"That should do it," Rey exclaimed as she hung the last handmade ornament, a buck-toothed nutcracker with a unibrow that Ben had declared his favorite, on the Christmas Future tree. She and Ben had been working slowly over the last two hours decorating the final tree. It would have gone faster, but they had taken their time admiring each little work of art the tiny hands of Skywalker Foundation recipients had created. There were lopsided snowmen, stars made out of popsicle sticks, and clay angels with purple wings.
Ben stood back, hands on hips, and smiled softly. "It's perfect," he said, voice hushed. "This feels like Christmas." He fingered the nutcracker's beard for a moment. "I wonder if my mother kept any of the ornaments I made her as a child? Maybe I should dig around in the attic one of these days. There may be a macaroni reindeer waiting to be rediscovered!"
Rey smiled at him. "I would bet she did. Mothers are like that. I'd like to see if there's a goofy photo of you decorating an elf body," she teased.
"Speaking of mothers..." he said, walking away and into the living room. When he returned, he handed her a gift wrapped with a slightly skewed gold bow (he had tried). "These are for you. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, The Santa Clause, Home Alone, and in honor of the design, The Muppets Christmas Carol," he recited. "I remembered you said you and your mom watched these every year. It's something to remember her by."
Rey nodded her head, choked up at his sentimental gift. "Thank you, Ben, that's really kind of you. I recall you telling me you hadn't seen any of these. Care to join me for a marathon?" she asked, hopefully.
He beamed in response. "How about I order Chinese for dinner and you pick the first movie?"
"It's a deal," she agreed.
An hour later, they were settled in front of Ben's large screen TV eating the recently delivered food. There was lots of good-natured teasing as he gave her a lesson in eating with chopsticks; she never did master it before giving up and using a fork. Over Lo Mein and Egg Rolls they talked about her roommates and how this year's Nutcracker rehearsals were going.
The hall clock quietly chimed ten o'clock as the two continued their marathon. They were neck deep in Home Alone and laughter echoed through the place as Ben cheered on Kevin McAllister. "Keep the change, you filthy animal," was his new favorite movie line. He told Rey the story of the time he had actually stepped on a nail, and how angry his mother had been at his dad for taking him to the demolition site of an old building they were removing to build a new theatre in its place.
The old clock struck midnight as they were watching It's a Wonderful Life. Rey silently wiped away a few tears. This movie always got to her. She quietly accepted the tissue Ben handed her without turning away from the screen. If she had, she would have seen the unguarded tenderness in his eyes as he watched her emotions playing across her face.
By the time the old clock struck two a.m., not a creature was stirring. Asleep on the couch, Rey was tucked into Ben's shoulder, where she had gone seeking warmth in her sleep, and his head rested upon hers.
And that's how Bazine found them the next morning when she returned…curled into each other on the couch. It was the toe-tapping that first broke into Rey's happy dreams. She awoke with a start, jerking to wakefulness with a horrid foreboding. Her sudden movements pulled Ben out of his peaceful slumber rudely.
Rey felt like she was looking into the eyes of a Great White just before it attacked, so soulless and piercing were the eyes of her boss as she gazed upon them.
Rey jumped to her feet, panicking. "Ms. Netal, you're back!"
"Yes I am, and at a rather inconvenient time for you, it appears?"
Rey floundered for a moment, excuses and answers pouring forth in incomprehensible English until she calmed her babbling. "We decorated the Christmas Future tree- I guess we lost track of time?
"Thank you for explaining it so succinctly, Ms. Johnson. Will you wait outside, please? Benjamin and I need a word in private," she coldly retorted.
Rey gulped internally and nodded, bending down to grab her shoes. She inched around her boss, who seemed to fill the doorway, and straight out of the house like the frightened mouse she was. Her metaphorical tail tucked between her legs.
Bazine watched her employee leave and then turned on her boyfriend. Ben stood up slowly and stretched attempting to appear calmer than he felt. He and Rey hadn't done anything inappropriate, but he knew it could appear that way, and from the ire swirling in his girlfriend's eyes, that's just how she was taking it.
"Bazine, nothing happened, please don't get angry about it. We worked late because one of the deliveries was delayed. I bought dinner and we talked for a while. I guess I was more tired than I thought and I nodded off."
He reached out to draw her near but she resisted, giving him the cold shoulder. "I promise you, nothing happened. I'm not that kind of man," he said sincerely.
His girlfriend crossed her arms, holding his gaze prisoner. "Oh, I know nothing happened, Benjamin. After all, she's just my assistant."
Ben scratched his head, trying to decide if retreat was the best tactic for the moment. He'd wanted to talk with her about their relationship after she'd returned to town, but this was starting out all wrong. "You know," he spoke up, "I'm feeling kind of gross right now. I'm going to go get ready for work."
"Sounds like a good idea to me," she replied blandly.
"I'm just going to go do that now-… then," he said quickly, heading to the stairs.
Soon, Bazine could hear the sound of running water and knew it was time to deal with the little upstart waiting in the cold, but as she reached for the doorknob leading outside, Ben's phone started ringing on the hall table.
She picked it up and answered. "Hello, Benjamin Solo's phone?"
"Hi, yes, this is Guillermo from Diamante's in Milan. I was told to call Mr. Solo back regarding our return policy for a ring he purchased here last month. Is he available to speak?"
Bazine rocked back on her feet and stilled. "No, I'm sorry he is indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message, please?"
"Would you tell him that I'll be glad to email him a copy of the policy and a link to start the return. He may call us if he has any further questions."
"Yes, thanks. I'll let him know that," she replied and swiftly hung up. Things are worse than I thought, she muttered to herself. She had been annoyed and irritated to find her boyfriend asleep on the couch with Rey rather than worried that any actual infidelity had occurred. It was obvious that nothing had happened, but now? He wanted to return the ring which meant he wasn't going to be proposing this year, maybe never, she worried.
She needed to fix this, and she needed to do it fast. But what to do, she wondered.
Bazine started snooping around the entry hall looking in the sofa table for a ring box, opening the drawers of the hall desk hoping Ben had stashed the ring there (instead of upstairs in his room where it would make more sense to conceal it). She grinned when she finally found the little box inside his jacket hanging on the coat rack. Perfect! she thought, quickly placing the solitaire upon her ring finger before going to the front door and calling Rey back inside.
Bazine schooled her features. "Ms. Johnson, thank you for waiting. If you'll just follow me," she said, leading her assistant back to the scene of the crime.
Rey tried to apologize once again for her lack of professionalism but Bazine just waved her hand, cutting her off. "I called you back because I want you to clean up this mess you left. You've crossed the line, Ms. Johnson, and I cannot believe your audacity. You'll clear this up, and then you're going to clean out your desk at the office. You're fired. I trusted you. And you betrayed me."
Rey froze. "But nothing happened I promise!" she beseeched.
"Oh I know it," Bazine replied. "Ben and I had a long talk. I trust him when he tells me nothing happened. Turned out he missed me so much while I was gone that he decided not to wait until the party to propose." She held her hand up, on which clearly sparkled a large solitaire. "He proposed early so now the party will be doubling as our engagement party," she gloated, admiring the ring on her hand.
"Congratulations," Rey replied woodenly. "I hope you'll be very happy together."
Bazine was pleased to notice how pale her former employee now appeared. "Well thank you, Ms. Johnson, but the fact remains I still no longer trust you. I had such hopes for you, you know. I thought you had such promise," she sneered. "You've had your little moment of fun with him but it's over now. If you ever contact us again I'll be sure to make it impossible for you to work in this town. You understand?"
"Yes, Ms. Netal," Rey practically whispered.
"Good," Bazine said. "Now clean up this mess, give me your key, and I never want to see you again." And so saying, she walked away leaving a heartbroken Rey behind her.
Twenty minutes later and freshly dressed, Ben returned downstairs to find his girlfriend waiting for him in the living room.
"I heard voices. Has my driver arrived?"
"Oh- no, that was me. I started the movie you were watching last night while I cleaned for you," she explained.
"Thank you, Baz. I appreciate it," Ben said, "The movie was 'It's a Wonderful Life'. It's really good actually."
"Well if you want I'd be glad to watch it with you," she remarked.
"My first meeting starts soon and I need to get to the office," Ben said. "I really think we need to talk though. Do you have some time later today?"
"Not this afternoon, I've got a lot of work to catch up on," Bazine said, flipping through a magazine, "but I can make time tonight. Sound good?"
"Great," he said. "See you then." And left.
Later that afternoon Bazine sat at her desk, a queen ensconced on her throne once more. Confidently she dialed the Boston Herald and leaned back in her chair, gazing out at downtown sprawling below her. "Hi, yes, is this the Society writer for the Herald? I just wanted to let you know I have it on good authority that Benjamin Solo has gotten engaged recently," she purred. "To Bazine Netal, his longtime girlfriend. Uh-hmm, yes, he runs the Skywalker Foundation and she owns Stepford's. You should have a picture of the couple on file from last Easter."
They talked for a minute or two more about the couple's history, and then she hung up. She glanced over to the smaller desk in the corner, pleased to note that Ms. Johnson had already cleared her things and departed. That little problem taken care of! Now for Benjamin, she thought…
When Ben arrived home that night he was greeted by a delicious scent wafting through his home; basil and warm tomato teased his nose, waking his appetite. He walked through to the dining room and there he found Bazine and an intimate table set for two. His family's best Wedgewood graced the old mahogany table, with a centerpiece of white roses and pine. Candlelight bounced softly off the crystal wine glass she held out for him.
"Welcome home, darling. Did you have a productive day at work?"
"I did, thank you," Ben replied as he removed his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. "And you?" he queried, sitting down.
"It was busier than I expected," she started, "I spent the afternoon interviewing for a new assistant."
Ben stilled, his hand gently clenched the stem of his glass. "What about Rey? Did she receive a promotion or something?"
"Oh no. She quit this morning!" Bazine exclaimed. "I was never so surprised. She said she didn't want to work for me anymore. That she felt she didn't belong in our world and would be happier in a different sort of decorator's office," she lied with ease.
"She's gone?" Ben repeated, almost to himself he was so quiet.
"She is," his girlfriend replied in the affirmative with just a hint of frost. "I'm glad at least for one thing," she said taking a small bite of carbonara, "She waited until after your job was completed to leave. That would've left us in a huge lurch-…especially now that I see this party is going to double as our engagement party, honey!" she said, her voice rising in a cheerful tone as she held up her hand which, to his dismay, held the ring he had every intention of returning.
Bazine jumped out of her seat, "Yes, honey, yes!" she said, covering his cheeks and mouth with rapid kisses, leaving him unable to get a word in edgewise. "I will marry you!"
Bewildered, Ben found himself standing and being wrapped tightly in her arms, rather like a clinging ivy, he thought.
"This is going to be the best Christmas ever! Merry Christmas, darling," she sighed.
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I promise this has a guaranteed HEA and I will deliver it in the next chapter! This is as angsty as it gets :) Feel free to scream nicely at me in the comments.
