Haircut (Beth Harmon X Benny Watts)

Chapter 29

For a moment, I wasn't sure what to do, so I just stood there, looking at her.

She hadn't changed one bit. She was still beautiful and wore an outfit, that fitted her body exactly. She was a model after all.

"Aren't you going to say hello to your old bestie?" She smiled.

I snapped back to reality, when she started to walk up to me. I smiled and we quickly kissed on each other cheeks. But after a few seconds she pulled me in for a tight hug. Something that suprised me.

"Hey, Cleo." I said as we let go of each other. "You still look stunning."

"And so do you!" She exclaimed.

"When I'd heard you were back in New York, I just had to see you. I haven't seen you in 9 months!"

She took of her coat and threw it on a cushion on the floor. We walked to the table and sat down. "Yeah, Benny told me." I said.

"What made you come back?" She asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.

I rolled my eyes. "No particular reason." I said as I turned around and looked at Benny in the kitchen.

She followed my gaze and we both looked at him. He was making us drinks. He knew us both well enough, to know what drink we liked the best.

"He looks happy." Cleo whispered to me.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on him. His movements and his relaxed posture made me at ease. Like there wasn't a single problem in his world. His arms and hand were rumbling through the mess underneath the counter. His veins clearly visible. He was humming a short melody over and over again.

"I hope he stays this way." I mumbled.

"Darling, we both know that's kinda up to you." She laughed.

I looked at her confused. "I don't kn..." She cut me of.

"The only two things that keep Benny going are chess and you. And even when he had chess, he still wasn't completely fine."

I looked at her not knowing what to say. Would she know that Benny and chess were the only two things that I needed in my life? Maybe Jolene and eggs, but that would be it.

Cleo sighed. "He's been through some shit after, you know, your one-night stand with the magazine guy from Lexington."

"Yeah, he told me some stories."

"He complained about me yelling at him, didn't he?" She asked with a sly smile.

I nodded. "You helped him. No, you saved him."

"Just like he did for me." She said direct.

I had almost forgotten that Benny and his friends stopped Cleo from killing herself. It had never been a subject anyone wanted to talk about and I only knew some small details about the relationship that caused her depression. That's why Cleo and Benny had a connection that was hard to discribe.

I wanted to say something else, but Benny dragged a stool to the table and put our drinks on the table.

"Thanks, Benny." I said with a small smile.

"Merci." Cleo said.

Benny sat down next to us, with some apple juice. In a milk glass of course.

Cleo and I both took a sip of coffee. She gave me a look, trying to say that we will continue this conversation another time.

"What were you guys talking about?" Benny asked.

I glanced at Cleo, but even before I could start to panic, she had already answered.