Brewed to Perfection

I thought I was going to have a stroke.

"I- I don't even- how. HOW?" I choked out the words. At the same time Jerry's phone started to ring.

I looked to Benjamin who's back was facing me. His head still looking up

Jerry gestured with his index finger before retrieving his phone from his pocket. "It's Twyla. She's probably wondering where we are."

Picking up the call, he walked around to the back of the Van. I stood still. Not sure if I would ever be able to breathe properly again.

"Tell me it's a joke." I spoke to Benjmain's back.

I didn't even know that his Dad had died.

Benjamin remained silent for a few seconds before slowly turning back around to face me. His eyes however refused to meet mine.

"I didn't want you to know." He admitted and I could feel the cold run through my entire body.

"So for the entire time I've been employed here you've been the owner?" I asked, hoping for him to reveal this had all been a prank.

Benjamin nodded.

"Why the hell have you been making coffee and mopping the floor if you're the owner of the damn coffee shop? Surely you don't even need to work, just live off the money from the profits?" None of this made sense and I had a feeling I wasn't going to get the answers I wanted.

Benjamin reached over to grab the currently strangled bottle of bug spray from my hands.

"Truth?" The one-word question made me feel uneasy.

It was my turn just to nod.

Benjamin took his glasses off. Forcing me to look into his eyes. "After my Dad died I became the owner of all his businesses. Not that I wanted that at all-" Benjamin pushed his fingers through his hair.

"I thought if I went away to Uni I'd realise what I wanted to do. Dad owned so many companies and at first I wanted to sell them all. Some dude wanted to buy Brewtiful when I was seventeen but I said no since-" Benjamin went silent.

I shot him a confused look before shaking my head. "Since what?"

Then it dawned on me. "You knew I worked here. You've known the entire time." the words fell from my mouth.

"Jerry wasn't working at the time and said he would be the store manager and act as main operator day to day. It made sense. I knew who he was interviewing and who he employed. It was sort of my decision who was..."Benjamin grimaced, remaining silent before finishing his sentence a minute later. "-Hired."

"I know how this sounds, I know it sounds really bad but I don't even really see myself as an owner really. It's Jerry's. It's just he had to keep me in the loop." Benjamin tried to explain but I already felt sick.

I tried to find the words to respond. "I've been under your thumb this entire time? When I thought I had escaped all your bullshit I've been under your fucking magnifying glass. Never too far out of reach. You made sure to never let me out of your reach. Never free from being under your control."

I laughed insincerely. "You must have had a right laugh signing my shitty paychecks week to week."

Benjamin looked flustered, "Maeve, it wasn't like that." He spoke clearly but the words sounded like jumbled up rubbish to me.

"It really wasn't like that, You're the reason I didn't sell the damn place." Benjamin yelled, his eyes bulging out almost as thought he never meant those words to escape.