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Chapter Twenty Seven

To say that dad reacted irrationally was a gigantic understatement. Mason was defenseless. Dad picked up the plunger and lunged at him.

"DAD!" I screamed. Mason managed to get out of the way. Clutching his towel, he began to pick up his clothes. I grabbed dad's arm and clung to it for dear life.

"Does your father know you're here?"

Mason looked incredibly embarassed (and a little annoyed).

"No, sir."

"Dad, please."

Dad looked at me.

"Shel, how could you do this?"

I don't know if it was because I was so frustrated at being caught yet again or whether it was the realization that I was so close to being separated from Mason, but I lost it.

"How could I do this? How can you stand there like you're some type of saint? At least I'm not abusing drugs or alcohol or sleeping with tons of random people." I drew in a breath. "JUST LEAVE US ALONE!"

"You're my DAUGHTER!" dad yelled.

I was fighting back hot tears. I put my hands on my hips and stomped my foot.

"And you're my dad. So stop acting like an irrational douchebag and listen to me."

Dad looked at me, but he didn't say anything. I think I rendered him speechless.

And that took a lot.

Meanwhile, Mason had managed to gather up his clothes and duck into the hall to change. He had misbuttoned his shirt but he was still in a better state of dress than I was.

"Go get dressed Shelby," dad finally said. "I want to talk to Mason."

I opened my mouth, but dad held up a hand.

"Just talk."

Mason and I shared a look for a brief moment before I headed to my bedroom. Once I got there, I took a few seconds just to breath.

I had called my dad a douchebag.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and dried my now matted hair. I felt a little better when I walked into the hall and didn't see any blood. Mason and dad both had their arms folded across their chests, but I knew that was just that whole 'macho' stance thing. Dad looked over at me.

"I've got to call Kevin," dad said. "It's up to him how he wants to handle how Mason gets back home."

I looked at Mason. His eyes drifted to the ceiling. I'm sure he could already hear the wrath of his dad in his mind.

Dad ran his hand down his face.

"Taking into consideration that I'd rather have you two talk on the phone then do something crazy like this again, I'm going to give you phone and computer privileges back, Shel," dad said softly.

My eyes widened. I had expected harsher punishment...not easier. Dad cracked a little smile.

"Does that sound like less douche-baggery?"

I smiled softly. "Yeah."

Before everything got totally mushy, dad drew back his shoulders.

"But, in return I want complete honesty. No more of this running off shit," dad said. He looked at Mason. Mas nodded. Dad nodded towards the stairs.

"Let's call your dad."

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

As it turned out, Kevin was irate that Mason came to see me. I personally thought Mason should have called him a douchebag, but he actually took the beating.

Kevin decided to fly down and drive back with Mason so, as a result, we had several tense hours of waiting. When Kevin finally arrived, a loud discussion took place between our two dads. I sat by Mason, holding his hand as we strained to hear what they were saying. Mason leaned into me.

"Shel, about earlier--"

"I'm really sorry dad came at you with a plunger," I said.

"No, it's not that it's--"

"Mason?"

Mason's head whipped around. Kevin was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to drive back up with you to get Larry and the other boys."

"Okay."

Kevin looked at me. I had a feeling that he was wishing he could go back in time and figure out a way for the five-year-old versions of Mason and me to never meet.

But it was too late for that.

"AJ and I decided that we might have been a little...harsh revoking your right to talk to one another," Kevin added. "We're going to ask that you don't monopolize your entire free time on the phone or computer."

"When can I see Shel again?" Mason asked.

Kevin and dad shared a look.

"We'll have to discuss that later," Kevin finally said. "Mason, I am not happy that I had to come down here. You lied to me. Don't think you're going to get off easy."

"That goes for you too, Shel," dad said.

"I know," I said softly.

After a long lecture about lying and the role of the parent versus the role of the 'child,' Kevin went to pull the truck around. Under dad's watchful eye, I said my goodbye to Mason. I pressed my face into his chest.

"We have rotten luck," Mason whispered. I inhaled the soapy scent off his skin before I lifted my eyes to his.

"Absolutely rotten," I agreed. We kissed softly. Mason took my hands. He glanced at AJ and then back at me.

"I'll call you as soon as I can," he promised me. I smiled.

"I can't wait."

We kissed again and then Kevin was at the door and they were driving away and I was feeling as if I had been run over by those old dirty wheels.

"How about some ice cream?"

I looked at dad in surprise. He was heading towards the kitchen.

"What about the beach house?"

He shook his head.

"I already called mom. We'll both head out tomorrow morning."

"So I get ice cream as a punishment?"

Dad pointed a finger at me. "Don't push it."

I followed him into the kitchen and he got down our bowls. I got out the ice cream and the spoons. We moved around each other as if it was a synchronized dance. When we finally sat down, we both took a bite and closed our eyes.

There was something about ice cream that made things better.

"Shel, you get the short end of the stick and I'm sorry."

I took another bite and looked at him in surprise. He continued.

"As the oldest child, your mom and I are sailing into unchartered territory. I'm sure once Joe and Ally are your age we'll be better equipped to handle all the drama."

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't have drama."

Dad laughed. "Trust me, you have drama."

I scooped up some of the already melted ice cream and slurped at it.

"I just wish you'd let me make my own decisions."

Dad slurped his melted ice cream.

"We're just trying to prevent you from making the same mistakes we made."

I waved my spoon in the air.

"Like I told you, this is Mason we're talking about."

"Mason is as much of a teenage boy as any random boy in your school," dad said.

I rolled my eyes. Dad might have been softening but he still didn't get it.

But at least the ice cream was a start.