She said.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Bennett lost in thought.
“Did you ever regret something so bad that it just kills you inside?” Bennett asked.
“More than you’ll ever know. And more than one something, Bennett. I should’ve heard your dad out. I never should’ve left you. I never should’ve stayed away so long. The list goes on. I’d change it all if I could. Don’t end up like me. I’m so bitter and lonely. It didn’t have to happen this way.”
Her mom reached out and took her hand. They walked into the funeral home together with heavy hearts. A united front to face the task of picking out a casket for her father.
A half hour later they …show more content…
walked back out, but someone was waiting.
‘Bennett. Hey, I thought you might be here. Can we talk?”
She hadn’t seen him, didn’t even notice him walking toward her until he started talking. At the sound of his unmistakable voice she froze.
“Vance. What are you doing here? It’s not a good time. Please leave.”
“I’m sorry about your dad. I heard this morning. I called around until I found out he was here at this funeral home. I’m sorry. For everything Bennett.”
“I can’t talk to you right now. I should go. I have so much to do before the funeral.” Holding her mom’s hand, she walked to the car and drove herself back to her father’s house. The whole time with her eyes in the rearview, making sure he wasn’t behind her. Today was quickly becoming the worst day of her life, topped only by the day before, when her father died.
The day progressed. She called family and friends, spoke to the newspaper about his obituary. Called the company that he worked for and told them the news. She was on the phone all day, but never thought to check her own phone. Somehow Jake had gotten ahold of her father’s number and called. He was so sincere about wishing he was there with her. She could tell he was developing feelings for her. Feelings she just couldn’t return. She cared for Jake, he was becoming her closest friend… but that was all. She wished it were him she was falling for. It would be simpler that way, but it was someone else she couldn’t stop thinking about.
A few hours later she got a call from the funeral home director, “I’m sorry Ms. Holloway, but I forgot to have you bring the clothing you wanted to put him to rest in. Do you think you could bring them by this evening? That way we are prepared for the viewing tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I will be right over.”
She told her mom she would be right back. She dreaded going to the funeral home again for more than one reason. Vance knew she would be there tomorrow. Would he come again? She wished she knew who told him she would be there. That person deserved a kick in the ass. As she pulled out of the parking space in front of her father’s house she didn’t notice a familiar truck driving down the street. But he recognized her vehicle and followed her to the funeral home.
“Bennett, wait up.” He jumped out of the truck and beat her to the door of the funeral home.
“Cole? I can’t believe it. What are you doing here?”
He didn’t talk, just enveloped her in a hug. She was stiff for a second. Not fully understanding what she was seeing. Was he really here?
“I just thought you might need someone. I… just, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to be that someone for you.” He was about to pull away, but she suddenly melted into the embrace. She buried her face in his chest and squeezed him back. Then the tears came. He held onto her, unwilling to let go now. Maybe not ever.
“Dad?” he flinched at his son’s voice. He heard the truck door shut. He turned he and Bennett around partially so Jase could see him.
“Over here, Bud.” His eyes met his son’s over Bennett’s head.
Eyes that understood far too young what was going on.
Jase reached them in a second and wrapped his arms around Bennett’s legs.
“I’m sorry your dad died.”
Bennett stepped back from Cole, much to his dismay and she knelt on one knee so she could hug Jase back.
“Thank you. I’m glad you are both here. I think I needed you.” She looked up into Cole’s eyes, gratefulness flowing from her to him.
He and his son accompanied her into the funeral home to deliver the clothing. On their way back out he walked her to her vehicle.
“Where’s the best place to stay around here?” He asked looking down the dark street both ways.
“It’s late, why don’t you guys just follow me to Dad’s house. There’s an extra bedroom and the den has a pullout couch.”
“I don’t want to impose. We can find a hotel.”
“You said you were here for me. I think you should stay with me.”
He was taken back by her straightforward answer. “Ok. Thank you then. Lead the way.” He and Jase got back in his truck and followed her to her father’s house.
As he was parking on the street, she in the driveway, Cole noticed a man getting off a motorcycle across the street. He assumed it was just a family member or friend of her father’s. He couldn’t have been more
wrong.
“Same as you I’d guess.” She said.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Bennett lost in thought.
“Did you ever regret something so bad that it just kills you inside?” Bennett asked.
“More than you’ll ever know. And more than one something, Bennett. I should’ve heard your dad out. I never should’ve left you. I never should’ve stayed away so long. The list goes on. I’d change it all if I could. Don’t end up like me. I’m so bitter and lonely. It didn’t have to happen this way.”
Her mom reached out and took her hand. They walked into the funeral home together with heavy hearts. A united front to face the task of picking out a casket for her father.
A half hour later they …show more content…
walked back out, but someone was waiting.
‘Bennett. Hey, I thought you might be here. Can we talk?”
She hadn’t seen him, didn’t even notice him walking toward her until he started talking. At the sound of his unmistakable voice she froze.
“Vance. What are you doing here? It’s not a good time. Please leave.”
“I’m sorry about your dad. I heard this morning. I called around until I found out he was here at this funeral home. I’m sorry. For everything Bennett.”
“I can’t talk to you right now. I should go. I have so much to do before the funeral.” Holding her mom’s hand, she walked to the car and drove herself back to her father’s house. The whole time with her eyes in the rearview, making sure he wasn’t behind her. Today was quickly becoming the worst day of her life, topped only by the day before, when her father died.
The day progressed. She called family and friends, spoke to the newspaper about his obituary. Called the company that he worked for and told them the news. She was on the phone all day, but never thought to check her own phone. Somehow Jake had gotten ahold of her father’s number and called. He was so sincere about wishing he was there with her. She could tell he was developing feelings for her. Feelings she just couldn’t return. She cared for Jake, he was becoming her closest friend… but that was all. She wished it were him she was falling for. It would be simpler that way, but it was someone else she couldn’t stop thinking about.
A few hours later she got a call from the funeral home director, “I’m sorry Ms. Holloway, but I forgot to have you bring the clothing you wanted to put him to rest in. Do you think you could bring them by this evening? That way we are prepared for the viewing tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I will be right over.”
She told her mom she would be right back. She dreaded going to the funeral home again for more than one reason. Vance knew she would be there tomorrow. Would he come again? She wished she knew who told him she would be there. That person deserved a kick in the ass. As she pulled out of the parking space in front of her father’s house she didn’t notice a familiar truck driving down the street. But he recognized her vehicle and followed her to the funeral home.
“Bennett, wait up.” He jumped out of the truck and beat her to the door of the funeral home.
“Cole? I can’t believe it. What are you doing here?”
He didn’t talk, just enveloped her in a hug. She was stiff for a second. Not fully understanding what she was seeing. Was he really here?
“I just thought you might need someone. I… just, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to be that someone for you.” He was about to pull away, but she suddenly melted into the embrace. She buried her face in his chest and squeezed him back. Then the tears came. He held onto her, unwilling to let go now. Maybe not ever.
“Dad?” he flinched at his son’s voice. He heard the truck door shut. He turned he and Bennett around partially so Jase could see him.
“Over here, Bud.” His eyes met his son’s over Bennett’s head.
Eyes that understood far too young what was going on.
Jase reached them in a second and wrapped his arms around Bennett’s legs.
“I’m sorry your dad died.”
Bennett stepped back from Cole, much to his dismay and she knelt on one knee so she could hug Jase back.
“Thank you. I’m glad you are both here. I think I needed you.” She looked up into Cole’s eyes, gratefulness flowing from her to him.
He and his son accompanied her into the funeral home to deliver the clothing. On their way back out he walked her to her vehicle.
“Where’s the best place to stay around here?” He asked looking down the dark street both ways.
“It’s late, why don’t you guys just follow me to Dad’s house. There’s an extra bedroom and the den has a pullout couch.”
“I don’t want to impose. We can find a hotel.”
“You said you were here for me. I think you should stay with me.”
He was taken back by her straightforward answer. “Ok. Thank you then. Lead the way.” He and Jase got back in his truck and followed her to her father’s house.
As he was parking on the street, she in the driveway, Cole noticed a man getting off a motorcycle across the street. He assumed it was just a family member or friend of her father’s. He couldn’t have been more
wrong.