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Chapter 3
Julia was lying on the bed. She'd said she wanted to sleep. Mason was sitting on the couch reading a
newspaper. The air seemed cleaner, as though after a storm, and Julia was glad Mason had let her in his
heart, if for a moment. Now they both felt quiet, serene and content together.
She couldn't sleep.
She rolled and stirred and finally sat up.
"I was wondering," Mason commented. "It's only eight o'clock."
"I know."
Julia was not sure how to put it or what exactly she wanted to say, but she felt it rather clearly.
"Mason," she called.
"Julia?"
"I know how much it hurts, what's happening with your parents," she said earnestly. "But when you're not a
child any more--"
Mason laughed bitterly. "I--"
"Let me finish, please."
He nodded.
"I mean when you - when a man has his own family, he has his wife and - kids--"
She sighed. She did not know how to put it, not to sound like she wanted a commitment (which, by the way,
she did want very much).
"--or - just a woman," she went on desperately.
"Yes, Julia?"
"To love him."
Mason got up. He turned to the window - rain pouring down the window glass and panes.
Where was Counsellor Wainwright, the storm of the courtroom, ever so apt with her wording? She was hurting
for him, and opening up to him. Was he worth it?
Julia needed to hear something in return, didn't she, but it was to be true, and what could he tell her?
The truth, he thought.
He turned to her.
"Thank you Julia. It - makes the difference."
Her face lit up. Mason went on, "It's very - very important for me, and it's been for a long time now. I really don't
know how I'd live without it."
He turned to the window again. Had he said too much? And still not enough?
He heard Julia lie down, and he pressed his forehead to the cold glass.
"Mason?" she called softly.
"Yes?"
"Do you mind...?"
He turned. "What?"
"Will you come here and hold me?"
He smiled.
"Please."
"Are you sure you can stand it?" he teased. "You refused--"
"Mason!"
Quietly, he undressed and lay next to her.
"Hold me - please," she asked him, turning her back to him. In a moment his body wrapped hers, and Julia felt
secure and happy.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"SURREALLY good manners," Mason muttered into her hair.
Julia was lying on the bed. She'd said she wanted to sleep. Mason was sitting on the couch reading a
newspaper. The air seemed cleaner, as though after a storm, and Julia was glad Mason had let her in his
heart, if for a moment. Now they both felt quiet, serene and content together.
She couldn't sleep.
She rolled and stirred and finally sat up.
"I was wondering," Mason commented. "It's only eight o'clock."
"I know."
Julia was not sure how to put it or what exactly she wanted to say, but she felt it rather clearly.
"Mason," she called.
"Julia?"
"I know how much it hurts, what's happening with your parents," she said earnestly. "But when you're not a
child any more--"
Mason laughed bitterly. "I--"
"Let me finish, please."
He nodded.
"I mean when you - when a man has his own family, he has his wife and - kids--"
She sighed. She did not know how to put it, not to sound like she wanted a commitment (which, by the way,
she did want very much).
"--or - just a woman," she went on desperately.
"Yes, Julia?"
"To love him."
Mason got up. He turned to the window - rain pouring down the window glass and panes.
Where was Counsellor Wainwright, the storm of the courtroom, ever so apt with her wording? She was hurting
for him, and opening up to him. Was he worth it?
Julia needed to hear something in return, didn't she, but it was to be true, and what could he tell her?
The truth, he thought.
He turned to her.
"Thank you Julia. It - makes the difference."
Her face lit up. Mason went on, "It's very - very important for me, and it's been for a long time now. I really don't
know how I'd live without it."
He turned to the window again. Had he said too much? And still not enough?
He heard Julia lie down, and he pressed his forehead to the cold glass.
"Mason?" she called softly.
"Yes?"
"Do you mind...?"
He turned. "What?"
"Will you come here and hold me?"
He smiled.
"Please."
"Are you sure you can stand it?" he teased. "You refused--"
"Mason!"
Quietly, he undressed and lay next to her.
"Hold me - please," she asked him, turning her back to him. In a moment his body wrapped hers, and Julia felt
secure and happy.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"SURREALLY good manners," Mason muttered into her hair.