37. Mason
Chapter 37
Mason
August 2023
I told Cal I had meetings and that I’d be too busy to give her a call tonight. What I’m doing, though, is leaving work at lunch and catching a plane to Georgia. She’s spending the weekend with my parents and my mom called me earlier this week to ask if I would be able to fly in and surprise her. So that’s what I’m doing.
I pull out my phone to shoot her a text before boarding my plane.
Me : My mom just called me. She’s so happy you’re coming down there this weekend. Make sure to hug her for me while you’re there. I’ll be in a meeting this afternoon and then I’m going out with a few friends to dinner after work so I won’t be able to FaceTime tonight.
We shoot a couple of messages back and forth and then I pull up Spotify and hit play. I’ll be landing around 3:25 and will be at the house when she gets there tonight. I can’t wait to see her.
I see my dad as soon as I enter the airport. He’s got a big grin on his face as he starts walking towards me. I sure do miss seeing my parents all the time. You can tell just by looking at him how much he’s aged since my brother and I left to work on our own life goals. The wrinkles around his eyes, the slower walk, the slight limp… Man, I hate that I can’t be closer.
“Hey, Dad! Thanks for picking me up and helping me figure out this whole surprise.”
“Thank your ma, son. She’s the one who’s behind this whole scheme. She’s so happy to see y’all back together. We both hope it has a happier ending this time around.”
“Yeah, me too. I’m feeling pretty confident, though. Let’s go grab my suitcase and head back to see Ma.”
We turn to head over to baggage claim before walking side by side out to Dad’s trusty old farm-use pickup truck, a red Ford F-150. Same one he’s had since I was a boy, but it still gets the job done. Dad’s never been much of a talker so the ride back to the house is pretty quiet, aside from the music that’s coming from the speakers. Dad loves his old country, so you’ll always hear Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, or The Oak Ridge Boys. Those were his and Ma’s favorites and because of it, I know every word to every song of theirs I’d heard growing up.
Before I know it, we’re pulling up the driveway to my childhood home. Duke and Daisy, our Great Pyrenees, are both lying on the front porch, one on each side of Ma’s rocking chair. My parents adopted them about five years ago after losing Charlie and Luna, our dogs from when I was little. They perk up at the sound of the tires crunching the gravel. As soon as I am out of the truck they’re both barreling towards me and just about knock me down.
I squat down to give them both some belly rubs and ear scratches, which seems to satisfy them. Standing back up I grab my suitcase out of the bed of the truck and walk up to the front porch, Dad right beside me.
“Son, I’m so glad you’re home this weekend. It’ll be nice having you back. I might even get you to help me with something your mom has been asking me to do but we’ll discuss that later. Let’s go figure out what your mom has in mind for when Cal gets here.”
“I’m glad to help with whatever you need, you know that.”
Ma greets us at the door pulling me in as tight as she can. Man, I missed those hugs. I don’t know why, but they’ve always grounded me.
Once I’m settled into my childhood room, I find my parents in the living room and go over the plan mom has concocted. Looks like I’ll be hiding out in my room and then I’ll head downstairs while my mom is getting Cal into her room. Once downstairs I’ll stay back in the mud room off the back door and wait for Mom to say “Dinner’s ready” then I’ll make my way to the dining room. I hope it works as well as Mom seems to think it will.
Dad and I make our way out to the barn to get on that job for Mom. She wants a bench for the front porch that matches the rocking chair set Dad made her a couple of years ago for their anniversary. We’ve only got about two hours before I need to be in my hiding spot so Cal doesn't see me when she arrives.
We’ve got the plans mapped out and have started cutting wood when I realize it’s time for me to head back into the house.
“Hey, Dad. I’ve gotta run and hide but I am more than happy to finish helping you after dinner or tomorrow.”
“You run along, son. I’ll close up shop and be in shortly.”
I’m sitting on the edge of my bed when I hear a car pulling into the driveway. Shortly after I hear my mom and Cal talking then my phone buzzes in my pocket.
Cal : Just wanted to let you know I made it to your parents. I hope you enjoy your dinner and night out with friends.
I don’t message her back. I’ll be seeing her soon anyway.
I can hear them coming up the stairs and mom leads Cal into their old master bedroom. Last year my brother helped move them downstairs so that they could have the entire upstairs for when we visit, mom hinted that there’s extra room up there for all the grandbabies she needs in her life.
My brother, Josh, has already given her three–two boys and a girl. He is eight years older than me and in a whole other chapter than I am in life. He got married just about six years ago and almost immediately found out they were having twins. They had their second little boy two years after having the twins. Now that they’re done having kids, Mom has been on me about having some but I’m just not to that point, yet.
They made the formal dining room into the master bedroom downstairs by adding a wall where it was once all open. It came together nicely and they’ve both said how much easier it is for them now that they’re downstairs.
Now’s my time to quietly head down to the mud room. As I tiptoe down the stairs I’m thinking to myself I can’t mess this up. I can’t mess this up. I can’t mess this up. I’m scared of what my mom will do if Cal catches me. I pass my dad coming up the steps with Cal’s bags so I guess if worse comes to worse they would have assumed it was just dad. Thankfully, though, I make it down the stairs as quietly as a mouse.
I’m standing there as quietly as I can when I hear mom say, “dinners ready” and I slowly make my way from the mud room to the dining room. I make it there just before I see Cal walk into the room, eyes wide like she’s seeing a ghost.
“Mase! What are you doing here?! I thought you were going out to dinner with friends?”
“Technically I am? Ma and Dad are my friends.” I smile before winking at her.
She walks over and smacks me playfully on the arm. She turns to my parents “Wait, y’all knew about this?!” Her eyes bounce from my parents to me, back to my parents.
“Hon, this was all my idea. When I heard the two of you were back together I just had to see it with my own two eyes.” Mom replies with a smile that touches her eyes.
“I can’t… wow. This weekend just got so much better.” She turns to my parents before adding “No offense to y’all.”
“None taken, sweetheart. Now let’s have a lovely family dinner.” Mom adds emphasis to the word family.
Over dinner, we tell Cal how mom called me earlier this week and had this whole weekend planned before she even knew if I could make it. It’s funny seeing it all come together, I can’t believe we actually pulled it off. You can tell how happy my parents are from the smiles that are plastered on their faces. It makes me happy seeing them this happy.