Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Mayson

"Mayson, I can't remember the last time you came to play cards with me. This is a real treat," Grandmother said.

"And I can see that you still cheat," I teased.

"I do not cheat. I might just forget what cards I have in my hand," she said, trying to explain her way out of it.

This was perfect. I knew how to broach the subject. "At least you don't say that it was someone in your dreams that made you do it."

"Mayson, that is ridiculous. That is not how they work," she said.

"Grandmother, they don't work at all," I said, prodding her to talk more about them.

She put the cards on the table and became all serious. "You do not need to believe in them. But don't tell me they are not real. They always are right."

"Well, I guess I can say that one of them was," I said.

"Which one?" she asked.

"The one about Crystal," I reminded her.

"I never had a dream about Crystal," she said.

"Of course you did, Grandmother. You told Orion that we were going to have a visitor who was going to change our lives forever. I know it can't be about Kathy, so it has to be Crystal," I said.

"Mayson, I know my dreams, and if it was Crystal, I'd have known as soon as I met her," she said firmly.

I could tell that she was getting upset and I shouldn't push her, but I had to ask. "Grandmother, do you think that visitor is my mother?"

Her eyes widened. "Why would you think it was her?"

Shit. I didn't want to get into a deep conversation with her about my mother. Maybe one day, but not now. But I had to say something, because I opened that door. I needed to close it again. "There are not many women that could change my life," I replied.

She stared at me as though she wasn't going to accept my answer. Finally she said, "Your mother is not coming here. She is never returning to Tabiq. If she was, she would've done so a long time ago."

Grandmother could've added more, like we don't know if she is even alive, or something, but she didn't. Had she been in contact with her all these years and hid that from us? "Well, at least we agree on that. We don't know where she is or if she'd even alive," I said, trying to get her to tell me more.

I could see her eyes fill with sadness. "I don't know where she is, but I hope I pray she's still alive. But she has made her decision, and I long ago stopped hoping she would return. Now I just hope she has found some peace. Some happiness."

Her eyes told me that she wasn't keeping anything from us. Not about our mother at least.

It was good know. Now I could turn the conversation back to why I was here. "Since it's not my mother, I don't know why you say it can't be Crystal," I said.

"Has she changed your life?" she asked.

Oh, I walked right into that one.

" In a way, yes."

"Good. So, what are you going to do about it?" she questioned.

"Grandmother, I came here to play cards, not talk about Crystal," I said.

"Really? That's odd. I'm not the one who brought her up. You did. And I'm not the one who thought she was the one who would change your life forever. That was you again. So, I'm just asking you one little question. What are you going to do about it?"

And this is how I know you cheat at cards because you're as sharp as a tack.

" I'm not doing anything. She went home. Back to work. And I'm not moving to the States. I belong here," I said.

"Why?"

"Why what?" I asked.

"Why do you believe this is where you belong? It is where you were born, but you don't have to remain here your entire life. If anything, I always thought you were going to be the one who left to see the world," she said. "Even as a child, I couldn't keep you inside. You were always off exploring something. Why not go and do it with the woman you love?"

"I never said anything about love," I said firmly.

"No, you didn't. And yet, you didn't deny it either. That just leads us back to my question. What are you going to do about it?"

"I haven't decided," I replied, honestly.

"Well, if I were you, I'd start thinking about that and forget all about the visitor."

I wish I could. It must be mother if it is not Crystal.

" Okay. Anything else?" I asked.

"Yes, it's your turn to deal," she said.

"I think I'm done playing cards with you. All I do is lose," I said.

"That's because you don't know how to play," she said.

"I know the rules," I replied.

"That's not what I said. The rules are just a small part of playing cards. It's how you play the rest of the game that determines if you win. That's just like knowing you're in love. What you're going to do about it is what will decide your future," she said.

She was right. Sitting here wasn't going to get me what I wanted. And what I wanted for sure was a future with Crystal.

"I guess I should head back home then. I have all this thinking I need to be doing," I said.

"There's plenty of time for you to do that later. Right now, deal. It's been so long since I've beaten you at cards and I need to make up for it," she smiled.

"You can try, Grandmother, but this time, I'm winning," I warned her.

"You can try, but the only time you're going to win is in your dreams," she chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

Here we go again.

As I shuffled the cards, there was a knock on the door. "Do you want me to get that?" I asked.

Grandmother nodded. "Yes. I can't trust you alone with the deck of cards," she teased.

Before I even got to the door, I heard it shut again. Joey came into the kitchen and said, "Grandmother, there was a man at the door, and he said that this purse was lying out in the front yard. Do you know who it belongs to?" He was opening it up at the same time as walking and tripped over the cover of a rug. The purse went flying, and all its contents spilled out onto the floor. The envelope landed straight at grandmother's feet.

I bent over to pick it up, but she beat me to it. She looked at the envelope and said, "This has your name on it. Why is that?" she asked.

"The purse belongs to Crystal."

"I recognized it. But that didn't answer my question. Why is it here and why does it have a letter with your name on it?"

I took the envelope from her, and said, "Obviously because she wanted me to read it. Which I will do when I get the purse back to her."

"Isn't she in the States?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Where are you going, Uncle Mayson?" Joey asked.

"I'm going to deliver the purse to her in person," I said, giving my grandmother a kiss on the top of her head.

"Remember what I said, Mayson. Knowing you're in love is just the first step. Be sure you know what you want in your future before you take the next step," she warned.

I wish I had that answer. Hopefully I'd figure it out on the long flight to the States.

I walked out of the house and got in my car. Then I sent Bennett a text message.

ANY CHANCE THE HENDERSON JET IS FLYING TO THE STATES SOON?

He replied quickly. YES. ZOEY AND I ARE FLYING OUT IN THE MORNING. WHO IS LOOKING FOR A LIFT?

That was perfect. I could have a plan by then. Just wished I had the flight all to myself so I could think this all through.

ME.

I expected questions, like why or where, but he just said, BE AT THE AIRPORT AT TEN.

Perfect.

That gave me time to pack and plan.

Planning might have been something I did before reaching out to Bennett. I didn't think the jet would be taking off again so soon. It'd be a lie if I told myself I wasn't afraid to see Crystal again. What scared me more was never seeing her again.

Fuck.

I was so focus on getting to the States that I totally forgot I had no idea how to find her when I got there. It's not like Tabiq. I am the one who is going to be all on my own trying to do the impossible.

There was one person who I knew had all that information. Getting him to share it with me was going to be another story. He couldn't be bribed or threated. That left only one thing. I needed to do something I never thought I would; share exactly how I feel about Crystal with others. Tabiqians for the most part, didn't talk about their emotions. We weren't a cold people, just how we really feel is private. That's how we all are able to go forward even though we all carry a good amount of hurt and pain inside.

Bennett, you've been here long enough to know who we are as a people. Don't ask me a lot of question. Just tell me what I need to know.

I was prepared to be totally vulnerable, but with one person. Crystal. If I am going to have a chance in hell at winning her heart back, I needed to give all of myself to her. The good and the bad. I had started to show her who I was when I brough her to my secret hideaway. But that was just the tip. She needed to know the truth. And I was going to bare it all.

And pray like hell that you love me enough to see pass it all.

When I decided to come and play cards with grandmother, I thought I knew why I was there. Just to confirm that Crystal was the person in her dreams. Now it didn't matter what grandmother thought. I knew that Crystal was the woman of my dreams. She was the person who has changed my life. There was no going back to my old ways. I've tried putting up my walls again, but each time they just crumble. It's as though a piece of her was still here with me, chiseling away, refusing to let my heart close off again.

Damn it, Crystal. I need you. I hope you need me too.

What did I have to offer her? She had her life in the States. She was passionate about her work with the sick. The only thing I need her for is to heal my heart.

She's the only one that can make it whole again .

More than a week ago, I could've told you exactly how my days were going to be. What tomorrow looked like. They were all slightly different, yet all the same. There was a comfort in knowing. Now my hands were sweaty, and I was filled with anxiety. Me. Anxious about seeing a woman. But she wasn't just any woman. Crystal is the woman. The only one for me.

It's true. There is such a thing as a soulmate. I've found mine. My past may be fucked up, and I made a lot of mistakes, but I know what I want my future to look like. And it starts with the woman I love. My future is with Crystal. Now how to put that in words without fucking it up is the hard part.

It was a good thing I had a long flight tomorrow, but I might need more time than that. I can't blow this. It's my one chance. It needed to be perfect.

You took my heart with you to the States. Hopefully, you want the rest of me too.