Benny Watts imagines : The Queen's Gambit

Phone call

I sat quietly with my little crossword book at table. Occasionally taking a sip of my coffie, but never breaking my concentration. I could hear the water running from the shower, Benny humming a low tune he probably heard on the radio earlier.

I scribbled the word "exemplary" in my row and flipped the page over to the next one.

The water stopped, Benny probably out of the shower, but I kept my focus on the crossword infront of me. I was so enhanced in it, when the phone rang I jolted and sent my pencil along the page, leaving a mark.

"Benny?" I shouted " could you get that?"

Benny wandered out of the bedroom, a white towel tied around his waist. His blondish hair wet and dripping down his back.

He picked up the phone and put it too his ear.

"Oh, hi Beth" He said.

My head snapped up. Beth?

"You want to talk to Y/n?"

"Noooo!" I mouthed to him.

"What?" He mouthed back " Oh yeah I'm still here Beth, Y/n? Ummmm"

"Nooo! Tell her I'm out" I mouthed.

"She-uh- she isn't here right now she's out. Where? Uhhh oh she's um at the shop. Yeah, I'll tell her when she gets back, ok bye Beth"

He put the phone back on the holder and looked at me, confused.

"What was all that about?"

"She's been trying to coax me into going on this trip with her and I really  don't want to go"

"Just agree to go and then the day you're supposed to go, pretend you're sick so you can't go anymore"

"Ohhh that's smart"