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“Nice watch,” Ava commented. Benjamin was taken aback by it. Uncle Barney was looking at his face, and then at the said watch.
“This? Uh, thanks. It belonged to my father.”
“A fine man he was, just like our Ben here,” Uncle Barney said and stood, rubbing his hands.
Ava held her breath and looked at Benjamin. They seemed to share the same fear, that Barney was about to leave the two alone, but he didn’t. Instead he flung a heavy arm over his nephew’s shoulder and blurted out, “Where’d you say you were going out to again?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Barney turned to Ava. “I bet it’s one of those fancy places.” He winked.
“It’s just a normal diner. Nothing fancy,” Benjamin commented casually.
“Oh boy,” his eyes lit up. “We could tag along, Ava and I.” He moved away, swaying his arms and humming under his breath. “Go get ready, Ava,” he shouted from the hallway and then peeked in, his eyes on Benjamin. “You too, Benny boy. I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna grab my jacket from my room.”
Ava and Benjamin were staring at each other.
“I think we already did all the required dinners for this week,” she said carefully.
“I guess that would make this a voluntary event on your end.”
“On my end? What about you?”
Benjamin shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not afraid of taking a pretty lady out for drinks.”
Ava lifted her chin. “Good, because I’m not scared of having drinks with the town’s most eligible bachelor either.” Ava bit her lip. “I mean, eligible in a sense of… like…”
“All good,” Benjamin cut in. “Besides, we will have to come up with a quick rescue plan before Barney gets back or we might be out all night… and morning.”
Ava laughed. “How about I call you on your phone from the bathroom and you pretend it’s work.”
“Genius.”
“What’s genius?” Uncle Barney asked from the hallway.
“You, uncle.” Benjamin grinned. Barney nodded in agreement.
“Sounds like I am finally getting the respect I deserve around here. Let’s go.”
“Whatever you say,” Benjamin muttered as they both followed Barney out the door. His eyes were glued on Ava, who had that beautiful smile on her lips again. The one that could drive him crazy, if he would only let it.
“You two sit in front,” Barney suggested, which had sounded more like a command. “The couple always has to sit close to each other. In fact, I should drive and you two sit in the back.”
“We’re good here in the front,” the two had chorused. Barney shrugged and sat in the back.
As expected, Barney talked the whole time they drove. He was recounting some old tales while Benjamin sighed and tried hard not to pay any attention to him. Besides, it was hard to get his attention off Ava anyways. He had never seen her this cheerful before. She constantly laughed, looked at Ben, then turned to indulge Barney further—who kept shooting out embarrassing stories like a machine gun.
“Oh yes,” Barney laughed. “It was some kind of reasonable fear, I always say. Ain’t that right, Benjamin?”
Ava looked at him, still chuckling. “You were scared of swans?”
Benjamin sighed. “It attacked me at the beach house, chased me. Hissing and nipping like a demon.”
Ava and Barney laughed as Benjamin shook his head, still trying to keep a straight face. “I’m serious! Swans can be evil. And I wasn’t scared…” he said puffing out his chest. “…Well, maybe a little,” he confessed the truth a momentlater.
“It makes no difference,” Barney laughed and turned to Ava. “I’ve always told the boy, ain’t nothing wrong with being afraid, just make it some kind of reasonable fear, like uh…” He smacked his fist on his knee as he thought and then went on: “Ah! Like not having a reason to live, or depression, or some deep stuff like that.”
“I was still a kid,” Benjamin repeated. Ava still giggled.
