Page 75 of Benga's Rise

Chapter Ten

Raid

“Do you wanna go downtown maybe have a little high dollar wine?” She’s making this hard to keep a straight face.

“Do I make you wanna drink?”

She laughs. “Do you wanna go out to the country and maybe blow all our money on some sugar at the truck stop and some scratch-offs, see if we can get lucky?”Where is she going with this shit?

“Do you wanna go for a ride and hit the convenience store for candy and the lotto?”

Her eyes shine. “Do I make you wanna lean back and kiss me?”

“Do you wanna do more than kiss me?”

She laughs smiling. “Do I make you feel like you can be yourself?”

“As long as you’re with me.”

“Always.” Fuck if that’s not a good answer. I pull her over and kiss her.

Daniel has timing issues. “Ewww. I’m ready.”

Lorelei is laughing against my mouth. “Fucking kids.”I stand and set her down.

“I got the cups today.” She limps to the sink with the cups then looks back.

I smile knowing she isn’t making it back, she’s got pain in her eyes, but I’m glad she tried. “Doc said a couple of days with the crutches. It won’t be long.”

“Yeah, Ma. You made it today. I bet in a couple of days you won't need the crutches at all.”

I smile at his encouragement and love that she does too. “That’s true. I made it here. By next week it won’t even be a question of whether I can and I won’t remember today at all. Well, maybe theDo I make you wannagame will be remembered.” She smiles bright and right at me.

I laugh and hand her the crutches. “Let’s go, maybe I can find something else to make this day memorable.”

Daniel watches us. “Like the song?”

“What song?”

Lorelei stops. “He’s confused with something else.”

“No, I mean is the game like the song?Baby, what's on your mind when you see me pull up in your drive? Do you wanna go downtown maybe have a little high dollar wine? Do you wanna go out to the countryand maybe blow all our money...that song. Is that the game?” He sings the words and I laugh at her surprised red face.

The little shit, she was using a song. “It’s the game. I didn’t know the answers. It’s good to have someone around that remembers everything.” I shake my head at her. “I think I like the song, baby. Let’s get moving before Little Einstein misses his bus.”

She clears her throat. “Yeah. Thanks, Little Einstein.”

A song. At the bus stop, the chick with three kids is waiting with the oldest. “Look at you in a brace now. I bet it feels good to bend your knee.”

Lorelei beams back at her. “It does and I’m getting good with the crutches. When I master them, I won’t need them anymore.”

She’s probably right. “You look great. You’re gaining weight and it looks good on you. You’ve always had that pretty face, but you look younger and happy.”

Lorelei smiles at me. “My family is making sure I eat right and I think Raid and Daniel have something to do with the happy.”

The bus pulls up and I get the kids on it while listening. Lorelei does look healthier. I’ve always thought she was pretty, but her smile now looks better, prettier. My ruby is shining through.

“Have a good day, Lorelei and Raid.”