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Chapter 12
This night, Mason hardly slept at all. He was thinking of his father and his father’s
responsibility; of his father’s two wives, the dark-haired Pamela and the gorgeous
blonde Sophia; and their two daughters, the dark-haired Elena and the blonde
Eden; and how Eden had grown in an atmosphere of love, a golden girl, and was
still so insecure – and Elena whose thoughts were darker than her hair. Mason
couldn’t but be thinking of his own children, too, and for the millionth time he
swore to himself that he would rather die than inflict wounds that could cripple
the kids psychologically.
He was scared of what he was seeing. He would have liked to shut his eyes to it –
but it was too late.
*
In the morning, Julia found Mason had dressed a table for three. Little Matt in his
chair was sucking his bottle, and Mason was drinking coffee. A glass of juice
awaited her, and a plate of buns, and jam.
“Mason!” she exclaimed in amazement.
“A family breakfast.” He helped her with her chair. “Looking forward to the time
when a family breakfast will include you breastfeeding our baby, me watching
insolently.”
She laughed. “Didn’t know you liked to watch.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
“Definitely. Never a dull moment.” She sipped her juice. “By the way – I think you
should tell Elena you know, at least by the wedding, and invite her, since she’s
family.”
Mason smirked. “I think I should,” he agreed.
“Only – I don’t know how the Capwells will react if they are not told. Eden – she
says Elena’s after Cruz…”
Mason shook his head. “No more than I was after Santana when I was young.
Funny how history is repeating itself, again.”
“You mean Santana Andrade? I remember you almost married her once when
Mary was married to Mark.”
“U-huh.”
“I thought that was for Brandon’s sake?”
“It was. But before, a few years earlier, when Channing was still alive…”
“So what?”
“Santana preferred Channing, and – it’s important we all thought Channing was
Sophia and dad’s son, you know.”
“Yes, I remember this story, with Lionel and Brick.”
“Yeah. Channing was not only dad’s namesake; he was his favorite, his god, his
everything. Nothing Channing did could ever be wrong. Of course. He was blond,
just like his mother. Spotless. Sans reproche.”
Julia saw it still was eating Mason. “And me, his opposite in everything,” he
concluded. “I wonder if you know that when Channing was shot Dad was sure it
was I who had murdered him.”
“Oh no!”
Mason smiled inwardly; sharing was sharing, but he was not going to tell her CC
almost shot his firstborn then, into the bargain; that was too much for one time.
“Santana preferred Channing, and he did not care so much for her. For women in
general. I took it into my head I loved Santana. Actually, the way I see it now, I felt
it was like a second chance in the fight for my FATHER’s love. The battle I was
losing year after year.”
“Mason, I’m so sorry.” Julia forgot to eat.
“It’s okay; it’s all in the past now,” he reassured her.
“I mean – for some other man – or child – less sensitive it could have been less
painful, but for you – and I know how much your father’s love means to you.”
“Don’t know if I am that sensitive and all, but my father really is a charismatic,
great figure you cannot discount too easily. He’s like this to Elena too, you see.
And he doesn’t even know she is his daughter. So he loves and cherishes Eden –
naturally; and also Eden has Cruz to love her. So what does Elena do?”
“To prove at least to herself that she is not less lovable--”
“Exactly.”
“Oh Mason,” Julia sighed. She had no idea it could all be so complicated. Mason
pitied her.
“Come on, Julia,” he said softly, taking her hand in his. “It’s the family you’re
entering, so you have the right to know. However, it’s not that important.
Remember, we’re each other’s family. We’re fully responsible for what we’re
doing to each other, and unanswerable for our relatives. Agreed?”
He made her look at him, and Julia finally smiled. “Agreed.”
This night, Mason hardly slept at all. He was thinking of his father and his father’s
responsibility; of his father’s two wives, the dark-haired Pamela and the gorgeous
blonde Sophia; and their two daughters, the dark-haired Elena and the blonde
Eden; and how Eden had grown in an atmosphere of love, a golden girl, and was
still so insecure – and Elena whose thoughts were darker than her hair. Mason
couldn’t but be thinking of his own children, too, and for the millionth time he
swore to himself that he would rather die than inflict wounds that could cripple
the kids psychologically.
He was scared of what he was seeing. He would have liked to shut his eyes to it –
but it was too late.
*
In the morning, Julia found Mason had dressed a table for three. Little Matt in his
chair was sucking his bottle, and Mason was drinking coffee. A glass of juice
awaited her, and a plate of buns, and jam.
“Mason!” she exclaimed in amazement.
“A family breakfast.” He helped her with her chair. “Looking forward to the time
when a family breakfast will include you breastfeeding our baby, me watching
insolently.”
She laughed. “Didn’t know you liked to watch.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
“Definitely. Never a dull moment.” She sipped her juice. “By the way – I think you
should tell Elena you know, at least by the wedding, and invite her, since she’s
family.”
Mason smirked. “I think I should,” he agreed.
“Only – I don’t know how the Capwells will react if they are not told. Eden – she
says Elena’s after Cruz…”
Mason shook his head. “No more than I was after Santana when I was young.
Funny how history is repeating itself, again.”
“You mean Santana Andrade? I remember you almost married her once when
Mary was married to Mark.”
“U-huh.”
“I thought that was for Brandon’s sake?”
“It was. But before, a few years earlier, when Channing was still alive…”
“So what?”
“Santana preferred Channing, and – it’s important we all thought Channing was
Sophia and dad’s son, you know.”
“Yes, I remember this story, with Lionel and Brick.”
“Yeah. Channing was not only dad’s namesake; he was his favorite, his god, his
everything. Nothing Channing did could ever be wrong. Of course. He was blond,
just like his mother. Spotless. Sans reproche.”
Julia saw it still was eating Mason. “And me, his opposite in everything,” he
concluded. “I wonder if you know that when Channing was shot Dad was sure it
was I who had murdered him.”
“Oh no!”
Mason smiled inwardly; sharing was sharing, but he was not going to tell her CC
almost shot his firstborn then, into the bargain; that was too much for one time.
“Santana preferred Channing, and he did not care so much for her. For women in
general. I took it into my head I loved Santana. Actually, the way I see it now, I felt
it was like a second chance in the fight for my FATHER’s love. The battle I was
losing year after year.”
“Mason, I’m so sorry.” Julia forgot to eat.
“It’s okay; it’s all in the past now,” he reassured her.
“I mean – for some other man – or child – less sensitive it could have been less
painful, but for you – and I know how much your father’s love means to you.”
“Don’t know if I am that sensitive and all, but my father really is a charismatic,
great figure you cannot discount too easily. He’s like this to Elena too, you see.
And he doesn’t even know she is his daughter. So he loves and cherishes Eden –
naturally; and also Eden has Cruz to love her. So what does Elena do?”
“To prove at least to herself that she is not less lovable--”
“Exactly.”
“Oh Mason,” Julia sighed. She had no idea it could all be so complicated. Mason
pitied her.
“Come on, Julia,” he said softly, taking her hand in his. “It’s the family you’re
entering, so you have the right to know. However, it’s not that important.
Remember, we’re each other’s family. We’re fully responsible for what we’re
doing to each other, and unanswerable for our relatives. Agreed?”
He made her look at him, and Julia finally smiled. “Agreed.”
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