Worthington Wives

Chapter Nine

When they arrived at the mansion, the staff and family had prepared a homecoming party for Avery Sr. They had balloons and banners and everyone came out to greet him.

Ben put his arm around Reyannas waist as he took her around to greet the family. Agnes Worthington was a tall, regal looking woman dressed very fashionable. She stood with perfect posture, holding her nose in the air as she greeted Reyanna.

“Mrs Worthington, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you,” Reyanna said politely, holding out her hand to Agnes. But the woman looked down at Reyanna with a scrutinizing gaze, looking her up and down.

“I have heard very little about you, Miss Elswick,” Agnes replied with a sour disposition. She looked at Bens arm resting behind Reyanna and gave him a scowl.

“Son, you’ve been gone a long time. I was beginning to wonder if you had moved to Roanoke,” she scolded. “Reyanna had a bad car accident and I’ve been helping her recover,” he explained. Agnes raised her eyebrows at that revelation, looking her son in the eye.

“Miss Elswick, perhaps you should get settled in your room so you can assume your duties. You are here as my husband’s nurse, is that correct?” Agnes said curtly. Reyanna nervously responded, “yes, yes of course.”

Ben told Reyanna that he would show her to her room, but Agnes intervened. “Actually, my son, I need to speak to you alone,” she said. “Marybeth, please show Avery Sr’s nurse to her quarters,” she said to a housekeeper. “I’ll be up later,” Ben told Reyanna. She gave him a small smile and nodded.

“Mom….Reyanna is here as my guest. She’s not just a nurse. She is my friend, and I want her to be treated as an honored guest while she’s here,” Reyanna heard Ben say as she left the Solarium.

“Avery, are you sleeping with that girl?” Agnes asked indignantly. “No, Mom, I’ve been a gentleman with her. But I do care for her a lot, and she is my friend. So please be nice to her,” he told her.

“She’s really good working with Dad, too, Mom. She’s an experienced nurse, an RN. That’s why I asked her to come,” he added. Agnes made a sound of indignance and lifted her chin.

After Reyanna got her belongings settled in she got Avery Sr. washed up, medicated and put to bed. “Goodnight, Mr W, sleep well,” she told him. “You….like Ben?” Avery Sr. asked.

“Shhh, you’ll get me in trouble,” she whispered. “Se….cret,” he whispered, putting a finger to his lips. “Yes, a secret,” she whispered to him and smiled. “Sleep well,” she said, and turned out the lamp.

Once Reyanna was back in her room, she heard a knock at the door. She went to open it with a smile on her face, thinking Ben had come to tell her goodnight. But it was Agnes she came face to face with. “Expecting someone else?” She asked with a haughty look.

“Mrs Worthington, please come in,” Reyanna said, trying to be cordial. Agnes came in and shut the door behind herself. “Listen, you little gold digger. Don’t be setting your sights on my son. Girls like you are a dime a dozen. The women who marry my sons are chosen from well known well respected families of high social standing. You will stay here for two weeks and do your duty as my husbands nurse, and then you will return from whatever place you came from. Understood?” She warned Reyanna.

Reyannas eyes filled with tears but she felt anger boiling inside her. “I have not ‘set my sights’ on anyone, Mrs Worthington,” she said angrily. “Ben asked me to come here. As he said, we are friends. I am not a gold digger,”

Reyanna told Agnes. “I call them as I see them,” the older woman said, turning around and leaving the room.

Reyanna came out of the shower and put her pajamas on. She could hear shouting next door in Agnes’s room. Reyanna opened her door so she could hear what was going on. “Mom, I’m telling you I will not marry that girl. I don’t like her let alone want to marry her. If I was going to marry anyone it would be Reyanna,” he said.

“I love her, Mom. So don’t you say another word to her,” Ben warned. Agnes argued with him, but Reyanna heard nothing after hearing Ben’s feelings about her. She smiled and sat back down on the bed. “He loves me,” she thought. Nothing else mattered. Ben loved her.

Reyanna heard a tap at her door. When she opened the door, she saw Ben standing there, giving her an exaggerated pouty look with his lower lip stuck out. Reyanna asked him what was wrong.

“I need a hug,” he said. She smiled and told him to come in, shutting the door behind him. Slowly she came close and put her arms around his waist and he wrapped his around her shoulders, resting his head against hers.

Ben enjoyed the closeness, but for propriety sake he broke the contact and stepped back. “Thanks, friend,” he said, smiling at her.

“Anytime,” she said. “You wanna talk about it? Come, sit on the loveseat with me,” she suggested. Ben sat down beside her and folded his hands over his knees.

“She makes me so mad sometimes,” he said, frowning. Reyanna patted his back gently, allowing him to talk.

“Mom thinks I’m gonna marry a girl I don’t even like just because she comes from a rich family. I told her she had better choose her a husband from her other sons because I’m not doing it,” he said in frustration.

“I told her the woman I marry is gonna be somebody I love, somebody I choose to spend my life with,” he said, turning to see Reyannas reaction.

“That’s how it should be, Ben,” she said, agreeing with him. Brown eyes met brown eyes and they sat in silence as he took her hand in his. “I’m glad you’re here, Reyanna. Don’t let Mom get to you. She will test you, but I know you’re a strong woman. She can’t break you,” he said with confidence.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me to,” she said. “Well, get comfortable because that’s not gonna happen,” he said rubbing her knuckles gently.

“Did Dad do okay tonight?” He asked, changing the subject. “Oh Ben, he’s come a long way! I’m so proud of him. He’s determined and he’s gonna get there, I have no doubt,” she said.

Ben smiled at her, happy to hear the good news about his dad. “I just love him. He is so sweet,” she said. “He loves you too. I think he will work hard for you,” he told her.

“I’d better let you get to bed, Reyanna. Your day will start early to get Dad ready for breakfast by 7am,” he told her. Reyanna agreed and she walked him to the door.

“Goodnight my sweet girl,” he said, grinning at her. “Thanks for the hug,” he said.

“They’re free anytime you need one,” she said, smiling at him before gently closing the door.

Reyanna smiled, thinking of the man she knew she was falling for….and it’s a free fall without a parachute, she thought to herself. “Help me, Lord. Don’t let my heart get broken again,” she prayed.