5 times she recognized him by his sneeze and one time she didn’t. Knives Out Marta and Benoit

[aggedy_ann]

5 Times She Recognized Him By His Sneezing and One Time She Didn’t.   Fic for @matilda3948
part 1 of 2 or 3
Spoilery in this first part  

 

 

1.    Benoit was allergic to dogs.   That had been establish when he arrived at the mansion to investigate the case.   His stifled sneezes had punctuated the investigation, and he sat there, sneezing two or three times into his handkerchief, watery eyes daring anyone to bless him or acknowledge it in any way.     

Marta was the only one who had gotten away with, not only a blessing, but an offer of antihistamines, which Benoit had actually accepted.

They had just read the will, and Marta was under attack by the family.   The dogs looked on as if waiting for Marta scraps.  Her heart leapt when she heard a familiar “hetmmphh, httschh, hthhmmshh.” Coming down the hall.

“Marta!”  He said sternly.  Or as sternly as he could manage with a runny nose.  “I need a word.”  He spun on his heel, expecting her to following him.

“I better see what he wants.”  Marta managed, all but dashing from the room.    She heard him sneezing further down the hall and followed the sound.   

“You should step outside.” She told him, gently yet firmly.  

“”Hehhtmmshh.” He moved to the door.   “Why are they so wound up?”

She hesitated, then told him what the will had said.

“Ehhtchmmph!”  If a sneeze could sound surprised, that one did, and he led her outside just as the rest of the family came charging after her.

 

 

2.    Marta entered the restaurant, feeling out of place at somewhere so fancy, at her dress and high heels.  It had been ages since she’d had a date, let alone with someone like Benoit.  He was just out of her league, although it seemed he didn’t think so.  

She gave her name and his to the host, surprised to hear he wasn’t there eat.  Usually he was beyond punctual.   The host led her to the table, took her drink order, and she pulled out her phone to send him a text.   He sent one just as she was about to start typing.   ‘Just parked.  Be right there.’

She sat there waiting for a few minutes when an easily recognizable ‘ hetmmschh’ caught her attention.  She turned so he could see her, and moments later, he sat down.  

“Hehhtmmshh, ehhmschhh.”  He sneezed again, then turning to the wall, softly blew his nose.   “Excuse me.  I’m sorry.  I seem to have come down with a touch of a cold.  We can go if you don’t want to do this tonight.”

She shook her head.  “It’s fine, if you’re up for it.   You need to eat.”
 

 

 

 

 

 

[matilda3948]

   Ahh!! This is so cute! I freaking LOVE it! Thank you sooooo much! I can't believe you've been writing with everything else you have going on--you're a rock star! I was going to quote my favorite bits, but it included everything  

I appreciate you! Hope you're doing okay  

[sprinkles287]

I watched this a few weeks ago and loved it so much!!!! This is absolutely wonderful. Marta is such a cool character and I like the dialogue you have going between them. Benoit is such a gentleman.

[aggedy_ann]

The next two for @matilda3948

At The Park

 It was a sunny spring day, and Marta had arranged to meet Benoit at the park for some exercise.  She felt he was getting too sedentary with his work.  He, of course, disagreed but had consented to meet her at a park near his apartment.   

She scanned the park for him when a familiar sound caught her attention.  

“Hettmmschh.”

She turned her head in that direction.

“Ehhtschmpphh, hehtschmpff.”  She spotted him near a grove of pine trees, blowing his nose.

“Bless you.” She said, softly, joining him.

He grumpily acknowledged her blessing with a nod.   “Ready to walk?”  He blew his nose on his handkerchief.

“I am, but are you?”

“Allergies.  I’ll be fine.”  He buried his face in the handkerchief.  “Uhhtschmfff.”

“We could go walk somewhere indoors.”

“What, like the mall?”  He looked horrified.  “I’ll take my chances with the pollen.”

 

 

  At his house (ok, more like found him)
Marta used her key to unlock the door to Benoit’s house.  She had come over to help him pack for his move to the mansion.   

A glance around the downstairs showed it to be rather packed up except for the kitchen, which would be the last.   She headed upstairs, wondering where he was.   She searched through the bedrooms and checked his office.   No Benoit.

There was only one last place he could be, she mused as she headed back downstairs.

She opened the basement door to hear a faint ‘hetmmsphh.”

Starting down, she followed the sound of sneezing to the far back of the basement.

“Hehhhmmphhh.”  He covered his face with his handkerchief and blew his nose.

“Hey.”  Marta said, softly from behind him.  “Found you.”

He chuckled.  “So you did. How’d you determine down here?”

“Followed the sound of the sneezing.”
 

[matilda3948]

  I love both of these but Benoit with pollen allergies??! Wow!!

[aggedy_ann]

And the last part:

 

At the party
Marta was nervous.  This was the first time she was out with him where his friends would be present.  A Christmas party thrown by one of his friends.   Meeting new people made her her nervous to begin with, and she felt she had to make an extra good impression, as she knew he had talked her up to his friends.   

She was let in to the party, and the room was crowded.  She had no idea how she was going to find the only familiar face there.  Waiters passed by, offering her drinks and food.   

She scanned the room repeatedly, searching for a sight of him, coming up empty each time.   Perhaps he wasn’t there yet, she sighed.

Her ears perked up as she heard a familiar sound.   

“Hetmmpshh.”

He was there.  She finally spotted him in the corner talking to a woman in a blue cocktail dress.

“Hehhmmppscchhh.”

That one sounded desperate, she thought, approaching him.   “Bless you.”  She said, softly.

  “Hetmmphh.”  He muffled that one in his handkerchief.  “It was nice meeting you,” he said to the woman, “but as you can see, my date is here now.”

They watched as the woman flounced off, and Benoit sneezed again.  “Terribly noxious perfume.” Was his comment as he attempted to discretely blow his nose.

At the mansion

Benoit and Marta sat 8n the living room of the mansion, chatting, or at least Marta was attempting to.  Benoit had a terrible cold, and was less than talkative.  Presumably because his throat hurt.

After half an hour of trying to engage him and carrying the conversation, Marta looked at his empty glass of water, and took note of his frequent throat clearing, and offered him a cup of tea.

She disappeared to the kitchen to heat the water.   She was finishing the tea, slicing lemons to go on the side when she heard it.

“Heyehhshoo.”  A loud sneeze echoed down the hallway.  But who?  Was it a groundskeeper inside the house for something?

HehhEhhshoo.”  A second one.  She paused momentarily, then relaxed.  Benoit would certainly be in search of the sneezer.   

She carried the tray to the living room.

“HetEhshoo!”  The sneeze was getting louder the closer she got.

She turned the corner to the living room and saw Benoit, handkerchief in front of his face.

“Heh-heh-HetEhshoo!”  He doubled over from the force of the sneeze.

“Bless you.”  She said after he blew his nose.  “I didn’t realize that was you.  I thought there was someone in the house.”

He flushed.  “I didn’t think you could hear me.”

“You can hear everything down here; it’s so open.”

“Hetmmpphh.” He pinched off a sneeze in his handkerchief.

“You can let them out if you need to.” She told him.  “I don’t mind, now that I know it’s you.” She laughed.
 

[matilda3948]

Thank you so much!! These were so great and they gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings I dearly need right now. Poor Benoit with a cold is drool-worthy. 

[AntheaHolmes]

Benoit is an amazing character. Really enjoyed the stories. Great description of the sneezes. Loved it.