Trying something new, because it's been a while.
Trust.
When I hit publish yesterday morning, Ben walked into Caleb's office, holding the key card that gives access to the elevator. The card was still attached to the doorman, who didn't look very happy at all.
Ben let him go and he beat a hasty retreat. He knows Ben. I'm sure the moment he returned to the ground floor he would have called Caleb on his cellphone to warn him there was an angry giant waiting in his office but Ben didn't give him that chance. Ben looked at me and then went barging through the condo, walking right into the bathroom where Caleb was and telling him we were leaving and just stay where he was.
Caleb was too surprised to say anything, I bet.
Ben returned to the study, took my hand and asked me if I had anything else with me. I said no and he pulled me back to the elevator and outside to the waiting truck, still running. He buckled me in, locked the doors and then called Lochlan to let him know we were on the way.
He called Caleb again and told him to have my car brought home too.
We came home and he made no move to go inside. I am sitting quietly. Tears rolling.
You gotta give me some of it.
What?
This part. The hard part. Stop running to him when you feel angry about Jake. This is part of being together, Bridget. You're supposed to come to me.
You have enough to deal with.
And I would rather deal with you and help you than worry about you twenty-four hours a day. That just adds to my problems. Let me help you. Stop putting yourself in the path of a freight train.
Caleb's a train now?
When it comes to you, yes. I think it's time some things change.
That's what he said.
Caleb?
Jacob.
Ben stared at me without a word for so long I started to squirm shamefully under his attention. His face started out positively furious and then I watched as it softened. As he went from monster to lover in the space of two minutes, which was an eternity and then he finally asked.
What did Zero say, exactly?
That I have to let him go now, and that I should stay away from Caleb.
And how do you feel about that?
Well, fuck. I hate that question. That question sent me out of the truck, doors slamming, jaw clenched. Marching back to the house where I stopped, patiently waiting for Ben to catch up and unlock the front door and then once inside, I went straight for the library where I threw myself face down into the pillows on the chair.
Bridget-
I know. He's right, you're right, everybody's right.
I don't want you near Caleb anymore.
Is this an ultimatum? My Ben doesn't do ultimatums.
Yes it is and yes he does. He's just been a lot more perverted and more patient than most Bens.
My Ben isn't patient at all.
Sure he is. Your life up until now is an example of that.
So I've gotten it all wrong.
No. Not at all.
What about Lochlan?
Let me deal with everyone from now on.
You can't deal with them, Ben. If you shut them out Caleb will crush Lochlan and me, by default. Is it worth it?
I have aces in my hand too. Maybe you haven't paid attention to the game.
Why didn't you use them already? Christ, Ben, we've been to hell and back a hundred times now.
I was waiting for you, but, really, Bridget, you're taking a while and sometimes I think you take advantage and really I have had it up to here with everyone else taking their piece of you and leaving me with crumbs. They need to go find their own lives. Caleb needs a new hobby that doesn't involve terrorizing my wife and playing on her weaknesses.
You're going to take Lochlan away from me, too? I have already forgotten about Caleb. I don't need Caleb. I need Lochlan though. This is one dealbreaker I won't indulge in.
No. Just Caleb.
Good luck. If this were possible it would have already happened.
Let me fix this. Once. Just this one thing.
No, sorry. I can't risk Lochlan. And you shouldn't risk me, by default.
And you shouldn't doubt me, Bridget.
What do you mean?
Maybe I've spent the last three years planning. To be sure. Do you trust me?
I had to think about this. For a long moment. Holy fuck. I actually DO trust him.
More than anyone.
Then let me deal with Caleb. The only time you'll see him is when he picks Henry up or drops him off. Okay? I have spent so long saying nothing. I'm done, Bridge. No more.
Okay.
Can you do this, little bee?
Yes.
No more Caleb, no more Cole.
No more Caleb, Cole.
No more Jacob either, princess.
What?
Package deal.
You can't put restrictions on Jacob. I didn't sign up for this.
Yeah, well, princess, I didn't sign up to watch you hammer yourself into the ground squarely between them either.
Caleb will kill all of us. Did you warn Lochlan? Does he know?
I want you to let me handle him. If Caleb contacts you, I want you to direct him back to me. Okay?
Okay.
Nothing else, Bridge. The company will be run by the board. You don't have to touch it.
Okay, Ben.
I love you.
I love you too. What if-
There are no what ifs here. It's okay. Everything's going to be okay, bee. I've been planning this since the day I fell in love with you.
Eight years?
Three, goofy. Okay, maybe longer. And I've had it with him. It's time to move on this.
What if-
Trust me. I love you. And I love Lochlan.
Do you really, Ben?
Sadly, yes. He's pretty hot actually. (Ben grins briefly and I start choking on tears. Laughing and crying at the same time. So pretty.)
It's going to blow up in our fac-
Or it might just all end happily ever after.
You know we won't know that for forty or fifty years.
I can wait, Bridget. I've waited through worse.
What's worse than Caleb?
Jake was. Believe it or not.
