Forever My Love Ch. 08

"Hey!" David got up. "Before you get anything mixed here, Ben and I didn't do anything wrong. We were taking care of Michael and we had no idea when we felt asleep."

"Of course," Elena chuckled bitterly. "You were taking care of an imaginary Michael and you just happen to fall into each other's arms."

Tears welled up in Jim's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on Ben who he wanted to kill.

"And you...." She barked, pointing angrily at Ben. "...until when will you stop these games of yours? Until when will you leave my son to enjoy his marriage? This is the most shameful thing anybody can do... but then again, an apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? Cheap man caught in the act, just like your mother."

"With all due respect, I suggest you get my mother out of your mouth and out of this." He said disrespectfully, surprising everyone there. "My mother was an honorable woman and I can't really say the same about some people in this room."

"What?" She seethed, clenching her fists. "How dare you...."

"Yes, how dare you!" He snapped, shaking his head angrily. "You really like causing trouble, don't you? Whatever you saw is not what happened. We were taking of Michael and we might have fallen asleep together with him."

"And you expect us to believe that?" Elena chuckled. "I have learned never to believe anything that comes from that mouth."

Ben shrugged. "I don't see how that should be my problem. I came here for one job and that's what I have been doing ever since I came here. I will not have you disrespect me over something that is not true. I have never been cheap my whole life and I will never be."

"Oh really?" Elena laughed at the top of her lungs. "Do you want me to remind you?"

"Enough!" David snapped. "I am not going to allow this conversation to continue. Do not talk about something that you're so sure of."

"David!" Elena stared at him like he'd grown another head. "After everything that you've known about him, you'd still choose to believe this whore?"

David glanced at Ben and sighed.

"I came here to see my grandson and not to witness such a shameful scene." She moved closer to Ben and clenched her fists. "Allow me to get this trash out of this house this instant."

"No one is touching Ben!" David quickly moved in between him and Elena. Everyone else in the room was shocked. "I invited him here and I am not gonna allow anyone else to disrespect him."

Elena chuckled, glancing at Claudia.

"Do you hear your son? He invited this whore here and..."

"Excuse me, but like I said, I am not gonna allow anyone to insult Ben." David said rudely. "You came here to see Michael and I really appreciate that. But please, stay within your limits. This is my house and you have no right whatsoever to say who stays and who lives. You're a guest here and I expect you to act like one."

Elena's breath hitched, caught in her throat, a suspended moment of silence as if shock had momentarily stolen the very sound of her voice. She stood there staring at David like he had grown another head, his words ringing in her head. She couldn't believe that he had spoken like that to her... so disrespectfully.

David turned and faced Ben, putting his hands together.

"I am so sorry for that." He apologized. "I didn't bring you here to be insulted and I promised no one was gonna say anything. Please, forgive me."

"No, David, you're not at fault." Ben slightly smiled, eyeing Elena whose eyes were so wide they almost popped out of her sockets. "All that matter is that Michael is okay. I'll go and look for him."

"Thank you!" He wore a genuine smile.

Ben nodded and walked past the evil trio, giving them an evil grin. Seeing all that hurt and hate on their faces gave him a sense of satisfaction. He walked past them, leaving them feeling defeated.

"David, that was..."

"I don't wanna hear anything, mom." He stopped Claudia before she could finish her sentence. "If you care for me or your grandson, I suggest you let all of us be at peace."

With those words, he stormed out of there leaving a silence that couldn't be broken. But one thing was at the back of Elena's mind. This was the second embarrassment she had gotten because of Ben and he was gonna pay dearly for it. One thing was for sure, she was gonna serve him a dish so cold he wasn't gonna know hit him. That was a promise.

***

"Come here, sweetie!" Ben said, opening his arms to the boy that was busy running around.

He didn't need to be told twice. He rushed into Ben's arms and hugged him. Ben hugged the boy for a second before he broke the hug and placed the back of his hand on his forehead.

"Your body isn't hot anymore." He said excitedly. "But that doesn't mean that you have to be running around. You're not completely fine."

"I am okay, Ben." He chuckled, making Ben's heart warm.

"I know you are, but I am just trying to be cautious."

"I will. I wanna play." He said excitedly. "Please.... Please... please..."

"Alright!" Ben smiled, cupping the boy's cheeks. "But only in the house. Do not go outside as it is cold. I will make something warm for you in a few minutes and I will call you."

"Yes!" He nodded. "I promise." Then he lost the smile on his face. "I wish you were my papa, Ben. I love you so much."

Ben lost the smile on his face for a second. His hands moved robotically to grasp the back of Michael's head. He brought him closer and placed a kiss on his cheeks, smiling brightly. He didn't know what to say about what Michael had said to him.

"I love you too. Now run along before I change my mind."

The boy took his action figure and began running around, pretending like he was in a war. Ben stood there and watched as he played and not for once did he wipe that wonderful grin on his face. He couldn't help but imagine his daughter the same age running around the house happily.

"Oh, just look at Michael, mother." He heard Jim's voice say as he came down the staircase. "It feels so good knowing that you started a family and you have a child to prove it. He reminds me so much of David, doesn't he?"

"Of course, he's a blend of the both of you." Elena laughed in mock. "I wonder why some people think that they can come in between that. It's literally impossible."

"I know..." He chirped, moaning softly. "...the other day, I was telling him that we should have another child. He was so excited and he just can't wait."

Ben sighed and started heading away from them. He didn't wanna hear any of what they were saying but...

"Hey there, bitch, where do you think you are going?"

Jim rushed towards Ben and blocked him, staring at him with an evil grin.

"Don't think that what happened in the room this afternoon is over, do you get it." He snapped his finger in Ben's face. "You cannot try to seduce my husband and you think I'd just let it go."

Ben sighed. "What do you really want from me, Jim? I just don't get why you like trouble so much."

"You're the one that wants trouble from me." He snapped, losing that grin on his face. "I am so happy right now and you just can't deal with that as usual. Michael is my son no matter how close you get to him."

"No one is disputing that fact." He shrugged. "But..."

"Blah-blah-blah!" Elena rolled her eyes as she slowly walked towards him. "We know what you game is. You couldn't get close to David so you used his son. When will you stop using him?"

"Or maybe you think using David's child is gonna bring your dead child back!"

Ben stood frozen, his eyes widened in shock, as the words reverberated in the air like an unsettling echo. The room seemed to close in on him, and the world outside blurred into a hazy backdrop. What Jim had said, unexpected and brutal, had crashed into him with the force of a thousand waves, leaving him emotionally winded.

"What?" He whispered, his mouth trembling.

"You think we don't know?" Jim burst into laughter. "David already told me everything you told him and how Michael reminded you of that child you lost. Only God knows where you got that poor child, but of course, just like everyone else, even that child left you all alone. Do you know why?" He got closer and glared at the pained boy. "Because no one in the right frame of mind would choose to love you. That's why you're alone."

A torrent of memories flashed before his eyes, opening wounds that were closed.

"You poor soul!" Elena chirped. "Do you need a hug? Oh!" She gasped in mock astonishment. "That's right, no one is here to give you that. No mother, no father and no child. The world would be a far much better place if there was no Ben either. So, why don't you do all of us a favor and sashay away!" She gestured.

Both of them burst into laughter. They laughed so hard that Ben felt like they had stabbed him in the heart. He was dumbfounded that he couldn't utter a word. He felt betrayed... he felt stripped naked... he felt like he was reliving all those moments.

As he was still trying to process the torture, his phone began ringing...

"Oh, you might wanna pick that." Elena winked. "It might be an important call."

Ben got out of his thoughts and slowly got the phone without looking at it. He answered it.

"Hello!"

He stayed quiet for a number of seconds.

"Impossible," He whispered, the word escaping his lips in a choked murmur.

The shock clung to him like an unyielding shadow, making it difficult to process the reality of what he had just heard. His mind raced, grappling with the enormity of the revelation and the myriad of emotions that surged within.

Tears rolled down his cheeks in myriads just as his heart shattered to the floor. The phone dropped from his ears and on the floor, making a cracking sound. He visibly trembled as each and every word that he had heard rang back and forth in his mind.

In that vulnerable moment, the pain was palpable. It wasn't just a sting; it was a deep, throbbing ache that resonated in his very core. Ben's breaths came in shallow gasps, the air feeling.

"Did... did you do this?" His voice was barely above a whisper. He stared at the two with such horror.

"Do what?" Elena shrugged. "What are you talking about?"

The shock in his eyes gave way to a mixture of disbelief, hurt, and an anguish that seemed to pull at the threads of his very being. He robotically turned and started rushing out of there, his breaths coming out ragged. He didn't even see Amber who was entering the mansion.

"Hey, Ben... where are you going? What's wrong?"

But Ben rushed past Amber, ignoring her calls. Amber stood there, wondering what was going on. She looked inside and saw Elena and Jim still laughing. With a groan, she rushed to them angrily.

"What the hell is going on here?" She snapped. "What did you say or do to Ben?"

"Why don't you follow him and ask him?" Jim answered rudely. "We're not his keepers and we definitely don't need to answer you." He hissed, holding his mother's hand. "Let's go mom before someone ruins our good mood."

They left giggling to themselves. Amber knew that whatever had happened to Ben couldn't have been good and he knew they were responsible for it. She took a deep breath and rushed outside to see if she could find him.

***

Ben arrived at his daughter's grave and the scene before him completely broke his heart and his very being. The sun had set but he could very well see the disaster that was right in front of him. His daughter's grave, once beautiful and peaceful now lay in ruins. The tombstone was broken to pieces, the grave looked like a grenade had been thrown there... there were pieces of wood...

Clutching his chest as if trying to hold his broken pieces together, Ben stumbled forward, his steps unsteady and heavy. The pain radiated not only from the emotional wreckage but also from the physical ache that seemed to mirror the depths of his heartbreak.

He dropped to his knees and began crawling, moving forward, trying to think he was having a nightmare. Tears wetted his face... there was so much that his vision blurred. The headache he had at that time was nothing like he had ever experienced.

A choked sob escaped her lips, a sound of pure anguish that could be heard by anyone that was nearby. The world seemed colorless, drained of its vibrancy, as if the very essence of joy had been sucked away. Ben's eyes were now dimmed by the shadow of loss, and his trembling hands clutched at the soil.

"Leah!" He wailed, his voice loud and pained. "Leah.... My child... no... who did this to you?"

Ben's hands trembled as he dug in the soil. He didn't know what he was looking but he kept on digging... for hope... to find his lovely daughter.... There was nothing....

"My child..."

He cried at the top of his voice as he dug faster with his hands, feeling his heart slowly dying. Memories of the day he had lost his child played at the back of his mind. He was acting like a mad man but he didn't care... he needed to do it.

At that time, David arrived and what he saw broke his heart. Ben was acting like he was going crazy. David felt an ache in his heart and tears welled in his eyes. He rushed to Ben and wrapped his arms around him, holding him.

"Ben, calm down..."

"No!" He screamed, trying to let loose, but David's grip got tighter. "Let me go... I need to find my child. She's in there alone."

"Ben..."

"No!"

Ben's fists clenched, he pounded David's chest so hard, the pain in his heart manifesting in the force of each blow.

"I need to find my baby, David..." he cried, his voice a broken whisper.

In response, David did not recoil or retaliate. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Ben, holding him tightly. He felt his fists pounding against him, but he absorbed the blows with a silent strength, understanding that his pain needed an outlet.

As he embraced the boy, thunder roared like the gods were upset and lightning split the sky. Almost immediately, rain began pouring in torrents and they were wet within seconds. David held on tighter to Ben, shading his own tears. The pain he felt from Ben was a connection he had never felt with anyone before. It was raw... it was real... and he couldn't help but cry with him. He was so emotional.

"It's okay, Ben..." He whispered. "...I am here. Let it out!"

His firm but gentle hold conveyed a promise - a promise to weather the storm, to stand by his side despite the turmoil. With each passing moment, Ben's blows softened, and the intensity of his cries began to wane. He began crying softly and clung to David, his fingers tightly gripping the fabric of his shirt.

David never left his side despite the rain but held him tighter.

***

"I am so sorry, sir!" The man that stood in front of David apologized with tears in his eyes. "None of us saw who might have vandalized the grave. We only got to find out probably sometime after that had happened. Otherwise, none of us would have allowed it."

David was feeling really horrible. He could sincerely tell that the man felt terrible too. He was one of the workers at the orphanage. He took a sigh, taking a glance at the boy inside the room who sat at a corner with his arms encircling his legs.

"Is he gonna be alright?"

"I don't know." He sighed. "He seems to be in so much pain and hasn't spoken a word to me."

"I understand him because he really loved that child." The man sobbed. "Whoever did this shall not know any peace. Who would even do such a horrible thing?"

David didn't know what to say.

"I am sorry for asking but how long has Ben been coming here?"

"Long time." The man said, rubbing his tears. "I have known him for years now. He came to our chapel when he was heartbroken, at the verge of giving him. He had lost his child and wanted to do nothing with life. I have never seen anyone so broken before like I did that time. He never talked much about his past but whatever had happened had left him with no hope for the future."

David couldn't explain what he felt. It was so severe and so deep.

"I don't know he went through all that."

"That's because people like Ben are always smiling but deep down, there's so much pain." He placed his hand on David's shoulder. "Please, take very good care of him. I will be back in the morning to check up on him. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

David nodded. The man left and he went inside the room, closing the door behind him. It was still raining heavily and they were lucky that the orphanage had offered them a room. It wasn't much but it promised comfort.

He walked to Ben and knelt before him, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I really am sorry for this." He apologized. "I know that no number of words can make you feel better."

Ben raised his eyes and they were so swollen. Tears began pouring down in torrents again.

"The only thing that I had to remind me so much of my daughter was her grave." His voice was so hoarse. "It was the only thing that made me feel close to her and now... now all that is gone. There are no remains..." He said in between sobs. "...whoever did this destroyed everything and now... I have no idea what I am supposed to do.

I used to come here sometimes to just sit on her grave and tell her about what was going on in my life. All the achievements I have done and I felt so much peace when Leah became such a success. That was an achievement to me. But all that is gone."

In that agonizing moment, he mourned not just the loss of his child, but the shattered dreams, the stolen potential, and the profound emptiness that now defined his world.

"I thought I will never experience so much pain as the day I held her in my arms... but this... it just hurts as much. I feel so lonely."

David squeezed his shoulder lovingly. He felt a lot of pain but he needed to be strong for Ben because the boy needed him. The room echoed with his sobs, a symphony of grief that reverberated through the emptiness. The pain was palpable, an agonizing ache that seemed to have no end. After what felt like ages, Ben finally calmed down but the pain was just as much.

"You need to have a change of clothes." David spoke softly. "Fresh clothes have been provided. Otherwise, you might end up catching a cold. Then you're gonna have to eat something hot."

Ben looked at David pitifully. "What is food, if it's tasteless? What is water if it can't quench your thirst? I don't care if I catch a cold. That would be better because I will get to be with my little one."

"Stop talking like that." He slightly raised his voice. "You have so much to live for. This is not the end, okay?"

Ben chuckled bitterly. "What else is there to live for?"

David stared at him and sighed. He slowly got up and carefully got him up. Ben looked up at him, his eyes reflecting the storm within.

"The memories of my daughter kept me going. Everything has falling apart, and I feel so... defeated."

"All I know that one day, this dark storm will pass." He slightly smiled. "You're a good man and one day, the light will shine in your life."

He went to where the warm things they had been provided were and got a towel that he handed to Ben. But contrary to what he had thought, Ben just stood there and stared at him without saying a word.

"Please, Ben, you need to get dry. You'll be sick."

"So be it!" He whispered.

"Ben..."

"Nobody cares what happens to me."

"I do!" He snapped, breathing harshly. "As much as this doesn't make sense, I do care what happens to me. Whatever words I have said to you, I did that out of anger. But I care for you and I still need you around. Michael needs you around. Now please, get dry."

Ben shook his head and tried to sit on the floor but David gripped his arm and pulled him up. Now they were standing close, staring at each other.

"Let's get you out of these wet clothes and into something warm." It wasn't a suggestion but a command.