A Second Mate

Chapter Eleven: Practice Makes Progress, Not Perfect.

Dakota's pov.

Nothing's perfect, nobody is perfect. So when you find something or someone even remotely close to perfect, latch onto them and never let them go. I like to think of Ben as perfectly imperfect.

Today Ben is going to try teach me a few words in the hope that I'll then remember more vocabulary. It sucks. I used to have a wide range of vocabulary and now I'm back to limited words.

I get changed into a nice casual outfit (at top/side) and brush my hair into loose waves, obviously I've already got washed and brushed my teeth. I walk down the stairs and out into the garden where I'm meeting Ben, he figured I'd be more relaxed outside with nature. I smile as Ben comes into view and skip down the steps, sitting beside him on the grass. "You ready?" He asks and I nod enthusiastically and manage to say a quick yep. I can say a few things at the moment, simple things like yes, no, hi and bye but nothing complex.

I cross my legs over each other, sitting cross legged as I listen to the birds tweeting; simply admiring the view. Remember earlier how I mentioned perfection? This is a close second to Ben - the view. Stunning blue water, rippling waves and sun shining down, giving a good dose of vitamin c as my teacher used to say. Or was it vitamin d? Who knows? Nobody was listening.

"We're gonna start off easy, okay? Nothing majorly difficult,"

"Okay,"

"Repeat after me. Toilet." I giggle a little at this and Ben chuckles. "You need to know how to say this!"

Time goes by and I've learnt a few handy words.

"You're doing..." Ben's voice trails off as he looks out down the pathway. I follow his gaze to see what he is staring at and to my disbelief, who do I see? My mother.

I can see the anger flash in Ben's eyes, he still hasn't forgave her for not paying attention to me. Ben stands up with a start and I scramble to my feet, holding onto his arm. "Miss Merryweather?" Ben questions. "What are you doing here?"

"Cut the act Ben! I know everything. I know that you're married to my daughter and that it's your fault she as aphasia. I know she's knocked up with your child and you haven't even thought to tell me?"

"What?" I ask confused.

"Miss Merryweather, I can assure you that Dakota is not pregnant and that it is not my fault she has aphasia! It's that stupid black rogue's fault,"

"Don't you dare insult my boyfriend!"

Wait. Boyfriend? Suddenly it all makes sense, that's why my mum has been away. She's been with a wolf.