RATED PG
Alliance owns these characters, but they don’t deserve them.
SECRETS
“I just don’t know, Ray,” Fraser said, his voice full of hesitation and doubt.
Ray sighed impatiently. “For God’s sake Benny, it’s not that important a decision.”
“Yes it is, Ray. It’s the first birthday your mother has had since I’ve been her ‘son-in-law’ and I want to get her just the right present.”
“Benny, Ma will love whatever you get her.”
They had already been all over the mall in Benny’s quest for Rosa’s birthday gift. He had considered buying her clothes, but couldn’t find anything he liked. He had thought about something for the kitchen, but that hadn’t seemed right.
“That seems rather impersonal,” he had told Ray. “And I don’t want her to get the feeling that I only care about her because of her wonderful cooking.”
“Benny, Ma would never think that.”
Ray’s protest had fallen on deaf ears, and he had been dragged through the mall on a gift hunt. The bookstore had yielded no titles that seemed appropriate, he couldn’t think what type of music to get her, the toy store was definitely out.
Finally, Ray plopped down on a bench. “That’s it Benny. We’re taking a rest break.”
“All right.” Ben nodded and sat down beside him, deep in thought.
“Benny, you’re making way too big a deal out of this.”
“No Ray,” Ben shook his head. “I want to get her the right present. I don’t want to make a mistake.”
Ray looked at Benny’s face- so serious, so determined and worried; and he was touched. “Don’t worry Benny, you won’t. Ma will like whatever you give her because it came from you. Because you took the time and thought to pick out just the right present for her.”
Ben thought about it for a minute, and he smiled. “All right. I think I’ll get her some perfume. It’s nice and personal, and I can’t get her the wrong size or color. And there are many wonderful scents from which to choose.”
Ray looked at him with a groan. “It’s going to take you another two hours just to choose which perfume, isn’t it?”
“Probably,” Ben admitted. “Come on, we should go to Marshall Field’s. They have the best perfume counter.”
“Marshall Field’s? The store at the other end of the mall where we started this nightmare hours ago?”
“That’s the one,” Ben answered a little sheepishly.
“Benny, you drive me crazy.”
“I know that Ray, and I’m sorry. But when we’re done here, we can go back to my apartment and I’ll drive you crazy in a way that, if memory serves, you’ll find much more enjoyable.”
“You’re forgiven,” Ray grinned.
They headed side by side through the mall, walking in a comfortable silence. As they passed a certain store, Ray tensed slightly as he caught the name of the store on the window. Victoria’s Secret.
Victoria. Even after all this time, that name could still send shivers down his spine.
He glanced over at Benny, but his lover seemed unaffected. Ray knew Benny had seen the sign as well, but his demeanor hadn’t changed at all. Ray smiled inwardly. They had won.
Victoria had come to town determined to destroy Benny, and along the way she had decided to ruin Ray as well. And in the end she had tried to tear apart his and Benny’s relationship. But she hadn’t.
He and Benny were stronger than that. It hadn’t been easy, but they had not only survived, they had thrived. In fact, it was in the aftermath of the whole ugly Victoria incident that the first seeds of their new relationship had been planted.
‘Yeah, come on back to Chicago, you bitch,’ Ray thought to himself. ‘I’ll arrest you on sight. And then I’ll tell you a little secret of my own.’
Ray smiled and stepped a little bit closer to Benny as they walked through the mall.
THE END
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