The Tenth Justice - Brad Meltzer [77]
“Big deal. I did it—I’ll live with it. Why can’t you?”
Noticing the passengers who started to stare, Ben lowered his voice. “Because I don’t like you anymore. Get that through your damn skull and leave me alone.” As the passengers began to disembark, Ben inched closer toward the aisle. Eventually able to straighten his neck, he stood between Lisa and Nathan.
“What was that all about?” Nathan asked.
“Nothing.” Ben said.
“Is there anything else you forgot to tell me about your family?” Lisa asked.
“Just one thing,” he said, taking a deep breath and smiling at the thought of the coming weekend. “Don’t touch my father’s plate when he’s eating. He’s very territorial.”
“Ben, be serious.”
“You’re on your own, missy. Just keep your head down at all times.”
As they moved through the terminal, Lisa searched the crowd, hoping to identify Ben’s family. Suddenly, a voice screamed out, “Yooohooo! Benjamin! Nathan!”
“Oh, God, it’s Ober’s mom,” Ben whispered to Lisa, nodding in the direction of a frosted-blond head bobbing in the crowd. The woman was frantically waving her hands.
“Be careful,” he said. “She may try to put a scrunchie on you.”
The five friends made their way through the crowds and watched as Ober was enveloped by his mother’s hug. Wearing an extra long purple sweatshirt and a pair of black leggings, Barbara Oberman could barely contain herself. “William! I missed you more than words!” She squeezed Ober with all her might. “Nathan!” she said, moving toward the group of friends. “Eric! Ben!” She wrapped her arms around each one, a human hugging assembly line. “And you must be Lisa,” Ober’s mother said, extending her hand. “You should know that you’re the first girlfriend Ben’s brought home since—what was her name?—Lindsay something.”
“Lindsay Lucas,” Ober sang. “The psycho from Long Island.”
“Whatever happened to her?” Nathan asked.
“Last I heard, she had hurt herself in a terrible Skee-Ball accident,” Ober said.
His face red, Ben interrupted, “Mrs. Oberman, do you know where my dad is?”
“He and your mom are working late,” she said. “I’ll drop you off at home. Nathan, Eric, I told your parents I’d pick you up as well. I have the minivan.” After they retrieved their baggage, the small group walked to the parking lot and loaded their belongings into the podlike cherry-red minivan.
Pulling off at the West Newton exit, the van left the Massachusetts Turnpike and entered suburbia. Armed and stocked with roving rent-a-cops, the community was determined to remain a safe, clean neighborhood, no matter what the cost. As the minivan followed the curving streets, Ben said, “On your left, you can see Dr. MacKenzie’s house—of the Newton MacKenzies. Naturally it’s the biggest house in Newton.”
“He’s the best plastic surgeon,” Ober’s mother explained.
“This place is unbelievable,” Lisa said, looking around. “I’ve seen suburbia and it’s driving a Volvo.”
After dropping off Eric and Nathan, the Oberman shuttle pulled up to Ben’s house.
“So what are the sleeping arrangements for tonight?” Ober asked as he opened the door.
“Funny,” Ben said as he and Lisa climbed out of the van. “Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Oberman.”
“You’re welcome. Tell your mom I say hi.”
“I definitely will,” Ben said. “And by the way, I’d watch your son while he’s home. He’s been so busy at work, he hasn’t been eating well.”
“I knew you looked skinny!” Ober’s mother said as Ben shut the door and Ober scowled out the window.
“Now that was downright mean,” Lisa said.
“He deserved it,” Ben said as he walked up the path to his house.
Lisa looked up at the modest Colonial-style home. “Nice place.”
As they approached the front steps, the front door opened. “Benjamin!” his mother said. She opened her arms and gave him a long embrace. “You look terrific,” she said. “A bit thin, but otherwise terrific. And you must be Lisa,” she said, extending her hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Lisa said.
“In case you didn’t guess, this is my mom,” Ben said. “She’s the malevolent evil one I was telling you about.”
“Don’t be such a smart-ass,” Ben