Page 7 of Bene

A best man to be.

The gift in his hand felt heavy.

A gift to deliver.

He’d deal with everything else later.

Later always came.

“I’m pleased to say those dancing lessons with me when you were younger paid off,” Bene’s mother said as they moved gracefully across the main floor. All around them, others waltzed and spun circles with their own partners, showing off for the guests at the reception. The wedding went off without a hitch, as long as the traditional Catholic ceremony could be, but the rest of the night? That would be a party. One long, fun party. “You always did like those lessons of ours.”

He smiled. “Because I was spending time with you.”

Cara laughed. “You know, I always wondered about that.”

“About what?”

Pulling back slightly so that she could stare into his eyes, Cara shrugged. “I worried we never gave enough one on one attention to each of you. That with so many siblings, someone would feel left out of the rest.”

“Never,” he assured.

Both his parents made a great effort to ensure all their sons were loved and had exactly what they needed. Time, attention, and affection included. For him and his mother, that meant dance lessons twice a week, never failed. He caught on quickly, enjoyed it too, and never complained when his mother said it was time to practice.

“You certainly put on a happy face today,” Cara said, her palm coming up to pat him on the cheek with a gentle touch. Motherly. Always the mother, no matter the situation. She simply knew when one of her boys were feeling off, or whatever the case may be. “But how are you really feeling tonight, hmm?”

Bene’s gaze drifted over his mother’s shoulder to peer across the large ballroom floor. The hotel had really transformed for the dinner and reception after Beni and August’s wedding. Gone were the tables, now pushed along the side of the walls for the guests who preferred to sit instead of getting up to dance. A popular DJ kept everyone moving and having fun. Servers walked around with free liquor for anyone who wanted to drink, and the large canopy of silk and chiffon lining the ceilings hung among twinkle lights.

All in all, it was a good night.

A Guzzi party.

At the other end of the room, he found his twin dancing with his new wife. The song was a little fast, but still slow enough for a fast waltz. Except Beni and August weren’t dancing fast, and in fact, stayed close together.

Sweet, really.

As it should be.

“He’s so happy,” Bene murmured.

Cara sighed. “He is.”

“And I’m not sure what I am, Ma.”

Her hand on his cheek stroked again, softer that time. Her silent acknowledgement of a problem that he had been dealing with for a long time now, but alone. Mostly because he didn’t know how to tell them—his family; his twin—that things were just confusing for him right now. He was happy for Beni, but he was also unhappy for himself.

But wasn’t that selfish?

Petty?

Bene didn’t want to be those things.

He didn’t know how to stop it, either.

“Except today isn’t about me,” Bene continued, wishing he could settle himself on that fact instead of just saying it, “it’s about them, so that’s what I want everyone to focus on, Ma, even you, okay?”

Cara shook her head, letting him lead them further toward the middle of the floor when the song sped up in tempo. “That isn’t how a mother’s mind works. I worry about all of you individually, and together. It’s what I do.”

“I’m fine.”