Starting Position

Chapter 25

Ben came to a stop first. When my feet eventually halted, I dipped my body down and placed my hands on top of my knees. The tiredness had returned, but I felt alive.

"I love that road – with all the trees." Bursts of breath broke my sentence apart.

Ben walked nearer to me, and said though ragged breaths, "It's the only reason I run that way, otherwise, I'd just cut through town. It's the same distance." Something then caught his eye on the porch. "Oh – what are they doing out here?"

Erin and the woman who I presumed to be Ben's mother entered my vision. Each of them held a watering can, and, based on the colorful display of plants and flowers scattered on the porch, I gathered they were in the middle of watering them.

Ben shot me a glance but didn't ask the question I thought he would. Instead, he let me dictate what to do next. If I had been feeling any other away, I would have backed off. Meeting new people wasn't easy for me. But because I felt like a new person today, I made the first move and began walking down the sidewalk to meet his mother.

"Hey, Elliot," Erin said first, offering me one of the warmest smiles I had seen in a while. Even with their differences, I saw so much of Ben in her.

"Hey, Erin."

Ben's mother slid her eyes from Ben to me. She, too, offered me the same warm smile that shone on Erin and said, "Hi. I'm Heidi – Ben's mom." Her eyes were a mirror of Ben's: almond-shaped and golden. Warm, blonde hair surrounded her narrow, but gentle, face.

"Nice to meet you," I said, having approached the stairs to their porch. "Elliot."

Heidi then darted her eyes back towards Ben's, but only for a split second. I would have missed it had I not been watching.

"You too, honey. Come on in, why don't you? Looks like you're both wiped out." Heidi then motioned for us to follow her through the porch and into the house, the door already cracked open.

"Hi, Mom," I heard Ben say as he walked past.

Their house was a combination of eclectic and cozy: mismatched lounge chairs and a dark blue sofa were fitted inside the living room, each looking well worn; many old pictures and antique decorations graced the mantle over the brick fireplace, and a large wooden clock was hung on the wall. The hardwood floors creaked beneath me, and I smelled the faint scent of something old but well-kept.

"Are you thirsty, Elliot?" Heidi said. "I can get you both some ice water."

"That sounds great," I said, wondering when the discomfort I usually felt in new situations would set in. So far, I felt only comfortable.

Out of nowhere, a golden dog shot out of the room from my direct left, nearly clobbering me to the floor. He slammed against my legs, barked wildly, and began licking at my hands.

"Rocket, no!" Heidi called, but both Ben and Erin were laughing hysterically.

I stopped down, and Rocket slammed his body into mine and began licking my face. I patted him behind his ears and was granted a few kisses in return.

"I'm so sorry," Heidi began, "he's very excitable. He'll calm down in a little while – but you already know all this – he was at the pet store."

It didn't evade me that Heidi knew I was the one who introduced Ben to Rocket. 

"He's such a sweet dog – good natured – just bounces off the damn walls when someone new comes into the house."

"He was always like that," I said, scratching Rocket on his chest as he began to simmer down, tongue hanging from his mouth.