Scattered Landmines

twenty-three

Entering the elevator, Ben pushes the highest number listed, and the elevator jolts up, causing me to reach for the mirrored wall as it rises to the top floor.

Opening with a ding, we step into a dim ballroom arranged with tables decorated in fancy silk linens. Floral centerpieces stand towering a foot over my head, and fairy lights fall from the ceiling twinkling in a timed pattern over the dancefloor located in the center of the room. The music blaring from the formal area in the distance is interrupted by the repercussions of idle chit-chat with people dressed in formal wear.

Upon entering the party, the coat-check claims our jackets, handing Ben a ticket. Ben then looks at me and finds my hand, steering me into his high-class world.

A man in a penguin suit with white gloves roams the room with a silver platter of glasses filled with champagne. Ben retrieves two glasses from the tray handing me one and placing a hand on my lower back, walking me into the masses. My skin prickles as the eyes of the audience slide towards Ben and me. They are all staring.

"Benjamin, my darling," calls an older woman with a raspy voice. The cotton-haired matron doesn't hesitate before she pulls Ben to her chest for a hug. "And who might you be?" she directs the same aqua eyes as Ben at me, keeping an arm linked through his.

"Nana, this is Ro. Ro, this is my beautiful grandmama, Beatrice."

"Call me Bea, please," she tells me with a thin-lipped beam. "So nice to meet you, Ro. I don't think Ben has ever brought a date to this event before tonight," she looks up at him quizzically but with adorned praise in her grandsons choice. I would explain to her that it's not what she thinks it is, but she looks too hopeful for me to disappoint her.

"How do you do, ma'am? It's a pleasure to meet you," I woo, causing the corners of Ben's mouth to turn up. I grasp Bea's hands, shaking the tissue-paper skin that feels like it could tear at any moment.

"The pleasure, I can assure you, is all mine. All I want is to see my grandboys happy before I die."

"Nana," Ben scolds Bea, who wholeheartedly laughs at him.

"Did you know, neither one of my grandsons has settled down with a nice lass? Nothing would please this dying old woman more than for my only two grandbabies to be taken care of by a nice girl," she declares, this time with sorrow-filled tone to her voice.

"Nana, you're not dying," Ben reassures, squeezing the woman into his side. "And you're making my date extremely uncomfortable. Go and find your other grandson who you have a much better chance of convincing to settle down. Word has it he's in love."

Ben kisses Bea on the forehead and stands beside me, taking my arm through his.

"You silly boy," she chuckles, pinching his cheek. "Ro, I promise he's usually more well behaved than he is tonight."

"I highly doubt that ma'am, but rest assured I'll do my best to keep him on his best behavior," I dwell, looking into Ben's blue gaze and then pinching his other cheek.

"See what you've created, Nana?" Ben playfully bants, holding a hand to his cheek rubbing the point of attack as if he was hurt.

"You two make such a handsome couple," she dotes. Her overextended smile makes her wrinkles cater to her face, and then she walks toward a table of couples her age.

"I'm sorry about that, but thank you for playing along," Ben whispers in my ear. "I should warn you that people are going to be talking because you're the first date that I have brought to any of my father's events. If you get uncomfortable at any point, we can leave."

Ben's my friend, so it doesn't concern me what perception people may have when it comes to the accompaniment of the host's playboy son. I likely won't be seeing any of these faces again anyhow.