Beautiful Hue
Chapter Thirteen

I sit inside of William’s office alone, as he tends to someone in the lobby. I look around nervously and I notice a stack of papers sitting on his desk across from me. As he enters the room, I sit up in my seat.

“Sorry for the wait Benjamin,” He says, as he walks around his desk.

“It’s alright.” I say to him, as I sit up in my seat.

“Mint?” He asks.

“No thank you, sir.” I say.

William leans forward in his seat and turns on his computer. I watch him shake his head and take off his glasses. As he massages his forehead. I look away for a moment trying not to get upset myself.

“Did you see this?” He asks, as he turns his laptop towards me.

William plays a video of me knocking out the man in Florida. In the video, Bridget runs up to me and grabs my hand then she escorts me into the hotel.

“Yes. I saw that.” I say to him.

“What about this?” William asks, as he plays the interview I did with David Letterman.

In this video I watch myself space out, as David asks me a series of questions. After spacing out I get out of my chair and walk to the back, as if I was on Jerry Springer.

“Embarrassing.” I say, as the video turns off.

“That’s not it.” William says.

He continues to play audio with no video. I hear myself talking to Bridget, the night of the David Letterman show. He looks at me with disappointment. He turns the laptop back towards himself and pulls up another video. I watch myself and Bridget walk into my hotel room in New York with a time stamp of 6:30 PM and then another with a time stamp of 10:00 AM. I look away for a moment and then I sit forward nearly hanging off of my chair.

“Is that all?” I ask.

“Is that all. Ben, this goes on in multiple places for the last three weeks. Did you forget that people were watching your every move?”

“No.”

“It’s obvious to me that you did and with my step daughter.”

“Sir.”

“At least you could have had the decency to tell me, instead of hiding it right underneath my nose.” He says, as he pulls up an email.

“What’s that?” I ask him.

“Ben, you have caused too much attention and now you’re being sued for two-million dollars for breaking that kids nose.”

“Two-million-dollars?!”

“Yes.” William says.

“I’m not making that kid a millionaire.”

“Settle that with your lawyers, I don’t care what you do. What I do care about is the state of my film. I don’t think you’re ready to step onto set. You’re not focused.”

“I am.” I say to him with confidence.

“You’re not. No one believes that.” He says. “that is why shooting is going to move forward without you. Ben, I’m doing you a solid here by telling you this much. They’re replacing you with John David-Washington.”

I sit in silence for a moment and I stare into an empty space. The sound of William closing his laptop brings me back to reality.

“Alright.” I say, as I try to keep my composure. “Alright... Still thirty-million, huh?”

“I can’t disclose how much he’s settled for.”

“Of course. Fucking joke.” I say under my breath. “You know what. Fuck it, fuck all of this.” I say, as I stand up. “Fuck all of it!” I yell, as I walk out and slam William’s door.

I walk through the lobby and enter the elevator. As I get off and walk into the parking garage, Bridget calls my phone. I ignore her call and get into my car.

I drive aimlessly onto the highway for hours. For a moment I black out and I begin to hyperventilate. I start to press on the gas pedal and I gradually speed to 150 mph. I come back to reality as I approach my exit.

As I pull into my driveway, Bridget calls me again.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Are you alright?” She asks.

“I just missed out on thirty-million-dollars, because I’ve been sneaking around with you. Am I alright? No Bridget, not at all.” I say to her.

“Ben. Don’t talk to me like that. That wasn’t my fault, don’t blame me for your actions. I’ve only tried to help you.”

“Help me with what exactly? Please tell me Bridget.” I say to her, as I sit in my driveway.

“Benjamin. You need to get some rest. Just call me tomorrow.”

“No, I’m not going to call you. Don’t call me. I won’t answer.” I say, as I hang up the phone.

As I walk into my house, I look at my suitcases still sitting in the same place I left them. I close my eyes and try to calm my nerves, but nothing is helping. After moments of feeling my heart race I scream at the top of my lungs and I throw one of my suitcases across the living room. I sit on the sectional and I scroll through my phone. I come across the name Jennifer.

Jennifer is old associate that I used to meet with when I felt lonely. I dial her number and the phone rings. After a minute of waiting, she answers the phone.

“Hello?” She answers.

“My Latina sensation. ¿Como Estas?” I ask.

“Muy bien, y tu papi?” She asks me.

“I’m, well. I need a favor.” I say to her.

“I have a girlfriend now papi.” She says to me.

“Bring her too.” I say, as I hang up the phone before she could respond.

I take my suitcases up the stairs one by one and I place them in the closet. I take the sheets off of my bed and I throw them into my washer. As my sheets are in the laundry, I go down-stairs, I prepare three steaks, baked potatoes and asparagus. I take out a bottle of wine and turn on my record player for music. As I finish cooking, I cover the food on top of the oven and I go upstairs to finish the laundry and shower.

As I finish my quick shower, I walk into the bedroom and I see my phone light-up with Jennifer’s name popping up in the caller ID.

“Hey, what’s up?” I answer.

“Hey, Ben. We’re almost there.” She says.

“Perfect timing.” I say to her.

I hang up and I throw on some nice clothes and cologne. I leave the room and walk downstairs to the front door to open the gate. I watch Jennifer enter the driveway with her high beams on and I hear a voice, as the windows are rolled down.

“This place is so big!” A woman yells.

Jennifer parks and I meet them at the bottom of the drive-way. Jennifer gets out of the car with her girlfriend. I walk up to her and we hug.

“Good evening, Jen.” I say to her.

“Hi, Ben. This is Rachel.” She says, introducing us. I shake Rachel’s hand she squeezes mine and smiles.

“Lets go inside.” I say motioning them to the front door.

As we enter the house, the girls take their shoes off. Rachel dances to the music in the center of the living room, as I walk pass her and go towards the kitchen. Jennifer follows me.

“Did you eat already?” I ask.

“No, of course not.” Jennifer says. “I know better than to eat before coming over here.”

“Good.” I say calmly. “Food is already done. Let’s eat.” I say to them, as Rachel enters the kitchen. They sit at the counter, as I prepare our plates.

“You doing alright Ben?” Jennifer asks.

“I’m fine.” I say, as I sit the food in front of the ladies.

We all eat and enjoy the sound of the music. “This is delicious!” Rachel says.

“Thank you.” I respond.

Jennifer looks at me and grabs my hand, as I place my knife down onto the counter.

“You’re hurt.” She says.

I take a deep breath, as she takes my hand.

“Come with me.” She says.

I stand up and go to the living room with Rachel and Jennifer. We all sit on the couch and Jennifer massages my neck.

“Where is your restroom?” Rachel asks.

“Upstairs to the right.” I say to Rachel with my eyes closed.

As Rachel goes to the bathroom, Jennifer walks around the couch and climbs on top of me.

“You’re done with your movie?” She asks innocently.

“I got fired.” I say to her.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take your mind off of it.” She says, as she kisses me.

“I thought I’d never get to kiss those lips again.” I say to her.

She smiles and nibbles on my earlobe. We kiss for a few moments. I switch positions with her and I lay her facing up on the couch. I kiss her neck and then I take out her breasts and suck on them, as she rubs my head. We hear the toilet flush from upstairs. I get off of her and sit down, as she slowly puts her breasts back into her bra.

Rachel joins us in the living room and Jennifer stands up and turns the music up louder. Rachel climbs on top of me and I look at Jennifer with a confused stare and lift up my arms. The girls place me in a trance, as Jennifer climbs onto the sectional next to me. They both kiss each side of my neck.

As the music plays they kiss one another, then they strip down to their bra and panties in front of me. They look at me. Then each other, then they help each other take my shirt off.

“Let’s go upstairs.” I say to them.

They help me off of the couch and we all walk upstairs. Rachel takes my hand, as Jennifer kisses my back and wraps her arms around me.

We walk into my room and we close the door. I’m sandwiched between the both of them, as they kiss the front and back of my body. My legs begin to get weaker and I walk to the bed to take a seat. As I sit down they kiss, as I watch. Then we all kiss one another. They lay me back kiss my stomach and take off my pants and then my boxers.

Jennifer climbs her naked body on top of me and slowly grinds while I tilt my head back to receive kisses from Rachel. The girls take turns and we all fight in between the sheets, as time becomes still. We take turns pleasing one another.

*Next day*

I wake up sandwiched between Jennifer and Rachel. I slowly remove Jennifer’s arm from across my chest and I climb over her to get dressed. I walk downstairs still halfway drunk and I clean up the kitchen and living room. As I walk to my counter I pick my phone up and notice multiple texts from Bridget. I look at her latest text and my heart drops.

“Hey Ben, I hope you’re alright. I’m on my way over to grab some things I left in your suitcase. See you soon.” -Bridget.

“Oh shit.” I say, as I notice her text was sent thirty minutes before. “Hey Jennifer, Rachel!” I yell upstairs.

As I walk to the bottom of the stairs, I hear a buzz from my front gate.

“Shit. Alright, it’s cool. It’s cool.” I say to myself, as Bridget rings the buzzer again.

My phone rings and I see Bridget calling.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Hey, can you let me in? I need to get some paperwork. I have an interview for another job in thirty-minutes.” She says.

“I’ll bring it to you.” I say to her.

“I was hoping you might let me use the bathroom before I go.” She says.

“Hold on.” I say, as I hang up. “Jennifer! Rachel! ¡Despierta tus traseros! Wake your asses up!”

I run upstairs. I see Jennifer and Rachel waking up.

“Jennifer, get dressed. You two have to go.” I say to her. She rubs her eyes confused.

“You’re acting like you have a girlfriend.” She says to me.

“It’s complicated.” I say, as I walk back downstairs.

Both of the girls follow me in their bra and panties. They get dressed in the living room.

“Benjamin, you need to get your shit together, this is not how we do things. You know that.” She says to me.

I stand in silence and look at Rachel.

“That’s not the same thing.” Jennifer says.

Bridget calls my phone again and I answer.

“I’m coming.” I say to her, as I hang up.

Jennifer and Rachel finish getting dressed. I walk them out of the door. As they leave I open the gate for Bridget.

I step onto the porch, as Bridget walks down my front yard. She looks at Jennifer and Rachel, as they drive by then looks at me. I look as if I’m watching the devil himself march toward me. As she gets closer I walk into the house and Jennifer pulls out of the driveway. Bridget stomps up the stairs and slams the door behind her.

“Who the fuck were they?” She demands.

I look away, not answering.

“Benjamin Watts. Who the fuck were they?” She asks again.

I look at the pain in her eyes and she storms up the stairs.

“Bridget wait!” I yell.

“Where are the suitcases?!” She yells.

As she walks to my room my heart drops, as she stops in front of the door.

“Bridget. Please.” I plead.

She looks at me with disgust and storms into the room. I follow behind her and we go to the closet. She pulls out the suitcases and tosses clothes onto the bed. I stand against the wall, as she takes out her phone.

“What are you doing Bridget?” I ask.

“I’m calling an Uber.” she says.

“I’ll just take you.” I say to her.

She looks at me from the side of her eye, as she grabs the paperwork she was looking for.

“Don’t call me Ben, Get some help. You’re not right.” She says to me with anger.

I follow her down the stairs with shaky knees. As she gets to the front door, I reach out to her.

“Don’t touch me.” She says, as she pulls away.

“Alright.” I say, as I lift my hands up.

Bridget walks out of the house and I open the front gate for her to leave. Her Uber instantly arrives, as she walks out of the driveway. I close the door and knock my head against it, as tears fall down my face.