{ the finest. ben hardy }

rosalie.8

11:53am. I knocked on the bedroom door, following Mr. Hardy. He let me in and went back to reading his book on the bed. His shirt was unbuttoned all the way down and his glasses fell just above his nose. Why'd he have to be such a fucking angel.

"Look, Mr. H-."

"Will you ever call me by my first name Rosalie, I feel like you work for me when you call me that." He said but didn't look up from his book. I sighed and carried on.

"Look, Ben, it is really too soon for anything like that to happen. I-I'm still recovering. It may not seem like I am but I am. I've been here for a week now and I've only just started to warm up and become a little more like myself again. We've still got to go through with selling the house and getting...H-Harold...to sign the, uh, papers that dissolve our marriage. It's so soon, Ben." As I was speaking he put his book down and made his way over to me. He stroked my arm down to my hand and limply held it.

"I already told you I'd wait for as long as you need. Even if you do not want me, I'll still be there for you." This man was perfect in every way.

"It's going to take time to trust anyone.. intimately again." I said awkwardly.

"You don't have to worry about that, hopefully when the time comes you'll see what I'm...intimately, as you so gracefully worded it, capable of." I nodded and a blush crept on my cheeks. "Anyway, I've got to go to work in an hour or so but I was thinking we could look for houses online as the sale of yours is going so well?"

"Sounds good." I smiled and joined him on the bed where we spent the next hour searching for houses in the Chelsea area. We found the perfect townhouse. It was a pristine white Georgian house with a pale pink door and the windows were framed with that same pink. Two million. Within my price range and it was a perfect walking distance to my shop. My shop! I completely forgot!

"Ben, m-my shop I completely forgot, I must go there at once." As I went to get up he gently pulled me back down to the bed.

"I sent someone to the shop, Chrissie and your Mother have been doing just fine running things. I've also been sending your Mother daily texts in order to keep her up to date with your well being."

"You really thought of everything didn't you?" He gave me a nod.

"I really must get going." He said as he buttoned up his shirt and slipped on a navy blazer. "Would you like me to take you to your parent's house and I can pick you up around 7:30pm after work?"

"That would be perfect."

1:45pm. "Mum!" I ran into my Mother's arms and cried my eyes out. I explained to her every little detail from running to BlueWave up till now. We were both laying in my old bed, facing each other, both of us had stray tears falling here and there. This was the longest in my whole 23 years that I had been away from my Mum and she was all I wanted right now.

"Darling, I am so sorry he did that to you. I am so sorry your Father and I were so selfish in indoctrinating you to love him. His parents should be ashamed also. He will never lay a hand on you again. Myself and your Father will always be there for you my love. Mr. Hardy seems to be very emotionally invested in your situation and your friendship. You're very lucky to have him as a friend darling, he'll forever protect you whenever I am not there. Although your Father and I are always a phone call away."

"I know Mummy, I'm scared to physically trust him. Of course I trust him with my life but I feel the same as I felt with Harold with him. The butterfly feelings are always there, even when he isn't here. This past year he's been so kind, buying my flowers and visiting me in the shop even to say only a few words of small talk. Every week he was there for me and he has proven himself to be an amazing friend. He told me he'd wait for me, Mum."

"Darling." She leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "Do you know how long your Father and I have been together?" I nodded.

"32 years."

"Yes my love, but he waited 10 years before that for me, even when I thought I didn't want him. Patience is a serious virtue Rosalie and Mr. Hardy clearly values that. You take as long as you need to trust again, no one is going to judge you. I have a feeling he'd wait 1000 years for you."

"Me too, Mum."

7:23pm. My Father, Mother and I were curled up on the sofa watching some reality show we loved to watch together. Faint laughs here and there. This is what I needed and longed for this past week. My parents. My Father wasn't so understanding about the situation and spoke to Harold's parents in a fiery rage as soon as he heard what happened to me. I'm glad I have him. We all jumped a little as the doorbell rang. My Mother went to answer even though I had offered. I assumed it was Ben.

"Hello, Mrs. Buckingham. I've come to get Rosalie if that's okay?" he seemed a little nervous and socially awkward in the face of my Mother, I had to have a little chuckle and my Dad nudged me a little, knowing what amused me so much, we had a very similar sense of humour which allowed our relationship to be even closer.

"Come through, Mr. Hardy, come through. She's just in here." Dad and I sat up a little as Ben and my Mother walked through. He shook my Father's hand.

"Jack, always a pleasure." My Father just smiled and leaned into his ear, I faintly heard him whisper.

"We are forever grateful for you, Ben." And pulled away, Ben looked a little emotional, surprisingly and they broke apart. He turned to me and we smiled at each other.

"You really must stay for dinner, you two! We've missed out Rosa's company too much for you to leave now!" My Mother exclaimed. Ben and I looked at each other and I shrugged.

"Sure, why not." Ben let out a laugh at my silliness and we made our way to the dining room. Apprehending small talk and little conversation.

7:46pm. "How was work Ben?" I asked and my Mother raised an eyebrow at my use of his first name. I just rolled my eyes and looked back at Ben, awaiting an answer.

"Well, surely you don't want to hear about the boring stuff I get up to at work?" Ben said as he looked around the table.

"No, no do go on. I love to hear about it, you know I do. I always asked every week a the shop!" He smiled and told us all of his few hours at work. There was a small security breach and a few complaints about sales but nothing too horrendous. Nothing Ben Hardy couldn't fix.

"How was work been this week then, Ben." My Father asked. Ben cleared his throat in order to explain the situation.

"Actually, I took the week off work to look after your daughter, Jack. There's nothing I'd rather do than that when a friend is in need. I hold my moral values incredibly high in that sense." I was taken aback by his answer and My Mother responded with an "Ooh, Mr. Hardy! You really are an angel sent from heaven. I'd love to meet you Mother, you know, she obviously raised you very well! Well enough to raise nothing less than a morally sound billionaire!" He chuckled.

"She would love nothing more, I'm sure of it." My Father raised a glass and Ben repeated his actions. My parents exchanged a knowing look, as did Ben and I, although Ben slipped in a wink which let me know my parent loved him. Of course they did.