Waiting

Waiting Ch. 18

Chapter Eighteen

Mason and I listened to the music in the ice cream parlor, as we waited for some customers to come. No one did though, and I just sat on the counter talking to Mason, until his phone rang. "Hold on," He muttered, and when he looked at the caller ID, his face grew hard. "What?" He snapped into the phone.

The voice on the other line talked, and Mason turned his back to me. "Fine, but when?" Mason asked, "Today? Why didn't you tell me earlier if you knew..." The voice talked into the phone again, and Mason sighed. "Fine, fine," He grumbled, "I'll be there soon."

He snapped the phone shut, and turned to face me. "I have to go," He said, "My Father's leaving for the army again. He's being called back."

"Can I come?" I asked, "I want to meet him!"

"No you don't," He told me.

"Please, Mason," I pleaded. Mason sighed, and looked around. The place was dead, so he couldn't argue.

"Fine," He grumbled. I jumped off the counter smiling, and grabbed my coat. I got into his car, and he started driving me to his house.

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Mason pulled into his driveway, and I stared at his house. It was a small brick house, that looked cute on the outside, but on the inside, the place looked a mess. I ignored it though, and followed Mason through the house.

"Dad," He hollered.

Mr. Slatter came marching down the steps in a uniform, and a single duffle bag. "No need to yell," He scolded, "I'm right here." Mr. Slatter looked behind Mason, to me. He raised his eyebrows, and smiled. "Is this the pretty lady?"

"Dad," Mason said, like a warning, "This is Taylor Rodes, my girlfriend." I smiled, and offered my hand to Mr. Slatter. He took it, his hands warm and clammy, and shook it firmly.

"You hands are so small compared to mine," He told me with a small smile.

"Everything about her is smaller compared to you," Mason grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

I ignored him, and said, "It's very nice to meet you!"

"You too pretty lady," He said, "Why don't you come sit down in the kitchen."

"Thank you," I muttered, following him into the kitchen. I looked back at Mason who had his eyebrows risen like he didn't expect that.

Mr. Slatter sat down at the table, and I sat down in the seat across from, Mason sitting next to me. "So Mason tells me you're going back into the army," I said.

"Navy," He corrected, "This child doesn't know anything."

I winced, and forced myself not to look at Mason. "Well why did you decided to join the Navy?" I asked, "That's a very big responsibility!"

He nodded, "I decided to go after Mason's Mother died. She was everything to me, and I felt like without her I needed to die. Then I realized when I joined the Navy that what she wanted was everyone to get along, and that when I joined the Navy, that's what I was doing. I was fighting for her."

Mason scoffed, and I hit him with my hand. "What a beautiful story," I said, "I'm a scardy cat. I would never even consider joining the Navy."

"Oh," He said, "Well what are you going to do when Mason joins?"

I looked at Mason who looked like he just zoned back into the conversation. "I...I didn't know he was," I whispered, and then looked back at Mr. Slatter.