Benedict Cumberbatch: Life With Ben

Chapter Seven: Cardigan Man and Watery Eyes Girl

I slid to the kitchen. I didn't walk, I slid. I slid because brand new tights on a slippery floor like lino, makes your legs go all jelly-like & reduces you to sliding everywhere! I got to the kitchen doorway and regained my balance. I straightened my dress out and I pushed my tightly curled hair over my shoulder so it hung freely down so it balanced just above my waist. Ben caught sight of me and smiled. His huge penguin feet took a step towards me and his manly hands cupped my cheeks. Not nastily, but just so I was able to look into his big beautiful eyes and he could look down to my eyes. I smiled a quite awkward smile. A smile of a shy girl, trying to not fangirl too much. His lips spread across his face forming this humungous smile. A smile I've only seen on occasion. He looked deeper into my eyes, "You are more beautiful in person, than in Sue's photo" Ben said slowly, proving he meant what he said. I could feel my ice cold cheeks burn up. "Thank you," I replied and I added, "That was my exact reaction when I saw you." My stomach sank. You could tell it had in my facial expression, this lead to Ben giggling. He bent down, removed his right hand from my face and brushed my fringe out of the way and placed a kiss on my forehead, "Claudia, you are so sweet!" he added afterwards and took a step backwards, "right, I need your expertise in the cookery department. Shall we have spaghetti bolognaise, lentil curry or a pizza?", me being me instantly thought "PIZZA! DEFIANTLY PIZZA!" but what I ended up suggesting was lentil curry. I have got to admit I do make a mean lentil curry, when I have my mind focused on it! "Lentil curry it shall be then!" Ben exclaimed, "we shall put it on shortly, if that's okay with you darling?" Of course it was okay! I was going to be helping my idol cook one of my favourite meals, using fancy utensils. This was going to be amazing. I didn't say this of course. All I said was "yeah okay that's fine."

I was about to walk back to see Sam, but before I could leave the kitchen, Sam came in and said, "Claud, darling, I've got to go. I'm so sorry!"

"What do you mean? Why?" I said quite disappointed.

"I forgot I was meant to be doing maths revision with the year 9s this afternoon"

"Oh, okay, I'll go and get my stuff" I replied quite put out.

Ben stepped in and said, "I can look after her here if you like and I can drop her back home again tonight at around eight o'clock, nine the latest?"

Sam looked at Ben and smiled, "are you sure?" Ben nodded, "Well, she has exams coming up in May so if you wouldn't mind going through her revision app with her later for maths and make sure she has a substantial meal, then I don't see why not!" Ben grasped my hand and replied, "Look, don't worry, she will be fine. You can always phone her when you get to school later if you like?"

Sam walked over to me, crouched down and said, "Chin up, smile and everything will be okay. Have a fabulous time, Stinks. I love you and don't do anything I wouldn't," with that he kissed my cheek and left. The door closed behind him slowly and he walked over to his car and with a matter of seconds he was gone.

I walked over to Ben and said, "I have never been this far away from Sam before," Ben grabbed my hand and smiled whilst I added "well, he hasn't been this far away from me before. He is like a best friend to me. We do everything together, especially when its fandom related. Do you think he'll be okay?"

Ben guided me over to the leather sofa sat me down whilst he perched next to me and looked into my eyes, "Claudia, he is going to be fine. It doesn't take long to get to Kent from here so he will be fine. We can phone him later if you like? What about around after dinner so around 5-5.30?" He look down at our hands and then back to my eyes, and smiled. His eyes were kind and his smile wide. I started to cry for a number of reasons;

1) I was sat having my hand held by Benedict Cumberbatch

2) I haven't been this far away from Sam before

3) I also think I was going to get a visit from Aunt Irma (if you've watched The IT Crowd you will understand but if not don't worry your pretty little heads)

Ben saw my eyes getting all watery as they were about to leak. His face dropped and said to me that he didn't know what to say so I replied, "don't worry, lovely, I'll be okay in a minute" so with that Ben leaned forward and gave me a hug. His long muscular arms wrapped themselves around my body and his chin rested on top of my head whilst holding me close so I could feel his muscular chest rest against my chest. He was so warm like a teddy bear and he smelt beautiful. Using my amazing sniffing skills, I was able to identify that it was one of David Beckham's new fragrances. It smelt luxurious compared to my cheap (£1) Charlie Red spray that I lathered my body in before I left that morning. I felt Ben's hand touching my hair threading his fingers through my curls. His cardigan was soft against my arms and when I locked my arms around him my hands felt the cotton and it felt amazing. I could hug him all day, every day but I finally grew the confidence to remove my head from Bens shoulder and I wiped my tears away from my eyes with my hand and smiled.

"Are you okay, darling?" Ben asked me whilst reaching for a hankie from his trouser pocket to wipe my eyes. The hankie felt like silk against my cheek.

I smiled and said, "Yes, yes I am thank you. I am sorry you had to see that!"

Ben replied, "What do you mean? It's all normal, darling! We all need to cry from time to time so don't say sorry for crying!" Ben paused and looked into my bloodshot eyes and placed two fingers under my chin and raised it slightly, so he could see my face, and continued "Claudia, look at me" with both of his hands, he clasped my hand together and he turned to me, "promise me you will never say sorry to me for crying?"

I looked into his eyes and nodded, "I promise, Ben!" He pulled me close again to give me a hug again, "that's my girl" Ben whispered into my ear.

Whilst receiving this wonderful hug, my phone decided it wanted to chime in. "Do you want to get that?" Ben asked for me to reply, "No it's okay thank you, it's only my revision app just reminding me to revise."

Ben let go of me and said enthusiastically "Well if its revision you need, I am the man to help. What subject do you need to do first? Maths? Science? French? History? You name it I shall teach you it!"

"Well, I need to focus on maths a lot more as I need an A in it so maths please, Professor Cumberbatch!" With that he was gone. He ran out of the living room and up the stairs. He was nowhere to be seen for ages. Until he called me, "Claudia, darling, can you come here please?" So with that I went up the stairs. Why did he want me upstairs? What could he not bring downstairs? I was to find out right now...