We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghost standing
in the place of you and me
Trying to remember how it feels
To have a heartbeat
-Two Ghosts, Harry Styles
08| Mason
The sweet smell of vanilla tickled his nose. It was comforting, engulfing him in an aura that made him forget about everything that was around. Then he remembered who could have that perfume and his eyes fluttered open.
Evelyn's hair first came to his view. He slowly felt his hands. Those were around her shoulders. Evelyn was sleeping on top of him.
Jesus. He gasped.
Mason could remember what happened last night. Evelyn came downstairs and after they finished watching the cool zombie movie ( Evelyn didn't like it at all) she suggested watching something cooler. She brought out a CD of Now you see me. Although Mason had watched the movie before, he couldn't say it out loud. Evelyn was too excited about it.
So they went on watching the movie. Soon, blankets were brought downstairs as the night went colder. Chips and cookies were brought to eat. Mason couldn't still remember when they fell asleep and how Evelyn ended up sleeping on him.
Mason moved a little and felt the blankets draping their feet like a trap. His heart kept playing basketball inside his chest. As for Evelyn, she was sleeping peacefully, he figured. Her breathing was calm and she had her hands wrapped around him.
He moved his hands and tapped on her shoulder, once, twice and she gave no response.
''C'mon, Evelyn, wake up.'' He tapped again.
She mumbled something and shifted a little bit, wrapping him tighter.
''Umm, Evelyn, the sun is up, won't you like to wake up?'' He asked a little bit louder than before.
''Nope. It's comfortable. I am sleeping on something warm. Warm puddle of, of,'' She stops in midway mumbling and jabbed her pinkie in his ribcage. ''Something hard. A warm puddle of something hard, umm weird. But it's comfortable and I don't mind.''
Just open your eyes and we will see how well you don't mind.
''Will you like to tell me exactly what you think it is?'' Mason asked out loud.
''Hmm, of course. It's just my pillows and blankets. Duh.'' She said and dissolved into his chest.
''You do need to open your eyes and take a look at your pillows,'' Mason said clearly and loudly so she could hear.
''What, the pillow talks, how?'' She shifted and pushing her elbow in his chest, she jerked up.
She looked at him. Her hazel eyes went wide as if she had just seen a ghost. In reply, Mason looked at her emotionless.
''Mornin', Evelyn, say hi to your warm puddle of pillows.'' He said with the same blank expression and Evelyn jerked upright on his thighs in a second. Turning around, she started fighting with the blankets that were tangled around their feet.
''You are my blankets! You can't conspire against me!'' She said removing the blankets as Mason sat up.
When he was about to lend her a hand, she jumped up from the sofa and was standing a foot away.
Looking around with that same wide-eyed face, she asked, ''Has dad come home?''
Mason couldn't tell. He had slept like the dead. So he shrugged.
Evelyn quickly ran towards the other end vanishing into the corridor, maybe towards her dad's room. She came back fast.
''Dad's not at home.'' She said standing away from the couch as Mason removed the blankets from his feet. When he looked up, he had to bite the inside of his cheeks to stop himself from smiling.
Looking at Evelyn, he saw her cheeks blushing deep red like beetroot as if all the blood of her body had risen to her cheeks and nose. She looked nervous and startled.
''So, ahem, um, you, um, why don't you make me breakfast? I am going upstairs to freshen up and if you want to fresh up, the guest bathroom is that way.'' She said with a start.
''Okay, I will fresh up. But what made you think I can make breakfast?'' Mason said.
''Well, umm,'' She looked around as if looking for something, ''The way you move in the kitchen?''
''You are asking me or asking yourself?'' Mason looked at her. He was sure she brought it up just to talk about something not to make things awkward. It was getting harder not to grin with every passing second.
Her cheeks reddened and Mason bit the inside of his cheeks harder.''I uh I let you stay at my house at night. I gave you shelter and you can't even make breakfast for me? I don't care if you can make it or not.''
''Hmm,'' He stroked his chin. ''You do have a point.''
''Okay, I will make you breakfast.'' He said as he stood up and looked at Evelyn as her lips broke into a smile.
''Now, sometimes I do think, you may not be that much of a jerk.'' She said while smiling.
''Sometimes?'' Mason asked as he went towards the guest bathroom.
''You still are a jerk, anyway,'' Evelyn said and went upstairs hurriedly.
''I don't know who I am, Evelyn. You are making me think twice,'' Mason murmured as he made his way.
It was quite ironic to get directions from Evelyn to move around the house. What she didn't know was that this house belonged to Mason once. Before Evelyn moved here, Mason never even set foot in this area and now he was sleeping in the same house.
With Evelyn on top of you.
Oh, shut up. Anyway, It felt so weird to him to move into his house like a stranger while he knew what was in every corner of it. He grew up here, his whole childhood was spent here with his family.
Looking inside of his house made him feel blank and reminded him of what he was missing. He knew he needed the reminder. Staying away like a coward because he still couldn't believe the facts was never an option.
After freshening up, he walked over to the kitchen. Reyes hadn't changed much about the kitchen. They had set the dining table exactly where his mother had set there's. The picture was so familiar and Mason could picture his mother, Sarah Stewart running around in the kitchen as always. He took a step forward and the picture vanished away.
He opened the kitchen cabinets and brought out the Nutella, grabbed two bananas and half toasted the bread from the dining table. Spreading Nutella carefully all around the edges, he sliced the banana and put it inside. Now, it was time for the special touch just as mom used to do.
Mason took a pan and placed the sandwich. He let them sit in the pan until the Nutella looked melted enough and the bread got crispy around the edges.
''Who are you, MasterChef undercover? It smells like heaven in here.'' Evelyn said with her eyes widened.
''Is that right? Am I hearing Evelyn Reyes is praising me, or the sun had risen in the West?'' Mason said as a smile crept upon his face. This time he didn't fight it.
''Wow, these are actually good, I thought they only smelled good.'' She said chewing a sandwich. ''These are actually really good. What have you put inside, wait, let me think, banana?''
''Nice job, Sherlock.'' Mason mocked as he made another one.
''I haven't eaten a good breakfast in months. Trust me, Dad is a miserable cook. All he can offer is cornflakes and milk and my tongue had died eating those. I can't even eat breakfast properly...'' She stopped suddenly and looked at Mason.
''What?'' Mason asked.
''I am eating breakfast. I can eat.'' Evelyn looked at the sandwich as if it was an artifact from an alien world.
''Why you won't be able to eat breakfast?'' Mason asked being surprised.
''No, you don't get it. My stomach, it was supposed to be in....wait, how I am not still throwing up?'' She looked at the sandwich and took a bite carefully as if the sandwich was a bomb and it would burst into flames. She chewed slowly and gulped it down. A smile slowly crept up on her face.
''I don't have any idea what you are talking about,'' Mason said, taking a bite of a sandwich.
''You bet,'' Evelyn said smiling and suddenly she narrowed her eyes. ''It has something to do with you. Now that you are done making me breakfast, what are you still doing here? Why don't you go home? Are you waiting for me to kick you out?''
''About that, Evelyn. I don't have one.'' Mason said. This is my home, right here. He added silently. He could feel her eyes on him. She said nothing and they went on eating. After they were finished Evelyn hurriedly went upstairs. Mason put the plates in the dishwasher.
After being done with them, Mason moved to the living room couch and picked up his jacket. Taking one last look at the room, he remembered something from his past. Suddenly he was not the Mason at the age of eighteen. He was a little boy who was looking for his toy elephant's trunk.
''Don't worry, Mr. Ele. I will find your trunk.'' Mason said as he climbed down the stairs. Mal was upstairs in his room playing with her dolls. Mom had told them not to come downstairs because the elders were talking. When Mason started playing, he saw Mr. Ele was missing his trunk. He thought it was in the living room. He wanted to listen to his mom but Mr. Ele needed help and mom had also told him to help whoever needed it.
He heard dad and Uncle Landon talking when he came downstairs. Uncle Landon was a nice uncle. He was really sweet to Mason. He always brought many chocolates and toys. He was the one who gave Mason Mr. Ele.
Mason kept looking for the trunk around the stairs. He knew Mr. Ele would be very upset if he didn't find his trunk.
''Listen, brother, you have always tried to control me. I am not your son!'' Uncle Landon's voice was so loud it scared Mason. He stood up from his crouching position and hugged Mr. Ele.
''I am not controlling you. Whatever you are thinking is dangerous.'' Dad shouted back. Mason had never heard his dad shout like that. Uncle Landon and Dad had never fought before.
''I don't care. I don't care anymore. I don't want to live like you!'' Uncle Landon retreated.
Is this how elders talk? Mason thought. They were shouting so loudly it made Mason's knee buckled.
''You know I will never allow you to do that. It is my company and you can't do anything without my order.'' Dad said and Mason could not hear anymore. Mom was standing in front of him.
''Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing downstairs?'' Mom knelt in front of him.
''Mom, why are they fighting? It is very bad to fight.'' Mason asked.
''No, sweetie, they aren't fighting. They will stop now. I will make them friends again. Go to your room, sweetie.'' Mason's mom gave him a small peck on his cheek.
''Okay, mom. Mom, Mr. Ele lost his trunk.'' He said as he went for the stairs.
''I will find it for you.''Mom smiled and Mason went up. When he reached his door, he saw Mal covering her ears.
''Elders don't know how to talk. All they do is shout.'' Mal complained.
''Mom said they will stop,'' Mason assured.
''You always believe whatever mom says.'' She said and looked at her doll.
''Why don't you too? It is a bad thing not to listen to Mom.'' He said and looked at Mr. Ele. He felt bad for him.
''You will understand when you grow up.'' She said.
''Hey,'' Mason complained, ''I am older than you.''
Mal shrugged, ''We are twins.''
''But mom said I am older.'' He replied.
''Not again,'' Mal said and started playing.
Mason heaved a sigh. Wearing his shoes, he quickly got out of the house. He felt as if someone had sucked all the oxygen from his lungs, it ached to remember the trains of memories. He got out of the street somehow and looking at the places around him, he felt void. He got out his phone, found Mallory's number, and hit call. The phone kept ringing and Mallory didn't pick up. He knew she would never pick up. He also knew he deserved it but he was really missing her. All he wanted was to listen to someone who was family. Yet, his sister thought otherwise.
''C'mon Mal, pick up the phone,'' He said and the call went to voicemail.
He thought about the things he wanted to say. He wanted to talk about anything and everything. But his throat caught and like every day he could only make out three words, 'I am sorry.'
Cutting the call he made his way to Paul's garage. Paul was a man of seventy still working with great gusto. Dad always liked repairing cars from Paul. He used to say Paul had a passion for it, he knew how to make the cars talk. It was hard for Mason to understand how a car could talk at that age. His dad ruffled his hair and told him if he ever had that passion he wanted him to open his own automobile company. Mason could only shrug and tried to carry the toolbox.
''Hey Paul,'' He said hanging his jacket on the rack.
''Oh, Mason, my son,'' He said as he walked forward, ''Good morning.''
''Good morning Paul. How is my Rosy doing now?'' He asked as he walked towards the green old jeep standing in a corner.
With Paul's help, Mason had finally sold his car. He hadn't got the price he was expecting, thanks to Evelyn.
''Your Rosy says, she is almost ready to run.'' Mason smiled and opened the car hood. Picking up a tool, he examined the piston.
''Hey Paul, don't you miss Fletcher?'' He asked and looked at Paul. Fletcher was Paul's son who used to work in Mason's dad company, in Stewart Enterprise. He had died in a car accident two years ago.
''Yes, Mason. I do.'' He said as he sat down on a chair. Mason closed the hood and sat down on the ground, hugging his knees.
''How do you deal with it?'' Mason said looking at him.
''I don't know son. I just think of how wonderful things he would have done if he was alive. But I know wherever he is, he is happy. My son Fletcher had never let anyone down.'' He said looking at his fingers.
''But, look at me, Paul. I was a very bad son and also I am a terrible brother.'' He smiled sadly.
''Mason, my dear, don't get too hard on yourself. When you made your decisions, you knew it was the best. Even if you had done a mistake, you realize it and that's the biggest thing. It doesn't change anything but you need to realize. Don't hold onto them, take lessons, and move on.'' Paul said.
''Nice lecture, old man.'' He smiled and stood up. Paul was right. Holding onto his mistakes was the thing he was doing. But letting go of them was easier said than done.
''Old men are of use, Stewart,'' Paul said and patted him on the shoulder.
''So, Mr. Old Man, how do I repair this thing?'' Mason said leaning on the hood.
''Watch and learn.'' He said and started working.
• • •
Edited.