Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #78 (19.1)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Ryan and Deacon found Ben and all's well. Now everyone is getting some much-needed rest. But what comes next? 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!

In Pieces #78 (19.1)

The ride back to the motel was a quiet one. Mercifully, Deacon asked no questions, just hugged Ben before letting them both into the van. Ryan and Ben shared the passenger seat, Ben in Ryan’s lap, which was probably highly illegal. Luckily, they met with little traffic at that night of night, and the one police car they saw passed them by without a second glance.

When they returned, they found everyone still awake, waiting intheir room. “Guys, I’m so sorry,” Ben began, but Abby quickly shushed him, pulling him in for a hug.

“Don’t be, we’re just glad you’re okay.” She kissed his cheek, then gave Ryan a warm smile of encouragement.

Thank you, Ryan mouthed.

“We should probably all get some sleep,” Deacon said, stifling a yawn. “Tomorrow’s an off day, so no reason to get up early. We’ll catch you all tomorrow sometime.”

“Yeah, sleep sounds good,” Keanu agreed. For once, his words held no innuendo, sexual or otherwise.

“What about Cameron?” Ryan asked, concerned.

Aiden and Abby exchanged glances. “If he has the nerve to come back, I’m going to show him how eunuchs are made,” Abby said, no trace of humor in her voice.

“I think I’d pay to see that,” Keanu said and everyone laughed.

“Why don’t you guys crash with us?” Deacon suggested. “We have two beds, not a problem. Deal with that sleazeball later.”

“Yeah, okay,” Aiden said. “Thanks, man.”

Deacon, Keanu, Abby, and Aiden all said their good-nights, with renewed promises of texting one another the next day, leaving Ryan and Ben alone in their room. Ryan could tell Ben was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Sleep was the best remedy he could think of that. That, and a whole lot of Ryan’s TLC.

It occurred to him, perhaps belatedly, that Liza could show up again, since she knew which room was theirs. But he suspected she wouldn’t. At least he hoped not. He thought about complaining to someone at the motel about them letting her into their room but decided it didn’t matter since they were probably leaving soon anyway.

“Let’s get ready for bed,” he suggested.

“Good idea,” Ben agreed, but he made no move to rise from the edge of the bed where he sat. Ryan, standing beside him, leaned down and hugged him tightly before helping him up. Removing the priest’s garb, he hung it up in the closet, then knelt at Ben’s feet to take off the black boots and socks he was wearing, leaving him naked. He watched Ben remove his contact lenses and set them into their case.

“Be right back,” he said, heading toward the bathroom. Ben’s things took up half the space by the sink. Ryan found his make-up remover, then dampened a wash cloth with warm water and took them with him. He gently wiped at the smeared mascara, than used the remover for everything else. Once that was taken care of, he removed his own clothes and set them up.

“You want anything before we go to sleep?” he asked Ben. He would get dressed again, if necessary, and get Ben anything he wanted. Belatedly, he realized they’d left the sedan behind. That could wait until tomorrow.

“Only you,” Ben said.

Ryan could do that. “You’ve got me,” he promised him. “Now and forever.”

He turned down the blankets, then loosened the too-tight sheets where they were tucked in at the foot of the bed. He hated the way those felt, too constricting. Then they climbed into bed. Ryan laid his head on Ben’s chest, listening to the comforting beat of Ben’s heart. He felt Ben’s fingers in his hair, stroking and caressing. No words were exchanged between them, but none were necessary. They were together and that was all that mattered. At some point, Ryan fell asleep.

Ryan wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard his phone ring. Opening one eye, he saw their motel room fairly flooded with daylight, so it couldn’t be too early. He stole a quick glance at Ben, to see if the sound had disturbed his sleep. He never moved, his mouth slightly open, softly snoring.

Ryan rolled out of the bed, grabbed his phone from the nightstand and carried it into the bathroom, closing the door. Glancing at the Caller ID, he recognized the number immediately.

“Hey Cassie,” he said, pitching his voice deliberately low so as not to bother Ben.

“Hey yourself, stranger.”

Cassie’s familiar voice sounded so good, especially right now, that Ryan had to fight hard not to break into tears. He wasn’t going to give her any reason to worry about him. At her next words, he realized it was too late for that.

“Sweetie, what’s going on there? Is everything all right?”

“Um… why do you ask?” Ryan hedged, trying to think. What would make her thing something was wrong?

“I got this strange call in the middle of the night. Some crazy woman who said she was Ben’s lover and that you needed to stay away from him or she would make life difficult for both of us.”

What the fuck?

“Damn,” Ryan said softly.

“I waited to call you, so I wouldn’t wake you. Who is she and what is she talking about? Ryan, I’m scared for both of you.”

“She’s his mother,” Ryan said with a soft sigh. “Liza.”

His words were met with silence, then a startled, “Holy shit.”

Holy shit indeed.

“You know I’m here for you, Ryan, right? And for Ben too.”

Ryan knew that, and the knowledge warmed his heart.  “Oh God, Cassie.” He tried not to sob. Too late, the tears had already begun.

“You don’t have to tell me anything, just know I want to help,” Cassie said. “I love you, Ryan Fremont.”

“I love you too, Cassie,” he said. Then he began to pour out his tale.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #74 (18.1)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

What should have been a great evening is turning into the night from Hell for Ryan and Ben, what with the sudden appearance of both Cameron and Liza. Cameron tells Ryan that Liza wants him out of Ben's life, and offers to take Ben's place. Ryan is beside himself with anxiety. Can the situation get any worse? 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!

In Pieces #74 (18.1)

Salvation didn’t stop playing until after three in the morning. Ryan couldn’t remember another night that had felt so long, other than the nights he spent alone when Ben disappeared from his life. Ryan helped the band break down their equipment and return it to the van. He noticed Ben seemed rather subdued, despite the small smiles he sent Ryan’s way. Or the occasional kisses when they passed each other as they worked. But something was wrong, Ryan knew it, and the feeling of impending doom he’d been experiencing before only grew stronger.

The drive back to the motel was a silent one. Abby was slumped in the front seat, her head on Aiden’s shoulder, while Ben and Ryan sat together in back, hands clasped tightly. They’d told Marge good night at her car and she’d said she’d text them about breakfast the next day before she went back home to her partner. Ryan was sure it wouldn’t be an early meal, not with it being as late as it was.

Back at the motel, Aiden parked by their rooms and everyone got out. He held a sleepy Abby around the waist, and was yawning rather widely himself. “I was going to ask where we go next”—he yawned again—“but right now I don’t give a shit.” He handed Ben the keys to Cameron’s car. “Seeya tomorrow guys.”

“G’night,” Ryan replied to their retreating backs. He knew just where Aiden was coming from, being more than tired himself. Ben remained silent.

“Let’s go to bed, okay?” Ryan asked. He noticed the key to their room in Ben’s hand and gently took it from him, replacing it with his hand.

“Good idea,” Ben replied. Ryan thought his voice sounded odd, but not in a sleepy kind of way, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on what he thought he heard.

As they approached their motel room, Ryan was surprised to find it lit, the curtains drawn. Normally, they didn’t bother to leave the lights on when they left. Maybe the maid had done it when she cleaned their room. Since Ben made no comment, he decided that was what it was, nothing to worry about. At least not until he pushed open the door and let Ben enter first.

There, seated in one of the motel’s chairs and obviously waiting for them was none other than Liza. She seemed less than happy—what else was new?—and sat poised, purse on her lap, as if ready to spring up at any moment.

“What are you doing here?” Ryan automatically took up a stand in front of Ben, who’d frozen in place, just inside the room.

“Ben knows,” she replied sharply. “Don’t you, Ben, darling?”

Ryan felt Ben flinch behind him, which only made him angrier. “How did you even get in here?” he demanded to know.

“By the truth, of course. I told them I’m Ben’s mother, and it was an emergency.” She rose from the chair as she spoke. “Ben and I have unfinished business, so if you’ll excuse us, your presence isn’t needed, Ryan. Why don’t you just go to the airport, take the next flight back to Loserville? I mean St. Louis?”

“Get out of here,” Ryan said, working to control his anger. He didn’t want to hurt Ben, he just wanted her out. “Ben doesn’t have anything to say to you, do you, Ben?” He half-turned so that he was still between them but he could see Ben’s face. He was frightened at what he saw. Ben’s beautiful eyes were almost lifeless, despite having removed the contacts already. He was licking his lips nervously.

“I have other truths, shall I tell Ryan what they are?” Liza goaded her son mercilessly. “He needs to know the truth about us so he can give up his foolish ideas of happily ever after he seems so hung up on. He needs to learn that reality is not fiction, no matter what he wrote in that horrible book of his. Those are fantasies, this is real. Do you want to tell him, or should I?”

Ryan focused on Ben, trying to keep him calm. He squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Don’t pay any attention to her. I don’t care what she thinks or what she does.  I’ll call the police and have her thrown out. She has no right to be here. This is our room, yours and mine.”

To his dismay, Ben’s eyes widened and he began to tremble. When Ryan tried to pull him into his arms, to calm him, he pulled back suddenly.  “I…I… please… don’t hate me, Ryan… please.” He turned abruptly and bolted out the door.

Ryan stood there in shock. Where was he going? What was happening here? Maybe he just needed to take a quick walk, to clear his head. But somehow Ryan didn’t think that was the case. Too late, he remembered that Ben had just received the keys to the car from Aiden. He hurried out into the parking lot, but he was too late. Ben was already tearing away, driving much too quickly. He reached the street, brakes squealing, and then disappeared into the darkness.

Frustrated, Ryan turned toward Liza. She didn’t seem upset. On the contrary, she seemed rather pleased with herself, like the cat who swallowed the canary. “What have you done to him?” Ryan asked. “Why are you doing this to him? What kind of mother are you?”

“The kind you wouldn’t understand.” She slithered across the room toward him, but he stood his ground. He wasn’t afraid of her. “Believe me when I tell you he’s mine. He was in my bed before he was in yours and he’ll come back to me. He always do.”

Ryan watched in disbelief as she marched out the door without a backward glance, her words echoing in his ears, just before he managed to collapse in the chair she’d vacated, tears of shock streaming down his cheeks.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #70 (17.3)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Everything is going well at Salvation's gig. Ryan and Ben get to dance together on the band's break. That's when Ryan has an epiphany - he wants to marry Ben, but he doesn't want to pop the question inside the club. Ben agrees to leave the club so they can talk, but they run into two unexpected familiar faces. The first is Cameron, who's acting weird. And the second is Ben's mother, Ryan's once time stepmother, Liza. See how this plays out 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!

In Pieces #70 (17.3)

What the hell was she doing here was Ryan’s first thought, followed quickly by how the hell did she even find them?  What does she want? Questions swirled through his head, so many he had no idea where to begin. But then he realized how stiff Ben had become. Not to mention he hadn’t said a word and neither had she. The hair on the back of Ryan’s neck felt as though it had just come to attention, as a wave of panic surged through him. He fought to control it, focusing on the silent Ben.

Liza looked surprisingly much as she had when Ryan had last seen her. She was blonde, like Ben, but where his eyes were crystal blue, hers were dark and soulless. He could not remember a single time when she had voluntarily smiled at him, except perhaps in his father’s presence, when she’d put her on loving stepmother act, such as it was. He hadn’t liked her when he was eight, and their ten year acquaintance had done nothing to endear her to him. Especially after she had torn him apart from Ben.

Her gaze was fixed on Ben for a long moment before she glanced up, in his direction. Perhaps gauging if they were together or not. Their linked hands should have been a clue. Ryan stared back almost defiantly. What could she do to him now? Nothing. He was beyond her reach. She had no power to hurt him anymore. But Ben was another story.

At first, her eyes held no interest in him, as though he were of no importance. But then, as he watched, sudden recognition flared, and her lips curled back into her familiar sneer.

“Little Ryan. I didn’t expect to find you here. So it’s true, what I was told. You crawled out of the woodwork, did you? Come back to finish what you started, ruin my sweet Ben?”

Ryan tried not to flinch at her words, even as he wondered what she’d been told and by whom.

“What do you want, Liza?” Ben spoke before Ryan could frame a response. His voice held no warmth. It took a moment for Ryan to realize the words had actually come from Ben. Since when did he call his mother by her given name?

Liza seemed taken aback by his tone as well. Her eye widened as she turned her attention to her son. “What do I want? Do I have to want anything in order to see my only son?

“I think you do. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we were just on our way outside. We only have so long before we need to start the next set. I don’t want to spend that here with you.” Ben tightened his grip on Ryan’s hand. He sidestepped Liza, but she quickly moved to block them.

“Benjamin,” she admonished him sternly. “I will not have you treat me in this way. I gave you your space, let you go out on your own. But if I had any idea you would find this… this creature again”—she cast a contemptuous glance upon Ryan—“I would have called a halt to this foolishness much sooner. I think it’s time for you to come home.”

Foolishness? What the hell? Anger bubbled up inside of him, emotions he’d never been able to display in her presence before, out of deference to his father.

“Don’t you dare refer to Salvation as foolishness!” he snapped. “Salvation is a great band, and Ben’s a great singer. And he doesn’t deserve to have you treat him like this.” Still clutching Ben’s hand, Ryan moved ahead of him, taking the lead. “Like Ben said, we’re going outside. Don’t try to follow us.”

Ryan could tell Liza was seething, by the tightness of her cruel lips, the narrowing of her dark eyes as he maneuvered Ben and himself around her. She followed them with her cold glare.

“You have no idea what’s going on here, Ryan Fremont. You can’t break the bond between us, no matter how you try. No matter what you think you have, Ben is mine and always has been. Ask him about us… I dare you.”

Ryan could feel Ben tremble. He quickly slid an arm about his waist, afraid he was going to faint or something, willing his strength to flow into Ben. Ignoring Liza, he ushered Ben outside. Glancing up and down the street, he spotted a bench a short distance away and guided their steps there.

Ben felt limp as he handed him onto the bench, then took a seat beside him. Ryan pulled Ben to him and held him close. He began to shake again.

“Shh, shh,” Ryan tried to soothe him. “It’s all right, it’s all right, I’m here. I’m here.”

Ben’s tremors grew stronger. Ryan realized, with a start, that he was crying. He held him even tighter until Ben pushed back enough to raise his tear-stained face toward him. “You won’t be,” he whispered. “I’m going to lose you again.”

Ryan’s heart broke at Ben’s words.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso