"You said you knew my pop, man," Tommy said, his voice firm.
"Knock it off, Tom, and stop givin' me that pitiful look," Benjamin replied, pushing himself away from the chair. "Slow down! I didn't claim to know your pop, I just said I've heard of him, that's all!"
"What's the diff man? I am still the son of Barnaby Jones, ain't I?"
Benjamin sneered, "Haha, funny Tom. What's the next thing you gonna say? Your mom's black?"
Tommy kept a straight face, not rising to the bait. His expression seemed to say, "Yeah, obviously," but he didn't dignify Benjamin's taunt with a response.
Benjamin snorted, "Spare me that. No good white folk, especially someone like Barnaby Jones, would get involved with a woman like your mom."
He raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with disdain. "You must be pretty desperate to cling to whatever connection you have with him, huh? That's a mighty weak thread you're hanging onto, friend."
Tommy's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched.
With a voice that was firm, his eyes flashing with a fierce protectiveness, he retorted.
"Don't you dare disrespect my mama like that! She's a queen, the best of the best. Y'all wish you had a mother like mine, who's got a heart of gold and always puts others first. You're just mad 'cause y'all own white mamas didn't give you the love and attention you needed, and now you're taking it out on me and my family."
Benjamin's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Oh, spare me the dramatics, Tommy. I ain't impressed by your mama's supposed virtues. If your dad really is Barnaby Jones, then he's a fool for falling for your black mama's tricks."
Tommy's face reddened with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. "You don't know the first thing about my family, Benjamin! You don't know what my momma's been through, what she's had to fight to overcome. She's a warrior, and she's taught me to be one too!."
Benjamin smirked, "Oh, I'm shakin' in my boots, Tom? Ha! You think your family's got class and integrity? Please, boy! You can keep your fancy manners and your fake smile, I'll take my momma's heart and grit any day of the week!."
Tommy had begun crying, overwhelmed by the intense conversation. No one had ever spoken so boldly about his mom before.
The exchange had been so heated that they hadn't even noticed they had switched positions.
Now, Tommy sat in the seat Benjamin had previously occupied, looking up at him with tears in his eyes.
Benjamin stood before him, gazing down with a mix of surprise and faint empathy. They were standing so close, their faces mere inches apart, the tension between them boiling hot.
Suddenly, a weird image appeared in Tommy's head - an image of his face in between Benjamin's thighs as Benjamin stood looking down at him while he sat…..
"F**k you!" Tommy yelled at the image in his head, trying to shake off the strange and unsettling vision.
Benjamin's eyes flashed with anger, his face reddening as he flared up at Tommy's words. "What did you just say to me?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
He took a step closer, his tall frame looming over Tommy, and bent down, his face inches from Tommy's.
His hand shot out, grasping Tommy's collar, and he pulled him up, their faces now mere inches apart.
Tommy's heart raced as he felt Benjamin's hot breath on his face, his eyes locked on the angry gaze.
He tried to squirm away, but Benjamin's grip was too strong, his fingers digging into the fabric of Tommy's shirt.
"Repeat it," Benjamin snarled, his voice dripping with malice. "Speak your mind, Tom. Say it again!."
What? F**k you? It wasn't meant for you, rather the image of YOU!
Tommy's voice trembled as he tried to speak, his eyes fixed on Benjamin's furious expression. "Aww, shucks, Benjamin, I didn't mean to rile ya! Please, suh, lemme go!."
But Benjamin's anger only seemed to intensify, his grip on Tommy's collar tightening. "You think you can mouth off to me and then take it back? You're fixin' to regret…."
Benjamin's eyes widened in surprise, his statement left incomplete when he felt a light brush against his crotch.
"What you...?!" he thought, his eyes fixed on Tommy.
Tommy's eyes were tightly shut, bracing for the worst, expecting Benjamin's punch, and his knees were raised as if to shield himself.
Benjamin's gaze dropped lower, noticing Tommy's hands were close to his crotch, hugging his (Tommy's) own knees to his chest.
He must have accidentally made contact.
But Benjamin doubted it was an accident, after all, blacks were tricky humans.
He felt a strange sensation, a mix of surprise and excitement after he convinced himself the black boy was trying to play a game with fire involved.
'Is this kid tryin' to get tough with me? Well, okay, hotshot, let's see how you handle a real fight!' He thought.
Benjamin slightly and gently let go of Tommy's collar, only to place his hands on both sides of Tommy's hips.
Tommy's eyes widened at the unexpected movement, his mind racing with confusion and a hint of fear. But Benjamin didn't give him a chance to retort or think it through.
With surprising strength, Benjamin gripped Tommy's hips firmly and lifted him off the chair.
Tommy: "...."
The suddenness of the action left Tommy momentarily speechless.
He felt his feet leave the floor as Benjamin hoisted him up with an ease that belied his lean frame.
Tommy's hands instinctively reached out to steady himself, his fingers brushing against Benjamin's shoulders.
Tommy's mind was a whirlwind of emotions—shock, fear, and a strange, uncomfortable curiosity.
And then the intensity in Benjamin's eyes as he stared at him was unlike anything Tommy had ever seen before, a mix of amusement, determination and something darker, more primal.
He didn't know what to make of it, and his heart pounded in his chest as he tried to process what was happening.
"Put me down," Tommy finally managed to say, his voice shaky but defiant. "What in tarnation do you think you're doin', man?!"
Tommy began wriggling, trying to break free. "Freeze right where you are," Benjamin said, his voice hoarse. "Well, else I'll have to go ahead and give your momma a holler, and we'll get to the bottom of who your real daddy is, boy!"
He added that last statement purposefully, knowing it would provoke Tommy to struggle even more.
As expected, Tommy took the bait and wriggled violently, his anger fueling his movements.
Benjamin tightened his grip, anticipating Tommy's reaction.
He had been thinking of how to tame this black boy, and now he believed he had found a way. After this, Tommy would fear him till he grew old.
But Tommy abruptly stopped when he felt a sensation underneath his...
His eyes widened in horror as he realized what was happening. Benjamin's sinister smile confirmed his worst fears.
"You see, Tommy boy," Benjamin whispered, "sometimes it's better to just shut up and do as you're told."
Tommy's breath hitched as he tried to process the situation. He felt humiliated and powerless, his mind racing for a way out.
"You're plumb sick, ain't ya," he spat, trying to muster as much courage as he could.
Benjamin's smile only grew wider. "Maybe I am," he said, his voice low and menacing. "But now you know what happens when you cross me, young one."
Tommy's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and anger coursing through his veins. He had to find a way to escape this nightmare.
Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, he stopped struggling and stared directly into Benjamin's eyes.
"Ain't no way you're gonna strong-arm me into doing your bidding, sucka!," he said, his voice steady.
Benjamin's smile faltered for a moment, surprised by Tommy's defiance. Why was this black kid so thick skinned?
But he quickly regained his composure. "We'll see about that, sonny," he replied, his tone icy.