It is evening when Colonel Mason Kent sits alone inside his office in the camp. He had changed to his uniform earlier and is currently working on the reports to be submitted to the higher-ups. However...
What happened a few hours ago keeps on crossing his mind, distracting him from his work over and over again.
When he told Alycia not to think too much, she only thanked him with an obviously forced smile and left. And now, he is the one who can't stop himself from thinking too much.
Why must he say that? Would it only make her shut herself from him? An unfamiliar fear washes through him but there is nothing he could do. Feeling this helpless... he hates it so much!
The Colonel is snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of knocking on the door. Letting out a little sigh, he responds and attempts to shift his attention back to his work. However, when he recognizes the one who enters his office as Captain Elliot McCall, he ends up shifting all his attention to the latter.
Halting in front of the desk, Captain Elliot stands in attention and salutes the Colonel. "Deputy Commander."
"At ease," Mason commands which the Captain complies. Then he simply asks, "What brings you here, Captain Elliot? I believe I have already received your team's report."
"That's right, sir," Captain Elliot promptly responds, trying and failing to hide his nervosity. He then remains quiet for a moment before he speaks up again. "About earlier..." His voice trails off as if he were thinking twice and he ends up remaining standing without saying another word.
"Are you talking about how we met in front of The Classic Corner?" Mason Kent simply asks, mentioning the name of the restaurant. As he looks up at the Captain, he looks quite calm despite his troubled thoughts from earlier.
Elliot McCall still keeps his silence for a few seconds before he finally speaks up again. "Yes," he replies and lowers his gaze as he adds, "I should not have brought it up while being at work. I apologize, Deputy Commander."
"Why change your mind?" Mason Kent suddenly asks and rises from his seat. "Didn't you come here to talk about that?" He deliberately pauses and examines the Captain as he says, "I never know that you are close with Captain Freya Morton."
He examines every reaction of Captain Elliot and Mason feels the pressure. Why does he feel like Captain Elliot is feeling uncomfortable as if he were doing something wrong?
"I have known her for a while now," Elliot McCall replies after another moment of silence. "Her father was the Commander of the previous division I served in."
"You mean Lieutenant General (Lt. Gen.) Caleb Morton? I also know him well." Mason keeps his calm facade though the doubt keeps on growing inside him, all because Elliot looks so suspicious at the moment.
"I also have no idea that you are close with Alycia, Deputy Commander." The thing that occupies his mind finally escapes Elliot's lips but it is not easy for him at all. All those mixed expressions on his face prove it all!
"It only happened recently," Mason Kent honestly replies despite still observing the Captain's reaction. Then he thinks twice before saying, "I want to know her better."
Hearing the response which is quite unexpected to him, Captain Elliot cannot hide his amazement at all!
Did the Deputy Commander just say that he is interested in his ex-girlfriend? Since when?! So many questions flood his mind and with the perplexity adding to it, he cannot even say anything! However...
When the fact that he had broken up with Alycia crosses his mind, Elliot McCall realizes that he has no right to say a word about it. Hard as it is, he manages to reply to the Colonel by saying, "I understand. I will take my leave then." He salutes Colonel Mason once again and then walks out of the office, putting the Colonel in a daze.
That's all? It is not what Mason had expected! Despite wearing their uniforms, despite being bound by ranks and rules, he had expected Elliot McCall to feel offended. He had expected him to question him.
Does this mean that Elliot McCall does not even care enough? Or is something holding him back? After all, it is not even that long since the two broke up!
With many things bothering him, Mason Kent sits down again and then lets out a soft sigh. This is not like him and he knows it. However, whenever Alycia Reese is concerned, he always finds himself acting like a completely different person!
When the Colonel's gaze happens to brush past the wall clock, he darts his eyes back to it and realizes that it is already time for him to leave the camp if he wishes to have dinner with his mother at home. After all, his family home is quite far away from the camp.
Losing no time, Mason quickly leaves his office and gets changed in his quarters before leaving for his family residence.
* * *
After more than an hour of driving, Mason Kent finally reaches his family mansion. Just one look at the residence and it is clear that it is one luxurious mansion that could only be owned by someone wealthy enough to afford everything that money could possibly purchase. The premises are also breathtakingly spacious with security guards scattering almost everywhere!
Once Mason drives past the gate and pulls over next to the huge mansion, one of the security guards quickly opens the door of his jeep for him. He then walks out and hands over his key to the guard before walking inside the mansion.
As he is informed that his mother is in the kitchen, Mason Kent walks straight to the kitchen and finds his mother there, preparing some dishes herself.
"You're earlier than I thought," his mother says to him the moment he enters the kitchen. "Are you not busy these days?"
"We've recently completed a mission and we are given some time to rest," Mason Kent responds to his mother as he walks towards her. "Why are you doing this yourself? Where is the chef?"
"It's been so long since I last cooked for you," Jessica Rhodes replies to her only son with a little smile on her face. "So, I let her go home early today."
"Then I will help you," Mason Kent promptly offers and takes off his jacket but his mother stops him.
"I'm almost done," she says. "You should go and wash up instead."
Like always, Mason does not argue and nods his head. "Alright."
Leaving the kitchen, the Colonel hurries upstairs where his room is located. Then he takes a quick shower and then returns to the kitchen. He notices that his mother has already finished preparing and almost all his favorite dishes are laid on the dining table.
"Have a seat."
Mason Kent sits down on the chair and his mother also takes a seat opposite him. Then the two quietly start eating without saying a word to each other for several minutes. When they are almost done eating, it is Mason who breaks the long silence.
"I am sorry about today, Mother," he says, referring to early in the day when he visited his mother in her office after receiving a call from her. It was right before he crossed paths with Alycia Reese and he had an argument with his mother over one same old topic.
At that time, he left his mother's office with a troubled mind but... it was as if everything disappeared into thin air when he saw Alycia Reese.
Maybe he likes her that much.
Like often, his mother says nothing and Mason mutters, "I know I should not have talked to you like that but... it's not easy for me too."
"I am aware of that," Jessica Rhodes responds to her son and finally looks at him. "But son, how long will this go on? You are already 29 and there is nothing wrong with Laura. I believe you two will -"
"There is someone I like."
What?! The words that escape her son's lips are so unexpected that Mrs. Rhodes is too stunned to even comment on it!
Did he just say he likes someone?! Since when?! As far as she can remember, her son has never taken an interest in any woman, let alone date someone!