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Chapter 136 — Return Of The Ghost
The next day turned out that Mason and Mary is in an urgent need for the good babysitter. Some embarrassed Christie said her older sister that she and Jimmy moving in ex-Uncle Larry's mansion.
Mary suddenly felt upset. She used to have her sister here that now she felt like a devotee.
"Just no be mad, okay?" Christy sensed something. "I like my nephews very much but I can not be nanny for them forever. I have to... move on."
"And what are you going to do?" Mary still was trying to cope with her sudden loss and just heard the unexpected response.
"Learning."
"Learning?" Mary surprised.
Christie nodded.
"I want to go to college. Now I have money and I want to get a career."
"I thought you were going to marry Jimmy."
"I'm going. One does not interfere."
"I'm glad for you," Mary finally overdoing her hurt feelings and hugged her sister. "You're so serious about your life now!"
"I learned to appreciate it," Christy shrugged. "When you live on the streets, all of your life seems no matter. And now... I feel like I have a footing. You did help me to get it."
"Me?" Mary surprised.
"You," Christy blushed. "Now I know what is like when you have a family. And it's not just a drunken mother but a sort of normal family where everyone loves other each."
"I so glad to hear it," Mary smiled. "Okay, but you cannot leave us so suddenly. Let me find the replacement for you, OK?"
"Of course," Christy smiled. "Just talk to Mason yourself, okay? I afraid he would get angry because it's backstabbing."
But Mason easily took Christie's leaving and after moment's thought he suggest calling Mrs. Rold.
"She worked for me before... I found you," he brought out with some effort. "I liked her."
"Find out is she free," Mary said. "And ask her to visit us for some interview if she is."
"Do you not trust me?" Mason raised his eyebrow.
"No, I just want to see the person who I would trust our children. Women sometimes feel things that men even do not notice."
"We coped very well when I have been bring up Chip and Sammy alone," Mason' voice sounded excessive rigidity but Mary just shrugged her shoulders. She do not leave the children to the woman who she never seen before.
However Mary's distrust to the potential babysitter immediately came to fade. Although Mrs. Rold already had the permanent job, but when she heard that Mason wants to hire her she immediately declared her readiness to quit. Mary was not too pleased with it but Mrs. Rold explained that she was working for the final months because her charges gets grown up and had to go to school the fall. And just before the family's going to spend the summer in Texas with their relatives. So she would really happy to help Mr. Capwell with his children.
Mary immediately likes this friendly woman so after a couple of days everything was settled. When Mrs. Rold firstly walks in her new place of work and the older kids took her with great enthusiasm, Mason put his arm around Mary and whispered in her ear:
"I told you that she is wonderful."
"And you were right." Mary kissed him on the lips. "I afraid that you really need to go."
"Damm," Mason glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry, I must leave."
"Do not be late, OK?" She brushed a speck of dust on his coat.
"Of course."
* * *
In the middle of the day after feeding and putting sleep Mickey, Mary leaves the children in the capable hands of Mrs. Rold and goes to Capwell's place. Fortunately Sophia was at home. She happily volunteered to help Mary to find the point of application for a charity. However it turned out a bit more complicated than they may image. But also the more interesting and rewarding.
When the clock struck seven in the lobby, door bell rings in Capwell's house. And just after a minute worried Rosa comes in the living room.
"Mrs. Capwell, you did not see Mr. Capwell?"
"I think he's in the study. What's the matter?" Sophia looked up from the documents which she studied with Mary.
But Rosa already disappeared into the lobby.
"It's strange," Mary said. "What's happened to her?"
She and Sophia go out the atrium and saw the guest. Sophia is frozen. Mary stared at her and then glanced at the unknown lady who standing in the lobby and who apparently also recognized Sophia.
"And you're here. It's good. Even better."
"Pamela," Sophia just said. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to protect my son."
"What's going on here?" CC walked into the hall. His face turned to stone at the sight of his ex-wife. "Pamela? How dare you come here?"
"Where is Charlie?" she asked instead of answering. "I want to see my son."
"You lost all rights for him when you sent him to me. Alone, even without any attendant. I thought that your letter clearly said that you do not want to bring him up."
Mary quietly slipped out the living room and dialed Capwell Enterprise's office.
"Mason Capwell, please. It's his wife. Mason? Come to your father's house straight away. Here is your mother. What? No, I'm not kidding. Pamela is currently talking to your father. Yes, in the house. All right."
She hung up and returned to the atrium where the conversation was continued already in a raised voice.
"I'm not leaving until I see my son!" Pamela almost cried. "What you done with him, CC?"
"Charlie is all right, stop a tantrum!" CC clearly had enough.
"If you are does not bring him here now I'll call the police!"
"For God's sake. Charlie is an American citizen. Do you want to know what the court will say about your depriving me of my legal father rights to see and visit my own son?"
"CC, how do you dare?"
"I do."
"CC, may be..." Sophia begins, but he walked past her and took Pamela's elbow.
"So you're here, let's talk without scandals and cries."
Mary followed them with her eyes and looked at Sophia.
"I do not understand," she said. "And where is Charlie?"
"He and Brandon at Brandon's friend home. They soon are back. But we really need to inform Mason."
"I just called him, he's on the way. Do you know why did she come?"
"No..." Sophia clenched her fingers.
"Maybe she wants to take Charlie back?"
"Maybe, but I doubt that CC..." Sophia not finished her sentence because the door was just open and Mason Capwell rush in.
"Where is she? Where is my mother?"
"She is with your father in the study. No, Mason, wait," Mary grabbed his sleeve. "Let them to talk alone."
But Mason pulled out and blindly went to the study. However at the point Pamela and CC Capwell come in the atrium. Both were dark and angry.
"Mason, dear my son!" It was Pamela's reaction at the sight of his eldest son. "Where is your brother?"
"Charlie is at the friend's party," Sophia said. "He will be back soon. You have nothing to worry."
"Nothing!" Pamela suddenly soared. "How dare you talk me like that? You are bitch, so abused my son! He told me everything! How do you lock him up in the attic! How you left him alone without food and water and forced to run around the house to being complete exhaustion!"
For a moment all eyes were fixed on Sophia. Mason gently took his mother's hand.
"Mom, did Charlie tell you all of it? When?"
"In the last night. Mason, I beg you, help me. Protect your little brother."
"Did you speak with Charlie at the last night? By what way? I tried to find you but could not. They told me that you left out."
"Yes, I was not in London. But the other day I came back and immediately got the call from Charlie. He said that you, CC, is ready to send him back on the plane, and I must to waiting for him in the airport. But he came not, and I had gone here. I could not leave him at home with this sadistic woman!"
Mason remembered the escape of his youngest brother. Hmmm, Charlie made the tricky combination.
"Mom, Charlie lied to you--"
"Do not tell me that you're on the side of your father!"
"Mom, he did make up it. Just believe me--"
"Mom!" They heard the child's voice and turned around.
In the doorway were Charlie and Brandon.
Charlie immediately jumped up and ran to Pamela, embraced her, pressed against her dress.
"Mom, you came back!"
Mason got the lump in the throat. Well that's all--
"Stop clinging to me, you are not three!" Pamela spat out with the unexpected fury. "And say me now, you really was bad treated here or what?" She painfully grabbed his arm, making eye contact.
"Of course I was!" But for a moment he comes apart and flushed.
"You are a little liar!" Pamela pushed him away. "I did my way though a half the globe to stand up for you, and now I see that you just lied me. It's all, I'm leaving."
She quickly walks toward the door. Charlie lunged for her: "Mommy, take me away! Please! I do not want to stay here! I swear, I never bother you!" He grabbed her arm, choking with tears.
Pamela stopped and turned to him. Charlie run and huddled to her, continuing to flinch with sobbing. She sighed and wound her arms around his shoulders, strokes his little head. Then she gently torn him away and sat on her haunches beside him.
"I can not stay, honey. You are already a big boy, you're a man. Here you will be with your father and Mason. And if you're not going in for dramatics, I'll come back later. OK?"
Charlie's shoulders still heaving with silent sobs. And when Pamela tried to get away again, he again grabbed her arms.
"Mom! Don't go!"
Pamela pulled out and pushed the heavy door of Capwell's house. Someone's hands lays on Charlie's shoulders. The boy started and turned around. Sophia.
At this moment the door was slammed, and he rushed out after his mother. Sophia held him back.
"No, Charlie. Take it easy. Everything will be fine."
He huddled to her for a moment, but then pushed away and ran out.
"Mommy!"
The rest ran out after him, but Pamela's car already darts away. Mary just caught a glimpse of Bunny Rabbit cling at the rear window.
"Dad, stop her! Please!" Charlie turns his tear-stained face to CC, but just before CC can react the boy jumped up and disappeared into the dark depths of the garden.
Mary realized that firmly hold her husband's shoulder. Mason glanced up his father.
"I will find him," Mason said shortly and faded in the garden.
Mary pressed her palms to her cheeks.
"What a nightmare," she whispered.
"Come in, here we can nothing to do," Sophia said.
"He'll be back," they heard Brandon's voice behind. "He's strong."
"Of course, he will be back," Mary put her arm around the boy's shoulder. "He's just very hurt."
* * *
Heavy-hearted Mason wanders through the garden trying to find his youngest brother. The drama shaken him to the depths of the soul and firstly aroused sympathy for Charlie. He began to have an uncomfortable feeling that the mother did ill with both of them.
"You like Charlie more than you're willing to admit"," old Mary's words came to his mind. "Where he would go if he was his youngest brother?"
After a moment's hesitation, Mason walks to the fountain. As a child he loved the place. He lied on the edge of the fountain's border and leisurely teased goldfish with a sprig. He did like to feel himself as their master.
Charlie sat on the bench at the fountain. He's leaning over its edge and staring with unseeing eyes at shiny streams. He lost everything. He had no strength. He did believe that his mother would come and take him home as she promised. And now a dream turns a dust. He feels very, very alone. Surely he cannot take seriously the father and his wife. They hate him. Even early they did not, but now they really do in. All of them. He saw how their faces were frozen. Adults look like when they'd going to raise a fist--
"There you are!"
Charlie jump up and almost fell off the bench.
"All worries about you," Mason gently sits down beside him.
"They hate me," Charlie sighed.
"Of course, they do not. We all love you."
"Me like an eyesore here," Charlie decided that there no more sense to pretend. "My father hates my mother and me. I heard that he hate you too. His wife never forgives me--"
"She'll forgive if you apologize to her."
Charlie shook his head.
"I'll run away," he whispered. "If I must be alone so I want to be on my own."
"You're not alone." Mason suddenly wants to ruffle his hair. Like he did to Ted. "You have all of us. How Eden and Cruz's wedding can be done without you? You did promise to bear the ring, remember? And your nephews dote on you. Mary loves you very much."
"I'm not belonging here. All of yours is the one family, but I'm just fifth wheel."
"Of course, you belong. You are Capwell, and that said it all," Mason patted him on the head. "Come on, old man. Ask Sophia for forgiveness and everything will be fine."
"Do you think she can forgive me?" Charlie's eyes lit up with an involuntarily hope.
"Of course, she does," Mason confidently said. "Come on."
When they come in the Capwell's house, the first person who saw them was Mary.
"You found him!"
"Sophia, Charlie wants to say something to you," Mason said.
Red-faced Charley came to his stepmother.
"I am sorry," he muttered.
"Why you slandered me to your mother? Have I ever hurt you?"
"No... I just wanted her to come to me. Do you forgive me? I'm very, very sorry."
"Of course, I do," Sophia smiled. "And now go upstairs to your room."
Cheerful Charlie just headed for the stairs but was stopped by the terrible voice of CC Capwell.
"Wait a minute, young man."
Charlie turned pale and cringed.
"Father..." Mason began but CC raised his hand.
"Hold your tongue. Charlie, you did misbehave. I want that you can see that any lies cannot help you to get back to your mother. Now you're living in my house and I will not accept such behavior."
"Yes, sir," automatically replied the boy.
"Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir."
"Come here."
Charlie came up to his father like his legs feel stiff.
"If you understand so you must be aware that you did deserve a punishment. Right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you want to know, what is it?"
"What you say, sir."
"Stop calling me sir!" CC exploded. Charlie starts back.
"Yes, si... father."
"Tomorrow I'm going on the business trip in Mexico. And you're going with me. It's your punishment."
"What?" Charlie blankly looked up him.
"You're going with your father in Mexico City," Sophia explained. "Your dad just joked about the punishment. He wants you get some rest and relax. Am I right, CC?"
"Sure. So your packing things would very useful for you. Now run to sleep," CC hugged Charlie. The boy freeze under his father's hands and quickly pulled away to ran upstairs.
"Let's go home," Mary touch Mason's hand. "Now Charlie will be alright."
"Yes," Mason said, thinking about his own. He was hard time to cope with today's painful events.
They left the house and he delightly breath a cool night air.
Mary squeezed his fingers, and Mason looked at her.
"Everything will be fine," she said.
"When it's you who say it I begin to believe that its truth," Mason faintly smiled, and they're go to the car.
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