4
Another week had gone by, and they were all gathered in the park relaxing after the energetic basketball game. Mel and Cameron had been in charge of the food, so there were two Eskies being unpacked. Spence was ravenous and watched eagerly as packets of sandwiches and a big tub of chopped fruit were pulled from the first Esky. All in all, a very healthy selection. But if Spence knew Mel, there would be treats hidden in the depths of the second Esky. He wasn’t disappointed. His stomach rumbled as she placed a tray of chocolate brownies on the table next to a big pile of napkins and some paper plates. Drinks and plastic cups were last out. It was a veritable feast to the starving players, and they all descended on the table, either grabbing some food to take back to a picnic blanket or squeezing into the available space around the table.
Spence found himself between Cameron and Mel. He enjoyed the meal and the conversation. He told them about his work trip—not much to tell really—and Cameron shared a horrifying story about a seriously dodgy and dangerous electrical patch job he’d been dealing with that week.
Spence listened to his friends talk as he sipped from his can of Coke. The sun warmed his skin, his appetite was sated, and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face. For the first time all week, Spence was relaxed and comfortable, surrounded by his friends on such a beautiful day.
Even Suzie was behaving, and he found he could largely ignore her. Sure, she was hanging around Ben as she normally did, but she wasn’t trying to put any of her usual moves on him, and that meant Spence’s gut wasn’t wound up as it usually was and he could enjoy the melon Mel had put on his plate.
Cameron nudged him in the ribs. “Hey, Spence. What do you think is going on with those two?”
Spence looked to where Cameron was pointing—the picnic blanket Ben and Suzie were sharing while picking from the same plate of fruit.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Cameron inclined his head towards the pair on the blanket. “Those two. They look awfully cosy, if you ask me. It’s suspicious. I mean, she’s not trying anything, and Ben’s looking pretty content.”
Content wouldn’t be the word that Spence would have chosen, because, from the tightness around Ben’s eyes and distinct lack of smile, he didn’t think Ben looked totally happy. But maybe Cameron was right. Ben definitely wasn’t looking to move away or invite anyone else to join them on the blanket. Come to think of it, Ben usually didn’t like to be totally alone with Suzie, as her advances usually made him uncomfortable, so the whole situation did seem a bit odd.
Mel leaned over, passing him and Cameron another slice of watermelon each. “You know he went with her to that office party she’s been talking about for the last couple of months. The company put on some sort of dinner dance thing because they’d won a big award.” Suzie was an admin assistant at a large national architectural firm. “Ballgowns, cocktails, the whole hog. She hasn’t stopped talking for days about what a great night it was.”
Spence didn’t know how to take this latest news. He was shocked, to put it mildly, and for the life of him had no idea where Ben’s change of heart had come from. The last thing he knew, Ben was avoiding Suzie like the plague. Then he remembered the game the previous week where Ben had promised Suzie he would go somewhere with her. The office party must have been what they were talking about. No wonder Suzie had looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary. She would have loved the bragging rights of having Ben all dressed up on her arm. Ben dressed up in a suit was a sight to behold.I bet she dragged him around all night like a trophy. He drew the short straw having to go to that one. Poor Ben.But Ben was that type of guy—someone who’d always do a favour for a friend.He was just being a good guy.
But then, as Spence looked away from Mel and back to the picnic blanket, Suzie rearranged herself closer to Ben, leaning against his strong body. Expecting him to pull away, Spencer was shocked to see Ben place an arm gently around her shoulders. His breath caught, and nausea threatened to overwhelm. He swallowed heavily.
Spence could cope with not having Ben, but to see him with someone else was like having his heart torn to pieces. When Ben looked his way and barely gave him a glance, it cemented the feeling of loss.
Cameron and Mel were continuing to talk over his head, Mel retelling the stories told to her by Suzie.
“They had a fabulous dinner.”
“The entertainment was great, and they ended up dancing for hours.”
“Ben wore a tux and looked gorgeous.”
“He dropped her home, and like a gentleman, walked her to the door.”
“He kissed her good night. It was only a peck on the cheek, but it’s early days yet.”
Obviously, Mel was happy to see two of their friends potentially finding happiness together. Spencer, not so much. Not able to handle another minute, he struggled awkwardly from his seat between Cameron and Mel, mumbling something about not feeling well, grabbing his stuff, and walking towards his car as fast as he could.
* * *
Spence parkedhis car out front and wandered down the side of the house, eager to avoid any activity in the living room. Living at home with his family had its disadvantages. He expected the rest of the family to be gathered in the living room watching a movie, something they usually did together on a Sunday night. He just wanted to be alone, to have some quiet time to digest his thoughts and work out the best way forward. He entered from the side door that led straight into the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief, but his avoidance technique failed when his mum entered the kitchen.
She smiled at him before placing a handful of glasses next to the kitchen sink. “What did you get up to today, sweetie? Basketball?”
“Umm, what?” He couldn’t focus.Damn. He knew his mother would want a chat, and he wasn’t up for it.
“I asked if you’d played basketball.”
“Oh. Yeah, basketball. It was okay.”
He tried to head towards the door that led to the hall and the stairs that would take him to the quiet and privacy of his room, but his mum had other ideas. She reached out and touched his arm, pulling him into a hug.
“What’s wrong, Spence?”
All it took was one look at her concerned face for him to break down. He stifled a sob and found himself encased in the warm safety of her arms.
