Chapter 9 #2
“That Leigh is a hoot.” Ben laughed. “But your trio doesn’t tour. She was sure to tell me that.”
“She’s hilarious. Every time the trio gets together, Maria and I laugh till we cry.” Vanessa thought back to their original
meeting. “It’s sort of incredible to think we met at a grief support group.”
Vanessa told him how the meeting had been for Gold Star Widows.
“I didn’t know.” Ben seemed to take the news personally. “Maria and Leigh . . . ?”
“Yes. They both lost their husbands, too. Different attacks, but the same month.”
Ben was quiet for a moment. “You don’t realize the price. Going through life every day. The freedoms we have.” He sighed.
“Not until you hear something like this. The losses you’ve each suffered.”
She appreciated his kindness, the way he genuinely seemed to understand and appreciate the military.
For a long moment they drank their coffees, letting the discussion have its space. “I think your dad is going to like the
things you’re finding.”
Ben leaned forward after a beat, his elbows on the table. “You know, Vanessa.” His voice was kind. “You change the subject
whenever Alan comes up.”
His words hit their mark. “I do. I’m sorry.” Vanessa felt tears form in her eyes, and she put her hand over her heart. “It’s like he belongs here. In a place I can’t let anyone in.”
“I get that.” Again, Ben didn’t rush the moment. Something Vanessa was growing to appreciate more each time they were together.
He set his coffee down. “Can you tell me about him?”
Deep breath. You can do this. She could tell this new friend of hers about the husband she had lost. She took a deep breath. “Alan loved God and country.
And me and Sadie. He didn’t plan on being career military. He wanted to be a doctor. He chose to be a medic instead. He even
taught the other medics.”
“Which explains why Sadie wanted to teach.” Ben’s tone was careful.
“Exactly.” Vanessa wiped at a tear as it slid down her cheek. “Alan couldn’t walk away. Not when the army needed him.”
“He was a hero.” Ben seemed to have almost a sense of brotherly care for Alan.
“Yes. Truly, he was.” Vanessa let herself drift back. “Alan always made a point of being home at Christmas. When he could.
When he wasn’t deployed.” She paused. This was the hardest part. “That early September morning . . . he was helping a wounded
soldier outside Kandahar, just doing what he always did. Like you said, being a hero. When . . .”
Ben held on to every word.
“They hit an IED. Alan never saw it coming.”
Ben seemed to be imagining the depth of loss Vanessa had faced. “It’s not fair.”
“No. But Sadie and I learned quickly that God wasn’t the reason for Alan’s death. Even if He could’ve prevented it. God was our Rescue. Our Helper. We never could’ve survived without the Lord.” She could see that more clearly now. “Even in the hardest times, we had God and each other.”
Before Ben could respond, an actual trio of carolers entered the coffee shop. They were young and happy and loud, and once
they were inside, they sang an a cappella version of “White Christmas.” People in the café had no choice but to stop their
conversations and listen.
Ben leaned closer to Vanessa. “All they need is a little gold paint.”
Vanessa was still laughing when one of the carolers came up and took their hands. “Come on! Come sing with us!”
There was nothing Ben or Vanessa could do to dissuade the woman. So, with no warning or notice, Ben and Vanessa were suddenly
part of the singing group. A quintet, apparently.
Ben caught Vanessa’s gaze as they finished the song. “May your days be merry . . . and bright! And may all your Christmases
be white!”
They were laughing so hard after that, they barely made it back to their table.
“I can’t believe I did that.” Ben took a long swig of his coffee. “Did that really happen?”
“Are you kidding me?” Vanessa dabbed at her eyes. This time because she was laughing too hard to catch her breath. “You were
great.”
“Me? You can really sing. You should join their group. Hit the road.” Ben wiped his eyes, too. “Maybe bring Maria and Leigh.”
When the joy of the moment finally died down, Vanessa checked her phone. She had two text messages, both from Isaac Baker.
Vanessa shared them with Ben. “Isaac texted.”
“Isaac?” Ben raised his brow, teasing her. “Another friend?”
“Stop.” She let out a single laugh. “Listen. He says he narrowed his search to a dozen stores. And they’re all in Georgia!”
Vanessa set her phone down and looked at Ben. “Do you think he might really be chasing after my ring?”
“It’s possible.” Ben looked around at the carolers and the café and finally at her. “The way this Christmas is going, I wouldn’t
be surprised.”
And with that, Ben told her more than he had said all week. That maybe this wasn’t just a friendship after all.
When they finished their coffee and were back outside, Ben turned to her. “Thank you for telling me about Alan.” He put his
hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “That meant a lot.”
“You made it easy.” Her heart felt light. Not at all the way she usually felt after talking about her husband.
“What?” He took a step closer to her.
“Letting you in.” She touched his face with her hand the way she had once before. They started the walk back to her car and
she thought of something. “You know what those one hundred little bears need?”
“One hundred families sponsored through Columbus Cares?” Ben shrugged. “Am I right?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t put into words how much she was enjoying this. “But they need something else. Little collars that say, ‘Take Me to College.’”
They reached her SUV and Ben took both her hands this time. “It’ll be okay. Go home and talk to her. And tell her about me.”
He paused, his eyes and tone still light. “It’s important.”
“It is.” Vanessa nodded. “She should be home in an hour.”
“Okay, then.” He pulled her into his arms, but again the hug didn’t last long. “I’ll see you tomorrow? Maybe we can actually
shop for Christmas this time. In Old Town.”
“I’d love that.”
Long after she drove off, Vanessa wondered if she was reading Ben right. They both had past hurts, devastating losses. And
she knew little about his. But she also found him holding back. Like during the hug just now.
The situation made Vanessa wonder exactly what she was going to tell Sadie. The last thing she wanted was to tell Sadie she
was just friends with Ben when maybe . . . just maybe they were becoming something more.