Mason approached the bed with measured steps, and keen eyes, cautiously scrutinising me. I knew it was bad. I hadn't looked in a mirror in a very long time. I hadn't bathed in a long time.
" Miss Abernathy, it is good to see that you are awake." His voice was calm as he lowered himself on the bed, observant. His eyes were studying me, he didn't look disgusted, but he was pitying me. I didn't like that feeling. I had seen it so many times, I was fed up with it. My parents, the doctors that they had taken me to, and so many others that had a chance to meet me.
I mustered smiled and nodded, I had come to realise that out of all the things I had seen, this was real. The man sitting in front of me wasn't a figment of my imagination and he didn't want to harm me. Relief washed over me, I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders.
" And smiling, " he remarked " This is very good. You'll be out and about in no time," He casually continued, observing my reactions but frowned when my eyes went to the door. What if I still couldn't open doors?
" Or not. You'll have plenty of time to adjust to your new home." He added in response to my reaction, getting up from the bed and seeing that Dr Button was getting ready to leave.
" She will need to take this before she goes to bed. It will help with the nightmares." He said as he pushed the bottle with the tablets on the table.
" What does it do?" Mason curiously asked, picking up the bottle off the table and studying it.
" Let's just say that you'll all have a good night's sleep." Dr Button nonchalantly said, smiling while he made his way to the door, followed by Mason
" No, stay," I blurted out when Mason was about to step outside the room. I wasn't ready to be alone.
Dr Button smiled " I'll see myself out," He said as he nodded at me, smiling.
Mason nodded, closed the door and returned to my side " Are you hungry? Louis is cooking lunch today. I'm sure it will be awful, but we will have to pretend that we like it." He amusedly said with a light shrug. I felt at ease, around him and Enid. This man was nothing like the one I'd met in Mr Perry's office. They were two contrasting people.
I hummed and stretched my knees on the bed, studying Mason's expressions, and found that my first thoughts on him couldn't be more wrong. He seemed a very good and kind man, and I hoped that maybe one day I would be able to tell him the truth.
" Would you like to join me in the kitchen and see how things are progressing?" He said while stretching his hand for me to take but I just stared at his hand, trying to decide whether I should take it or not.
" I still feel weak, and I don't think I can walk very far." I finally replied with a frazzled smile, hoping that I wouldn't have to walk out of the room. Afraid of what lay behind the door for me. I didn't want to find myself in another awful place.
" No need to worry about that, I'll carry you." He offered and picked me up off the bed, and I hooked my arms around his neck. I took a silent breath, as we made our way towards the door.
As we approached the door, I tightened my grip on him, and closed my eyes, hoping that whatever lay beyond the door was nothing more than an ordinary house. When Mason turned the knob, I shrunk in his arms and scrunched my eyes tightly shut. I felt us crossing the threshold, I opened one eye and let out a silent breath of relief when I was greeted with an ordinary-looking corridor.
As he walked through the corridor leading to the kitchen my eyes roamed all around, marvelling at the old house. The carved mahogany blended with rosewood gave the house a very particular quaint air. It looked like it has been restored, so it was an old mansion. I concluded when we reached the foyer, that had french influences.
When Mason stepped into the kitchen, Louis busied himself with cooking lunch. He looked completely out of his element and on the verge of having a meltdown as he fumbled through the kitchen trying to do everything at once.
Mason cleared his throat trying to contain his amusement at the sight. I was enchanted with Mason. I couldn't take my eyes off him and drank every bit of his presence. No man had ever carried me in his arms, except for my father. His mousy blond hair, blue eyes, and angelic features were mesmerising. He kept all of that hidden under his hat upon our first encounter, and all of a sudden he had my full and undivided attention. A new point of focus, keeping my mind occupied.
" Louis, how is it coming along?" Mason asked as he made his way to the kitchen island and placed me down in a chair.
Louis turned over his shoulder, looking a little pale " Well, I guess " He mumbled and turned to frantically go around the kitchen. It was clear that he had no clue what he was doing.
" How long? Lily is hungry and frankly so am I. I skipped dinner last night and breakfast." Mason sat in his chair, patiently awaiting for Louis to answer.
I was speechless, last I remembered I was hanging off by a thread trying to hold on to my sanity. Now, I was sitting in a kitchen with the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. I was struck, in more ways than one.
Louis sighed, frustrated " Not any time soon." He dropped his spoon in the pan and turned to look at Mason, sulking.
" You messed up, didn't you? I have to say, it doesn't surprise me" Mason added and stood up, sauntering to the stove.
" You know they say if you want something done right, then it's best to do it yourself." Mason picked up the spoon and pushed Louis to the side.
" Watch and learn." Mason winked at Louis who sulked, leaning against the counter and watched what Mason did from the corner of his eye.
I found myself entranced by Mason, my eyes took in every detail now that my mind wasn't clouded. His perfect broad shoulders were hidden under the pristine white shirt, his toned behind, long strong legs. I sighed, while my mind sort of began conjuring images of him bare. It was something new for me, I had never thought of men that way. For some reason, something awakened in me that I didn't even know I possessed.
" Here. This should do for now. Hopefully, dinner will be better." Mason pushed a plate of pasta in front of me and took a seat next to me.
" Dr Button said you need to eat and rest," Mason added while twirling the spaghetti on his fork, even-tempered, calm as the sea on a windless day.
I nodded, uneasy at the sudden intrusion. The glint in his eyes made me think that he knew what I was just thinking about him. Did he know that my mind just went wild? No, he couldn't possibly know.