Chapter 12
This night, Mason hardly slept at all. He was thinking of his father and his father’s responsibility; of his father’s two wives, the dark-haired Pamela and the gorgeous blonde Sophia; and their two daughters, the dark-haired Elena and the blonde Eden; and how Eden had grown in an atmosphere of love, a golden girl, and was still so insecure – and Elena whose thoughts were darker than her hair. Mason couldn’t but be thinking of his own children, too, and for the millionth time he swore to himself that he would rather die than inflict wounds that could cripple the kids psychologically.
He was scared of what he was seeing. He would have liked to shut his eyes to it – but it was too late.
*
In the morning, Julia found Mason had dressed a table for three. Little Matt in his chair was sucking his bottle, and Mason was drinking coffee. A glass of juice awaited her, and a plate of buns, and jam.
“Mason!” she exclaimed in amazement.
“A family breakfast.” He helped her with her chair. “Looking forward to the time when a family breakfast will include you breastfeeding our baby, me watching insolently.”
She laughed. “Didn’t know you liked to watch.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
“Definitely. Never a dull moment.” She sipped her juice. “By the way – I think you should tell Elena you know, at least by the wedding, and invite her, since she’s family.”
Mason smirked. “I think I should,” he agreed.
“Only – I don’t know how the Capwells will react if they are not told. Eden – she says Elena’s after Cruz…”
Mason shook his head. “No more than I was after Santana when I was young. Funny how history is repeating itself, again.”
“You mean Santana Andrade? I remember you almost married her once when Mary was married to Mark.”
“U-huh.”
“I thought that was for Brandon’s sake?”
“It was. But before, a few years earlier, when Channing was still alive…”
“So what?”
“Santana preferred Channing, and – it’s important we all thought Channing was Sophia and dad’s son, you know.”
“Yes, I remember this story, with Lionel and Brick.”
“Yeah. Channing was not only dad’s namesake; he was his favorite, his god, his everything. Nothing Channing did could ever be wrong. Of course. He was blond, just like his mother. Spotless. Sans reproche.”
Julia saw it still was eating Mason. “And me, his opposite in everything,” he concluded. “I wonder if you know that when Channing was shot Dad was sure it was I who had murdered him.”
“Oh no!”
Mason smiled inwardly; sharing was sharing, but he was not going to tell her CC almost shot his firstborn then, into the bargain; that was too much for one time. “Santana preferred Channing, and he did not care so much for her. For women in general. I took it into my head I loved Santana. Actually, the way I see it now, I felt it was like a second chance in the fight for my FATHER’s love. The battle I was losing year after year.”
“Mason, I’m so sorry.” Julia forgot to eat.
“It’s okay; it’s all in the past now,” he reassured her.
“I mean – for some other man – or child – less sensitive it could have been less painful, but for you – and I know how much your father’s love means to you.”
“Don’t know if I am that sensitive and all, but my father really is a charismatic, great figure you cannot discount too easily. He’s like this to Elena too, you see. And he doesn’t even know she is his daughter. So he loves and cherishes Eden – naturally; and also Eden has Cruz to love her. So what does Elena do?”
“To prove at least to herself that she is not less lovable--”
“Exactly.”
“Oh Mason,” Julia sighed. She had no idea it could all be so complicated. Mason pitied her.
“Come on, Julia,” he said softly, taking her hand in his. “It’s the family you’re entering, so you have the right to know. However, it’s not that important. Remember, we’re each other’s family. We’re fully responsible for what we’re doing to each other, and unanswerable for our relatives. Agreed?”
He made her look at him, and Julia finally smiled. “Agreed.”
Tbc
Chapter 13
Having thought it all over, and having talked SOME of it over with Julia, first of all his own Channing issues, Mason came to the conclusion that if that was really Elena behind all the happenings, it was Eden who was in immediate danger. He phoned Pearl and appointed a meeting at ‘the Last Resort’. He hinted that Elena, naturally, should not be around at the time.
“I’ve got us a client,” Pearl said cheerfully when Cruz arrived.
Cruz Castillo burst into the office, dashing and impetuous as ever. Mason Capwell rose to greet him, elegant and sophisticated as ever. The irreproachable partisan of the simple and brawn stared at the adherent of the Machiavellian policy and multipath operations. Pearl only shook his head thinking that these two seemed complete opposites; however, they seemed to get on quite well.
“A client?” turning to Pearl, Cruz raised his brows questioningly.
“Yes; [i]I’m[/i] your new client, Cruz,” said Mason. “How do you do.”
“Hi Mason. How are you doing.”
Pearl sat on the side of the desk watching the two with affectionate curiosity.
“Absolutely fine,” Mason responded. “Now, as to what brings me here.”
Cruz sat down. “And also, why you need to come as a client, please.” His piercing dark eyes bore holes in Mason.
“I want it confidential; and also I want you to give up everything you’re doing, so I come as a paying client to have a right to demand this.”
“Sounds mysterious enough.”
“Confidential means confidential, no exceptions, least of all Eden.”
“And I am not sure I like it.”
Mason grinned. “This is why I come as a client; you don’t need to like it, you have to do it.”
“But I am free to refuse,” Cruz said shrugging his shoulders.
Cruz and Mason respected each other but never lost an opportunity to banter a bit; it was normal.
“I don’t think you should,” Mason said with a small rise of the tone at the end of his sentence, feigning disinterestedness.
“Ok. Let us hear it.”
Mason sighed. The easy part was over. “I want you to give up everything you are busy with,” he repeated, to gather momentum, “and protect one of my sisters from another.”
“From THE other you mean, but I am not sure I understand.”
“Not quite. Kelly is not involved. I’ve got another sister, and so I want you to protect Eden from her.”
Cruz protruded his lips trying to concentrate. “Now, what kind of game is this, Mason?”
“The playing time is over, Cruz. Plain facts for you. There are few people who know this yet; I’ve got a younger sister, born by CC and Pamela; that makes her Eden’s half-sister, too. And from what I’ve learnt, she can mean to do some harm to Eden. I’m planning to try and do something about it; meanwhile you have to take care of Eden.”
“You know, now I’m inclined to see it your way,” Cruz said thoughtfully. “Tell me about this – newest member of the family.”
“You know her under the name of Elena Nicholas, also known as Eleanor Norris.”
Cruz whistled. “Are you sure…?”
Mason looked at Pearl, Pearl nodded. He’d checked the information using his own mysterious channels, too.
“But why would CC and Pamela’s daughter…” Cruz met Mason’s eye. “No. I know Elena could have gotten it into her head that I was… But Mason…”
“I know, Cruz. It’s nothing [i]you[/i]’ve done. It’s – a little bit more complicated. Still, it does not cancel the danger. I do wish I was mistaken. Let us play safe; what would you say?”
“Of course I am ready to protect Eden if you think she’s in danger,” said Cruz perplexedly. “Any special threat you know of? I remember there was this hairdryer that went wrong…?”
“Very possible. Cruz you’re better at it than I ever could be; just look out, will you?”
Cruz got to his feet to shake Mason’s hand. “Still, I don’t understand you Capwells,” he said. “Paying clients and all – forget it, brother... What is it you’re going to do concerning Elena?”
Mason looked at his palm briefly. “I’m not sure. What Pearl and I are sure about is that Elena is my blood relative; we cannot yet be sure she’s behind all this, and of course I cannot be too rash about it.”
“I’ll try to look into it,” Cruz suggested.
“I do appreciate your help and your experience, Cruz, but I think it’s more important for you to be by Eden’s side now.”
Cruz gave it some thought, and he had to agree. “Pearl?”
Pearl jumped off the desk. “Doing what I can, Cruz.”
“My police friends can help?”
Mason nodded, and Pearl smiled. “With the small part of it that’s legal.”
“Right,” Cruz said. “You can’t shadow a person or bug her telephone or--”
“I know what you mean,” said Mason. “It’s probably the first time I am genuinely sorry I am not the district attorney any longer.”
“Correction,” said Pearl. “THEY can’t shadow a person or bug her telephone or--, and I can. And Cruz, if Mason insists on being a paying client we could hire more people for – for our detective routine, Mason doesn’t have to know.”
“Ok. What I do insist on,” Mason said, “is that you keep it secret from your employees. All of them. Elena’s a charming,” he made a pause, “beautiful, sexy woman. And it’s only too easy for her…”
“I understand,” Cruz said. He rubbed his forehead. “If only she wasn’t so good at these games, herself!”
TBC
Olga Lissenkova
