Summary: On a trip to San Francisco, Ben has a choice to make when the fire from an old flame is rekindled.
Rating T Word count: 623
ADAH ISAACS MENKEN
as
MAZEPPA
One Week Only
Ben Cartwright had read the playbill every night since his arrival in San Francisco five days ago, and each time he had convinced himself to walk away. But tonight he stood before it with ticket in hand, his good sense having finally succumbed to memories and desire.
She could have any man she wants. That’s what he’d told Adam, and his oldest son’s shamefaced reaction affirmed the truth, though they never discussed the subject further. In the messy aftermath of her visit to Viriginia City, Ben had let her go with a wish for her happiness and a smile that was mostly for show. His sons seemed relieved that their concerns were apparently misplaced, but there were things they did not know. One thing was certain; Adah Menken was the kind of woman a man never forgets. If nothing else, he had that in common with John C. Regan.
How could she love a man like that? Hoss seemed satisfied with his answer, but Ben didn’t understand it himself. If she had married him, he could have given her the world—yet she chose to stand by a man who only knew how to take. There are many kinds of love, he supposed, and not all of them make sense. Sometimes it may boil down to a need between two people that only the other person can fill. That seemed to be the case with Adah and Regan, he reasoned. True or not, it was a small consolation for the heartache he kept hidden.
Regan was dead; that much was fact, confirmed by the newspaper account. The former heavy-weight champ had met his miserable end in a drunken brawl with a better man. It was no surprise to Ben.
He couldn’t help but think of Adah, the friendship that had blossomed into something more over the years, the tender moments they had shared away from the eyes of the world.
As a widower still in the prime of life, he had enjoyed the company of a number of women, always respectfully and with restraint. Love wasn’t word he used lightly. And yet he had applied it to Adah. There was something deeper than her beauty and charm that troubled the waters of his soul, and he could still feel the ripple effects.
Was it fate that brought them to the same city this week? Was it foolish to hope things could again be as they once were between them? Or was it better to leave the past behind?
Adah’s image on the playbill gave him no clue to the answers. He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. The ticket slipped from his fingers to the sidewalk as he walked away.
~*~
A dozen red roses were delivered to Adah Menken’s hotel room on the final evening of her San Francisco engagement. She read the card and smiled. “They’re beautiful.”
“And very late. I expected them here before I arrived.” His hands were on her shoulders, and he nuzzled her ear.
There were tears in her eyes when she turned to him. “Would you have really left without seeing me?”
He smiled, tenderly. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
She buried her face in his chest as his arms closed around her. “Oh, Ben… I’m so glad.”
“So am I.”
END
Author’s Note: Is this a one night stand or the beginning of something grand? Time will tell. But I have a theory, in case you want to know. The Best Little Bed and Breakfast in Nevada (by JC)
For a complete, up to date list of my stories, check out JC’s Author Page
I thought Ben deserved a second chance. You can decide what he does with it. Thank you for commenting on my quiet little story, Robin.
Oh, JC, you don’t disappoint. 🙂 Ben’s emotions are clear and true, as are Adah’s. My mind is working overtime to wonder how many times they … ahem… ‘connected’ over the years. Ruth Roman and Lorne Greene’s performance was so understated and yet so pointed, it became so clear that they had something very, very special between them. Your lovely little story support that perfectly. Thank for you for a lovely read.
There was a definite undercurrent to their relationship that deserved a second look, but you and I may be the only ones who agree on that. Thank you for your insightful comments, Pat.
A sweet little read, that has such a light touch. It could go anywhere and that’s tantalizing for the reader to think of. We all want Ben to have love, yet do we want it with her? Will it work out? You let our imagination run a bit and that’s fun when a story is left open so skillfully as this.
Some things are better left to a reader’s imagination, don’t you think? Thank you for the sweet review, CareBear.
Your gentle touch caressed this love story to a new level. I like that you left it hanging. This time there’s no rush or competition.
Who knows? Time will tell, I suppose. Thank you for reading, Rachel. 🙂
What a beautiful little piece of love lost and then rekindled! Hopefully this is the beginning of a long life together.