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Chapter 139 — Hidden Doubts
"I had the meeting about Christy. And what's the matter?" Mary looked up him in amazement and somewhat angry.
"I told you don't leave the house!"
"And I answered that it's makes no sense. And what are you doing here? I thought that you are in the office until a lunch time."
"Let's talk elsewhere," Mason takes her hand and going to lead her to the car but Mary stops him.
She folded her arms and said quite sternly: "Stop being bossy, I'm not a little girl."
Mason cannot help to smile.
"You are my wife," he politely reminded. "And the wife must obey her husband."
"Not in this century. Mason, what's wrong? Why are you so nervous? Is it because Mark's appearance yesterday?"
"Come on, let's walk on the beach," he suggested instead of answering. "Or may be we should take the yacht and relax on the waves!"
"You are in trouble," Mary quietly stated.
Mason's face stiffed for a moment but then he smiled ruefully.
"No, just a bad day."
They went down to the shore, took off their shoes and walk on the wet sand bathing their feet in the lapping waves.
"What's up with Christy?" Mason broke the silence.
"I'm worried about her," Mary frowned.
"Why? She got involved in some trouble?"
"I do not know. I saw Jimmy; he called and asked to meet him."
"What he said?"
"They have... problems. More precisely, according to him Christy recently was acting very strangely. She asked him to move out to his family. Now she's staying alone in the huge house of our uncle and starts at every rustle. Jimmy worries about her."
"I can talk to her if you want," Mason stopped and looked at Mary.
"No, I do not. Actually I guess where the point is--"
"And where?"
"I think this is her delayed reaction after realizing what was happened to her in childhood and adolescence," Mary squinted at him. "So there's nothing serious. But she needs the help of crisis counselor and I'm afraid it will be difficult to persuade her to turn to them."
"Are you sure that's the point?"
They walked along the beach again.
"No, of course. I'm not even talked to my sister. But Jimmy's description is very similar to the picture."
"Is he aware what happened to her?"
"What stepbrother molested her for years and then brutally raped? And then she accidentally killed him? I don't think so. Unlikely she had told him and he have not another ways to know."
"Are you going to tell him?"
Mary shook her head.
"I have no right... Mason, what is happened to you today?"
"I met his mother."
"Oh... Then things become clear."
"What you mean?" Mason asked rather abruptly.
"It is obvious why you are so upset. Had you a good talk with her?"
"It depends... Learn that your mother married her longtime boyfriend mafioso and therefore gave your younger brother to the father for ever... it hardly can be called a good conversation."
"My God, Mason... is that true?"
"A big one, Mary..." He stopped and looks in her eyes with a pained gaze. "I'd so wait for her... all of my life."
"Mason..." Mary embraced him, desperate to take on his suffering. "Whatever... she is your mother. And she always will be."
"I know. Just... I thought I knew her, I remember her... but I saw the almost unknown woman today. Woman who just fine living without his oldest son by replacing him with the younger copy who was the result of the one stand night with her ??ex-husband. You know..." he looked away, "...when my father so clearly showed that he wants to forget about my existence and have only Sophia's children I always thought that my mother surely never reject me and always needs me. Again and again I have been giving the promise myself to going for her. And now I realize that it's were just my childhood fantasies. I do need none of them--"
"Mason, it's not true," she turned his face to her. "And your family needs you. All of them. Your father, your siblings, Sophia. And all we are — me, Chip, Sam and Mickey. We really need you. Do not ever think about other things."
"So you agree me about Pamela?" Mason strangely looked at her.
"I do not know. I do not know your mother as I'm know Capwells. Beside--"
"What?"
"I cannot be objective, Mason." Mary sighed. "After looking how much she hurts you — by her long absence and now presence — I can not treat her too well."
"I never thought that there may be problem like this," Mason curiosity looked at her.
They were silent.
"How you think if your mother came here for a long time?" Mary finally asked.
"I think not so," Mason absently said and added: "By the way, you were right. I met Mark McCormick at my mother's hotel room." Mary tensed, and he continued: "He works as her husband's personal chauffeur. And he was shocked to see me too."
Mary could not resist and giggled.
"Perhaps only my mother's presence saved him from having bloody face," Mason finished. "He made you scared so much yesterday."
"I'm fine now... Did you speak to Cruz about?"
"Yes, and we're working on it. Mark does not bother you anymore. I promise," he looked at his watch. "I'm sorry, I need to call the office. The father left me a bunch of paperwork for me."
"I hope you do not forget that next week's coming up Eden and Cruz's wedding," Mary looked sternly at him.
"How could I forget," Mason chuckled. "Oh," he suddenly remembered. "Workers must come to make the art studio in the attic today. And you may want to look after them."
"You are a sly fox!" Mary sighed. "Okay, I'm coming home. Although I just thinks about go shopping."
Mason thoughtfully kissed her lips and reluctantly let go: "I'll meet you home."
"Do not be late," Mary called after him. Mason waved with his hand and disappeared behind trees.
* * *
Yet Mary was not come home immediately. She's so anxiety about Christy.
She disliked uncle's house, it conjures up her memories about his meeting with Mason when they did uncover the truth about Chris Rock. Why the sister did not sell it? It is so big and dark--
Christy greeted Mary without much joy but she seems quite normal until Mary mentioned Jimmy. And Mary heard sister's obvious lie that he drove to make a photo shoot in Mexico.
"I saw Jimmy today," Mary said increasingly suspecting that something is wrong. "He said nothing about Mexico."
Christy's face stiffed, she turns away.
"What's the matter?" Mary sat down and tried to pat her hand. But her younger sister moved away.
"Chris, what's eating you? Old memories?"
"Memories?" Christy surprised stared at Mary. "No."
"So what is it?"
"I do not know. I feel somehow uncomfortable here. Scary."
"Is that why you asked Jimmy to move out?"
"How do you know?" Her sister frowned.
"He told me today. He's worried about you."
"It's none of his business!" Christy gets up and passes around the room.
"And whose is? Chris, why do not you tell me what really was happened?"
Christy was silent for so long that Mary already begins to think that she would not answer at all.
"I think that Steve is somewhere," Christy said finally.
"What?" Mary never even images some like this. "But... you saw his dead body."
"And besides I was who killed him," Christy shivered. "Yes, I know. But... I feel his presence."
"Where?"
"Here, in the house. Some stupid tings... once I even heard his voice. Everything repeats again, right?" In Christy's voice could be heard the crying.
"The last time you saw Uncle Larry. You just thought he was our father. But Steve exactly had not the twin."
"How do you know? We were not aware even about Uncle Larry."
"I'm sure about. However we can check up it for your peace of mind. But I think it's not all, Chris. You experienced the very difficult lifetime and then shot Steve... I think you need to get some help."
"Are you thinking I'm crazy?" Christy resentfully looked at her.
"No, of course I'm not. I guess that you may have a kind of post-stress syndrome. You're need to dealing with your trauma and leave it in the past. I'm just talking about working with a psychologist."
"You do sound like a psychologist. I'd not daydream and I had not any hallucinations."
"Do you think your mind can stand anything? All survivors are experiencing this syndrome in some way."
"I hate it when you say like that!"
"How like?""
"Didactically! Sagely! Ah, silly me! You have always been the good girl."
"Christy, Christy, come on. I just want to help you."
"So leave me alone, okay? I can deal with my life without your help."
"I thought you trust me," Mary said after the pause. She feels upset.
"And I thought that you trust me. And don't take my words as result of stress."
Mary was silent and then offered: "Maybe you should sell the house?"
"This one?" Christy honestly surprised. "Why? I love it. I even..." She stopped.
"Even..?"
"Well... I even dreamed that someday it does be full of my children," she blushed. "I even turned in my mind in every way where I would want to make the nursery."
"Chris, why did you ask Jimmy to move out? Is he aware about your past?"
"I did not tell him. I asked him to move out because I'm not wanted to put him in a danger situation."
"How Ted was? Christy, I do not understand. You said that you consider this home as your own and feels well here. And you aware that Steve is dead for long time. What are you afraid? He can not hurt you anymore."
"I know that. But I can not ignore things which I can see or hear. I heard the voice of Steve! I did just yesterday."
"Look, what I think?" Mary said firmly.
"What I need to see a psychiatrist?" Christy quipped.
"No. I think you should tell Jimmy all of these events and ask him to move in again. Tell him about your troubles."
"Well, of course. And he'll just take to his heels."
"You must to take a chance," Mary calmly said. "Santa Barbara is a little town, and he learns the truth sooner or later. And if not Jimmy so it may be another boy. You would not want to spend the rest of her life just alone, right? So you must trust in someone."
"Do you would say it Mason if you were me?" Christy curiously looked at her.
"I would say," she replied immediately. "I do trust him. Jimmy seems a good boy to me. Try to talk to him."
"Okay... I'll think about it."
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