Benny thought back to a few years ago, before Al’s Antiques had begun hosting these weekly meetups, you’d have to travel two towns over to get anything like it.
As they took their seats, and waited for the meeting to start, Benny sipped on his coffee.Regretting one particular gulp as the shop door flew open.The woman doing the flinging stumbled in her heels, which meant she was hopping inside the entrance as she hollered, “Sorry, sorry.Sorry, I’m late.”
Bethany frigging Mayer.
It was his only thought as coffee spray filled his vision.
What the hell is she doing here?
It was a good question.One he had an answer to sooner than he thought as Catherine, the leader of the session, quickly stood to introduce Bethany.A physician from Goldacre, here to answer any medical questions the group may have.
Fuck.
Time stood still as their gazes locked.Neither of them saying a word as they continued to stare into each other.She was shocked to see him, and she didn’t hide it.He kept his eyes on her, not caring the whole room was taking in the show.They were already the talk of the town, why not pour some more gasoline on the fire.
Benny had no idea how long the inappropriate eye contact went on for, but when fake coughs became too loud to ignore, he figured it had been a while.
“What are you doing here?”Bethany finally asked, in front of everyone.“Are you...did you...”
“Have cancer?”He took pity on her as she started to get flustered.“No.”
Benny felt his mom’s hand on his arm at the same time as Bethany’s eyes flicked to it.And then back to him.
“Y-your mom...Mrs.Tucker, shit, I mean Gloria,you...shit.”Apparently, the fact they had an audience still hadn’t sunk in.“When?How?Why didn’t you—”
Benny stood, he needed to end this if not for his mom, for him.He wasn’t ready to talk about this.Not with her.Not now.
“B, let’s...”He gestured to the front door.“Outside?”
That’s when it clicked.Frantic forest eyes went around the room as a pink flush crept up her neck.She nodded at the realization and muttered, “sorry” a few more times as she headed straight for the exit.Benny following closely behind her.
“What type?”She didn’t even wait for him to reach her on the cobbles before she whipped around, looking determined.
“Breast.”
“It’s gone?”
“It’s gone,” he confirmed.
“But it came back?”
Wait.How did she—
“It came back.”He swallowed hard.“A few years ago.”
Bethany frowned.“When?”
“When what?”
“When was she diagnosed, when did it come back?What was her treatment plan?”
Benny tilted his head back until he was gazing into the night sky, his patience was now relying solely on the sight of the blanket of stars above him.He got it.He knew her well enough to know this was how she processed things.She asked questions.Lots of them.She needed cold hard facts before she unleashed any sort of feelings.But knowing that didn’t make this any easier.
Even as she called his name, prompting a reply, he focused on his breathing.Deep breaths in and out.When he finally turned his attention back to Bethany, her doctor mask had slipped, and the woman he remembered was staring back at him.Wide eyes glistening with concern, worry and sadness.It was enough to get him talking.
“Four years ago, it came back.”He tried to keep the emotion out of his voice, but it was costing him.“Chemo, mastectomy and radiation.”
Bethany nodded.“And before...when was she originally diagnosed?”
