Worthington Wives

Chapter Twelve

Ben and Reyanna came upon the porch in each others arms and kissed one more time in the shadows before going inside. They dare not rile the Ice Queen by kissing in front of her.

When they came inside holding hands, though, Ben got another surprise. Once again, his mother had guests. He recognized the Veloices readily, and of course their daughter Cecelia. She was beautiful with a natural beauty, no question about that, but he never had any interest in her.

Ben knew that Cecelia had a big crush on him, which he never encouraged. But he also knew his brother Phillip was in love with her. He had tried to encourage her to go after Phillip, but she kept the poor boy in the “friend zone”.

The two were inseparable. Best friends. They went everywhere together, Ben remembered. Phillip even took Cecelia to the prom, but she didn’t even dance with the boy. Ben felt bad for his brother’s unrequited love.

————

Ben was worried when he saw Cecelia and her parents there that Agnes the matchmaker was at it again. He would disappoint her again if she thought she could make him marry Cecelia. Even if he wasn’t in love and engaged to Reyanna, he would never do that to his brother.

“Mother? What’s going on?” He asked. Agnes smiled and answered cheerfully. “Avery, please come in and welcome the Veloices. You remember Cecelia, don’t you?” She slyly asked, trying to upset Reyanna.

“Of course,” Ben answered, politely greeting the parents and then gently shaking hands with Cecelia. She smiled timidly and her cheeks blushed at Ben’s handshake, but gave Reyanna an angry look as she barely shook her hand.

Ben squeezed Reyanna’s hand to encourage her. “May I introduce my fiancé Miss Reyanna Elswick,” he said, giving her a loving look.

The Veloices greeted Reyanna and congratulated the couple. Cecelia just stared jealously at Reyanna. “I had not heard that you were engaged,” Cecelia commented in an injured tone. We’ve been seeing each other for a little while, but we just got engaged yesterday in fact,” Ben explained.

“Please Son, sit down, we have some important business to discuss and we need your input,” Agnes explained. Ben was getting agitated, wondering what kind of game his mother was playing.

—————

Just then, Phillip came rushing in and removed his coat. “I’m so sorry, I got held up at the office,” he explained. “I was on an overseas call and could not seem to get the man to stop talking,” he explained.

“Cecelia, so nice to see you again,” he said, lifting her hand and gently pressing his lips to her knuckles. She gave him a smile that didn’t make it to her reddened eyes. Mr and Mrs Veloice,” he said, politely shaking their hands before sitting beside Cecelia.

She just realized what was going on. She wasn’t there to be paired with Ben, she was being paired to marry Phillip. Cecelia was holding back the tears, but her legs started jumping uncontrollably with anxiety. Her mother gave her a scolding look and she pressed down on them, trying to control the nervous movements.

Phillip noticed her reaction and how rapid her breathing was becoming. She was having a panic attack. He had seen it many times. He gently rubbed her back trying to calm her. “Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth slowly,” he whispered, “In…..and out…..in……and out….blow out the candles slowly,” he coached her.

He could feel her starting to relax. “You’re okay, Cece, it’s gonna be okay,” he whispered. Cecelia looked up and nodded at Phillip, thanking him for talking her through the attack. “I’m okay”, she whispered back.

Everyone was aware what had happened, but Agnes diplomatically started a discussion with Cecelia’s parents to take the spotlight off the girl as Phillip helped her calm down.

Ben began to relax ,too, because it was becoming clear what was going on. The Matchmaker Agnes was planning to help Phillip become engaged to Cecelia. At least she was letting him ask for the hand of the woman he had always wanted to be with, Ben thought. He was happy for his brother.

This would take the pressure off him, he supposed. If she was concerning herself with Phillip, maybe she would leave him and Reyanna alone now.

—————

The Veloices made a deal with Agnes and Avery Sr regarding Phillip and Cecelia’s engagement. Phillip was ecstatic but Cecelia looked less than happy about the arrangement. She stared at Ben and Reyanna with a strange expression, looking like she wanted to either cry or hurt someone.

Phillip knew that Cecelia did not love him. He knew that she was still infatuated with Ben. He hoped and prayed that he could cause her to fall in love with him in time, though. He would do everything he could to make that happen, Phillip decided, putting his warm hand protectively over hers.

Cecelia did not resist him in front of everyone, but Phillip could tell she was not participating in holding his hand. She wasn’t mad at him, but she was hurt. Ben was getting married, and now she was engaged to Phillip, by default, is how it felt to her.

Once the two were outside, Phillip reached for Cecelia’s hand again. She reluctantly allowed him to hold it as they walked in the lighted garden pathway. It was strange holding his hand now.

They had held hands many times before, but there were no expectations then. The person she knew best suddenly felt like a stranger to her. All of a sudden her best friend is her future husband. Tears began to well up in Cecelia’s eyes as she thought about it.

Her parents were already gone and had left her to spend time with her “fiancé”. She was to spend the week at the mansion. Phillip saw Cecelia wiping tears away as they walked. He pretended not to notice, though, because he knew this was not the match she expected when she and her parents were invited over this evening. He understood her pain.

It hurt knowing that she really did not want him, but if anything he had learned being with her all these years, it was patience and understanding. He always hated to see her cry. It hurt him to see her hurt. He couldn’t just let her be heartbroken all alone, Phillip decided.

Phillip was her best friend and she loved him, but not a romantic kind of love, Cecelia rationalized within herself. Just like always, when she would cry over Ben, though, Phillip turned and held her against his chest and let her cry. Once he did that she started bawling uncontrollably. Phillip held her and let her have her release as he had many times before.

She didn’t want to be this upset, but she could no longer hold back her pain. And once again, here was her Superman protecting her from the pain with his strong arms. She was so used to this place of safety. It was a place so familiar to her. It was warm and comforting and made the pain hurt less….in Phillip’s arms.

Within an hour, her best friend had become her fiancé. But even so, here he was, soaking up all her tears and all her pain, even though she knew her tears were breaking his heart. “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to cry, Phillip. It’s not you. It’s really not,” she said, looking apologetically up at him.

“It’s okay, let it all out. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, holding her tight. “I’m here,Cece,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m right where I’ve always been. Just hold on tight and cry til the pain is gone, my sweet girl. I got you,” he promised. “We’ve got all night,” he said, resting his chin on her head.

Cecelia remembered someone telling her that the best marriages started out as friends. She hoped that they were right as she looked up and studied his face. He was very handsome for sure, she thought. She wondered if she had ever really noticed that before. He gave her his handkerchief out of his suit jacket. He gently dried her tears and she blew her nose, making a honking noise when she did. They both laughed at the unladylike noise.

Maybe they could make it work, she supposed. Ben was getting married, but she had someone even better. She had a friend who she could always depend on. He had never let her down or broken her heart. Her ‘Philly’ was here. He’s always been here for me, Cecelia realized.

They walked arm in arm like they had many times before, and her tears had dried. She always felt better after a good cry. Only Phillip would know that about her, Cecelia thought.

Cecelia’s parents had raised her in church and had been very strict and overprotective. She had dated very little. Being painfully shy with social anxiety, high school was difficult for her. So she focussed on reading and painting, which she loved to do. Phillip was always content just reading with her or watching her paint landscapes, but they both loved nature walks. The two often went hiking or cycling together. Phillip remembered their good times as they walked.

Phillip had always been kind to Cecelia and supportive of her insecurities. She wasn’t nervous or afraid when he was with her. He was always there for her. Her best friend. Her Superman. She thought of that as they walked and she leaned on him.

Cecelia’s parents loved Phillip and had always felt she would marry him, but she always reminded them that they were not romantically involved. Looking up at him now, though, she decided she would try to think of him as her fiancé. They always had fun together, that was true. He made high school bearable. Cecelia looked at his face and gave him a true smile. Phillip was encouraged and squeezed her hand, smiling back.

He asked her to sit with him at a bench in the garden so they could talk. Cecelia felt a little nervous. Any other time she would feel completely comfortable with him. Things were different now, though, and she felt anxious with the change.

Phillip faced her and took both her hands gently in his, looking into her sapphire blue eyes. “Cece, it’s me, sweet girl. I haven’t changed. Don’t be nervous with me. I’m still your ‘Philly’. You know me. And I know you better than anybody else,” he replied, gently caressing her jaw.

Cecelia’s blue eyes stared into Phillip’s deep brown ones and she realized he was right. He was still her best friend, her ‘Philly’. He scrunched up his nose and crossed his eyes to make her laugh. “That’s my girl. There’s my ‘Cece’. You don’t have to be afraid of me. I’ve waited all these years for you, I can wait as long as I have to for us to get married. I promise, I won’t even kiss you until you’re ready for me to,” he vowed.

“I am nervous, but I think I’m ready, Phillip. I’m ready for our first kiss…if you want to,” she said timidly. Phillip took a deep nervous breath and scooted closer to her. He gently cupped her face in both hands and pressed his lips firmly against hers. He felt warmth fill every fiber of his being at the contact he had longed for so long. He wanted to kiss her more fully, but he didn’t want to move too fast with her, knowing how anxious she already was about their engagement.

Cecelia blushed and dropped her head, but he could see her smiling. “Was it okay?” He asked. Cecelia nodded, still smiling and hiding her blushing cheeks from him. “Not to be greedy or anything…..but can I have another?” He asked with a mischievous grin. Cecelia nodded.

Phillip took Cecelia’s hands and gently put them around his neck as he placed his on her waist. This time he kissed her more slowly and allowed his tongue to gently caress hers. He wanted to continue, but he supposed that was enough for tonight. Maybe tomorrow she will let him kiss her again, he hoped. But he knew he had to move slowly with her and give her time to get used to the idea of him being her future husband.