Chapter 79

“Oh no, next time you want to take off, I want to see it coming.” And he was serious. I felt a pang of guilt hit me as I stared into his sad eyes. I looked away and laid my head on his chest. I couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. I’d hurt him, and that was the last thing I wanted. If only he would understand.

“So Ben,” Billy started taking a seat next to the couch Ben was on. He was clearly not happy about Maria and Ann sitting so close to him but Josh was in between Ann and Ben, which must've soothed him a bit.

“Not yet,” Ash spoke before Ben, “Joe is going to want to hear this.” And in that second Joe appeared.

“What’s up?” he asked Ash his eyes leveled on the hand Maria had on Ben’s head.

“How did you?” Ben said amazed again.

“Ben has a story to tell us, which will interest you very much.” Ash answered.

Ann stood up to make space for Joe and sat on Billy’s waiting laps, which made him very happy.

Ben sat up pulling Maria’s hand gently off his head with a grateful smile. “First,