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An Ancient Pairing

Wiggle

Wiggle

the best of the best, ya heard
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, click.





Benjamin entered the code to his gun safe and twisted the handle, opening the enormous thick door. Inside was a few different guns, a few ARs, an AK, an assortment of pistols, and a home defense shotgun and his service shotgun. His eyes skimmed over the weapons, spotting his very first pistol, a Kimber M1911, chambered in .45 ACP. He had bought it one year with his income tax refund while working at the body shop. It was his favorite gun, and he often carried it off duty while out with his wife, parents, sister or a combination of the four. He smiled and moved his eyes to the S&W MP40 he'd bought for his wife to shoot when he went and practiced for work, and sighed. She didn't much like to shoot guns, but she always put aside her qualms about them when she went shooting with him and his family. Benjamin chuckled and reached down and pulled his service pistol from it's holster. It was a Sig Sauer P226 chambered in .40S&W and had served him well. He pulled the magazine from the well, and pulled the slide back on the pistol, clearing the bullet from it and rendering the weapon safe. He replaced the bullet into the magazine and slid the magazine back into the gun before placing the gun back into it's holster. He reached down and undid his duty belt, removed it and placed it on the shelf reserved for his work equipment. He flicked his radio off, pulled the ear plug from his ear and then removed the radio from his person and placed it alongside his duty belt.


Benjamin sighed, which turned into a loud yawn and began to stretch, throwing his arms up into the air. His right shoulder popped, and he grunted in pain and cursed his younger self for being so damn reckless during boxing training. He still needed to get it fixed, but kept putting it off until he'd had saved up enough sick days for the surgery recovery. He dropped his arms to his side and began unbuttoning his uniform shirt, and laid it on the bed, and then removed his bullet resistant vest and placed it next to his shirt. He yawned once more and sat down on the bed, and then laid down on their california king sized bed. He never would've thought in a million years that driving around in a cop car, responding to calls, doing routine traffic stops and writing tickets was so tiring, but it was and Ben always slept good after work, and even better on the days that he exercised. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, which was a white iPhone and began to play around on it. Suddenly his phone went off, playing a cop siren, which indicated he received a text message.


"Keli - Hey baby, I'll be home in a few minutes, getting dinner."





Benjamin smiled at the text and sent a quick reply.


"Ben - Okay, cool, I hope it's chinese. :P "





He laughed, locked his iphone and stood up, and walked through the halls to the kitchen, where he opened the fridge and grabbed a stout from the fridge. He walked over to the counter, grabbed a bottle opener and popped the top with a soft hiss. He smiled and pulled the beer to his lips and took a small swig. The tastes of dark chocolate, coffee and oats filled his mouth, causing him to smile and swallow a few seconds after. He always enjoyed the dark beers, much to his father's distaste. His Dad had a taste for the lighter beers, which Ben called "sissy beers." He laughed and walked over to his computer, and shook the mouse to wake the thing up. After a few seconds, the 32 inch TV, which Ben used as a monitor came to life, showing a small picture of him and Keli, and asked him to enter his password. He did and the monitor stood still for a moment before opening, revealing a picture of the two kissing in front of Benjamin's grandfather who married them. A small smile came to Ben's lips as he moved the mouse over to the internet, and clicked on it, opening the browser. He clicked on the YouTube bookmark and began watching YouTube videos, waiting for his wife to come home.


 
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A cheery, whimsical text alert filled the car just as Keli plopped the takeout onto the back seat, steam from the warm bags almost instantly creating condensation on the air condition cooled leather. Muttering to herself she dug around in the murky depths of her purse to find the phone before the annoying tune could come to completion. She really needed to find something more suitable . . . like the theme of 'Jaws' or 'Mission Impossible' before she resorted to the drastic measure of launching the expensive bit of technology through a window every time it belched the overly happy tune.


"Ben - Okay, cool, I hope it's chinese. :P "


It was the perfect thing to bring a smile to her face, even if there was no way she was taking anything remotely Chinese back for supper, especially after the disastrous results last week that had landed both of them in the emergency room getting their stomachs pumped. An experience she was in no rush to relive.


"Only if you've made advanced reservations at the General."


She didn't wait for a reply, instead pulling out of the parking lot and heading downtown, wanting to get home before the food got cold. Besides, depending on the day he'd had Ben might very well be sleeping already. It never ceased to amaze her how he could be cracking jokes one minute, and mere seconds later be practically dead to the world.


Creeping to a halt at a traffic light she glanced at the neon green digits of the clock, fingers fluttering against the steering wheel as she did some quick calculating, perhaps he'd be awake enough for her to get some food into him before he retired for the night.


Five minutes later tires crunched on the loose gravel in the drive as the silver Honda Accord purred to a halt, engine instantly silenced with a simple turn of the key. Heatwaves rippled in the air as Keli retrieved the bags, the air smelling of dust and baked pavement, staccato barking of the neighbors terrier drifting over the wall as she headed through the gate that led into the enclosed backyard, preferring to go the back way in order to avoid the barely veiled curiosity of neighbors she didn't know.


Dry heat of the day gave way to dim, inviting coolness as the door clicked shut behind her, the hum of the air system the only sound until she managed to effectively slam her shin into the corner of a half empty box of miscellaneous throw pillows and decorative vases that had been delegated to an empty corner. That wouldn't have been so bad, but the jostled box managed to upset a lawn chair that had been propped against the wall, toppling it to the floor with a clatter that made her jump, fingers clenching the bags so tightly they turned white. Initial shock quickly dissolved into annoyance as she completely ignored the offending furniture, bypassing it entirely on her way to the counter.


"Goodnight anyway, next time I'm just going to come tromping in making as much noise as a herd of elephants. No doubt it would be tons less intrusive than the noise I make when I'm actually trying to be quiet."


Leaving the bags on the counter she headed toward the living room, kicking off her sandals as she went, the cool floor feeling delicious after the heat of outside. A soft flicker caught the corner of her eye, coming from across the hallway in the depths of the room they'd temporarily turned into an office.


Crossing the hallway Keli softly padded into the office, careful to avoid the boxes that were stacked against the wall in favor of at least one unbruised shin. She wasn't afraid of startling him, not after her less than subtle entrance, and as such didn't warn him of her presence before sliding her hands over his shoulders as she bent over to drop a kiss at the base of his jaw.


"Officer, I'd like to lodge a complaint about deplorable living conditions." The smile could be heard in her voice as she spoke, resting her chin on his shoulder and peering at the screen in front of them.
 
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Benjamin finished the last of his beer, tossed it into the air and caught it by the neck. He then threw it towards the trash can in an elaborate basketball toss, and watched it as it sailed through the air and.................land a few feet from the damned can. Benjamin sighed audibly, stood up from his chair and walked over to the beer bottle, picked it up and dropped it from his hand toward the trash can. The bottle hit the lip of the can and bounced a few inches away, causing Ben to sigh even louder, retrieve the bottle and toss it forcefully into the can. He turned around and made his way back to the computer and flopped down in his comfortable leather computer chair, and was about to press the spacebar on the keyboard to play the YouTube video when a loud crash interrupted him. It came from the backyard and Ben had to stifle a laugh, it seemed that Keli was home, and why she didn't use the front door confounded him. It was easier just to go through the front door, rather than go all the way around to the gate, through the backyard, up the porch and in through the back door.


He could hear Keli talking to herself, her soft footsteps coming towards the office, which suddenly stopped as her hands slid down his shoulders and she plopped a kiss on his jaw.


"Officer, I'd like to lodge a complaint about deplorable living conditions." She said, resting her chin on his shoulder.


He laughed and gave her a sideways kiss before turning back to the computer screen.


"Well, you know, we did just move in here, ma'am. If we took the time to follow unbox all of our stuff, and get it organized, I'm sure our standard of living would improve drastically." He said, with a hint of teasing. "Maybe we'd oughta stop spending all our time in the bedroom and focus on finishing unpack, yeah?"


He turned around in his computer chair, stood up and pulled her close to him. He smelled like the inside of his squad car, and sweat. He leaned in to kiss her and stopped a few inches from her lips.


"What's for dinner?" He asked.
 
"Yes well, unpacking is so much more interesting when they sit so long you've actually forgotten what is in them. And since we just packed them all up not that long ago, I know exactly what is lurking in those unassuming bits of cardboard." She retorted dryly, a sly smile twitching the corners of her mouth as he started teasing her.


"Besides, the bedroom is mostly unpacked and arranged already," If one ignored the three big boxes that had been crammed into the closet and hidden behind the sliding door that was destined for a fresh coat or two of paint. "It's so much nicer to be up there where it's quiet, and private, and comfy."


No doubt their various appendages would appreciate a little bit of order brought to the chaos that currently trailed through most of the somewhat empty rooms. She knew for a fact Benjamin had a few bruised toes from dropping the coffee table after tripping over . . . what had it been? A misplaced throw pillow or something. Added to that the multiplying bruises on her shins and the idea of simply hiding in the bedroom and ignoring the rest of the house kept sounding more and more appealing.


The creak of the chair brought her back to the present as she felt Ben's arms wrap around her, their strength a constant comfort. Keli's hands snaked around his neck as she beamed at him, inhaling the scent of leather, stale coffee, air freshener, and the faintest remainder of his shaving cream.


To this day she still couldn't figure out how she had ended up with this man, and mostly would be asking the same question when they were old and grey. She knew very well how determined Ben could be once he made his mind up, and she suspected his persistence during the beginning of their relationship had as much to do with stubbornness as it had with genuine attraction, especially once he realized she was not the most encouraging sort of person in the world. He was the exact match to the type of man she had once declared she would never be with, and yet here they were.


"What's for dinner?"


Eliminating the mere inches between them she bestowed a soft kiss, then ghosted another one along his jaw as she whispered into his ear.


"Hospital food."


Hardly had the words left her mouth, accompanied with a giggle she couldn't contain, than Keli effortlessly wiggled out of his embrace, skimmed through the door, and around the corner into the kitchen. It would have been all for naught to go to the trouble of getting food home before it got cold if they got distracted before they actually ate.


Plastic bags rustled as she proceeded to pull a foil pan from the paper wrapping that had been securely taped around it. Plopping it on top of a bright yellow dishtowel that was doing double duty as both a dishtowel and a hot-pad, Keli carefully peeled the top back with her fingertips, inhaling the warm, inviting scent of the deep dish lasagna, just the right hint of spice mingling with the smoothness of freshly melted cheese, a combination she had yet to successfully duplicate. Seconds later a plate of breadsticks had been arranged, slightly damp plates snatched from the steaming dishwasher, and even a few mismatched napkins found their place amongst the array. What was not handy, however, were basic necessities like knives and forks, and she had to go rummaging about in various drawers in search of the elusive utensils.


"Did we ever find that box with the silverware? . . . Oh look, the can opener we needed yesterday. . . Or did we give up and just finally run out of the plastic ones?" Keli called over her shoulder, louder than she needed to, considering Ben was probably standing in the doorway enjoying her ridiculous attempt to find things that were never where they ought to be.
 
"Hospital food, huh?" He called after her. "Delicious."


He watched her leave and after closing the Los Costas website, followed after her, his stomach complaining of being empty. He followed her into the kitchen where the food was located, avoiding some boxes along the way. In a way it was excusable, seeing they had just moved in a few weeks ago from Ben's one bedroom apartment, and seeing as they were going to try to start a family soon, they would need the extra room. As he arrived in the kitchen, the sound of plastic bags was heard, and suddenly the smell of lasagna and it's best friend, breadsticks was hitting Ben full force in the face causing his stomach to growl a second time.


"Hey, hospital food doesn't smell this delicious." He said.


Oh man, Ben didn't know if there was anything he loved more in the world other than Italian food, well other than chicken wings, Chinese and hamburgers. He made his way into the kitchen, grabbing one of the still warm plates on the counter, and dug into the food, and plopped a medium sized piece of lasagna, accompanied by two breadsticks onto his plate. He grabbed one and took a bite from it, and grunted a fake orgasm sound. He always did that around Keli, just to tease and it usually, if not always resulted in a light smack from her, especially when he did it in front of her friends, or his parents.


"Did we ever find that box with the silverware? . . . Oh look, the can opener we needed yesterday. . . Or did we give up and just finally run out of the plastic ones?" Keli asked from farther in the kitchen.


Benjamin turned to look at her, and laughed.


"Probably in the garage, with the rest of the boxes that aren't scattered throughout the house." He said. "We probably ran out of plastic ones too, I'm telling you sweets, we need to unpack. My Dad would throw a fit if he saw the house like this, always made me clean the bathrooms to military specs. Probably call it a pigsty or something like that."


Benjamin placed his plate down, and helped her search for the utensils. Drawer after drawer he opened, and shut just as fast, until he came to the one closest to the dishwasher. He pulled it open and revealed a drawer full of them. All separated into forks, knives, and spoons. They must've done it and completely forgot about them until now, and that was understandable, since they had been using plastic ones for a while.


"Found some." He called out, holding up two forks.


He turned around, and headed back to the plates, where he placed his fork on his plate and her's on her plate.


"What do you wanna do?" He asked. "We could watch TV together while we eat, since the table is cluttered with your pictures and stuff."
 
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"Hospital food smells wonderful until you take that first bite," Keli muttered, shoving measuring cups and an odd assortment of screwdrivers, a beat up old hammer, and measuring spoons around in the bottom of a drawer far too big for them. She didn't know why but the mere mention of how hospital food tasted caused a ripple of apprehension to temporarily pause her search, fingers clutching the edge of the drawer as she willed a distraction to divert the direction her mind was about to take.


Her husband unknowingly obliged with his first bite of dinner, gaining him a highly disapproving look despite the relief she felt for being distracted.


"I may not be close enough to hit you, but if you insist on doing that I won't hesitate from throwing things at you, and trust me, there is plenty in this drawer that would be perfect projectiles." He usually found her threats amusing, which was mostly a good thing, although it meant he never took them seriously enough to cease the embarrassing display in front of acquaintances.


She heaved a sigh, straightening up and shoving the drawer shut just as Ben joined the search for the missing silverware. Glancing around the kitchen she took in the haphazard towers of boxes, counters littered with mail they hadn't had time to go through, odds and ends that probably belonged anywhere other than the kitchen, and a tetris stack of cups that she had been meaning to sort through. Even the old clock on the wall hung at a pathetic angle.


What he said was true, she really ought to knuckle down and at least try to make some sort of progress in the mess, but for some reason she hadn't been able to focus lately, at least not enough to accomplish things like putting things away and actually remembering where they had been placed. A fact that was proven the second Ben yanked a drawer open to reveal not only the missing silverware, but that it had been so carefully put away it was no accident they were in that drawer.


"I give up," Raising her hands in defeat Keli claimed her own plate and stabbed the offending fork into a square of lasagna, twirling it around to catch all the strands of dripping cheese before nibbling at it, contemplating Ben's question and the remarks about his father. She didn't really feel comfortable around his parents, even if they'd been nothing but welcoming . . . well, mostly welcoming. She couldn't decide if it was her own paranoia or actual fact that his father didn't care for her all that much. She could just imagine the impression that would be made if Ben's parents dropped by unexpectedly one day and found their beloved son living in this chaos.


"Maybe we should start . . . " She cast her eyes about the kitchen for a second before chickening out, " . . . in the living room. We could turn the TV on for background, eat, and go through boxes all at the same time. Doesn't that sound efficient!" She didn't sound terribly thrilled, but she had to admit, an orderly house would be far more calming than this.


Trailing into the living room Keli plopped her plate onto the top of a closed box labeled 'Misc.', which could mean just about anything, and lowered herself to the floor, nibbling at a breadstick as she tugged another box toward her, flipping the top open to reveal an assortment of office supplies.


"Oh babe, how considerate, putting this here just so I'd have paper and pen handy to make lists. How did you know?" Whatever else she might have said was cut off by the insistent ring of a phone. It wasn't a ringtone she recognized, which meant it was either Ben's phone, or the land line that had rung only once since they'd moved in.


"If that's the handheld I have no idea where it is, probably at the bottom of the garbage can or in the freezer next to the ice trays." A perfectly logical assumption considering she'd found the car keys carefully tucked next to the toothpaste that morning.
 
"Maybe we should start . . . " She said, trailing off, " . . . in the living room. We could turn the TV on for background, eat, and go through boxes all at the same time. Doesn't that sound efficient!"


Benjamin followed suit after Keli and plopped down on the ground next to her. He took another bite of the breadstick and made the same sound from before, just to tease her once again.


"Yeah, I don't have to work....tomorrow, so if we hurry, we can knock it out and maybe have a home to actually invite people over to. I think my gun safe is the only place that's even remotely organized in this house. Granted we did just move in last week, so I guess we've got an excuse." Ben said. "You know....after we finish, we could have some fun."


He moaned again, quite loudly this time and then began to laugh hard at Keli's expression. He watched her open a box that was full of office supplies, which made him laugh even harder at her.


"Oh babe, how considerate, putting this here just so I'd have paper and pen handy to make lists. How did you know?" She said.


She was suddenly cut off from the text tone of Ben's cellphone. He jumped up, and ran into their bedroom, and retrieved his phone, unlocked it and read the text message.


"Mom - Hey, buddy, we're outside. We've got a present for you and your wife, I think you'll like it."





Ben laughed, and shook his head, and tucked the phone into his uniform trousers.


"Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear." Ben said, in a fairly good imitation of Bane's voice from an older Batman movie.


He made his way back into the living room, to the front door and out onto the porch. Sure enough there was his parents, both sitting in his mom's Navy Blue Volkswagen Jetta. He waved at them, and the car shut off and his mom stepped out of the driver's seat along with his father stepping out of the passenger seat. They both walked up the gravel driveway and up to the porch, where Ben's mother embraced him in a hug. She was a short woman, only a few inches short from being five feet tall, with short hair dyed a light blonde. His Dad was a different story, nearly six feet tall with the strength of an ox, with broad shoulders, huge forearms and a belly to match, which was expected from a older middle aged man. He smiled at Ben and ruffled his hair, before drawing him into a huge bear huge.


"Where's your wife, bubba?" He asked, after releasing him from the bear hug.


"She's inside, Dad." He answered. "Come on in, the place is still kind of a mess, and we haven't had the opportunity to unpack everything yet."


Ben turned around and lead them into the house, with him entering first.


"Keli, my parents are here." He said. "They say they've got something for us."
 
"Careful dearest," Keli stressed the word as he continued to provoke and laugh at her. Scribbling studiously on a notepad she gave him a look, eyebrow arched, "Keep that up and the only fun you'll be having is cleaning out a space for a cot in the garage." Good grief how could a guy be so cute? Even in the middle of purposefully riling his wife?


No. Strong. She had to stay strong or the house would remain in shambles. . . . then again if they were happy did it really matter if the house looked like a mini tornado had ripped through it?


She had to stop herself there, realizing it was only going to spiral into her wavering resolve and end up with their dinner being left in the middle of the room and the boxes completely untouched and forgotten until the next morning when they proceeded to trip over them once more.


Momentary thankfulness for the phone took an abrupt turn the second Ben walked out onto the porch and Keli heard voices. Voices that could only belong to a certain pair of people.


Full blown panic attack this was not, but even so the edges of Keli's vision went fuzzy and grey, hands clutching the yellow pad of paper so tightly a jagged rip crinkled along the top corner as she fought to breath through suddenly uncooperative lungs.


What ever happened to advanced warning? Why did parents think it was okay to simply appear out of nowhere? Why hadn't she stayed home today to do some cleaning? Why didn't she try cook something instead to getting takeout? Even slightly scorched canned soup would have been an effort!


Dozens of questions whirled through her head in the space of a few seconds, each one pushing her further into the state of mind that was absolutely certain something terrible was going to happen. What that was she couldn't even name, but the overreacting portion of her mind could come up with a handful of horrible possibilities that always ended up in a dark, lonely place. Ridiculous as the notion was Keli had the chilling sensation that they had come to reclaim their son, to rescue him from this desperate woman who had somehow managed to snare him.


It was right then that a sensible part of Keli realized what was happening, she hadn't manipulated Ben into their marriage. They loved each other. They were happy and starting a new life together.


Inhaling with a sharp gasp she swung a quick glance toward the front door, hearing the unmistakable voice of Ben's dad asking where she was.


Vaulting from the floor she fled to the bathroom, frantically yanking the vanity mirror open so hard the two loose screws rattled in protest as she rummaged through the assortment of perscription bottles that lived there until she found the small green one.


Two gulps of barely cool water later Keli wrapped her fingers around the edge of the sink and concentrated on slowing her breathing, finally taking a moment to glance up at the mirror as she waited to regain a shred of composure. Other than the slight paleness that had overtaken her features, and that cornered animal look that had crept into her eyes, those who didn't know her well wouldn't have guessed anything was out of place, and if they did they most likely would have assumed it was the busyness of moving taking a toll.


Taking a deep breath she smoothed back the errant strands that had worked their way out of the confining braid, a stinging sensation bringing attention to her palms. Neat, evenly spaced crescent marks of imprinted fingernails smarted back at her, red against her pale flesh. She hadn't even realized she'd been that tense.


"It's okay, nothing is wrong. They're just visiting. Nothing is threatening us." The mantra sounded shaky and weak even to her own ears, but she knew she couldn't hide in the bathroom all evening. No doubt they were already inside and Ben would wonder where she'd disappeared to. As much as she wanted to, hiding was definitely not an option.


Rounding the corner of the hallway a minute later she came face to face with her in-laws as they hazarded the maze of the living room. Her gaze swept between them, a smile lifting her features, yet never quite brightening her eyes.


"Hello! What a surprise. If I'd known you were coming I'd have-" She glanced around and shrugged helplessly before voicing the truth, "At least tried to shove it all against the wall so you could walk through without risking a sprained ankle or two."
 
Ben's Dad laughed, and shrugged.


"We were there once, you know." He said. "We were younger than you when we married, and had that little booty muncher. I was in the Air Force too, so I assure you, we know all about it."


Ben's mother nodded in agreement, and looked around the living room and then back at Keli, and then Ben.


"Oh yeah, our home was always twice as bad as this." She said. "And it was nearly impossible to keep clean with a little boy with ADHD running around. Besides, y'all just got married a few months ago and just moved in a few weeks ago."


She looked up at Ben's father, who nodded his agreement. She turned and reached into her purse and withdrew two print outs, and handed them to Benjamin, who looked kind of confused. He looked down and began to read the pieces of paper, with an eyebrow raised. He looked back up at his parents, who nodded their enthusiasm and had huge grins on their faces. It was his mother who spoke first.


"We know you didn't have the money to go on a honeymoon, so me and your father decided we'd help you out. Everyone deserves a honeymoon, and we know being a police officer is a stressful job, just as being a firefighter is, so we booked a flight to Venezuela, and a week's stay in a fancy resort called Los Costas." She said, her hands clasped together in excitement. "And as a gift to our daughter in law as a welcome to the family. We kind of got off on the wrong foot, mostly because it was a huge surprise that Ben had a girlfriend that he'd been dating for a few months. It was even more shocking that he asked you to marry him a few months after he introduced you to us, mostly because we believed that he would never get married, and now we've got a chance at grandkids! He did that once, you know. Dated a nice girl from New York, and didn't bother to tell us until they had been dating for a few months."


Ben's gaze shot upwards at his parents, his eyes glaring daggers at them. It was a look that told them to shut up about that girl, whom he'd broken up with a few months before entering the police academy. He shot a glance at Keli and then back at his parents, and then finally rested them back on the paper. He couldn't believe this, the last time his parents did this, they took him to Las Vegas for his twenty-first birthday. It was a huge gift for the two of them, and most likely cost a lot of money for them to spend.


"We're also going to give you a few thousand dollars to spend there, as I know you don't like to spend your own money, Benjamin." She said, turning to Keli. "He's done that since he had his first job, always saved his money and bought huge things with it."


She gave her one of her famous smiles, and chuckled a bit at the expression on her face.


"I promise y'all, it's not a joke." She said. "I've got the bank statement to prove it."
 
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"Oh yeah, our home was always twice as bad as this."


Her mother-in-law could not have known what those words meant to Keli, especially after that episode just moments earlier. She had the impulse to doubt it was quite as bad as they said, but she felt better once she realized there was no judgment in the depth of their tones. That they truly didn't mind the fact that the house was a shambles. Although, truth be told she could almost see the wheels in her father-in-laws head twitching and grinding, perhaps resisting the impulse to set to straightening the room himself.


As Ben's mother handed him a few sheets of paper, eyes shining with excitement over what was about to be revealed, Keli found herself relaxing somewhat, finding it easier to breathe in the company of the in-laws. And it was a good thing she got those few seconds of easy breathing, for her breath and ability to speak were stolen yet again mere moments later, eyes widening and jaw dropping slightly open as the announcement was made. It all jumbled together in a confusing tangle of words and conflicting emotions that Keli would not be able to sort out completely until she had had a chance to reflect on what had just happened.


"You . . . .we . . . . . how . . . ." She had always hated people stammering, finding it a nuisance when one was trying to carry on a sensible conversation. But she couldn't help it. She had never expected such a generous gesture from Ben's parents. It was an opportunity of a lifetime, and she could only imagine what the complete expense had been. If it weren't for the fact that Ben seemed equally astounded she might have considered it to be some sort of joke he had cooked up. But he was as shocked as she, and the excitement oozing from his parents could be nothing other than real.


To say they were excited was an understatement, his mother beaming so brightly she practically glowed, while her husband stood there grinning wider than Keli had ever seen. She knew she should thank them, but what words could match such a thing? Even if she had been able to speak clearly there wasn't a significant response to such a priceless gift. The mere thought of it brought shimmering tears into her eyes as Keli did the only thing she could think of as she stepped close and wrapped her arms around Ben's mother in what was the first real contact she had had with anyone, other than her husband, in quite some time.

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"You do realize we're going to be coming home to all of those lurking boxes and be in the same predicament as we are right now." A few pieces of clothing flew from the closet, landing in the general area of the suitcases that had been drug in from the garage. Ben's parents had left hours ago, and as soon as they'd gone Keli had been infected with a surge of energy that had swept through the living room and half of the kitchen.


She had finagled and coerced Ben into lugging the furniture around until it suited her particular mood of the evening, even getting him to put up some shelves as she whipped through some of their belongings, resulting in a stack of empty boxes relegated to a corner of the garage until they could be taken out with the garbage.


By the time they were finished she felt immensely proud of the small dent they had made, turning the remaining enthusiasm and energy toward a new task at hand.


Packing.


At the moment she had a mountain of clothing mounding near the gaping mouth of her suitcase, the variety of which was laughable. There was no way all of it was needed, but she insisted it worked better to pick out clothing for every possible outcome, and then, once having amassed such a selection, to go through it and pick out which ones were either needed most, or the ones she liked best.


So far she seemed to think her entire closet counted as possible candidates for the trip.


"Do you think we'll need sturdy shoes? Are we going to go hiking?" His mother had said it was a resort, which didn't exactly bring up visions of leather hiking boots and rugged terrain. But she also knew very well they probably weren't going to lounge about the resort all week, no doubt they would want to get out and do some activities.


Without waiting for his reply to come a pair of white tennis shoes, patterned with stripes of tangerine and yellow, flew through the air and landed on the floor with a soft thud.


"I wonder where I put my passport. . . . we'll have to pick up some travel size sunscreen before we leave. . . . " The rustling and sounds of drawers being slammed open and shut abruptly disappeared as Keli emerged from the closet, stopping to lean against the door frame, a look of contemplation on her face.


"Hey babe," Her voice held a hint of excitement as a smile curved her lips, words soft and full of wonder as the realization of what they were preparing for began to sink in. "We're going on a honeymoon!"
 
Benjamin looked between his mother, his father and his wife. He opened his mouth to speak, and closed it, repeating this motion a few times. He was completely dumbstruck and couldn't find the words to express how he felt.


"You . . . .we . . . . . how . . . ." HIs wife stammered, just as dumbstruck as he was, but at least she had found some words to say.


The initial look of shock on Ben's face turned into a small smile, which in itself grew to huge proportions, making his face ache. This was the kindest thing that anyone had ever done for him, and it was done in such a selfless way. Benjamin looked back down at the receipts for the plane tickets and for the rooms on the resort and looked back up just in time to see his wife, who was normally kept to herself, hug his mother. It was the first show of affection, gratitude, love, whatever you wished to call it, that he's seen his wife give, other than to himself. Keli was a completely different woman when she was alone with him, than she was with other people or out in public. He chuckled and began laughing in pure shock, as the magnitude of the gift had not sunk in.


"Thank you, guys." He said, once he had finally found the words. "I can't even express how grateful I am for this."


His parents stayed for about an hour after that, asking the two about their day jobs and how everything was going. They soon left to get home, and let their dogs out and eat dinner, and left the newlyweds to start their long journey of turning the house from a place they slept in to home. It took them a few hours, and they only finished with the living room and half the kitchen. The rest would have to wait for a later date, but right now they had things to do.


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"Do you think we'll need sturdy shoes? Are we going to go hiking?" His wife asked from deep within their walk in closet. "I wonder where I put my passport. . . . we'll have to pick up some travel size sunscreen before we leave. . . . " She said, talking to herself.


Benjamin laughed out loud, as he had looked up Los Costas on the internet before they got down to packing their bags. It was an archipelago off the coast of Venezuela, and was supposed to be a superior five star resort. Lots of rich, important people went there on vacations, politicians, musicians, important businessmen from Fortune 500 companies, anyone you could think of that was rich had at least gone there once in their lives.


"Sweetheart, it's a group of islands about 60 miles from the coast of Venezuela." He said. "But it might not be a bad idea to bring some, just in case, who knows what kind of activities they have down there? I know one thing though, they might have to replace the mattress after we leave, it'll be pretty worn out."


He chuckled pretty hard at his little joke and turned to look at the closet, which his wife appeared out of a few seconds later.


Hey babe," She said, her voice quivering slightly in excitement, and a soft smile formed on her lips. "We're going on a honeymoon!"


Benjamin laughed and nodded, folded a shirt and placed it on top of his other clothing. He had finished and glanced over at Keli's large suitcase, which nearly had her entire wardrobe in a pile inside.


"That we are, and honestly I never thought I'd be able to." He said, "Especially since we just bought a house, and it was super nice of my parents to do this for us. I guess I'll have to use some of my vacation days that I saved up, huh?"


(I'll do my timeskip in the next post. :) )
 
"Well, geography never was a strong suit of mine, and why would they have to replace a mattress after just a week? I'm sure a luxury resort has high quality furnishings." She took it all in stride, even going as far as turning his joke right back around at him, accompanied with a wide eyed, innocent expression as though she hadn't the faintest idea what he truly meant. Of course, such expressions only worked if a person could maintain the ruse, and she was unable to hold it longer than a minute, innocence dissolving into a mischievous grin.


Sifting through her clothing was nigh on impossible, and she questioned the wisdom of pulling out so many things, especially when she glanced up and spotted her husband's neat, tidy pile that had to be at the very most a sixth of what she'd amassed.


"Honestly! How in the world do guys manage it? Halfway across the world and that's all you need!" She glanced between the two piles hopelessly, "That is totally unfair. I'm packing for every possible thing under the sun, short of blizzards or monsoons, and you've just got . . . . that. And I haven't even gotten to toiletries yet!" There weren't even words to describe the injustice, so she went back to sorting clothes, biting her lip in concentration as things were either deemed needed or unnecessary. Of course, if worse came to worst she could buy things she needed once they arrived. People lived there, after all, they had to get their clothing somehow, which meant there would be at least a bit of shopping available.


There were advantages to barely being settled into their new house, especially with such a short notice trip. They didn't have any pets to try find last minute boarding for. No plants that would wither and die without daily care. Not even a fridge full of food that had to be thrown out before they left, lest they came back to a refrigerator that reeked of spoiled cream and rancid lettuce. All they would need to do was put a hold on their mail and take off without another care in the world.


"I guess I'll have to use some of my vacation days that I saved up, huh?" Ben's voice filtered through her concentration, stopping her in her tracks at the one thing she hadn't even considered.


Oh yes. That too.


He had captured her undivided attention, eyes narrowing to slits as she watched him, the strap of an ivory sandal dangling from her fingertips as she considered the best way to react to that comment.


Dropping the shoe she straightened up and waltzed across the room, a nonchalant expression smoothing her features as she sidled up to Ben, one hand snaking around the base of his neck, the other reaching up to grasp his chin in her hand, much like a mother would to make sure her child was focused completely on her. Raising ever so slightly on her toes she leaned in close until they were hardly more than an inch or so apart, her eyes locked on his own as her voice turned honey sweet.


"Yes darling, using those vacation days would come in very handy at the moment. We might never get this opportunity again, and I'd like to be able to enjoy it while we're young. Otherwise we might not have the chance until we're old and grey and twice as forgetful." She kissed the tip of his chin as she released it from her grasp, resting her hand on his chest.


"Admit it, it would be so much easier sacrificing vacation days and doing this now, when we don't have to worry about the probability of losing my teeth, or worrying about if your hip replacement is going to go out, or trying to relive our youth by wandering beaches wearing bathing suits that do nothing for our flabby, pasty, wrinkly flesh."


She had no doubt he had every intention of taking his vacation time, for he was just as excited to be going. But she couldn't help teasing him, especially when the image of their eighty-year-old selves tottering up and down tropical beaches trying to act young was so ridiculously funny she just couldn't keep it to herself.
 
Benjamin laughed at her, and shook his head. He knew she was teasing him about it, acting innocent and he would have believed her too, if she hadn't cracked and smiled.


"Honestly! How in the world do guys manage it? Halfway across the world and that's all you need!" She whined. "That is totally unfair. I'm packing for every possible thing under the sun, short of blizzards or monsoons, and you've just got . . . . that. And I haven't even gotten to toiletries yet!"


"Well, I just pack what I need." He answered. "I've got my trunks for water stuff, all my compression briefs, socks, undershirts, a few nice outfits for dates, casual clothing for whatever activities we decide to do, workout clothing, and athletic shoes. You just so happen to bring your entire wardrobe.


Benjamin looked down at his suitcase, and then over to hers. Hers looked like Mount Kilimanjaro, and his looked like the hill that was up the road, he began laughing at the situation and looked over at her, and was promptly startled by how close she had gotten. She suddenly grasped his chin, forcing him to look her dead in the eyes.


"Yes darling, using those vacation days would come in very handy at the moment. We might never get this opportunity again, and I'd like to be able to enjoy it while we're young. Otherwise we might not have the chance until we're old and grey and twice as forgetful." She kissed his chin and released him, lowering her hand to his chest. "Admit it, it would be so much easier sacrificing vacation days and doing this now, when we don't have to worry about the probability of losing my teeth, or worrying about if your hip replacement is going to go out, or trying to relive our youth by wandering beaches wearing bathing suits that do nothing for our flabby, pasty, wrinkly flesh."


He stuck his tongue out at her in a teasing expression, and laughed.


"Perhaps you're right, baby." He said, agreeing with her. "I can always get my vacation days back, and it's not like taking this vacation is going to kill us. I mean it's completely paid for, and we've even got free money to spend on whatever we want. Besides, it's the memories that count, right? We're young, and we've got to make our life count. We want stories to tell our children and their children, right?"


He pulled her closer and kissed her quite passionately, lingering for a few moments before pulling away and giving her one of his signature half smiles that she always found so attractive. He knew it was going to be a great time, but for some reason, something in the back of his mind was screaming at him, telling him that this was a very, very bad idea. Ben pushed the thought away and focused on his beautiful wife, it was her eyes that always got him. She was still just as gorgeous as the day he first met her on the side of the road, huddled against her demolished Toyota Camry. The memory brought a smile to his face, and wondered what his past self would say if he could see what the chance meeting would bring about.


"Hey, do you remember everything about the day when we met?" He asked suddenly, refocusing on her.
 
"Hey, do you remember everything about the day when we met?" Her husband had a habit of asking questions right after he'd stolen her breath away with a kiss, knowing very well it left her distracted and momentarily susceptible to agreeing to things she normally might not have.


"What?" Shaking her head slightly she pulled her attention away from that adorable grin of his, tipping her head and watching as his own eyes refocused. Where had he gone in his own mind, and what prompted him to ask that particular question?


"Specifically? No, not everything, although I highly doubt you really care about knowing what I'd had for breakfast that morning." Keli's lighthearted quip softened into thoughtfulness as her hands wrapped around his waist, head resting against his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart, watching snippets of memory filter through.


"I remember everything." How could she not? It was part of the blackest time of her life, and everything stood out with crystal clarity, even the way the lights of the squad car had lit up millions of shards of broken glass where they lay scattered about the pavement. They had been beautiful, glinting in the light like shimmering stars, but she knew they were a deadly beauty, just as quick to cut and cause pain as they were to offer comfort. . . .


Scratchy music spilled from the sporadically working stereo system, filling the car with catchy Mexican tunes. It was the only station that the radio was picking up, every other one, even the news and Country stations having given way to nothing more than static that did little to keep her senses alert. Complete darkness was slow in coming after a long day on the road, and the increasingly worrying fact that there was not a single appearance of any sort of rest stop, gas station, or town of any kind had become apparent hours ago. Nothing more than dusty hills, the odd roadkill, and occasional tumbleweeds that skittered across the road.


The day had started out badly enough she should have expected that spending the evening in a police station was the logical place she was to end up that night.


To begin with she had absolutely no idea where she was, although that was not such a big deal, as she hadn't cared. The fact that her tank was almost empty and there wasn't a single gas station anywhere was a very real concern. Even if she had found a station she'd highly doubted the taped together wallet held enough funds to pay for a sufficient amount of gas. And the map that one trucker had given her must have been twenty 0dd years old, because it didn't seem to follow anything remotely similar to what she was on.


Darkness had finally fallen, just as the Camry's engine began to sputter, running on hardly more than fumes, when Keli spotted not only a sign, but the faint glow of civilization.


"Thank goodness, just a bit further and we'll have made it." Relief swept across her features as she patted the dashboard of the car. Seconds later the world tilted and spun, a formidable weight barreled out of nowhere. Sounds of squealing tires, shattering glass, and crumpling metal interrupted the peace of night as the Camry spun across the road, throwing gravel, chunks of dirt, and shimmering bits of broken glass.


Whoever it was hadn't stuck around, more squealing tires fleeing the scene as Keli crawled from the car, her vision spotted with flashes of red and black, neck burning from whiplash and instant aching all through her body.


She didn't cry. Didn't have a meltdown. Didn't even suffer a relapse.


She simply sat next to the car, realizing somewhere in the back of her mind that maybe she ought to move to a safer distance, yet not really caring what happened next. It simply couldn't get much worse than this.


Sitting next to a heap of rubble in fairly chilly weather, with not a soul in the world who knew where she was, Keli didn't feel worried or alone, panicked or even remotely hysterical. She just felt numb.


When the police car pulled up she had almost made up her mind to walk into whatever town was nearby, and the first words she said when the young officer appeared in front of her, crisp and official and slightly confused looking, were not a plea for help. A simple question and nothing more.


"Is there a tow truck that could come out this late?"





"Lucky you have that persuasive tongue of yours, otherwise I'd never have gotten into your car, policeman or not." In fact she remembered being quite stubborn about the whole thing, arguing that she didn't need to go into the station with him when she could tell him exactly what had happened right there in the road. Then they could part ways, him back to his job and most likely tidy little life, while she went on . . . . doing whatever it was she was doing.


In the end she gave in simply because he'd given her an ultimatum, telling her she was suffering from shock and if she didn't get in the car of her own accord he would put her there.


She never admitted to him that the ride to the station was the most comfortable she'd been in days, heaters warming the space and bringing feeling back into toes that had gone numb hours ago when the heater went out in her own vehicle.


"You seemed quite keen to do absolutely everything by the book, if I recall correctly. It felt like I was in that police station answering questions and filling out forms forever!" He had seemed overly studious about making sure absolutely every tiny detail of the accident had been thoroughly recorded, probably in triplicate, it had certainly felt long enough. All she wanted to do was find a cheap diner, get some coffee, and find a laundromat to curl up in for a few hours.


"Do you know, somewhere in the middle of all your questioning I wondered if you would throw me in a cell for the night if I punched you." Slapping would probably have been written off as the 'shock' she was suffering, but she rather thought a punch might send a different message. He'd get to do his job, and she would get somewhere safe to sleep for the night.


She hadn't done it though, feeling slightly wretched for even thinking of doing such a thing when the young officer had been nothing but helpful, even genuinely concerned about how she was. He'd gotten her aspirin and a bandage to temporarily take care of a gash on her forehead, carefully probed to find out if there was anyone he should call, and even endured a few short spats of tongue lashing when she had become irritable with the length of the process. It was the last place she wanted to be and she made no hesitation of making that extremely clear. Yet none of it phased him a bit. He just sat there, watching her until she'd blown off some steam, then went right back to what he'd been saying with that wellspring of patience he seemed to possess.


"At what point in that whole episode did you decide it would be a brilliant idea to ask me out?" Keli asked softly, the images of that night fading away as the warmth of their room, and the strength of her husband, overtook the chill of those memories.
 
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"Well, I've always had a way with words, sweetheart." He began. "You'd just need to ask my parents, I knew exactly what to say to get out of trouble, to get out of doing things, to weasle something out of someone, or what buttons to push to piss them off."


He stuck his tongue out at her, and chuckled softly. She knew exactly what he was talking about, and he knew exactly how to push her buttons, a joking orgasm moan, fart noises, saying childish and vulgar words such as butthole, doodoohead, monkey butt and butt muncher, among others. He was pretty good at it, and even though she would often hit him for saying or doing such things, he still got a laugh out of it.


"You seemed quite keen to do absolutely everything by the book, if I recall correctly. It felt like I was in that police station answering questions and filling out forms forever!" She said, reminiscing. "Do you know, somewhere in the middle of all your questioning I wondered if you would throw me in a cell for the night if I punched you." She trailed off for a moment, before asking a question that took him by surprise. "At what point in that whole episode did you decide it would be a brilliant idea to ask me out?"


A soft smile appeared on his lips and he took a deep breath, before beginning to explain.


"Well, when I responded to the call about a possible drunk driver accident, I was quite worried that what I'd see would affect me pretty severely. My father had been a firefighter for all of my life and most of his, after he left the Air Force, he got a job as a civilian firefighter on a Army Base, and that's when he became an EMT too, so he'd see a lot of terrible, depressing stuff, like people getting killed in car wrecks, and stuff like that. There were times when he would come home from work and be a completely different person. He wouldn't talk or act like he used to, would get angry quite fast, and only respond with a yes or a yeah. I was only two years old from the academy and a year old from field training, and I really didn't want this call to be my first fatal car accident, and I had to make sure that I did everything right. That's why I did everything by the book, my FTO always told me that this was a thankless job, and that my thanks would be that people would be able to rest easy at night, and not have to worry that someone would break down their door at three in the morning and rob or do some other violent crime against them. Because of Tempton Police Department, people could live a life free from worry about crime. I probably would've thrown you in a jail cell until you had calmed down, but I don't think I would've charged you for anything, and I'm glad you didn't, because then you wouldn't have accepted my offer to take you on a date that morning. In all honesty, I wasn't going to ask you out at first. I was just going to take you back to the station, take your statement, and write a report. It wasn't until we sat together at my desk, and spent those three hours writing that statement, that I realized that you were a very special woman. I don't know if you remember this or not, but I do. I remember it as clear as day, and as clear as I see you now." He stopped for a moment, to take a deep breathe before continuing with his story. "I asked you a question about if you had any relatives or family members that could pick you up, and when you didn't answer, I looked up thinking that you had passed out or something and when I did I saw you for who you were. You were scared, you had nowhere to go, no one to come for you, no place to rest your head. My heart ached for you, and in that moment, I knew you were her, you were the one I was meant to be with. That's why I asked you out, and that's why I asked you to marry me almost a year down the road."


He tightened his grip, just a bit, to bring her closer to him. She smelled like vanilla, and the familiar smell brought a smile to his face. He truly did love this woman he held close, and he would never let her go.


"I truly do love you, Mrs. Coates." He said, kissing the top of her head.
 
Standing where she was today Keli knew what a large, generous heart her husband had. It was one of the reasons he was so good at his job, but she also knew that there was a good chance somewhere along the line that it could also become a source of incredible pain. For not all situations turned out well, and when they didn't it was those who cared most that felt it the deepest.


She hadn't known just how tenderhearted Ben was when they first met, but a part of her had realized even then that there was something different about him. He was genuine and caring while still being professional and making sure his job was done properly. When he mentioned the moment he had truly seen her, past the anger and the false bravado, she cringed slightly, letting him hold her close and willing those old feelings of brokenness to go back into hiding. If she had known then that he'd seen into her in such a clear manner she probably wouldn't have had another thing to do with him, ever afraid of having her soul bared to those who would look closely.


"I don't care what you say, you are far more stubborn than you think," She murmured into his shirt, the sound of his heartbeat lulling her into a relaxed, faintly drowsy state of being. "Otherwise we never would have made it past the first date." If that's what it could be called. She didn't consider it the first date because. . . well, she hadn't accepted out of a mutual attraction, she'd had ulterior motives and there was a good chance Ben would only hear that story when she thought he needed a reality check. Or something to laugh at, as that would probably be his first inclination.


"You know, if my car hadn't been totaled I probably would have left the next day." She marveled at the thought that they would both be leading different lives right now if the car garage had not promptly declared her car completely and utterly wrecked, far past the point of any type of salvaging. It hadn't been much to begin with, but after the accident it was hardly worth turning into paperclips.


As it was she had had to find a place to stay. A seedy old motel on the edge of town, the type of place a person could rent a room for weeks on end with no more assurance than a small advance toward the bill. How it passed health inspections no one knew, and probably no one cared to ask, afraid of what might be brought to light. After a room was found she'd had to find a job. And that is where things began to change.


Finding a job wasn't too difficult, as there just so happened to be an old, retro styled diner that was looking for temporary help. It was uncomplicated work that required no special skills, and she was content with the certainty of a paycheck every week. . . until a mere week after starting she realized that this particular diner seemed to be a favorite gathering spot of certain groups of people. Namely, the ambulance, firefighter, and police units.


"I swear I was a hundred percent certain you were in cahoots with the manager of Trinity's Diner. Not four days after you showed up for your breakfast on a morning I was working my schedule seemed to morph to coincide with yours. Ross denied it, of course, but none of the other waitress' seemed to rotate quite that much."


She didn't have proof of the conspiracy, other than that pursed grin of Ross's that always managed to look painful, but she wouldn't put it past Ben to cook up a plan like that so he could find another way to talk to her, especially after he realized she wasn't going to be all that easy to catch. Of course, if she didn't want to have to deal with policemen, or policeman, depending on whose viewpoint you heard the story from, she shouldn't have gotten a job that turned out to be the exact spot where they all dropped by for their before-shift coffee and Zinger Breakfast specials, their lunches, or just to hang out and share cop stories.


A soft kiss dropped onto the top of her head, warm and reassuring, accompanied by words she hoped she would never get tired of.


"I truly do love you, Mrs. Coates."


Lifting her head she met his gaze and gave him that dazzling smile of hers. The one that was his and his alone.


"Good, because I do believe, Mr. Coates, that you are rather permanently stuck with me!"
 
Benjamin looked down at her, noticing her smile. He only ever saw it when they were alone, like this. Keli was an introvert, and never really showed the world who she was, and only showed Ben when they were alone at home. But Ben didn't care, it just made their relationship and the things that they shared together that much more special.


"I wouldn't rather it be any other way, Keli." He said. "I did try my darndest to catch you, and I did. There's no way I'm gonna let you go so easily. But you're right, I am pretty stubborn." He agreed. "Although, I must say, considering the circumstances, it is pretty interesting how it all worked out. I never told you this, but that night I got up for work, I was just wondering if I'd ever find a good woman to be my wife. In that moment at the police station, I knew it was you who was going to be her. As for the Trinity's Diner thing, I can honestly say that I didn't care for most of the food there, but they had great coffee, salads and that bacon ranch cheeseburger, but I did keep going there because of you. But I never asked the manager to change your schedule up to meet the times we went there. Mostly because we never had a set schedule, the police chief had an interesting way of making us bond with each other. It was a police department policy that we had to eat with our co-workers, at least a few times a month. It was his way of making us bond, so we'd have each other's backs when it came down to it. In a lot of other police departments, the force is pretty cutthroat, and it's every man for himself. But because of that policy, that's not how it is here, most of us are friends outside of work too, so I guess it worked. We just happened to frequent the days that you worked, and I just figured it was a sign for me to keep trying, so I did."


He stared at the oil painting that hung above their bed and sighed. It was really strange how everything worked out, with Keli being stuck here, their dates, then their getting married after a year of dating. It didn't seem right, that Ben's simple life of sleeping, eating, catching bad guys and playing video games on his days off was suddenly changed by the prospect of having a serious relationship, and then a wife and the prospect of starting a family, and now a few months down the road after their marriage, the opportunity to have an actual honeymoon. Ben never thought in a thousand years that he would be able to do this for Keli and himself, but his parents were the biggest help. If it wasn't for them, they would be still going about their normal lives, Ben with his police work, Keli with her's and them spending time together in whatever way they felt like at the present moment. That was their honeymoon for the past few months after their marriage, and now they had the chance for an actual one. Ben felt his breath catch in his throat, and the welling of emotion try to force it's way to the surface, but he pushed it back down. He'd had several shows of kindness and compassion in his twenty five years of life, mostly before he became a police officer. Co-workers who were better off than him giving him money to buy his lunch, people helping him with whatever he needed, but this was a completely different beast. This was thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars to allow them to have their honeymoon. The only time where they could do as they pleased, relax, have fun, whatever without worrying about going to work the next day. It was a show of compassion and kindness that easily surpassed every other act he'd received. He looked back down at his beautiful wife and smiled, because he got to spend it with her.


She was still looking up at him when he pushed the thoughts out of his mind and focused his attention back on her, causing a mischievous smile to spread across his lips. He always gave this smile when he was up to something, whether it be a prank, joking around, or something more naughty. He looked into her eyes and chuckled softly, before leaning forward and giving her a kiss before moving his mouth to her ear to whisper seductively into it, just to tease the woman.


"What do you say to beginning the honeymoon a little bit early, sweetheart?" He whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear.


He fell backwards onto the bed, pulling her with him.


"How about it?" He said, the look still on his face.
 
Keli watched her husband disappear into a contemplative state, simply enjoying looking at him and watching as the expression on his face slowly melted into a look that held so much more than the word 'contentment' could encompass. He went to that mental place now and again, and she'd noticed it was usually after they had gone through a rough patch, be it financial, work related, or even in their relationship. She never asked about it, content to let him reflect on those private thoughts. She would be there if he ever wanted to share them, but she didn't feel the need to poke and prod.


That grin, however, the one that betrayed itself by twitching at the corners of his mouth before slowly creeping into a lopsided curve of mischief that meant he was up to no good she knew very well. She didn't have to wonder what he was thinking, because even before before he whispered in her ear she knew what he was up too, a familiar glint in the eyes giving him away.


Fits of giggles echoed around the room as he did a back flop onto the bed, holding her close to his chest as he went, effectively sweeping her feet out from under her as they landed with a bounce onto the top of the ivory and maroon quilt.


Because of the beginning pangs of a headache they had forgone turning on all the lights in their bedroom when they started packing, and Keli hadn't realized just how late it had gotten, nor how dark it had become. The only light in their room came from two sources, a soft yellow lamp on the small table in the corner, and the light that peeked from the closet. The rest of the room would have been completely dark, had it not been for the silvery moonlight spilling through the blinds in an orderly, striped pattern that marched across anything that lay in its way.


One such beam of moonlight slithered across the bedspread, adding another level of depth to the twinkle in Ben's eyes. She couldn't help laughing, propping her arms across his chest and staring down at him, her head tipped slightly as she traced the outline of his chin and jawline with the tip of a finger.


"My grandmother had a word for that expression you have written all over your face," She laughed, adopting a British accent for a few seconds before dissolving into more giggles. "Moon-smacked is what she'd say, delivered with a roll of the eyes and twitching of those tidy cloth napkins that were always at the tea table. I never knew what it meant until I met you, and even so, at the rate you're going I think she'd have to come up with a whole separate word just for you!"


If she had any sense of prioritizing she would tell him absolutely not and go back to packing so they would actually be ready to catch their flight when they were supposed to.


However, she never could resist when he was like this, and 'husband' happened to hold a higher priority slot than the current mess of a suitcase over by the closet. After all, it was far too late to try sort out proper outfits and the like now, especially since she would most likely change her mind tomorrow and go poking through everything Ben was taking in order to get an idea of what she should pack.


"Well now . . . I'd have to consider the suggestion." She drawled slowly, forever unable to properly mimic a true Texan tone, though it never stopped her from using what Ben called her 'Rip-off-Texas-wannabe' accent. Her finger absently swirled up and down along the edge of his jaw as she pretended to weigh her options.


"After all there is so much to do, all those boxes in the garage," She dropped a light kiss, "And in the office." Another kiss. "And the kitchen." A lingering kiss this time. "Not to mention the packing . . . oh wait, I forgot, you've already finished. One really should be organized enough to finish a task before starting another . . . ."


She pretended to make a move to leave as she sat up, glancing over her shoulder at the shadowy corner and murky pile of fabric all heaped together. When she turned back, a hand running through hair that had been freed from the restraining braid hours earlier, a piece of the spark in his eyes had lit in the depths of hers. It only intensified as she leaned down slightly, voice nothing more than a breath of a whisper, as though the suitcase might hear and raise complaint about being neglected in such a manner.


"It can wait until morning. . . "
 
"Moon-smacked." Ben said, trying to imitate a British accent. "Perhaps you're right, darling. I am in a different category."


"Well now . . . I'd have to consider the suggestion." She said, trying to imitate a Texan accent and failing horribly at it. It always made Ben smile and reminded him more of a Georgian accent than a Texas one, but he laughed at it all the same. "After all there is so much to do...........all those boxes in the garage........and in the office and the kitchen." She said, kissing him between each pause, each one lingering longer than the last. "Not to mention the packing.... oh wait, I forgot, you've already finished. One really should be organized enough to finish a task before starting another ...."


She made a motion to leave, glancing over her shoulders at one of the corners in the room, only to turn back a few seconds later with that familiar glint in her eyes, which told Benjamin that what he suggested had taken root in her mind as well. He couldn't help but smile as she leaned down towards his face, the look in her eyes growing stronger the closer she came to him.


"It can wait until morning..." She said, her voice lower than a whisper, with a hint of seduction in her voice.


Benjamin loved how easy it was to get Keli going, and in the few months that they were married, he learned how to do with ease. He knew everyone of her buttons, what she liked and what she didn't. He chuckled at her and met her halfway with a passionate kiss that betrayed the way he was feeling in that single moment. He gently moved her over, pushing her down on the bed and removed his shirt, revealing the few medium sized tattoos the he kept hidden under his shirt. He always had a strict code when it came to tattoos, and he wouldn't get one anywhere that was visible.


"Where were we?" He asked, before going back to where he left off.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Keli, are you ready yet?" Benjamin called. "We gotta show up to the airport a few hours beforehand, just in case we get stuck at the TSA checkpoints and stuff. You know how those guys are, givin' us law enforcement officers a bad rap."


He poked his head into the master bedroom's bath and was greeted by the warm steam from the shower. He narrowed his eyes and stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the shower, and pulled the curtain back a few inches, just enough to stick his head in. He looked at Keli, who was as naked as the day she entered the world, and sighed.


"I thought you were going to get into the shower an hour ago." He said, and eyebrow raised. "I told you that you should've finished packing the weekend after we got the tickets from my parents. Well, whatever, hurry up, babe. I'll got pack our suitcases and stuff into your Honda, and we'll go when you finish up. We gotta get going, it's gonna take an hour to get across town to the airport, and our flight is at three in the afternoon."


He replaced the shower curtain back into it's original place and left the bathroom, and grabbed the two extra large suitcases, walked out, placed them by the door and made return trips until he had gathered everything they were taking by the front door. He opened the front door, grabbed a few things and walked out to her Honda Civic. He placed the suitcases down by the trunk and walked around to the driver's side, opened the door and pressed the button on the dash and was greeted by a loud thud as the trunk opened. Ben shut the door, and returned to the trunk and began loading it, placing the suitcases in first, followed by their overnight bags with Keli's make up, medications, and both Ben and Keli's personal things. They had to be careful not to bring anything that wasn't banned by the TSA, as they really didn't want to be pulled aside for additional searching. Ben seethed at the thought of having his constitutional rights thrown aside like that all in the name of "freedom." He sighed and shrugged, knowing that there was nothing that a single man could do about it. After he finished, he shut the trunk and made his rounds around the house, locking his dark blue Mustang, and making sure he had taken everything out of his squad car that could be stolen, such as the AR-15 and the Shotgun that were stowed on the cabin's ceiling, waiting for be used if the situation ever arose, the pair of black handcuffs that hung from the spotlight, and several minor things, such as a car iphone charger, an aux cord, and boxes of ammunition for the shotgun, rifle and his service pistol that were floating around the car. After finishing his rounds, he went back inside and stowed everything in his safe, which he locked. He didn't have to worry about the house, since his old high school friend Joel was coming over to watch the house for them.


Benjamin sat on the couch, and flicked on the TV and began watching a documentary on Animal Planet about the worlds most venomous snakes. It wouldn't be long before Joel was here, and they would have to leave for the airport. Benjamin was getting antsy just thinking about all the fun they would be having in Venezuela for the next week, and as if on cue, the doorbell rang. Ben jumped up and opened the door, revealing Joel at the front door, with his own suitcase.


"'Sup, bro?" He asked, doing their handshake. "Where's your girl at?"


"She's in the shower, bro." He answered, ushering him in.


Joel stepped inside, wheeling his suitcase behind him. Joel was a heavy set hispanic man, with short black hair and brown eyes, and a well groomed chinstrap, a dark pair of jeans with high top sneakers and a red plaid button up shirt. He thanked Ben, and sat down on the couch and looked up at the TV and let loose a small groan.


"Man, I hate snakes." He said. "My cousin Roberto has one, and he likes to mess with me."


Ben laughed and sat down on the couch, and looked up at the TV screen.


"Yeah, I guess Keli likes to watch Animal Planet when they got dogs on the TV."


Joel laughed and the two began trading small talk, while waiting for Keli to get out of the shower.
 
The shower had been relaxing.


Emphasis on had.


Anxiety, stress, nervousness, excitement, everything had been melting away into a comfortable, relaxed state of mind that felt hardly more than contentment and a vague seed of excitement.


That is, it had been before her husband had decided that they were going to be intolerably late just because her schedule had been altered slightly, invading her bubble of quietness to nitpick that she hadn't finished packing until this morning. A fact that had been unavoidable, considering there were things she needed to use before they got packed up. Of course, she should have expected it, he always got like this when they were traveling. For some reason Ben got uptight whenever there was somewhere they had to be. As though it would be the end of the world if they were the tiniest bit late, or shaved too close to schedule and arrived in the nick of time instead of with a comfortable reserve saved up to fill in spots that might need a few extra minutes here and there. Probably had to do with his upbringing. Schedules were a big part of military life, as she well knew, and it was a hard thing to leave behind after it had been drilled into a person since birth.


Even so, she wasn't all that thrilled about spending hours sitting in the uncomfortable, overcrowded gates of the airport.


Wrapping a towel around herself Keli stepped from the shower and stopped in front of the mirror, swiping a hand across it in an attempt to clear the fog and see her reflection as she began to comb through her hair. Each stroke of her fingers became more and more abrupt, until she was practically yanking through the damp strands, heedless of tangles or knots, focused instead on the feeling of discomfort that was once again uncurling in the pit of her stomach.


She had to stop after a few minutes, scalp stinging, fingers curling around the lip of the sink as she stared past the droplets of water that clung to the mirror and into the apprehensive gaze of her reflection.


She hated crowds - no, not hated, feared.


Feared the unpredictable masses of people all packed together in one space. Feared the uncertainty of what might happen, and the realization of what the person next to you could do, if they had a mind to. Feared what it might trigger. Feared the possibility of what she might do in a place so public and full of judging eyes that just didn't understand.


And here they were, going to be spending a very considerable chunk of time in one of the busiest, crowded places ever.


An International Airport.


Dressing quickly Keli swept on a bit of liner, mascara, and gloss before flipping the lights off in their bedroom, sweeping up her black and green bag from the bed as she went.


Stepping into the living room seconds later, fresh and ready to go in a soft yellow sundress, dark blue wedge sandals and a matching scarf that had been tied into her still slightly damp hair, Keli waved a greeting at Joel as she gathered up a sheaf of papers from one of the coffee tables and tucked them into the side pocket of her purse.


"Make yourself comfortable Joel," Her eyes slid to where his feet were propped on the edge of the coffee table that sat in front of the couch. "Not quite that comfortable. There's some food in the fridge, help yourself to any of it, the stove hasn't been hooked up yet, but the technician is supposed to come on Tuesday and put it all back together." The mention of the stove reminded her of something else she had to grab in the kitchen, so she headed in there, still mentioning a few things that hadn't been added to the list by the microwave.


"The dishwasher doesn't seal properly, so it only works if you wedge a spatula into the top to hold it closed. I'm sure Ben's mentioned our security system. And if the neighbor's dog happens to get into the back yard, leave it alone, they'd just as soon sue us for laying a finger on it with the intention of returning it as they would us ignoring it's presence until it wanders home."


Probably because Keli had rather deliberately emptied a pan of old dishwater over it one evening when it had found its way to their back door and proceeded an attack of intensely high pitched yelping, destroyed their screen door, and then went to work on gouging marks in the glass. It hadn't attempted that particular strategy of attack again, but the next time it showed up it stood at the door and snarled at them through the glass before vindictively and repeatedly marked the bottom of the door and the whole patio. Ben had offered to paint-ball the little terror, but as appealing as the idea might have been, they'd decided in the end that that would most likely do very little to mend, or endear, their already tenuous grasp of co-existence with their neighbors.


"Seriously though, have a nice time and don't feel uncomfortable about making this your home for the week. Though I will have words to say if I come back to stained furniture," The smile that accompanied the warning lessened what might have otherwise sounded overbearing, reducing it simply to a good humored restriction that banned even the idea of eating heavily sauced pizza, or the like, on their dove grey suede furniture.


"Coming babe? Don't want to be late." Throwing a well aimed jab and a glint of teasing toward her husband as she passed the back of the couch, Keli waved a cheery goodbye to Joel before sweeping out of the door and to the waiting car.


After all that grumbling of his and she was the first one in the vehicle. What a fine, upstanding and mature way to start their vacation.


She couldn't help a shiver of delight at the prospect of their destination, her fears, for a moment, waylaid by a bubbling excitement that spilled and glowed from her entire being.
 
Benjamin had stood up, and and adjusted his clothing. He always dressed nice when they traveled by airport, mostly because of the chance of being bumped to first class if they had room. Even when they went to Vegas for Ben's twenty first birthday had he dressed nice, but to no avail. But it still didn't stop him, since Ben never saw fit to spend the ridiculous amount of money it took to ride first class, and besides, they rarely flew anywhere. Ben's parents lived in the same town, so when they had children, their grandparents would only be a 15 minute drive away, and his mother's family only lived in a small town in Oklahoma and one of the suburbs of Dallas. As Ben adjusted his stripped blue shirt, and khaki pants, he looked up at Joel and nodded his thanks for house sitting.


"Hey, man, feel free to drink some of my beers if you want. I know you're no good with drinking, so if you want you can have a few." He said. "Catch you when I get back dude. Oh yeah, one of my pistols is inside my bedside table if anything happens, just make sure to shoot them inside the house, outside the walls and it's homicide."


"Seriously?" Joel said, pushing himself up off the couch.


"Yeah, not a bad neighborhood, but you can never be too cautious." Ben said, with a laugh.


"I guess you're right, officer." Joel said, changing the channel to a basketball game.


"Later, bro." Ben said, walking out of the door and shutting it behind him.


He made his way to the car and smiled at his beautiful wife, opened the driver's door, hopped in and started the Honda. He waited until Keli had got in and buckled her belt before pulling out of the driveway. He knew his wife didn't fare well with crowds, even though it would only be maybe an hour that they waited inside the airport. Which wasn't so bad, in all honesty. Ben cast a glance at Keli and placed a hand on her leg to silently reassure her.


"Everything alright, sweetheart?" He asked, before putting the car into drive and slowly rolling down their street towards the exit of their subdivision.


It was about an hour and thirty minute drive to the airport from their house, and they'd be there a bit early to go through customs and TSA, and get their tickets to get onto the plane itself. Then the five or so hour ride to Venezuela and after that, two weeks of complete paradise with the woman Ben loved the most in his life. He gave Keli a smile before focusing on the road ahead, and to getting them there safely.


"Look, hon." He started. "I know you're afraid of crowds, so I want you to hold my hand until we get to our terminal. That's why I wanted us to go early, so we could get past all the security checkpoints and get everything taken care off, maybe eat lunch at one of the extremely expensive restaurants in the airport and then get on our flight to Venezuela. It's going to be the best time of our lives, and let's make the best of it."
 
"Everything alright, sweetheart?"


Keli was in the middle of tucking her purse under the dashboard on the floor, having already pulled off her sandals after comfortably settling in for the drive ahead of them. She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eyes, judging his level of concern before sitting back up and sighing quietly, her fingers curling over where his hand rested on her knee. He didn't seem too worried, just making sure she was alright before they actually got to the airport.


"I didn't take anything." Which was basically her way of saying she was fine. If it hadn't gotten bad enough to take her anxiety medication she was either feeling stable enough to deal with it like a normal being, or downright stubborn and refusing to let it get the upper hand. Even so, that particular perscription had been tucked into a pocket of her purse and not their carry-on bags, just in case.


They both fell silent for a time, him weaving expertly through traffic as she watched the landscape morph from tidy suburbs to the endless flow of traffic and hurrying life that resided in the middle of the city. It was never quiet here. There was always something going on. Always somewhere to go. Somewhere to be. Something to do. People to meet.


The ceaseless flow of cars, every shape, size, and color, moved in a steady, uniform flow, broken here and there only by those who couldn't remember which lane they were supposed to be in, or were in so much of a hurry they couldn't wait two car lengths for their exit, preferring instead to zip across three lanes just to gain a three second boost to their schedule.


It made her dizzy, the unease creeping through her stomach once more. Distracting it she reached forward and flipped the radio on, allowing the current weather report to fill the interior of the vehicle just as Ben broke the silence.


Cranking the dial down so the weather report was a mere hum in the background, Keli nodded at her husband, nibbling on her lip slightly as he voiced his reasons for being early.


"It isn't that I don't appreciate you thinking of that, because I do, but . . . it is almost worse being early. Getting through relatively fast lines and checkpoints are all well and good. But if we get through them so fast we're waiting a long time to board it can be worse that way. If we were late we might have a longer time in checkpoints, and feel more rushed, but at least we wouldn't have to sit in the terminal. . . ."


Of course she didn't know what might set her off in the first place. Sometimes it was the sitting and being able to think about her surroundings too much. Other times it hit her instantly, even if it were nothing more than being the third person standing in line at the grocery store. They would just have to wait and see.


"Perhaps you are right. If we get through customs quickly and get something to eat, maybe it won't be so bad." Surely the atmosphere of waiting in a restaurant setup would be more relaxing than hanging out in the terminal until their flight was called. She shrugged and gave him a twitch of a smile, willing the jitters to go away.


"I'll be fine, just don't let me eat anything chocolatey or too rich before we take off. Or coffee, no matter if I beg, do not let me have coffee." Much as it would momentarily relax her, neither of those favorites would do anything to help as they would end up backfiring and make her even more hyper alert than normal.


_____________________________


Finding an available parking spot within reasonable distance to the main entrance at the airport was no more nightmarish than trying to park at a mall, and before long they were weaving through the heavy cement pillars of the parking garage, echoes of suitcase wheels bouncing about the space and mingling with the sound of their footsteps.


She wasn't feeling overly nervous yet, but as they walked Keli's hand slipped into Ben's, her mood elevating as she keenly studied the parked cars they walked passed, counting how many different kinds of license plates she could find.


The main entrance wasn't entirely crowded, but it was busy, people coming and going, caught up in the middle of their own lives. The attendant at their airlines gate was polite and professional, checking them in quickly and handing them their boarding passes before directing them to their gate.


"We recommend you find your gate at least an hour before departure," She said crisply as a fellow employee wrapped tags about their baggage and tossed them both onto a conveyor belt that ran behind the counter and into a secure area in the back.


"After security checkpoints you will be looking for Gate 83C, please have your boarding passes and passports ready. Have a nice flight!" Despite the fact that she probably said the exact same words to everyone, her smile seemed genuine as she directed them toward their first security gate.


Afternoons tended to be busier than early morning flights, and as such there were a lot of people converging through the whole airport, but they had arrived early enough to be ahead of the rush that was sure to come after a relative lull in traffic. People crushed in closer the nearer they came to the checkpoints, though there still remained order as the mingling crowds separated and siphoned into their assigned lines, sectioned off with black pillars and thick black tape.


As continuous announcements broadcasted over the PA system Keli's fingers remained firmly wrapped around Ben's hand as they stepped into line, her other hand wrapped about the strap of her carry-on, eyes firmly fixed on the security officers at the head of the line as they instructed those at the front to place all of their belongings in the trays and to remove their shoes before stepping through the metal detector.


"You get to pick where we eat." She finally said, realizing she wasn't too nervous at the moment, and actually felt a tad hungry. "But I draw the line at Chinese or Mexican. Those are horrible pre-flight food choices."
 
Benjamin handled everything from the boarding passes, all the way up to the security checkpoint, where they were selected for a "special program" by the TSA, which involved them not having to remove their shoes and be frisked by some overweight stranger. Ben waited on the opposite side of the checkpoint as Keli was searched, and herded through the metal detector, which remained silent. Ben smiled at her for encouragement, and took her hand as she approached.


"Everything go alright?" He asked with a smile on his face.


He knew how much Keli hated strangers touching her, and how she got when they did. Going through a security checkpoint at an airport with complete stranger touching her in every nook and cranny had to be nerve wracking, and in all honesty, Ben could relate. He always felt violated when he had to go through these things, even when they went through the millimeter wave scanner in McCarron Airport in Las Vegas did he feel violated. He shrugged the feelings off and turned his attention back to Keli.


"I'm starting to get really hungry too, so let's go find our gate right quick and we'll eat at whatever restaurant is across from our terminal, how's that sound?" He asked.


His stomach rumbled, as if on queue, causing him to laugh, turn and pull Keli off in a direction. They walked through the strangely deserted hallways for a few minutes before a sign that read "Gates A-G" with an arrow that pointed up the hall. Ben cast a glance back at Keli before turning his attention back to the path in front of him. They walked for what seemed like forever before coming across Gate 83C, that happened to have a deli just across from the terminal. Benjamin shrugged and pulled her into the restaurant and into the short line that awaited inside.


"Sandwiches it is." He said, smiling at her.


It would be an hour and some minutes before their plane was ready to board, and for everyone to find their seats, and since they were flying first class, they would be the first to board. But an hour and some odd minutes was enough to enjoy a solid sandwich and some time on solid ground before they were airborne for five straight hours, but in the end it was worth it. They finally were able to go on that honeymoon that they had been discussing for so long, and it was a solid chance to do so, for free. Benjamin couldn't believe that they were actually preparing to go to a superior five star resort with all expenses paid, and with even money to spend! It was so awesome that it was too good to be true, but it was true.


"Remember, no caffeine or sweets." He said, with a wink.


He turned and kept pace with the line, which was moving forward at quite a fast pace. Eventually the two arrived at the counter, and Ben ordered first, before turning to Keli.


"Your turn, sweets."
 
If any of the TSA officers talked to her it didn't register in Keli's mind. She knew at least one of them asked her a question, probably a request to place her feet a little further apart before informing her they were going to do a pat-down, but all she could do was nod in reply, throat going dry as she felt the swift, detached touch of the officer as they 'searched' her person.


It probably took no more than a minute or so, but to Keli it felt like ages, and by the time they waved her onward her skin had faded slightly, cheeks sinking deeper to accentuate her jawline and cheekbones, as though she were attempting to curl into her own body.


She almost thought about bolting. But just almost. If Ben hadn't been there, his steady, calm gaze encouraging her on, keeping her grounded enough to remind her that everything was okay and it was going to be worth it, she probably would have backed out entirely.


"No alarms," She replied, a weak smile tipping the edges of her lips as her hand slid into his once more, gripping a tiny bit tighter than before as she tried to shake the skin crawling sensation that was rippling up and down her limbs. "I guess we're not all that threatening looking."


The walk to their gate gave her enough time to settle down from the ordeal through security, and she even relaxed enough to mildly enjoy watching some of the people that were milling all about the airport in wait for their own flights.


Crisp, tailored businessmen with their briefcases hurried along down the moving walkways, cellphones glued to their ears, completely oblivious to their surroundings as they rattled on about whatever exchange, deal, or problem their particular company was dealing with that day.


College students milled about here and there, gathered together in loose groups or sprawled across the seats of the terminal, laden with varying sizes and colors of luggage that ranged from oddly shaped suitcases to bulging backpacks, messenger bags, and even a few instrument cases.


They were all interesting to watch, but as they neared their gate Keli's attention was caught by the most endearing sight they'd seen so far today. A tiny girl with blonde pigtails, bare feet, and a fluffy green tutu, was making her way along one of the moving walkways as fast as her chubby little legs could take her, squealing with pure delight, hands thrown out to keep her unsteady balance, a teddy bear clutched tightly in one fist. Close behind came her father, running after his little escapee. Some parents might have been upset, afraid, or even irritated at the adorable little person, but this father clearly was an exception as he quickly caught up to the little tot. An overly dramatic growl rumbled from his chest as he swooped down and gathered up his tiny child, tutu, teddy bear, bare feet and all, a grin wrinkling the lines around his eyes as infectious laughter bubbled from the mass of frilly fabric.


"Mmmm, what a tasty morsel," The father rumbled, turning and making his way back toward their seats, hefting the little girl over his shoulder and tickling the bottoms of her feet as they went.


Their laughter could be heard even after Keli and Ben had passed them, and she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder for a last peek, a warmth filling her heart to see a child so loved.


"Do you suppose if we ran up and down the walkways like that people would think we were crazy?" She teased, leaning into Ben's shoulder as they walked into the deli, sliding a cheeky glance up at him at his admonition to stay away from caffeine or sweets.


"I said no chocolate I didn't say no sweets."


To prove her point, as soon as he was done ordering, she went right ahead and ordered an almond croissant along with her Black Forest Ham on a pretzel roll. Of course, she behaved long enough to decline the offer of having chocolate drizzled over the delicacy.


The deli was so small there was no seating, but once their order had been passed over the counter, they were able to find a couple seats tucked in a corner in front of an expanse of windows.


Nervous energy or extreme hunger aside, Keli did justice to her sandwich, even going so far as to take pinches of Ben's now and again when he got distracted, repaying him with bits of her sticky, flaky pastry.


She gave up trying to interpret the announcements that came over the PA system, shaking her head as she licked some almond paste off the tips of her fingers, daintily folding the remaining crumbs into the wrinkled deli napkin.


"How do they expect people to understand anything they say when one can only hear one word here and there in the midst of all this noise?"
 
Keli always thought she was sneaky, stealing bites of Ben's food every so often when she thought he wasn't looking. He always caught her doing it in the corner of his eye, but just never thought to do something about it. Mostly because he'd gotten used to it during their time spent dating. She would always steal his food, whether it be at a restaurant, or his candy when they went on a movie date. It was just another one of her quirks that he had grown to honestly love.


Ben had been staring off into the distance, thinking about what they where going to do first when he saw her reach for his sandwich to take a small bite from it. He swiveled his head back around and raised an eyebrow. He took his sandwich from her and chowed down on it, but tore off a piece and placed it on Keli's plate. He gave her a kind smile and checked the time on his phone and looked back up at Keli.


"How do they expect people to understand anything they say when one can only hear one word here and there in the midst of all this noise?" She asked, a queer look on her face.


"They're usually nothing of importance, unless there's a storm, or a delay. But most of the time, they say something at your terminal if your plane is running late or early." Ben said. "Good food for a airport deli, though."


He grabbed his fork, and cut a piece from his Oreo pie, and stuffed the piece into his mouth. His eyes lit up and he smiled at Keli before cutting a piece and offering it to her, which she took wholeheartedly.


"Pretty good, huh?" He asked.


He was interrupted by the sound of a squealing scream from a small child, followed by a fit of laughter, which was followed by a deeper laugh. Benjamin turned and looked, seeing the same little girl from before, running as fast as her stubby legs would carry her, trying to keep away from her daddy. The sight made him, a sad longing smile, accompanied by an ache in his chest. He'd wanted to be a father almost as much as he wanted to be a cop. He wanted sons, to teach how to fire a gun, how to change a tire, how to drive, everything a father would do with his son. Everything his father did with him, Ben wanted to do with his son. He smiled once again at the father who looked their way and mouthed an apology. Ben turned back to Keli and sighed audibly.


"I want to start a family, Keli." He said, suddenly.


The look on his face said he wasn't kidding, and when he got that look on his face, whatever he wanted was going to happen. It was the same one that he got when he asked Keli to a second date.
 
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