A sign

Chapter Two.

Mason

Life was exhausting for me.

I leaned back against the couch, releasing a sigh. I’d spent the entire night on my computer, analyzing data and organizing my work. If I was going to start my own company soon, I knew I’d need to lay the groundwork now.

A headache reminded me that I desperately needed sleep—I hadn’t closed my eyes once all night, driven by a determination to wrap up this project.

On top of that, the other side jobs I took on to support myself and Madison were exhausting.

Sometimes I kept asking myself when all these sleepless nights would end.

All I wanted to do was to close my eyes for at least a few hours and dive into sleep. But the second I started to doze Madison stormed into the room, her hands akimbo, a familiar angry expression on her face.

"How can you sleep when we're about to lose the roof over our heads?"

I forced my eyes open, fearing what I already knew was coming. “what's going on Maddie?”

“The landlord came by today,” she snapped, glaring at me.

“What did he say?”

She rolled her eyes. "Are you serious right now? He said he was done waiting for us. He’s threatening to throw us out before the weekend."

I rubbed my temples in frustration, feeling the headache increase. "I know, I mean I am doing the best I can, Madison, it's not easy."

She scoffed. "The best you can? Mason, you are doing nothing useful, when are you going to look for a better job instead of wasting your time with whatever it is you’re doing?”

I sat upright staring into her eyes, my patience was running thin but instill tried to keep my voice calm. “ You know how hard it is to get high-paying jobs, but trust me when I say that I am working towards it, you just have to be patient with me, these things take a lot of time.”

She moved forward, a look of disgust on her face. “ We don't have time Mason!” she threw her hands up in the air in frustration.” you are not looking well enough, that's the problem.”

“What else do you want me to do Maddie?”

“I want you to go out there and look for jobs, stop sitting in front of your computer investing your time in a dream that will never come to pass!”

I took In deep breath suppressing the urge to trade words with her. “I know you are frustrated, I am too, you just need to trust me.”

“Tell that to the landlord and watch how he will kick you out without thinking twice, stop being unrealistic and wake up! You need an actual job that would pay you a good salary because there is no way we are surviving on that peanut you are receiving.”

I took a deep breath, reminding myself not to argue. “Madison, you are not listening to me I’m trying the best I can but nothing is working,”

“That is because you keep sitting in front of the computer all night like it's going to put food on the table or a roof over our heads, Mason, this isn't Hollywood!”

“Can I ask you for something? Can you please just hold on for a little longer?”

"No, I can’t keep holding on!" she said, her voice rising. "I am tired of holding on and waiting for you to start your own robotics company. I want more, Mason. I want to be able to buy nice things, go on vacations with my girls, and live like we used to when you were working with Tony ."

“Don't even go there Madison, I quit that job because he was flirting with you, he even tried to invite you over to his house.”

“ And did you look for another job before quiting? No! You just went ahead to resign like you have so many job offers waiting out your door, I turned him down Mason, and I told him I wasn't interested, why did you think the best thing to do was to quit your job?”

“I get that you are frustrated and that's okay, I just need more time, I'm going to give you the world, take you on trips, and buy you designer clothes, just believe in me,” I pleaded, looking into her eyes searching for any sign of sympathy or concern but I saw nothing like that just anger and irritation.

“I'm sick and tired of believing in you Mason,”

“Madison I love you and you love me too and I can't afford to lose you, I promise to work hard enough to give you anything you want,”

“And when will that be?”

“Very soon Maddie!”

She shook her head, staring at me as if she didn't know who I was anymore. “ I'm sorry Mason, I don't think I can wait, I'm not interested in you anymore, it's over Mason.” with that she turned and walked away, slamming the door behind her.

“I'm sorry, okay, I'll make things right.”

“I'm tired of going back and forth with you. Very soon the landlord will be back and he will send us packing so you better start looking for how to pay him.”

“I'm going to ask Ben to lend me some money. I just need you to calm down. “

“I'm leaving,”

“ Where are you going, Maddie?”

She shook her head, looking at me as if she didn’t even recognize me anymore. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Mason.” With that, she turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

I sat there in silence for a moment, her harsh words still ringing in my head piercing my heart. She was right, I needed to do something but first of all I needed to clear my head. I grabbed my car keys and stepped out of the house.

The cool breeze brushed against my skin making me shiver as I got into my old Toyota Camry driving aimlessly around the empty streets.

My thoughts kept circling back to Madison, to our bills, to this endless struggle to make things work. A wave of frustration washed over me. Why couldn’t she just see that I was doing everything I could?

A lot had changed in our relationship since I lost the only high-paying job I had because my boss was openly flirting with her, offering to treat her to dinner.

If it weren't for that I wouldn't be fulfilled but at least I wouldn't be jobless and broke.

I was so deep in my thoughts, that I almost didn’t notice a car speeding down the road without control. But then, out of nowhere, it veered sharply, swerving out of control. Right in front of me, it slammed into a tree with a sickening crunch.

“Damn!” I whispered, slamming my brakes.

Without thinking, I jumped out of my car and ran toward the wreckage. The driver’s side was crumpled in, smoke already starting to rise from under the hood. I could see a young woman slumped over in the passenger seat, unconscious, blood trickling down her head shattered glass all over her face.

I yanked open the door, my hands trembling as I reached for her. "Hey, ma'am! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

She didn’t respond. I quickly checked her pulse—still beating, thank God. Carefully, I unbuckled her seatbelt and lifted her into my arms, carrying her back to my car. She was light, her head resting against my shoulder.

I set her gently in my back seat, then I turned back to the wrecked car. The driver was still trapped, pinned under the twisted metal. I could see the fear in his eyes, his hand outstretched toward me.

“Help me sir!” he gasps in pain.

“I’ll get you out, man, just hold on!” I shouted, running back to him. I tried to pull open the door, but it was wedged tightly against the tree.

Damn!

“Please… please, help me…” he gasped, his face pale.

“I’m trying my best sir,” I said, my heart beating fast as I pulled with all my strength. But the door wouldn’t budge, and the smell of gasoline was getting stronger.

“Come on… come on, just open up!” I muttered, trying again, but it was no use.

The driver’s eyes widened, and he looked at me with a horrible defeated gaze. “Just… go. Take her. Get away from here.”

“No, I can save you!” I said trying to pull him out but then I stopped when I saw flames beginning to lick up from under the hood. There was no time left. I backed away, my chest tightening as I turned and ran back to my car. I’d barely climbed in and slammed the door when a deafening explosion shook the ground.

I winced, gripping the steering wheel as I looked back at the wreckage. The car was engulfed in flames, a twisted mess of metal and smoke.

I Forced myself to breathe and I looked in the rearview mirror at the woman lying unconscious in my back seat. I didn’t know who she was or where she’d been going, but at that moment, I knew that saving her had been the only thing I could do.

I started the car and headed to the nearest hospital, hoping to find answers, but that could only happen if she was still alive.