A Million Miles Apart (Wish 4)

12 - Two minutes

Ben received the call he was hoping for, but never expected. When he saw Homestead appear on his phone, he didn't think Edward Calhoun himself would call him directly.

"Ben, I have a condo for you!"

"Really! Already? I thought it would take longer, if at all. Thank you."

"It wasn't my doing. I told you my sister is a fan. I had one saved for her and she told me to give it to you."

Ben was too pleased to let himself think about the sacrifice she made or that it was over the top for a fan to do. Of course, as a Calhoun she could probably live anywhere in the city, state or even the country.

"Thank her for me."

"I will, but she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I found her an alternative place, so she's not homeless." Ben laughed because it was obviously a joke. "You'll need to meet with the designer this week, because it's almost ready. They'll want you to pick paint colors and a few other details."

Paint colors. Ben was out of his league and would prefer to leave it to the professionals. He didn't think anyone he knew was into decor. Kenzie wasn't, and he wasn't asking Angela. After the stunt she pulled after the golf event, he thought about ending it with her. For selfish reasons, he considered waiting until he left for Florida. The problem was, if he had his own place, he would want to stay through the holidays. For now, he was giving Angela another chance, but he wasn't ready to tell her about his change of address just yet.

Ben planned to meet with the designer early one morning. The designer was a male, so hopefully he would know what Ben wanted because he didn't. It was the first time he had actually seen inside the building. He noted the security right away and the entrance only led to two units on each floor. He didn't want to have a lot of neighbors invading his privacy. The condo reserved for him was a one-bedroom, but the living space was bigger than the hotel suite. It had plenty of storage and a kitchen he could cook in. He wasn't sure he would have time to use it during the season, but he liked to cook.

Ben returned home to his hotel room after an afternoon game. Tired, he planned to get some room service and crash in front of the TV. When he entered his room, his mother was sitting on a chair.

"How did you get in?" His voice sliced through the silence and probably scared the pigeons who loitered in the courtyard ten floors below.

He took a step towards the hotel phone. "You have two minutes before I call security." He rested his hand on the receiver.

His eye caught movement. He blinked twice, Angela came out of the bathroom. He stared at her. "You did this?"

"She wants to reconcile. You shouldn't suffer because your father alienated your mother." Angela stood beside him and put her hand on his shoulder as if they were a couple.

"My father!" He stepped away from Angela and turned toward the woman who gave birth to him. "What lies did you tell her?"

"You're my son." She looked as if she would cry.

He scoffed. "You missed your calling. Instead of chasing ball players, you should have gone to Hollywood because you must have put on quite a show for her." He pointed to Angela. His mother sobbed.

"Benjamin be nice. She loves you."

He whipped his head from his mother to Angela and laughed. "Lies, all lies! Angela, leave. This has nothing to do with you."

His teeth remained gritted as he watched her shift her weight from one foot to the other. She had best not argue with him. He didn't have the patience to listen to her pleas. She slowly made her way to the door while looking back and forth between him and his mother. He would deal with her later, but his priority was getting rid of his mother. She had become a nuisance.

"Why are you here?" He knew the answer, but she had yet to say it.

"I want a relationship with you?"

"With me or my checkbook?"

"Why do you always think that?"

"Because it's true. You don't care about me." He stopped himself from saying she didn't care anymore than Angela did. He had let down the one female who had cared about him.

"Of course, I care, but you don't care about me." She looked down as she started dropping actual tears. "I gave all of myself to Frank and he tossed me aside for a set of tits younger than you. He broke my heart." Not likely, since Ben was positive she didn't have a heart. "He kicked me out. I'm homeless."

"Do you need me to call for a ride to the shelter?" He wasn't giving her a cent.

"We're family."

"If you're so poor, how d'you get to New York and then Boston? I thought you were in Tulsa or was it Phoenix?"

"I have a little bit, but..."

"Plenty of people get by on a little. They get a job and make more." As far as he knew she had never worked a day since she gave birth to him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Who are you calling?"

"Dad and Kenzie to see if either want to put you up. Do you think Christopher Jett will invite you into his home?"

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just give me a little to carry me over? Do you know I was in labor for forty-eight hours pushing you out of my body?"

The last time she said it was twenty-four, but he ignored her exaggeration. "So I heard. Your two minutes are up." He lifted the receiver.

She sighed. " I promise I'll go, but give me a few more minutes."

"Why? So I can hear about how great a mother you were because you had a long labor. You missed all the times when we were sick or sad or happy. Most birthdays you forgot to send a card." She flitted in and out of their lives but usually surprised them when whoever she was with was playing Boston. She would come in and leave so fast it confused him and Kenzie.

"You know I told him I didn't want to go through it again, but he knocked me up, anyway. I never wanted that second baby and it cried all the time." Maybe his dislike for children came from his mother.

"Kenzie is not an 'it'. She's my sister. You need to go. Now!" His voice was loud as he lifted the receiver. She scurried out the door before the front desk answered.

"Yes, Mr. Lynch."

"A woman just left my room, I want to make sure she's escorted out of the hotel. I would also like to see the manager in my room."

The fact she wanted money didn't bother him. She was predictable, but the things she said about Kenzie cut him to the core. He had heard disparaging remarks about his father. Honestly, his parents were together just long enough to have two kids, but that was more than half their lifetimes ago.

Most likely Kenzie meant nothing to their mother because the woman couldn't manipulate her. He had fallen for her tricks too many times. That's why she kept coming back. He was done with her once and for all.

He met with the hotel manager and made sure he knew no guests would be allowed up to his room without his permission and absolutely no one should be given a key. The manager was just about to leave when his door opened. Angela appeared looking contrite.

The manager looked embarrassed. "Sorry Mr. Lynch."

Ben waved his hand. "She was here earlier with the other unwanted guest. I will speak to her myself."

Angela watched the manager leave and turned, practically stomping her foot. "I'm not a naughty child."

She stepped closer to him and he smelled liquor on her breath. He knew where she had been while he had been dealing with his mother. He would have to deal with her but wasn't ready yet. Instead, he sent her home with a promise they would talk later.  

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