His dad hmphed, and his mum started asking Maddy questions about the rest of her outfit. Ben had absolutely no interest in what she was going to wear, but it was amazing to see her happy and so enthusiastic that Ben couldn’t help returning her grin.
They passed the food around the table, piling their plates high with salad and baked potatoes. Ben topped his with mounds of sour cream—not exactly health food but totally irresistible—and it looked like it was going to be pleasant lunch after all.
He picked up his knife and fork and proceeded to enjoy the succulent steak, only speaking to thank his mum for the meal, quite content to listen to Maddy chat about her day, the dress, and the party.
Once they’d all finished and the plates were cleared, Peggy headed back inside to get the apple pie, which had been warming in the oven. Unfortunately, his dad took that as an opportunity to turn the conversation to Ben and his demands for his son’s future.
Ben sighed.I should have known the peace wouldn’t last.
“So, boy,” his dad began. Never a good start to any conversation, particularly when he had a slight slur to his words. “That business of yours doing well?”
A sense of relief came over Ben. He could talk about work. “It’s going to plan—still building slowly. I have enough regular work to pay the bills, and more of the bigger jobs are coming in. I’m doing the landscaping for one of those big new houses out in the valley. If it all goes well, I’m hoping for some word of mouth business, because so many new houses are being built out there. I’m hoping to leverage the construction boom.”
His father nodded as he sloshed more whiskey into the glass. “And what about a girlfriend? It’s time a man your age got serious about settling down. I was married by the time I was your age. Your mother is dying to get started on planning a wedding and doesn’t want to wait forever to be a grandmother. All she ever talks about is you finally realising what you want and settling down, having a family of your own.” He paused for another slug of whiskey before continuing. “You still seeing that Suzie girl? Bob said she’s been going out late at night and getting up to all sorts of mischief. I’d hate to think you were encouraging that sort of behaviour. Like I said, it’s time you get serious, not party your life away.” Ben’s parents were friends with Suzie’s mum and dad, another reason his parents seemed to want to push the two of them together.
“Dad, you know that Suzie and I are only friends. She was seeing someone, and although that’s over now, she’s probably not ready to jump back into dating. I promise, we’ve never gone out; not like that, anyway.”
The look he got from his father made him squirm in his seat. It was full of suspicion and doubt.What is he thinking about? Worried that I’m leading Suzie astray or just worried about me in general?
“So whohaveyou gone out with? You know,” he made air quotes, “that way.”
Ben looked across at his father in shock. This was the closest his father had come to broaching the subject that Ben had avoided for so long. His throat tightened. He definitely did not want to go down that path. He sat there, not sure what response he could give. He’d never really dated anyone, preferring to hang out with his group of friends. It hadn’t been questioned until now, but the fact he never dated or had a girlfriend was bound to throw up a few red flags.
His father leaned closer; his voice lowered. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you didn’t have much interest in girls. But luckily, I know that’snotthe case. Right, boy?” Another splash of whiskey into the glass. “Right, boy?”
Ben cleared his throat. “Right, Dad,” he finally responded.
His dad nodded and raised his glass to his mouth.
Ben looked across the table at Maddy, who just stared back, a small smile of sympathy on her face. The only positive was that the short exchange had taken the focus away from Maddy. If one of them was going to be in the firing line, as happened at most meals, he’d rather it be him, no matter how uncomfortable it made him.
“Peggy!” Ian shouted. “What’s taking so long with that damned pie?”
* * *
Later that night,Ben paced around the apartment, unable to sit still, his body shaking with pent-up frustration. As he walked a path back and forth in the small space, he pondered the situation with his father. Despite all his efforts,nothinghe had done so far had pleased the man, at least not to the point where he would leave Ben alone. There always seemed to be something that made him unhappy. First, there was the sport thing; all the pressure from his father meant Ben had basically given up on his sporting dreams, instead focusing all his energy on building the landscaping business. He could almost hear his dad’s words.A man builds a solid, secure future, doesn’t fritter it away on wild dreams that will most likely never eventuate.Ben scraped his hands through his hair. You’d think the success he’d had so far would keep his dad off his back, but no such luck—heneverlet up.
Then there was all the stuff Ben still did around the house. He was over there most weekends doing odd jobs—cleaning the car, working in the garden, and all the other things his father seemed to find for him to do, too lazy to do it himself. And that didn’t count the times during the week when he called in just to make sure everything was okay with his mum and Maddy. But every visit was yet another opportunity for his father to challenge him and place demands on him. He wished that once, just once, he could enjoy a pleasant visit with his family.
And now it was the lecturing about finding a nice girl and settling down. He knew his mum just wanted him to be happy, but for his dad, it was all about appearances and ticking the box on the timeline of appropriate life events.
Ben sighed. Just like he’d tried to understand his mother, Ben had tried to work out why his father had certain expectations of him and could only come to one conclusion—his father was resentful of any success that Ben might have.
The young Ian Cooper had potential, and he’d seen professional rugby league in his future, only to have his dreams dashed when Peggy had fallen pregnant with Ben. Ben didn’t think his father was happy with the early marriage, instant family, and the need to get a job, regardless of how it had all turned out. His father had started with pretty much nothing and built his own successful contracting business. He wasn’t rich by any stretch of the imagination, but he’d had professional success and didn’t have financial worries.
What sort of man is resentful of his own son’s success?
He plonked down on the sofa, disappointed that he couldn’t live his own life without any interference. But following his own path was such an unrealistic dream, something that would never happen. Not while his dad was around. Ben closed his eyes and allowed himself to picture the future he really wanted—something he didn’t do too often because why allow the regrets and put himself through all that anguish? In the future of his dreams, he would still have the landscaping business, because that was something he had truly grown to love, but he just couldn’t imagine himself with someone like Suzie no matter how hard he tried.
If he was true to his heart, he didn’t have to look far to know what andwhohe really wanted, but he was in no position to follow his heart.
The very idea of doing something his father disapproved of caused Ben’s stomach to clench. His dad had a habit of taking his unhappiness and disappointment out on those closest to him. But if Ben was honest, he was also scared of what would happen if he trulydidfollow his heart and what it would mean to the friendships that meant the most to him.One friendship in particular.That friendship and all that came with it—the understanding of someone who truly cared, the ability to relax and let his guard down, the support, the moments of laughter….
Ben broke from his reverie as his mobile phone rang, blaring out the boring ringtone he had been meaning to change for ages. He fumbled for the device on the coffee table, picked it up, and looked at the screen.Spencer. Finally, a reason to smile. He touched the screen to answer the call, tension already dissolving as he leaned back against the cushions.
“Hey, Spence. What’s up?”
“Not a lot. Just checking you’re still on for the game tomorrow.”
