NOTES
The story picks up from Breaking Point Classic Chapter 5, just after the kids leave the Sunglasses Hut at the mall and before they head to the RV...
From BPC Ch 5:
"She could just nod as her heart started pounding again. So many questions. Everything felt different and she didn't know why. She followed Ben and Michelle out the door almost in a trance."
/
Bellwood Towne Center
1:13 PM
Michelle led the way from the sunglasses shop towards the next clothes store down the mall promenade. Ben faked trying to detour into the video game store next to it instead, but Gwen didn't let go of his hand and tugged him back. "Nuh uh, Doofus, you're coming with us. I don't want to go hunting for you, too. We've had enough excitement for today."
Well, that was one way to think of the unexpected stuff that happened a half hour or so ago. He saw that Gwen was affected by his inopportune excitement - she went as red as he felt, and his face had burned - but she couldn't possibly understand the depth of his discomposure. The pain she felt a few weeks ago scared the hell out of him and he'd never try to downplay it, but at least 'that time' only came once a month for her, and his mom assured him now that she'd had it she'd be better able to deal with it again; and it wouldn't be so apparent to casual observers. His problem could, and did, happen at any time, in any place, for any number of reasons (including, of course, getting up close and personal with his girlfriend), or no reason at all. And it was often almost impossible to hide without inviting insensitive if not angry responses, as the Dweeb had demonstrated before she figured it out. It bothered him now that he'd dished out what he thought was 'just having fun' comments when a couple classmates had similar problems at school; he'd escaped being noticed a couple times, but the idea that it could happen publicly to him was awful. Gwen may have initially been angry when she misunderstood the situation, but at least when she got it she didn't tease him. A pleasant and not entirely unsurprising silver lining to this particular cloud, all things considered.
It didn't help that besides that, he was as confused by the episode as he had ever been. It was bad enough when it was a mostly random thing, but now that it happened when they were kissing (did a hand on a knee count as making out? What did that really mean?) would it keep doing that? How was he supposed to explain that to her? Was he such a such a sick twitch that he'd react to his awesome Dweeb by thinking of maybe doing something besides trying to hide it? He shook his head hard at that. Nononono, don't even start thinking that way! You are such a dirtbag! But… could girls have similar things happen? He knew the physical differences between the sexes - he stayed awake for those days in health class at least, and he knew how to find his way around the Internet - but he never saw an explanation for what happened to boys (besides the obvious, of course), let alone girls. Were they that different?
The jumbled feelings that went with it this time caught him completely by surprise. He still felt the same way about her; if anything, since he accepted that he loved her his feelings were stronger. Sometimes they even were almost too much to handle. Was this another new aspect of that? He knew his parents did … that … because they loved each other in a way that was only between them - that's what his dad said the first time they had The Talk man to man, anyway. (Talk about awkward! Dad was a fumbling mess and he could barely listen. That was one of the few things that stuck from that conversation. He wished now he'd paid more attention.) Is that what he and his Dweeb were heading towards?! What did she think of the idea? What if she thought he was an asshole for considering it?
What if she liked the idea?! What then? How was he supposed to know one way or the other?
How did he even get started thinking this way?!
On top of it all, there was no one he could turn to for help in sorting any of this out. There was no way he could casually bring the subject up for advice with any of the men in his life (Hey Uncle Frank, your daughter really gives me the hots! What should I do about that? … Hey Dad, what do you do when Mom gets you all hot and bothered in public? I get that way with Gwen all the time. … Yeah, that's just never gonna happen!), and mom wasn't ever going to be an option. Maybe Paul, if the right situation came about, although he was hard pressed to see how that might happen without being weird.
As his thoughts raced in circles, surprisingly he thought of his Dweeb. In the past she was almost always good when he needed to unload about something, if not actually offer useful common sense. She may have been the immediate cause of his issue, but the way she reacted to it made him wonder if she was as flummoxed by her own reaction as he was by his. Maaybe they could talk to each other like they could to no one else? After all, she was directly involved in all this. And he didn't have to pretend any more that it doesn't happen to him. Not with her, anyway.
Ben was preoccupied with his thoughts and wasn't paying attention to the walkway, and he stumbled on a raised section of tile while catching up. He was steeling himself for the inevitable 'You are such a klutz!' burn barrage from Gwen to go with her demand that he stay close; instead she looked back at him with a mixture of sympathy, determination and confusion in her amazing green eyes as her lips turned up in a shy smile. He was on the verge of arguing with her because that's what they did before he saw that look, and instead returned her smile with a grateful one of his own.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." was all he said in reply. He didn't need to say more - who knew a quick squeeze of the hand could be so much better than words sometimes?
Michelle was holding the door to the American Eagle store for them as they caught up, giving them both a curious look. "You two OK?"
"Sure. Why?" Gwen replied, not entirely successful at regaining her composure.
"I don't know. You both look a little... lost."
Ben gave her hand another quick squeeze and felt her squeeze back before answering for both of them. "Nah, we're good. But thanks for checking, Michelle."
He let go of Gwen's hand and followed the girls into the store. His Dweeb put all that out of her mind and went into shopping mode as she did, saying to herself more than anything "Now let's see what's new in here..." as she led her friend into the racks of clothes.
Ben hung back near the entrance, waiting for one of them to beckon. It wouldn't take long, she never did.
"Oh, this will look amazing! ... Come here, Doofus, you have to try this on!" Right on cue...
Ben rolled his eyes in exasperation at Gwen's latest attempt to "improve his fashion sense". Like he needed to! T shirts and jeans suited him just fine, thank you very much. Cargo pants were good, too, but he had to admit she had found some shorts that didn't make him look like a dork and actually were better in the California summer heat than long pants. He drew a line at the button up shirts Gwen kept showing him though; he wasn't going to change his look that much.
He was still torqued off that he couldn't find his lucky white and black stripe shirts any more. He had a few left from his stash from last year (although, the sleeves felt a little tight the last time he put one on, and didn't the hem used to extend to the pockets of his pants?), but Gwen took it on herself to find replacements. That in itself wasn't all that bad - he could use a couple new tees, and she was pretty good at finding those. He particularly liked the latest one she found to replace the 'Detroit Rock City' shirt that got lost when the Rustbucket was destroyed.
Out of the chaos and destruction and misery resulting from that catastrophic day, the loss of a t-shirt shouldn't have even rated a passing thought. But it was the one she gave to him after his loss to her at the karate tournament. The one where he hoped to prove he was worthy of being more than just someone to hang out with, who could keep up with her. Maybe even be a little better so he could be someone she could look up to. He could never dream of doing that in school, but karate was his best chance. After the stupid mistake he made, though, even that fell away and all he could do afterwards was escape to the Rustbucket and hope she would at least still want to stay friends. And then she transformed into a vision of, well... beauty - there wasn't another word, she was way past pretty - and he knew he had no chance of being anything more to her.
Until she gave him that T-shirt and said she was proud of him. Of him! He was on top of the world for the rest of that night knowing that's what she thought, and every time he wore it he got a reminder of that feeling. It was way more than just a bit of cloth with his favorite music heroes on it, so losing it only piled on to his grief when they got home. The day she gave him the new one was in some way almost as good as the first, and in another far better - they both got a bit misty, but neither one cared as they pulled each other close.
Since summer there was more to their store trips than just finding clothes, though - the way she looked at him when she was supposedly considering how a shirt would fit felt more and more like an excuse to check him out. He was startled the first time he realized her looks were making him feel weird and self-conscious - a concept he never even knew about before summer last year. At first it had him crossing his arms over his stomach and looking at anything besides her on their shopping trips after that Fourth of July. He was even more shocked when he figured out the keen way she looked at him had almost nothing to do with the clothes (shirt or pants, especially when his back was to her) he was wearing, and he liked it. Then he got used to it - not that she looked at him that way very often back then. Since this August, though, if there was more than a week or so between them, he sort of missed it.
Now he got the funny, not really-a-shiver sensation down his back he only ever felt when she was giving him a full body scan, and that was entirely ok with him. Kinda like that morning after she uncovered his recent preference for sleeping in his boxers - they were both properly mortified, but he also couldn't shake the feeling she was disappointed he covered up so fast. And she was always so attentive whenever he lifted his jersey to show off the black and blue marks he got during soccer. Her excuse when his uncle laughingly commented on it once had her stammer out that she was only concerned that they looked painful, and the man had accepted it at face value. But Ben knew she had something else in mind, too. He always figured it was just so she could remember where she was going to use the healing magic; last week, though, she had insisted her hand had to be directly on his skin so the healing worked on the deeper bruising, even if it was under his shirt. It was only so it wouldn't affect him for the league championship game, she said. It worked - boy, did it! - and the tingle on his side and down his back was from more than her mana doing its thing on his banged up ribs.
And then there was the time a few weeks ago when he caught her blatantly sizing him up in the PacSun store and he played her by striking a comically exaggerated pose, then flexing his arms and air kissing at her that left her crying and gasping for air, she was laughing so hard! Not to mention the effects it had on her mom and other nearby shoppers. That day still made him grin!
Today, however, she was determined to find stuff that had "more style" than the simple things he liked. Even Army Girl was getting into the act today - ever since they met her at the mall a couple hours ago both of them were picking out clothes for him. And he even put them on, trying to play it off as a variation of the ugly outfit game he started with the Dweeb during the better half of summer a year and a half ago; something the two girls played a lot, according to what Michelle just told him. The last store they were in before getting something to drink was full of Oxford button-up shirts with colored patterns and stiff collars - ugh! Gwen even picked up a tie and held it against one of the shirts before looking at him hopefully. He didn't feel bad at all about her rueful grin and shrug after he growled "No way!"
It was one thing that he'd put on black khakis and a dark green polo shirt today so he'd look respectable next to his Dweeb. The jolt at the way she woke him up overshadowed his reaction to her wearing that dress again - the blue one that made his heart race the first time he saw her in it and did again that morning - something he made up for when he got downstairs and saw her standing in the kitchen. Every word he knew that meant the same thing as pretty flashed through his brain as he stared at her with his mouth open like Ripjaws out of water before she looked up at him with the same expression at the clothes he had on. That look, and the shy smile that followed it had been worth the teasing from his mom ("Must be time to do the laundry if you have to wear that outfit"); even so, he wasn't gonna start wearing button up shirts with a tie for anyone.
He turned from staring out the plate glass of the storefront at the barely visible video game store next to the Sunglasses Hut they just left, with the promise of far more interesting things to look at. "I'm not putting on another dork..." he grumbled as he pivoted around before catching site of Gwen walking towards him. She was holding out a revolting bunch of pale red cloth with a white lined pattern in her hands in what she had informed him was paisley on a previous shopping trip.
"Really, Doofus?! You've never seen a pattern like this? The way your mom and dad act, they're like they got stuck in a time warp from the 60s - they both probably have psychedelic paisley clothes. You just didn't pay attention when they wore them!"
Seriously?!
"Oh nonono! Hell no! I am not wearing that even as a joke! I thought we were done with the game!" he shouted as he started backing away.
"This isn't part of the game, you dummy!" She yelled back and kept walking. Then she switched to a calm, soothing voice and puppy dog eyes. "Come on, Doofus, this will look good on you! Take it to a dressing room and try it on. I want to see it without the polo shirt showing."
Michelle chimed in with a gleeful smirk. "Or you could change shirts here! ... Just saying!"
Gwen stopped in her tracks and got a horrified look. "Don't you dare!" she shouted at him before facing the other girl. "Michelle! Don't encourage him! He's likely to do it!"
Her friend cackled. "Well yeah, that's the idea!"
Ben felt his face glow, remembering how Gwen reacted to his bare chest just a few hours ago. He liked the fact she was lit up again as much as he was, but he couldn't explain exactly why. It was more than just seeing her squirm. He wanted to laugh but forced it down; better to dodge one bullet at a time. He kept backing up until he stumbled from running into a full display rack of shirts, shooting eye daggers at her as he scrambled to keep from falling.
He barked a relieved laugh when he was saved by the phone in his pocket as it played the ringtone. He scrambled to fish it out and flip it open, glimpsing at the caller ID before putting it to his ear.
"Paul! Dude, good timing! You need to help me!" he yelled while shooting a mock glare at his Dweeb. Who was very much living up to the name.
His friend's voice went from normal to worried like that. "Hey Shorty! ... Whoa, ease up! Why?! What's going on? Where are you?"
Gwen was advancing on him again with a frown and growling "Bennn" at the interruption. "I'm at the mall with Gwen and Michelle, and they dragged me into American Eagle. You should see the nightmare the Dweeb wants me to try on!" He held up his hand to get her to stop as he implored "You've gotta get me out of here!" She stopped, and the way her frown turned from mild annoyance into full on aggravation made him crack up.
Paul's voice relaxed into his own laughter. "Dude! Don't do that! You had me going for a sec. ... I may be able to help you out, actually. ... Are you listening?"
Gwen had reached him finally, and was trying to hold the awful thing against his chest while he talked. He swatted her hands away as he murmured "Get off!" at her. He spoke into the phone again, still chuckling as she glared at him some more, her lips twitching as she forced down the grin he knew was threatening to break free.
"Yeah, I hear you."
"OK. The band listened to your demo track and liked it. In fact, the bass player was wondering if it wasn't really a bootleg from a concert Johnson did, so I played a clip from another one of your recordings just to show you could do more than the one tune."
Ben scowled at that, something Gwen picked up on and mirrored while mouthing a silent 'What?', just because. She might be trying to dress him like a clown, but she'd always have his back. "Pssht! Like I would do that! What song?"
"Everlong. They liked that too, so they're OK if you want to play a couple songs at the start of the first set. They want to use that, and they always start with Dance the Night Away. You know, the Van Halen tune."
He grinned at that news. "Cool!" He couldn't say too much out loud now without giving away what he wanted to be a surprise. Her scowl faded into a quizzical look, with Michelle taking a place next to her with the same face.
"Yeah it is! But now you need to learn it, Squirt. So, got some time today? You've only got a week."
He unconsciously started to rub the back of his head. "Um, well, like I said, I'm at the mall and I kinda have plans already..." and ducked his head at Gwen's annoyed response - she was scowling at him now, with her free hand on her hip.
"No worries, I can get you and take you back. It won't be for more than a couple hours, but you'll have to practice on your own during the week. And don't worry about your axe, I'll swing by your house for it."
Ben shifted his weight as her glare intensified - he had almost forgotten what a real one was, and amazingly enough he didn't like being on the receiving end of one any more. Before he could say anything else Paul asked "She's giving you the stink eye, isn't she?"
"Uh huh..."
"Let me talk to her."
"He wants to talk to you..." Ben held out the phone to Gwen, wincing from her withering look as much as how she jerked it from his hand. She put the thing to her ear with an exasperated snort.
"Paul, he can't just ... What? ... Yeah, he told me about that. Michelle is going with us, we're looking forward to seeing you. ... " Ben consciously relaxed the tension he just noticed in his shoulders until they dropped to their normal position as her look softened.
"Well, yeah, that makes sense. But what does learning new songs have to do with Ben?"
Uh oh, she's frowning again. That can't be good, he thought.
"He does? I mean, I like listening to him play, but I didn't think he was that good. ... Really? ... I hadn't thought of that. OK... but we have stuff to do this afternoon, so ... No, 5 is too late." Gwen sighed heavily and wrinkled her eyebrows. Michelle was glowering at Ben now, just to highlight what he already knew - Gwen was pissed at him. So not fair!
"I mean it, Paul - if he's not here by then I'm coming after you. ..." she said as she stomped her foot. Ben's eyebrows shot up - she hadn't done that in a while. Then she broke into a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah. Keep sucking up to me and I may go easy on you at the next class!" She laughed, and Ben sighed in relief.
"All right, twenty minutes at the entrance to the food court. I'll tell him. ... It better be! ... Bye."
She snapped the phone shut and stuck it back out at him with another scowl. "He's gonna pick you up in twenty minutes, and he promised you'd be back before 4:30. Make sure you're not late. ... If I find out you put him up to this, Doofus, you're in for so much trouble!" she growled. Ben wasn't sure how annoyed she really was, but decided not to find out.
He put on his best shocked face, which wasn't hard since he really hadn't planned this. He liked rocking out with Paul and showing off new stuff for Gwen that came from it, but he didn't want to give up a rare time he had with her away from their parents, either. This situation was a one off, though, and the results would be worth it, but he still didn't like leaving her hanging. "Who, me?! I had nothing to do with it!" Then he grinned at her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Why would I do that when I have a whole day to hang out with my girlfriend?" He gave her a genuine smile, softening her stony look before she gave in and returned his hug with a grin, then leaned her head down to him for a short but very pleasant kiss. They were both surprised that their parents agreed to letting them have so much time today. It helped that Grandpa asked them over for an early dinner, that the mall was between Ben's house and the RV park, and that Michelle was with them. Having her along made his parents in particular less antsy; although the strange look Aunt Lili kept giving him whenever Michelle came up was getting creepy. He and the Dweeb were a little uncomfortable about it, though - it kinda put Michelle and them in a weird position. Still, it was nice that she went along with it with just a little good natured griping.
"And her amazingly tolerant friend." he added when they pulled away so he could say thank you without having to say it. The look in his Dweeb's eyes and the smiles he got from both of them were so worth it!
- x - x -
Twenty-seven minutes later the two girls were exploring the new Hollister store when Gwen stopped in front of a display table in the guys section with a variety of colored Buffalo plaid flannel shirts. A waist up, headless mannequin was showing a green and navy blue one unbuttoned over a black T-shirt, and she started rummaging through a stack of the same color, looking for the right size. She looked up with a grin as Michelle stopped next to her.
"This would look great on the Doofus! Don't you think?" She looked back at the one in her hands and let out a happy little squeal. "Ooh, and they're not too expensive, either!"
The color matched his eyes, and Michelle murmured agreement along with an almost concealed sense of amusement at her friend's happiness. She looked past the display at other racks of clothes, including several packed with underwear - socks, white and colored Ts, and two rows of men's unmentionables. Above them were mannequins displaying samples - compression shorts, form-fitting knit boxer briefs, regular boxers, and basic tight whites (and why? Not even her little brothers wore those any more) with an assortment of colors and patterns in the racks below. She smirked to herself - she saw a killer opportunity to tease her friend, even better than at Spencer's. One that she wasn't about to pass up.
"As long as you're at it, why don't you get him a new pack of underwear, too.", making a point of looking at the mannequins beyond the shirt display.
Gwen looked at the display of undershorts and let out a strangled noise before staring at Michelle in shock.
"What? You're the one who complained about how often he didn't do laundry during your summer trips!" she laughed at Gwen's gobsmacked look. "Those would look good on him, don't you think?" She giggled at Gwen's flustered reaction to her own words, then dialed it up to 11.
"Those gray ones would really show off his... cute butt!" she said, pointing at the boxer briefs hugging a mannequin that accentuated more than just the rear end.
Michelle laughed out loud at the flush that went from Gwen's shoulders up to her eyes, noting and not caring about a few irritated looks she got from a store clerk and a youngish looking mother and little boy in the nearby racks. The girl gasped and ducked her head at the suggestion and stammered a reply.
"N- no, he doesn't wear stuff like that." Gwen barely recognized her voice, and she felt her face get hotter at the words.
"Well, what about... Wait! How do you know what kind of underwear he wears, anyway? What have you two been up to, you little minx?!" Michelle teased even more with an evil smirk.
Gwen tried hard to hide her shudder at that comment. The vision of Ben when she woke him up wouldn't go away - not that that would have bothered her much at any other time. At least the view from his waist up; when she included the rest of what she saw, though, her cheeks were on fire as the memory of him in only his boxers combined with the one of his, er, predicament from forty minutes ago. She could finally almost wrap her mind around how that could have happened from just his hand on her knee, but she was still at a loss on how to deal with the embarrassment - his and hers. Or what was going through her Doofus' mind. Or how suddenly she had her own strange feelings about him and them.
Gwen's brain was embarrassingly stuck in stupid, which explained why she didn't have a better come back. One that only added fuel to the dumpster fire her best friend re-lit. "I told you, we took turns doing laundry. That's where I saw them. It was no big deal." That's what she told herself, anyway, as she shrugged, desperately hoping Michelle would let it go.
No such luck. "That was months ago! How can you be sure that's what he wears now? ... Unless you've been looking lately." Michelle said as she waggled her eyebrows.
"You're impossible." Gwen let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes, trying for a look of resignation while holding back her rising panic. How could Michelle have known?! ... No. Get a hold of yourself, Gwen! No, she didn't... it was just an offhand comment.
"And when did you get to be such a pervert?" Gwen turned and pointed to some regular, run of the mill boxers with a generic dark red, blue and green plaid pattern and said "That'swhat his look like." She turned back to see Michelle had a knowing smirk and raised eyebrows. "Oh, come on! You know how boys are, their pants are always slipping down their butts. You can see the waistband of his shorts when his t-shirt rides up."
She glared at Michelle, trying to end this fiasco. "I'm going to buy this shirt now. You coming?" She groused as she turned and started walking to the cashier counter.
Michelle grinned. "Sure, Crazy. Right behind you. ... I think it's interesting that you pay so much attention to what's under his jeans." she murmured as she caught up.
Gwen turned and scowled before growling "I hate you" and stomped off as Michelle ran to catch up, caught her arm and laughed.
/
Driving on El Camino Real
Paul's Mustang
1:50 PM
"So how pissed off is she?" Paul said with a grin as he pulled away from the loading zone and turned down the radio volume. Even though it was mid-November the sun was out in a cloudless sky, so the top was down on the Mustang. The wind blowing over the windshield would make it hard enough to talk without yelling; adjusting the volume would help. In addition to being noisy, Ben was afraid the drive to Paul's house would be cold since the air temperature was in the mid-50s, but the warm air blasting from the heater was surprisingly up to the task, even with the wind swirling through the car. "She really gave me an earful!"
Ben snorted. "You got off easy! You should hear her when I really get her wound up!" he replied. "As long as I'm back on time we'll be good. ... How about you and Shiela? Are you guys OK with taking time away for stuff like this?"
Paul shook his head. "Nah, she doesn't mind. She knows this is my thing, and I know she needs to spend time practicing golf. We see each other at school all the time, and anyway we're going out tonight. She's got a tournament down in Half Moon Bay next Saturday and Sunday, otherwise she'd be at the dance to watch, too." He grinned at Ben. "You're not the only one with a groupie!"
Ben choked a little and looked back in shock. "Dude! If Gwen ever hears that she really will be pissed!" he spluttered.
"Hear what?" Paul gave a short laugh. "Yeah, Shiela wouldn't take that well, either. I'm sure they'd stick together about it."
"Really?"
"Sure. She likes you two. She asks about you now and then."
"No kidding." Ben said absently.
The song playing on the cassette faded out, and a new one started that Ben never heard before. After a quiet intro, he made a sour face when it was clear it was an instrumental featuring a saxophone. Not something he figured Paul would be into.
"What's with the Kenny G stuff? Ugh! Sounds like the Dweeb's grandma music!"
Paul looked to the right so Ben would see him roll his eyes. "First off, that's not Kenny G; that's Nelson Rangell. Completely different sounds. Second, both are talented and successful musicians, even if it's fashionable to slam Kenny G as a hack." He kept his gaze on Ben for a couple seconds before turning back to the road. "Why people think it's OK to bitch about him, or bands like Nickleback is beyond me. If you don't like their music, just don't listen to it." he grumbled mostly to himself.
Ben couldn't help looking at him like he sprouted a second head, so Paul explained "I was walking around Shelter Island on the bay with my parents once back when I lived in San Diego. We were outside this outdoor restaurant called Humphrey's that also held concerts and I heard an amazing sax tune; we stopped to listen to it and a couple more, including this one, and I was hooked. I looked the guy up on the Internet when I got home and I've been following him ever since."
He focused on the road ahead. "Anyway, lots of rock bands have sax players; you should hear Clarence Clemons sometime. And third, shredding an electric guitar isn't the best for every situation. There's more to music than guitars and head banging rock 'n roll, you know. There's definitely a time and place for less rambunctious songs."
"Something I know you know about, too." Paul added, taking another quick look with a raised eyebrow before refocusing on driving.
Ben started to protest. "I never listened to stuff like this!"
"Oh really? I recall some pretty gloomy tunes, not to mention a few ballads with more violins than guitars. And one particularly mushy tune with a guitar and sax harmony and some lyrics that went with them. I saw the playlist you were listening to back in June and July." his friend said, cutting him off. Ben's scowl faded and he shuddered at the memories of that dark time.
"Now that you're in a better place, you should check out what an electric violin sounds like - talk about some hot licks! ... And I'm not talking about Charlie Daniels."
"My point is, it's good to have different kinds of music for different situations. Like this." Paul said, holding up the empty case for the cassette playing in the radio. Ben took it and read the hand printed title: 'Date Music'. Right below it there was a long list of songs he didn't recognize, along with some rock ballads he did. "Can't Fight This Feeling? ... The Flame? ..." he mumbled to himself.
Paul started talking after a moment. "I'm not saying you should play this list when you're with Gwen. But you might want to see if she likes some of them, or songs like them." He glanced at Ben again.
"Not all these songs are because of Shiela, by the way. I've been listening to them and stuff like 'em for years; but I did add a bunch that she said she liked."
"Huh". Ben put the case back between Paul's seat and the shift console.
He stared out over the car door at the passing scenery and considered what the older boy said. It wasn't always fun any more to tease his Dweeb about her sappy music, not when the last few times made her look at him with ... disappointment. She wasn't angry, but even the small amount of hurt he sometimes saw ate at him. Knowing she felt that way because he was being a jerk was almost as bad as the times she got physically hurt because he was such a doofus. The times when they were playing their game were still OK for sarcastic burns, but now there were quiet times when they would huddle together where music like this had been playing in the background, and it dawned on him that Gwen often made a soft humming sigh then. Her happy noise. One he really loved hearing - knowing she was content had become important to him, but he didn't know when that happened.
Was listening to a grandma tune really that awful? If playing songs like that made her feel good, too... He thought of a couple songs on the cassette list that he also listened to, that he'd like it if she liked them too. One in particular that said things he felt - something he'd already told her a few times, but there was another thing he couldn't figure out how to say himself without sounding like an idiot. Maybe if she heard it she would get what he wanted her to know...
He blinked and realized Paul had pulled into his driveway and shut off the motor. "Come on back, Mouse. Time to get to work."
He got his guitar case from the back seat and followed Paul through the front door to the garage. When the door from the kitchen closed, he asked a question he'd had since that sax tune ended.
"Hey, Paul, what was the name of that tune, the Rangell one?"
Paul had knelt on one knee to check on the settings to his rig and looked up with a grin. "You like that after all, huh? It's called Going All the Way." The grin changed to a smirk as he watched for a reaction.
Ben couldn't help the one he got, the suggestive title made his cheeks burn crimson. "D- dude! Really? Are you..."
Paul laughed as he stood up and muttered "Priceless!" Then he cut Ben off. "You know better than to ask something I'm not going to answer, Shorty. Just keep in mind the title or words to a song don't always mean you agree with them; sometimes you just like the music." He gave Ben a funny look as he cocked his head to his left. "And music doesn't always affect people the same way, just like the same song can affect you differently depending on the situation. You know?"
Ben stared at the amplifier on the ground as a memory rushed over him. "Like that Foo Fighters song in your car..." he murmured.
Both Paul and Gwen had been rocking out to My Hero when it came on the radio, but it had devastated him that day; it never had an effect before then, and when he heard it now he mostly thought how his Dweeb kept him from becoming an emotional wreck. And Paul could have made an awkward situation so much worse for both of them; instead he gave it just the right mix of concern, privacy and an 'I'm not gonna make this a big deal' attitude. He felt his eyes get a little watery as he looked up hesitantly to see his friend watching him with a sympathetic and slightly sad smile. One that made him wonder about the other looks he'd seen on Paul's face after they heard that tune.
"Yeah. Like that." the older boy said in a quiet voice.
Ben had his guitar out of the case and plugged it in to the amp. He nodded and was about to reply when Paul shook his head a little and changed the subject. "All right, we've got a couple songs to learn and not much time for it. Here's how we're going to play Dance the Night Away..."
Twenty minutes later Ben had the basics for his part of the Van Halen tune; a few days of practice would smooth over the rough spots. Since they both knew Everlong, it only took another fifteen to sort out who would take the lead guitar line and who would play backing, then run through it a couple times.
"Nicely done, Squirt! I knew you'd pick those up fast!" Paul said when they finished as he turned to the fridge behind them, grabbed a couple bottles of water from it and tossed one to him. Ben smiled at the praise and took a swig.
Paul finished a swallow from his bottle. "So it turns out the band liked your recording of Cliffs so much that they're OK with both of us doing the instrumental lead-in after they take a break. ... Yeah, you really shredded it!" he said, returning the grin Ben felt spreading on his face. "If you're up for that I was thinking you could learn Pacifica."
Wow. He didn't expect this. Playing a couple songs at the start of the dance was one thing, he hoped it would be a good surprise for the Dweeb. And Michelle, too. He hadn't really thought much about how his classmates would react, but doing it a second time? That would be... cool, actually! It was good to know experienced musicians thought he was good enough to rock out with them. Strutting and rubbing the jerks at school's nose in it a little couldn't hurt. He kinda liked the mixed up reputation he had at school now - his fight detentions last year, getting the MVP award in the soccer championship, and his academic improvement had turned his classmates and teachers impressions of him upside down and sideways. He wasn't the class screw-up any more, but he wasn't one of the nerds, either. Adding some guitar hero ability to it sounded fun. ... And maybe he could fit in the new tune he was almost done learning, one that made him think of him and his Dweeb together with a smile. One that sounded like what Paul was talking about in the car, but still had the shredding he liked.
"Well... I've, um, been working on another Satriani tune, Always With You, Always With Me. Have you heard it?" he asked, ducking his head and feeling more than a little awkward at contradicting Paul. "I started after you suggested his stuff a few months ago."
Paul looked across the garage and scratched his cheek while he was thinking. "Yeaah, I know that one...". Then his blue eyes lit up and he looked directly at Ben with a grin, remembering their conversation when he first brought up this whole scheme a few weeks ago.
"So you do want to serenade your Dweeb!" he laughed as Ben's face started to burn again. "In front of God and everybody, no less, but stealthy! I like it! ... All right, I'll be Cyrano to your Christian."
"Huh?! My what to who?" He couldn't help the outburst despite his embarrassment - how was it that this guy was always saying things that caught him off guard?
"It's from a 19th century play we studied in English lit this semester, about a couple French army officers; this guy, Christian, wants to date Roxanne, the woman of his dreams, but he's too much of a dork to do it. Cyrano is his friend who's ugly as hell - got a big nose - but good with music and words and agrees to write poems for Christian to give to her. Check it out sometime, it's called Cyrano de Bergerac, it'll impress Gwen - if it doesn't make her fall over in shock first." Paul finished with a smirk.
Ben shot him a dirty look, even if what he said was true. "Oh, screw you, Paul! You and the horse you rode in on!" Ben said, repeating something he heard his uncle say to his Dad as a joke once, with a glare that had nothing behind it besides the grin he could barely hold back.
Paul just laughed at him, the dirtbag! "What?! You know I'm right about that! You're not exactly the type to wax poetic about romantic literature! ... All right, I've messed around with that tune and I can do the backing line, it's pretty straightforward. The chorus isn't too bad, either, and the first time through the runs is doable, but the second time... Those runs and trills are gonna be a bitch! They have to be done by tapping. Have you looked at that?"
"Yeah, after you showed them to me I looked up hammer-ons and pull-offs on the Internet, and found some tabs that explained how to do them. There's even a couple that are just for Always. I've been practicing them for about five weeks." Ben grinned at his friend and accidental music mentor. "Thanks again for explaining all that stuff." And it didn't hurt that the techniques he did when he was Fourarms stayed with him after he reverted to himself. He pushed down a small pang of regret - sometimes it was little things like this that made him really miss the Watch.
"No shit! You'll have to send me the links. I've only hammered short runs in a couple songs; Satriani does them all over the place. Come on, let me hear it..." Paul always got enthusiastic about new or tricky playing techniques, and this part of the tune was both.
Ben took a breath and ran his fingers over the strings and tapped out the tempo with his right foot, then started with the backing part, transitioning into the chorus. When he got to the run Paul was talking about, he shifted his right hand up to meet his left on the neck of the guitar and tapped the strings in rapid fire, his eyes focused on his hands with the tip of his tongue poking through his lips in concentration. His fingers flew with only a few missed notes, then he swept the pick back over the guitar's body for the chord work as he moved on to the rest of the chorus. Then there was another intricate run that had his left hand moving up and down the fretboard, fingers and pick flying over the strings, ending with him choking up on the neck where it met the body for the high notes. He stopped before doing the chorus again and looked up as the notes faded on the amp, and looked up at Paul.
Who was staring at him with his mouth open in astonishment. "Holy sheepshit! ... Damn, Runt, that was amazing!" Ben ducked his head with a sheepish grin, waiting for the blond to keep going. He liked playing the song, and he knew he was getting better at the fast fingerwork on the fretboard, but it really felt good this time.
"I can play the first part of the chorus and the first set of runs, that's mostly picking with a few hammers, but what you just did? ... Just, wow! Guess we know who's playing lead on this tune!" he grinned. "I should have figured you had this when you brought it up."
Praise from his friend always was good to hear, but Ben didn't feel right that he was maybe infringing on Paul's spot as the lead guitar. On the other hand, he was right, Ben was doing this for her to hear... "Um, how about if you play lead for the first time through the chorus and I'll do the backing track. Then we can switch?"
Paul stared intently at the garage door while he considered that. He looked back to Ben. "Yeaah, that should work..." he said slowly. "You sure, Squirt? I don't mind you doing the whole thing."
"Yeah. This way we both get to have fun with it."
Paul smiled. "All right then. Let's give it a few run throughs and see how it sounds."
It took ten minutes to sort out the different parts of the tune, then another fifteen to play it through end to end three times. It was definitely good enough to perform in a week, and anyone paying attention would know the lead transition they were doing was actually pretty tricky. It was going to be a blast!
When they finished the last run, Paul noticed his mother standing in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Hey Mom. Sorry if we were too loud, I'll turn the volume down. We're almost done..." he started before his voice trailed away as he looked at her.
Ben saw a faraway, almost forlorn look on the woman's face before she smiled weakly at her son. "No, you don't need to do that Paul. That song... It made me think of before we moved here."
"Sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to..."
"No, no. It's nothing. ... I haven't heard you play it before. Learning something new?"
"Yeah, Ben and I are going to play it at the dance next weekend. It's called Always With Me, Always With You."
She nodded her head and gave Paul a warm smile, but Ben saw a flash of sadness in her eyes before the smile reached them. "Good title. I'm sure it will go over well, you guys do a good job with it. I can tell there's a personal element to the way you both play it." She looked briefly at Ben, still with the same smile and sense of hurt. "Sorry to interrupt you." Then she turned and went back into the house as Paul called out thanks.
"Paul? Did we do something wrong?" Ben wasn't sure what to think of that exchange. Before today Paul's mother hadn't said much when he was around. She was never unfriendly, but she wasn't very engaging either.
"No. Just... what I said earlier about how music affects people differently. ... Don't worry about it, Mom's not upset. She's OK." Paul said in a quiet voice.
"And I think she's right, we're gonna crush it on Saturday! And I'm pretty sure your girlfriend will appreciate it!" Paul grinned and winked as Ben felt his face turn red again. He really, really hoped so!
"Speaking of whom, we're on schedule to get you back to her before she kicks both our asses, but just barely. Lets pack it up." Paul continued while he disconnected the cable from Ben's guitar to the amp, and Ben put everything into the case.
"OK, here's the plan for before the dance. The school will let us in about an hour beforehand so we can set up and get ready. I'm thinking we could run through these songs then - warm up, take care of any last minute adjustments with the other guys, and get over the jitters." Paul explained. "I can pick you up and give you a ride back home. Work for you?"
Ben snorted at the idea he would feel nervous. He'd faced real, terrifying monsters and painful death without blinking, he wasn't going to fall apart over playing a few songs! "Pffft! Jitters?! Remember who we're talking about?" he scoffed.
Paul just looked at him with a tolerant smile. "And here I thought you were over being that obnoxious, arrogant little firstie." making Ben cringe and feel sheepish at the flashback to his first week at karate, before he realized just how much he didn't know, Omnitrix or not.
"Listen, Squirt, everyone gets them, at least the first time they perform for a real audience. First time I did I completely blanked out what I was supposed to be playing for the whole first chorus! Luckily I was only doing a backing line so I could BS my way through it." He grimaced at the thought. "I still get butterflies every time, but now it's more like how horses are jumpy just before they start a race. You'll see."
Ben blinked. "Horses?" he said. Despite feeling stupid at how he regressed so quickly to his 11 year old self, he couldn't help also being confused at the reference to horse races.
Paul got an apologetic grin. "Sorry. Dad liked to go to the horse races at the track in Del Mar and I got to tag along. Before a race the horses go into a starting gate, and some of them are skittish and dance around before they get in place. After the gate opens, though, they settle into the race and do their thing. I feel like that before I start a gig. I know I can do it, I just want to get started. ... Like the way you felt before you took your green belt test. Remember?" He took pity at Ben's remorseful look and ruffled his hand through his buddy's hair before giving his forehead a small push. "Don't worry! You'll do fine. Just be ready for the feeling." He started walking to the kitchen door. "Come on. I don't want Feet pissed at me because I didn't get you back in time."
Ben grabbed his guitar case, followed through the house and put it on the back seat of Paul's car. He hopped the passenger door as Paul started the motor, blipping the gas pedal as he did to get that signature rumble from the dual exhausts.
All the while Paul was explaining more about what to do before the dance started.
"All right, like I said, we're gonna get the second set started with Always. When they take a break, the sound guy, Charlie, will have some recorded tunes playing. Eagles, Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, stuff like that. He always plays a Queen tune at the end of the break, Don't Stop Me Now. You know it?"
"Uh huh". Ben nodded his head.
"Good. That'll be the cue to go back stage and get ready." He steered the Mustang out of his neighborhood towards El Camino Real.
"Does Charlie do something like that before the dance starts?" Ben asked.
"Yeah, he also works as a DJ so he's got a big catalog of other tunes. He starts ten or twelve minutes before the official start time. Why?"
"Um, I said I'd meet Gwen and Michelle at a quarter to seven. It would be good if Charlie played another set song before we start so I can get backstage without leaving them alone too long." Ben explained. Paul gave him an indulgent smile and nodded his head.
Ben raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes up. "I want to point out the jerks so they don't get ambushed, OK?"
Paul chuckled. "I get it, Squirt. Do you have a song in mind?"
"Well, yeah. Since they already use one Queen song as a signal, I was thinking maybe You're My Best Friend." Ben said hesitantly and looked over at the drivers side as Paul did the reverse, grinning at the suggestion before looking back at the road.
"You're really gonna milk this, huh? ... Don't get your panties in a twist!" Paul cut off the protest before he could get started. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't, to be honest. How often do you get a situation like this? ... Yeah, I'll talk to Charlie about it."
"Thanks Paul." Ben said with an appreciative smile, then turned to watch the road go by again, listening to the songs play off the cassette. After they pulled in to the mall parking lot, Ben looked over to see his friend giving him a weird look - not bad, not judging, just... weird. "What?!" he said a little more forceful than he meant.
"Whoa, whoa... Cool your jets, dude! ... it's just - you're kind of a trip, you know?" Paul said as Ben started scowling. "Don't take that the wrong way! What I said earlier, about you not reading something like Cyrano? I take it back. You're a bad ass little ninja, but you've got the soul of a romantic poet! I hope Gwen really appreciates what she hooked." Paul grinned.
Ben's scowl faded into a small, wistful smile that got bigger when he caught sight of his Dweeb standing at the curb, watching their approach with a growing smile of her own. He couldn't help it, seeing her give him her special look made his heart race.
"Yeah." he said to his buddy. "I have a feeling she's OK with it!"
/
Bellwood Gardens Recreational Vehicle Park
Rustbucket II
5:17 PM
Michelle huffed in exasperation. "I can't believe I got out-grossed by civs over disgusting food! I thought only Marines and snake eaters ate worse crap than a bunch of grunts!"
"If it makes you feel better, Grandpa was shot down when he flew fighter jets in Vietnam, and he had to survive in the jungle for several days before he got rescued. He says that taught him to eat whatever was available, whenever it was." Ben said as they rode along.
"Yeah, that and growing up on a poor farm got him used to eating, um, creatively." Gwen added.
Michelle grunted. "I still don't believe half of what you two said." she mumbled. Her friend and her boyfriend just grinned expectantly.
"OK, FINE. I give, you've had the weirdest stuff to eat!" she groused.
They rounded a corner and the RV park came into view. "YES, Winning!" Ben shouted, followed by "There's the Rustbucket! Last one there has dish duty!" as he did a little bunny hop with his BMX, then popped a victory wheelie and held it for twenty yards. He jumped off the curb after fifteen, landed on the back wheel, then put the front down and stood on the pedals, pumping furiously towards the tired looking RV.
"No fair, Ben! You had a head start, you cheater!" Gwen called after him, laughing at his antics. She and Michelle went a little faster, but decided they had no chance to catch him and blew off the challenge.
They made it to the RV's side door just after Ben skidded to a stop, kicking out the back tire in a hail of gravel and dirt, pelting the big camper forward from the side to the passenger doors.
"Show off!" Gwen said, a smile spreading over her face to mirror the one he was sporting. Michelle just snorted and said "What a boy thing to do!" through her own grin.
The side door opened and a big man wearing khakis and an extremely loud red Hawaiian shirt stepped down to the ground. "That much racket could only come from one source."
He barely made it two steps before Ben and Gwen slammed into him shouting "Grandpa!" He only had to stoop down a little to catch them in outstretched arms, wrapping both in a bear hug. Michelle put her bike down and took a hesitant couple of steps towards them. The three Tennysons let go of each other and turned to her with smiles all around. Max spoke first "Hello Michelle! Glad to finally get you here for dinner. Gwen's been wanting to do this for a while. Come on in!"" he gestured to the door as Ben scrambled through it.
He followed her and Gwen and closed the door as Michelle answered "Thanks for having me over, Mr Tennyson."
"I hope you guys are hungry. The food should be ready in ten or fifteen minutes. Want something to drink?"
Ben had the fridge door open. "There's water, lemonade, and … Grandpa! You got Capri Sun!" He grabbed two and turned around to see Gwen standing with her hand on her hip, tapping her left foot.
"What about us, Doofus?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." he said with a sheepish grin. "Want these?" He held out the silver and blue packets.
"You know I don't like that stuff. Get me a lemonade, please." Gwen said, rolling her eyes. Michelle stepped up and grabbed one.
"But I do. Thanks!" she said brightly. Ben turned around and got a drink for Gwen as Grandpa laughed. "Always the gentleman!" he teased. Ben shrugged and stepped out of the way to the back end of the little galley.
"I'm never sure who this 'Mr Tennyson' is, Michelle. You can call me Max."
"Oh, no, the Colonel wouldn't approve of that. He and Mamma both would tell me your first name is Mister. Unless I know your military rank."
Max laughed. "Well, I'm not going to countermand the new base commander, and certainly not your mother. … So, are you ready to eat?" He stepped in front of the stove, checking a couple of steaming pots.
Ben and Gwen replied with enthusiastic 'Yes'es, but Max turned around when Michelle cleared her throat with a slightly worried look.
"Uh oh. I've seen that face before. What have these two been telling you?" he said suspiciously.
Michelle shifted her feet nervously. Before she could say anything Gwen saved her. "Only that your cooking is, um, unconventional. And to watch out for stuff with suction cups."
"Aw, Gwen, you said you liked my octopus!"
"I said it grew on me." Gwen answered with a deadpan look, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "Not that I liked it."
Max chuckled. "I'll have you know I made spaghetti with marinara sauce and meatballs - made from sweet Italian sausage! - and San Francisco sourdough garlic toast and a salad. … Aaand I have some mealworms for anyone who wants some variety with their meatballs." He winked at Michelle as the other two groaned; Gwen had moved to get her lemonade and stand next to and rub shoulders with Ben.
He eyed the two and finally noticed the clothes they were wearing. Ben locked presentable in black pants and a dark green polo shirt that no one there even knew he had. He briefly wondered what made him put on something so out of character; the reason why was fairly obvious, though, looking at who he was next to. Gwen looked radiant in the blue dress she wore to start the summer. If there was a reason for why she chose to wear it, though, he couldn't tell. "You two certainly look nice! I didn't know you were dressing up or I wouldn't have made something so messy. Makes me feel like I'm slumming in my own home."
Michelle was quick on the uptake. "I know! Looks like they should be going on a date!" she said, smirking at both of them.
Wouldn't be the first time they've done that to me, Max thought. He saw the looks flashing between the three of them and knew Gwen's friend had some stories to tell if given the chance. Including some better left unsaid for the time being, if he was reading them correctly.
"Michelle!" Gwen blurted, as both kids ducked their heads and turned a remarkably common shade of crimson. Yep, he had the gist right.
He took a closer look at his granddaughter. "Is that the charm you got in Las Vegas?"
Gwen smiled. There was no way to fully hide the pendant in that dress, and she liked showing it off today. "Uh huh. The Keystone of Bezel, remember? Doofus made it into a necklace so I'd have something to remember our first trip!" She looked at him as he returned the smile.
"Did he?! It looks beautiful on you, Pumpkin." he said with a grin, and another wink at Ben. "Come on, get a plate and load up, dinners ready" He turned back to the stove and poured the pot of spaghetti into a colander, leaving the drained noodles in the sink for self serve.
When they all had a seat Max put a bowl of cooked mealworms on the table. "Just in case anyone feels adventurous."
Ben snorted. "Nice try, Grandpa…" he said sardonically.
Michelle was apologetic. "No offense, Mr Tennyson, but I think I'll pass. I've had weird food before, but those look too… gooshy." She made a sour face at the expected texture of the fat, stubby things.
"That's the best part!" Max said with a laugh. Both his grandkids groaned and made retching noises before all three joined him.
"I know the life of an Army brat. Where have you been that you had exotic eating experiences?"
Michelle recapped her family's life between bites of dinner. "Well, before we moved here we were in Germany for almost five years, most of the time in Stuttgart."
"Ah, Patch! I've been there, love Stuttgart! Lots to see from there. Was your dad at EUCOM?"
"No, he was the assistant J3 for SOCEUR at first, and took it over when he pinned on O6." Michelle grinned - she was used to listing all the places her father had been assigned to, but it was rare lately to talk to someone who knew the jargon.
"We traveled all over Europe for the first three. After that he got busy with deployments so we didn't get around much."
"He got caught up in the Balkans operation?" Max asked, mostly for Ben and Gwen's benefit. They needed to start getting aware of what had been happening in the world, like it or not. Having a personal connection would be useful; he saw a flicker of … something in the red headed girl's eyes, as if some puzzle piece just clicked into place for her. That led to a grim look.
"Yeah, the 'police action' " Michelle said with intense bitterness. "Before that we spent a year at Maxwell Air Force Base when the Colonel - actually he was a lieutenant colonel then - was at the Air War College. Somehow we found a place that served possum!"
"Really?" Ben said with some interest around a bite of meatball. "What was that like? And don't tell me like chicken!"
Michelle stared at him for a moment, then said "Like possum. Of course! … I know what you mean, though, I heard the same thing when I first had frog legs. Someone even tried that when we had some skewers from a street vendor in Seoul. That turned out to be the dog meat." She visibly shuddered, as did Gwen. "That was just awful!"
The rest of dinner went the same even as the conversation turned to topics like school; things they'd seen during their summer trips and Michelle's various travels; her mother and siblings - her 'little gremlins' were the subject of a number of stories from both Gwen and Michelle, and even a comparison or two to a younger Ben. It was a fun evening.
They finished dessert and were clearing off the table when Michelle's dad arrived to take her home. They all piled out to keep from being cramped in the small dining area when he knocked at the side door at 7:45 sharp, the time Michelle said they'd probably be finished when she called her mother just before dinner started.
"Mr Tennyson, Ben, this is my father, Colonel Hallam." Michelle introduced him with a tight smile. "He's the reason I got to see so many places. One of the things I like about the Army."
The man smiled warmly. "Well, glad to hear you say Army life has some redeeming value! … Glad to finally put your face to the name, Ben. I've heard a lot about you," the man said as he shook Ben's hand.
"Good to meet you, too, Colonel" the boy replied. Max noted the man's approving grin, and the look of appreciation from Michelle. Not to mention the beaming smile Gwen gave him, and Ben's return look when his eyes met hers.
Colonel Hallam turned and shook Max's extended hand. "Jonothan Hallam. So, you're thatMax Tennyson? Good to finally meet you in person, Colonel! I really appreciated how you... er, your people got my unit out of a jam a year or so ago."
"Oh, Max is fine here Jonothan. I haven't introduced myself with that rank in a long time, and people I'm friendly with don't bother with it. I heard how my old unit gave you an assist, glad they could lend a hand."
Despite trying to gloss over the other man's small verbal slip, Max saw Ben and Gwen trade glances, and knew they hadn't missed it. There'd be questions to go with the looks, too.
"Thanks for having Michelle over, Max. She's been looking forward to this for a while, along with Gwen." The man smiled at both girls. "But we need to get going - it's getting cold out here! … Let's get your bike loaded up, Michelle."
"I'm glad to have her, she has some good stories! She's welcome any time." Max said as the girls said their goodbyes with a hug. Both Hallam's climbed into an Army olive drab pickup truck after her father put her bike in the back, and then drove off.
- M -
The Tennysons stood shivering in front of the step leading to the open side door of the Rustbucket II as Michelle and her father drove away, Gwen returning Michelle's wave. The November air plunged to the high 30s after the sun went down, and none of them thought to put on a jacket just to say goodbye. When their truck turned out of the RV park onto El Camino, Max turned to his grandkids.
"Well, I guess we should start getting ready to get you both home, too. Come on, let's get your bikes on the rack." the big man said as he started to walk to the back of the camper. Ben and Gwen picked up their bicycles from the ground and pushed them behind him. Hanging and securing them to the rack was quick work, with Ben deliberately taking his cousin's larger framed bike from her hands, leaving his smaller and less cumbersome BMX for his Grandpa. Max gave the boy an appreciative grin as he tightened up some bungee cords holding the frames on the rack, knowing Ben's current helpfulness was due as much to the look Gwen was favoring him with as it was to his impulse to be useful.
He led the way back to the side door, pretty sure the two would be at least rubbing shoulders behind him, partly to get warm and partly because they could. They had done an admirable job of reining in any overt PDAs so far even though he could see their relationship had gotten stronger in his absence; the looks they were shooting each other, along with the occasional smirk from Michelle, made it clear they were used to a more hands on approach. Ben had sat next to him without complaint when Gwen slid into the dining booth beside her friend, even though Michelle had unknowingly taken "his" usual place. Before summer that would have at least earned a snarky comment from his grandson and an equally abrasive come back from his granddaughter. He got the feeling Michelle would have had no compunctions about returning fire as well. Instead, Max saw the unspoken conversation between the two, Gwen flashing a quick smile as they settled in and Ben shrugging his shoulders and glancing up and to his right in reply. If the kids saw him watching the exchange they didn't make anything of it, something Max took as an indicator of how in tune they were with each other. And that they were considerate of Michelle's feelings. The whole thing only lasted a few seconds, but confirmed his belief that they were following his request from his birthday to be careful, and that them together made each other better.
True to form, he heard them take their usual spots next to each other at the table while Max closed the door. Well, almost. He wasn't really surprised when he turned and saw Gwen damn near in Ben's lap, her back against his chest and his arms wrapped around her stomach with her hands on top of his. He couldn't help smile at the picture of safety, familiar closeness and affection, and the implicit level of trust they had in him; he knew neither set of parents had ever seen them like this.
"You certainly look comfy, Gwen; not completely sure I'd say the same for you Sport - that window is single thickness and it's got to be as cold as outside by now" he said as he sat down opposite them. Familiar or not, he was happy to see they still had the grace to blush at his observation.
And at their twin cries of "Grandpa!", followed by Ben shrugging and saying "Eh, it's not so bad. My Dweeb keeps me warm."
"Doofus!" Gwen giggled, even as she snuggled back against him with a smile and he leaned his head against hers.
Max caught his breath and fought to suppress his surprise as the polished red stone at Gwen's neck flashed briefly, a point of pink light moving at a moderately quick pace along the lines of the rune carved into it. He knew of the legends associated with the Keystone of Bezel, but to see the ancient artifact react at how the two were behaving was nothing short of astonishing, even to a man who'd seen so many truly amazing things during his time as a Plumber. Seeing the light at all that showed it was active was a breathtaking event; Gwen thought it was drained of any magic after what happened with Hex and Charmcaster in Las Vegas. That it happened unbidden in this circumstance spoke volumes about the girl's inherent magical potential as well as the depth of the bond between the two, if the legends had any basis in fact. Gwen and Ben didn't seem to notice it - the light wasn't bright enough to stand out from the overhead lights - but it reminded him that there was a practical reason for this get together in addition to just wanting to catch up and spend time with his family. Still, how often did you get to witness a legendary charm come to life?!
"Do we have to leave right away, Grandpa? We haven't had a chance to be together like this in a long time." Gwen said. Max wasn't sure if she was talking about spending time with him or each other, but it didn't matter, the end result was the same. The toll of keeping their relationship under wraps wasn't hard for him to recognize; letting them have some time like this would help them get by for another few weeks. If they didn't decide the unwanted parental attention was too much to put up with and decided to dial it back on their own. He didn't really expect that would happen, but these two never ceased to surprise him, either.
"No, Pumpkin, we're OK for a while longer. ... It was great to finally get to know Michelle a little, but like you said, I haven't been able to hang out with my two favorite grandchildren in a while. We have a little time before we need to get going." Both kids smiled broadly at their private joke, Max was happy to see.
That didn't mean they were going to let him completely off the hook for his absence, though. Ben let his arms fall away as Gwen leaned forward to rest hers on the table. Both looked at him intently as they unleashed a barrage of questions. He couldn't blame them, he knew it was coming since they didn't get any chance to talk at dinner after Ben's soccer match.
"Where have you been all this time? What have you been doing? Why couldn't we come along and help? Are there more aliens coming? When are you getting rid of the goatee? How long are you staying this time? We heard stories about some Forever Knights making trouble, is that what you've been doing? How do you really know Michelle's dad?"
The words tumbled out from both of them faster than he could even comprehend, let alone give an answer. He held up his hands in defense. "Whoa, whoa, slow down! Give an old man a chance to answer" he said with a laugh before Ben hit him with a serious look and asked pointedly "Are you always going to be a Plumber?" Gwen turned to look at him, then faced Max again with the same face.
That cut to the bone, more of an accusation than a question. The resulting silence was deafening as the kids stopped their rapid fire questions, both looking at him expectantly with worried expressions. The underlying fear and hurt almost broke his heart. Especially knowing what was coming in their near future, and that there was really no acceptable way out of it. But they didn't need to hear about it all at once.
He rubbed his hand against the back of his head and sighed. They deserved serious answers, as his sister had been telling him for a while now, but he had to be careful not to overwhelm them, either. They were just kids, dammit, and he'd be damned if he started to think of them like that son of a bitch did. They were growing up faster than they should as it was.
Max used a serious but not severe expression, careful to not use the standard "trust me, everything's fine" face he knew they could see right through. "I know I did it again, left you all without a proper explanation. Believe me, I hate doing it. Especially when I left you two at such a difficult time. You're going through a lot, and I can't tell you how proud I am of how you're taking care of each other. I'm sorry I wasn't around to help you with that. I hope you'll forgive me."
"Grandpa! Stop! You're gonna make me cry..." Gwen started. Max was startled to see that she wasn't exaggerating - her eyes were clearly welling up when she looked at him before ducking her head and curling back into Ben. His reaction was also a bit of a shock, accepting her falling back and circling his arms protectively around her again while leaning his head down so it was snug against hers.
Ben returned Max's gaze. "Yeah, Grandpa, can you not do that? I hate it when she does..." he said without a trace of the snark Gwen's comment would have gotten when summer started. Instead everything the boy and girl did and said screamed something else entirely.
Gwen was always the more expressive of the two when it came to what he thought of as 'quiet feelings'. But she wasn't prone to tears, even when the two finally overcame the traumas that kept them apart after Phoenix. Max suspected her recent transition from girl to young woman - he heard the story of her first period from a quick conversation with Lili at Ben's match - had something to do with it. As the father of two boys he never got first hand experience with this particular life change, but he heard enough over the years from colleagues who did to know that while the experience was personal to each girl, a general tendency towards being emotional wasn't uncommon. Still, there was more going on here.
And Ben's reaction lined up with his parents contribution to that conversation; his fumbling attempt to be the one to help Gwen was surprising to them, if not equally sweet. It was on display now, but focused and confident as well as caring, with the firm hug he was giving her and the way she let him; with the look in his eyes and tone of voice as he spoke, showing a sympathetic urge to share her emotions, even unburden them from her. There was some playful banter as well, something they both had used on each other when one had gotten a little too caught up in an emotional reaction. They had done this, or something very like it, before. Probably more than once, and not too long ago if he had to guess.
Carl and Sandra added the undertone about the 'this' maybe being something more than simple friendship and concern over his cousin's hurt, something they were uncomfortable with. Something Frank and Lili didn't apparently completely share their worry about.
At the time Max had to bite his tongue, and instead of adding to the story in any way he just made a non-committal noise to effectively end it as if it was embarrassing to him. He knew the truth, but couldn't have known how deep their relationship had gotten. The scene in front of him and the magic action of the charm were clueing him in.
This was definitely more than caring and empathy and being there for each other. He was used to that, even if the parents hadn't completely picked up on it. What he saw now was intimate affection. He knew it from personal experience, he'd seen it in both of his boys and their wives, and he'd seen it in his friends and teammates over the years. Max revised his thought from a few minutes ago - Gwen and Ben weren't about to just let each other go.
He'd gotten home at just the right time, it seemed, notwithstanding Huxby's intentions. The kids were going to need help navigating their situation, and although Max was grateful they had friends like Michelle who could play their part, they were going to need a more mature point of view. And 'they' referred to more than his grandchildren.
Gwen's reply broke that train of thought, misinterpreting his silence as an expectation for one of them to answer him. She looked up at him with a quick sniffle.
"We don't need to forgive you, Grandpa. We know you were doing something important. Right Doofus?"
"Yeah. We know you're looking out for us. ... I still, oww! … I mean we still want to hear about it, though." Ben added with a lopsided grin after Gwen elbowed him in the ribs.
Max smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand on Gwen's shoulder, then ruffled Ben's hair. "Thanks you two! I will tell you my tales of adventure, but we don't have time for it now." He saw their stricken looks and couldn't hold back the laugh.
"I have a surprise. Since we'll need some time for my stories I arranged with your parents to take a long weekend after Thanksgiving to go camping. We won't go very far, just down the coast to Point Arena. We can stay at the national park and just unwind. I think all three of us could use that."
He grinned at the kids' squeals of happiness, then recognized the worried look starting to form on Ben's face. "Your parents took a little convincing, Sport, but your mom caved when I said I wanted to build some happy memories in the Rustbucket II. Worked like a charm!" He laughed some more at how both of their expressions morphed from concern to excitement.
Max glanced at his watch. "But if I don't get you home soon your folks are likely to rescind the plan. Let's finish cleaning up so I can drive you back, OK?"
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Notes Music for this chapter.
I Think We're Alone Now, Billy Joe Armstrong
Can't Fight This Feeling, REO Speedwagon
Best Years of Our Lives, Baha Men (Shrek Soundtrack)
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