Beauty and the Geek

"I'm glad I was there tonight," he told her as their eyes met and locked.

"Me, too," she barely managed to say.

There was an even more uncomfortable silence before he let go of her hands and told her 'goodnight' very quietly as the electricity vanished with the physical connection.

"Goodnight, Benjamin. And thank you."

"My pleasure, Becky."

As he turned to go down the steps she said, "I really would like to hear you play."

He looked around then walked backwards.

"I'm gonna hold you to that!" he said with a laugh.

"Wait!" she called back but not too loudly as it was almost midnight.

He stopped and turned back around. Oddly, her heart was pounding as she heard herself ask if they could exchange phone numbers.

He sort of hopped back up the steps then told her, "That would make getting together a little easier, wouldn't it?"

The dim light was just right and revealed a very pleasant smile as she told him it would.

The data was exchanged, and Benjamin once again wished her a good night. Inexplicably, she said something else she couldn't believe.

"Oh. Next time I want to drive!"

She heard him chuckle and say, "No problem. Just don't peel out, okay?"

"I won't!" she called back as he waved and got in glossy, black Mustang.

She stayed until he left, but before he took off, he revved the engine again, and he saw her cover her mouth when she laughed. She waved back and he was gone.

When she got inside and locked the door she realized her phone had 'swooshed' several times. She'd heard each one but didn't bother looking because being with Benjamin had been such a pleasant and unexpected experience. There were three texts and a missed phone call from Todd.

She had no desire to look at the texts or listen to his voicemail, but she feared how he might react if she ignored them.

The gist of it all was that he was essentially chiding her for "blowing him off" with the voicemail hinting around that she should just...blow him. Disgusted, she erased the voicemail and got ready for bed.

Just before she laid down, she looked at her phone again.

"No."

She laid down then grabbed it and looked again.

"No! You're not doing that."

But before she could set it down, she found his number and started a text.

"I just wanted to thank you for being so...."

She thought for a moment then smiled.

"So...chivalrous. I was actually a little afraid in the parking lot, so your kind offer to help was most welcome."

She added a happy emoji and sent. Satisfied, she set the phone down and smiled just as it swooshed.

"Helping out a damsel in distress is another thing my dad taught me. I'm really glad I had the chance to help."

There wasn't an emoji with it, and for a brief moment she felt sad before realizing that was silly. In the extreme. She reread it...twice...then put it down for good and was asleep a few minutes later.

It was just before noon when she woke up with a start.

"Oh, my gosh!" she said as she threw the covers off. Gayle was dropping by at noon, and she was a mess.

She pulled off the nightie, threw on a tee-shirt, brushed her hair as she peed, then pulled on some jeans and socks and headed for the kitchen. The coffee was ready just seconds before Gayle rang the doorbell, and Becky took a deep breath before opening it.

"Hey! How was your...date?" Gayle asked as she said the coffee smelled wonderful.

"Oh. Right. It uh, it...it didn't really happen."

"OH???"

Becky tried to downplay everything and made it seem factual and no big deal.

"So...asshat got angry and left with two very cute cheerleaders, and the hot trumpet player took you home. Is that about right?"

The look on Gayle's face and her tone of voice were almost enough to make her best friend blush, but she continued downplaying it.

"He's in high school, for heaven's sakes."

"But also very cute!"

"He's...okay."

Becky couldn't look at her when she answered, so she grabbed two cups and poured their coffee in them.

"And that's all there is to the story? Just a ride home?"

"What else is there to say?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"That look!" Becky said to herself as she took a sip to avoid eye contact.

"Well, he and his dad restored the car he was driving."

"Really? So he likes doing...masculine things, huh?"

"Would you STOP!"

Gayle could see Becky was annoyed but not angry and kept digging.

"What kind of car?"

"A '67 Mustang, if you must know."

She looked it up on her phone and said, "Ooooh! That is one nice car."

She held the pic up so Becky could look. She pretended not to care but secretly thought it was quite nice.

"His father passed away."

"What? Oh my god. What happened?"

"I don't know. I just know Benjamin said they were very close and worked on it together for over two years. And he also showed him how to build a house."

Gayle's eyes grew wide followed by a furrowed brow.

"Are you sure he's only 18?"

"I...I assume so. He said his dad gave him the car when he turned 18, so...."

"Construction. Say, isn't that also something normally associated with...oh, what's the word? Oh, right! Masculinity?"

"Gayle, I swear I'm gonna come hurt you!"

Her friend laughed and told her to lighten up.

"Come on, Becks. It's not like you're ever gonna see him again."

When Becky looked away--again--Gayle knew there was more to the story.

"You're not going to see him again...right?"

"I told him I'd love to hear him play sometime, so yeah, we might get together again. But only to hear him play."

"Oh. Okay," her friend said, an 'uh-huh' kind of look on her face.

"It's not like that," Becky said, even though there was no reason to tell her that unless she had doubts about it being true.

"Becks? I'm happy for you. So you can't date him. He's still a very nice, very polite young man who helped you out in a pinch. And...he's musically inclined, rebuilds old cars, and knows how to build a house. So what, right?"

The gleam in her eye made Becky say, "Ughhhh! What is wrong with you???"

Gayle took another sip then tilted her head a bit and asked when her knight in shining Chevy was going to play for her.

"I don't know!" came the nearly indignant reply.

"Okay."

The single word was said in an 'if you say so' tone that further infuriated Becky.

"So...how pissed off is Todd?"

Surprised but relieved by the sudden shift in the topic, Becky shook her head.

"I didn't even respond to his texts."

"How many did he send?"

"Three. And a voicemail. A...disgusting voicemail."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

Becky raised her eyebrows to indicate she was listening.

"This is the perfect time to get out. And before you say I'm hinting around about you and...this boy...I'm not. I'm just saying it's high time you put this Todd guy in your rearview mirror."

It took Becky a good while to reply.

"I'm...scared."

"Oh, Becky! Sweetie."

Gayle came over and hugged her and told her it would be okay.

"I'll go with you if you like."

She saw a tear well up in her friend's eye and sat down next to her.

"If you need me, I'm here. In fact, I'll be here anytime you need me."

Becky leaned her head on Gayle's shoulder and thanked her.

"Why can't I find a guy my age who's like Benjamin?"

Gayle put her arm around her and assured her that her Benjamin was out there.

"Just don't get cynical about men and give up, okay?"

"It's just so hard."

Becky cried a bit then dried her eyes.

"Sorry. I know you're right. And...I'm going to do that. Today."

"Hey! There you go! That's my girl!"

They hugged then turned their attention to what they wanted to do that day, and for a while anyway, everything felt right in Becky's world.

The two women were having a wonderful time when Todd called. Becky ignored it, and he called again two minutes later.

"Go ahead. Answer it," Gayle told her.

"Todd? Hi."

She put it on speaker phone and Gayle used hers to record the call. She felt sick as Macho Man began berating her friend and saying things that made her skin crawl.

"Todd? Stop," Becky said, shocking her friend.

"Stop? You don't tell me to...stop. Who the hell do you think you're talking to here, BITHCH?"

Gayle's eyes were wide with fear and in expectation.

Becky replied so calmly it shocked more than the first comment.

"I'm talking to my former boyfriend."

Becky took advantage of the stunned silence and shredded Todd Andrews from stem to stern as she tore him up for the way he talked to her and the terrible way he treated her.

"So maybe your little cheerleaders will let you talk to them like that, but I won't. We're done, Todd. It's over. And if you call me back or try and contact me again, I recorded this call, and you'll regret it."

He started to talk, but Becky cut him off.

"Uh-uh. I have no interest in anything you have to say with one exception. Do you understand me?"

A quiet, dejected voice replied, flatly, "Yeah. I understand."

She hung up then looked at Gayle whose mouth was open wide in disbelief.

"You...were...amazing!"

"Yeah, I kinda was, wasn't I?"

Becky began laughing, and Gayle joined in and hugged her friend.

"I feel so much...lighter," Becky told her.

"You should. You just got rid of 185 pounds of...shit."

They laughed again then held hands as they continued looking through the third of many antique stores they planned to hit that day.

Gayle watched how often Becky checked her phone and assumed it was to see if Todd was dense enough to try contacting her. But by the fifth store she realized it wasn't about Todd.

"You like him, don't you."

"What? What are you talking about?" came the defensive reply.

Gayle took her friend's hand and said, "I get it. A guy was nice to you. He made you feel special. So it's normal to feel something."

She squeezed Becky's hand then said, "But he's a guy who's...still a boy."

Gayle felt horrible when she saw her friend's reaction. Yet here again, it had to be said.

"It's so unfair," Becky said almost without emotion.

"Becky. Look at me."

Gayle waited and smiled.

"Honey? Life is unfair. So while this...boy...can't be the one, it can be a source of hope, right? You now have confirmation that there really are good, decent men out there."

Becky knew that was true, but she wasn't willing to accept it, because so far, Benjamin was the one and only man or boy or guy who'd demonstrated that. By extrapolation, there had to men who were at least say...25 who were as kind and caring and...masculine. She'd just never met one. And if the past was any indication of the future things didn't bode well for that. Or, by extension, for her.

They were on their way home, and Becky had stopped checking her phone. She'd also stopped feeling good about her breakup with Todd. But just as Gayle turned onto her street, Becky heard a 'swoosh' that made her flinch so badly that Gayle laughed.

A quick glance told Gayle it had to be from Benjamin.

"Go on. Check it," she said with a smile as Becky opened the text.

The smile on her face said it all.

"So????"

"He's asking if tomorrow would be a good time to hear him play."

Again, Gayle said, "And...so???"

"Should I?"

"It's just music, right?"

"Right. It's just music," Becky repeated.

"Then tell him 'yes'."

"Really?"

Gayle tried to sound supportive and said, "Go on! Send it!"

"Tomorrow is perfect, Benjamin! What time and where?"

"How about 6pm at my place? I have a modest little room where I record music and the sound is really good."

She told Gayle, "He has a recording studio. In his house."

"How is that possible?"

"I have no idea."

"Didn't his father pass away? Maybe there was some money?"

"I don't know, but that's where he'll be playing for me."

Trying to be funny Gayle said, "Just make sure he doesn't try and play...you!"

Becky didn't laugh, and Gayle realized she had feelings for this...guy. She wanted to warn her again but let it go hoping it really was just about the music. Maybe it was all the stories she'd read in the last couple of years about female teachers and underage boys, but whatever it was, she couldn't help but be concerned.

"Hey. I didn't mean that, Becks. I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," came the quiet reply without a look from Becky.

"So...you're home. You want to hang out a little longer?"

"I'm really tired, Gayle. It's been a long day. Maybe soon, though."

"Yeah. Okay. Soon."

She watched Becky gather the bag of things she'd bought and waved goodbye. She got a weak smile in return and felt even worse. It really was none of her business, but she couldn't bear to see her friend get hurt again. Then again, what more could she actually say or do since it was ultimately Becky's decision?

Her last thoughts were along the lines of, "What would someone our age talk about with someone his age?" Having no answer she chose to block the whole thing from her mind for the time being.

Becky woke up the next morning and remembered her...meeting. Just the thought of it made her smile. As she had her morning coffee she couldn't think of a single reason not to at least be friends with Benjamin. Other than Gayle friends were in short supply, so having more of them had to be a good thing. Didn't she at least share an interest in music with him? And she admired anyone who could build or repair things, so there was no reason not to listen to him play and possibly talk about his dream home or the next car he wanted to restore.

When she got dressed she felt happy knowing that she could now wear whatever she wanted without regard to what someone else might want or say. Having received a compliment on what she'd worn from Benjamin, she chose a pretty cashmere sweater her mom gave her for Christmas last year and paired it with a pair of black pants.

A quick look at herself brought a smile. She wasn't vain but knew she was pretty after a lifetime of being told that. Her hair looked great, the light amount of makeup she wore only added to her beauty, and the outfit looked dressy, and while not overtly sexy, it was certainly flattering. Especially when she turned to the side and saw how it accentuated her best feminine attributes.

Benjamin was waiting for and opened the door as she walked up the steps. They'd no sooner said hello but didn't hub when Becky thought about his mom being home. The fact that it concerned her made her wonder if even having a friendship with Benjamin was a good idea. But when he told her that his mom had just left for work she chose not to notice the feeling of relief that washed over her.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee or tea or maybe something to eat?"

Becky had noticed his hair, but now, in the light of day, it looked even better than she remembered, and he also had an amazing smile that made her want to smile back. Mostly, though, she noticed how...cultured...he was by the way he spoke and the way he seemed so comfortable around her.

"I'm fine, but thank you for offering."

"Okay. How about I show you the music studio?"

Becky perked up and told him she'd like that.

He opened the door for her and asked her to go in. She'd no sooner stepped inside when she realized it was more than a 'little place'. It had soundproof walls and a control room and musical instruments all around.

"My dad and I built this," he explained when she 'oohed and awed' about how it looked

She turned to face him, smiled, then said, "Why am I not surprised?"

Benjamin laughed and told her they'd taken five years to finish it because it was expensive and his dad would put some money away each payday toward it.

"I wish I could have met your dad," she told him sincerely.

Benjamin pointed to a wall in the control room, and she saw a framed picture of a younger Benjamin with a handsome, older man who had his around the boy.

"Oh, my goodness! He was so handsome!" she said as she went to look at it.

"He was. Too bad I didn't get his looks," Benjamin quipped with a laugh.

"Hey! You're a very nice looking guy, Benjamin!"

"Okay. If you say so."

"I do say so, and I mean it."

He was staring at her when she said it, and she felt her heartbeat increase as they stood there a foot apart looking into one another's eyes.

"What isn't in doubt is that you look amazing, Becky."

Her pulse quickened even more, and she turned around to look at the photo again and to avoid his stare.

"You were so cute!"

"Gee. Thanks?" he said as he sort of scratched the back of his neck.

Becky realized how that sounded and spun back around.

"Benjamin, I didn't mean it like that."

When he laughed she was confused.

"It's okay. I'm a lot younger than you, and I was only 14 when that picture was taken."

She wanted to say more, but he took charge and suggested she have a seat so he could play something for her. He flipped a switch then went to the synthesizer and turned it on. He found the beat he wanted then picked up a trumpet and went to the stage.

The beat sounded familiar, but Becky had no idea what was about to play, but she couldn't wait to hear it. She only hoped it something she knew so she wouldn't feel foolish having to admit she'd never heard it.

He put the trumpet to his mouth and looked at her. She saw him draw a breath then blow. Within three notes she knew the song! It was called A Taste of Honey by Herb Alpert, and she knew it because her loved the song. She loved it because her dad had played it often when she was a girl. He loved jazz, trumpet and trombone music in particular, and she'd listened to all of her life.

She immediately smiled and applauded.

"I LOVE this song!" she hollered and rapidly pounded her feet on the floor while the clear, sharp notes resonated around the studio.

She wasn't a talent scout, but his version sounded so close to the original she knew he had to be good. Really good.

After the last note she sprang out of her seat, ran to him, and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, my gosh! Benjamin! That was SO good!"

As she moved her head back a bit, she saw the way he was looking, and when he kissed her she felt paralyzed. She had no idea whether or not she kissed him back, but when it ended, she stepped back and looked down at the floor.

"Wow. I clearly misread your...enthusiasm," he said, the dejection in his voice coming through loud and clear.

Although her mind was a jumbled mess she knew that Benjamin was embarrassed.

"No. I...loved the song! And you are SO talented!"

He still hadn't looked at her so she explained how and why she loved the song and why it meant so much to her.

"So...I'm not upset. Really," she told him, hoping that he would believe and not let the kiss come between them.

"I feel like...Mr. Andrews," he finally said, causing Becky to kind of shake her head as if to say 'what does that mean'.

"What? No. You're nothing like him, Benjamin!"

He'd only just looked at her, and now she waited for him to look her way again. When he did, she put hand on his forearm and smiled.

"I'm actually very flattered."

He tried to smile before saying, "And I'm terribly embarrassed."

She moved a bit closer, waited again to establish eye contact, then smiled.

"Don't be. It was really sweet. And I'm not upset, okay?"

When he looked down she kind of dipped her head to get him to look at her again.

"Do you believe me?"

"Of course. But that doesn't make me feel any less foolish."

"Benjamin. No! Please don't feel like that. Please?"

He finally looked right and her and it seemed like he was feeling better. He took a step in the oblique away from her then said, "How about one more?"

Relieved to not be discussing the kiss, she smiled happily and told him that would be wonderful!

He reset the synthesizer then started playing. Becky knew this one, too, and loved it. It was called Java and was done by Al Hirt.