Where Love Found Them
Johnathan Miller
Ben was staring deep outside the American Airlines flight en-route to Rome, Italy where he loved to take his annual summer vacations. Ben taught eighth grade at Morrisville Middle School where he had been made the chair of his department. Deep down inside, Ben knew all his life that he was a natural born songwriter. And for this, he became the towns local music man. Every week he would have at least eighteen projects surrounding him due to the townsmen ill-literacy, and ill-use of modern day American English.
Benjamin Rodney Jones, a very compassionate man lived a life, lived a lie and lived as if the world was his playground. Where Ben would enjoy the laughter of children in the park, he would also look at the couples and the married couples. They all seemed so happy, resilient and at peace with their lives. They were and Benjamin knew this, he just did not like at all the happiness that surrounded him and most days he would vent that anger into his teaching into what he had dedicated his life to doing. Teaching.
This trip was for Benjamin to escape that reality. Arriving at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, he picked up his luggage and bagging and headed for the Hotel Italia. As the taxi drove by the famous Roman Coliseum he began to realize the wonder and magical beauty of his surroundings. As the taxi stopped at his Hotel he began searching for his wallet, speaking so the driver can understand him, he says
"How much for ride?"
"Uhh, how about a-twenty euro, Eh?"
Ben, handing him a 30 euro bill,
"Keep the rest, bud."
The overjoyed taxi driver face replied "Grazi, Grazi a young man-a. God-a Bless ya!"
Ben was happy he could make that taxi drivers day. A young man was already retrieving the luggage out of the trunk to carry inside the hotel for Ben. As he was getting the bags out of the trunk of the car, Ben decided to help the young man out. Noticing how quickly he managed to move, Ben starts a conversation.
"So, How long have you been here in the Vatican City?"
Laughing, the young man replied, "About three years now…You must be on vacation?"
"Yep, even though it's a vacation…it's more of a work while away trip." Ben was talking about the summer finals he had to grade for the final reporting of the grades next week. "That plane was the slave plane, just taking me here to Rome to relax so my sanity wouldn't impoverish.
"Ah, well the Hotel Italia is your best destination. Its where the idiot come from abroad to loathe at the richest of riches and also to blow their money on the new Roman Catholic Pope. Does that make any sense?"
They both begin to laugh. As Ben and the baggage guy takes the bags to check in, Ben lets the other guy know that he can carry it to the room now.
"Don't be ridiculous! It's my job to take it to your room."
After the Phone Call
"Who was that?" asked Philippé. Ben lay quietly still as the thought of losing Ryan was replaying in his mind. Never would the thought of Ryan leaving or ever being gone have crossed Benjamin's mind. All those nights of the endless pleasure and joyous occasions were gone. Ryan was a sort of stability for Ben. The more the thoughts ran through his mind, the more he began to let the emotional pain run and puncture through. Ben began to cry, weeping like a small infant. Philippe, understanding the same moment Benjamin was feeling, leaned over, gently wrapping his arm around Benjamin, embracing him while the torture ran through his thoughts and his tears. As Philippe held Benjamin, he could feel the pain, the relentless suffering that he had endured all his life while embracing him in those moments. Philippe was there to comfort Benjamin.
Philippe lifted Ben's face and began to speak softly.
"Listen to me Ben… Do not, Ben. Do not let that hinder you."
Still weeping with pain, hatred, anger and confusion, Ben took Philippe's hand to be comforted and re-assured that everything was going to be alright. What Benjamin did not know was that everything was already fine; he just really did not see it. We all understand that Ben was grieving for the loss of the three year love he worked really hard to get and maintain. In one instant, it was taken from him. Ben knew that, but he also knew there was nothing he could do about it.
While Philippe and Ben sat there, holding each other. They lie down and look at each other in the eyes. Philippe begins to smile.
"What is it, Philippe?"
"Nothing, I'm just looking at your eyes."
"What's wrong with them, besides being red from this crying?"
Staring deep into Benjamin's eyes, and then running his fingertips through Ben's hair, he says.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with your eyes, Ben. They are beautiful. You're eyes are so wonderfully beautiful. They tell your story, Ben, they do. Has anyone ever told you that?
Ben, "I don't know, Philippe."
"Well, I have. Ben, you're beautiful."
Ben, astonished, confused. "Philippe, I can't do this. I just—"
"I know what you just lost, a person who didn't realize what he was losing…he did not know what he was losing when he decided to let you go."
Benjamin began to cry, knowing that Philippe was right and that he felt the love from him. He could not deny it. It was destiny for Philippe and him to have met. What Benjamin also knew was that the feeling of being overwhelmed by all of the stress that had built the tension he had in the days arriving in Rome. He needed to release it. And he knew just how…writing a song.
Before he could get out of the bed, Philippe wrapped his arms around Ben's chest from behind. While embracing the moment, he softly whispers into Benjamin's ear.
"Ben…?"
Turning to look at Philippe. "Hmmm?" Still whispering,
"Can I keep you?"
Ben looked at Philippe for a moment, realizing what had just happened. Benjamin knew that love still existed in the moment. His vacation-disaster wasn't going to be disastrous after all.