“Our voice is very much self-aware. We comprehend the nature of our audience and the impact our dialogue has on the lives of those we speak for. You would be fully involved in the process of telling your story, ensuring the truth is front and center and preserving as much of your privacy as can be done now that you’ve reached this level of… notoriety. Celebrity is a cruel mistress. We can work with you to limit your exposure,” she smiled. “In your case perhaps a more accurate target would be to redirect attention away from your over exposure,” Naomi suggested.
Ben squirmed under her gaze of frank appreciation.
“I’d prefer to be completely ignored,” he muttered.
“Yet the public has seen much and hungers for more after hearing of your heroism.” Ben scowled and Naomi’s keen eye caught that reaction and filed it away. “The phrase about nature abhorring a vacuum applies to the public’s desire for information about people they have hoisted up onto a pillar.”
Ben’s expression was bleak as he contemplated the no win situation he was being cornered in.
A car swung around the circular court and stopped next to the curb beside them.
“Ben, is everything alright?” Rochelle asked as she shut her car off.
He looked over and saw his neighbor looking at him from her car’s open window.
“Hi Rochelle. Yes, this is Naomi Klassen. She was suggesting she might be able to help me limit the public’s attention.”
“Naomi? Naomi Grant?” Rochelle gasped as she recognized the woman with Ben. She stepped from the car.
Naomi turned her face completely towards Rochelle and her expression froze. “Rochelle Jameson?”
Ben’s eyes moved back and forth between the two women. “You two know each other?”
Naomi quickly turned to face Ben and her smile was back in place but there was a nervous quality to it.
“Yes, we went through College together. We had some mutual friends-” she began when Rochelle’s barking laugh cut her off. The shorter woman moved next to Ben and looked up at Naomi.
“You slept with my boyfriends.”
Ben’s eyebrows went up.
“Yes, that wasn’t a very bright moment in my life. I was suffering through some pretty bad self-esteem issues. I’m terribly sorry for my past behavior and for any pain I caused you at the time,” she said with a sincere tone.
Rochelle was still looking at her with a scowl but she accepted the apology as gracefully as she could. “Klassen?”
Naomi smiled and seemed to relax a little. “I finally got married about a year ago. How about you?”
Rochelle looked at Ben then back to the woman. “I’m Rochelle King now. Widowed. I have a 21 year old daughter and an 18 year old son.”
Naomi gave Rochelle a sympathetic look and saw Ben was beginning to fidget. She had to bring the conversation back to him. She needed his story. It would be a huge feather in her cap if she could get the exclusive.
“I was telling Ben that the media house I work for, Culture Couture Critic, could help defuse the media frenzy with a controlled and discrete delivery of his story,” she said with a smile.
Ben’s head twitched back at the idea of sharing his story with strangers.
“I just want to be left alone. Can you make them do that?” he grumbled.
The tension was back. “I don’t think anyone would be able to put the genie back in the bottle and as long as the mystery remains people are going to want to know. Your best avenue back to some sense of normality would be to deliver enough information to quench their hunger sufficiently. We could do this for you and protect you from being hounded by the other media outlets… if we had the exclusive,” she said carefully.
Rochelle smiled. “There she is.”
Ben looked to her as she turned her eyes to him.
“Naomi needs the exclusive. That would give her career a significant boost if she landed an exclusive with you considering your refusal to speak with anyone in the media.”
“So you think I should maintain my silence?” he asked his friend.
She looked at him in surprise. Rochelle hadn’t expected him to put such faith in her. She felt incredibly flattered and that pleasure showed in her smile. She placed her hand on his arm as her face warmed up. Naomi looked a little peeved.
“I think that’s a decision you need to consider a little more carefully. Maybe speak with Gabriella as well. She’s always had a level head for important decisions like this. Naomi may have a point about controlling the information being delivered. How much editorial control you would have over the ‘story’ is still a question she needs to answer.”
Ben nodded to Rochelle. He looked back to Naomi. “I’m going to follow Rochelle’s advice on this and take a little more time to consider the options. If you have a business card I’ll let you know if I choose to give an interview. That’s the best I can do for now.”
Naomi pulled a white card from her jacket pocket and handed it over to Ben. “Thank you Ben. Please feel free to call me any time with your decision. I hope we can work with you on this.”
Ben shook her hand once more and she held it out to Rochelle who only hesitated for a second before she gripped the woman’s hand. With a final smile at the two of them Naomi walked back to her car and drove away.
“Thanks for stopping Rochelle. This whole situation is a mess,” he gave her a hug and she grinned up at him. “How are you doing? You’re home early today!”
Rochelle’s smile faded. “I had to come home as the police are bringing Jayden back to the house. He’s under house arrest and will be wearing an ankle monitor.”
“What? What happened?” Ben exclaimed.
“I didn’t want to bring it up as you were going through so much when you got back from your trip, what with the adoption and your sessions with Doctor Evil.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “It’s Dr. Granger. She’s- she’s not evil. Now about Jayden, talk to me.”
Rochelle glanced down to the end of the block where a police cruiser was turning onto their street. “Sorry Ben, I’ll have to take a rain check. He’s home.” She patted his arm and rushed back to her car.
Ben watched her drive around the loop to her driveway and park. The cruiser followed her in and two officers got out. They helped Jayden out of the backseat and walked the sullen young man into the house behind his mother. Ben picked up his tool box and headed up his own driveway. He went into the garage and put away his tools.
Entering his home from the garage he took a deep breath and his mouth immediately began to water. Tina had worked her magic again.
He walked into the kitchen and saw Tina moving around the kitchen with her usual efficiency. She glanced up as he entered and a smile flashed onto her lovely face. Pregnancy was really agreeing with her. She positively glowed with health which was a sharp contrast to the first month.
The diamond ring he’d given her when he proposed to her on the Eiffel Tower glittered and gleamed on her finger. He’d had it resized when he got home and she wore it constantly. They hadn’t set a date for the wedding yet as she’d wanted him to finish his sessions with Dr. Granger. They had to readdress the date now that he’d stopped going. That was an outstanding issue.
Tina was supposed to be attending University this fall after taking some summer courses but with Ben’s injuries and her pregnancy she decided to reschedule for the following year. That would give her enough time to spend time with their new baby.
Her son Christopher was enjoying himself in Daphne’s daycare though Tina didn’t take him there every day. Speaking of which, Ben glanced at the clock. It was just about time to pick him up. As Tina looked busy he would do it. He walked over and gathered Tina in his arms. The petite woman tilted her head back and he kissed her tenderly. She trembled a little in his arms and once he pulled back her expression was dreamy.
“I’m going to go pick up Christopher,” Ben said with a smile.
“Thank you Ben.”
“Dinner smells amazing!”
“I made lasagna, Penny and Karen’s favorite.”
“You’re such a good mom!” he grinned and she swatted his arm with a smile of her own.
He gave her another quick kiss and let her go. She quickly went to check on the garlic bread in the oven.
Ben left the house and walked over to Daphne’s place where he could see three cars parked on the street. Parents coming to pick up their children from the daycare. He normally tried to avoid the other parents but he wanted to help Tina.
He walked into the foyer and sure enough three women were standing there waiting for their kids to get their coats and shoes on. He racked his memory to recall their names. Ellen, Heather, and… Dawn!
“Hi Ben!” Dawn greeted him with a wide grin. Instantly the other two turned to beam wide, knowing grins of their own at him. Eyes roamed his body.
He sighed quietly. They were all aware of the damned bronze statue.
“Good afternoon Dawn, Heather, Ellen,” he smiled graciously and their smiles got even wider.
“Picking up Christopher? He such a sweet boy! He gets along so well with my Sammy,” Heather exclaimed.
“Daddy!”
Ben smiled as the boy in question came barrelling into the foyer. Not quite running but faster than a walk, at sixteen months old Christopher was now able to get himself around with surprising speed. More of a controlled fall, he tended to stop himself by crashing against walls, chairs, and in this case Ben’s legs. Ben scooped the little man up and gave him a hug and a kiss causing Christopher to giggle wildly.
“Where’s your sweater?” Ben asked and Christopher pointed back into the daycare.
He set the boy back on his feet. “Well, go get it.” Christopher tottered away.
Sammy was tugging on his mom’s sleeve but she was staring at Ben, her mind lost in her fantasies. Finally she realized her son was there. She blushed, said her goodbyes and left with her son.