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Chapter Twenty Five

The days became monotonous. I would wake up, go to work (if I was scheduled that day), come home, pick at my dinner, and go back to my room. I had stopped going down for ice cream in the middle of the night. Dad didn't make a big deal about it, but I knew that it disappointed him. When I couldn't sleep, I filled up my sketchbook instead of gorging on rocky road ice cream. Soon I filled up my first sketchbook and bought another.

The only way I could escape was through the charcoal pencil in my hand.

Soon it was Labor Day weekend and school was going to start in days. Mom took me school shopping, but I didn't really care what I got. Ally took two hours carefully picking out pink pens, notebooks, and of course, a pink plaid backpack. Joe looked for anything black or splotched with red.

The twins weren't starting kindergarten until they were six.

Some kindergarten teacher somewhere should have been thanking her lucky stars.

Dad had decided that he was going to take everyone to a beach house to celebrate the end of summer. I didn't feel like watching the little ones torture crabs or laying out and burning myself to a crisp.

"I have to work Saturday and Sunday," I explained when dad announced the trip.

"Well can't you call off? Or call in sick?"

I gave him a look. "I wouldn't want to break the rules," I pointed out.

Dad sighed.

"I can take the bus to the mall and back. Since I also can't drive."

Dad pinched his nose.

"Okay, Shel. I get your point. Tell you what. If you stay here alone this weekend and everything goes well, I'll sign you up for driver's ed lessons."

My eyes widened.

"Really?"

Dad and mom shared a look.

"Really."

I smiled. It was the first smile in...awhile.

"Okay."

That's how I ended up hanging out the door waving as dad took the van loaded up with kids and suitcases and whatnots to the beach.

And I was alone.

The first thing I did was get on the computer. I knew my phone was probably stashed away in a safe somewhere, but the computer was right out here in the open.

I dashed off a quick e-mail to Mason. Then I opened the freezer and took out the rocky road ice cream. I had just polished off three large scoops when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Shel?"

"Mas?"

"I got your e-mail. They left you alone?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I have to work this weekend."

There was a pause.

"Do you want a visitor?"

"Who?"

"Me."

I looked around. The house was empty. But it was also in Florida. And he was in Kentucky and...

"Mas, I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I'm with Larry and a couple of the guys and we're camping this weekend. I can make it down there and back and no one will find out."

My heart started to beat a little faster. I could actually see Mason. And touch him. And kiss him. And...

"Really?"

"Really. We just put up the tents, but I could leave now."

I glanced at the clock. It was about two o'clock.

"How long could you stay?"

"Probably just a day or so. I'd have to make it back in time to pick up the guys and get home."

I inhaled deeply.

"I can't wait to see you."

Mason laughed. I loved that laugh.

"Alright, I'll call you when I get there."

"Okay!" I knew I sounded too excited. I coughed.

"Cool."

"Love you."

"Love ya back."

I hung up. I was still holding my spoon. I held it up in front of me and squealed.

This weekend was definitely looking up.

-------------------------

It was five o'clock in the morning, I was asleep on the couch, and the phone was ringing. I rolled over. Who would be calling this early?

And then I remembered.

I scrambled to the phone.

"Hello?"

"I'm here."

"Really?!"

"Yes, really!"

I ran to the front window and looked out. I didn't see the truck. I looked through the peephole in the door.

There was Mason.

I unlocked the door and flung it open. His arms were around my waist and my feet were in the air before I could react. I laughed.

"I can't believe you're here."

"Me either."

He set me down and smiled. I closed the door and relocked it.

"Where's the truck?"

"Parked a couple blocks down."

"Have you slept?"

"I drove all night."

"Are you tired?"

"Not now."

We looked at each other. I tried feebly to smack down the flyaways in my hair. He took my hand.

"Wait."

I pulled my hand away and ran up to my bathroom. I yanked out my brush and bounced from foot to foot while I counted off the seconds in my head. I spit, rinsed, and gargled. I shoved my hair into a ponytail and ran back downstairs. Mason was sitting on the couch. I stood in front of him.

"Okay."

He laughed.

"I missed you."

I opened my mouth to say the same, but he pulled me down and kissed me. I straddled his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. He smelled like the old leather of the truck and I just wanted to eat him alive.

His hands grabbed hold of my butt. I wiggled against him.

"Can we go up to your room?" he whispered. I pulled back. He kept a tight hold on me.

I had spent the past few weeks daydreaming about him lying beside me. This was too good to be true. I smiled.

"Sure," I said breathlessly. I got up and grabbed his hand. We ran up the steps. I turned around before we got to my door and kissed him excitedly.

"Did Larry give you..." I started to ask. Mason shook his head.

"I made a quick stop. We're covered."

I opened my door and backed into my room. Mason followed. He glanced around. He smiled at the picture on my nightstand. It was him and me; we were probably no older than eleven. We had dressed as Frankenstein and his bride for Halloween. I had him in a choke hold.

I guess eleven year olds just have a thing for blood and guts.

His attention turned back to me. I backed up and sat down on the bed. He hovered over me and we picked up right where we left off. His lips were on mine and then clothes disappeared at a rapid rate and suddenly my bed where I had cried so much the last few weeks turned into a little sanctuary filled with moans and whispers and pleasure.

When our breathing had finally slowed, Mason curled up, his head on my chest and I lazily played with his hair. There was no need to get up and dash back to rooms undetected. We were free. I closed my eyes.

This was how I always wanted it to be.