Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mason

The skirt she wears isn't short enough to let me see if she's wearing a garter, but in my mind, she is.

I already imagine the things I'll do when we're alone. Nine closes the door behind her, shoulders slightly slumped. I'm a fucking asshole, but this has to stop soon. Perhaps now. Life has been great since Nine became a permanent fixture. We wake up next to each other, fuck several times a day, and hang out.

There are days I can't imagine my life any other way. I enjoy my morning run next to a woman almost a foot shorter than me, who keeps up with my pace and hates it if I slow down.

We discuss her music, the games I develop, the news. There's not a dull moment around her. But that's as far as I go on this trip. Time to land and let her continue with her own life.

"I don't mean to offend, Ichiro." Mom comes out of the kitchen. "But a teacher leaving this early sounds like a poor excuse. I didn't mean to impose and…"

"When was the last time you cooked for me?" I point at the bunch of pots. "You're calling me Ichiro? Not even Milli does that. What is happening?"

"You need to respect me. So, she didn't like me. Is that it?"

Oh, fuck, one person at a time.

"No. She has to work, plus she has diabetes. That's too much food for her. Food she might not be able to handle. But she's happy to have you in her house."

Mom frowns, turns around, and enters the kitchen. I follow behind. Not sure if I offended her or if something my girl did might have hurt her feelings. The last thing that Ainse would want is to hurt Mom in any way. She told me so last night.

"Will she come to visit Milli with us?"

My stare is blank because even when Ainse offered to ask for a few days off, I declined. I don't want her to come with us or talk to Mom about me. This isn't happening. I have to take my mother away from here and salvage my relationship with Ainse.

The relationship we've had so far. No pressure, no expectations. Only today and the fun of sharing each other .

Mom points to the table and gives me that ‘sit, now' glare. I am back to being a five-year-old, following his mother's gestures and wondering how to make her happy. I start eating my soup, hoping for Dionysus or whatever the fuck his name is to come downstairs and entertain his wife.

"Are you two planning on having a family?" I spit out the soup.

Children? This is where I'm comfortable, and I'm not planning on going any further. Not today, tomorrow, or any time after. Getting married isn't in my plans. Not in my five-year-plan or part of my retirement goals.

"It's a logical step, Son." She wipes up the mess I made. "You have a beautiful, smart girl who loves you, a house, and finally some stability. No more traveling. The wedding shouldn't be a problem. Her parents are wealthy, and you can start a family right away."

The idea of having a permanent address hits home. The entire weight of what Mom and even Ainse expect from me crushes my chest. Is this what Nine expects? Day in and day out for the rest of our lives in the same house.

No independence or free will.

I stare at my mom, who, in only a few minutes showed me what the future will bring if I stay any longer inside this house and continue being part of a couple.

Way to ruin my present, Mom.

I have to think of a way to finish what I started before it's too late. Because I'll be the one living alone for the rest of my life while she finds another man to take my place.

"Pack your things, Mom." I rise from my seat. "We're leaving in a couple of hours. I have some work to do."

"But I want to stay longer. Ainsley…"

"Ainsley and I aren't what you think, Mom," I keep my voice flat. "We're having fun."

I stare at her for a while. "It doesn't matter. Be ready in two hours."

Mase: Leaving for Vancouver.

Nine: When will you be back?

Mase: Not sure, two weeks.

Nine: Is Mina upset with me?

I roll my eyes and start sending emails around the company, giving orders, and delegating a few tasks while on the road.

Nine: Please, apologize to her. Sometimes it's hard for me to be normal around moms. I have some deficiency in that regard.

Nine: Maybe we can visit her in Toronto, and I can make a good impression.

I've never seen Ainse trying so hard to make a big impression, but since we left the house to pick up Mom and her husband, she asked me questions to learn how to please her. I answered only a few, but still, Ainse pulled the right tools and made that big impact.

A sign she's trying to achieve more than what I want with her. With one text, I could calm her and give her hopes, but those hopes might spell out a big future. We are, in fact, about to finish the present, and if I do it right, I won't lose her for long. Maybe we'll have to go our separate ways for a few months, but later, we'll return to our friendship.

Nine: I'm great with grandmas and aunts if you ever need it. You can ask for references.

Jody responds to my email immediately. Hawk wishes me luck with Mom. We email back and forth about an alarm he has to upgrade next week. In the end, I settle most of my affairs and head to the bedroom.

Toby follows behind and jumps on the bed, cuddling himself in the middle. He stares at me, his eyes demanding an explanation of why I'm pulling clothes from the drawers and shoving them inside my duffel bag.

For the past few months, I've taken some closet space and my cars stay here. The garage has tools that I bought to make some repairs around the house or tweak my cars. Anyone who wasn't privy to our life would assume, like my mother did, that I live here. Rent free. I might not pay the mortgage, but I've been paying the utility bills. Each time we head to the grocery store, I pay, and no wonder I'm itching. This isn't me.

Fucking Ainsley is trying to domesticate me like her damn cat. Not anymore. I'm not an animal that can be kept in captivity because I have a place to sleep, a body to snuggle with at night, and a roof over my head.

Nine: It's about time to start my class. Text me when you can.

Mase: We're leaving, Nine. Take care.