CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 13
Cape Town, 14 August 2008.
Ben was not in the mood to attend another church event. However, little Rose had been eagerly looking forward to playing with her friends at the fundraising dinner, and he could deny her nothing. Amid the bustle, he found himself unexpectedly talking to David. For a moment, it almost felt like old times.
Over the years, their friendship group had gradually drifted apart as Ben stopped attending most of their get-togethers. With David’s encouragement, he and Larry had eventually begun to repair the rift between them. Even so, the scars left by what Ben saw as Calem and Larry’s betrayal meant their friendship never returned to what it had once been.
“Good to see you again, Ben. Been a while, hasn’t it?”
David laughed and clapped him on the back. Ben felt himself tense, and David quickly withdrew his hand.
“Has it?”
Ben raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, it has. You never come out to the club and hang with your brahs!”
David tried to appear casual, but his self-consciousness showed.
“Yeah, well, things change, don’t they?”
Ben, barely smiling, tried to conceal how awkward he felt.
“I’m glad you and Larry are speaking again...”
The forced ease in David’s tone left Ben unable to shake the feeling that something was brewing behind his friendliness.
“Cheers to that!”
The hopeful expression made Ben force a tight smile in return.
“By the way, how about us chilling after?”
Ben scanned the room in an attempt to seem casual.
“Not sure, brah. Sarah is in a funny mood these days.”
The way she watched him lately, like she was waiting for something he was not giving her.
Calem.
“I’m sure you can talk her around?”
David shifted his weight, avoiding Ben’s gaze.
“I’m not sure. I’m in the doghouse again.”
“How come?”
Ben exhaled sharply.
“Fucking usual bullshit. Apparently, I’ve not been helping enough around the house. As if covering the bills doesn’t count!”
“Brah, ’don’t be pussy-whipped, whip that pussy!’”
Ben pulled a face; he recognised the quote. Nonetheless, a wave of irritation washed over him, but he said nothing.
They both laughed, the sound briefly fanning the dying embers of their youthful friendship.
“Okay, lemme see. How about this? I go home now and give us an hour or two to settle in, then you guys drop by unannounced? Then she can’t blame me?”
“Sounds like a plan, brah!”
“Okay, cool. I’ll sort it.”
“By the way, did Larry speak to you tonight?”
A frown creased Ben’s brow. He had learned long ago not to trust David, whose every word was carefully measured for the harm it could cause.
“No, he hasn’t. Why?”
David looked at Larry, who was talking to Tom.
“I thought things were cool between you?”
Surprise flickered across David’s face, and Ben braced himself.
“They are, and they aren’t. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, so he didn’t tell you then?”
“Tell me what?”
David and Ben glanced at Larry, who seemed nervous.
“About Calem.”
His pulse thudded in his neck as if something ancient had returned to haunt him. The room narrowed. Even the sound of the party faded. He had not heard Calem’s name said out loud, even by himself, in years. He had tried to bury every memory of him. Although there were moments when he had thought about looking him up, life with Sarah and Rose had become all-consuming.
“What about him?”
Ben searched the crowd for Calem.
“He’s in town.”
“What? Who’s in town?”
Ben spoke with a slight edge, irritated by what felt like David’s pointless suspense.
“You know... Calem.”
David’s voice was measured, almost hesitant.
“Calem?”
Ben’s eyes widened despite himself.
“How do you know?”
He shifted his weight slightly, holding his focus on David.
“Look, I know you two had a falling out, but calm down, okay?”
Ben unclenched his fists, and then met David’s gaze.
“David, I’m as fucking calm and serene as a lake on a goddamn windless day. When did he get back?”
David glanced uneasily at Larry, who kept his eyes low, watching them cautiously.
“Ben, we don’t know what exactly happened between the two of you, but every time Calem comes up in a conversation, you become weird. Everyone has noticed, and people are scared to even mention his name around you.”
Ben took a step back and rubbed his temples in frustration. After a moment, he looked back at David, struggling to keep himself together.
“The fuck! You’re imagining bullshit, as usual.”
Something in Ben shifted as David went on, a quick flick of heat he did not bother hiding.
“Be that as it may, he’s in town, and he called Larry a few days ago asking for your number.”
Ben set the drink he was holding on the table beside him.
“What?”
Ben did not care if David noticed the change in his expression.
“You heard me. Did he call you?”
Ben eyed Sarah with suspicion before facing David.
“No. Not that I know of.”
Ben crossed his arms, trying to keep his emotions in check.
“First, calm down! Larry was afraid you’d go mental if you found out he’d given Calem your number.”
Ben’s eyes shone with excitement at the thought that Calem was so close. Everything else faded from his mind, and he did not care if David and the others could see his excitement. The thought of seeing Calem again made him feel weightless.
“Larry wasn’t sure about giving him your number. But Calem said it was urgent that he reach you. He said he was leaving soon.”
“I thought you said Calem was in town.”
“Larry only told me after Calem called.”
“When is he leaving?”
“I don’t know. Larry told me about it a week or so ago.”
Ben closed his eyes for a beat, making sure he understood what David had said. He kept them shut while David was speaking, opening them only when he finished.
“What the fuck did Larry do?”
When Ben turned to Larry, David became more concerned by his response.
“Well, Calem asked and Larry wasn’t sure...”
“The fuck! Why can’t Larry do anything right?”
Ben rushed over to Larry, who tensed as he approached, expecting a fight. However, Ben interrupted Tom and Larry before either could speak.
“Larry, just answer me with a simple yes or no. Did you give my number to Calem?”
Fear showed in Larry’s expression. Tom and David stared at each other.
“Ben, brah, promise you won’t get angry!”
“The fuck, Larry! Just answer me, okay? I swear I won’t be angry. Did you give him my number or not?”
Larry glanced anxiously between Ben and David before looking back at Ben. Ben took a deep breath, forcing himself to appear calm despite the tension coursing through him.
“Yeah, I did. He called a few days ago.”
Larry flinched. His voice was tight and hesitant.
“Did he mention why he needed to speak to me?”
Ben leaned forward, his expression sharpening.
“Yes. He said he had something personal to discuss with you.”
Larry shifted nervously toward Ben.
“Okay.”
“He said he’d call. I haven’t spoken to him since.”
Tom and David drew closer when Ben lowered his head, touching his temple with his right hand as he swivelled his upper body to the right. Larry flinched, thinking that Ben was going to punch him, and moved out of the way. Instead, when Ben looked up, he was smiling.
They all let out a sigh of relief when Ben was not angry.
“Ben, Larry, everything okay?”
“No, David, not yet, but maybe one day.”
Ben kept his eyes on Larry. The nervous looks passing between the others made him smile.
“Are we still hanging later?”
“Yeah, let me just get home first. See you guys later.”
Ben walked away. No one followed. The silence behind him stretched. He could feel David, Tom, and Larry watching him, waiting for some kind of reaction. He kept moving and refused to look back.
***
After a moment, Ben straightened his shoulders and smoothed his face.
By the time he reached Sarah, his expression had settled into calm.
Sarah was deep in conversation with Lilli. Ben smiled at her as he walked over.
“Sarah, I wanna go home now. It’s getting late. Let’s leave.”
“But I’m having such a nice time...”
“Sarah, we’re leaving.”
He gave her a look that normally ended the discussion. Lilli hesitated, shrinking back slightly as she glanced at Sarah.
“Okay, let me get Rose.”
Ben turned and walked off. Behind him, he heard Sarah’s voice as she said a hurried goodbye to Lilli. A few moments later, she disappeared down the corridor to fetch Rose from the kindergarten room.
By the time he reached the foyer, he was struggling to stand still.
Then Rose came running towards him and launched herself into his arms.
“Dada!”
A smile broke across his face.
***
