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The wedding preparations kept everyone busy. Eden was helping Mary to pick up a dress, and so they were absent all days long. CC arranged everything for the wedding ceremony, talked to the priest and then he decided to take Mason out to get him tails.
On their way, Mason kept silent looking in front of him. CC would look at his son now and again, and then he turned the car to park it. Then he asked Mason, supporting his words slowly with his gestures, "Mason, what's going on?"
Mason looked at his father wearily, "What do you mean?"
"It looks like you don't want to be married."
"I do… but…"
"But WHAT?" said CC who was about to lose his patience.
Mason rubbed his chin nervously. "I… Damn it, dad, how am I supposed to support my family? A deaf attorney!" he said with bitterness.
CC sighed with relief.
"No problem, son," he smiled and handed Mason some papers. "Read this."
"What is it?" Mason asked, perplexed.
CC tried to show it with his hands but then gave up and pointed to the papers again. "Read it, you'll see."
Mason tore the big envelope open. After he'd read the first lines he saw it was a copy of his grandfather's will, the part of it that concerned Mason. He raised his eyes to face his father, with surprise: he had known nothing about this part.
"Go on reading," CC said.
The will said Mason's grandfather left to his first grandson one million dollars in stock and CC was to see to its growth till Mason's wedding day. On that day Mason Lemont Capwell was to get the million and the interest.
"What?" cried Mason in surprise.
"It's really so," CC nodded and handed him another paper. "Here's how much you've got now. You can start using this bank account right after the wedding."
Mason looked at the paper and caught his breath, "My God — it's a fortune!"
CC nodded, "Yes, and a considerable one. So you don't need to worry about supporting the family. And you don't owe me anything — I know you wouldn't put up with that."
"Thank you dad," said Mason looking at him with gratitude.
CC only shrugged his shoulders. "Not at all, it's all your grandfather… you've got a letter from him there."
Mason took a smaller envelope out of the big one — he had not noticed it before. There was his name on the envelope, and it was sealed. Mason tore it open and started reading the letter that ran as follows,
"My dear grandson Mason,
I hope that you will receive this letter and that my son will take good care of the money I'm leaving to you. He's not too lenient with you now — just because you take too much after me and your mother, the two people that have disappointed him. I hope he has not given you too much trouble. I guess it was wrong to insist not to give you that stupid traditional name of Channing. Maybe otherwise your father would have been more inclined to treat you well, would have loved you better. I am sorry I could not protect you.
You're going to need the money if you're getting married. I hope your future wife and you love each other. It's really very important, my boy. Be happy.
Your loving grandfather."
The image of his grandfather came to Mason's mind. He remembered him dimly. The grandfather was often away for a long time, but when he was here he was ever kind. He was the only one who never yelled at Mason, never rebuffed him. When grandfather was sitting in the lounge with a glass of wine in his hand, little Mason liked to sit by and listen to his long speeches on life. CC did not like the idea and he punished Mason when he found them together. Not to call this onto his grandson, grandfather would soon retire into his room. But meeting the boy in the hall or in the corridor he would take a sweet out of his pocket, hand it to Mason, pat his hair and say, "Now run, boy, lest dad sees you."
Mason looked at the letter again, then asked CC, "So it was my grandfather's idea to name me Mason?"
CC nodded, "Yes, it was. I was young and I did not care. I agreed to name you this way, Mason Lemont… You're too much like your granddad. Sometimes I feel scared how much. Especially when you get drunk and quote poetry."
"Is this why you get scared?"
"Yes. Alcohol killed my father. He was a good man, though sometimes I did not understand him. Not that I always understand you. He loved you."
"He did," Mason nodded.
They sat a while in silence, then Mason hid the papers in his pockets. "Okay, so I need tails — and a ring."
CC smiled, "Great."
"And a best man. Would you mind?" Mason asked.
"I'd be happy!!!"
When he got home, Mason told Mary the whole story.
"Fancy, he did not leave anything out! And the best thing is that I do not owe anything to anyone. I would not take anything from my father."
"But Mason, this is great!! And — and now I understand it better," Mary smiled. "I've been wondering. Your name does not sound like CC's style at all."
"Right," Mason agreed. "Granddad loved English poetry."
"Just like you," Mary noticed. "Mason Lemont — sounds like a knight's name."
"You think so?" Mason smiled slyly.
"I do! You're my knight," Mary hugged him, and Mason greedily pressed his lips to hers.
The two weeks before the wedding day flew by.
The mansion was decorated with flowers.
Mary decided to sleep the night before the wedding away from Mason, in the guest bedroom, hard as he tried to convince her otherwise.
"But Mary, this is silly! You're already expecting a baby by me!"
"No Mason," Mary was insisting, "let us do at least this one thing as we should!"
At night Mason could not fall asleep without the saving grace of Mary's presence. When he did fall asleep, the nightmare came back again: he did not manage to save Mary and she was dying in his arms.
Mason's desperate cry woke CC up — his bedroom was just opposite. In a moment CC was in his son's bedroom, shaking him by the shoulders, "Mason! Mason! What's wrong, son?"
Gasping for breath, Mason dove out of the dream whirlpool and grabbed at his father's shoulders. CC held him tight, "It's okay, it's just a dream, just a dream."
Mary ran in. "Mason, honey, I'm so sorry! I'm an idiot!"
Both CC and Mary in their fright forgot Mason could not hear them. But he'd come to his senses already, and the presence of Mary and his father calmed him down, threatening away the ghost of the ghastly dream.
Mary gave Mason some drops to drink. Looking at his son with anxiety, CC asked Mary if she thought they needed to call a doctor.
"No," Mary said. "It's okay. Just a nightmare. It's not the first time. It'll pass soon."
"If you need me, call me right away," CC said and left them.
Mary joined Mason.
"What about the traditions?" he smiled feebly.
"We've broken enough traditions already," Mary smiled back. "Now try to get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."
She was patting Mason's forehead tenderly, running her fingers through his thick hair, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.
In the morning CC woke him up.
"Time to get up! You're getting married today!"
"Where's Mary?" Mason looked around for her.
"You'll see her only at the altar now," CC smiled.
Suddenly Mason realized how nervous he felt. Having dressed he paced the room.
"Come, Mason, it's going to be okay," Ted tried to reassure him.
"How is it? How am I going to understand anything at all there?" said Mason in desperation.
"You will. Dad's talked to the priest, he's explained everything to him. And when you are to say ‘I do,' Mary will give you a sign."
At the church Mason got seized with nervous tremor. He was looking around in worry and rubbed his wet palms against each other. CC hugged him to reassure him, "Let's go! It's all ready!"
The church was decorated beautifully with white roses. All the family and close friends were there waiting for the ceremony to begin with joy and excitement.
Mason was standing with his father by the altar, trying to control his emotions. When the music started playing, CC pressed his son's thin fingers and nodded. Mason realized the ceremony had started.
When Mary appeared, she took Mason's breath away: she was divinely beautiful! Her eyes were shining, and she was looking at Mason with such love that all his anxiety vanished.
When the time came, Mason took her hand and they faced the priest. He made a short speech, and then Ted handed them the rings. Mason put his ring onto Mary's finger.
"I love you — more than I love life! And I will do everything to make you happy," he said in a breaking voice.
"I will love you — forever," Mary smiled tenderly, putting a ring on his finger.
When the priest asked Mason if he took Mary to be his wife, she squeezed his hand lightly, but he'd already read the priest's lips and said with determination, "I do."
"I do," said Mary in her turn.
"I know pronounce you husband and wife!" the priest announced.
Mason embraced Mary, breathed out, "At last!" and kissed her on the lips.
She cuddled up to him, and Mason felt absolutely happy.
Everyone darted to congratulate them, and when they were leaving the church they were showered with rice, small coins and rose petals. CC handed Mason an envelope and had Mason and Mary seated in a limousine.
When the car door was shut, Mason sighed with relief.
"What is it?" asked Mary about the envelope.
"I do not know," Mason shrugged his shoulders and opened it. "Oh my! Dad's giving us two weeks at an island! A plane's waiting for us!"
For a whole fortnight they were enjoying their rest at the deserted end of a small island in the Pacific Ocean. A car came once a day and brought them food; as to the rest of the time, they were absolutely alone. Both Mason and Mary needed the rest, after everything they had been through.
On the first morning Mason woke Mary up with a kiss and, marveling at her beauty, asked her with a smile, "What are we planning to do?"
"Any ideas?" Mary laughed.
"I'm about to show you," promised Mason, snuggling up to her…
They spent lots of time in bed, and in the evening, when it was less hot, they swam in the ocean and lay on the white sand. The nightmares had gone away at last, and Mason'd become quieter. Mary's eyes were shiny with happiness, and, once again, Mason silently thanked Heaven for letting him have her, close as he had been to losing her forever…
When CC saw the couple in the airport, relaxed, sun burnt and happy, he felt his own sense of guilt was letting go slowly.
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