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Chapter 158 - The Lake House - Part 4
They had the breakfast in the uncomfortable silence. Night's events are still lurking around the house.
Mary had wandered from room to room, trying to focus on searching for the reel player - anything, just not to think about Pamela. Any thought about this woman make Mary feel a cold fury. But she could not show it. She cannot add an unnecessary pain to Mason.
Mason was sitting on the sofa and stared down the floor. He still could not realize completely the ugly truth. The woman who he loved in spite of her long absence and finding his replacement in the form of the youngest brother... the woman who he's waited for half his life and as much longed for her love... it turned out that he was the thing which she did not need. From the very beginning. Ever since they still had a normal life. She wanted to get rid of him... to drown like a kitten to get him out of her way. If he really was so much of demon?
"How long have you known about?" He raised his head and looked up Sophia who was sitting in the chair nearby.
"A couple of months."
"And you did not tell me?"
"Of course, I did not." Surprised Sophia looked in his eye. "What for? Beside, CC said that you remember nothing about it."
"You felt sorry for me?" He gave a crooked, mirthless smile.
"Of course. Like for any of my children. I was not going say even now but..."
"Yes, I can see. I see. And even more... But memories of that day made me wonder how I'd manage survived after all?"
"Do you not remember?" Sophia suddenly frowned. "CC saved you."
"Father?" Mason surprised. "No, I do not remember this."
"No, Mason. You saved yourself," suddenly they heard a soft voice of CC Capwell.
"What are you mean?" Mason looked up him.
The patriarch was standing near the door, his head was slightly bowed.
"Back then you heard my voice and managed to escape from her. I just got you out of the water near the shore. I'm afraid," CC cleared his throat. "I'm afraid that otherwise I would not have had time to..."
Mason's thoughts swirled in a whirlwind. He strained his mind and the memories came though they were not so clear as previous about his mother. He felt waters hampered his movement, a wild relief when the pressing of slippery hands' was ceased, a bright light of moon, a cold spray of lake waters... and then someone's warm hands and stunning sense of safety.
Mason pressed his trembling lips together, then stood up and walked to the window.
"Thank you," he managed without turning around. "I do not..."
At that moment he felt someone's hands upon him... they were not Mary's but who's once pulled him from the icy waters of lake. Now he just cannot help and quickly turning, embraced his father, pressed his face against father's shoulder. Like he did then. And like that time... he felt a trembling of his father's hands.
A few minutes later Mason slowly pulled away and wiped his eyes with his palm. Then almost forcing himself he looked up his father. CC's face was clearly shocking; his cheeks had traces of tears. Mason looked away because it was too much for him. He looked around and saw that Mary and Sophia who were smiling at them.
"I hope that the incident will remain within these walls," Mason said hoarsely.
"Of course," Sophia said immediately.
But Mary was somehow silent, staring into space.
"Mary?" Mason called. "Do you promise?"
"What?" She raised her head. "Oh I do, sure. Although I am very glad that..." She suddenly broke off and starts to walk to the opposite wall where the wardrobe was.
Mason somehow thought that she does not see where she's walking, and he rushed to her, fearing that she would hit the wall. But Mary stopped just in front of the wardrobe, abruptly squatting and shoved both hands into the bottom shelf. There was a quiet rasp and suddenly the middle part of the wardrobe moved aside.
"Mason, help me!"
Mason jumped up, helped Mary to push it aside completely and stared inside. They all stared. Behind the moved part of the wardrobe was a niche where was the large reel recorder and a stack of reels.
"Oh, my God..." escaped from Sophia. "I completely forgot about this niche..."
"I really did remember after all! I knew that something was missing here..."
"And how did you get it?" Mason pulled her to him and embraced.
"You said "walls"," Mary giggled. "And I remembered my childhood feeling that it was not a wardrobe, but a hole in the wall."
"I guess we need to turn the player on," Sophia hesitantly said.
"I think, yes." Mason said, gently pulling the recorder out of the wall niche. "I hope it's in working condition."
Minutes felt like hours until Mason gently unwinding all the cables and connecting them. Then he pressed a few buttons, and they all held their breath. Reels become spun, music starts.
"We can not be sure that it's that reel," Sophia said after a while. The familiar music painfully had echoed in her mind.
"We can not," Mason agreed. "Yet, it is the most likely version."
He started to click buttons, gradually fast-forwarding. By Mary's memories if the useful record was here, it was recorded nearly at the end of the reel. Suddenly instead of a new track of music they heard some human voices. Sophia gasped and leaned forward.
"Dad! I recognize his voice!"
Mason quickly rewind and turned it on. Again the music started... but after a couple of minutes it ended abruptly and gruff male voice filled the room.
"... No!" The man growled. "You know perfectly well that it is not my fault!"
"You could call me! You could send a letter! You could do anything, even if send a message by carrier pigeon!"
Mary flinched at the sound of her mother's voice. She cannot help but looked at Sophia. The older woman's eyes are wide open.
"Don't you think I could wish it?" The male hoarse voice asked. "For God's sake, do you think it's easy for ME? But I could not risk! How many times I have to repeat it! Someone could follow me... even the slightest hint of..."
"I aware," The female voice sounded softly but clearly. "I just still can not believe... that she's gone. I was hoping that I will be able to see her one day. I barely remember her face..."
Mary and Sophia looked at each other. Mason frowned, trying to figure out who can be mentioned "she". CC stared at the wife, afraid that she's going to have a breakdown. Damn these stupid secrets of the past!
"We're in the same boat." The sad chuckle. "I barely remember Ken. And never see him again. But it ever occur to you inform me about his death? So how you dare accuse me! (Pause) Though I'm glad that you brought your older daughter here. She has her father's eyes."
"Alas, it's not me who you have to thank. My tomboy just hid in my car. God knows why she decided that Kenny is alive, and I'll bring her to him."
"Ah, that's why she was crying. I thought she was upset about some toy. I had not seen you're comforting her though."
Mary cannot help but cringed, squirming on the seat. Everybody's eyes turned to her, she felt it.
"Do not dare judge me, Bernie. You know nothing about my daughter. You do not know what she needs. And I know her."
"So go to her, damn it! Go and hug your little girl! For God's sake, how would I wish to be able to do the same!"
The pause.
"I barely remember Phia. How did it happen?"
"The yacht accident. The last summer."
"Kenny's gone last fall. Why they leave us?"
"I have no answer. Go to Mary, Teddy. Go and embrace her. For yourself, for Kenny, for me..."
"You can hug her yourself now... because..."
The conversation went dead with the loud click. Reels start to spin in the opposite direction.
"Wow, that's a record," Mason said in stunned silence and shook his head. He looked up Mary and got a sick feeling in his stomach.
Mary was sitting in the chair, rocking back and forth, hugging herself.
Mason quickly went and squatted in front of her, gently took her hand. Mary stopped abruptly and raised her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Come here," Mason slowly pulls her to him, then knelt down and hugged her head. "Everything will be fine... It's been a long time ago."
Mary embraced him with both hands, slipping from her seat to the floor and pressed her face to his shoulder. Mason's just barely rocking her, trying to comfort but his insides are flipping when he had listen her soundless sobs. He had never seen her like this. Even when Mary had remembered her old kidnapping, even when she had pulled him from the water of the lake last night...
"We'll leave!" CC Capwell's quiet but angry voice blew the silence. "Immediately."
Mason felt Mary's whole body shuddered and clenched his teeth.
"Yes, of course," Sophia immediately said. "Mason... Mary, can you walk?"
Mary looked up and nodded uncertainly. Mason helped her up and led her out to the car. Oddly enough but the movement helped Mary to get over it a bit. And she even was able to convince Mason that she can to stay alone while they're packing things.
However, when they were about to drive away, Mary suddenly got out of the car and walked towards the house.
"Where are you going?" Mason caught her arm.
"Let's me go! I had to return... say goodbye."
"No!" Mason wanted to follow her but Mary pulled away and ran to the house.
Mason froze, not be sure whether to go after Mary or not.
"Go after her."
Mason looked up Sophia.
"Go, she needs you."
And Mason run in the house and upstairs to the second floor. He found out Mary in the same room that the story was started. Mason saw that she took a few steps and then stopped. Then she turned and did the same again. It seemed that she had not even noticed that she's not alone anymore.
"She's wrong," her soft whisper suddenly came to Mason.
"What?" Mason strugglingly released his grip on the doorjamb and stepped toward her.
"My mother's wrong." Mary looked up again; her face was wet with tears. "Comfort is always necessary."
Mason felt like the big weight lifted from of his heart.
"You can always count on it," he promised and reached out. "Come here."
Mason thought that she may start to crying again but Mary's just clung to his chest. Silently. No tears and sobs. She seemed enjoy to being in his arms.
He did not aware how long they were stayed like this, probable a few minutes only. Then Mary slowly pulled away and looked up him.
"I'm sorry, I scared you."
"Scared" is not the word," he cupped her face. "Come on. Leave this house and its secrets to the past. I hope that we never go back here," escaped from Mason.
Mary was silent all the way to the car but when they are set off, she said: "No, I hope I'll visit here one day."
"Over my dead body," Mason growled.
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