Tears of Endurance (Romantic Drama) Book #1 (11 page)

Arianna was completely different to all the others
; he was finding it increasingly difficult to be around her for fear of her noticing. The only time in his life he had been in love, an all-consuming love that had taken over his entire being, was for Suzie and then he lost her.
Why now, why Arianna? I really don’t need this
, thought Tristan sadly to himself.

After the movie had finished, Tristan reached for his phone and started dialling for a taxi.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing? You can’t go home now, and you always kip on my sofa. Put the phone down, Tristan,” begged Ben.

Tristan looked to Ben and then Arianna.
“I will only be in the way, Ben, and you don’t want me hanging around. A cab will be here in 10 minutes, it’s no problem really.”

“
Okay, but only if you’re sure. We really don’t mind, do we, Arianna?” Ben glanced in Arianna’s direction and smiled.

“
Of course not, please stay, Tristan. I cook a mean breakfast,” pleaded Arianna.

“
Thank you both, but I really do need to head on home; I will pick my car up tomorrow.” Tristan dialled for a cab and helped Ben clear away the left-over takeaway while he was waiting.

“
Are you sure you’re okay, Tristan? You’ve been acting a little odd lately,” asked Ben.

“
I’m fine, I’ve just got a lot on at work right now, a big job, you know how intense I get when I have a large project. I told you about the project last week, Ben, remember?”

“
I don’t recall, Tristan, sorry,” said Ben, feeling confused. That was the second time recently he’d completely forgotten a conversation he’d had with Tristan. Fully convinced that Tristan was fine, Ben saw him to the door and bid him goodnight.

Tristan was totally perplexed
; Ben’s memory was not the same since his accident. Twice in one week he’d failed to recall a conversation they’d had. There was an uncomfortable feeling running through his body, he really needed to keep a closer eye on Ben. Maybe this was expected after brain surgery. He knew Ben looked fine on the surface but underneath, his body and mind were clearly still healing. He needed to remind himself of that. The taxi was waiting outside the apartments; Tristan looked up to Ben’s balcony and sighed before climbing into the back.

Ben made his way over to Arianna, scooped her up in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. He lay her down onto the bed and slipped off her jeans, allowing them to fall haphazardly to the floor. He ran his large hands slowly and teasingly up along the outside of her legs, pulling her nearer to him. Arianna took hold of his shorts and pulled them down, and then she wrapped her long legs tightly around his toned back, leaning backwards as Ben entered her. They made love well into the night before finally falling asleep together.

Around three o’clock in the morning, Ben was awakened abruptly from a recurring night terror that had taken root in the core of his heart. Pouring with sweat and breathing heavily, he quietly crept out of bed, not wanting to disturb Arianna, who was sleeping soundly beside him. He closed the bedroom door behind him and made his way into the lounge, where he sat down for a while and thought about his dream. The same dream, the same fate; a witness to his own demise and not a pleasant one. He could not stem the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He dabbed his face with a tissue and then all of a sudden, he was completely overwhelmed by an excruciating headache. He gripped his head, holding it tight, willing the pain to dissipate. Realising it was here to stay, he grabbed his pills and swallowed them down with a bottle of water sitting on his desk. It had been several weeks since he’d experienced such pain and he was hoping it would be several more.
At least they were not as often as they were in the beginning
he thought to himself. He remained seated in the lounge until the magic of his pills took a hold, finally releasing him from an abyss of pain. Eventually Ben went back to bed, creeping into the bedroom silently so as not to wake Arianna and alert her.

Chapter eighteen

The following morning, Arianna jumped out of bed early and headed for the shower. Ten minutes later, she was dressed and ready for the day. She had a few deliveries at the gallery she needed to sign for and she wanted to reorganise the exhibition space on the second floor for her upcoming show. She planted a kiss on Ben’s cheek and left him to sleep. She picked up her overnight bag and portfolio then wrote a quick note for Ben, pinned it to his fridge and left his apartment.

She was meeting Casey for lunch later that day and couldn
’t wait to update her on the past week. Arianna was floating on cloud nine and that’s where she wanted to remain. She didn’t want anything to burst her bubble, she wanted to enjoy every single moment of it. Happiness was worth far more than all the money in the world, she told herself. It was priceless. Love was a feeling so powerful she could feel its magic working, coursing through her veins at such a speed she felt giddy for most of the time. Arianna arrived home to a ton of messages, including one from her mum, requesting an urgent call back. She kicked off her shoes, pressed redial and waited for an answer. “Sofia speaking,” said Arianna’s mum.

“
Hey mum, it’s me, Arianna. What’s so urgent?”

“
I have the best news, Arianna. I told you I would keep an eye out for some fabulous weekend breaks to Dublin. Well, I have found the perfect one and as I couldn’t get hold of you, I went ahead and booked. It was such a great deal I didn’t want us to miss out. I booked us into a four star hotel with a swimming pool, gym and spa. It’s right in the heart of Dublin city and I booked a two-night stay. So tell me I did well.”

Arianna went silent before replying. Of course she wanted to go away with her mother, she just wished it were a couple of months down the line. Not wanting her mum to know her thoughts, she gave her a big well done and told her how excited she was.
“You did great, mum, I really can’t wait. So when do we leave exactly?”

“
The last weekend of May, darling, in two weeks time. I am guessing your passport is up to date.”

“
Oh mum, of course it is. The last weekend of May is perfect, and we can spend some much-needed quality time together.”

“
Arianna, I am heading off into town shopping for a new outfit for our trip. Is there anything you would like me to pick up for you, darling?”

“
No, no, I have everything I need, mum, but thanks anyway.”

Arianna said goodbye to her mother and slumped down into her chair. She was happy about the trip but sad that she would be away from Ben over a weekend for two whole days. She made a quick change and rushed over to the gallery to open shop and wait for her first delivery of the day, which was due at 9
a.m.

By one o
’clock, Arianna was up to date at the gallery. She turned the sign over on the door, locked up and headed straight to the Coleshill Hotel to meet Casey for a long overdue lunch. Casey had already ordered drinks and was sitting by the window.

“
Hey, it’s good to see you. Now, come on, I want to hear everything and don’t leave a single thing out,” said Casey.

Arianna spent the next hour updating Casey on her relationship with Ben. Casey was more than excited and let out the odd
“Wow, really” comment from time to time. Casey was genuinely happy for her friend and couldn’t wait to meet the delectable Ben. She decided she would invite them both for dinner soon, after running it past Andrew first, just in case he was flying. “It’s so good to finally see you happy, Arianna. Ben sounds just right for you and, more importantly, just what you need.” Arianna took a sip of her drink and checked her messages while Casey made a call to the Ladies. She smiled as she opened a message from Ben.

Hi beautiful,

I missed seeing your face this morning. Thank you for last night, have a wonderful day. X

Arianna sighed with delight at Ben
’s message and an image of them in bed the night before ran through her mind teasingly. Sporting a wide smile, she pinged a quick message back to him.

Hi Ben,

Last night was wonderful, perfect in fact. Thinking of you. x

“
Hey, Casey, I forgot to tell you, I’m off to Dublin in a couple of weeks with my mum. God love her, she’s only booked us into a hotel for two days in the heart of the city. We are well overdue some quality time together. So if you want me to pick up a bottle of duty free perfume for you, let me know.”

Casey shifted in her seat while reaching for a pen and paper from her huge handbag.
“Guilty by Gucci, it’s an incredibly alluring smell; Andrew loves it and he can’t get enough of me when I’m wearing it!” Casey smiled as she handed over the piece of paper.

“
I can only imagine, I know what you two are like.” Arianna laughed as she slipped the paper into the side of her purse. “How on earth do you carry that bag around with you all day, Casey? It’s huge, you have everything in there bar the kitchen sink.”

“
This is called a mummy bag; trust me, when you eventually have children, and you will, then you will also be sporting a bag like mine daily. It’s a necessity. I have wipes for mucky faces, snacks to blackmail the mucky faces and a bottle of water to quench the thirst of mucky faces. My bag is filled with change for any rides we pass in supermarkets, two small colouring pads and a set of crayons and that’s just for starters,” replied Casey.

After a much-needed catch up, Arianna and Casey parted ways and went about their day. Arianna meandered on back to the gallery and waited for her next lot of deliveries, which were due any time soon. She couldn
’t concentrate on work at all; Ben was taking over her every thought.
Is this what the real thing feels like?
she wondered as she flicked through some rogue paperwork. Her thoughts briefly turned to Tristan and she smiled as she remembered her portfolio. She still couldn’t believe he had gone to so much trouble for her. Arianna thought Tristan needed a woman in his life, he too was a good catch and a very decent guy, and he deserved the love of a good woman. Arianna loved the closeness between Ben and Tristan; it was so apparent they respected and loved each other deeply and she very much admired that.

Chapter nineteen

Arianna shut the front door behind her and dragged her heavy weekend bag up the stairs. She felt tired and beat after a very energetic weekend in Dublin with her mother, who had dragged her from one end of Dublin to the other, wanting to pack as much in as possible during their stay. She couldn’t wait to see Ben; she’d missed him so much and just wanted to feel his lips on hers. Ben was due to pick her up at eight o’clock and she was going to spend the night with him. Just the thought of his strong arms wrapped tightly around her made her feel weak at the knees. She had a quick shower and changed her clothes before running over to her gallery to collect her post.

Ben parked up outside Arianna
’s house just before eight and hurriedly climbed out of the car and knocked the door. Arianna came running down the stairs as fast as she could, opened the door, and jumped on him, wrapping her legs tightly around him. “God, I’ve missed you,” Ben said, holding her tightly.

“
I’ve missed you too, Ben.” Arianna kissed Ben with all the passion she could muster and Ben reciprocated wantonly.

“
Do you have everything you need?”

“
Yes, I’ve packed an overnight bag, I’m all set.”

Ben had made a reservation at his favourite restaurant Estillos at the Mail Box and wanted to surprise Arianna, who thought she was having a takeaway at Ben
’s. Being away from her for three whole days made him realise how much he was in love with her and he wanted to tell her for the first time over dinner. He wanted it to be a special moment and one she would always remember. Such an open declaration of love needed to be made in just the right surroundings, thought Ben, and he couldn’t wait to look her in the eyes and reveal his feelings to her.

Ben parked the car and when Arianna climbed out, he directed her towards the canals. She looked at him, very confused.
“I am taking you to dinner tonight. It’s one of my favourite restaurants and I wanted to surprise you.” Ben smiled mischievously.

“
So you really did miss me then,” replied Arianna.

As they walked along the canal arm in arm towards Estillos, Ben stopped dead in his tracks and spun Arianna around to face him.
“I was going to say this in the restaurant, but right here, by the canal seems like the perfect moment. I love you, Arianna. You make my heart beat faster than it can cope with, every single minute of every day.” Ben looked into her beautiful eyes trying to gauge her thoughts; he shifted nervously on his feet.

“
I love you too, Ben.”

He picked her up and spun her around some more before continuing to the Mail Box. They spent an intimate two hours over a spectacular dinner before heading back to Ben
’s, where they made love well into the early hours of the morning, exploring every inch of each other’s body until they collapsed exhausted and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The following morning, Ben was startled from a deep sleep by his door bell ringing. He slipped out of bed quietly and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind him.
“Morning, Tristan. What are you doing here, is everything okay?”

Tristan
’s face displayed a look of concern he was unable to hide. “Ben, we arranged to go fishing today remember. Had you forgotten?”

Ben was confused. He could not recollect any plans to go fishing with Tristan at all, and no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn
’t remember. “Oh Tristan, I’m really sorry, I completely forgot. Sorry. I think falling in love has fried my brain. Come in.”

Tristan wasn
’t convinced for a single moment. This was so unlike Ben. Prior to the accident, he never forgot a single word that came out of anyone’s mouth, much less a conversation he’d held with someone, or an arrangement he’d made. This was becoming far too frequent as far as Tristan was concerned and he decided he needed to speak with Arianna soon. He would need to get her on her own and ask her to keep an eye on him to see if she noticed anything odd too.

“
Arianna stayed last night, Tristan, she’s asleep in my room.” At that moment Arianna made an appearance, her hair all ruffled and wearing Ben’s white shirt. “Hi, Tristan,” said Arianna as she made her way towards the bathroom.

Tristan thought she looked even more beautiful first thing in the morning. He felt the all too familiar tug in his heart and looked away from her back to Ben.
“Well, looks like our fishing trip is off then.”

“
No, not at all. Arianna’s heading off to work soon. Just hang around for a while and we can go after breakfast. I’m famished.”

Tristan sat out on the balcony while Arianna and Ben showered and dressed.

Arianna came out of the shower first and made her way to the kitchen to pour herself a coffee. “Arianna, could I have a private word with you while Ben is showering?”

“
Of course, fire away.”

“
Look, just recently I’ve noticed Ben is becoming rather forgetful. I’m worried about him, Arianna. Will you keep an eye on him for me? Let me know if you notice anything odd or out of the ordinary. He’s been forgetting whole conversations that only took place days before. This is so unlike him, Arianna,” pleaded Tristan.

“
Of course I will, Tristan. I have to say I haven’t noticed anything myself, but I will keep a vigilant eye on him. Don’t worry, Tristan, I’m sure he’s fine. And don’t forget, it’s only been a few months since the accident.”

“
Yes I know, Arianna, but still, just keep an eye out for my sake, okay.”

“
Of course I will, it goes without saying. I promise if anything out of the ordinary occurs, you will be the first to know, Tristan,” reassured Arianna.

Ben walked into the kitchen and gave Arianna his car keys. She finished her coffee, kissed him goodbye, smiled sincerely at Tristan and headed out of the door. Tristan remained on the balcony and watched as Arianna climbed into Ben
’s car and drove off. He was falling for her big time and he had no control over his feelings whatsoever, he was powerless. He was being held hostage by his heart and he was finding it increasingly difficult by the day.

“
Isn’t she amazing, Tristan? I told her I was in love with her last night. And guess what, she loves me too. I feel like the luckiest man in the whole world right now.”

Tristan smiled and told Ben he was really happy for him
; deep down his own heart was fractured.

Over the next few months, Arianna and Ben’s relationship became stronger and more intense. They were inseparable and were already making plans to move in together. Ben was suffering very little now from the accident and felt fully recovered. He decided he was going to propose to Arianna on their six-month anniversary. Why wait, he thought. I know she is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I love her more than life itself. He decided to go in search for the perfect engagement ring and decided to drag Tristan along.

Tristan had kept his distance over the last few months and this had not gone unnoticed by Ben. In fact, it had angered him at times as he seemed to have developed a rather curt attitude towards Arianna for no apparent reason. He couldn’t understand what had gotten into him. He was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong that he was not telling him about. He made a mental note to try to get to the bottom of it. Tristan was spending more and more time in his studio, working late into the evenings and right through the weekends. He was turning into what Ben used to be like before the accident, not wanting to go out anymore in favour of working. It was so unlike him, and he couldn’t remember the last time Tristan actually went on a date or even mentioned a woman. Ben knew something wasn’t right, he just had no idea what or why. He picked up his mobile phone and dialled Tristan’s number.

“
Tristan, it’s Ben. Look, I need a huge favour and I won’t take no for an answer.”

“
What is it, Ben?”

“
Well, I have decided to ask Arianna to marry me, I am going to propose to her on our six-month anniversary, and I would like your help in selecting the perfect ring.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Tristan was speechless. He felt like his heart had been torn out brutally from his body. He wanted to scream down the phone, he wanted to let his feelings out right there and then
; but he knew he couldn’t, he knew it would be futile. Arianna was in love with Ben and her feelings for him were no more than that of a brother at best.

“
Tristan, are you still there? Did you hear what I said? A ‘congratulations, Ben’ would do just fine.”

“
Sorry, Ben, I was in the middle of something when you called. I was distracted trying to finish off. Congratulations, you make the perfect couple, I am really happy for you.”

“
I am planning to go down to the Jewellery Quarter one day in the week. Can you please make yourself available, Tristan? I could really do with your advice on this one. I will throw in lunch, my treat, how about it?” pleaded Ben.

“
Yes sure, make it Thursday, okay? I will have completed my project by then.”

“
Okay, thanks, Tristan. I really appreciate it. This is a huge step for me, as you well know. Meet me at my apartment around ten o’clock Thursday morning, okay.”

“
Sure no problem, I will be there,” replied Tristan.

Tristan banged his head down on his desk several times, tormented by the thoughts running amok through his mind. He wanted nothing more than to rip his heart out. He hated not being in control, he hated himself for falling in love with Arianna. If he could change the way he felt, he would do it in a heart beat. But he wasn’t in control and there was nothing he could do.