Chapter 35
thirty-five
. . .
Violet
“Are you sure we can’t just order some takeout tonight and hide away in your room?” Mason buries his head into my neck and wraps his arms around me from behind, as I take one final look at my outfit in the mirror. Christmas Eve dinner was always followed by an extensive photo-op, driven largely by my mother, who always fussed about how we never had enough family photos. The frames covering the walls begged to differ, but who was I to get in her way?
“I’m pretty sure my mom made her signature shortbread cookies just for you, so no. You don’t want to face her wrath if we skip dinner.” I lean into his embrace, taking his hand into mine. “Are you having second thoughts about coming back?”
He hugs me even tighter and presses a kiss to the side of my head. “No. I forgot how much I loved it here. How magical this place feels during the holidays… ”
“But?”
“I just don’t know what to say to him.”
“We’ll figure it out together,” I promise. “Worst case scenario we can just pretend he’s not even here, okay?”
He presses a kiss on my shoulder. “Okay.”
That proves to be much easier said than done, as Melissa practically forces Mason into the chair closest to his father. Joe decides to make me the center of the conversation, ignoring his son who is seated right next to him. “So, Violet your mom tells me you’re applying for this big fellowship?”
“Yeah, I’ve submitted all my app materials and am crossing all my fingers and toes right now. I could really use the money to help free up my schedule.”
“I thought the school already paid you?” Joe takes a sip of his wine.
“Yeah, but the payment is tied directly to my work as a teaching assistant. Which means the time I’d be spending on research gets sacrificed to other responsibilities like grading papers, leading discussion sections, and holding office hours.”
“And this fellowship would help with that?”
“Exactly. I would basically be getting paid to do my research which means I wouldn’t have to teach anymore.”
“I see. Well, good luck. They’d be stupid not to give it to you.”
“Thanks Joe.” I glance over to Mason who is looking at me lovingly. “Although one downside of not teaching is I won’t see Mason as much anymore. One of his players is in my class this semester.”
Joe finally turns his attention to Mason. “I heard you were coaching for Westchester.”
Mason straightens up. “Yeah. For a few months now.”
“Would’ve been nice if you had told us. Or even mentioned that you were back in Boston. You know, your mom and I had to find out from someone else.”
“I meant to reach out to you two. ”
“I’m sure you did.” Joe rolls his eyes. “Just like you meant to return all our calls when you were playing with the Rangers.”
Mason’s good posture deflates at his dad’s criticism. “I’m not proud of how I acted when I was still in the NHL.”
“You just packed your bags and disappeared. Never even once thought about the people you had left behind.”
“Joe.” Melissa's warning goes unacknowledged as he continues.
“Even after you got injured, and all your fancy New York friends abandoned you, you still didn’t come home. Instead, you acted like you were so much better than this town and the people in it.” Oh no.
“Cut the shit, Dad. You know exactly why I didn’t come home after I got hurt. Or do you not remember our conversation?”
A flash of guilt comes over Joe’s face, but he remains silent.
“Do you need me to jog your memory? Because no matter how hard I try to forget it I can’t.” Underneath the table, Mason reaches for my hand, which I immediately offer, before he continues. “I remember calling you an hour after I was told I had to retire, hoping the man who I had always looked up to would be there for me, and all you had to say was, ‘ I don’t know why you’re so upset. This is honestly great news, Mason. ’”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Joe’s voice is pleading, first to Mason and then to anyone else at the table who was willing to hear him out. None of us meet his gaze. If it wasn’t for Mason’s grip on my hand, I probably would’ve stormed out already. How Mason hadn’t already done so or has managed to stay calm for as long as he has, is beyond me.
“What did you mean?” Mason’s voice is void of any emotion as he turns to his dad.
“Just that you retiring meant you would finally come home. Finally go back to being the Mason that I raised and was proud to call my son. You became a whole different person when you moved to New York. At least Monroe would come home every now and then. You, on the other hand, practically abandoned us.”
“That’s not true!” I cut in, slamming my hand on the table in frustration. “Just because Mason wanted to build his own life in New York doesn’t mean that he changed or that he abandoned his family.”
“Then what do you call him never picking up the phone or coming back to Castle Harbor to visit?”
“Maybe him just being busy? It’s not like he wasn’t traveling around playing for the NHL or anything. I can’t believe you’re trying to turn this whole thing around and blame it on Mason, when you’re the one who drove the wedge between you two in the first place.” Joe is being ridiculous, and I’m determined to let him know it. “It’s not like New York is super far from here. You could have easily driven down to see him if you wanted to. You’re his father, it’s your responsibility to be there for him.”
I watch Mason’s dad carefully, ready to counter every bullshit argument he throws at me. Instead, he runs a hand down his face and lets out a heavy sigh before conceding. “You’re right Violet. I could’ve done more.”
“Don’t say that to me, say that to him.” I point my thumb in Mason’s direction.
“I’m sorry Mason. I never should have said what I did back then, and I should’ve tried harder to be there for you. I know it’s not an excuse, but I missed not having you here, and I went about it wrong. Really wrong.”
Underneath the table, Mason squeezes my hand three times, letting me know he was okay. “I appreciate it Dad. I’ve missed you too, and I hope one day we can go back to how things were before.”
The initial silence after is painfully awkward, until my mom shifts her attention to Monroe. “So, ‘Roe are you still with that… artist ?” My mom does her best not to crinkle her nose in disgust.
“Yes, Jacque sends his regards. He really wanted to be here.”
Mason snorts in response. Yeah, I’m not sure if anyone is buying that. The one time Jacque did come up to Castle Harbor he threw a fit when he realized it was during the Summer Festival. He emphasized how much he hated carnivals, small town traditions, and basically anything fun. I had tried my hardest to stay neutral about him, but the second he insulted my favorite Castle Harbor holiday he made it to the top of my shit list. We’ve all been crossing our fingers, hoping Monroe will come to her senses and dump the pretentious wannabe socialite.
“Maybe we can go on a double date when you two come to New York in a few weeks?” She looks so excited as she turns to me. I don’t know if I have it in me to tell her that I’d rather walk around the entire city in nothing but a t-shirt and jeans in the dead of winter than succumb myself to two hours of Jacque mansplaining the New Age movement. All while he speaks over Monroe and downplays her accomplishments.
“We’ll keep you posted. We’re not sure how long we’ll be there.” Mason comes in with an incredible save. I nearly kiss him then and there for managing to spare her feelings and get us out of a nightmare dinner.
“Why are you two heading into the city Mason?” It’s the first civil question Joe has asked today.
Mason takes the olive branch. “Connor got this big award for all the work he’s been doing with The Second Chance Foundation, and he asked if I’d be willing to give a speech.”
“That’s amazing. What an honor. For the both of you.”
Mason shrugs. “I’m just the guy who gets to hand him the award.”
I chime in. “And the guy who is one of the organization’s biggest donors. Also, weren’t you and Connor the ones to pitch having the Rangers officially work with Second Chance? Don’t sell yourself short.”
Did I choose to emphasize all Mason has done as further evidence to Joe about how incredible his son is? Maybe. But I also want Mason to know that I see everything he does. See how big his heart is. And I love him for it .
“You know, I’ve been wanting to do a bit of pro-bono marketing with my firm,” Monroe interjects. "Do you think Connor would be willing to put me in contact with someone at Second Chance?”
“Definitely. He’d do anything to help grow the cause. Why don’t I give you his contact info and you two can figure out a time to talk more?” While Mason shares Connor’s phone number, I catch my mom and Melissa exchanging glances. Those two need to be separated.