Wrong son, right heir

Benjamin had rehearsed the words too many times that they no longer sounded like his own. I like you. No. Too simple. I’ve liked you for a long time. Nah, too cliche. I think I’m falling in love with you. He winced. “Too much,” he muttered, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Rain streaked across the windshield as he drove through the quiet streets toward the Star family’s house. His thoughts drifted again to his mansion in Chicago, Illinois, in a quiet, upscale neighborhood far from the Star family’s modest home. His own sleek black car and expensive house reflected the wealth he usually kept hidden whenever he visited the Stars. Benjamin glanced at the dashboard, then sighed. He had already gone through the trouble of swapping it for an ordinary car before leaving home. Whenever he visited the Stars, he preferred to appear like an ordinary man. He didn’t want them to feel intimidated by his wealth, and he certainly didn’t want Ayda or her family to treat him differently because of it. So he usually left his own car behind and drove something modest instead, an older sedan that blended easily into the neighborhood. Tonight was no different. The ordinary car rattled faintly as he turned to the familiar street, but Benjamin barely noticed because he was lost in thoughts. He had spent two entire years carrying those feelings around like a secret he was afraid to open. Two years of finding excuses to visit the Stars. Two years of remembering the little things about Ayda. The perfume she wore, the way she laughed when she was genuinely amused, the way her eyes seemed to brighten whenever she was excited about something. He had convinced himself that it meant something. That this was love. Tonight, he was finally going to tell her how he feels. Benjamin glanced at the passenger seat. A few grocery bags rested there. Apples, bread, cereal, and a few things Madam Agatha always complained were too expensive. He smiled. He had almost turned around twice before leaving home. Not because he didn’t want to see Ayda but because he was terrified of what would happen if she didn’t feel the same way. He exhaled slowly. “She’ll say yes.” He said it aloud, as though hearing it might make it true. Ayda would say yes. He could already imagine her reaction. The surprised smile. Maybe a playful laugh. Maybe she’d tease him for taking so long. He smiled at the thought. Then, unexpectedly, another face crossed his mind. Elsie. His smile faded slightly. He pictured her standing in the kitchen, sleeves pushed up, hair usually tied carelessly behind her head while she cooked for everyone. She was always there whenever he visited. Always kind, always attentive, always quietly smiling at him. Benjamin frowned. He couldn’t explain why she had crossed his mind now. Perhaps because he knew she’d be home tonight. He had always liked Elsie. She was easy to talk to. Gentle. Dependable. The kind of person anyone would be lucky to have around. But that was all. At least, that was what he told himself. His feelings for Ayda were different. They were exciting. They made his stomach tighten whenever she walked into a room. They made him care about how he looked before visiting her. They made him replay conversations with her long after they ended. That had to be love. Didn’t it? Benjamin reached for the volume knob, turning the music down until the car was almost silent. His heart was beating faster now as the Star family’s house appeared ahead, its porch light glowing warmly through the rain. He slowed down, the ordinary car rolling quietly toward the driveway. For a moment, his nervousness returned. Then he smiled to himself. “Just tell her.” He pulled into the driveway, switched off the engine, and sat there for a few minutes. Two years of feelings. Two years of “hope she feels the same way”. Tonight, he was finally going to put them into words. “Oh, GOD!”. He placed his hand on his face as he stepped out of the car. Benjamin barely had time to knock before the front door swung open. Elsie stood there. For a second, his nerves eased. “Hey,” she said, stepping aside. “Come in.” “Hey, Elsie.” Elsie looked up and smiled. It was the kind of smile that appeared before she could stop it. She quickly lowered her eyes, suddenly conscious of the loose strand of hair falling across her cheek. She tucked it behind her ear. Benjamin didn’t notice. He was already looking past her. “Ayda?” Something inside Elsie’s chest sank. “She’s in the living room.” “Thanks.” He walked past her. Elsie stood there for half a second longer than necessary, watching him. Two years of pretending that the little things didn’t matter. The way he always remembered her mother’s favorite snacks. The way he rolled up his sleeves whenever something needed fixing. The way his smile made her forget what she was saying. She had never told him. She couldn’t. Because every time Benjamin looked at her, his eyes eventually searched for Ayda. And tonight was no different. Ayda was sitting comfortably on the couch, one leg tucked beneath her, her phone in her hand. She looked effortlessly put together, even at home. Her glossy hair fell over one shoulder, and the fitted top she wore accentuated the curves Benjamin had noticed long before he ever realized he was watching them. His expression softened. There she was. The woman he’d spent two years thinking about. “Hey,” Ayda said, looking up. “Hey.” Benjamin smiled. Elsie saw that smile. The one she had secretly wished would someday be meant for her but Ayda is her younger sister. She couldn’t possibly… She looked away before anyone could notice. Benjamin placed the paper bag he came in with on the coffee table. “I brought some stuff for your mom and sister.” Madam Agatha smiled from her armchair. “You didn’t have to, sweetheart.” “I know. I wanted to.” Ayda glanced inside the bag. “You got my favorite fruit too?” “Hahahaha! of course.” Elsie’s fingers tightened around the edge of the kitchen counter. Of course he remembered that she loves apples. She hated herself for wishing, even for a second, that he might remember something about her too. She can’t quite place what she’s feeling. “For crying out loud Ayda is my little sister, and I should be happy that a man is fond of her. Only that she clearly seems to be playing the man that she genuinely loves”. “Oh my goodness!…” her thoughts seem to fail her. Ayda went to the kitchen counter to drop the paper bag forgetting her phone at the counter. Benjamin turned toward Ayda. “Actually…” He hesitated. Ayda looked at him. “What?” “I wanted to talk to you.” Her eyebrows lifted. “About?” “Just… something. Can we talk somewhere private?” Elsie froze. Her heart began pounding. Somehow, she knew what Benjamin had finally come to say. Whatever he was about to tell Ayda, she already knew it wasn’t something she wanted to hear. Ayda opened her mouth to respond.Her phone rang. The phone was close to Elsie on the kitchen counter. The name on the screen read ‘Francis’. Elsie glanced at her sister. Then at Benjamin. She didn’t understand why the room suddenly felt so tense. She picked up the phone and held it toward Ayda. “Ayda…” Ayda looked at her. Elsie smiled faintly. “Your boyfriend, Francis, is calling.” Silence. The smile disappeared from Benjamin’s face. Madam Agatha slowly lowered the television remote. Ayda stared at her sister. “Elsie.” “What?” “You didn’t have to say his name like that.” Elsie blinked. “I just said your boyfriend was calling.” Benjamin looked at Ayda. “Boyfriend?” Ayda’s expression shifted. For the first time since he had arrived, she looked uncomfortable. Benjamin’s eyes moved to the phone in her hand. Then back to her face. “You have a boyfriend?” He faked a smile. Ayda didn’t respond. Elsie’s heart broke quietly. It was an impulse. She didn’t mean to make everyone uncomfortable. “Arhhm…” Benjamin swallowed. “So… what were you going to say to me?” Ayda said, looking him straight in the eye.