Chapter 14 Mason
Mason
The mental exhaustion from the last two days caught up with me somewhere over Newfoundland.
Thomas was seated directly across the aisle on our flight, working on his laptop.
More than once, he glanced over to check on me.
His expression was serious as he worked.
He slid on reading glasses that made him look impossibly hot.
We’d both left our cabin doors open to talk.
Unfortunately, my exhaustion caught up to me after dinner when the captain dimmed the lights, settling everyone in for the evening.
Leaning forward, I spoke to him. “I’m gonna try to sleep.”
Thomas glanced at me over the rim of his glasses. “Yeah. That’s a good idea. Sleep well.”
I gestured toward his computer. “Are you going to work much longer?” After the words were out of my mouth, I heard what they sounded like.
“I mean, you should rest too. I’m sure you didn’t get much sleep in bed with me last night.
” My god, I needed to shut up. I closed my eyes and wiped my hand over my face.
Sighing, I looked back at him. “I’m tired. You know what I meant.”
He smirked, trying not to smile. “I know what you meant, and I got enough sleep.” He motioned for me to lean closer. “Are you aware that you’re a cuddler?”
My brow furrowed as my face heated to habanero pepper hot. “What are you talking about?”
“You like to cuddle when you sleep. I stopped pushing you away because if I hadn’t, I would have been wrestling with you all night. And you’re a talker.”
My eyes widened. “I don’t remember that. At all. You should have gotten up and gone to your room.” Reaching up, I squeezed his bicep. “Huh. I must have mistaken you for a soft, squishy pillow. You should probably firm up a little more so that doesn’t happen again.”
Boo yah! I was proud of myself.
Thomas pursed his lips as he acknowledged my quick wit, even with a tired brain. His smile was enough for me to consider myself the winner, until he had the last word. “Be a good boy for Daddy and go to sleep.”
He turned away, refusing to look at me, and went back to work on his laptop.
I watched and waited for his smile to dissolve.
When it stayed in place, I gave up and reclined my seat.
My smile didn’t fade either until my brain exploded over ‘good boy’ and chose that moment to remind me of the things I’d said to him while inebriated.
Mortified again, I covered my face with my pillow, just as Thomas’s laughter drifted across the aisle.
Trying not to uncover my face, I reached across my body to close the door.
When I couldn’t find the button, Agent Helpful got up and came to the rescue.
Tugging it off my face, he grinned at me. “Get some sleep, Mason. It’s going to be okay. I promise.” Handing me the pillow, he closed the door and went back to his seat. I tried not to overthink, but that was impossible with Thomas so close by.
A few hours later, a soft knock sounded on the door. Opening my eyes, I glanced up at the flight tracker on the screen to find we were close to the mainland. I sat up as Thomas called my name. “Mason? It’s time for breakfast.”
Opening the door, I found my friend moving back to his seat. “Thanks for waking me. I was out.” I yawned and shook my head to wake myself up.
“You needed the rest. And a cup of coffee will help with that. It should be here soon.” I watched as he stowed his laptop in his bag, then turned to me. “You okay?”
Scrubbing my hands over my face, I nodded. “Yeah. Just waiting for the panic to set in. Should be any moment now.”
Thomas shifted toward me. “Talk to me. What are you concerned about?”
I sighed. “Maybe showing up out of the blue is a mistake. If some rando came to my door, I wouldn’t like it. ‘Hey, Axel, you don’t know me, but I’m your twin brother from America.’” The moment his mouth tipped up, I rolled my eyes and groaned.
Thomas chuckled. “Mason, I don’t think you’re gonna have to explain who you are. It’s obvious if the pictures are any indication.”
I put my head back and looked at the ceiling. “I’m an idiot. But you know what I mean.”
His soft, familiar chuckle did things to me. “I do. And you’re not an idiot. You’re stressed. Why don’t you walk a little? It might help.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Taking his advice, I got up and stretched, then moved to the bathroom. When I returned, my food was waiting, along with two cups of coffee. I glanced over at Thomas before taking my seat.
“Feel better?”
“Yes.” Spreading my napkin across my lap, I looked over at him. “You didn’t have to give me your coffee.”
He shrugged as I took a sip. “I’ll get more later.”
Picking up my fork, I dug into my traditional English breakfast as Thomas filled me in on our plan.
“We’re going to check into the vacation rental, then get some sleep.
I found one close to where he lives, so when we meet him, you’ll be close.
Or he can come to us. When you’re ready, we’ll reach out. ”
I pushed around the eggs on my plate. “What if he doesn’t want to see me? What do we do then? And what about my…” It was almost difficult to say it. “My mother.”
Thomas reached across the aisle with his hand to grip my arm. It was crazy how his touch could settle the unease that consumed me. “I need you to stop worrying. I don’t think that’s going to happen. Would you turn him away if he came to you?”
“No,” I said. “But I might not handle it well in the beginning.”
“That’s okay. Give him some grace if he doesn’t, but like you, he’s media trained. We’ll talk about your mother when we get to the house.” He pulled his hand away and gestured toward my plate. “Now, stop worrying until there’s something to worry about. I need you to eat.”
“Yes, sir.” My face heated at what he might reply with. “Don’t say it.”
He smothered a grin and went back to eating.
Our vacation rental was located on a quiet street, nestled among picturesque family homes.
On the thirty-minute ride from the airport, I marveled at the vast number of pubs and quaint places to shop.
I had no idea what neighborhood or part of the city we were in.
All I knew was I wanted to explore all of it.
“How long are we staying?” I asked as he unlocked the door.
“I’ve booked it for ten days, with the option to leave early.”
My eyes bugged out. “We have that long?” I looked around the two-story home with big windows and open living spaces. It was more modern than I expected, but I loved it immediately.
Thomas set his bag down, then turned to me. “In case we need more time. If you’re ready to go before then, we’ll go.”
“When do we contact them?” I asked nervously.
“As soon as you’re ready. Do you want to rest?”
I shook my head, suddenly wide awake. “No. My brain thinks it’s four p.m. at home. But I’d like to shower and change. Give me half an hour?”
“Perfect. That will give me time to finalize some things.”
We took the stairs and found the bedrooms. Both had ensuite bathrooms and king-sized beds that I was sure to appreciate later. Gathering what I needed, I headed into the lavish bathroom and showered.
When I got back downstairs, Thomas was working at the dining table. I ventured toward the refrigerator, looking for water. When I opened the door, I was surprised to find it stocked with a variety of things. “Did you order food?”
“Yes. Just a few things. We’ll need to go to the market. I thought you might want to get out and walk later.”
I smiled at how well he knew me. “Sounds good,” I said, grabbing two bottles from the fridge. Placing one in front of him, I sat down and waited. Cracking the bottle open, I tipped it back and drank the contents, only to find Thomas looking at me when I finished.
“Ready for what I found?” he asked.
My anxiety peaked, but this was the moment I’d been waiting for. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”
Thomas got up from his seat and took the chair beside me.
Opening his laptop, he brought up a split photo.
On the left, a beautiful woman with light brown hair and familiar eyes I saw every time I looked in the mirror, smiled at me.
And next to her, the man I now knew to be my older brother.
Seeing them side by side created an ache in my chest. Rubbing at the spot with my hand, Thomas leaned into my shoulder.
“My contact in Ireland was able to do a quick records search for her. When I initially saw her photo, I was shocked at how much the two of you look like her. Don’t believe we need DNA to confirm anything, but we’ll ask if you want. ”
I reached out and touched the screen as if I could touch her. “What’s her name?”
“Shannon Jones. She was Shannon Hughes when she met your father.”
“She’s married?” Staring at her, I suddenly wanted to hear everything he knew about her.
“Yes. She’s from London. She has no siblings, and her parents are deceased. She went to Uni and graduated at twenty-one with a degree in International Business.” Thomas paused and wiped at his lips. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather hear the rest from her?”
I turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“How she met your father. I don’t have every detail,” he sighed, “and it’s her story to tell, Mason.”
I sat blinking at him, unsure what to feel.
But the first thing that came to mind was that my father was not the man I thought he was.
I propped my elbows on the table and threaded my fingers through my hair.
“What kind of an animal gets a woman pregnant, then leaves her, only to take one of her children from her? That’s heartless. ”
Thomas clamped his hand on my shoulder. “That’s why you need the story from her.”
I laughed manically. “All my life, I thought my father was this fantastic person. And now I find out he is not the man I thought he was. Not even close.”
Thomas took my hand. “It’s difficult to say this, but you need to get the story before passing judgment.
You don’t know what happened between them.
At least not until you talk to her or your brother.
And he may not know either. You’ve got to prepare yourself for that. You both may have been in the dark.”
My gut told me he was right. “I’ve got to know it all. It will drive me crazy if I don’t.”
“You could call your father and allow him to explain.”
My face contorted. “Hell no. I don’t trust him anymore. He’s been lying to me for twenty-eight years. The story will have to come from her. It will have to be her.”
He squeezed my shoulder. “That’s what I suggest.”
I sat with it a moment, staring at my brother’s photo. “Do you think he knows?”
“I don’t know. But his legal name isn’t Axel. It’s Maxwell.”
Turning to look at him, I shook my head in disbelief. “That’s my uncle’s name. His younger brother. I wonder if he knows who he’s named after?”
Thomas sighed. “I don’t know. But there’s only one way to find out.”