FAMILY TIES
      By Spense
 

Chapter Thirteen

"JONATHAN!" Benton's voice cracked the sudden, stunned silence like a
gunshot.  Will stood silent looking completely devastated by Jonny's
comment.  She knew Jonny wasn't happy about his father's remarriage,
but she really hadn't thought it was about her personally.  But to
call her a `whore' to her face, with the rest of the family present
was just about unbelievable.

"Apologize to Will AT ONCE!"  Benton demanded, abject fury written in
every line of his face.

Jonny just stood silent, mutinous.  It was very clear to all present
that he wanted to say more, and just as clear that apologizing was
the farthest thing from his mind.

Benton lunged forward and grabbed his son's arm and propelled him up
the stairs.  "Excuse us," he said with barely controlled anger, as he
escorted Jonny away.

"Jess, Hadji . . .  Take Rae and go out to the patio, please," Race
ordered quietly.  The other two teens obeyed, still looking wide-eyed.

"Will . . ." Race turned to her.  Will just stood there, barely
holding back tears.  "He didn't mean it . . .," He continued in
concern.

"Yes he did," Will whispered.  "I knew he didn't like his father
marrying again, but I hadn't thought that he disliked me so
personally.  I mean, I knew he couldn't possibly accept the betrayal
of Benton's remarrying.  For most of his life, he's been told how
beautiful, intelligent and truly amazing his mother was, and how no
woman could ever come close to her.  Now, I come along; we have a
quick marriage.  I'll never win a Nobel Prize . . . I've killed
people . . . I'm not beautiful . . ."   Race's growl of protest broke
her off.

"Will, Jonny's not like that.  I don't know what's going on with the
kid, but we'll figure it out," he said as he hugged her.

"Not with Benton as angry as he is now."  Will pulled away as she
looked up the stairs.  "This will only make him hate me more," she
commented as she looked back at
Race.  "Jonny already feels like I've taken his mothers place." After
a slight pause, she continued.  "Benton married me practically
overnight.  Now Jonny feels like I've taken Rachel's place, and now
Rachel Elyse has taken his.  Jonny is no longer the baby of the
family, and he's no longer Benton's only biological child.  In
Jonny's eyes, he has nothing left to lose.  The more he pushes, the
angrier Benton will get, and the more Jonny will be convinced that
his father is taking my side.  Which means that Benton will be even
less likely to give Jonny what he really needs---a little reassurance
and attention."

Race nodded.  Will's logic was very clear.  And it made perfect
sense.  Unfortunately, Benton, who was so brilliant in most areas of
his life, was so livid at Jonny's truly reprehensible behavior, that
he was most likely to deal with the actions, and not the reasons
behind them.

"I need to get out of here so I can think.  I'm going for a walk,"
Will looked about at the end of her self-control.  "Will you take
care of Rae for me?  Please tell Benton that I'm not angry with
Jonny, and that I'll be back in a few minutes.  I just need to be
alone for a few minutes."

Race smiled and hugged his long time friend for the second time.  "Of
course.  And it will work out."

Will just gave him a quick small smile, and headed out of the house
in relief.

*   *   *

Jonny's bedroom door slammed like a thunderclap as Benton stormed out
of his son's room.  Shaking slightly in the aftermath of the
unpleasant scene, Jonny wandered out to his balcony, and slid
bonelessly down the stone side of the house.  He sat leaning against
the wall, legs outstretched in front of him.  He was exhausted, all
he wanted to do was cry, and get out of this house.

He had never in his life seen his father so angry.  Jonny still
couldn't believe that he had actually said what he did out loud.  The
incident that had sparked the whole scene was no different from
hundreds of others.  He and Hadji and Jessie were coming up from the
lighthouse, and met Benton, Will and Rae returning from a doctor's
appointment.  Race had heard everybody arrive and came out to join
them.

It was the usual crap, Jonny recalled.  Nothing any different than
normal.  Everyone doting on Rae.  Then Will had asked if he and
Jessie had done their homework.  Of course Jessie the perfect had
done hers.  But he had just hemmed and hawed, avoiding the subject.
Will had taken him to task about it.

Jonny hadn't meant to say anything, but his homework was none of
Will's business.  She had no right getting on his case about it, and
besides, she wasn't exactly perfect either.  He'd learned a lot about
everybody's dirty little secrets lately.  Anyway, it was out of his
mouth before he had realized it.  And in the sudden, glacial silence,
he knew he had meant it, and that he didn't regret it.

Jonny had really thought his Dad was going to hit him, he was so
angry.  He'd marched him into his room, slammed the door, and rounded
on him, demanding an explanation.  Jonny had refused to answer.
Amazing how when it was Jonny being insulted and ignored, his father
had overlooked everything, and had an easy excuse each time.  But
when he commented on the truth about Will, Jonny was evil incarnate.

Benton had dissected his recent behavior, then demanded an apology
for his comments about Will.  Jonny then had taken the biggest gamble
of his life.  He looked his father in the eye and stated, "Why?  You
always told me to tell the truth.  How come when it's something you
don't want to hear, I get in trouble for stating the facts?"

Benton's reaction proved to Jonny beyond anything words could say,
that everything Rachel had said to him was true.  Benton towered over
his son in an even greater rage, if that were possible.  He
practically quivered with fury.  His hands opened and closed in
fists.  Jonny took an involuntary step backwards.  He really thought
his father was going to hit him!

Benton gathered the last remnants of his self-control, and commented
through clenched teeth, "Consider yourself grounded until further
notice.  I will see you in the morning, and you are not to take a
step out of your room.  You will stay here and rethink about
apologizing to Will."  And with that, he spun on his heel and exited
the room in barely controlled anger.

Jonny sat, leaning against the wall; head bowed on his knees, and
knew he'd lost his father for good.  This was it.  Dad had taken
Will's side, and always would.  He had nothing left.  His father had
now betrayed him completely.  Just like he had betrayed Jonny's
mother.  Jonny closed his eyes and drifted.  He had no idea what to
do now.

*   *   *

Benton stalked down the stairs, to see Race waiting at the base,
leaning against the newel post.

"Well?" Race asked calmly.  He noticed that Benton looked even
angrier than he had before.  Race hadn't even realized that that was
a possibility.

"I'm going to kill him," Benton commented through clenched
teeth.  "I'm absolutely going to kill him.  He's not repentant at
all.  I'm about ready to turn him over my knee and paddle some sense
into him."

"It's a good thing you left," Race said easily, steering Benton
towards the family room.  "That's not something to do in anger."

"Oh, its still a very viable option, believe me," Benton ground out,
prowling the room, as Race leaned against the mantle.  "Where's Will?"

"She went for a walk," he said, then continued as Benton's statement
changed to worry.  "She's okay.  She's not angry, and wanted to make
sure you knew that."

Benton's face clouded over in anger once again.  "Well, I am.  I
didn't raise my son to speak that way to ANYONE.  He's been taught to
be more respectful than that."

Race reflected that Will was right.  This was not the time to discuss
anything right now.

Mrs. Evans poked her head into the room carefully at that
point.  "Excuse me, but dinner is ready.  I have it out on the
patio."  She looked in concern at Benton.

Race smiled at her.  "Thank you, Mrs. Evans.  We'll be right there."
He turned to Benton as Mrs. Evans left.  "Calm down, Benton.  Come
eat, we'll figure it out later."  He watched as Benton took a deep
breath, purposely trying to calm himself.

"All right.  You're right, as usual."  Benton agreed, having himself
in hand once again.

"Not always," Race laughed, "But this time I am."