MASON
I walked out of the airport and into the waiting black Mercedes. It was July now, almost a year and a half since I left New York City and my life behind me. Everything still looked the same to me as it did before I left, yet life was completely different.
I was different! At least that's what I've been telling myself. All that time I spent trying to find myself again, it wasn't all for nothing. I wouldn't be back if I wasn't a changed man.
"It's been a long time,Son."My Father said, from the other side of the back seat. "How have you been--where have you been?"
"Everywhere, I didn't stay put for too long." I turned my head and looked out the window. It's been a long time, but that didn't change the fact that I still found it difficult to hold a conversation with my Father.
Like I said, I've changed. But I still bare a lot of feeling when I'm around him. Mostly shame for the type of son I've been all these years, I've done a lot of things to make him ashamed of him, yet he's stuck by me no matter what.
He's always been the type of Father that I've never deserved. There's a conversation that I needed to have with him, a conversation that's long overdue. Today is not the day, I'll work my way up to it.
"Well I'm happy to have you back home. Now, you didn't give me much notice that you were coming back, so I wasn't able to get you your own place in time."
A couple of hours notice, I called him at the airport in Venice. I didn't want a fuss.
"Nonsense. Why stay at a hotel when you can just come home for a couple of weeks?"He said it so casually, like the place he lived had been my home before I left.
It wasn't my home-- it hadn't been my home for a long time.
"We don't want to push things."I turned my head and looked at him."You and I under the same roof, it isn't a good idea. I'll stay at a hotel."
He smiled lightly, creating crows feet around his eyes. My father had aged quite a bit in the time that I've been gone, he looked tired."If that's what you want, Son. We will drop you wherever you want to go."
"The Ritz. That's where I'm staying."I turned my head and looked out the window again. Surprisingly enough I didn't hear anymore from him until we pulled up outside the hotel.
The driver handed me my bag from the back and my Father was standing by the car door."I'll clean up and see you in the office in a couple of hours."
"The office?"He asked."But you've only just arrived home. I thought you might want some time to get sorted before coming back."
"I've had enough time, I'm ready to come back."I hung my bag from my shoulder, the bag that I've brought along my travels and held very little in it."You want me back, Right?"
He smiled."Of course i do. Knight & Son is yours and it always will be. I'll see you in a couple of hours."He turned around and slipped back into his car.
I was standing in reception, checked in in a matter of minutes. The Park view suite was costly, especially for the length of time that I will be staying. A week at the very least.
I glanced down at the time, noticing that it was after 1."I'm going to need someone to pick me up a suit at Armani, I've already called ahead so it just needs to picked up."
"Of course,Mr Knight."The woman in her thirties smiled politely, hanging on my every word.
"I'll need shoes too, black preferably.." I paused, distracted by the clicking of a woman's heels on the flooring. I looked around and found myself unable to say another word once I saw who the woman in heels was.
Jamie Harris!
Fuck!! Not now!! Of all people to walk through this lobby today, it had to be her. I wasn't prepared to see her yet. I've had a long time to think about how I wanted our first conversation to go,but I was jet lagged and my brain wasn't working. I haven't shaved in months.
She hadn't seen me yet, she was too busy looking at some papers she was holding and talking to the Man she was walking with. I could get away without her seeing me, despite that fact I found myself walking closer.
"Jamie.."
JAMIEWhen I looked up and saw his face, at first I thought my eyes were deceiving me. That was until I pinched myself, most likely hard enough to leave a mark. He's here- He's really here. Why? It's been so long, so much time has passed and so much has changed. I put him behind me but now he's back, he had only just spoken a word but seeing his face was enough to drag all my anger to the surface. Already I felt like a kettle on the stove, almost at it's boiling point. "Mason Knight..."I whispered. "Thee Mason Knight, The
JAMIEThe wanderer has finally returned!!They're not happy about it. They're my best friends, they have a right to be worried about him being back. He left, so easily, like I didn't matter to him at all. They were there to pick up the pieces.Carmen and Ethan stuck by me just like they always do. They were my support through the toughest moments of my life, I know more than anything else that that will never change.Unfortunately I can't say the same for Mason Knight. I don't know if he's changed, I hope he has purely for himself, but I don't see it happening. It was stupid of me to think that in the past. I won't make that mistake again!!"What are you going to do about the dinner?"Harry asked, grabbing my attention from the people that were passing by the window of the coffee shop.In thought I had become distracted by the people that were passing by, rushing to
MASONI can't believe it!! All this time I've been gone, travelling the world trying to figure my shit out, I never knew what I had left behind.. A Daughter!! I leaned back against the wall of the elevator."This can't be true!"This isn't me, I'm not Father material. I don't know the first thing about raising a child. I stepped out of the elevator feeling the rage, as I walked towards my Father's office. How could he not tell me about this? I've seen more of him than anyone since I've been back, how could he not say something. I pushed open the door to my Father's office and walked inside. I saw that he was already gone.
JAMIEI looked down at the binder that I was holding in my arms. The Montgomery's had added 4 extra tables of 6 to their anniversary party overnight. Luckily I was equipped to deal with this kind of situation at last minute.Mrs Montgomery's turned to me and smiled."Is that okay, Darling?""Of course."I smiled back."I penciled it in for 4 extra table. We just need a decision on napkin colours, other than that we're pretty much set for your special day."Mr Montgomery chuckled."I'll leave this one to you, Dear.""I assumed you would."She looked at him adoringly. I found it cute that after 50 years together they were this much in love. It makes me think of my own Mom and Dad."Perfect, I'll go us a couple of sample colours."I left the Montgomery's to chat while I grabbed my napkins from the office. Five minutes later I was back but there was one other person with them.
JAMIEBrent had finally shown his face, but a part of me wished that he didn't. Either way the night will end with Carmen upset because of him. He always manages to put her down in some way, but of course she just laughs it off and acts like it doesn't bother her.He's not a good guy!!Brent's not right for her.. I don't think he cares about her, at least not in the way he should do as a future husband. Carmen's my best friend and I want to protect her, but I don't think she'll see it like that if I express my true feelings."I'll have the steak and a whisky neat." Brent closed his menu and handed it back to the waiter."I'll have.."Carmen started, whilst looking down at her menu."She will have the caesar salad."Brent looked at Carmen."You have a wedding dress to fit into. We don't want you piling on the pounds before the big da
JAMIE He wasn't happy about it, just like I wasn't. My Father wasn't all that happy about Mason Knight showing his face, after everything he's done. He wasn't happy about him being back in my life, nor Penelope's either. Because of this, I was the one facing of wrath of Clay Harris. I guess Mason will be too if my Parents don't leave before he gets here. "I'm not happy about this, Jamie. No, I don't like it!"He shook his head. Of course i pulled a face, knowing exactly what he was going to say. His every word. It's the same thing my Father always says when he doesn't like a situation.
MASON"He does a good job.. He works hard." My father stated."A good job?"I shook my head with a chuckled."I like Eoin, but there's more than a handful of typos on this page alone. We shouldn't have to keep him on just because he's family.""I think we owe him that much after everything he's done. He was the one that stepped in when you weren't around, Remember?""I bet it was such an inconvenience to his life."I replied, sarcastically. When my father didn't reply I rested back in my chair with a sigh."It's your choice if you want to keep him on. You're the boss here.""When the time comes the business will be passed on to you. It'll be good to keep some people around that you can trust."Trust.. Not likely!! I don't do trust. I'm just not that guy that puts his trust in others. That's never been me. I've never been that man.
JAMIEA bottle of Champagne was chilling in a ice bucket on the table to the side, two crystal flute glasses were stood pretty beside it. One glass completely empty, while the other was still untouched.Two in the afternoon was too early for me, but Carmen on the other hand— well she was never one to turn down free champagne, or anything free for that matter. Being the centre of attention Carmen was in her element, which is exactly how it should be for any bride to be.I hooked the final satin button on the back of her dress that was made of lace and tulle. I was feeling a great honour to be by Carmen's side. To be present at every dress fitting, to every store in the city of New York just to find the perfect pair of shoes to match her perfect dress, and most importantly by her side through all those months of planning