In the Lap of Luxury by Unsweetened Chestnuts

"You're impossible." Grace turned around. "I don't want to see you again."

She strode off. Benjamin reached out a hand to try and stop her, but he missed.

Grace's dress flared, and Benjamin caught sight of her bandaged ankle.

He frowned. He had seen that kind of bandaging before. Anyone who had graduated from the police academy would know how to do it.

Every New Year, Alexander refused to return to Hawkins Manor. It always made Elizabeth rather sad, so she would arrange for things to be delivered to him.

Once, Benjamin had been roped into it and had gone to see Alexander.

It had been raining heavily that year, and the police academy had been in a remote location.

As they had been driving, a landslide had occurred. Both Benjamin and the driver had been buried in it. The students from the police academy had rescued them. Alexander had been one of them.

He had been surprised to see Benjamin, but he was mature beyond his years. "You're Benjamin."

"...you're Alexander."

"A stone fell on your foot, but I've bandaged it up for you. You'll just have to rest for a few days."

Alexander hadn't lingered around after he'd finished speaking. He had grabbed his water bottle and left to fill it up.

was that the two of them looked alike, but when he had met

he had called out, "Come back home for the New

tracks for a moment, but he hadn't looked back. "I

on Grace's ankle looked exactly like the one Alexander had done for him before. They had been

the table, she began

glasses of alcohol, one after the other, shocking Noelle, who tried to stop her. "Grace,

slightly better once she had filled her stomach. "Nothing much. I just ran into a rabid

table at that moment, and Timothy took a sharp intake of breath. He looked compassionately at Benjamin and mouthed, "You bear a heavy burden." Benjamin's expression

had only come to the

staying. She picked up her bag and said a few words to Noelle as she got ready to

moment, there was a commotion at the entrance. Everyone

honor to have Mr. Iverson here with

Joshua?

a suit. He seemed to be about 40 years old.

my first time in

is why I came here to greet

count on your help in

old friends. This is a

toast to

was reluctant. She glanced at Timothy, who looked sour, but she couldn't refuse Anthony in front

She had no