Chapter 2 – The Way There

It was 7:15 and Maureen was finishing up getting ready to meet Benny. Her door buzzed and she raced, almost tripping on piled clothes that scattered the floor, to answer it. Pressing the button on the intercom that was next to the red door, she couldn't help but smile, knowing who was on the other end.

"Hello?" she piped into the speaker.

"Hey, it's me," it said back to her.

"Okay, I'll be right down."

"All right."

Maureen slid on her black heels and rushed out the door. She hurried down the stairs as fast as she could manage, finally meeting Benny outside the building.

"Hey," he uttered to her as she came out the door.

"Hey," she said back, smiling at him.

"You look really good," he told her, causing her cheeks to turn a slight pink.

Maureen fiddled with her flowing white shirt that flared beautifully at her hips. She had a black spaghetti strap tank top on that clung well to her small frame. The heels she added at the last minute were just enough to make the outfit perfect.

"Thanks, you clean up pretty well yourself," she teased.

Benny just laughed as he stepped down the stairs to the sidewalk.

"So Mr. Coffin," Maureen started as she followed Benny down the steps, "What are our plans for the night?"

"Well, for starters, I'm taking you to Candela."

Maureen's eyes lit up, "I have always wanted to go there."

"I know."

She looked at him through wondrous eyes. How would he know?

"Don't think I didn't pay attention to you when you lived with us and dated Mark," he told her, his head trying to stop what his heart was telling him to say.

"Why?"

"Why? Well," Benny started, hesitant to expose his true feelings, "Ever since the first day Mark brought you home to meet us, I was attracted to you. The problem being, you were taken by my best friend."

Maureen felt her heart start to beat a little faster at Benny's words. She didn't know what to think about Benny admitting that his feelings were real and started early.

Benny continued, "So I buried what I was feeling and tried not to show it. Selfish as it may sound, I was excited to hear that you and Mark broke up, but then I remember that I was engaged to Alison. I married her having feeling for another woman, which was dumb on my part, because that is part of why our marriage didn't work out. Then you got with Joanne and that is when I really thought my chance was over. Well that and the fact that you and everyone else hated my guts."

"Benny," Maureen interrupted, "We didn't hate you. We all felt betrayed that you were living like us and happy, but then you married Alison and thought you were everything because you had money. On top of that, you tried to evict us and everybody else from the building, which didn't settle too well."

Benny shifted his weight from leg to leg, growing more and more uncomfortable. He checked his watch, trying to do anything to change the topic of discussion.

"We better hurry," he said, brushing his hand over his head, "our reservations are in ten minutes."

He extended his arm, motioning for her to take it. Benny's gesture made her forget the discussion and anger. He seemed to have the power to make her mind melt into a puddle, and grant him instant forgiveness.

"Oh, and Benny," Maureen whispered, loud enough to catch his attention, "You weren't the only one who was feeling that way."

Benny looked at her, watching the corners of her mouth form into a slight smirk. He opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again, realizing he didn't know how.