Bennett

The clock had barely struck midnight when I arrived back at Cara’s house. My mother stood by the door, her eyebrows lifting as I walked up the steps. “You came back.”

“Wasn’t I supposed to?”

“I thought you would try to run away.”

“Where would I go?” I said, pushing past her, and into the house. “Do I really have to stay here tonight?”

My mother followed me down the hallway, her heels clicking loudly in the silent house. Did she ever take those off? I didn’t think so. She probably wanted them handy to stab people in a pinch. “Why wouldn’t you want to spend the night with your soon-to-be wife?”

I didn’t break my pace. “I’m uncomfortable in other people’s houses.”

“Well, maybe if I could place more trust in you it wouldn’t come to this. You lack responsibility. I need to keep you in my sight.”

“How and why is it my responsibility to go along with your corrupt schemes?”

“Bennett.”

Taking a deep breath, I stopped, turning to face her. “What?”

Her eyes burned into mine. “I know you think you have a trick up your sleeve.”

“I—”

“Don’t talk over me. Do you know why I haven’t interfered in your snooping? Why I’m not concerned in the slightest? It’s because no matter what you find, it won’t matter. You can collect all the evidence you want. But you can’t win.”

I clenched my hands into fists, biting my tongue. This was one of her tactics. She wanted to get a reaction from me. I wouldn’t give it to her. “I suppose you’re right about that.”

A sharp laugh left her lips. “And this, Bennett. I know what you’re trying to do. I can see in your eyes you still have hope left.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yes, but I want you to realize that you don’t have a choice in this. That if you try anything between now, tomorrow, the day after, the next month… it’ll cost you and those around you.”

I couldn’t fall for it. I wouldn’t fall for it. I schooled my features. “Are you done talking?”

“How do you think Brandon got released from jail?”

Her question echoed in my head. It took a moment to process it. When it did, a heaviness settled into my gut. It wasn’t possible. How could she be involved with Brandon’s release? We would have realized that. Sebastian must have asked Henley how he got out early, right? He must have asked her for the lawyer’s name.

“I tried to be benevolent, Bennett. I let her have her brother back. Shouldn’t that have been enough for her? For you?”

I barely managed to find my voice. “How…?”

“You should already know how corrupt the court system is. Did you think it would be hard to pay his way out?”

“Why get him out when you’re the one who put him there in the first place?”

She cocked her head to the side. “What? I can’t feel remorse for a person wrongfully imprisoned?”

“You put him there!”

“It was either your brother or him.”

“You would have gotten Lee out. You just said it yourself how easy it would’ve been! All this could have been avoided.”

“Lee has a reputation to uphold. I thought you already figured this out. If Lee had gone to jail, I would have left him there and disowned him. He would have been cut off from this family. Is that what you have wanted?”

I swallowed. “Don’t.”

“You’re too sensitive, Bennett. It’s your biggest flaw. It makes me worried about the future of our company, but we have time to fix it.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t be part of this anymore. “No. I’ll never take over this company.”

My mother didn’t bat an eyelash. “Yes, you will. You have no choice, Bennett.”

“I do have a choice. This is my life.”

“Your life belongs to me. Have you thought about why I brought this up in the first place?”

I studied her face. The amusement dancing in her eyes made me nauseous. “Why?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t realized it yet. Do you really think I felt remorse for someone as insignificant as Brandon? I mentioned him for you to realize that if it was so easy for me to get him out of jail, how easy it would be to put him back in there?”

“No,” I said immediately. “You can’t. He’s done nothing wrong!”

“Did he ever do anything wrong in the first place?”

My whole body trembled with the effort to keep my temper contained. A roaring filled my ears as my pulse raced wildly. I didn’t want to believe her, but I had to. This is how she always won. “Why are you like this?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“I’ve dedicated my whole life to this company. My blood, my sweat, my tears. To keep this company afloat. To raise a worthy successor. And I will not watch my life’s work go down the drain because neither of my sons are competent enough to continue it.”

“What changed? What is the difference between now and all those years we grew up with your strict rules and no time for us to be kids?” I demanded, my voice rising with every word.

“You both changed,” she spat back.

“How?”

“Lee became too soft. How could he run a company if every person who made a mistake got let off? If he couldn’t handle the stress of the business? How will people look at a company that had the CEO kill himself because it was too much?”

“They’ll just see how terrible a company it really is.”

“And if they boycott?”

“Good.”

“Ah. So, you’re okay with losing the company?”

“It’s not worth having.”

She offered her hands palm up to me. “Then you tell the 89,435 people who work for us that they don’t have a job anymore. They don’t have health insurance anymore. They have no means to survive anymore.”

I glared at her, unable to respond.

“See? You do want the company to succeed, if only for our employees. That’s why I rather it be you, anyway.”

“I would have never thought of not taking over until you started threatening Henley.”

“You would have made the biggest mistake of your life with that girl.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m right, Bennett. I know how it goes. When there’s such a difference between two people, it doesn’t work out. And you know who goes through the most suffering and loses the most? Not the other person. You.”

“How would you know?”

“Because it was the same with your father. He could’ve ruined us.”

A lump formed in my throat and I closed my eyes for a moment. “I get the feeling that whatever happened between you and the father I barely have any memories of was your fault. Don’t think we’re the same. I’m a better person than you.”

I expected a slap, but she only chuckled, rubbing a hand over her forehead. “Very well, Bennett. Think what you will. In the end, it doesn’t matter. You will take over the company. You will marry Cara. This is your life now. There’s no point in discussing this further. I’ve warned you. Let’s stop this now.”

The feeling of ice water poured over me. I didn’t say another word, turning away from my mother, and heading down the hall toward Cara’s room. Irritation bit at the corners of my eye and I blinked rapidly. It felt like hands were wrapping around my throat.

Don’t panic, I told myself. Don’t panic. It’s okay. It’s okay.

Her words meant nothing. Sebastian would come up with some way. Brandon wouldn’t be put back in jail. Lee would be left alone. Cara would be able to live the life she wanted with Tala. Henley would open her arms to me and accept me as I was. Nothing would happen. I couldn’t let myself get tangled up in her deceit.

I nearly broke down Cara’s door trying to get in. She jumped violently from where she stood by the window, her mouth falling open as she took the sight of me in. “Bennett!”

“I—”

“What’s wrong?” she asked, rushing up to me. “Are you okay? Sit down.”

I realized my breathing was coming out too fast. Doing as Cara suggested, I sat down on her bed, trying to regulate my breath. I took a few slow, deep breaths. Cara handed me a water bottle. “Here.”

“Thanks,” I managed. After downing nearly half the bottle, I finally looked up at her. Mascara ran down her cheeks and her eyes were red and watery. “Were you crying?”

“Huh? Oh!” She scrubbed at her eyes. “No. Allergies. I was standing by the window.”

“Cara.”

“What about you? I heard you shouting. Was it your mother?”

“Why does she always win?”

Cara reached out and took my hand, frowning. “It must feel that way, huh?”

“It is that way. Why don’t you fight it?”

“It’s all so messy,” she said quietly. “I can’t… I can’t do that to my family.” She took her hand back, her gaze downcast.

I pushed my hair back, trying to ignore the throbbing between my eyes. “This isn’t just about your family.”

Cara’s head snapped back up, her eyes wide. “What?”

“It’s not just about you, Cara. Haven’t you realized what a mess this is? How can you be okay with it?”

“This is just life, Bennett. What can we do?”

“Fight it! I could use some help!”

“I can’t, Bennett.”

“Does Tala know how cowardly you are?”

Immediately, Cara’s shoulders shrunk. Her mouth hung open, but she didn’t say anything. Tears filled her eyes again. “Bennett…”

I looked away. I knew it wasn’t right to get angry at Cara. She was just as stuck as me. Just the same though, she could oppose her father. Maybe her father would listen to her. Cecil loved her. Wouldn’t he own up to his mistakes if she asked him?

Cara abruptly walked away from me and I watched as she opened the window. “What are you doing?”

“I’ll be back in time for our wedding,” she told me, slipping out the window in a way that made it clear she had escaped like this many times before.

“Cara!” I called after her, but her silhouette had disappeared completely, leaving me alone.

I grabbed my head, pulling at my hair, trying to stop the throbbing. I didn’t even have my medicine with me. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t think of a way out. Would I really have to live my life like this? Could I?

My phone chirped in my pocket. I reached for it, pulling it out to see a new message from Henley.

It’s going to be okay, Bennett. I love you. Don’t freak out. We’ll figure this out.

I stared at it. How did she do that? How did she know I needed to hear those words at this precise moment?

My phone went off again. Here’s my leg if you need a distraction. It took a second, but a picture appeared. And it was indeed of her leg, protruding from the bubbly water of her bathtub.

Maybe it was because of all the emotions I’d been experiencing in the past few moments, but I found myself laughing so hard tears rolled down my face. Why your leg? I managed to text back.

Well, I’m not sending nudes and I googled what was the next best thing and it said a leg.

I chucked. I like it.

I thought you would.

But why take another bath?

You got me a little dirty if you don’t remember.

Ah. I grinned, sliding down so my back rested against the side of Cara’s bed. As I went to text back, my phone started ringing instead. “Hello?”

“Hey, you’ve learned how to say hello!”

“Just for you,” I told her.

“Wow, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said, laughing a little.

“Why did you call?”

“I wanted to hear your voice. Make sure you’re okay. You sound a little off though. Is everything alright there?”

“It’s to be as expected,” I answered. I didn’t want to make Henley worry. “I’m just getting tired.”

“Me too. I’m about to head to bed. I’m meeting with Sebastian in the morning. We will figure something out, Bennett. I promise. Just give us time. The only person you’re allowed to marry is me.”

I smiled a little. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“In a couple years, Bennett.”

“I’ll wait forever if I have to.”

“Your usual cheesiness is reassuring to me. Try and get some sleep, okay? I’ll definitely see you tomorrow.”

I bit my lip, nodding until I realized she couldn’t see me. “I love you, Henley.”

“I love you, too. Goodnight, Bennett.”

“Goodnight.”

I leaned my head back against the mattress, letting the phone slide from my hand. Tomorrow. Would it all end? Would anything change?

No. I couldn’t be pessimistic. It wasn’t over yet. I’d told Henley I would fight before, hadn’t I? I couldn’t let that promise down. I searched around the room for a decent place to sleep. I wouldn’t feel right sleeping in Cara’s bed, whether she returned or not. There was a couch by the window she’d left from so I maneuvered myself over to it, barely managing to fit even with my legs folded.

It made me think of Henley. It seemed like so long ago she came over and slept on my couch for the first time. Not much time had passed at all, but it felt like years and years. It was a good thing. I’d be able to enjoy my time with her.

With that thought, I closed my eyes, hoping to get at least a little sleep before the dawn of the final day.

Sleep that, as it turned out, came quickly, and didn’t amount to much when a bang startled me awake. I jolted into a sitting position, blinking rapidly to clear my vision. Cara gave me a brief look before entering a door on the other side of the room that seemingly led to a bathroom. A few moments later I heard a shower going.

I checked the time on my phone. A little past six. Unsure how my mother had everything planned and whether I could fall back asleep if I wanted to, I decided to stand up and stretch. My stomach churned uncomfortably and I groaned. It already started.

I just had to stay calm and trust the others. Sebastian would have thought of something by now. Once I figured out where we were going, I’d text him, and everything would be just fine.

It’s going to be fine replayed over and over in my head. It kept my nerves from taking over. Even when my mother knocked on the door to tell us to be ready in half an hour. Even when she handed me a suit and Cara a dainty white dress. Even when Cara refused to make eye contact with me the entire time. Even when we all piled into my mother’s car. Even when Cecil had the audacity to give me a sad smile from the front seat.

It started to slip when we were in the car for over half an hour. How far were we going? Wouldn’t the Arlington courthouse be fine? The worry grew as we took the onramp onto the highway.

“Where are we going?” Cara asked.

“Out of town,” my mother answered her. “A place where there won’t be distractions.”

Cara’s face paled and she nodded, hiding her face behind her hair as I tried to make eye contact with her. My mind began racing. If we were too far out, how would anyone reach us in time? How long could I stall for?

“I’ll take your phone, as well, Bennett.”

“What for?” I asked too quickly.

“I just said we didn’t need any distractions, didn’t I?”

“I’m not giving it to you.”

“Bennett.”

“No,” I said roughly.

“Bennett, give it to her,” Cara said, finally turning her head to look at me. There were dark circles under her frantic eyes.

I couldn’t believe her. After digging my phone from my pocket, I thrust it at my mother, giving up a vital source of hope. “Here.”

“Thank you. I can see you two get along very well. That’s good.”

Because I listened to Cara’s commands it made us get along well? I wondered if my mother ever had a proper relationship in her life.

Cara leaned forward in her seat to talk to her father. “How much longer until we arrive, Dad?”

“Half an hour.”

“Where are we going?”

“Waterbury.”

“Connecticut?” I said. “We can’t—” I cut myself up. Perhaps my mother didn’t think this through. We wouldn’t be able to get married in another state.

As if reading my thoughts, my mother leveled me a look through the view rear window. “Connecticut has no waiting period for a marriage license. We have an appointment already.”

“Did you ever think of how dubious it looks for us to get married in a different state?” I asked before I could stop myself. Fighting with my mother wasn’t going to do me any favors.

“Who will be looking?”

I switched my gaze to Cecil, who kept glancing back at me. “Eventually what you two did will catch up to you, whether you keep your deal or not.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel and my mother turned in her seat, her eyes nearly slits. “Don’t.”

“Inevitability is a word for a reason.”

Instead of responding, she simply handed me an envelope. “Have your wedding gift early.”

Flattening my lips, I slid out the paper held inside. Two plane tickets to Hawaii. The envelope still felt heavy so I dug back in and pulled out a key. “What is this?”

“Did you forget already? We leave from the courthouse to the airport. The key is to your rental.”

I curled my sweaty hand around the key. She had been serious about that? I scanned the plane ticket. It showed a 3:30 PM departure from Bradley. It was already nearly one. That left two and a half hours to stop this. Was it even possible? When no one knew where we were heading? I wouldn’t be able to get ahold of anyone. I had to think of a plan.

My mother passed me a water bottle. “Drink, Bennett. You’re looking a little dehydrated. I don’t want you to be dramatic like usual and pass out on me.”

I took the water bottle and downed nearly half of it, only if to keep myself from passing out. Then she really could do whatever she wanted.

By the time we arrived at the courthouse, I still felt lightheaded. I couldn’t think straight. I hadn’t been able to formulate any plans. Maybe it would best to run for it. As if sensing my urge to flee, my mother grasped my forearm and walked me in. Maybe I could faint. I felt close enough to it that it wouldn’t be all an act.

The clerk took the paperwork from my mother. She already had everything prepared. I handed over my ID numbly.

What was I going to do? Cause a scene? It seemed more and more like my only option. Perhaps if I were to get us kicked out. But how would I do that? I needed to get my mother to go off on me. I needed to show defiance here and now.

I knew what to do. I wouldn’t sign anything. We wouldn’t be able to get married without the marriage license and she couldn’t force me to sign it with any witnesses around. Even if she threatened me, it didn’t matter, it would delay things. That’s what Sebastian and Henley had said to do. Then we could figure out everything else.

“Please head into the door on your right,” the clerk said, pointing at the door in question.

As we walked to the room, I noticed another couple sitting on a bench, giggling and holding hands. The woman noticed us and grinned. “Congratulations!”

I stepped through the door into a small room with white walls and barely any decor. An elder man with grey facial hair and a wrinkled face stood at the front of the room. I assumed he was the courthouse magistrate or judge. “Welcome,” he greeted us.

“We have a flight to catch,” my mother told him, strutting up to the desk.

The judge nodded and gestured for Cara and me to step forward. “Then I’ll have both the witnesses and the bride and groom sign the license and you’ll be out of here.”

Both Cecil and my mother took a pen off the desk before I could reach for one. My mother signed without any hesitation, but Cecil paused, staring at the paper. After sharing a look with Cara, he also signed it.

Weren’t we supposed to sign it first? Cara took the pen from Cecil and I turned to my mother, who held the pen out to me with a smirk that sent chills down my spine. She really thought she won this. Now I was sure she would have a good reaction to me refusing to sign it. I leaned over the paper, acting like I was about to sign it, the tip of my pen trying to find where to put my name.

Bennett Calloway.

The pen fell from my hand. I had to blink a few times to clear the blurriness from my vision. I backed away from the paper. I backed away from my name, written clearly and legibly on the marriage license. “I didn’t sign this. I didn’t sign this!”

“Oh, Bennett,” my mother cooed, taking the marriage license off the table. “It’s too late to get cold feet now.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t sign this! You were watching” I pointed at the judge who tilted his head at me. “Say something! I didn’t sign that!”

“Yes, you did,” he answered me. “I just watched you.”

“I didn’t!” I cried, eyes flickering to every face in the room. “You were watching, I didn’t even place the pen onto the paper. Were you even paying attention?”

“I was,” the judge insisted. “You signed the certificate. Your marriage is official. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Calloway.”

“No. No,” I repeated, slamming my hands onto the desk. “There’s cameras in here, isn’t there? Look at them! I didn’t sign this paper!”

The judge cleared his throat and moved around the desk. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave. The next couple is waiting to get married.”

“You’re not listening! I didn’t sign the paper!” I protested, trying to block his way. “Someone signed it instead of me. That has to be illegal!”

His beetle-y eyes narrowed. “If you do not leave, I will call security.”

A choked sound escaped my throat as I struggled to say anything I could to stop this from happening. Why wouldn’t he listen? This was his job. How could he let someone else sign the paper? It was illegal. Did he not care at all that he could lose his job if anyone found out?

“Not necessary Judge Moore,” my mother told him. “If we delay any longer we will miss their flight.”

“He’s unruly indeed,” Judge Moore commented, giving me a reproachful look.

The air left my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. Of course. I should have known. She had even hinted at it.

My mother simpered. “Always a pleasure to see you. Let’s go, children.”

I didn’t budge. The room tilted before me. “T-this isn’t right.”

“Bennett, it’s too late. Just give up,” she hissed in my ear.

“How could you do this?” I whispered, my eyes trained on the marriage license in her hand. “How could you do this?” I repeated, turning to face Cara and her father. They slid in and out of focus. “Why? Why?”

Cara reached for me. “Bennett, you don’t look so good.”

I stumbled, reaching to her for support. This didn’t feel right. Even with the shock of the moment. Something was off about me. “Did you… drug me?”

My mother gave me a one-shouldered shrug. “I got them from your house. Isn’t this what they’re for? To stop you from panicking?”

“How many…?”

“Enough to keep you quiet for the plane ride.”

“Call the police,” I told Cara. “Please. Please!”

Droplets of water fell from her eyes and she squeezed me to her. “I’m sorry, Bennett. I’m sorry.”

“I need to talk to Henley,” I said, trying to fight away the sluggishness. “Cara.”

“It’ll be okay, Bennett. I promise.”

I closed my eyes. Was that Henley? Or Cara? I couldn’t tell.

“Let’s go,” a cold voice commanded and I gave in.