Chapter 10
If it were not Eden, Julia would not believe it.
‘I’m not jealous,’ she told herself. ‘I do not have a monopoly on Mason’s confidence. It’s – unexpected but this is no crime, either.’
“This Elena, she can be a specialist in psychoanalysis,” Julia said aloud. “After what Mason’s been through, he might want to try to get rid of some of his childhood anger and hurt.”
“She is no specialist; a doctor’s daughter,” Eden sniffed scornfully. “And – as if he could not choose a friend or at least a third party! Why should he have chosen an enemy!”
“Your enemy is your jealousy, Eden,” Julia said. “I’ve almost lost Mason once, due to my own stupidity, and I like to think I’ve learnt my lesson. I’ll ask him first, and hear out everything he has to say.”
She felt suddenly exhausted. She did not want to hear Mason out; what she wanted was to lie down and be held by him.
The door opened; Mason was back home. “Hey Eden,” he said cheerfully. “Is it a little hen-party I’m interrupting?”
“Is your – consultation over already?” Eden asked getting on her feet to face him.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean the beautiful, sexy woman you were dining and dancing with just now, in the Orient Express.”
Mason looked at Julia, and then back at Eden. “Yes, it’s over – for today.”
“Julia supposed she could be your psychoanalyst,” Eden went on sarcastically.
“Well, she’s not.”
“So what business do you have pouring your heart out to her?!”
“What business do YOU have eavesdropping?”
“Disparaging dad like this to strangers! Dancing with beauties on the eve of your wedding!”
“Well I don’t need your permission for this, do I?”
“I’ll go put Matt to bed,” Julia said.
Mason turned to her, extending his hand. “Julia,” he said quietly. “I can explain, and I will explain it – to you. Not to Eden; she’s really gone too far this time.”
“I’m – so – disgusted – with you,” Eden said in helpless anger.
“One should think I must have grown accustomed to my family’s continuous efforts to rule my life for me,” Mason said, the muscle in his jaw tense. “But you never cease to surprise me. Good night, Eden,” he walked swiftly to the door and flung it open, “and please, next time you are in the mood to feel disgusted with anybody – don’t come here upsetting my pregnant wife! better take a long look at yourself in the mirror!!”
He shut the door behind his sister.
Julia raised her eyebrows. “That was – well – harsh.”
“Selfishness runs in the Capwells’ veins,” Mason said. “This, and the wish – and the unsurpassed skill to destroy. My, am I tired of this.”
Julia could see he was not playing for time; he was really angry with Eden, and he seemed pretty sincere and genuinely remorseless as to the rest. “Matt needs to go to bed,” she said. The boy had fallen asleep in his playpen.
Mason nodded and took the child in his arms. Half-way to the nursery he stopped. “Julia.” He did not realize it but the fact he was holding his son in his arms made his words sound almost like a pledge. “I know at times I can be irresponsible, overbearing, insensitive, and sometimes I drink too much, and I can tell a lie if it suits me,” he said earnestly. “But tell me, Julia – look at me – have I ever given you a reason to doubt me in matters that are really important?”
Julia shook her head.
“I’ll put Matt to bed,” Mason said, “and I’ll come back and explain everything to you. I was not planning to, yet; but thanks to my family--”
He did not complete the sentence as he entered the nursery.
Julia felt dog-tired. She went to the bedroom and lay down, waiting for Mason.
Tbc
Chapter 11
The bedroom was dark. Mason called from the door, “Julia?”
“I’m here. My back hurts, so I have lain down, okay?”
“Of course.” He came in and sat on the bed. There was a pause. “I can imagine what Eden’s been telling you. I’m very grateful you’re listening,” he said gently.
“As I told Eden, I hope I have learnt my lesson,” Julia said. “Once I mistrusted you and almost lost you; I would have if not for the baby…”
“Ah, I have never seen the irony,” Mason said to himself, “it was Pamela that time…”
Julia did not interrupt him.
“Believe me there’s as little ground for jealousy this time as there was with Pamela,” Mason said louder. “I’ll explain… I only do not know where to start.”
“Why not at the beginning?”
“Okay. Pamela left me when I was five.”
“She did…”
“I stayed in Santa Barbara with my father and she went away. At that time neither him nor me (of course) knew she was pregnant.”
“No!” Julia sat up, her concern for his mother’s miserable position unmistakable.
Mason loved it that, of all people, Julia was able to forget herself in an immediate reaction of compassion. “Yes,” he went on. “She was pregnant, and in a while she gave birth to a – how did Eden put it – beautiful girl.”
Julia could not see Mason’s face in the dark but she reached out and touched his hand. “So the girl--”
“The girl – my sister – has grown into a ‘beautiful, sexy woman’ Elena by name.”
“Unbelievable. How long have you known?”
“Just a few days. Dad doesn’t know yet. And Elena has no idea I know.”
“Why?”
“I – I have my own reasons for this. You just have to trust me on this, okay?”
“Another sister,” Julia said, stunned.
“The ONLY sister related both on my father’s and mother’s sides, Julia.”
She could see the talk was not easy for Mason, nor was the news too pleasant. “Well, aren’t you glad to have found her?”
Mason chuckled mirthlessly. “I am. Quite happy. Julia, Elena’s a grown-up person and a very complicated personality. I feel like--” He did not finish it.
“Ok; but what does she think you to be, if she believes you do not know? I mean dining out, dancing and all?”
“A source of information, most probably. Frankly, I guess she does not care. As to our dancing, I danced with her tonight as I would with Kelly or Eden; it was Elena’s idea. I think she saw Eden and wanted to – upset her, I don’t know why.”
Mason paused. “Elena’s dying – starving – for stories of my childhood. I needed to take down the image of a golden boy who grew in luxury with an adoring father, and give her a taste of what it really was like. She’s full of pain and resentment because – not only was she deprived of her father, which is in my opinion a blessing in disguise--”
“Mason…”
“—but Pamela also left her. Elena grew up with Alex Nicholas who absolutely adores her, but she feels it’s not the same. She feels cheated.”
“Did she tell you this?”
Mason sighed. “Of course not. I – just know. It’s ironic you should have thought she was my psychoanalyst; I’ve tried to be hers but she wouldn’t open up. I’ve asked people, I’ve talked to her, and the main thing is I’ve got the same explosive blood mix in my veins. I can see the trends, Julia, at least in my own sister.”
They kept silent for a short while. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Julia reproached Mason gently.
“I am sorry. I did not want to upset you – and I think I needed to sort it all out first – and--” Mason stopped. “And if I’m honest I’m probably just not accustomed to sharing my feelings with anyone. Since my childhood, no one’s been interested in what was going on here,” he pointed to his head, “or here,” to his heart, “so I just kind of keep it all to myself. It has nothing to do with you personally, Julia.”
“Oh – I see,” but still she felt hurt, and Mason saw it. He lay down and held her.
“I’m sorry Julia,” he said earnestly. “I do trust you. I hope I can learn to show it and share with you my joy and my pain; please give me time, let me learn to.”
Julia clung to him. “I love you,” was all she answered.
Soon she was asleep in his arms. And Mason, holding her, was thinking how lucky he was to have her – and how lucky he was she had not asked him more dangerous questions concerning Elena.
For Elena was not only suffering from her childhood anger but she was filled with hatred; and she was not only interested in the Capwells, but it seemed to be her mania. Little by little Mason was coming to the horrible realization that his own sister Elena COULD have been behind all the mysterious happenings the Capwells had to be enduring, and his own kidnapping and torture; slowly he was realizing that what Elena needed was a psychiatrist’s help.
Tbc
Olga Lissenkova
