BEAUTIFULLY UNFINISHED novel Chapter 23

TWENTY-TWO

"MOM!"

Ben ran towards me and threw himself at me. He's crying. Oh god my baby boy. "I was so worried of you! Where were you mom? I thought you left me." Ben cries over my shoulder.

I kiss Ben's cheeks repeatedly. "Oh Ben. Baby I wouldn't do that."

I release him and I watch him cry. I rub his back. "Mommy's here. I'm here. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry mommy had gotten you worried."

I see Vivian coming towards me and I quickly hugged her too. I hugged her tight but I tried to hold back my tears. "Crap Miranda Rose, where were you? I was insanely worried about you! What the hell are you wearing? Where exactly were you?" She releases me. "No calls? Text? Where were you? I was about to call 911!"

I exhale. "I'll talk to you about it when we're alone." I gaze at Ben.

She crosses her arms. "I'm sensing something bad. But alright."

I see Vivian's eyes getting huge as she looks at someone from behind me.

"Holy ass it's Louis Tomlinson!" Vivian squeals.

"Yeah, hi." I hear Louis from behind me.

I gaze at him. Damn I forgot I was with Louis Tomlinson.

"Oh god hi. I'm Vivian." She offers a handshake and he accepts it.

"Louis." He says.

"I know this isn't the best time for this but I just can't help it. I really can't." Vivian fans herself.

Here goes the ultimate Directioner going crazy in three, two, one...

"I really wanna take a photo with you Louis!!!" Vivian squeals.

Ben laughs at his aunt Vivian.

Louis chuckles while saying, "Sure thing."

As much as I would be embarrassed by how Vivian is acting, I can't cos I can totally relate to her and I didn't know it'll look this funny if I was doing what she's doing right now. If I wasn't holding everything inside of me the entire time I met Harry, Niall and Louis, I would be much crazier than her.

Vivian quickly handed me her phone and since she was a very good friend of mine, I take a few photos of her and Louis. Good thing Arthur isn't around here or else he'll be insanely jealous.

"Thank you Louis. I have been a huge fan of you and the others." Vivian says while looking at her phone. "Oh my god I can't believe you'd be here at my house. Oh my god! Oh god I'm so sorry for acting like this. I'm so sorry. Oh my god." She continues to fangirl.

I smile at myself.

"Relax. Take it easy. I don't want you to collapse." Louis smiles at Vivian and he's always been so smiling and so nice.

Vivian excused herself and told us she'll be preparing some refreshers. I watch her as she heads to the kitchen and she was still busy looking at the photos of her and Louis at her phone.

Suddenly I noticed Louis moving his head to Ben and my breathing hitched when he stared at Ben very eagerly. He's looking at my son from head to foot and I think he's looking intensely at Ben's eyes.

"Mom what's wrong with him?" Ben asks me.

Louis recovers and laughs at himself. "I'm sorry for looking at you that way."

"This is Louis, Ben." I gestured to Louis.

"Louis, this is my son, Benedict. But you can call him Ben." I added.

Louis squats down in front of Ben. "Hey buddy. You look like someone I know." He rubs his palm over Ben's curls. Louis moved his head up to me.

"Did you really curl his hair? Or was it inherited?" Louis asked.

I don't know what to answer.

"He inherited it." I say while scratching my hair.

I see Vivian popping her head out from the kitchen. She's obviously listening to the conversation I have with Louis and Ben.

"From his father, I think?" Louis asked again while looking back at Ben.

"Y-yeah." I croaked.

Louis leans closer, "Gosh those eyes." He smiles at himself.

"Why do people you know always look at my eyes mommy?" Ben looks up at me.

I smile at his question. Sometimes I ask myself why my son is such a genius. I wonder why Harry gave me a smart boy, sometimes it's hard to lie to him.

"Uncle Niall also said that." Ben add.

Oh crap Ben.

I take a deep breath in and exhaled.

Louis' eyebrows shoot up. "You've already met Niall? Cool!"

Ben nods. "Yes! That blond haired guy. He is really cool!"

I smile.

Louis stares at Ben eagerly. "Damn those eyes really resemble Harry's."

"Uncle Niall calls me little Harry." Ben blurted.

Damn it.

God damn it Ben.

Louis stands. "You do look like Harry. Exactly little Harry."

Ben smiles.

I guess he's loving it when people call him little Harry and I just find it so cute when he wants to be like his own father.

"Refreshments." Vivian chimes while carrying out a tray of drinks.

I gaze at Louis.

"Let's all sit at the living room." Vivian offers and the three of us headed to where she was going.

"I need to talk to you about something Vivian." I began to say as we settle at the living room.

I gaze at Ben. "Ben could you go upstairs for a while sweetie?"

Ben takes a sip from the lemonade. "Why mommy?" He asks.

"Aunt Vivian, uncle Louis and I are going to talk about something." I answered him.

"It's something adults should talk about. Could you go upstairs and play with uncle Arthur's video games baby?" Vivian added right away.

"Okay! But I'm bringing this with me mom." Ben runs upstairs with the glass of lemonade on his hand.

I take a deep breath in and glared at Vivian who was looking at me. She looks at me confusingly and leans in forward so she was closer. "Are we going to tell him about Ben?" She whispers.

Louis glares at us.

I gave Vivian an eye. "Quit it." I spit.

I take another breath in and exhale.

"How do I start this." I talk to myself.

•••••

"That asshole!" Vivian yells.

"Viv, Ben might hear you." I say softly.

She exhales.