Apartment No.4

Part 45: Back again.

Sorry for the big break between chapters guys! I hope this makes up for it! Love you all!!!!

Stepping onto the gravel out the front of the house Masons reaction was exactly the same as last time; a little bewildered and a little awestruck.

He quickly regained his composure, however, and helped the driver take our bags out from the boot while I ran up the stairs and knocked on the door consistently until someone answered.

"Ashley! So good to see you!" Pamela, dads assistant, opened the door and enveloped me in a hug.

Weird, I thought, that dad should be doing business on the weekend we'd scheduled for birthdays... maybe he forgot about it.

"Yeah good to see you too... is dad around?" In answer to my question a chime of laughter came from the living room and I smiled at her. Her face dropped slightly in awe as her eyes left my face and Masons hand found its way to its place on my lower back letting me know if his presence that seemed to shock Pamela - a forty-eight year old woman might I add.

"Hi, I'm Mason." He smiled, shaking her hand and her own smile beamed as soon as they touched. I narrowed my eyes.

"Pamela," she returned, her face flushing slightly. "well, you're very handsome... your father was right, Ashley." She laughed and I gripped Mason's waist nice and tight wth my hand as I let my tight lipped smile all but crack my face.

"Thanks Pamela, yeah, MY man is pretty great. Excuse us." Mason smirked down at me as we pushed past her and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Aw, aren't we the little jealous type."

"Shut up, asshole." I muttered.

We stalked into the living room and were met with screams of excitement - mainly from the ladies.

"Ashley," Aunty Edith cooed as she walked over to me, her arms outstretched and awaiting a hug. I held her tightly as she spoke in my ear, her breath tickling my ear. "So good to see you."

Aunty Edith was that Aunty I could speak to about anything. I remember when I found my ex cheating on me I went straight to her house and she force fed me home made choc chip cookies and milk until I was so full I blacked out on the couch. She was a small and slight lady who looked young for her age of 50. Her husband, uncle Ralph, died four years ago in a car accident, she dealt with it really well, I mean, as well as one could. But, at that point Kate was 16 and still in high school, and I knew she put on a brave face for her. She was sort of a replacement for when Mum left, she became my rock and I think it helped her fill the void, even if only slightly, that the death of uncle Ralph left.

"It's good to see you too, Aunty Edith." I squeezed her and she pulled away to greet Mason who was surprisingly looking comfortable though from the slight widening of his eyes I knew he was trying his hardest to not look panicked.

Everyone greeted the both of us with hugs and kisses and I noticed my fifteen year old cousin making eyes at him and I had to hold back a laugh.

Aunty Carol blessed both Mason and I with some Hindu blessing that neither of us could understand then resumed her position on a cushion on the floor.

We were bombarded with question after question after question and were left very little room to actually reply. When it all became too much I held up my hands in surrender.