The cold war 29

Tick, tick, tick, went the hand on the wall clock as it proceeded around its endless cycle. Tapping the long sparkly tip of his index finger on the tabletop matching the rhythm, Ben just couldn’t stop staring at the clock on the office wall.

“Reeny, are you sure that clock isn't running slow”? he asked from the sofa.

Irina dropped her pen and sighed, “please, for the love of God, Bunny, will you stop looking at that clock, the time isn’t running slow, you just need to think about something else”, she announced, “what happened to those files I asked you to look through”?

“I’m sorry, I just can’t focus on them right now”, Ben replied lowering his head and rocking gently from side to side, “I’m just so nervous”.

Irina sighed again, “and stop trying to look cute, we’ve already discussed this”, she answered shaking her head, “you were the one who said we should go later remember? You said we would have the best chance of catching him at home”.

Ben pouted, “I know, it's just, I think I’m going to go insane if I have to wait another three hours, do you think we could go over a little earlier”?

“I guess so”, Irina said nodding, “Do you think he’ll be in, though”?

“I’m not sure, but I can just sit around and wait if he’s not, you don’t have to come with me, I’ll be ok by myself”, Ben replied nodding.

“Oh no you don’t, I promised I'd go with you, and I meant it”, she said standing up, “let’s head over then and see if he’s in and if he’s not I’ll keep you company while you wait”.

“Really”? Ben asked smiling, “but what about your work”?

“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow”, Irina answered, “besides it’s not like I can get much done with you mopping about like this, go and grab your coat and let's go”.

Ben tottered over to hug her, “thank you Reeny, you’re the best sister ever”, he said wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tightly.

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45 minutes later, Ben stood outside Jake’s door shaking with nerves having just rung the front doorbell.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Irina give him a thumbs up from her position across the street. He returned the gesture and turned back to face the door, he knew Jake was in as he and Irina had spotted him walking past the window just a moment ago.

There was no answer. Reaching up, Ben carefully positioned his hand to be able to press the buzzer once more, his long acrylic nail tip getting in the way and making the simple task much more difficult than it would normally be.

Again, he stood waiting but this time he heard footsteps approaching. Ben quickly brushing down his skirt around his thighs and raked his nails through his hair just as the door flew opened, “hello, can I help you”? A middle-aged woman asked.

“Err… hi is Jake home”? Ben asked nervously, he’d been thinking all day about what he was going to say when Jake opened the door, but one thing he hadn’t considered was that it might be Jake's mother that answered.

Mrs Fuller looked him up and down, “are you a friend of his”? she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“Err… yes, we’ve known each other for a long time”, Ben said but as soon as he said the words he wished he hadn’t, seeing the look on Mrs Fuller’s face who now looked even more confused.

“Really, what’s your name”? She asked staring at Ben and making him feel even more uncomfortable in his tight office outfit.

“My names Bunny”, he replied quietly, shuffling his feet inside his high heeled pumps”, I’m sorry to disturb you tonight Mrs Fuller, I just haven’t heard from Jake in a while, and I just wanted to make sure he was ok”.

Mrs Fuller smiled with pursed lips, “me too, dear, he hasn’t been himself for a few weeks now, I keep asking him what’s wrong, but he just won’t speak to me, please come in”.

“Thank you”, Ben replied stepping into the house as Mrs Fuller stepped to one side.

“The living room is on the left, please make yourself comfortable, I’ll go and fetch him from his room, if he won’t talk to me perhaps you’ll have more luck”, Mrs Fuller said as she closed the door, “do you want anything to drink, Bunny”?

Ben shook his head, “no thank you, Mrs Fuller I’m fine”, he replied before smiling and heading off into the living room to wait.

Entering the room, Ben took a deep breath, “that was a close one”, he thought to himself, “thank god she didn’t recognise me or that could have been very awkward”.

Too nervous to sit, he paced up and down the room. His feet were a little sore from wearing his tall heels all day, but at that moment, that was the last thing on his mind as he circled the room examining the pictures of Jake and his family scattered around.

Stopping in front of a cabinet, he reached down and picked up a picture that made him smile, a picture of Jake graduating high school. He remembered the day well, but it now seemed like a million years ago. He remembered Jake sneaking a bottle of whisky into the school that day in the hope of convincing Carly Simons and her busty friend Veronica to drink it with them.

The girls shot them down, forcing the two of them to drink the whole bottle alone. It was funny to think back on it now, with him standing there looking more feminine than Carly Simons and her friend Veronica combined wondering if he was about to be rejected once more.

“You shouldn't have come here”, Jake suddenly announced, making Ben jump, and almost dropping the picture frame, “I told you we can’t see each other anymore”.

Quickly placing the picture back on the cabinet, Ben spun around and gasped, “I… you… are you ok? Are you sick"? he asked with his mouth wide open.

Looking him up and down, Ben could hardly believe his eyes, The first thing he noticed was just how incredibly thin Jake now looked, his clothes seemed to be hanging off of him like they were a size or two too large.

He also looked really pale, his usual tan having seemingly faded away. But perhaps the most noticeable difference was his face which now looked different, younger somehow. His eyes were now the focal point of his face as his dark lashes contrasted against his milky white skin, it was almost as though he was wearing mascara.

(See image 4.2)

“What? No, I’m fine”, Jake quickly shot back looking agitated, “I’ve just been trying out this new exercise program, that's all”.

Ben wanted to ask more questions, but seeing the frustration on Jake’s face, he decided to change the subject, “Jake, I’ve been worried about you”, he said meekly, “why won’t you talk to me? I don’t understand what I did wrong”.

Ben watched as Jake screwed up his face, looking as though he was in pain, “I… I…I just can’t see you right now”, he said gripping his hair with both hands and pulling backwards.

“Please, Jake”, Ben said stepping forward, “you need to explain this to me, I can help you, is it Danila? Is he making you do something"?

Jake head suddenly shot around, “Danila, no it has nothing to do with him”, he replied loudly with his eyes wide and his voice shaking, “please, you need to go now”.

“No”, Ben replied firmly, stamping his foot loudly, "not until you tell me what the hell is going on here".

“Arghhh, Mom, mom”, Ben screamed turning away.

Instantly Mrs Fuller appeared in the room,  having obviously been stood just outside the door eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Bunny is leaving now. Mom, can you show her out please”? He said before turning and almost running from the room.

A shocked Ben looked up, his eyes meeting and equally shocked Mrs Fuller’s as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. 

Mrs Fuller gave him a weak smile, “thanks for trying, dear”, she said in a sad voice, “come on, I’ll show you out”.