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After Jessica left, Ben didn’t try dating for a long time.
It felt weird. He was still nursing a broken heart for Jessica, and also wanted to care for Zoey. He had a little person who depended on him for everything, he didn’t want to be that dad who dated someone new every other week.
He knew that if it were meant to be, then it would happen. After all, he did meet Jessica on a random day in the supermarket. They both reached for the last jar of marinara sauce and their hands touched.
Ben, being a gentleman, let her take it. Jessica thanked him and smiled a bright, dazzling smile that captivated him.
She was beautiful. Shoulder length auburn hair with a gentle curl. She was tall, with long legs. Ben couldn’t resist. He asked her out there and then.
The dates were great. They both liked the same thing. She loved Star Wars, ate nothing but Italian food, and enjoyed watching games of baseball.
They were married a year later. It was a lavish day, with wonderful food and great champagne. They paid no expense. At the time, Jessica said that she wanted to go all out for the day that would mean they would spend the rest of their lives together.
Ben now wished he wrote out a contract, that he’d get the money back if they ever broke up.
Six months later, without even trying, Jessica sat him down, clung anxiously on his hand, and presented a positive pregnancy test from behind her back.
Ben was thrilled. He didn’t realise that he wanted a baby until it happened. Suddenly, he felt an unexplained love burst in his chest for their unborn baby.
He loved her before he even lay eyes on her.
Ben refused to let Jessica out of his sight. As the months ticked on and Jessica started to show, he realised he wanted to be there for everything, for every bout of morning sickness, for every kick in her belly. He wanted be involved for every step of the way, and help Jessica out as much as he could.
They soon found out they were having a girl, and tossed names around. Isabella, Olivia, Frankie. Ben tried to convince Jessica to consider the name Leia, but she refused. Until ultimately deciding on Zoey. That day, Ben placed his hands on Jessica’s belly and talking sweetly to their baby.
Four months later, Zoey Leia Wyatt was born. 6 pounds 4 ounces and screaming loudly as she was brought into the world. Ben cut the cord with pride and sat by Jessica’s side, as they watched the newborn suckle for the first time.
Ben had thought that in this moment, that everything was perfect.
A week later was when things started to go wrong.
Jessica wouldn’t stop crying. Tears poured down her face, and Ben tried to stop her from crying and also take care of Zoey. It was hard, but Ben never faltered. He was the one who woke up for 3am feedings and changed her diaper without batting an eyelid. He wanted to, to help Jessica and also to bond with Zoey.
Jessica was soon diagnosed with post-natal depression. She attended therapy sessions and was put on medication, but still didn’t get better. Everything was accumulating into one huge explosion.
One that finally happened, and Jessica snapped.
Ben remembered how she stood up abruptly, on a day where Zoey was being particularly fussy and told Ben she was going to pick up more diapers.
He never saw her again after that.
As the years went by, Ben’s anger for Jessica soon subsided, although there was still a hurt that panged through him every time he thought about Zoey growing up without a mother.
But if he was being honest. He’d rather her have no mother, than a mother who decided she wanted nothing more to do with her. Post-natal depression or not, you don’t just walk out on someone so tiny and helpless.
When Zoey started school, Ben soon became the subject of attention with all of the PTA moms. They latched onto him whenever they saw him at the gates, chatting non-stop about how much of a catch he was and how he’d always be welcome at their mother meet ups in the park.
Ben would just smile and nod politely, the attention freaked him out. All the moms were loud and brash. Ben much preferred it when there was a man or two are to talk to. Bethany’s husband, Derek, was a tall, sturdy man with a thick beard who Ben liked to talk to about sports. Then there was Alicia’s husband, Paul, who was a big nerd like him. Though sadly, he didn’t really see them that often. It seems the moms preferred to pick up the kids, they seemed to see it as a gossip session more than anything, one that Ben always seemed to involuntarily get involved in.
Until one day, September 2nd to be exact, where it was Ben’s turn to be the centre of the gossip.
“You know,” Maria said, nudging Ben with her crossed arms. “My sister’s divorce comes through next week. Finally. I’ve told her about you. I want to try and set you up. She’s really nice and pretty.”
“Thanks,” Ben said politely, “But I’ve actually got a date tonight.”
“A date?” Bethany squawked, whipping her head around. “I’ve known you for nearly two years now and you didn’t tell me you have a date.”
“It just sort of happened,” Ben explained, wishing he didn’t have to. But Bethany, Maria and Alicia now all had their eyes on him.
He didn’t want to say it was with Leslie. They’d all be chatting about how Zoey would soon be top of the class. Then the light-hearted gossip would turn nasty. He’d seen it before, as soon as one certain pupil did well, the gossip moms would be all over them like hawks. Nattering about how said pupil was getting special treatment.
At that point, the kids had been let out form school, and Zoey was charging over to Ben, her brown hair trailing behind her.
“Daddy!” she cried excitedly, jumping straight into Ben’s open arms.
“Hey, pumpkin, let’s get out of here,” Ben said, relieved.
“You’re not going to get away that easily!” Alicia called after them, whilst wrestling with her daughter, Noelle. “I want every little detail on Monday!”
~~
Ben relayed every little detail to Leslie over dinner. She cackled and snickered as Ben went into detail about how shocked Bethany looked about their date, and how Maria wanted to set Ben up with her sister.
“I’ve met Maria’s sister; her son is in the fourth grade. She’s perfectly nice,” Leslie said, picking up her glass of wine.
Ben smirked. “Are you really telling me to go on another date with another woman?”
Leslie grinned. “No, I’m just saying she’s perfectly nice, if you want to keep your options open.”
Ben reached out, taking her free hand in his. “Right now. I don’t want to keep my options open. I’m happy just being here right now.”
Leslie blushed and looked back down at her plate. “I’m happy too.”
They looked into each other’s eyes, and suddenly Ben felt a strange surge inside of him. One that brought back memories of Jessica, of her leaving, of the pain he went through after she left. He couldn’t go through it all again. He was still healing.
Ben swallowed nervously. “I…uh… really like you. But things are still a little…. sore for me. Like things with my previous relationships. I want to see you again, and try this out for real, but I’d appreciate it if we could take it slow. Is that ok with you?”
Leslie nearly started sobbing there and then at the table. Never before had a man been so open and honest with her.
“Of… of course that’s ok with me,” Leslie smiled at Ben, her eyes glassy. “We can take everything one step at a time, if you want to.”
Ben grinned at her. “Thank you, that means so much to me.”
He held onto her hand tighter and rubbed across Leslie’s knuckle with her thumb. She looked up at him with a soft smile.
“Besides, I’ve had some bad experiences too. Every guy I dated seemed to break up with me in a really bad way. One guy once ended things when we were in the shower together.”
Ben nearly choked on his wine. “Are you serious? Ok, I’ll never do that in a million years.”
Leslie let out a soft sigh of relief. “Good to hear.”
~~
It was a little after eleven when Ben dropped Leslie back at her house. Ben walked her to her front door and hovered nervously as she put the key in the door.
“I had a really great time tonight,” Leslie said with a soft smile.
“Me too,” Ben said returning the smile. “Maybe we could do this again next week?”
Leslie nodded quickly. “I’d like that. I mean, you have to give something back to those gossip moms.”
Ben chuckled. “I think I’ll keep this to myself.”
He leaned forward, his lips just gently brushing Leslie’s cheek. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the intimacy.
She would have liked more. But she remembered, slow.