Private Affair (The Private Series) by Danielle Torella Page B

date.”
    “I don’t think you should be contacting her any longer.” Ben snaps from across the area.
    Jack holds up a hand to his son, “Stop. You are not her father. I know I haven’t been the greatest father in a while, I feel awful and sick that I didn’t see any of the signs sooner.”
    “Dad, I didn’t exactly confide in you or anyone for that matter,” Caroline tells her father. “It’s no one’s fault but my own. I was just in a dark place… But I need you to understand that when I was happy, it was because of Dan and he was across the country.” I can see the pain that she has been carrying for so long. I can see the struggle and intense need to make Jack and Ben understand what she is feeling. Sure it’s a little late, but its better it comes out now.
    “You!” Ben shoots at Dan, “All this time, all the times we talked while you were across the country, all the times I told you everything about my end, you didn’t think to let me know that you were talking to my baby sister? Or the fact that you might think she was hurting or was in some sort of trouble? I could have stopped the bullying!” He is straining the urge to not pummel Dan right now. “If you had just spoken up…”
    “I know. I didn’t think about it that way before, I honestly thought that she was still seeing a therapist and her family about what was going on with her classmates. I would have brought it up, you have to believe that man. I would never want to see Caroline physically, mentally or emotionally hurt. At the same time I was struggling with my own emotions about it all.” Dan looks to Caroline, “I am so sorry Caroline. I just didn’t know.”
    “I know,” She answers. Caroline takes Dan’s hand and I can just feel Ben’s blood pressure spike and Jacks for that matter. Neither move though, perhaps they are waiting to see what happens.
    Dan hesitantly leans in closer to her, “You’re my best friends little sister. You are supposed to be off limits, forbidden…wrong.”
    “We can keep doing what we have been, talking. We can keep taking it slow, keep being friends. When I am eighteen…”
    Ben starts clapping, “Oh, how fucking beautiful! My best mate and my underage baby sister, talking about waiting until she is legal to really date an older guy… Am I the only one who really sees how fucked up this is?”
    “Ben,” I snip, “With me now.” I demand and start to pull him out of the room. I yank him into the ladies room. “You need to control this now.”
    “Control what exactly?”
    “She has been through enough already and apparently she was confiding in someone for a while, granted it wasn’t the full truth about the extreme of the situation, but she was opening up to someone. Are you just lit, because it wasn’t you? Do you feel guilty about not being there or not seeing the signs?”
    Ben looks at me and scratches his chin vigorously, “Yeah, is that what you want to hear?”
    “Yes.”
    “They haven’t done anything wrong. They are friends, sure they have a little more feeling behind it, but I honestly don’t think that they will act on it. Dan sees how precious she is and will protect her. You just have to let it ride out.” I wrap my arms around his waist and hold him. His hands do the same and he rests his chin on the top of my head.
    “Thank you. Thank you for knowing what I need to hear and bring me back to reality.” He lets out a rugged breath.
    “I love you. Now let’s go back out there and take the tension down a tad. It’s my birthday and I want to spend it with everyone that’s here. Got it?”
    “Got it, birthday girl.”

 

     

     
     
    Ben and I have been playing with dates and details for the wedding. We talked with Jack and Gwen, who suggested we get married back in London, Ben’s first home. Supposedly they have a lot of family there and would love to help in any way they can.
    “Your Uncle Daniel and Aunt Genevieve have the estate just outside of the city