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Chapter 15 – The Sun Will Come Up

There are those days where we wake up and know that we shouldn't get out of bed. The days where we can't find our keys, then realize that we were holding them the whole time. Let's not forget when we are in the bathroom and seem to knock everything over. These are the bad days, we all have them, and they are the days that make the normal days okay and the good days better. Now, let's talk about those good days.

***

"Today is going to be a good day," Ben mused exiting the room and hugging Gwen. The girl didn't appear too thrilled by this happy-go-lucky roommate of hers.

"Don't touch me, I am pissed, moody, and stressed." Gwen growled shrugging Ben off.

"Why are you happy," Colby frowned. "Why is anyone happy, it is below zero outside," exaggerated. "This is not the time to be happy."

"I just know, we will all have good days." Ben walked to grab his coat from the hanger.

"Oh, you're a psychic now. I bet we come home to find you lying on the floor sobbing." Gwen snickered as she took her briefcase from the counter.

"No, you're not. I am going to be with Seth tonight. I am working late, and then he is going to pick me up and take me on a date." Ben said smugly.

"Oh romantic," Gwen walked to a bowl of apples and took a granny smith. "Romance only ends in pain, hearts are meant to break." Gwen ripped through the flesh of the apple.

"Stop being a pessimist, the glass is not always half empty." Ben tried to fight back.

"No the glass is empty, we are all just delusional. We assume that there was water there in the first place." Gwen threw her philosophy into the mix and walked to the door.

"I hear you sister," Colby low-fived her friend.

"You two are such Debby Downers." Ben complained following Gwen and Colby to the doorway.

"Don't you ever say that again," Colby said. "Great, I am late, now Ms. Bergman is going to yell. When will she just die, I mean her heart and soul are dead. It's just the waiting for the outside to join the inside."

"Wow, you two are really Negative Nancy's today." Ben found a new name to call his friends.

"No, we are like this everyday. It's just you are usually like this too…now you're happy. Why are you happy?" Colby questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Just, happy to be alive," Ben chuckled and walked out of the door.

"Hope he is not like this when we get home, even I am not that bad…negative Nancy…lord please stop me from smothering him in his sleep." Colby followed her roommates into the hallway and shut the door behind her.

***

Colby and Barkley exited a small café a few blocks from the brunette's work. She was late, and this was making her later. She could never pass up a free coffee, no matter what she would miss.

"Thanks Barkley, for the coffee," Colby leaned into her boyfriend. "I really needed this today. I am just so late; I don't have time to talk, though." She already had her coffee, she didn't need anything else.

"Okay, how about I walk you to work then." Barkley offered leaning back into his girlfriend.

"That's sweet but don't you have work to be at too?" Colby questioned wondering why he had all this extra time on his hands.

"I'm the boss. I can show up whenever I feel like it." Barkley half-joked and "half-"

"Right," Colby chuckled then rolled her eyes. He always said statements like that to try and impress her, they never did.

"I was wondering…would you enjoy a get together tonight, after work?" Barkley stepped over a puddle that accumulated in the gutter and onto the street.

"Umm…" Colby paused. Her relationship with Barkley had become a strictly sexual one. The sex wasn't bad; just some conversation would have made it better. Then again, the conversation left much to be desired. "You know, Gwen is devastated because of that whole Kylie and Howard thing. I need to comfort her tonight. You understand," Colby lied.

"Of course I do," Barkley replied. Then the awkward silence followed. "Did you get to see the football game on television last night?" Barkley tried to break the silence with his excellent conversationalist skills.

"I don't watch football," Colby noted.

"Sorry, I forgot," Barkley shrugged.

Colby sighed; they had nothing in common either. She stopped in front of the doorway to the vintage trinkets shop. Colby pushed open the glass door and walked inside. She stepped through the aisles with Barkley close behind.

"Oh god," Colby gasped spotting Ms. Bergman on the ground. Colby dove to her side and turned the woman right side up. Her breathing was weak and so was her pulse. "Call 9-1-1." Colby shouted.

"You mean 9-9-9?" Barkley corrected.

"I don't care, just call it." Colby ordered. "Ms. Bergman, wake up, wake up."

***

Gwen stood at one of the four penthouse suits in the Garden Court Hotel. The once opulent room with its beautiful white carpets and ornate sculptures was wet and soggy. A small fire caused the emergency sprinklers to come on. However, wet bed sheets weren't the new manager's only problem. The room had recently been outfitted with the hotel's best paintings because of the French art critic who would be residing in it later this evening.

"Great, the paintings are ruined." Gwen shrugged as her feet squished on the carpet.

"It's not all bad; we can give him another penthouse suite." Zad, an Indian male concierge, who started his job a few weeks before.

"You don't understand, I can't stick any old painting in here. I am not going to stick him with a mundane boat picture…or something of Big Ben."

"Hotel paintings are hotel paintings…I don't see what the big deal is." Zad commented and walked over to one of the smudged pieces of art.

"You wouldn't understand. You see the painting. You need to look beyond the painting and see the art. I have an idea; I will…get some paintings from my house. I have some there." Gwen suggested as she hurried to the door. "We have no time to waste."

"What if he comes before then?" Zad mentioned.

"If he does, keep him busy. Also, get all the ugly paintings out of penthouse two; we will put him in there." Gwen ordered and she was off. She needed help to get the paintings from her apartment here.

Zad cocked his head and watched Gwen run away. He always liked the look of a woman. He closed his eyes in fantasy for a moment then knew he had to get back to his job.

"Gwen would never notice me anyway," Zad whispered to himself.

***

Ben spent his morning break organizing a lunch with his two friends. A small café sat comfortably in the middle of all their work places. First to arrive, he sat by the window looking at the passer-byers. They had their raincoats on but the air had grown cold enough to snow.

"Hi," Colby came in tripping over her feet. She got her balance and took a seat. Her face was pale and cheeks turned red with the warmth of the café. "Some day this is turning out to be, I think you jinxed it." Colby stated.

"What? Why?" Ben questioned.

"I found my boss collapsed on the floor. I just came from the hospital. They said she would be okay, but still…I'm worried you know." Colby leaned in indicating she wanted to whisper.

"What?" Ben inquired. He leaned in too.

"I feel like I am responsible, in a way." Colby stated. "Like, I really wanted the old bat to keel over. I feel like I put those feelings out into the universe and the cosmic powers struck her down."

"You don't really believe that do you," Ben looked into Colby's serious eyes. "Okay, you do…well, you said she is alright. So, you wanted her to be okay and she is."

"I suppose so…yeah, you're right. I did. I did and she is and I can't be blamed at all by the cosmos." Colby chuckled. "You know, I still feel guilty. I am going to go back to the hospital, you don't mind if I skip out on this lunch date do you?"

"Not at all, go be with her." Ben shooed Colby away. Colby disappeared through the café door Gwen hurried in. Gwen looked just as flustered as Colby did when she entered. Gwen rushed to her male cohort and grabbed his hand. She tugged him outside.

"What's going on," Ben grunted. He got pulled down into the Tube station.

"We need to…get the paintings from my studio. Five, we need five." Gwen panted. She was tired from her run to the café. "Wait, where is Colby?" Gwen noticed for the first time still in her rushed state.

"She waved to you when you walked in." Ben shook it off. "Never mind, why do you need five paintings?"

"Hotel, fire, painting critic…don't ask about it. Just help." Gwen said pushing Ben through the turnstile.

***

After delivering Gwen and the five paintings to the Garden Court hotel Ben returned to his workplace.

Ben walked into the studio and interviewed some guy he didn't know, or even heard of. He did his job then went off. Ben was excited for his date with Seth this evening and wanted to have a great time. He hoped his friends' days were better now.

The brunette walked down the hallway and passed the editing room. He stared at the door and gave off a nostalgic smile. Ben heard voices inside. It took him a minute to realize the voices were from a memory. It was Peter and him in the editing room, right when Ben got promoted.

"You know what I don't get; on television they always call it, making love. I don't know a single person that says 'let's make love tonight.'" Ben stated still staring at the editing equipment which he only knew only partially how to use.

Peter let out a laugh and nodded. "I hate how they make it seem so easy too and they play something cheesy in the background."

"Yeah, for once I would love a guy in a black lace thong to greet me in a room lit with candles and filled with rose peddles or even in a bathtub." Ben sighed and closed his eyes to fantasize.

"Okay, well I am ready for our first date." Peter said with a smile, determined.

"Me too," Ben replied opening his eyes.

Ben bit his lip and closed his eyes walking past the room. It was the past; it needed to be edited out to make room for the future.

Ben hurried outside and found Seth waiting on a bench for him.

"Hey," Seth greeted. He got a haircut too. The long surfer locks were now trimmed down to a clean cut business man hairdo. "I got this for you." Seth pulled out a beautiful ruby red rose.

"A single rose," Ben pointed out taking the flower.

"One that I picked over all the other flowers in the shop," Seth chuckled and handed it to his date. "Come on,"

"I'm sorry I got off work so late," Ben replied grabbing Seth's hand. The sun set long ago and the crowds of London filtered into the pubs and clubs to spend the rest of their night. "I don't think many restaurants are open are they."

"I know a great one, with a really handsome chef," Seth lead Ben a few block away. They talked about everything from argyle sweaters to zip-up jackets. "And…here we are,"

"Jap-Tango," Ben read the sign. A bittersweet taste filled his mouth. "It's closed."

"Not for those with the master key." Seth dangled some keys from his hand. "I'm head chief here. I get some special privileges. You know, check out the food." Seth replied and opened the door.

Ben walked inside and noticed the chairs placed up on tables and shadows bounce around the room with each passing car. He could picture Peter and him waltzing around the dance floor. This was where their first date was, Peter looked so handsome that night.

"Don't worry, I won't make you dance," Seth locked the door behind him. "Come on, this way. I want to show you my home away from home."

Ben followed Seth into the kitchen. He held his rose and put it on the kitchen counter. The kitchen was pristine clean and a metallic reflection bounced off all the chrome.

"I never knew you worked here." Ben leaned against the counter and felt a cold chill shoot up his arms. The metal was freezing.

"Well, I do, I can just think here. I can just think when I cook." Seth laughed and started the stove. "What's your craving; I will make you anything in the world."

"How about…" Ben thought, he knew exactly what he had been neglected since his move to England. "A hamburger, a grade-'A' American hamburger, with a milkshake and fries?" Ben suggested.

"Alright," Seth confirmed and went to work. "You want to make the milkshakes. Here let me get the ice cream." Seth walked over to a walk in freezer and came back with a gallon of chocolate ice cream.

Ben worked on the shakes while Seth took care of the rest. In about twenty minutes they were content eating. They sat around the metal counter and munched down their food happily.

"Wow, these milkshakes are amazing. Are you a chief and have just been lying to me the whole time?" Seth held up the cold glass.

"I just know how to use a blender." Ben looked down at his milkshake. It was half-empty. "You know, when people ask if you see the glass half full or half empty?"

"It's half-full, trust me, it is." Seth replied popping a few fries into his mouth. Sill optimistic as ever.

"Okay, sure, why not. But…where does that other half go? Where did it disappear to?" Ben questioned.

"I'm not sure, does it matter?" Seth asked.

"No, it doesn't." Ben replied. "Can we dance?"

"Sure," Seth said surprised. "But, I don't know how to turn on the music."

"We don't need music," Ben stood up and helped Seth off his stool. Ben took the lead and tried to mimic the moves he saw on television and in movies. They worked out well. The last time Ben danced he was much worse. Or maybe, he was better in comparison to Seth.

He spun Seth around for the final part and as Seth came back in he dropped the chef into a dip. Ben leaned forward and kissed him. Without warning, they lost balance and collapsed on the cold tile floor. Neither of them noticed as they were both tongue tied.

"Ben, wait," Seth pushed his date back and looked at him for a moment. "Not that I am complaining, but…we haven't talked for a while. I mean, this is us just getting back on the horse. What I am trying to say is do you want to ride this horse, that far, this soon?"

Ben leaned forward and kissed Seth. It was a serial kiss. Ben felt that his whole body was ice except his lips, the sole source of warmth coming from Seth. Their lips tingled with passion. Ben pulled back still tasting Seth and grinned.

"I want to look at the glass half-full, and to do that, I need to forget about where that other half went." Ben kissed Seth again.

***

In the night fog the Garden Court Hotel glimmered. It transcended beauty on the outside an in.

Zad flexed his muscles, nervous. He stood outside the second penthouse suite and smiled at the French art critic. Zad needed to make sure Gwen had enough time to set up the paintings. Zad stalled long enough: pressing the wrong button on the elevator; dealing with a computer error; and now finally trying to open the door.

The Indian male tried his key card in the door and opened it slowly. He wasn't sure if Gwen finished the final touches on the paintings. She wanted to frame them and put them in the perfect places in the room which would accentuate their appeal.

"Hurry up," The French critic scolded.

"I am so sorry, here we go." Zad pushed the door open. He looked across the wide expanse and a large painting of a key glowed back under the ceiling light.

"Oh," The critic observed the room and pursed his lips.

Neither Gwen, who came to Zad's side, or Zad knew what he thought of it. Zad was captivated by the painting and it filled his head with all these thoughts. The royal blues and gold were a mixture made in heaven.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was up to date," Gwen explained her presence. "Is there anything we can do for you?" She offered the hotel guest.

"No, get out. I am tired." He said in a thick French accent.

Gwen frowned and shoved Zad out the door. She followed her stilettos clacking against the polished wood.

"Oh, and one more thing, get me the name and number of whoever painted that." The critic said with a smile as he approached the key painting.

"Of course," Gwen bowed her head and backed out of the room shutting the door.

Zad stood next to Gwen in the hallway and smiled at her. She looked at him curiously and tilted her head. He noticed the look and replied.

"You know, I think I know what you mean; about looking beyond the painting and seeing the art." Zad commented.

***

The hospital felt empty that night. Although there were patients and nurses, the waiting room was relatively quiet. Colby jumped when the doctor crept into the waiting area and informed her that she could see her boss.

"Ms. Bergman," Colby rushed to her boss's side.

"Why…"The woman noticed Colby enter the room. "Why aren't you at work?"

"You collapsed, I saved your life." Colby spat out, insulted by the woman's remark.

"That doesn't answer my question," Ms. Bergman sat up and looked at the girl. "Ah youth, how I miss it," She said brining the topic out of nowhere. She was old, she did that a lot.

"Oh you're still young at heart," Colby replied her anger faded away. She sat on Ms. Bergman's bedside and held the old woman's frail hand.

"We both know that is bull crap." Ms. Bergman laughed. "My husband and the doctors are insisting that I move to the countryside. They say this city life is too much for me…" Ms. Bergman stated her tone kinder than before.

"Husband?" Colby whispered to herself surprised.

"You didn't think I was married did you, well I am. I used to be beautiful you know." Mrs. Bergman, now Mrs. Because of marriage.

"You still…" Colby paused, she didn't want to lie. "Are you going to follow what the doctors say?"

"I am old. I have been for a long time. I've felt it in my bones. Now I know that I need to start acting my age. That means I will be moving to the countryside and you will need a new job." Mrs. Bergman admitted.

Colby hadn't thought of that. Yes, she didn't like her boss. She hated how Mrs. Bergman would yell and curse from opening till close. The girl loved the little store. It was in an amazing location that she came to love. Colby enjoyed getting coffee from the café down the street and sending letters at the post office next door.

"You can keep the store." Mrs. Bergman said.

The young woman thought she misheard her boss. She had a double take the old lady in bed and her jaw dropped in disbelief.

"I am going to take the merchandise" Mrs. Bergman nodded. "I think I will open my antique shop in the country. The space is yours to do what you want with it, plus…I will give you your Christmas bonus early this year."

"Oh thank…" Colby began but was cut off.

"You're welcome," She replied adjusting her seat. The monitor beeped for a moment then calmed down.

"I don't think I can." Colby said, "It's too big a gift."

"For once can you just accept something I give you? Lord knows you never listen to my advice. " Mrs. Bergman shrugged.

"Mrs. Bergman, why are you doing this?" Colby shook her head.

Mrs. Bergman looked into her employee's eyes and smiled. She lifted her hand to Colby's cheek. "I never had children, you remind me of myself, and," Mrs. Bergman slapped Colby across the cheek. "You must be dumb not to take this great opportunity. What about that scrap booking store you have wanted to open."

"Scrap booking," Colby pondered the thought and felt the sting from the slap fade away. Yes, this was her chance to have that dream it would be foolish not to take it. "Okay, I will take the store," Colby accepted.

"You can't get me out fast enough can you?" Mrs. Bergman shouted her old personality back. "But if you must, hurry up and start packing my stuff then." She let out a small smile.

Colby stood up and walked to the door. "See you tomorrow Mrs. Bergman." Colby waved and left the hospital room.

***

The night drifted on and became colder. The sky was turned black and clouds covered all the stars. The hallway in front of Ben's apartment was quiet but noise could be heard behind warm doors.

Ben stood outside could hear Gwen's voice from the other side of the front door. He stared into Seth's piercing blue eyes. They were two crystal orbs blinking back at him. Seth's eyes reminded Ben of the ocean.

"Thanks for everything, I had a great time." Ben was unable to look away from those eyes.

"Did I make you forget about that other half?" Seth inquired tilting his head inquisitively.

"Excuse me?" Ben questioned tilting his head to mock Seth.

"You know, of the cup, the other half of the cup." Seth tickled Ben's stomach noticing the joke.

"Nah, I don't think I can ever forget about where that other half went." Ben responded in pure seriousness.

"Oh," Seth said, a bit let down.

"But…you made me appreciate the half I have, so thanks again. Thanks for everything." Ben finished and opened the apartment door.

"See you around?" Seth said as a goodbye.

"For sure," Ben said and ducked inside the warm apartment.

The place was cleaned up more than usual and Ben could tell that the girl's worked on the apartment's appearance. Colby and Gwen sat on the couch with a large bowl of popcorn, already in their pajamas. They watched a movie on the laptop. They both had grins on their faces. Ben recognized the grin and knew exactly where it came from, happiness.

"You know what," Ben walked past the two, into his room and came out with a digital camera. "Let's remember this,"

"Oh, great, we need to take a picture because we had a good day." Gwen shrugged. "I thought we have avoided all these picture things."

"Oh, I want to take the picture." Colby bounced on the couch. She was excited about the opportunity.

Ben squeezed in between the two girls and handed Colby the camera. She extended her arm and got the camera ready. Colby beamed into the lens.

"Yes, we need to take a picture now, because we know that the smile in this picture will be sincere, not something we just plastered on." Ben explained feeling the two girls squeeze closer to him.

Colby pushed down the button and the camera flashed.

***

Yes, there are bad days and good ones, but most of the time it's just us looking at lemons confused. Yes, we have to take the lemons and figure out how to make the pie from them. It's difficult and takes time, but if we work on it. The reward is the sweetest thing in the world.

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