Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #82 (19.5)

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 Ben want to get away from Cameron's house as quickly as possible,all things considered. But where to go? Ryan's stepmother has the perfect solution - a trip to St. Louis! Can they get away from a bad situation unscathed? 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 #82 (19.5)

“I guess we’ll Uber to the airport,” Ben said. Aiden and Abby had taken the van for the trip to Atlanta, and Deacon and Keanu had already taken an Uber to the airport. The keys to Cameron’s sedan sat on an end table in the foyer, where he could easily find them.

“Sounds good,” Ryan agreed. He was happy that Ben seemed as delighted as he did at the prospect of going to St. Louis to stay with Cassie. He’d been apprehensive, considering Cassie lived in the same house where he and Ben had lived as boys, unsure what bad memories might linger from that time. But when Ben had finished using the Uber app, and Ryan mentioned his misgivings, Ben just shook his head.

“That’s the place where I fell in love with you, Ryan,” he said, almost shyly. “Those are the best memories, you and me together.”

Ryan’s cheeks warmed at Ben’s words. “I couldn’t agree more. Want to wait for our ride outside?” The sooner they were out of this place the better, he couldn’t help thinking. They might not know where they would go after St. Louis, but he sure as hell wanted to forget where they’d been.

“Good idea,” Ben said. Carrying their bags, they exited the house, locking the door behind them. “No reason to go back here ever. Good riddance…”

“I see a car at the end of the drive,” Ryan said, shading his eyes to squint into the distance. “That was fast.”

Ben frowned. “I thought he said fifteen to twenty minutes. Maybe he was closer than he realized.” He too looked toward the approaching vehicle. “Shit, shit, shit. That’s no car, it’s a truck.”

Ryan realized his mistake immediately. Cameron was back. Well, they could put up with him for the few minutes they had to wait until their Uber arrived. With any luck, and a little bit of common sense on Cameron’s end, maybe he would avoid them completely.

No such luck, of course.

Cameron parked his pickup and hopped out. Rounding the bed of the truck, he strode straight toward them, a huge smile of greeting on his lips. “Hey guys, almost missed you didn’t I?” He glanced at the luggage on the ground at their feet.

“Bad timing on our part,” Ben said wryly.

“No harm done,” Cameron said jovially. “You guys will be back in a week or so. We can catch up then.”

Ryan tried to keep from showing the amazement he felt at the older man’s words. Was he really that clueless? Or was he playing some kind of game?

“We’re not coming back,” Ben said. “Ever.” Ryan was proud to hear the note of confidence in Ben’s voice. As if he’d faced his demons and didn’t have to worry about them anymore.

For just a moment, Cameron’s smile slipped, but then he recovered himself and playfully punched Ryan’s arm. “I know you’re just kidding me, aren’t you? Can’t fool me.”

“Don’t touch him!” Ben almost snarled, moving protectively between Ryan and Cameron. “Never touch him. Or me.”

“I’ve never laid a finger on you,” Cameron protested. “Your mama warned me you were off-limits, but she never said anything about the rest. This one’s a cutie, don’t you think?”

“I think you’re disgusting is what I think,” Ben replied. “Pretending to be our friend all this time. Our benefactor. When all along you knew it was her, and you never said a word. Not to mention, you haven’t left Abby alone since you met her. I don’t even care which team you play for, but you sure as hell need to leave every one of us alone. You read me?”

“Loud and clear,” Cameron said smoothly. “But before you get all high and mighty on me, I know about you and Liza, so just don’t. Not that I care. I have my own kinks, and Abby answers those pretty well. I mean, just knowing what that pretty gal has been her legs makes me want to —“

Whatever his desires toward Abby might be, Cameron never got to say, interrupted by Ben’s fist pounding into his mouth. Cameron staggered backward, but didn’t lose his balance. His hand flew to his face and came away bloody.

“Son of a bitch!” he swore. “Seems like you have more of your mama in you than I realized. She can be a real spitfire too. Especially in the bedroom. Go on and leave if you like, makes me no never mind. But just remember this. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. And know that she’ll find you, wherever you are. You can’t hide from Liza.”

Ryan was ready to punch the miserable bastard himself, but Ben laid a restraining hand against his chest, clearly in control of the situation. Luckily, just then their Uber arrived.

Perfect timing.

The driver jumped out of the car and opened his trunk so they could put their bags inside. He gave Cameron a curious look but said nothing. Opening the passenger door, he returned to the driver’s side. Ben waved Ryan inside, then followed him. Just before he took his place inside, he looked at Cameron and said loudly, “Fuck off.” Then he settled on the back seat, closed the door, and told the driver they were ready. Probably picking up on the tension in the air, he asked no questions, just stepped on the gas, heading around the circle and back up the drive.

Neither Ryan nor Ben looked back. Ben took Ryan’s hand in his. Their glances met. “Now we live our lives,” Ben said.

Ryan hoped that was true. But the question was did they still have Liza to contend with?

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #81 (19.4)

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.

Ben and Ryan find an unpleasant reminder of Liza in their motel room, but Ryan deals with the situation. Will they always have to be looking over their shoulders for her? What will it take for her to leave Ben alone? See what's going on in this week's chapter of In Pieces. Don't forget to see what the other Briefers are up to. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

In Pieces #81 (19.4)

“I’ll take care of that,” Ryan said. He moved past Ben and snatched up the offending bouquet. “Be right back.” Leaving the motel room, he hurried across the parking lot to the huge dumpster that serviced the motel, lifted the lid and tossed the flowers inside. Then he hastened back to the room. Ben sat on the edge of their bed. He looked up at Ryan’s entrance.

“How do you think she found us here?” he asked.

Good question. Ryan took a seat beside Ben, taking his hand and twining their fingers together. Then the answer dawned on him. “Cameron,” he said. “He has a copy of our itinerary, doesn’t he?”

“Oh yeah, I guess he does.” Ben sounded disconsolate. “Well, at least for the next couple of weeks. Marge doesn’t give them out too far in advance.”

“I’m glad to hear that. We’ll just have to let her know that Cameron’s out of the loop from now on,” Ryan said in a firm voice. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t figure that out for herself. She’s pretty sharp, from what I’ve seen.”

“Yeah, she is. She’s great,” Ben agreed. He leaned against Ryan, and they sat together in silence until it was time to get ready for the show.

The engagement in Lafayette went well. The fans were very enthusiastic and showed their appreciation of the music by buying a good number of CDs. Even better, neither Liza nor Cameron was anywhere to be seen, to everyone’s relief. Still, Ryan was worried about Ben. Even though he performed as well as ever, and gave his audience all he had, he knew that inside Ben was hurting. He wished he could do something to take away his pain.

After Lafayette they traveled to Baton Rouge and spent two nights at a small concert venue. They sold out the rest of their CDs, plus some others Marge had sent ahead of them. The concerts were very successful.  During one of the band’s breaks, they met a music blogger who was planning to write about them and promised to send them a link to his story as well as a music critic for a local newspaper. Ryan had no doubt that Salvation was on its way to stardom.

He kept in touch with Cassie all week, keeping her informed as to what was going on. She was a sympathetic listener. It felt good to talk to her. She made him promise that he’d call once they reached Mandeville, and he swore he would.

Saturday morning they checked out of their latest motel. There had been nothing else from Liza after the first flowers, but Ben was still ill at ease every time they entered their room, as if fearful she had sent something else, or had come herself. Luckily that never happened. Baton Rouge was located less than an hour and a half fromMandeville, so the trip to Cameron’s house didn’t take very long. When they pulled up in front of the house, there was no sign of Cameron’s truck. Ryan hoped that was a good thing and maybe the man was keeping his distance.

Everyone collected their belongings from their bedrooms and then gathered in the living room for a brief band meeting. The group was dispersing for the week. Keanu and Deacon were heading home to San Francisco to visit Keanu’s family, and Aiden and Abby were meeting friends in Atlanta.

“I’ll be in touch,” Ben promised. “I’ll let you know what’s going on, where we’ll be going and where we’ll be staying and stuff. Have a great time.”

Ben and Ryan hugged everyone good-bye as they went their separate ways, until they were alone in the house.

“I don’t know what we’ll do,” Ben confessed. “I haven’t come up with any ideas since I decided we wouldn’t be staying here.”

At that moment, Ryan’s phone rang. He’d texted Cassie on the road and she had told him she’d call back soon. Sure enough, it was her.

“Hey,” he answered the phone.

“Hey yourself,” she responded. “You back in Mandeville yet?”

“Yeah.” He mouthed Cassie’s name to Ben and he nodded. “We’ve already packed up and said good-bye to the others and all that.”

“And you still have no plans, right?”

“Right,” Ryan replied. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

“You don’t have to,” Cassie said mysteriously. “I already did.”

“What are you talking about?” Ryan asked, puzzled. He glanced at Ben, who was giving him a quizzical look.

“Now, don’t be mad, but I told you I was planning a little surprise for you. I got you two tickets on a flight leaving for St. Louis in about three hours.”

“You did? But why?”

“I think you two need some time away from the road, and I’d love to have you stay with me on your break. I miss you and I want to get to know Ben.” A moment of silence fell between them. “I hope… I mean, I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”

“Wrong?” Ryan quickly said, his heart filling at her words. “God, you’re wonderful, Cassie. I love you. And I know Ben will too. Text me the details, okay?”

Ryan heard relief in Cassie’s voice. “Can’t wait to see you. I’ll pick you up at Lambert, okay?”

“We can Uber,” he started to say, but Cassie interrupted.

“I’ll pick you up, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ryan couldn’t help but smile as he hung up and turned toward the bewildered Ben. “Looks like we’re going to St. Louis to visit Cassie. Is that cool with you?”

Ben’s smile, followed by a long kiss, told Ryan all he needed to know.

to be continued

Now see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #80 (19.3)

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.

Looks like Liza is up to her old tricks. Ben and Ryan are more determined than ever to get out of her financial grasp, no matter what, although they have no idea how to do that. See what's happening with them 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 #80 (19.3)

Once the rest of the band arrived, they all went to breakfast at a nearby restaurant, Marge’s treat. The atmosphere was somewhat subdued, not surprising considering everything that was going on. But once they all ate, they began to relax a little. Ryan appreciated that everyone was so considerate of both Ben and Abby. That was just one of the things he loved about them. Afterward, they returned to the motel and Marge checked out. She dropped Ben and Ryan at the park on her way out of town, so they could retrieve Cameron’s sedan.

“Don’t worry, we’ll figure out something,” she said when she hugged them good-bye. Ryan hoped she was right.

A light rain was falling by the time they got to the motel, so hanging out at the pool wasn’t really an option. Ryan decided to work on the book. He sat on the edge of the bed, Ben curled up beside him, and wrote for a while. He thought everything was going pretty well so far. His goal was to let the personalities of the various band members shine through his words. They already had a fan base, but hopefully the book would get more people interested in them and their music.

After a couple of hours, he shut down his laptop and he and Ben made love, then took a nap. When they woke, they took a shower and dressed, then met the others for dinner at a local burger joint. They discussed the schedule, as well as the week off that was coming up.

“I figured we’d hang out at Cameron’s until we hit the road again,” Aiden said. “But now I’m not so sure I want to. Guess it depends on if he’s there or not.” Nobody had to ask who he meant. “On the one hand, I hope he isn’t, but on the other, I am dying to knock his stupid ass out.”

Ryan could easily understand how Aiden felt. He felt the same way, even though he wasn’t usually given to violence.

“We’ll work it out when we get there,” Ben said. “No sense in worrying about it now. Besides, you know how he is. Comes and goes, no rhyme or reason. It’s just as likely he won’t be there. Either way, we’re parting ways with him, once I sort out our financing.”

“Good riddance,” Abby said. Ryan thought he saw dark circles under her eyes. Maybe she wasn’t sleeping very well. Not surprising, under the circumstances.

“Something’ll work out,” Deacon said, his usual optimistic self. “We just have to believe in ourselves.” Ryan appreciated his outlook. He just hoped the other man was right.

The next day was sunny and warm. They drove the short distance to Lafayette and quickly found their motel and checked in. They weren’t due onstage until nine, so they split up for the afternoon. Deacon and Keanu opted to stay at the hotel in order to check out the pool, but they weren’t fooling anyone when they made a beeline to their room. Aiden and Abby decided to walk around the area and get some exercise, so Ben and Ryan took the sedan and drove around Lafayette. Ryan offered to drive, so Ben scooted up against him in the front seat and played navigator.

They stopped for lunch at an Indian restaurant. The food was delicious and the proprietor very friendly. They were feeling pretty good by the time they returned to their hotel.

“Whoa, when they say spicy, they really mean it.” Ben laughed as he used his key card to let them into their room. “I’m glad I didn’t order it any hotter than I did. That might—”

Ryan had been trailing Ben, listening to him, when he heard Ben’s words stop abruptly. He looked at Ben in surprise. Ben was staring at something in the room. Oh no, it couldn’t be, could it?

But when Ryan moved past Ben, intending to shield him from harm, all he saw at first was a large flower arrangement sitting on their dresser. Then he spotted the card attached to it.

All my love, L.

What the fuck? Really?

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #79 (19.2)

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 brought him back safely, but an early morning phone call from Cassie means more problems for the band, as well as for Ben and Ryan. Is there a way out of this mess? 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 #79 (19.2)

Ryan felt better after pouring his heart out to Cassie, feeling some of the stress of the situation ease a little. He trusted Cassie implicitly, knew he could rely on her to keep his confidence.

“Ben’s lucky to have you, Ryan,” Cassie said when he had finished speaking. “You two deserve to be happy, how dare this bitch try to keep you apart, especially after what she’s done to poor Ben? I can certainly understand Ben getting away from her. It’s not right that she pulled him right back in like that.”

“I don’t know what will happen if she pulls her backing,” Ryan said. “At the same time, I’m sure Ben doesn’t want anything from her either. So I’m not sure where that leaves the band, you know?”

“I’m sure we can figure something out, Ryan. I think right now you need to focus on taking care of Ben and keeping him away from her.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Ryan agreed. He heard a knock at the bathroom door.

“Ryan, you there?” Ben’s voice sounded slightly panicked.

“Yeah, be right out,” Ryan called out, quickly rising from the floor where he’d slumped while talking to Cassie. “Look, Cassie, I have to go, Ben’s up. I’ll call you back later when I know something.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Ryan clicked off and opened the door. Ben’s expression changed from worried to relieved in a moment.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to disturb you,” Ryan apologized, holding his phone up. “I was talking to Cassie. She called.”

They headed back to the bed, sitting on the edge, side by side. “Is she okay?” Ben asked. “Nothing’s wrong, I hope?”

Ryan took a deep breath, hating what he was about to say, as he explained about the threatening call Cassie had received from Liza. “I’m sorry. I don’t meant to upset you, but I had to tell you, I swore to you I’d never lie.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m glad you told me.” Ben shuddered. Ryan quickly put an arm about him, and they huddled together.

“I’m going to be free of her,” Ben said. Ryan was glad he sounded less lost and more in charge of himself than he had the night before. “I don’t care what she says. She’s no good for either one of us. Just have to figure out how to get the band out from under her thumb financially, now that I know it’s been her, not Cameron.” 

“Absolutely,” Ryan agreed, although he didn’t have the first clue as to how they were going to do that. He was also reminded that the next time he saw the man, he had a few choice words for Cameron Pope. “Do you have any ideas?”

Ben sighed softly. “Not really. I think the first step is to talk to Marge, see if she has time before she has to go so we can go over things with her, see what she thinks.”

“That sounds like a very good idea,” Ryan said. He pressed a soft kiss against Ben’s forehead.

At that moment, they heard a ding, but it wasn’t from Ryan’s phone. They glanced apprehensively toward Ben’s phone on the nightstand. “Do you want me to look?” Ryan offered.

“No, I have it.” Ben reached for his phone and checked the text message that had just come in. Ryan watched him anxiously until he saw Ben visibly relax. “Speak of the devil, it’s Marge. She wants to know about breakfast. Brunch now.” He quickly typed in a reply and hit send. “I told her we’d love to. We’re to meet up in her room in half an hour. I’ll contact the others, then we can get dressed.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ryan said. As Ben texted the rest of the bank, Ryan watched him anxiously, but he seemed to be doing okay. Once he received replies from Aiden and Deacon, they got dressed and headed up to Marge’s room so they could have a few minutes alone with her.

“We’ll have to go get Cameron’s car,” Ryan reminded Ben. “We left it in the park last night.”

“If we didn’t need it, I’d be tempted to leave it there,” Ben Said. “But I won’t. Yeah, after breakfast we can go after it. We can Uber over or something and drive it back.”

Marge didn’t seem surprised to see them when they knocked on her door without the others. She ushered them in and invited them to have a seat on the extra bed. The reason became obvious when she began to speak.

“I didn’t want to say anything in a text, but I got an odd call last night—” she began. Ben and Ryan groaned in unison.

“I’m sorry, Marge. It was my mother, wasn’t it?”

Ryan took Ben’s hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly.

“She said she was,” Marge replied. “Told me the band is breaking up and my services were no longer needed.”

“What the hell?” Ryan spluttered.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t believe a word she said. I told her where to go and what she could do with herself once she got there.”

“I’m glad you knew better,” Ben said.  “But there’s more to it than that. Apparently, she’s been bankrolling us, not Cameron. We have to figure out how we’re going to make it without her money.”

Marge frowned at his words, falling silent for a minute. “You know something,” she said. “The group has a little break coming up. You head back to Mandeville tomorrow. Then you have one date in Lafayette, two nights in Baton Rouge, and then you’re back at Cameron’s place. Then nothing for a week. That might be a good time to re-organize. What do you think?”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Ben said.

“Okay then. Contact me when you’re ready and we’ll get together?” Moving toward them, she hugged both men. “Now, how about some breakfast?”

Ryan’s heart felt lighter. Maybe things weren’t so dire after all.

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #77 (18.4)

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 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!

In Pieces #77 (18.4)

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.

“I want to marry you too,” Ben said just before their lips met in a heart-felt love-affirming kiss.

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #76 (18.3)

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.

A worried Ryan is determined to find Ben, who raced off into the night in Cameron's car. Luckily, he finds an ally in Aiden, and soon the whole band is determined to help.Can they find Ben before it's too late? See what's happening 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 #76 (18.3)

Within minutes of Aiden sending a text, Deacon and Keanu were knocking at the door.

“Sorry to wake you,” Ryan apologized, out of habit, once they entered the room.

“Not a problem,” Deacon assured him. “This is way more important than sleep.”

“Not that we were asleep,” Keanu added with a knowing wink.

“Thanks for coming so quickly, guys,” Aiden said. He filled in the two men on what was happening, both the situation with Ben and the one with Abby and Cameron. “That’s why we need the van,” he finished. “We need to find Ben as soon as possible.”

Ryan had always considered Deacon to be the more calm and rational member of the pair, and he was proving Ryan to be correct in this instance. Deacon glanced between him and Aiden, then to Abby. “Why don’t I go with Ryan to find Ben?” he suggested. “Keanu can wait here with you and keep an eye out for Cameron, in case he decides to come back. Not that I think he will, but the man doesn’t always use his common sense.”

Ryan thought Aiden looked torn between his desire to find Ben and his need to keep Abby safe. He glanced at his twin, as if deciding where he was needed most, then nodded.

“Maybe we should go wait in your room?” Aiden said to Ryan. “In case Ben comes back first. Cameron won’t think to bother Abby there.”

That made sense. Ryan pulled the key card from his pocket and handed it to Aiden. “Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate this. If Ben should come back, please call me right away. You have my number, right?”

“I have everyone’s numbers,” Aiden said. “Go on now. We’ll be fine.”

Everyone exited the hotel room at the same time. Abby gave Ryan a hug as Keanu and Deacon exchanged a quick kiss. “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay,” she murmured. Then the three headed off toward Ryan and Ben’s room as Ryan followed Deacon to the van. Deacon unlocked the passenger door then rounded the front of the van and got in himself. The night was eerily still. Ryan’s heart was racing, fearful for Ben, worried for him. He must feel so lost and alone. What was he thinking?

Deacon started the van. “Any idea where he might have gone?”

“No, not a clue. I just know he was upset when he left. But he doesn’t know this town any better than we do, does he?”

“I wouldn’t think so,” Deacon replied, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “I’ll just choose a direction and start driving. While I do, you want to keep calling him, see if you can get him to pick up?” He made a right onto the road as he spoke, quickly leaving the motel lights behind them.

Good idea. Ryan pulled out his phone and tried again to reach Ben. His call went straight to voice mail this time. After trying three more times, he sighed and gave up.

“How upset would you say Ben is?” Deacon glanced at Ryan.

“On a scale of one to ten? Probably a hundred,” Ryan replied.

“He’s that upset with his mother? I’m not trying to be nosy, I just want to understand his mindset, you know? I didn’t know Liza very long or very well. Ben disbanded Primary Wisdom shortly after Keanu and I got there. And then he formed Salvation, and she wasn’t in the picture any more. But he never really gave any explanation for what happened and we never discussed it.  I got the impression, though, from the little that I saw of her and some of what went down back then, that she was pure poison. Very controlling and very demanding.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Ryan said.

“Then maybe… now, don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe we should head down to the river,” Deacon suggested.

Ryan gave him an alarmed look. “Why? You don’t think… he wouldn’t….”

“Better safe than sorry,” Deacon said. Ryan couldn’t argue with that.

That was as good a place as any to look. Not like there were a lot of places open at this time of night. He didn’t think Ben would be interesting in shopping.

Ryan stared morosely at the darkened buildings they passed, paying no real attention to where they were. Was Ben really so desperate… had she abused him so badly that he couldn’t stand to live anymore, knowing what had happened to him? Or was it the shame of having his secret revealed?

If they found him… no, scratch that. When they found him, Ryan would make Ben see that none of that mattered, he didn’t care. None of that was his fault, and he loved him, unconditionally, no matter what.

When Ryan looked up, he realized Deacon had found his way to a street that paralleled the river. No boats were moving at this time of night, and traffic on the road was sparse. The river was a lot longer than he’d imagined. Ben could be anywhere. Would they be able to find him, especially if he didn’t want to be found?

After maybe an hour of fruitless searching, Deacon pulled into an empty parking lot, underneath a light standard, and pulled out his phone.

“What’s the matter?” Ryan asked, alarmed. He hadn’t heard the phone ring, but maybe Deacon had it set on vibrate. Maybe Ben had come back… or something worse.

“Nothing,” Deacon assured him. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.” He began to fiddle with his phone. Ryan had no idea what he was doing, but he mentally crossed his fingers that whatever it was had to do with finding Ben.

“There’s a device manager on all our phones. I’ve never needed to use it before, but you can get the location of any of the others using this.”

“What if the phone’s not on?” Ryan fretted.

“Doesn’t matter. And bingo, there he is.”

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #75 (18.2)

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.

The truth has come out about Liza and Ben... and what she did to him... and Ben has fled the scene. Ryan is beside himself. He only wants Ben back. What is he going to do? See what's going on in this week's chapter of In Pieces. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they've been up to! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

In Pieces #75 (18.2)

What was he going to do? Where was Ben going? Was he even okay to be driving, as upset as he was? Horrible images flashed through Ryan’s mind. Car crashes, flames… all too horrible to contemplate. Not like he could chase after him either, not without a car.

Wait! He had his phone, right? He could call Ben, try to get him to calm down and come back to him. Assuming he wasn’t too late…

No, no, stop thinking that way. He yanked his phone from his pocket, found Ben’s number and called, counting the rings. C’mon, c’mon, pick up please.  But after a few rings, his call went to voice mail. Ryan hung up and called back, with the same result.

A searing pain knifed through Ryan’s heart. He didn’t care about what Liza had said, monstrous as it was. If she was telling the truth—and he couldn’t be sure of that, although that would be a terrible admission to make if untrue, but would explain Ben’s reaction—even so, it wouldn’t have been Ben’s fault. Ben was not to blame here. He had to make him see that he loved him, no matter what. But how to find him? They were in a strange city, in the middle of the night. Where to even start?

What to do, what to do, what to do? Sitting inside the hotel room doing nothing was driving him crazy. He patted his pocket to make sure the key card was still there, slid his phone into the other pocket and left the motel room.

The night was pitch black, not a star to be seen, the moon either. The band’s van sat beneath a light standard, the spot beside it empty where Cameron’s sedan had been parked. He spotted Marge’s car not far from the van. For a moment, he thought of asking to borrow it, but then decided he wouldn’t bother her, not when she was probably asleep.

 Even at this late hour, Ryan could hear the faint sounds of traffic nearby. Most of the motel rooms seemed to be dark, though, not surprisingly. Ryan began to pace back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. Finding Ben was imperative, but he couldn’t just call an Uber—assuming he could get one at this hour—and ask to be driven around without a set destination.

Lost in thought, Ryan jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. His heart leapt at the idea that Ben had returned, even if he hadn’t heard or seen the car. But when he whirled around, it was Aiden’s familiar face that met his eyes.

“Ryan, what are you doing out here?” Aiden asked. “You guys aren’t fighting, are you?”

Fighting? Hardly. Ryan fought back a sob, but it was a losing proposition. “Oh god, I wish it was just that.” He began to shake, afraid he was going to lose it right here, right now. Luckily, Aiden was too self-possessed and in control to let that happen.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said, pulling Ryan into his arms to calm him. Ryan managed to get out the story as he attempted to pull himself together.

Aiden listened without making any comment until Ryan was done. “Let’s go down to my room,” he suggested.

“What about Abby? Isn’t she asleep?” Ryan didn’t want to disturb her, but Aiden shook his head.

“No, we had an unexpected visitor. That’s why I was hanging around outside, keeping watch in case he returned, but then I saw you and I wondered what was up.”

An unexpected visitor? “Cameron?” Ryan hazarded a guess.

“You know it. That man doesn’t know when to quit.”

Wasn’t that the truth?

The twins’ room was only a few doors down from Ben and Ryan’s. When they reached the door, Aiden knocked in what was probably a pre-arranged pattern, then used his card to let them in. Abby was awake, dressed in a robe and nightgown, sitting on her bed. She was surprised to see Ryan with her brother.

“Don’t tell me Cameron’s haunting you too?” She peered behind them. “Where’s Ben? Asleep?”

Aiden gave Ryan a quick hug and told him to sit beside Abby. She looked between the two men then put an arm around Ryan, almost intuitively, as Aiden caught her up on what had happened. At least as much as Ryan had told him. He’d left out the part about Ben having been in his mother’s bed.

“That bitch!” Abby cried angrily. “I knew she was trouble back then. I knew there was something wrong with her. I was just happy when Ben wanted to start a new band. Without her.”

“Yeah, I know,” Aiden agreed. Ryan noticed Aiden didn’t meet his eyes, and it struck him that maybe he already knew, or suspected, but didn’t want to say anything. More and more, it seemed as though Liza was telling the truth about her and Ben, and the knowledge sickened him. No wonder Ben had avoided her, and no wonder he was desperately trying to keep Ryan from learning what had happened. He had to find him, let him know it didn’t matter, he still loved Ben, and he didn’t blame him for anything.

“We have to find him,” Ryan said. “I… I don’t know what he might do, as upset as he is.”

“You’re right, we have to find him. As soon as possible,” Aiden agreed.

“But how? He’s got the car,” Ryan pointed out.

“We have the van,” Abby said.

“Do you have the keys?” Ryan asked.

“No, but I can text Deacon. He won’t mind.”

Ryan started to protest but he realized Aiden was probably right. Deacon and Keanu would want to know. The important thing right now was to find Ben… as quickly as possible.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

J Ray Lamb

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 #72 (17.5)

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.

Things are going from bad to worse. First Liza, now Cameron. Just what is going on here? What can Ryan do to prevent disaster from striking, keep Ben safe and happy and away from Liza? 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 #72 (17.5)

Ryan was too surprised at the unexpected intrusion to make any reply. He realized with a start that his mouth was hanging open, so quickly closed it.  Not waiting for an answer, Cameron turned toward Marge, smiling broadly.

“Hi there! You must be a friend of Ryan’s. I’m Cameron Pope, a close personal friend of the band.” He held out his hand across the table and Marge shook it.

“Hi Cameron, I’m Marge. I manage the band. Ben’s mentioned you before, nice to put a face to the name.”

“Nice to meet you too. I’ve heard of you, of course.” Cameron released Marge’s hand, turning his attention back to Ryan, who eyed him warily.

“Sorry I’ve been so MIA at the house,” he said. “Just taking care of a little business. You know how that is.”

Ryan was beginning to get the feeling he did indeed know how that was, a niggling suspicion growing in the back of his mind. He knew Ben kept Cameron apprised of their tour dates, Salvation’s comings and goings, out of deference to their host. Things were starting to make sense now

“You told her, didn’t you?” he blurted out. “Told her where we’d be tonight.”

If Cameron was embarrassed at being found out, he didn’t show it in the slightest. “If by her you mean Liza, then yes, yes I did. I bet it was a heartwarming reunion with Ben, sorry I missed it. She misses her son, you know.”

“No, I don’t know,” Ryan said. “How do you even know her?” Seemed a little too coincidental for Ryan’s taste.

Cameron made no immediate reply. He drummed his fingers on the top of the table, looking back and forth between Ryan and Marge.

 Marge seemed to pick up on the tension between them. “I could use another drink,” she announced, slowly getting to her feet. “Anyone want anything?”

Ryan shook his head.

“I’ll take a Long Island Iced Tea,” Cameron spoke up. Marge gave him an enigmatic look before she turned and made her way toward the bar.

“How do you know Liza?” Ryan repeated his question.

“What the hell, I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. Not now.” Cameron relaxed into his chair, offering Ryan his usual charming smile. “Actually, I’ve known Liza for some time. “I was a business associate of her husband.”

Dad? Ryan was startled by Cameron’s response. “You knew my father?”

“Your father?” Cameron gave him a puzzled look, then shook his head, holding up one hand as if to deny what he’d said. “Oh no, not him. Her third husband. Ron Lafferty.”

Ryan should have expected that, although it had never occurred to him before that Liza might have remarried after she left his father. He expelled a pent-up breath, in an effort to calm himself. “Is he here with you?”

“Ron? God no, Ron passed some time ago. They weren’t married very long. Ron was a lot older than Liza. In fact, they were married just long enough for her to inherit his fortune. Shortly after the honeymoon it was. Very tragic.”

Cameron’s calm voice sounded far from upset by the supposed tragedy. Ryan wondered why Ben had never mentioned having another stepfather. But in all fairness, he never discussed Liza either.

“It’s all bound to come out anyway so no harm in telling you that the money for Salvation doesn’t actually come from me.” Ryan found Cameron’s slick smile rather disconcerting. As though he was very pleased with himself for what he was revealing. “Liza’s the true angel.”

Damn. Everything was beginning to fall in place now, in a very hideous way.

Liza had managed Ben’s previous band, the one he began with Abby and Aiden. There’d been some kind of falling out or something.  Nobody had been particularly forthcoming as to what happened. Or maybe Ben had just asserted his independence and Liza didn’t like it. Either way, he broke ties with her, formed a new band, and had nothing further to do with her. Then, just when he needed help the most, along came an investor/angel, in the form of Cameron, who not only helped Salvation book a tour, but got them a recording contract. How awesome was that?

Except as it turned out, Cameron was just Liza’s stooge. It was her money that funded Salvation, not Cameron’s. She’d been hiding behind Cameron every step of the way, always just out of sight. She probably knew everything they did, everywhere they played. How much money they made and how they spent it But she’d kept her distance, until now… so, what had changed to bring her out from the shadows?

He knew the answer without thinking about it too hard. It was him, of course. His being back in Ben’s life had triggered her unexpected appearance, when she’d been content to stay in the background until now. But why? Was she really having such a hard time cutting the umbilical cord? Admitting Ben was a grown man, capable of making it on his own, without her help?

But he’d been receiving her help, hadn’t he? He just hadn’t known he was. Ryan felt a headache coming on. Whatever was going on, he knew it wasn’t good.

“So what does she want?” He worked at focusing on the current situation. He’d tackle the past later. What he wanted to know was why was she here?

“She didn’t tell me,” Cameron admitted. “She seemed content to let Ben go his own way, at least in the beginning. Said he’d come back to her eventually. But then…” He paused, looked at Ryan as if really considering the question.

“But then what?” Ryan prompted, although he was pretty sure what Cameron would say.

“Then your cute little ass came along, and when I told Liza about the writer they hired, and who you were, and what you are to Ben.” He shrugged. “To be honest, Ryan, I think she wants you out. And as far from Ben as possible.”

to be continued

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

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp