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Chapter 104 — The new house and memories
Mary was very doubtful that she would like the new house. Frankly, she did not want to move anywhere. She's too bounded with Mason's apartment, she feels so good and safe here... Therefore Mary remained silent all the way to the house. Mason has looked at her, but said nothing. She looked so tired that his heart ached.
When they do arrival, Mason stopped the car and turned to Mary.
"It's here," he said cautiously.
Mary said nothing, just climb out of the car and stood in front of the small house color of aged wine, with dark blue roof. The house was surrounded by the strong wrought iron fencing behind you can see the abandoned garden.
She can stood still for a long time and just looking at it if she was not cautiously embraced by her back.
"Well, what you say?" Mason asked looking over her head at the house. "Do you like it?"
"Yes," Mary gasped, unable to calm her loud beating heart. "It's like... I do not know, like a dream comes alive. Although I would be swear that I never dreamed about the house. Like wishes for Christmas!"
Mason did not hide the joy.
"Thank God! Then let's see what's inside."
They opened the gate and went though the tiled path to the house. Mary felt a nagging feeling that she was longing for here long ago. It was strange and nice.
Inside the house, they were not disappointed too. Despite the isolate-looking garden, the house had the good furniture and equipment of the latest models. They can move in even now!
"Actually?" Mason surprised and Mary realized that she said aloud the last phrase.
"Yes," she said. "I must admit that at first I reacted very wary of the proposal of your father," Mason frowned. "But now I have no doubt that we'll good here. And even sure we'll be happy here..." Mary suddenly paused and then stared at Mason. "It's strange--"
"What's strange?" he asked actually already trying to figure out what to do for the moving.
"I can not understand... It feels like I've been here once."
"Did you? I hope this is not due by re-reading "Sleeping Murder"? I saw that you have one of Agatha Christie's books.
"No, it's "The Man in the Brown Suit"--" Mary said and then chuckled. "What are you; do you know all Christie's from memory? How the murder was connected here?"
"I was Christie's fan as kid and read all the collected works of more than once. Before moved toward to Perry Mason."
"Ah, that's why you decided to become the lawyer?" Mary laughed.
"In fact, my father wanted me as a lawyer, not me. I wanted to go into medicine, but he had his own ambition for me in politics."
"I'd venture to assume that your father is not too stupid when he chosen your profession. Because you become so great lawyer."
"Glad that you're such the high opinion about me. Well, do you remember why you see this house as familiar one?"
"No. But I am sure that no murder here. Fortunately."
"Then we begin to prepare for the moving. And I'll say my father that his offer was graciously accepted."
* * *
The moving did not take a long time since CC insisted to pay for the moving company. And after passing just a week Mason and Mary moved into their new home. From the first day both of them almost think that they lived here long ago, so everything was convenient and handy. Children's bedrooms on both sides of the main bedroom. Spiral staircase to the second floor in the office of Mason, and the winter garden on the other side of the hall. Large children's room was equipped with speakerphone of radio nanny... and huge living room on the first floor. Isolated apartment above the garage was with enthusiasm accepted by Christie and Jimmy. And there was the garden looking like a jungle, just a paradise for children of any age.
Everything finally fell into place. Sammy and Chip stopped working get in the way, and Mickey did not wake up from each of their scream. Mary began to get enough sleep, and Mason was able to leave safely in the court, without fearing that he'll return at home looking as Alcatraz under attack--
The idyll was broken up by Mary.
"Mason, I would like to visit my father's grave," she said over dinner.
Mason nearly choked by coffee. While secretly he was thinking about Chris... but still was not ready to accept his death. Just trying to push these thoughts away and switch his mind to other things.
"When?" He asked only to gain time.
"Tomorrow morning or afternoon."
"Okay, I'll ask Jimmy to drive you--"
"Mason!" Mary looked up at him in amazement. "First, Jimmy is not working as a driver for us. And secondly, I would like to go there as all family, with children. And together with you, of course."
"I did not aware that you love to visiting cemeteries," Mason muttered.
"I don't love it. But I know I must pay tribute to his father. And I want our children to know about their grandfather. Mason, what is wrong? We already visited his grave, remember?"
Mason did not answer.
"It's because Chris?" Mary asked, after waiting a few minutes. "You do not want to visit my father's grave as the grave of Chris?"
"Maybe," Mason looked into her eyes. "I think I'm still coping with his death."
"You will be easier if you'll go," Mary's eyes become sympathetic.
"How do you know?" he snapped.
"I knew that he had died since I was little girl, but I was almost an adult when I coped with his death. As child I could not bear to come to his grave. Believed that it's obligation... And only in high school I realized that just all the time I considered him as alive. I remembered him alive. I thought he was simply far, far away gone away," Mary paused. Her voice was trembling with emotion. "But just before my leaving to convent my mother pushed me to say goodbye him. I went because I did not want to argue her. And standing in front of the gravestone I suddenly realized that he does not return. Never."
"And what did you do then?" Mason across the table, reached for her hand. "What?"
"Screamed at God why he taken him from me," Mason blinked in astonishment, but Mary's face was serious. "I screamed until lose voice... and then burst into tears."
"And what happened then?" Mason encouraged her.
"I cried and cried, the tears ran as stream... And then I felt that someone touched my shoulder. I turned and saw the girl. Little, maybe three or four. Serious little angel. And she asked me, tall angular teen. "Do you crying because your daddy? Your daddy died?" Mason, I was shocked. I could not understand how she knows. The girl continued. "My dad died too. I'm Zoey". I do not know why, but I asked her, "Do you missing him?" And she answered, "I'm sure missing. But my mom said that daddy is looking down at us from heaven, and that makes me not so sad. I look at the stars and talk to him". I almost started to cry again, I've did the same that the little girl. I talking at stars and asked them to give me back my dad... You know, I so much wanted to cry out that she just does not understand what she said. It's just beauty tale, and her father was eaten by worms and never return. What she is talking to herself, and the stars do not care about her... But I could not. She was so small... and so vulnerable. I looked at her and said nothing, and she patted my hand and said, "I'll ask my father to search on heaven your dad. And he'll ask him to dream you. I always have my dream about daddy when I ask him. Do you want it?" "I want" I said, because I painfully want to have the dream about my father. At this time the girl was taken away by her mother whom glancing suspiciously at me. I returned home and spent the entire evening with one thought — that I'll have my dream with dad."
"And you had?" Mason could not resist. Mary's story straining his soul.
"Yes," Mary nodded. "I again turned into the little girl, who I was before his death, and all of our family walked along the coast... And then we had been together at the cemetery. He picked me up and I noticed that he has no hair. As after his chemo. I asked him when he returns. And he said that when I'll call him again. He put me on the ground and went to his grave. He walks up to it and becomes transparent until melted away--"
"Mary... you so good remembers all of that."
"At that moment I was woke by Christie. She slipped the puppy under my blanket," Mary faintly smiled. "I spent whole hour writing down my dream and the previous events in my diary. Later I almost learned by my heart these records that are why I remember. Mason... I understand that's hard for you to realize that Chris is not alive anymore. But I think for both of us would be better if you still visit his grave."
"I'll think," Mason reluctantly said. "That's all I can promise."
"I do not wait more that it," Mary responded, she rounded the table and put her arms around his neck. "But how strangely intertwined our lives. My father and your friend. The same person."
"I'm still cannot believe," Mason barely audible whispered. "Just I can not."
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