“I offered but with all their stuff in their home it just made more sense for them to sleep in their own beds. They come over for breakfast and dinners, I make sure all is well with them and they can call me anytime. It’s worked out well so far. They miss their Mom of course and I know she misses them.”
Ben thought about that. “Do you think they’d like to visit her for the weekend?”
The people gathered around the table blinked at Ben. “I’m taking a jet to Milan to see Gabriella this weekend. I can bring them along and they can come back on Sunday night on the jet. I’ll continue on to Australia on a commercial flight.”
“Oh my god! I think they’d love that! I know Gabriella would!” Catherine gushed.
Ben got up from the table to go into the kitchen to call his friend with the jet service. As business had been slow recently the man was delighted to hear from Ben once more. Arrangements made he returned to the dining room and was immediately grabbed by two overjoyed kids.
“Awww you told them?” Ben whined at Catherine whose grin was a dead giveaway.
“Thank you so much Ben!” Miriam gushed.
“You can’t tell her as it has to be a surprise!” he insisted and the kids nodded emphatically.
They rushed back to the living room to play with their friends.
Beth leaned towards Ben. “Are you allowed to take the kids out of the country?”
He smiled. “Gabriella gave me a letter before we went to France stating I was authorized to travel abroad with her kids. It was just a precaution against disaster but it will work in this situation as well.”
“That’s a lot of trust!” Beth said with a smile and Ben nodded.
Karen and Penny excused themselves as they had homework to do.
Lucy picked up Christopher as the child was yawning and rubbing at his eyes. Tina followed them out with a goodnight to the others.
Hannah looked at the clock. “It’s almost eight o’clock. We’re going to have a group therapy session downstairs in Ben’s media room. All are welcome to join us. I highly recommend it as it’s very therapeutic.”
Ashley looked at Hannah curiously but also a little nervously. “What happens?”
“We just talk. We take turns though if you don’t feel like speaking this time that’s fine too. We express things that we need to release. No topic is off limits. There’s no judgement. We’re all there to listen and support each other. Sharing that way is very good for the soul,” Hannah explained and Ashley looked at Ben as if requesting permission.
“As Hannah said, all are welcome. If you’d like to join us that would be great! You can bring Joshua as he’s sleeping peacefully and it’s quieter downstairs. The girls are having fun.”
Catherine looked at Hannah who nodded. “Please join us.” Cat smiled.
Ben led the way with Hannah, Beth, Ashley and Catherine bringing up the rear. As they entered the room Beth smelled the peanut butter cookies and she beamed a smile at Ben.
They got comfortable on the couches Ben had arranged in a rough triangle. He peeled the plastic wrap off the cookies and held out the plate to Beth who took two. Everyone helped themselves to some cookies and relaxed back in the comfy seating munching on the chewy treats.
“Ben, would you like to start us off?” Hannah asked.
He took a deep breath. “Sure. What I’d like to talk about tonight is the source of my aversion to being called ‘hero’ or being treated like one.” Eyes widened as the others leaned forward unconsciously.
He began with how the suppressed memories had begun leaking out recently and the pain he’d been experiencing. He went on to explain how Rain had made it possible for him to finally open up due to their shared experiences with foster care.
Then he told them what happened that snowy night in his past.
It was still hard to say but he realized Rain had been right that the pain lessened with each telling.
Ashley and Catherine had tears in their eyes when he finished and looked up at his friends. He wiped his own tears from his eyes and thanked them for listening.
Hannah wasn’t able to speak since her throat was closing as she struggled not to cry. Beth was visibly touched as well but cleared her throat and leaned forward to address the group.
“That was an incredible breakthrough Ben. I believe… I believe I can honestly say that none of us think you were in the wrong for what you had to do that night. It was a horrible situation you were forced into.” She shook her head. “Well, what I have to share is far less profound but I suppose that’s also a benefit of these sessions. Getting perspective on your troubles.” She smiled faintly at the others.
She related some difficulty she was having with a new hygienist at the dental office. How she was overly familiar with one of the dentists who was married. His behavior reminded her of her husband’s before he cheated on her. It made her sad, angry, and confused.
“Should I confront her? Should I confront him? I don’t want to lose my job but it hurts to see this every day,” Beth said softly.
Hannah took her hand in hers. “The new hygienist isn’t someone you know well?”
Beth shook her head.
“But the dentist is?” A nod.
“I don’t think confronting them is the answer. However, if the environment is making you sad perhaps you might address that in his presence. Let him know how you felt when you discovered your husband had cheated on you. How it turned your world upside down and how a little honesty would have prevented so much pain. Don’t make it about him but the parallel should be obvious to him.”
Beth thought about that and nodded. She smiled at her friend.
“Catherine?” Hannah asked.
“I- I think I’ll just listen for now,” Cat said and Hannah nodded.
“I think I’d like to share something,” Ashley said timidly. She had everyone’s attention. “As you may have guessed, I have strong feelings about my faith. It’s how I was raised and it gives me a sense of peace. It also helped me through some dark times during my marriage. The community of the church gave me a feeling of belonging to something bigger than just myself. Even during my marriage I was able to attend church and feel like I belonged. Since I’ve been here I’ve been trying to find a church and a congregation I fit into. I’ve been to a number of them and nothing has clicked for me. I love attending service with my daughters but the congregations have been less welcoming than I hoped. I still feel a deep connection to God when I am in his house but the moment the service is over I almost feel compelled to leave.”
She took a deep breath and smiled at the people around her. “I just realized tonight during that delightful meal we all shared that this is the community I missed. You’re all so respectful of my faith and so inclusive. I really feel like we’re wanted and welcomed! I’m not sure how to continue with my search for a new church. I’m going to have to travel across town to continue searching but… I almost feel like I should just attend service in the nearest church, which is very nice, has a good priest, and a lovely service, and just leave directly after the service to come back to our own little community. Is that wrong?”
“I don’t think any of us are qualified to call that right or wrong. I’ve always thought of faith as a deeply personal expression of love. As such you’re the only one who can determine if you feel like you are being true to it. Not being accepted by a church’s congregation sounds like a weakness in them. You are accepted here, completely,” Ben said.
Hannah nodded and leaned forward. “I had a religious upbringing but my parents were heavy handed on dolling out guilt for any offense. Attending service was mandatory as we were pillars of the community and the church depended on us. In a sense it did as, on the secular side, churches depend on the attendance of its congregation for financial support. The collection plate helps fund its survival. As does involvement in fundraising activities and charity events. In my case my parents instilled a feeling of obligation in us to be involved in everything even though we couldn’t really afford to be financially. My argument at that time was that by attending service and contributing what I could to the collection plate, I was supporting the church. Even the priest agreed with me but it was my parent’s constant disapproval and harassment that ruined the experience for me. I rebelled and became quite a problem child.”
Ben grinned as he tried to see Hannah as a radical youth. The two images were such polar opposites. She glanced and saw his grin. “Laugh all you want, I was a wild one.”
“Not doubting you, just loving the image,” Ben acknowledged and Hannah accepted that with a rush of warmth.
They ate some more cookies and the conversation turned to Ben’s upcoming legal case. He frowned as this returned him to the memories of being accosted by the women in the mall and the waiting room.
“What is it Ben?” Beth asked.
He relaxed his forehead and sighed. “I don’t know if it was part of their strategy but Wendy spoke to a gossip magazine and said some… rude and personal things about me apparently. I haven’t read it but I suspect Tina has. On two occasions I was accosted by strangers in public demanding I address something they read about me. Deeply personal things. There is always a chance that Wendy and her lawyer could escalate so these occurrences may increase. The public’s attention hasn’t waned yet so they are ripe for more gossip.” He scowled as he tried to understand. “I don’t know why she would be saying these things. Is it just the money or is she really that bitter? What did I do to make her this angry?”