Chapter 49: Daredevil
1862 Words
Mason was enjoying the night drive in his Mercedes Benz G-wagon. Open windows fresh air coming from outside, Soft RnB Music playing. His phone on the co-driver’s seat. A right call was going to make him turn the car around and go back to enjoying that movie with his family. Hopefully it wasn't going to ring because he wanted to see her. A man on the clock remember? Fighting against time to win a bet that had so far made him do things he never thought he'd do. A chance to close that chapter in a single week had just presented itself and he wasn't going to let it go. The phone finally rang, he stopped in the middle of the lonely lit up road. It wasn't Audrey.
"What?"
"That's rude MK"
"We talked after school what else? Give me some room to breathe and finish up this mess"
"That you put yourself into because of your idol’s jerseys" she mocked, "I'm going to assume that's fatigue talking, where are you?"
"In bed" he lied and picked up the pace driving slowly. On the clock it was almost ten in the evening, he was a few minutes away from the miller’s manor.
"I have this feeling you're not in bed"
"Since when are your feelings correct?"
"Okay, I called to say goodnight. I love you"
"Love you too"
"Where's the I?"
Mason hung up, threw the phone back to the seat and sped away as though he was being chased. He rolled up his windows and increased the volume of the music in the car. All that for a bet? Someone would have found it hard to believe. Someone like those two keen friends of mine fluffydiva and Glynnis. Was he even in control of his own emotions? My wild guess, the mind was attracted to her but the body being a snail was going to follow suit. And that was what he was afraid of, realizing that there was a reason apart from the bet he was actually doing that.
****
After a successful dinner, one of a few Audrey had enjoyed under her own roof, the family went to the living room to enjoy a family movie. Christian as expected guess who did the selection. They also used that chance to discuss the holiday destinations as though they were not already predetermined by the two adults. All of them except Audrey had glasses of wine, she was doing juice for her own benefit. The last time she had wine a boy kissed her lips and she liked it. What she was yet to decipher was whether it was the wine that liked it or just her but still she missed those little jack fruit-orange chats. She missed him teasing her all over and acting childish around her and above all she just missed seeing him smile and frown then smile again.
"You look lost"
"The juice has started having its impact"
"You're not insinuating you're drunk on juice, are you?"
"Exactly" she whispered and ruffled her hand through Ivy's hair, "Are you excited about tomorrow?"
"My whole life since moving in has been exciting and it keeps getting better..."
Rose looked in their direction, it was a restrictive look not the usual glare. The boys were swimming in the sea of concentration which was weird. Turned out the whispering was not that quiet as they thought it was.
"Sorry mum" Audrey said holding her ears.
"Why do that?" Lucas was after all not concentrating as it seemed earlier.
"It's an Indian culture for children they do it to show they are sorry" Rose explained, they all waited for an explanation concerning how on earth she knew that much, "I watch a lot of Bollywood"
"The dancing stuff and too much fiction"
"Lucas, reality is already so harsh why not try fiction?"
"Can we just watch the movie" Growled David.
The kids seemed like they were withholding laughter, David was getting emotionally attached to the characters in the movie. The suffering of the female lead had all of a sudden made him more compassionate. What they all didn't know was how much he related to the movie, it was as though he was watching his own past life unfold right in front of his eyes.
"Damn, you got me here"
"Dad, are you getting attached to fictional characters? You know they are just following a script, right?"
"Literature is reflection of the society, it's a visual version of what most people are holding back in their hearts. All that's hidden behind those beautiful smiles, way beyond the good looks" the butler invited himself to the banter, "that movie is reminding him of where he used to be"
"You know me so well Clive"
"I got you sir...a quick one. Is any of you expecting a guest at this hour?"
Audrey froze. As the rest of the family shook their heads in denial. As usual they didn't expect her to have any guests at that hour, she didn't have any even within the normal visiting hours.
"Well, there's a certain Mason Klein at the gate. Anyone knows him?"
Ivy was the first one to look at Audrey. She never felt more embarrassed, her gaze dropped as her heart pounded in her chest. For all the atrocities he had committed against her, Lucas saw an opportunity to set the foundation for the first step towards mending that broken bridge between them.
"You got me!" He stepped up, "Mason is my friend, let me go check out what he wants"
To make it more believable he took out his phone and scrolled through it amazed.
"Dude even called and texted, mum, your phones on silent mode rule k..."
"I'm sorry just go ahead"
"Audrey, you want to escort me?"
"Hell no, she is not" David argued somehow agitated, was that reverse Oedipus complex right there? Rose looked at him surprised and Audrey, although frustrated that he wasn't letting her go to see Mason, she was happy that he cared whether she went or not.
"Okay, let the dogs chew me then" Lucas played the victim sending them into a frenzy of laughter.
"Are you seriously seeking to have Audrey as your security?" Ivy mocked, "she is scared of everything really"
"Not dogs apparently"
"But she is not going to meet a boy at this hour of the night even if he is your friend" David was not going to be easily convinced, he was a teenager once and they thought the Old dog didn't know some new tricks.
"Looks like am going all alone, wish me luck. Let’s go Clive"
The aforementioned was left dumbstruck. Turns out Lucas knew his name after close to an eternity of calling him names. Wasn't that a miracle? He just shook his head and followed him outside. True to what the butler said, Mason was leaning on his car in front of the gate, laughing childishly at his phone.
"Dude!"
"Oh, hi Lucas, what's up? You look great men"
"Thanks, my G what are you doing here?"
"Came to see your sister"
Lucas almost choked on his saliva after bursting into laughter. He thought his step-sister was on drugs, a passive weed smoker after all she was surrounded by Tina and Ivy what he considered bad influence. But Mason confirming he was there an hour to midnight just to see her sounded even more crazier. No, he was not acting about his changed attitude, he just didn't imagine the existence of a universe where Audrey was the better choice for Mason.
"You're kidding right? You got me right their men, am impressed. That was a good one. But on a serious note..."
"I don't think he is joking Lucas"
"Shut up old man...sorry Clive. But still shut up... it's going to take me some time to wrap my head around your name"
"I'm not joking Lucas am here to see Audrey. If you just tell me where she is I'll be on my way"
And then it sank in. The reality that everyone else in his life had found a way to love Audrey even with her fat sweaty body, they were not the same and somehow she found a way to sneak in their hearts and lighten them up. Was it the reason he didn't like her? Competing for love and attention with her? Yeah, probably the one of many.
"Son you might wanna see Audrey but I don't think her dad wants to see you" the butler said respectfully.
"Yeah, as much as I'd want to show you dad's going to be a problem"
"I can handle him. Just point me to her direction"
"Okay, if you insist"
"Lucas..."
"Don't worry Clive. Dad won't kill him, he will understand. I wish I had your courage buddy"
"It's love mate. Gives you wings" he winked as the two buddies walked side behind the butler was behind them looking forward to another confrontation from an irate David who all of sudden cared much about his daughter’s social life especially the part where hot boys like Mason started showing interest and using her naivety against her.
"Dad, a guest"
"It's too late to have guests" David said turning around to see who it was, Audrey wanted the marble tiled floor to open up and swallow her whole. She couldn't believe mason was standing in her living room. Ivy too had her jaw dropped. Was it really happening?
"I know Mr. Miller, big fan" Mason went for a handshake that David couldn't avoid.
"I don't play any sports"
"Of your management skills... hi Mrs. Miller, my sister loves you and she'd kill me if I told her I was here without her"
"Thank you" Rose smiled.
He went ahead and shook the hands of Audrey and Ivy then joined Lucas on a couch. Silence ensued and Audrey was looking at him with pity in her eyes. He looked right through her, mason had her where he wanted.
"So, Lucas where does your friend come from?" Rose started off the interrogation.
"He has a mouth, where do you come from?" David hated him, he had a bad feeling about him. He could tell from how they were exchanging glances.
"I'm from west lands...."
"Where exactly? Whose son, are you?"
"Dad you can't possibly know all dad's in west lands"
"But he'd know Mike Klein" Ivy jumped in.
"Hold up, you're Mike Klein's son!"
"Yeah, although I didn't want you to find that out, thanks Ivy that was really helpful" he mocked.
"You're welcome" she didn't feel the sarcasm in his statement.
"Why? I'm sure a million people would want to be associated with Mike Klein and his lovely wife" Rose's facial expression changed, “Maryse"
"Because you're going to be nice to me from this moment"
"You're right and smart too...Clive, get him champagne. Or what will you prefer?"
Where was the lie in Mason's statement? But before then, was he going to confess his love...fake love to Audrey in front of his entire family? What an insult that would be? I think we should all learn to control our desires.
- Writer
