Ryan finds himself in a race to get to Ben before he can do something drastic, broken by his mother's cruel and horrible revelation. Will Ryan and Deacon find him before it's too late? See what's going on in this week's chapter of In Pieces. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Ryan thought his heart might just explode when Deacon told
him that Ben’s signal was indeed coming from the direction of the river. Dear God, please let him be all right. Please let us get there in time. How
cruel could life be, that he would find Ben just to lose him?
Deacon squeezed Ryan’s arm, drawing his attention from his
terrifying thoughts. “Hang in there,” he said. “Everything will work out, okay?
We know where he is, that’s half the battle right there.”
Ryan nodded, grateful for Deacon’s strength and his calm
demeanor. He swiped at his eyes and took deep breaths. He had to be strong for
Ben, and he would be.
Deacon released his arm, and turned the van back on to the
street, following the GPS signal. They wound their way through a residential
area lined with dark, silent houses, residents long asleep and unaware of this
late night drama. Ryan wished he and Ben were back at the motel, asleep,
together and happy and not living through this waking nightmare.
“We’re almost there now,” Deacon said. They’d just reached
the entrance of park which ran alongside the river. They turned in, heading down empty streets.
The park was obviously closed. Maybe that was why Ben had chosen this location.
Ryan hoped that was all it was.
“Look, I see the car!” he cried out suddenly, pointing to a
parking area close to the water. Cameron’s sedan sat there, but he couldn’t see
anyone in the driver’s seat. He dug his fingernails into his palms to keep from
panicking.
As soon as Deacon parked the van, Ryan leapt out and raced
in the direction of the river. Benches were scattered along an asphalt walkway.
During the day, this was probably a great place to sit and contemplate the
water. Now all he could think of was finding Ben before it was too late.
“Ben!” he cried out. “Ben, where are you?” There was no
reply.
Thoughts of calling 9-1-1 buzzed through Ryan’s head.
Visions of divers dragging the river. “Ben!” he yelled again, breaking the
stillness of the night. “Where are you?”
Just when he thought his heart would break, Ryan spotted a
figure huddled motionless on a bench just ahead of him. He galloped toward it
at full speed, heart pounding. Please let
it be him, let it be him….
He was breathing heavily when he reached the bench and Ben.
Ryan fell to his knees in front of Ben and grabbed his legs, holding on to him
for dear life, as if he’d never let go of him ever again. Only after he’d
ascertained that Ben was real and Ben was here with him did he look up at him.
“Ben, I was so worried about you,” he said. “I didn’t know where you were, we
couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“I’m sorry,” Ben said. “I’m so very sorry.” He began to cry,
great choking sobs that rendered his words unintelligible. Ryan quickly rose to
his feet and plopped onto the bench beside Ben. He gathered the weeping man in
his arms and just held him in his lap, not saying a word as Ben cried himself
out. He stroked Ben’s hair and kissed his head, waiting for him. Deacon had
apparently been right behind him. Ryan saw him approach and then turn and
withdraw to a slight distance, within sight but out of earshot. Ryan
appreciated his discretion.
Eventually, the sobs grew softer and softer, becoming heavy
breaths that shook Ben’s frame until those died down as well. He turned his
face up toward Ryan, streaks of mascara mingling with tears along both cheeks.
“I knew… I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t know what to do. She said … she said
if I loved her…. She said….” His voice trailed away.
“It’s not your fault, it’s not your fault,” Ryan murmured
against his head, tightening his grip on Ben.
“She took me away from you because I loved you,” Ben
continued. “She said I couldn’t love you, only her. She tried to tell me things
about you. You and… you and Dad. She said horrible things, but I knew they
weren’t true. Then… then after she … after we…. She said you would never love
me again, you’d never understand me and her. Oh god.” He buried his face
against Ryan’s chest, clinging to him.
This was worse than Ryan had imagined. He knew Liza was a
terrible person, but he had no idea how depraved she really was until now. How
could she do that to her own son? What kind of love was that? And then to tell
Ben that Ryan could never love him? Now their sudden disappearance made sense,
why she felt threatened by Ryan. He was glad his father would never know the
awful truth.
He tilted Ben’s head back so he could look into his eyes.
“She was jealous of us,” he said. “She didn’t want you to love me because she
thought you wouldn’t love her. But her kind of love is not right. And nothing
that happened was on you, it’s all on her. I’m sorry you had to go through
that. No one should ever have to do that. But know this… none of it was your
fault. And nothing that happened changes the way I feel about you. I love you,
Ben Coulter. I’ll always love you. You’re just as beautiful to me now as you
always were. We’ll get through this. Together. And Ben…”
“Yes, Ryan?” Ben said in a barely audible voice.
“I want to marry you. I want you to be my husband and I want
to be yours. Forever and ever. I won’t ask you now, but when you’re ready—”
“You would marry me… even after…?” Ben sounded incredulous.
“Absolutely,” Ryan replied without hesitation.
to be continued
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