Patrick
Looking back, it's weird how everything sort of fell into place over the last year. It had been one hell of a ride, but I think everyone was in a better place than where we started.
For one thing, I had finally stopped needing to see a therapist every week. She still wanted me to come once a month or so, even though I told her I didn't need it - being one hundred percent honest this time. I was doing good. More than good, actually. Although I'm still taking anti-depressants every day, but it's such a small dose, I'm not sure how much it actually does.
Of course, Bennett was there through everything, being more supportive than I could have asked for. Even with everything he's been going through this past year - with becoming one of the owners of the dance studio to finally scheduling his bottom surgery to the major panic attacks he had during the days leading up to his surgery - he was always willing to drop everything when I needed him. Even when I thought I didn't need anyone when I was still getting really bad bouts of depression, he was there to help me through it.
Speaking of Bennett, I was anxious to go see him tonight. It was our one year anniversary and I was planning on taking him out to a nice restaurant for dinner. The only thing standing in my way of going to see him now was my mother.
"I know you have to go, but please just wait a few more minutes," she said.
We were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for her date to get here. I hadn't met him yet and I knew I needed to eventually. But did it really have to be tonight? Or did he have to be stuck in traffic and running late?
The doorbell rang and I jumped to my feet. I was at the door and pulling it open before Mom even walked out of the kitchen.
Outside stood a man in his early fifties, but he didn't look old. He was the same height as me. For some reason, I expected him to be taller.
"Hi," he said. "You must be Patrick. I've heard a lot about you." He stuck his hand out for me to shake.
I stared at his hand for a moment before taking it with my own. He had a very strong grip. "You better take care of my mom, Paul," I said, releasing his hand. "She deserves the best."
He laughed. "Oh, I know. I wouldn't want to give her any less."
Mom came up behind me, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Well I hope you boys are getting along. But I think we all have dinner reservations we need to get to, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I still need to pick Bennett up, too."
"Now Bennett's your boyfriend, right? I think that's what your mother told me."
"Yeah. And now if you'll excuse me, I do need to get going. It's our anniversary. I can't be late."
"Of course," Mom said. "Tell Bennett I said hello. And we'll have to find a time where we can get together, you, me, and Paul, so that you two have a chance to really get to know each other."
I nodded. I actually think I'd like that. He didn't seem half bad. That was good. She needed someone who would treat her better than my dad did. I hadn't realized how unhappy she was with him until he was gone. I wanted her to stay happy now, so Paul better not ruin things with her.
It was about forty minutes later that I was pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant, with Bennett sitting in my passenger seat. On the drive between his apartment and here, I told him what little I knew of Paul, and how I was worried he'd end up hurting my mom eventually. The more I thought of that, the more I was afraid that maybe he wasn't that great after all.
"I think you have a right to be wary of him," Bennett said as I turned off the engine. "You don't know him. But that's why you get together with him and get to know him. Besides, your mom is a strong woman. She can handle herself."
I smiled and leaned over to kiss him. "I love you," I mumbled against his lips.
"I love you too."
I loved hearing him say that. Sure, it took a while for him to finally say it, but I always knew he loved me. It was the little things that he did for me that showed me. He never needed to say it, but I was so glad when he finally did.
"Come on," I said, opening my door. "I'm starving."
I heard him laugh as he also climbed out of my car. He immediately grabbed hold of my hand as we walked through the door and held on to it until the hostess sat us at our table.
"Hey, Pat?" Bennett asked, not taking his eyes off the menu.
"Yeah?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, but when you said you'd pay tonight, I didn't expect you to take me to such an expensive place." He finally looked at me. "Are you sure you can afford this?"
"Get whatever you want. I have the money."
Bennett gave me a weird look. "You haven't had money in months. You don't have a job. I can pay this. I can. You don't have to do this for me."
I sighed, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "Can you let me pay for once? I have enough. I promise."
He smiled and squeezed my hand. "Okay. Thank you."
I smiled back at him. I had wanted to wait until later tonight to break the news to him, but I guess now was a good a time as any. "So, I have something to tell you."
"Oh?"
"Remember that interview I had a couple weeks ago? That real job at that marketing place?"
I could see the realization flash across his face. "Yeah?"
"I start on Monday." I was smiling so wide I felt like my face was about to fall off, but I didn't care. I finally found what I wanted to do with my life, and these people were willing to take me in, despite my lack of any formal education. "And that means that after a couple paychecks or so, we can get our own place together. If you want to, that is."
"I'm so happy for you! But isn't it a bit early to think about living together like that?"
I sighed. I had a feeling he was going to say something like that. I just really wanted to get out of my mom's house again. Moving in with Bennett - as boyfriends this time - would have been the best thing in the world.
"Okay," I said. "We don't have to rush into anything."
A lot of our relationship has been Bennett telling me to slow things down, so this wasn't any different. I should know by now that just because he wasn't as ready as I was in the moment for something that he'd never get there. He always did, in his own time.
Which is why I wasn't worried. One day we'd move in together. Maybe we'd even get married. I couldn't wait for that day, but for Bennett, I'd wait as long as he needed me to wait.
A/N: Well, that's it for The Memory of Fate! Thank you guys so much for reading!