“Any candy with that?”
“Nope.”
Jeff had asked Ben for Milk Duds as he walked away from the car, but Ben pretended he didn’t hear him.
That was the expectation — for Ben to be difficult. Jeff wouldn’t say it out loud. He didn’t have to. It’s what every family thought of Ben. Eventually.
Ben’s dad would say it, though. And worse. Right to Ben’s face. But despite the yelling and the bruises, Ben knew his dad loved him. His mom used to tell him she loved him. It’s one of the few memories he still had of her. That and how her makeup looked when she’d been crying.
He hadn’t talked to his dad since his 15th birthday. He turned 17 soon. Ben was sure his dad would call by then.
The Davidsons wouldn’t forget his birthday. Jeff, Megan and Isaac made a huge deal over his 16th birthday, even though they’d just taken him in. That was one year ago today — which is why Ben was stuck at this drive-in for some lame kids’ movie Isaac picked.
Isaac ruined everything.
Jeff and Megan said they wanted what’s best for Ben. If that were true, they wouldn’t be here. The only thing Ben hated worse than crowds was being in confined spaces with other people. It’s why he went for snacks, just to get out of the car.
Even now, waiting for his food, Ben believed everyone was staring at him. Like they knew his parents had dealt drugs from their home. That Ben watched his mom die of an overdose. That he’d been through 12 foster homes in eight years. That he’d twice tried to end his life.
They knew it all. They saw his shame. And they judged him for it. That’s why he’d been in so many fights. Making someone else feel pain always made Ben feel better.
The fights stopped after a couple months with the Davidsons. Ben’s therapist claimed he had finally started feeling safe, that Jeff and Megan provided the stability he’d craved for years.
Maybe, but he wished they’d stop talking about adoption.
“My dad’s coming back for me once he’s better,” he’d told them.
Even if Ben didn’t believe that, he’d be 18 next year. Why get adopted now? He’d made it this long without any real family. Besides, families like the Davidsons would only want to adopt a kid like Ben because they felt sorry for him.
He paid for his stuff and headed out the door.
Blinded.
White light washed out Ben’s vision. He shielded his face until his eyes adjusted to the brightness that surrounded him.
The lot was empty. No cars, no people. The car-side speakers were silent, the screen blank.
Ben was alone. And yet, it felt like someone he knew was right there with him.
“BENJAMIN DAVIDSON!”
The words blared through the speakers, bouncing around the vacated lot.
Ben didn’t recognize his face when it first appeared onscreen, a huge smile causing his eyes to crinkle beneath the strange hat on his head.
Graduation. Principal Connely had just announced his name.
Ben stood on-stage, diploma held high. He pointed toward the crowd, where Jeff had his arm wrapped around Megan, her head on Jeff’s shoulder. Tears ran down both their faces, their smiles matching Ben’s. Jeff pointed back to Ben while Isaac bounced and clapped beside them.
The screen went dark again. Then, Jeff’s voice: “Mom and I are so happy for you.”
Ben now wore a tuxedo, his face older. He looked nervous.
Jeff adjusted Ben’s bowtie before putting his hands on Ben’s shoulders, beaming. “You’re ready.”
“Am I?” Ben responded. “What if I turn out like my dad? What if we aren’t happy?”
“Son,” he said, smiling kindly, “no marriage is perfect. Yours won’t be an exception. But you were such a brave kid, and you’ll be a brave husband who does whatever it takes for your wife and your family.”
He brushed some lint off Ben’s shoulder. “And if anyone deserves to be happy, Ben, it’s you.”
The screen went black once more, and then Megan appeared, lovingly staring at the small baby in her arms.
“She’s beautiful,” Ben’s voice said, “but I don’t know how to be a dad.”
“Nobody knows how to be a dad,” Jeff replied, “until they become a dad.”
They stood together in a hospital room, Megan holding the newborn nearby. “Being your dad has been such a gift,” Jeff continued. “Now, I get to watch you be a dad to this sweet little girl. It’s scary, sure, but you’ll be great because you love her. And if you love your kids well, the other stuff just kinda happens.”
The screen flickered off, leaving Ben in the empty lot with his popcorn and Pepsi. The bright light started fading but not the emotion that had been filling him. He couldn’t name it because he’d never felt it before, but he hoped it would last forever.
As the sounds of the drive-in rose around him, Ben again found himself amidst a sea of cars with blaring speakers hooked to their windows and families inside, enjoying the movie Isaac had chosen.
“What took so long?” Jeff asked, grinning, when Ben returned to their car several minutes later carrying an armful of snacks.
Ben smiled back, his eyes crinkling. “I needed to go back for your candy.”
Submitted to the Summer 2020 Writer’s Weekly 24-Hour Short Story Contest.
Prompt: Their trips to the drive-in movie theater were always the same. He would fall asleep and she would quietly leave the vehicle to get popcorn, Milk Duds, and soda. As she walked back with her goodies, the car-side speakers stopped and the screen went black, throwing the entire lot into darkness. She stopped, temporarily blinded. Then, the screen lit back up again, showing…
Photo by Virginia Johnson on Unsplash
