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Chapter 10
If it were not Eden, Julia would not believe it.
‘I’m not jealous,’ she told herself. ‘I do not have a monopoly on Mason’s
confidence. It’s – unexpected but this is no crime, either.’
“This Elena, she can be a specialist in psychoanalysis,” Julia said aloud. “After
what Mason’s been through, he might want to try to get rid of some of his childhood
anger and hurt.”
“She is no specialist; a doctor’s daughter,” Eden sniffed scornfully. “And – as if he
could not choose a friend or at least a third party! Why should he have chosen an
enemy!”
“Your enemy is your jealousy, Eden,” Julia said. “I’ve almost lost Mason once, due
to my own stupidity, and I like to think I’ve learnt my lesson. I’ll ask him first, and
hear out everything he has to say.”
She felt suddenly exhausted. She did not want to hear Mason out; what she wanted
was to lie down and be held by him.
The door opened; Mason was back home. “Hey Eden,” he said cheerfully. “Is it a
little hen-party I’m interrupting?”
“Is your – consultation over already?” Eden asked getting on her feet to face him.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean the beautiful, sexy woman you were dining and dancing with just now, in
the Orient Express.”
Mason looked at Julia, and then back at Eden. “Yes, it’s over – for today.”
“Julia supposed she could be your psychoanalyst,” Eden went on sarcastically.
“Well, she’s not.”
“So what business do you have pouring your heart out to her?!”
“What business do YOU have eavesdropping?”
“Disparaging dad like this to strangers! Dancing with beauties on the eve of your
wedding!”
“Well I don’t need your permission for this, do I?”
“I’ll go put Matt to bed,” Julia said.
Mason turned to her, extending his hand. “Julia,” he said quietly. “I can explain, and
I will explain it – to you. Not to Eden; she’s really gone too far this time.”
“I’m – so – disgusted – with you,” Eden said in helpless anger.
“One should think I must have grown accustomed to my family’s continuous efforts
to rule my life for me,” Mason said, the muscle in his jaw tense. “But you never
cease to surprise me. Good night, Eden,” he walked swiftly to the door and flung it
open, “and please, next time you are in the mood to feel disgusted with anybody –
don’t come here upsetting my pregnant wife! better take a long look at yourself in
the mirror!!”
He shut the door behind his sister.
Julia raised her eyebrows. “That was – well – harsh.”
“Selfishness runs in the Capwells’ veins,” Mason said. “This, and the wish – and
the unsurpassed skill to destroy. My, am I tired of this.”
Julia could see he was not playing for time; he was really angry with Eden, and he
seemed pretty sincere and genuinely remorseless as to the rest. “Matt needs to go
to bed,” she said. The boy had fallen asleep in his playpen.
Mason nodded and took the child in his arms. Half-way to the nursery he stopped.
“Julia.” He did not realize it but the fact he was holding his son in his arms made
his words sound almost like a pledge. “I know at times I can be irresponsible,
overbearing, insensitive, and sometimes I drink too much, and I can tell a lie if it
suits me,” he said earnestly. “But tell me, Julia – look at me – have I ever given you
a reason to doubt me in matters that are really important?”
Julia shook her head.
“I’ll put Matt to bed,” Mason said, “and I’ll come back and explain everything to you.
I was not planning to, yet; but thanks to my family--”
He did not complete the sentence as he entered the nursery.
Julia felt dog-tired. She went to the bedroom and lay down, waiting for Mason.
If it were not Eden, Julia would not believe it.
‘I’m not jealous,’ she told herself. ‘I do not have a monopoly on Mason’s
confidence. It’s – unexpected but this is no crime, either.’
“This Elena, she can be a specialist in psychoanalysis,” Julia said aloud. “After
what Mason’s been through, he might want to try to get rid of some of his childhood
anger and hurt.”
“She is no specialist; a doctor’s daughter,” Eden sniffed scornfully. “And – as if he
could not choose a friend or at least a third party! Why should he have chosen an
enemy!”
“Your enemy is your jealousy, Eden,” Julia said. “I’ve almost lost Mason once, due
to my own stupidity, and I like to think I’ve learnt my lesson. I’ll ask him first, and
hear out everything he has to say.”
She felt suddenly exhausted. She did not want to hear Mason out; what she wanted
was to lie down and be held by him.
The door opened; Mason was back home. “Hey Eden,” he said cheerfully. “Is it a
little hen-party I’m interrupting?”
“Is your – consultation over already?” Eden asked getting on her feet to face him.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean the beautiful, sexy woman you were dining and dancing with just now, in
the Orient Express.”
Mason looked at Julia, and then back at Eden. “Yes, it’s over – for today.”
“Julia supposed she could be your psychoanalyst,” Eden went on sarcastically.
“Well, she’s not.”
“So what business do you have pouring your heart out to her?!”
“What business do YOU have eavesdropping?”
“Disparaging dad like this to strangers! Dancing with beauties on the eve of your
wedding!”
“Well I don’t need your permission for this, do I?”
“I’ll go put Matt to bed,” Julia said.
Mason turned to her, extending his hand. “Julia,” he said quietly. “I can explain, and
I will explain it – to you. Not to Eden; she’s really gone too far this time.”
“I’m – so – disgusted – with you,” Eden said in helpless anger.
“One should think I must have grown accustomed to my family’s continuous efforts
to rule my life for me,” Mason said, the muscle in his jaw tense. “But you never
cease to surprise me. Good night, Eden,” he walked swiftly to the door and flung it
open, “and please, next time you are in the mood to feel disgusted with anybody –
don’t come here upsetting my pregnant wife! better take a long look at yourself in
the mirror!!”
He shut the door behind his sister.
Julia raised her eyebrows. “That was – well – harsh.”
“Selfishness runs in the Capwells’ veins,” Mason said. “This, and the wish – and
the unsurpassed skill to destroy. My, am I tired of this.”
Julia could see he was not playing for time; he was really angry with Eden, and he
seemed pretty sincere and genuinely remorseless as to the rest. “Matt needs to go
to bed,” she said. The boy had fallen asleep in his playpen.
Mason nodded and took the child in his arms. Half-way to the nursery he stopped.
“Julia.” He did not realize it but the fact he was holding his son in his arms made
his words sound almost like a pledge. “I know at times I can be irresponsible,
overbearing, insensitive, and sometimes I drink too much, and I can tell a lie if it
suits me,” he said earnestly. “But tell me, Julia – look at me – have I ever given you
a reason to doubt me in matters that are really important?”
Julia shook her head.
“I’ll put Matt to bed,” Mason said, “and I’ll come back and explain everything to you.
I was not planning to, yet; but thanks to my family--”
He did not complete the sentence as he entered the nursery.
Julia felt dog-tired. She went to the bedroom and lay down, waiting for Mason.
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