THE BLACK BIRD ||COMPLETED||

28

Twenty-Eight

          Kendra looked at Ben as he walked into the restaurant. She had asked to see him last night and being as considerate as he was, he had agreed to meet her here. He looked weary and worried. Well, his issue with his wife was tearing him apart. It was so obvious on his face.

         Kendra knew that Ben loved his wife. Anyone could see with the way he treated her. How he always placed her on a golden globe as if she were the only female on the face of this earth. Even with Aliyah's childish and spoilt attitude, he still loved her. He is simply the best man and how he was with Aliyah would make you question your own marriage. He took his wife the way she is and still loved her beyond doubt.

         Well, she knew now that all marriages has its own challenges. Then, she had questioned God for giving her a husband like Connor. And why he didn't just give her a marriage like her friend's. But now, she knew better.

           Not all happy marriages are actually happy. And to think that Aliyah had only married him because he was only nice to her and yet she still loved his best friend. That was kind of a slap.

"Hello, Kendra. How are you doing?" He asked and smiled.  She knew that smile didn't come from the heart. He only wanted to make her feel better. Kendra smiled back. "Good, Ben. You?"

"Oh, Good. Good. I was worried as to why you called me here. Is everything okay with you?"

Kendra placed the most plastic smile and nodded.

"Yes." She didn't come here to speak about her own problems when he has his.  "Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you. Um . . . Let me call the waitress."

"No, no. Don't bother. I was actually coming from my lunch break. So, what's up?" He grinned, leaning forward.

"I know it might not be any of my business. But I still want to butt in and just forgive me for poking my nose. It is about Aliyah. I mean . . . You and Aliyah."

Ben was silent and she didn't know if to stop or go on. But he nodded at her. "Okay."

"Ben, I know it seems out of my place but, I don't feel okay about you two. Can't you work things out?"

"Kendra, I really appreciate your concern about this. But it is not up to me. I love her, I do. But, I can't be the reason why she has to wake up one morning and say she regrets our marriage."

"She doesn't."

"She will eventually. I know Aliyah. She is . . . very open minded. She gets irritated easily and I don't want her to hate me in the future. She slept with my best friend. How do you think that makes me feel? Okay, I was ready to let things slide and just forgive her and move on but when I heard that she loves him, I just had to let go." He said and shook his head.

Kendra sighed. "She adores you, Ben."

Ben scoffed. "She doesn't love me. I can take all her attitude anytime as long as she loves me and I love her too. She's not ready to let go and move forward with her feelings for Alex. And until she's ready, I can't forget it. I'm game whenever she wants to start over."

Kendra was silent. Ben sighed. "I knew, Kendra. I knew that she had a relationship with Alex back then and she left him. I knew all about their history and I was still willing to be with her. I suspected that she could have something there for Alex again. Every time he is with Zara, all she does is make snide comments about them. She doesn't want to be in the same room with them as long as he is giving Zara all the attention. Come on, is that what she should be doing? A married woman? And if Zara hadn't opened up about it, I wouldn't know anything about how she slept with my best friend."