A/N: This is my very first Rafters fic so please go easy on me. I based it as closely as I could on the season premiere that just started on the 8th February. I'm a new fan of Rafters since I watched the encore of 'Death of a Rafter'. Enjoy.
Parting
It had been three months since Mel's death and Ben had just returned from his road trip with Nathan. He and Nathan had gone their separate ways due to an argument. Reuniting with his family, he thought he could fit back into the flow of life but Mel's death was never far from his mind but clearly his mind wasn't was still mourning.
Every night after his arrival home, he dreamt of the lake in which he had floated for hours upon hours thinking of nothing but that night in which his life changed forever. He had kept Mel's belongings that she had on her when she had died in the brown paper bag in the wardrobe and had been unable to touch them.
He sat on a park bench after taking Ruby to the park. Looking down, Ben saw she had dropped her favourite doll, the one he had given her for her birthday. It had been meant to be a gift from both him and Mel. Tears flowed down his face as he looked into the eyes of the doll and silent tears started to flow down his face as Ruby watched her big brother silently cry in front of her.
Ben's eyes flickered to his little sister, "You're the only who knows." Ruby smiled.
As the two Rafters walked back to the house, Ben looked down at his left hand to see he was still wearing his wedding ring. He hadn't been in the right state of mind since Mel died to take it off. To him it was the only thing that gave him a memory of Mel.
"Hey Rubes," he said looking down at Ruby who was looking up at him "I think you have inspired me to let go and mourn at my own pace. Thanks little sis I owe you one when you're older." For the first time in ages Ben smiled down at Ruby like he and Mel had once done when Julie and Dave had asked them to babysit for them.
Walking up to the front door, Ben unstrapped Ruby from her stroller and carried her inside where they were greeted by Julie and Carbo's mother Rita who had come down for her son's engagement party.
"Ben! Oh darling how are you?" Rita asked going over to hug him with Julie at her heels.
"Hi Rita. I'm fine," he said as he quickly handed Ruby to his mother and was quickly pulled into Rita's hug.
"I am so sorry to hear about Mel. I cried my eyes out when Nick told me." Rita said.
"Mum, you're killing him," Carbo said.
"Nonsense," said Rita.
"No really you are," Ben spluttered.
Rita immediately released him from her hug.
Ben quickly recovered from Rita's hug and headed to back out the door and towards next door where he lived with Carbo, Retta and once upon a time, Mel. Heading to his room, Ben walked to the dresser and looked in the mirror and saw himself and Mel on their wedding day.
Without hesitation, Ben yanked the ring off his finger and put in the jewellery box that Mel had kept all her jewellery in; jewellery that was now gone.
Walking downstairs, he bumped into Carbo.
"Hey Bennie," he greeted.
"Hey," Ben said.
"Hey you're not wearing your wedding ring," Carbo noticed.
"Yeah I think it was time to say goodbye."
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