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From the other direction, another twosome approached Theodore Bishop and his wife, Holly These people Ben kneell They were anti-everything--gay rights, wohts If it wasn’t Christian and white, it wasn’t right

They were the people ould have thought so to help her They would hate Ben as well

Benjamin Senior pasted a fake smile on his face, ready for a different kind of show than the one Ben had planned

Theodore’s gaze found Ben first "It’s been too long We haven’t seen you h few months As my father pointed out, I was kidnapped and assaulted Luckily, Dad’s co it already happened but think of all the people he will help in the future" Ben sne He grabbed two glasses and handed one to Dante

"Thoail, I’m not sure you’ve met my son, Ben" His dad looked toward the other couple who stood in their group, no doubt trying to deter attention froton behind Worthington/Mathers"

Ah, throwing Ben’s status in there How typical

"It’s a pleasure to ail’s "This is ail, Theodore and Holly You ht to keep e traditional--one man, one woman, the way God intended"

"Ben," his father said sternly as his mom looked nervous Ben wouldn’t let himself look at Dante He didn’t want to knohat he’d see in his lover’s near-black eyes

"It’s okay, Dad I won’t ht to believe what they want, and to live how they want, no h each of his words unlocked sohtless and not as though he was a bystander in his own life as he’d felt lately He was finally controlling it

"Noait a minute," Theodore started but Ben held up a hand to him

"No, no It’s okay Really That’s not why I’ forfor Bonnie as well That’s what I want to talk about I know oals we can work toward is the stiget the help she needed We failed her--my family and society We refused to support her the way she needed and that should never happen People should always have access to the help they need"

Ben didn’t hear anything in the roo by hier His ail’s confusion Theodore and Holly’s disdain

He thrived on it It gave hiy like he hadn’t felt in years, s he’d done at the club to all those men anted him to dominate them

It was power

"It wasn’t our fault We didn’t know Bonnie was so sick," histo say Ben saw his father tense up

"We did e could for her You know that We tried We loved her, and I think you’re right, Ben Mental illness is soether with you sometime a little more appropriate, toss some ideas around and see e can coree And whatever you need fro to help We’ll discuss this later" Theodore tugged slightly on his bowtie as though it suddenly tightened

"I thought that’s what tonight was about?" Ben eyed his father

"No, as I said, tonight is about having a good time We’ll speak about this later" The tone in his dad’s voice said he expected Ben to obey Dante said earlier that Ben was used to getting what he wanted and in some ways he was, but not to the extent of his father

"We’re all here now, though And since Theodore is willing to help"

"Maybe it would be wise to work on yourself before you take on so like this I hate to say it, and Ivery hat’s happened to you recently, Ben You haven’t gone back to work, and you’re losing sight of what’s important Maybe now isn’t the best ti on by a thread yourself" Theodore’s s expression was aimed at Ben and Ben alone