From the other direction, another twosome approached. Theodore Bishop and his wife, Holly. These people Ben knew well. They were anti-everything—gay rights, women’s rights, immigration, civil rights. If it wasn’t Christian and white, it wasn’t right.
They were the people who would have thought something was wrong with Bonnie, instead of wanting to help her. They would hate Ben as well.
Benjamin Senior pasted a fake smile on his face, ready for a different kind of show than the one Ben had planned.
Theodore’s gaze found Ben first. “It’s been too long. We haven’t seen you much lately.” He shook Ben’s hand.
“I know. It’s been a tough few months. As my father pointed out, I was kidnapped and assaulted. Luckily, Dad’s coming to my rescue—well, not mine I guess considering it already happened but think of all the people he will help in the future.” Ben smiled, just as a waiter walked by with a tray of champagne. He grabbed two glasses and handed one to Dante.
“Thomas and Abigail, I’m not sure you’ve met my son, Ben.” His dad looked toward the other couple who stood in their group, no doubt trying to deter attention from what Ben had said to Theodore. “He’s the Worthington behind Worthington/Mathers.”
Ah, throwing Ben’s status in there. How typical.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” He shook Thomas’ hand and kissed Abigail’s. “This is my date, Dante. Dante meet Thomas, Abigail, Theodore and Holly. You might recognize them. They’re very strong backers of the fight to keep marriage traditional—one man, one woman, the way God intended.”
“Ben,” his father said sternly as his mom looked nervous. Ben wouldn’t let himself look at Dante. He didn’t want to know what he’d see in his lover’s near-black eyes.
“It’s okay, Dad. I won’t make a scene. I respect everyone’s right to believe what they want, and to live how they want, no matter how bigoted it is.”
It was as though each of his words unlocked something inside Ben. Freed him in a way. Made him feel weightless and not as though he was a bystander in his own life as he’d felt lately. He was finally controlling it.
“Now wait a minute,” Theodore started but Ben held up a hand to him.
“No, no. It’s okay. Really. That’s not why I’m here. As my father said, this is about family. He’s fighting for me, the way any good father should. And he’s fighting for Bonnie as well. That’s what I want to talk about. I know my father would agree that one of the most important goals we can work toward is the stigma put on the mentally ill. My sister, for example, didn’t get the help she needed. We failed her—my family and society. We refused to support her the way she needed and that should never happen. People should always have access to the help they need.”
Ben didn’t hear anything in the room beside himself, and the breathing of the people standing by him as he spoke. He felt his father’s anger. His mom’s sadness. Thomas and Abigail’s confusion. Theodore and Holly’s disdain.
He thrived on it. It gave him strength and energy like he hadn’t felt in years, maybe ever. It was a bigger high than sex. Than the things he’d done at the club to all those men who wanted him to dominate them.
It was power.
“It wasn’t our fault. We didn’t know Bonnie was so sick,” his mom said softly. It was the wrong thing to say. Ben saw his father tense up.
“We did what we could for her. You know that. We tried. We loved her, and I think you’re right, Ben. Mental illness is something we need to better tackle. I’d love to get together with you sometime a little more appropriate, toss some ideas around and see what we can come up with.”
“Yes. I agree. And whatever you need from me, Benjamin. You know I’m willing to help. We’ll discuss this later.” Theodore tugged slightly on his bowtie as though it suddenly tightened.
“I thought that’s what tonight was about?” Ben eyed his father.
“No, as I said, tonight is about having a good time. We’ll speak about this later.” The tone in his dad’s voice said he expected Ben to obey. Dante said earlier that Ben was used to getting what he wanted and in some ways he was, but not to the extent of his father.
“We’re all here now, though. And since Theodore is willing to help...”
“Maybe it would be wise to work on yourself before you take on something like this. I hate to say it, and I mean no disrespect, but it doesn’t look like you’re dealing very well with what’s happened to you recently, Ben. You haven’t gone back to work, and you’re losing sight of what’s important. Maybe now isn’t the best time for you to try and help other’s when you’re clearly hanging on by a thread yourself.” Theodore’s smug expression was aimed at Ben and Ben alone.