The Waiting Phase, Part 3

Ben & Liana

Ben swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. The blonde woman--Linda, that was her name--was sleeping, but he was wide awake. Putting on his pants and moving quietly over to the mini-bar in her room, he got himself a whiskey.

Picking up the bag he'd gotten earlier in the gift shop, Ben took out the stuffed ponies with blue and pink ribbons and looked at them a moment before putting them back. He didn't know the sex of the baby yet. Liana had decided she wanted to be surprised, but her doctor had told Ben that he could find out at her appointment next week. He was looking forward to it.

Suddenly, missing Liana was too much. He had no idea what time it was back in the Glen right now, but he picked up his phone and dialed. Liana answered on the second ring.

"Ben!" She was excited. "I'm so glad you called! Where are you? Are you coming home early?"

"Slow down, darlin'." He chuckled. Lemme get a word in edgewise! I just talked to you on Tuesday, you know?"

"That was a whole two days ago," Liana told him indignantly. "Do you know how much time I've had to miss you since then, Ben Wade?"

"Forty-eight hours?" he drawled, smiling. It was good to hear her voice. Even better to hear it telling him how much she missed him.

"Seems more like forty-eight years," she sighed. "At least."

"So, where are you?" she went on. "What are you doing right now?"

Ben glanced across the room toward the bed. Saw the blonde woman, Linda, sitting up and watching him. He warned her with his eyes to keep quiet.

"Just in the hotel room, sweetheart. Havin' a drink and missin' my wife."

Linda could hardly believe her ears and eyes. What kind of man was this? His eyes and his demeanor were cold and detached. Until he either talked TO his wife or ABOUT his wife.

She wondered to herself what sort of woman it took to bring out the warmth in this man. Whoever his wife was, she must be either an incredibly strong woman or a doormat--someone who was willing to believe everything he said and put up with everything he did. Linda remained silent, afraid not to.

"An' I'm sorry," Ben went on regretfully, "but I can't come back early. Have to stay until day after tomorrow. It's part of the job." He said the words casually, almost noncommittally, knowing that she knew exactly what kind of job he was talking about, even though they'd never spoken the words to each other.

That brought out the worry in Liana's mind and in her voice. "You're all right, aren't you Ben? Everything went okay?"

Once again, Ben congratulated himself on his choice of a wife. She knew what he was out here doing and she was worried about him. Being patient and waiting for him to come home, just the way he figured a good wife oughta. Not many women like that in the world any more.

"I'm fine, darlin'," he told her, a warmth in his voice that had been noticeably absent when he talked to Linda. "Everythin' went real well. Matter of fact, I've already picked up a coupla presents to bring back to you."

He was thinking of the pendant he'd found for her at an antique shop the day before, as well as the two stuffed horses that were just a few feet away. He'd been pleased with the discovery of that pendant, a pretty piece that dated back to the 1860's. He could already see it against Liana's creamy skin.

They talked for a few more minutes and then Ben hung up the phone, promising to call her again the next day. As soon as he was off the phone, he began pulling on the rest of his clothes.

"You're leaving?" Linda asked, surprised. "You're not staying the night?"

"No need to stay the night, darlin'," Ben drawled from the chair where he was pulling on his boots. "Already got what I came for."

Linda despised him at that moment, although she was too afraid of those cold, detached looks she'd seen in his eyes to say so. Another moment or two to gather his coat and his gift shop bag and he was out the door without even saying goodbye.