How We Deal With Gravity(90)

Someone brings her backstage finally, and I kiss her lips just to ground myself. “Can you believe this?” I say, still in shock from everything.

“I knew you’d win,” she says, her eyes still red from crying. “Mason, I can’t believe everything you said. Oh my god, that was beautiful. Max…he’s going to be so excited to see this in the morning. Oh, we have to get home…I want to show it to him!”

“Let’s go then,” I say, tugging her hand in mine, and tucking my award that Matt just handed to me under my arm.

“Mace, we can’t just leave! You have to stay for parties and things,” she says, giggling because she doesn’t think I’m serious. But I am. I learned a lot of things from Ray Abbot, and first and foremost was that things like fame and attention don’t add up to a hill of shit in the end. But Avery? And my life at home with her and Max? That’s what I want my legacy to be. And when the guy getting the award after me gives a nod to Otis Redding in his acceptance speech, I know it’s Ray’s way of telling me I’m right.

So I get us a car, and we go straight to the airport, because clothes and things can be shipped. We’ll be home when Max wakes up in the morning. And Avery loves me for it. And I love her…for everything else.



THE END