Hometown Boy

Chapter 5

Stanley Weber is adorable in the most manly, rugged way possible.

Eliza sat down carefully, feeling his eyes on her watching her every move. He motioned to her drink and said, "I ordered you a sweet tea. But I didn't know what you would like. Feel free to change it."

Eliza glanced at the glass and shook her head. "Sweet tea is fine," she said.

He looked tired as she glanced at him and she felt a momentary stab of pity for him. She was about to change his whole world. His blue eyes looked dull and almost gray, as though the life had been sucked out of them. She sighed and then decided to dive right in. "You knew Samantha White?" she asked.

He flushed and then nodded, "I knew her briefly."

Eliza looked out the window and then turned back to him and said in a soft voice, "Sam was my best friend."

"Was," he said, frowning, noticing her use of the past tense.

"She's dead," Eliza watched as his spine went rigid and shock appeared on his face. She didn't know how to say it gently, or tactfully. Sam was dead and he needed to know. This was a painful topic not only for him, but also for her. She had lived the aftermath of it.

"What?" he spluttered.

"She was murdered in her home about six months ago now," continued Eliza, choking back emotion, and fighting the tears. Now was not a time to cry.

"Murdered? What?"

Eliza felt like a horrible person as she watched him struggle to process her news. She watched his fists clench and he took several deep breaths, squeezing his eyes closed as if to block out the news. Pausing to let him digest that information she waited another moment and then asked, "You didn't know Sam was dead?"

He shook his head. "I didn't ask about her," he said, "She didn't want anyone to know we knew each other. After we-after we—who murdered her?"

He stopped and Eliza ignored his last question as she finished his sentence.
"After you slept with her."

Blue eyes exactly like Benji's locked with hers and he growled, "She was embarrassed. We were both drunk and regretted what happened. We agreed to part ways and never see each other again and not speak of it. Did she tell you?"

Eliza shook her head and he frowned at her. "Then how did you know?" he asked.

"Sam was murdered one afternoon in her own home," she said, recounting the information as gently as she could, "I found her the next evening."

Eliza stopped to gather herself a moment and then shoved back the tears that wanted to spring forward as she remembered that night.

Just hit the key notes. Spit it out and forget about it.

"There had been a bunch of robberies happening in the area. Sam just happened to be at home when they hit her house. Her killer turned himself in. He's in prison now."

She stopped and took a deep breath and he bent his head and rested it in his hands. Eliza fought back the strange urge to lay her hand on his to offer him some sort of comfort.

"Oh God." His voice was a choked moan. Eliza took a deep breath, wiping her eyes, and discovering tears there anyway.

She doubted he deserved this. No one did but especially someone who served his country in the capacity he did. She had a feeling he was a good guy.

She hoped her gut was right.

When he lifted his head, the look on his face was resigned but full of shock and pain. He sighed deeply and then asked, "How did you know? About me and Sam."

Eliza took a deep breath and then said, "You know that little boy with me today?"

He nodded, frowning as he tried to follow her train of thought. "His full name is Benjamin Coulter."

She paused and knew the exact moment he put two and two together. The utter shock on his face made her heart clench. Sam had never told him. He clenched his fists and shook his head in denial. "Can't be," he muttered, staring at her almost desperately.

"Why not?" asked Eliza stoutly, "You slept with her. Babies happen. He looks just like you and his name is the reverse of yours."

He shook his head frantically and appeared like he was about to bolt. "She said she was on birth control," he said, almost frenziedly, "The next morning when we woke up, she said she was on the shot."

Eliza mentally berated Sam, feeling bad immediately afterward. Sam had done what she thought was best, even if Eliza didn't agree with it. Nothing good would come of dwelling on the past. Eliza felt like she was trying to calm a skittish horse as she said gently, "We can have a paternity test done if you like, but Benji deserves to know his father."

"How old is he?" asked Coulter, feeling so overwhelmed.

"Four and a half," answered Eliza.

Coulter got to his feet shoving the chair back abruptly and said, "I've got to go."

Eliza watched as he practically ran out of the building, getting into a black Chevy pickup truck and driving off. With a sigh, she paid the bill and then went to pickup Benji and go home. She had done the right thing. She was sure of it, but why did it feel so wrong? What if Coulter didn't live up to expectations? What if he tried to take Benji from her? Eliza shivered at the thought and immediately remembered the shattered look on the man's face as he ran from the building.

Sam had put them both in a really awkward situation. She should have told the man she was carrying his child. Now Eliza had to deal with the fallout. Half way to her parent's house, her cellphone rang. Quickly, she changed over to Bluetooth and said hello.

Mae's voice floated through the car. "What the heck was that earlier with one of the military guys?" she asked, not even bothering to say hello.

Eliza sighed, rubbing her forehead. "That was Coulter Benjamin Davis," she said quietly.

"And?" questioned Mae.

Eliza shook her head and then said, "Mae, Benji's full name is Benjamin Coulter. Hello. Did you not see how much they looked alike?"

At Mae's sharp inhale, Eliza said, "Yup, exactly."

"You've got to be kidding me," Mae's voice was high-pitched, "He's Benji's father?"

"Well I just met with him," explained Eliza, "He admitted to sleeping with her. He didn't know, Mae. He had no idea Sam was even dead or that he had a kid."

"Holy crap," breathed Mae, "That is messed up. Sam never told him."

"Nope, she didn't," said Eliza quietly, "He was in shock when I told him and basically ran out of the café in denial. I can understand though. It's a lot to take in."

"What happens now?" wondered Mae.

"I wait for him to make his move," answered Eliza, "I just hope he doesn't have any bright ideas about taking Benji from me. I want him to know his father, but Benji is my son."

"Oh wow," said Mae, after a few beats of silence, "I don't know what to say."

"Me either, Mae, me either."

......

Sometimes we run when we're scared, or overwhelmed. In Coulter's case, it's both! Welcome back to Dogwood! How are you guys today?

Happy New Year!

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Sincerely,

Scarlett McLeod