It's All Relative(166)
A tired exhale met his ear. “He knows…I can’t believe he knows. I got so used to him thinking what I wanted him to think.”
Mason’s lips twitched into a wry smile. “Yes, you do prefer to control what people think, don’t you?” Knowing that sounded very bitter, he quickly added, “He’s an adult now, Leilani. He will find his way through this and come out a stronger man for it.”
Again that surprising swell of fatherly pride filled him, and Mason was sure, for the first time in all of this, that the truth coming out was for the betterment of all involved. Perhaps Nate was correct after all? Perhaps the truth did matter. Sometimes an infected wound had to be cut deep before the true healing could begin.
“Does he hate me?” Leilani whispered, her fearful voice sending a small spark of compassion through Mason.
He smiled and shook his head. “I don’t know, Leilani…but from what I’ve learned of the boy so far, he’s quite understanding. I won’t speak for him, but he seems to be the type of person who is capable of tremendous amounts of forgiveness.”
A long pause, then, “Maybe he gets that from his father?”
Mason closed his eyes as he clearly heard the true question being asked. Do you forgive me? Could he ever forgive her? Was there anything to forgive? She had stayed loyal to the man she’d taken vows with. Right or wrong, painful or not, she had decided to honor her promise to him. Could Mason truly blame her for that decision?
“Leilani…there is nothing between us that needs forgiveness. You did what you had to, to survive. I did what I had to do, to survive. We are, if anything, survivors.”
Leilani chuckled lightly. “Thank you, Mason, for being there for him. For finding him, for speaking with him, for being so…you. Thank you.”
The love and sympathy that washed over him with those words brought tears to Mason’s eyes. Right or wrong, he still loved her. Thousands of miles hadn’t severed the bond, and a couple of decades apart hadn’t diminished it. Some things, Mason decided, were just eternal. “You’re welcome, Leilani. Thank you for finally telling me…that he is mine.” His voice broke and a tear finally escaped him. He quickly brushed it aside, peeking back at the door to see if his fellow researchers were watching. They weren’t; he was alone in his moment of wistful grief.
Sniffling herself, Leilani sighed again. “I suppose I’ll need to talk to Kai…to explain myself. Did you tell him about us?”
Mason nodded before he answered. “Yes, I told him the entire story, beginning…to end.” As the word left his lips, Mason wondered if there was ever really going to be an end between them, especially now that they shared the genetic responsibility of Kai. His son.
“Good. He should know that, if anything, he was created out of love…real love.” She sniffled again, and Mason imagined the tired woman’s cheeks wet with tears. “I love you, Mason,” she quietly said.
Mason smiled into the phone. “And I love you, Leilani.” He shook his head as another tear fell. “You know, we might have made…many mistakes…but I don’t believe Kai is one of them.” Reminiscent pride swelled as he thought of the young man who shared his blood. “He is…amazing. We created a pretty spectacular child, sweetheart.”
He heard her sigh into the phone again, but this time, contentedly. “Yes, yes we did.” She paused for a moment, and Mason pictured her tilting her head, making her long, dark hair fall over a bare shoulder. The vision brought back a lifetime of aches. “You know, given the situation over again…I don’t think I would change a thing.” Mason smiled and was about to answer, when she interrupted his thoughts. “No, I take that back…there is one thing I would change.”
Mason’s heart picked up as he waited for her explanation. When she didn’t immediately give it, he whispered, “And what would that be?”
A long, pregnant pause filled the silence of his car, amplifying the thumping beat of his heart. Just when he couldn’t stand the silence anymore, he heard her softly say, “I would have picked you, Mason. If I were allowed a redo…I’d choose you.”
(Cut scene #8. This is at the end of chapter 24, after Kai and Jessie discover Millie is okay and take her into the house to tell her about their relationship.)
Millie watched the fire engine pull away from her house, the last lingering curious bystanders finally starting to disperse, and thought about her chaotic morning. First, Kai’s natural father had called her in a panic, anxious to know if she might have any idea where to find Kai. Not having been aware that he’d spoken with Kai, that Kai knew the truth now, Millie had been shocked, and she’d started to panic a little herself. But then she’d remembered Kai and Jessica Marie’s obvious fondness for each other. If he was anywhere in the city, he would be with her, she was sure.
And so Millie had found herself doing something she’d never in a million years imagined herself doing. She’d comforted the man who had split up her son’s marriage. She assured him that Kai was most likely with his cousin. Millie had always told Jessica that Kai was going to need her support. She was sure the girl hadn’t understood why at the time, but she was equally sure that the natural caregiver in Jessica had been taking very good care of him.