Chapter Text
“Fly safe,” he says, as she has her hand on the doorknob. She’s going to Washington for the rest of the week. Something to do with the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but she’d been talking too quickly for Ben to properly process it all. “Text me when you land?”
“Of course. I’ll miss you so much.”
“Miss you already,” he says. “I love you.”
“I love you too, babe,” Leslie says, smiling back at him as she closes the door.
***
“Don’t stay up too late.”
Ben’s standing on the bottom stair in his pyjamas, hand on the railing. She’s sitting cross-legged on the couch with her glasses on, laptop sitting on one knee. She looks up and smiles. “I won’t,” she says, and they both know she’s lying.
“Sure, honey,” Ben smiles. “See you when you come to bed.”
“Night.”
“Night. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
***
“Hey there,” he says, glancing at the clock despite himself. It’s past ten.
“I’m so sorry, honey,” she says, looking from Ben to the cold paella, the unopened bottle of red wine and the glasses sitting stems-up on the table. “I couldn’t get away.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” It’s not, really. “We can just go to bed and watch a movie if you want. Ken Burns, maybe some Indy?”
“Yes,” she says, looking relieved. “I’d love that.” But then she pauses, looks around like she’s lost something. “Wait—”
“The kids are in bed.” Leslie purses her lips and blinks hard. “It’s late,” he adds.
“Oh. Yeah. Yeah, of course. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. We’ll talk about it later. Come to bed.”
“Okay.”
“Hey,” he says, putting an arm around her shoulder, “I’m glad you’re home. I love you.”
She leans into him. “Love you too.”
***
“Aren’t you hungry?” he asks, looking at her untouched pancakes.
“Hm?” Leslie looks up, one hand lingering over a line of newsprint and the other clutching her phone, the screen blinding on full brightness before six in the morning. “Oh, I am, yeah. This is just blowing up really badly right now.”
“Hey, if you need to go to the office…”
She smiles and her shoulder sag in relief. “I really, really do.”
“It’s okay. Go. I’ll take the kids.”
She stands up and grabs her purse from the floor next to her and slings it over her shoulder. She already has her heels on. “Thanks so much. Really.”
Ben nods. “Drive safe,” he says, as she heads for the door.
“I will.”
“Love you.”
“You too.”
***
“Have fun. Say hi to Ann for me.”
Leslie looks back at him, adjusting her grip on all the boxes tucked under her arm. They’re wrapped in an assortment of bright patterned paper, each one decorated with a different combination of glittery stickers and ribbons. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”
“I can’t. Ice skating this afternoon.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Have a good time, though. Tell me all about it at dinner?”
Leslie smiles. “I will.” The boxes slip from her fingers and she jostles them back into place. “Okay, well, I gotta get these in the car.” She fishes her keys from her pocket and hooks them around her finger. “See you later!”
“See you later,” he says. “Drive safe.”
For once, Ben holds back. Doesn't say it—just to see.
He holds his breath.
Waits.
Watches as she pulls the door open.
“I will!” she says.
She steps outside, pulls the door closed. A moment later he hears the car door slam and the engine start, hears it roll into life and out of the driveway.
He’s still waiting.