Page 84 of Broken Empire
“Doyou want to start talking about your relationship today?”
“Notreally.Everything’sstill the same between us.Well, there is no us as of right now andIwish he’d get that through his thick as hell skull,”Isay exasperatedly.
“Iknow you said that you don’t want him anymore but anyone who looks at the two of you can tell that there seem to be strong feelings for each other.Doyou think that you’re punishing him for the things he’s done?” she asks andItake a moment to think about that.
Isthat whatI’vebeen doing?ImeanIknow he’s been apologizing every single day.He’sbeen taking care of me, even thoughIdon’t need that much care.He’sstill leaving flowers and those notes every day despite knowing thatIhaven’t read any of them.
They’reall still in a jar, sitting in my room upstairs.He’salso been doing other little things for me.Feedingme, making sureI’malways comfortable and not in any pain, watching over me like a hawk.Hewatches television with me on the nights whenIcan’t sleep and sometimes, he even reads or sings to me.Thenthere are the times when he walks with me around the garden to make sureIget some exercise and fresh air.Idon’t thinkI’veever been taken care of this well in my life before.
He’snever not too far away from me in caseIneed something.Nevermind my dad, brother andGraysonare around to help.Isshe right?HaveIbeen unconsciously punishing him?
“Idon’t know doc,”
“Letme ask you this.Canyou live without him?Imean what if something happens to him or he decides to walk away, how would that make you feel?”
Ithink aboutMasonnot being here anymore andIfeel an ache in my chest at that thought.Fuck!Whatthe fuck is wrong with me?Idon’t want him around me but whenIthink about what she just saidIcan’t even think about living without him either.Ugh!Ireally need to sort through my shit.Ilook up at the clock and see that it’s now been an hour since we’ve been in here and suddenly,Ijust want to get out of this room.
“Time’sup doc.Seeya whenIsee ya,”Itell her before hightailing it for the door.
WINTER
BeforeIeven make itto the door, it opens andMasonis standing there grinning at me.
“Whyare you running away from the doc like the place is on fire?”
“Whatare you smiling at?Andwhat are you doing here?Don’tyou have anything better to do than spy on me?”
“Nope, and for the recordIwasn’t spying on you.Ijust knew you’d be rushing for the door as soon as the hour was up,” he says, still smiling like the idiot he is, which just makes me roll my eyes at him. “Besides,I’mhere becauseIhave a surprise for you.”
“Whatkind of surprise?”Iask, suspiciously.
“Thanksfor being here, doc.Seeyou at her next appointment,” he says before giving me his full attention. “Iguess you’ll just have to follow me if you want to see your surprise.”
Idebate for a second in my head and when he starts to walk away,Ifollow behind him.BecauseI’mnosy and want to see what this surprise is all about.Whenwe get to the foyer he stops, handing me a blindfold andIstare at him just as my brother andGraysonjoin us.
“Youhave to put it on if you want to see whatIgot you,”
“Whyare we standing in the foyer?”Hunterasks.
“Beatsme, butIdidn’t ask you two nitwits to join us, so don’t complain,”Igrumble at him.
“Igot a surprise for her andIthink you two are gonna wanna see it!”Masonsays excitedly.Okay, nowI’mdying to know, soIput on the stupid blindfold.Onceit’s on and secure he grabs my hand in his and begins to gently pull me along with him.
Ihear the front door open and we all walk outside.Someonewhistles and then bothHunterandGraylet out a holy shit in excitement.
“Whatis all this racket about out here?”Ihear my father ask a moment later, after which he also lets out a long whistle too.Masonpulls my blindfold off a moment later andIgasp in surprise.
“Happybirthday, baby,” he tells me, kissing me on the head.
Damn, with everything going onIforgot that today was even my birthday.Ilook at everything in front of me and it definitely looks expensive as fuck.Especiallythe car if all the mooning my brother,Dad, andGrayare doing is anything to go by.
There’sa backdrop covered in red roses withHappyBirthdayletters on top of it and there are balloons around it.Whilea very nice red car sits in front of the backdrop.
“Whatkind of car is that?Itlooks pretty expensive,”Itell him.NotthatIcan’t afford any brand of carIwant or thatIeven know much about cars, but since my brother andGrayare both mooning over the thing like such guys,I’mthinking it’s got to be a really good one.
“It’saRolls-RoyceLaRoseNoireDroptail.”
“Probablythe most expensive car in the world,”Graysays in awe.