Truth Or Fiction

Chapter Forty Three

"But I eat though! I don't skip meals on purpose. I just...get in the zone when it comes to paperwork and sometimes I lose track of time," Ben said, well aware of everyone's eyes on him. "Auradon comes first, I can't just let stuff fall to the wayside because my schedule is a bit busier than normal—."

"No." Benji said and Ben looked at him in surprise as Benji's tone seemed almost cooler than normal. The only other time his tone had been so cool was whenever he was talking to Leah. "My kid comes first. My wife comes first. My family comes first. That is something I learned because of people like Mal and the other VKs and of course my best friends. Not from slumping over my desk doing paperwork!"

There was no need for the younger Ben to learn that his friends still considered him a workaholic, and of course he knew about the system that Dean set up to ensure Ben didn't stay by his desk at all hours.

"Ben, honey, we're not mad at you," Belle said, trying to keep her voice gentle. "But at the same time, we're concerned. Especially since now we know you kept a concussion from us?"

"Your mother's right son," Beast nodded. "What if it'd been more serious and your mother and I didn't know?"

"I didn't want to worry you," Ben said, his voice soft.

"He's telling the truth there," Benji nodded as he looked at his parents before looking at his younger self. "But one thing I've learned since Mal got pregnant, worrying about their kid is the job of a parent. No matter what we did, mom and dad were going to worry about us. They still worry about us. You're not just the Crown Prince or future King to them—you're their son."

"Benji's right Ben," Chip nodded. "What if the tables were turned and I was the one skipping meals and falling asleep at my desk? Or what about your kid? What if you found out that they were hiding these things from you? Would you put up with it being treated like it didn't matter? Would you drop it?"

Ben shook his head. "That's completely different Chip! Of course I wouldn't drop it if it was my kid or if it was you or Akiho or Emir or Chad or anyone else for that matter!"

"How is it different?" Chip asked. "You're my little brother Ben, why can I not care about you as much as you care about me?"

"In his defense, it is different Chip," Benji said, giving his younger self a small, knowing smile as if he knew exactly where Ben's head was.

"Benji, if you give me any bull about being the future King and that a King cares for his subjects, I swear to all the Gods—."

"That's not it," Benji shook his head. "But...just accept the fact that it is different Chip. Please?"

The last thing he wanted to do was put his younger self on the spot for feelings he was hiding from the others in his life. Feelings he still felt—they weren't as strong as they'd been when he was sixteen but they were present.

"Ben..." Abby said and Benji could only assume by her tone of voice that she'd somehow figured out what they weren't saying. "The fact that mom miscarried me isn't your fault. You know that right?"

Ben shrugged, not seeing any reason to deflect the question now that it was out in the open. "I mean...the contract was for me. Leah was trying to get me into the contract when mom miscarried," he muttered, looking at the ground to try to avoid everyone's eyes. "I mean...I'm the reason mom lost you Abby. I'm the reason dad didn't get a chance to grieve for thirteen years. If...if I can make sure no one else...no one else suffers because of me...isn't it worth it?"

Belle's hands flew to her mouth as tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes. "Ben...sweetheart, you were three when that contract was signed. You had nothing to do with it, you didn't even ask for the contract. Leah did that. As a ruling Queen and as a mother who had difficulties with her own pregnancies, she should have known better and waited until Abby was born. That's on her, not you."