by Basil Benson » Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:25 am
The first night was always spent just the four of them. Or at least, it had since he was eleven. Bubbe switched to grape juice after first glass of wine, Zayde after his second. The pair went up to bed, exhausted from the days festivities. Basil found himself in the lounge again in his yarmulke, staring at the photograph of his mother and her 'dear friend' Mr. Spencer.
Jessica Benson was not satiated by her four double filled glasses of wine and wandered into the lounge with another open bottle and two glasses.
" Is it kosher to keep drinking?" He asks, watching her enter in the reflection of the mirror on the wall behind his grandmother's collection of family photos.
"What your Bubbe doesn't know won't hurt her."
"Funny how that applies to alcohol but not to Madame Rosenhof."
Jessica ignored her progeny to pour herself a glass of wine She was contented to let him brood, until several minutes passed and she wasn't anymore.
"You're doing that 'thinking' thing you enjoy so much again."
"Yes. I do that a lot."
"I'm sure Rosenhof loves that."
"She does, actually."
After more awkward silence, Jessica couldn't stand it anymore. "What's captivated your attention so much? Those have been there forever."
"Why I never realized how much I look like my father."
"You don't look anything like George."
"Precisely." Basil gently lifted the framed photo, holding it up in such a fashion that from his perspective, his own reflection and the photo were at eye level.
"I've traces of you. Your hair, your eye color. But everything else is a carbon copy, isn't it? Right down to the cleft chin." He states, appraising the his own image against Edmond Spencer's. "I suppose I should give myself some credit. It wasn't so obvious before puberty, and I was young. No reason to question what I was told."
"I don't much appreciate the implication you're making young man."
"I'm not implying anything." He replied. Basil knew if he was going to get anything out of her that he needed to strike now, while her thoughts were clouded by alcohol.
"Why did he stop coming to Seder? He was always here first night on Bubbe's trial run before the rest of the family showed up on the second night. It made me feel... special that I got all of an adult's attention who wasn't a family member, even if it was only for one night.
In fact, I remember him being at loads of Stolarz family events... Any one you were at. He was even at my bloody birthdays, something George never bothered to attend.
He was there right up until I entered secondary. Then he just sort of... disappeared." Basil could see the intoxicated woman sip her wine and regard him quizzically behind him in the mirror. He turned to address his mother to her face, denying her the ability to read his emotions via his reflection.
"You knew I'd figure it out, didn't you? Perhaps with puberty looming, you were concerned that when I started developing deeper feelings for girls, I could connect the dots."
Jessica smirked at her son over the edge of her wine glass. "You're a smart boy Basil.... but the smartest boys know not to ask certain questions."
Placing the photo back in it's place, he adjusted his parents back into their proper position on the table of photos before turning to face his mother again. "...Did you love him?"
She paused and sighed, looking at her glass in a detached manner. "Does that matter now?"
"I think it would be nice to know that my parents loved each other... comforting perhaps."
"Well I'm not exactly known for my comforting, maternal nature." Jessica quips.
"Why did you have me if not to be maternal? You could have terminated."
"... Bubbe always gets what she wants, doesn't she?"
"Piss off with that shit." Basil spat back. "Don't try it hide behind the laws as some justification. We both know you'd just as soon lie and claim your right to an abortion under forbidden sexual union if I was an unwanted child.
You wanted me. You wanted me bad enough to lie to George Benson that I was his. And it worked, for awhile, didn't it? Until I looked a little too much like your back door man. "
"... Well, don't worry yourself that George didn't get anything out of this." She replied, sounding bored now and rising with her glass. "I'm going to bed. Don't ask me about this again."
Frustrated with her response, Basil raised his voice. "Where is Edmond Spencer?!"
"Shhhhh!" Jessica hissed back. "You'll wake your grandparents!"
He could feel Jessica was trying to retreat from this conversation. Normally, he'd allow it. Tonight however, he wanted... nay needed answers. "Perhaps I should do just that! Maybe they'll be a bit more forthcoming!"
"Calm down, there's no need to be so dramatic!
I don't know where he is." She admitted. "No one does. He sent presents for a few years but after that.... secondhand musical brick he left you for your bar mitzvah, that's the last time I've seen evidence he's even still alive. For all I know, his corpse is rotting in some pauper's grave." Jessica collected the wine bottle to take it with her, but she paused at the stairs.
"If you know what's good for you Basil, you'll let this be. Edmond disappeared for a reason. You keep this inquiry up, you may as well. Be contented to know that shite of a human George Benson didn't sire you onto this earth and leave it where it lies."
She paused briefly to let her son think on what she'd said. She she was satisfied he has no more to say she added-
"Goodnight Bobbie. Try to get some sleep. The rest of the family will be here early tomorrow."