Unfortunately for me, I woke at the same time, feeling worse than I felt when I went to bed. The lack of proper rest had words with me and they weren't kind ones.
Sluggish and drained, I pushed myself out of bed, making my way towards the mirror. Puffy eyes, dark circles and worn out. I looked just like I felt, broken.
After a shower, I got dressed in my usual attire. I knew that whatever Mason had in store for me wouldn't involve getting out of the house. With heavy steps, I trudged towards the kitchen and as expected Mason was already up looking spiffy as always, not even one hair out of place. I wondered how he did it. I went out one night, and I felt like a freight train had hit me. And I didn't even drink and there he was, looking like a doll that had just been pulled out of its box.
" Good morning, Miss Abernathy." Mason raised his head to look at me with an unreadable expression " Having trouble sleeping?" He was playing dumb, or just playing me.
" No," I mumbled and took a seat at the table bracing myself for the storm, called Mason Kinnaird.
" Now, Miss Abernathy. You seem to have trouble understanding the words coming out of my mouth. But I think this should aid you," Mason stood up and pushed along the table a dictionary, opened at the letter N. When Mason and the book reached me, the word "no" was underlined and circled several times for emphasis.
" Please read the definition of the marked word," Mason added and walked behind me, heading towards the stove. He'd cooked breakfast, that was a new one. I've only seen him cook once and that was months ago.
Meekly, I began reading the definition " Louder. I can't hear you Miss Abernathy and I believe that you, yourself can't hear it either," Mason interjected, stirring in the pot.
I took a deep breath, and started from the beginning, louder this time. By the time I was finished with the definition, a plate of porridge, topped with banana and blueberries was placed before me. Once again, I was confused but this time around I didn't fall into the same old trap and tried not to read too much into it.
" Is there anything that you didn't understand from what you read?" Mason asked as he sauntered back to his seat.
" No" I mumbled, shrinking under his frosty gaze.
" We will see about that. Needless to say that from this day onwards your curfew is five in the afternoon. As of today, to fill up all the free time you have. You will be volunteering at the soup kitchen in town. All day, up until four o'clock. At five you will walk through that front door, not one minute late, Miss Abernathy." Mason delivered his decision on my punishment. I found it a bit harsh. I was expecting something along those lines but that was a bit too much. I wanted to go home. I had had enough.
" I want to return to Lamport. I'm seventeen now. I can look after myself." I voiced out my thoughts concerning his punishment. I grew up in a loving home. My parents had never been harsh with me.
Mason smiled " Because you have done such a fine job the first time around. No. I'm unpleasantly surprised, Miss Abernathy. I knew your father and your mother. And they were upstanding people with strong values. I'm disappointed to see that none of that had passed on to you. If and only if, you can, for once demonstrate that you are capable of doing something else other than thinking about yourself. I will consider it." He was saying I was selfish. Was I? I didn't know. I had nothing to compare it with. I tried my best to be polite and kind but it was obvious that it wasn't the way he saw me.
" You have one year to prove to me that you can make decisions, and manage your life without having me hover over you like a mother hen," Mason stood up to take the plate to the sink and began cleaning up. That was another first. Maybe there was more to Mason than just his heavenly looks.
" If I do, then you'll return all that my parents have left and I'm free to go," I thought I would just check to make sure. Mason was slippery. The devil is in the details.
" Yes." Mason glanced over his shoulder and nodded. That was all I needed. No matter how much I wanted to pack my things and leave. It wasn't an option.
With that thought in mind, I dug into the porridge as fast as I could and stood up to take my plate to the sink. Enid was nowhere in sight, and by the looks of it, it was just me and Mason inside the entire mansion. Despite all that I felt suffocated, gasping for air.
" Thank you" I mumbled as I put the bowl into the dishwasher.
" No need. Tomorrow is your turn. Enid is taking some time off. It will be just the two of us for a while." Mason wiped down the table, clearing glasses and cutlery that he'd used when he made breakfast.
" Is she alright?" I worriedly asked since Enid had a heart condition. I thought maybe she is not feeling well.
" Yes, she is fine. She just needs some time to rest. She is staying with a friend in Quenieborough." Mason added as he walked towards the door.
" You're welcome," He said over his shoulder and left me alone in the kitchen.
It took me a good few minutes to understand why he said that and I might have come across as ungrateful by not thanking him for breakfast, even though I had. Maybe he didn't hear me.
I stormed out of the kitchen to catch up with him. There had been quite a lot of misunderstandings between us.
" Thank you for breakfast " I finally caught up to him right before he entered his room.
Mason nodded " Louis will be here in ten minutes. You should get ready." Mason said before he stepped inside his room without giving me a chance to even reply.
I walked inside my room, trying to get hold of myself. I knew I made things worse and to Mason right now, I was nothing more than a spoiled child who had everything handed on a silver tray.
I walked inside to get dressed. I didn't have much time and I didn't want to add to the already stale air that surrounded Mason and I.
With two minutes to spare, I stormed out of the room and met Louis in the foyer. He'd just walked in as I was stepping out of the corridor.
Louis curtly nodded " Good morning, Miss," He said with a smile that fell when Mason appeared in the doorway ready to leave, wearing a vintage blue suit. I let out a shaky breath to steel my thoughts that were already spiralling out of control at the sight.
Mason nodded at Louis " Good morning, Mr Kinnaird, " Louis greeted Mason as he stepped out of the door.
" Good morning Louis. Have a good day, Miss Abernathy " Mason said his goodbyes and left.