Immortal Light: Wide Awake by John D. Sperry

a look that left him
paralyzed and useless. “Yes, love?” he responded forcedly to
Lucy.
    “ Daddy, this is Benjamin. I was
telling you about him in the truck.”
    James snapped immediately back to
Earth. He turned and faced Benjamin, sizing him up. His expression
was a little suspicious. Before he could say a thing, Benjamin
raised his hand to the man that stood nearly eye to eye with
him.
    “ It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr.
Higgins.” He articulated every word in perfect respect for the man
to whom he held out his hand.
    It was apparent that James could sense that
Benjamin was at least attempting to be a gentleman as he took the
hand in front him and gave it a firm, all-business
handshake.
    “ It’s nice to meet you, Benjamin.”
James shook a few times and released Benjamin’s hand.
    “ Thank you. I see you and Jack
have more than a few things in common.” He indicated to the bags of
taffy.
    James glanced down at his handsome assortment
of candy and suddenly remembered his bantering companion and turned
to him.
    “ Well, I suppose great minds think
alike, as you know a good ball club when you see one.” He looked
around the circle of people and addressed the group in a jovial
tone. “What are you boys’ plans for lunch? Why don’t you join us
for fish ‘n’ chips, my treat?”
    “ Well, how can I say no to that
offer?” Jack replied, looking at his brother.
    “ Sounds good to me,” Benjamin
said, then turned to Lucy. “What do you think? Could you stand us
being around for lunch?”
    Lucy blushed, but before she could reply
Benjamin looked around to Laura.
    “ Actually, I should probably be
asking your sweet mother what she thinks, as she’s the one who has
to put up with all of us.” Benjamin shot an enthusiastic smile to
Laura Higgins.
    “ Well, I was thinking of something
a little more sit-downy than a fish stand. Why not the restaurant,
James?”
    James looked disappointed as his
shoulders slouched. “I was really looking forward to fish ‘n’
chips,” he maturely whined.
    “ If I may,” Jack cut in, “why
don’t James and I go get fish, and you three go to the restaurant?”
He raised his hands and his eyebrows waiting for a
consensus.
    “ That sounds like a great idea,”
James responded enthusiastically.
    “ I suppose we could do that,”
Laura said, looking to Lucy and Benjamin, who both nodded in
approval.
    “ It’s settled, then. We’ll meet
back right here in what, an hour?” James inquired of his
wife.
    “ Perfect,” Laura said, flashing a
smile around the circle and tossing her purse over her arm. She
grabbed Benjamin with one hand and Lucy with the other saying,
“Let’s go, you two.”
    As the three of them walked arm in
arm, Lucy looked behind her mother’s back at Benjamin. He met her
glance with a look of his own: a subtle smile. She felt strangely
attached to Benjamin, though she barely knew him. As they held each
other’s gaze, she saw something so appealing about his eyes. Not
only were they beautifully bright, but they emanated a sense of
calm goodness. No matter what she thought of all the guys her age
at school, she knew that he was a lot different, she just couldn’t
pinpoint exactly how.
    The restaurant was decorated
to look like an old fisherman’s cabin; fishing nets were draped
over the wooden walls and an assortment of authentic fishing
paraphernalia related to the ocean covered any empty spaces. The
trio was seated at a table that looked out over the pier. Through
the window at the front of the restaurant, James and Jack could be
seen across the street climbing the stairs to the small shack that
housed “ The World’s Greatest Fish and
Chips .” The waitress set down three menus
as Benjamin helped Laura and Lucy into their chairs and sat down on
the end of the table between the two women.
    “ Why thank you, Benjamin.” Laura
shot an impressed and approving glance at Lucy.
    The situation was still a little awkward for
Lucy since she