Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 10

"Romy?" Ben said, poking his head into the room. Vera frowned but she didn't look up, she just continued to type away on the computer. This morning when she opened her inbox she realized that she had let a few things slip through the cracks. It was completely unacceptable and now she needed to buckle down and focus. With Echo's wedding just a few days off and then Christmas and New Year just a few weeks after that, things were promising to get hectic.

"Wrong office." Vera said stiffly. "Wrong floor as a matter of fact."

"Well, I know that." Ben said, rolling his eyes and letting himself in. "I haven't been able to find her all morning and I thought maybe she'd be down here."

"Why?" Vera asked coldly. She couldn't help it, she was still a little annoyed with her.

"Because you two are always together." Ben said with a shrug.

"We're not always together." Vera said, "I'm not her babysitter, I don't know everything she does."

"Okay..." Ben said, immediately noting the animosity in Vera's voice. It was highly unlike Vera to demonstrate any animosity. Unless, of course, it was for those "racist bastards" she was always fighting at the non profit. He didn't know what to make of it so, instead of continuing his search for Romy, he made himself comfortable in one of the chairs across Vera's desk.

Vera looked up, noticing how he leaned back and watched her. With a sigh, she turned, leaning her arms on the desk.

"Is there something I can do for you?" She asked, annoyed.

"You do." Ben said after a few moments.

"Do what?" She asked, confused.

"You do always know where she is. You always know where they all are." Ben said simply.

"I do not." Vera said, knitting her brows together tightly.

"Don't do that, it'll give you wrinkles." He said, "Sure, Echo escaped your watchful eye, which, by the way, I still haven't forgiven you for, but you and Romy are inseparable."

"Forgive me?" She repeated.

"I'll try but I really was counting on you to keep those girls in line and what happens? Echo goes and gets herself a fiancee." Ben said.

"I wasn't asking for forgiveness." Vera said.

"Good because I'm still not ready to give it." Ben continued to tease, making Vera finally lose her temper.

"Ben, I don't have time for this." She snapped and Ben's eyes widened. They stared at each other for a second- Vera NEVER snapped. She never lost her temper, she never showed animosity, she never showed impatience. Vera was eternally patient, and yes, she always knew what her sisters were up to... or at least she used to.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noting how she seemed shocked by her words.

"Yes," Vera said with a nod. She placed a hand on her chest, as if she was thinking about what she had just said, and then let out a deep breath. "Yeah, I just have a lot to work on. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No, that was brilliant." He said, making her look back towards him in question.

"What?" She asked, surprised.

"You bottle up so much... You're allowed to be angry." Ben said, "I'm taking up your time, being a little annoying, you have a lot on your plate... plus whatever Romy did to piss you off. I'm glad you were assertive."

"More like obnoxious but, that's just you." Vera said, blinking her eyes. "Romy didn't do anything."

"Oh please, I still don't understand why people put up with her." Ben said.