Panic flooded through me. I felt like I was some mistress caught red–handed. I was terrified
she’d open the door and expose me.
Ben denied it instantly. “Of course not!” He leaned in close to Amy, whispering, “Just wait, you’re going to be begging for mercy later. I’m going to show you just how much I love you.”
Amy, distracted by Ben’s advances, forgot all
about the closet.
I spent the next few hours in silent agony,
watching the man who had been with me
moments before wrapped up with another
woman. My heart was shattered.
Finally, after Amy had fallen asleep, Ben
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remembered me. He quietly unlocked the closet. He froze when he saw me. I hadn’t realized I
was crying until I felt the tears on my cheeks. I wiped them away numbly.
As I stood up, I slapped him hard across the face. He looked at me, stunned, but didn’t say a word. He dragged me to the utility room, rummaged through the trash, and tossed me a black garbage bag.
“Put your clothes on and get out,” he muttered.
It dawned on me that he’d thrown my things away, afraid Amy would find them. I’d expected
some kind of explanation, but all he said was, “I
told you to be quiet! You almost got us caught.
Were you trying to sabotage us? I never knew
you were so jealous. I guess I misjudged you.”
Ben was handsome, with broad shoulders, a
narrow waist, and long legs that stretched
beneath his robe. He was the picture of male
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perfection. I won’t lie, I’m shallow. I like a pretty face. But…
“Ben, what do you think I am? Something to fill your lonely nights?” My voice shook. “Or am I just your dirty little secret?”
Ben paled. He’d never seen me like this. I’d
always been so compliant, so eager to please.
“Lisa, you have no right to question me. Who
do you think you are? My girlfriend?”
The word “girlfriend” hit me like a punch to the gut. Wasn’t I?
“When did I ever say you were my girlfriend? I thought we understood each other. It’s just… you know… two consenting adults.”
Two consenting adults? Friends with benefits? My mind went blank. I thought back to all the times we’d spent together, acting like a couple.
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Even his friends thought we were together. But
Ben had never actually called me his girlfriend.
Outside of the bedroom, he’d never even said
he liked me. We’d acted like a couple, to the
point where I’d forgotten what I really was.
Ben ignored my stunned silence. He pushed me towards the door. “Lisa, don’t come back here
again. And keep quiet about this. Amy’s
sensitive, I don’t want her to know about… us.”
He pulled out a credit card and shoved it into my hand. “Consider this… compensation for the past few years.”
My heart was lead. Thinking I was objecting to the amount, he added, “There’s enough in there to buy a condo downtown. You’re not losing out. You’d never earn this much on your own.”
Right. What did it matter if ‘love‘ was gone? Life goes on.
The card slipped from my numb fingers and fell
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to the floor. I bent down and picked it up. When
I looked up, I forced a smile onto my face. It felt
like the kind of smile a prostitute might give after a transaction. “Thanks, Benny.”
Ben scowled and slammed the door in my face.
I went home, numb, and slept for a day straight. Out of habit, I called Ben’s number, about to ask him what he wanted for dinner. I stopped dead when I heard Amy’s voice on the other end. I hung up.
Ben had a sensitive stomach and was picky about his food. I’d always catered to his tastes. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost my own.
I thought that would be the end of it, but a few days later, Ben invited me to a party. Amy was back, and he was celebrating their reunion with a lavish party at the most expensive club in town. He wanted everyone to know his dream girl had returned.
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He called me and said, “Amy’s curious about you. She wants to meet you. If you don’t come, it’ll look like you’re guilty of something. I don’t want this to cause problems between us.” He paused, then added, “Lisa, you owe me this. Remember when you saved my life?”
