Behind Blue Eyes
Copyright© 2025 by DB86
Chapter 11
The next day, they all had breakfast in Janice’s kitchen. They looked like a happy family.
Robert cleared his throat, looked at Janice, and said, “Benji and I talked this morning, while we were going through our morning routine, and we decided you two should spend some time together by yourselves.”
Benji looked at his mother and smiled. His eyes never left her face. Robert rubbed his son’s back in an affectionate gesture.
“That would be great.” Janice could have wept.
“I have some calls to make and some matters to settle. Enjoy yourselves.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, still smiling at her son.
Her gaze returned to Benji. It was hard to keep from staring at him. He was a beautiful boy. She’d missed the first thirteen years of his life. His first steps, his first word, his first day at school ... The realization crucified her all over again.
“Benji? I was wondering if you’d like to go to a picnic at the lake,” Janice suggested.
“I’d love that, Mom. What about your job?”
“I can take a day off. I’m my own boss, remember? There’s so much I have to say to you, and so much I want to learn about you, I don’t want to be around a lot of other people. But if you don’t want to, or if you’re uncomfortable with the idea, we...”
“I’d rather be alone, too,” Benji declared, with the maturity of someone twice his age.
“Let’s go, then. I’ll take my car out of the garage. Let me fix us something to eat and we’ll go in half an hour.”
Thirty minutes later, Janice was driving her car to a solitary, secluded beach, that only the locals knew about. It was a warm, sunny day.
They settled onto the picnic blanket Janice had spread on the sand. Getting on her knees, She popped open the wicker basket and lifted two plates. Then, she handed Benji a sandwich and a can of soda.
“I love your dress, Mom. You look beautiful. You’re more beautiful than I ever imagined. I used to look at your photo all day and talk to you about my life.”
Janice gulped, unable to say anything for a few seconds.
“I’d love to hear you talking to me about your life now. But first, I have something to show you. Sit at my side, please.”
Benji did as she asked, eyeing her with avid curiosity. “What is it?”
“This is a photo book I started when your dad and I had become a steady couple. I thought that after all the ugly truths I told you about the past, you deserved to know the beautiful love story too. Go ahead and look through it to your heart’s content. Just be careful not to spill soda on it.”
Benji wiped his wet fingers on a paper napkin and took the book in his hands.
Maybe it was a trick of the light, but Janice thought her son’s fingers were trembling as he opened the cover.
“Oh my gosh! It’s Dad! He looks so young, I can’t believe it!”
Janice smiled. “You look just like him. You’re his son, all right.”
“No one ever says that, because of my dark hair.”
“All they have to do is picture you with dirty blonde hair, and you’re the exact replica of your handsome father.”
“Except for the eyes.” Benji opened his eyes wide. “Dad always says they look like yours. Now that I see them, I think he’s right. Yours are even more beautiful, Mom.”
Janice blushed. “Thank you, Benji.”
“Your dad and I met the week he turned twenty-one. I’d seen him several times in the campus student center, reading at one of the tables. He was so attractive, that I never looked at another guy after that. You could say I fell in love with him on the spot.
“One night in desperation I dropped all my books next to his chair to get his attention.”
Benji’s face lit up with a huge smile. “Did he pick them up, Mom?”
“He did. But it was the most horrible moment of my life. When I thanked him, he didn’t say one word. He just gave me one of those scary looks only he can give and went back to his studies.”
Benji laughed. “He still does that when he’s really mad about something.”
“I was so hurt, that I left the building and ran to the girl’s dorm in tears. Before I could unlock the door, he caught hold of me.”
“Then what happened?” Benji asked, totally caught up in the story.
“He said he thought I was really cute, but he didn’t date freshman girls. I told him he was crazy if he thought I wanted a date with him. Your dad said he didn’t believe me and he could prove it. The next thing I knew, he kissed me.”
“Oh my gosh!” Benji’s cheeks flushed.
“You can say that again. It lasted kind of a long time.”
Her son giggled in pure delight. “He never told me any of this.”
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