Chapter 5: Unruly Times

Mason.

I kept gazing at the mirror with much patience and toleration. l closed my eyes tight and took a deep breath trying not to get frustrated or get overwhelmed by the situation, which is what my father does on a normal day.

I shouldn't be surprised yet it has me fuming angrily, l switched on the faucet and splashed some water on my face to ease my mind.

If l didn't receive a call back there would Andrew have gone ahead with it? We have met a few times and it wouldn't kill me if I just have sex with him. Wouldn't it be too sudden? Maybe it's his way of expressing his love and feeling to his other half but he hasn't told me he likes me either. And if l don't try it or do what he wants l wouldn't know.

I'm really tired of having to try like this, maybe if I confront him about it he might tell me how he feels about me. But what is the point?

I haven't been home for years and staying there for four days wouldn't kill me, so I took myself back to the lounge.

“Hey?" I chirped at Andrew, sourcing a way to tell him I was leaving.

“Is everything good?" He asked, bringing his face close to mine yet again. This time l scoot to the side, not really in the mood anymore.

“What is wrong Mason?" He asked calmly.

“Nothing really, my father wants me back home. l didn't have such plans, it seems sudden and urgent. It's his birthday party,” l confide in him, brushing my hair off my face with my fingers uneasily. 

My eyes widened as Andrew held my hands in a comforting position.

“Do you want me to come with you?” He asked sincerely.  l couldn't believe my ears, he is the first to want to visit my father or request to travel with me to my hometown. 

l don't hesitate to agree. l need some distraction from my father anyway, “Sure, if you're free to come Andrew."

“When are you leaving?” He asks, pouring me a glass of whiskey and one glass for himself.

“I'm not drinking, Andrew. I'm not good with alcohol and I'm driving myself back. We will be leaving tomorrow at noon."

"Right, his birthday is in a day. I saw the announcement in the daily newspaper, l didn't plan to attend just like you didn't,”  He said nonchalantly and we both giggled at each other.

"I will come to meet you there in Lauderhills. I'm fully engaged tomorrow and actually I've been yearning to visit the Mason's Mansion anyway.”

“Mmh, then Kai and l will leave first. And thank you for wanting to come with me. 

He frantically pulled me in for a tight hug.

“Are you drunk, Andrew?”

“How about we continue with the little fun we were having before we were interrupted?” He whispered in my ear seductively. Those words sent shivers to my spine, l gasped hard at how they made me feel. His sensual voice started boiling me up.

“What fun?” l murmured, still in his arms as he wouldn't let go of me.

"You know what l mean,” He grinned, leaving some tiny kisses around my eyes. Bussing and sniffing on my cheeks.

l whined softly as my body was starting to give in to his administration, “Andrew, l need to go home.”

I stood up hurriedly, fixing myself as if nothing happened.

“I will take you home baby boy, stay with me for a little while,” He begged, looking at me with pleading eyes. 

“No, not tonight. I need to finish some remaining paper work on my table and l have to prepare for my trip tomorrow.”

“We all know this is just an excuse to avoid our moment together, don't you like me, Mason? You don't have to prepare for anything. You know it's only a word and everything is done for you.”

“Why are you talking like that?" I asked irritably, l hate people that say those lines to me the most. l walked out of him.

“What? Did l say anything wrong, Mason?” He held my wrist and swung me around desperately.

"Do you even know me? Okay let's say you know me, you should know l don't like people around me, including my bodyguards. l hate those words the most. I'm not some baggage waiting to be pushed around, l don't like people in my space that is why I still do most of my things myself. I'm human and l have my own thoughts too,” l speak fervently, even though my words had no bases at the moment.

“Woah, calm down Mason. l was only complimenting you, trying to tell you not to worry. l wanted to get your mind off something like that because I know you will still make it to your hometown in time, stay with me tonight."

“I'm sorry l can't stay, l need to go,” l tried to yank my hand off his grip but he pulled me forcefully and baked his lips on mine. 

My eyes widen when he swirls his tongue on them, teasing me to open up, “Stop, I have to go Andrew,” I complained, annoyed. 

I pulled my body away from him.

“Why are you in such a hurry? Stay with me a little longer, I'm  going to miss you."

"You will see me barely in 26 hours, not so much that you can't wait, right?"

“I know this is not a good time to say this but go out with me Mason, please?"

“What?” My mind went blank for a moment. I knew I wanted this but not at this rate, “I wasn't expecting you to do this, l thought you wanted nothing serious from me.”

“How can you say that, Mason? Is it not obvious that l love you? Go out with me, let me take care of you and Kai."

Moments ago I was wishing on everything to make Andrew ask me out, so l will know my stand in his life. It's not even the end of the night yet and my wishes came true, l don't know why I'm suddenly hesitant about it.

Having gone through a lot of relationships, trauma and dramas, I'm not ready for more. Andrew feels okay, he has everything in riches and firm. There is nothing he will be looking forward to gaining from me.

“Thank you for thinking that way toward me, but I would like to give it an overnight thought.”

“There is no hurry baby, please take all your time. l will wait until you are ready,” He understands, combing my hair backwards with his finger.  He pulls me for a kiss on my forehead.

“You shouldn't kiss me out here, my father will kill me if this goes out,” l said, not wanting to spend the next moment there as it was getting overwhelming.

"Call me when you get home, Mason."

I ignored him and dodged into my car and drove Off. l got back home carefully, l trailed through my living room and announced to the maid that had happened to be awake, “Inform Kai's nanny to prepare for a trip, we leave at noon,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt buttons.

"Yes sir, can l warm up dinner for you?”

"No it's fine, get me a glass of milk."

“Yes Sir."

I sat in my workspace and raised my laptop up to finish all preliminary work. If I'm not going to be around l shouldn't come back to sit on loads of work. Just a little bit longer and my father will stop deciding my life for me. 

This is going to be my first time seeing him after how many years? Have lost count of how many times we don't see.

At least Kai will be happy to see his grandfather, and l will be able to spend time with him away from work. l let out a sigh of relief, killing two birds with a stone. I'm not doing enough for Kai, l need to be a good father to him. l gawked at the wall clock, it was already mid-morning, l decided to shut my laptop, trailed to the kitchen, got a bottle of water and paced to my room.

I didn't even know time had gone by.

A knock came on the door that made me wriggle lazily on my bed. My eyes moved their way to the stopwatch, it was 10:27am. 

Fuck!

I hate spontaneous bursts of energy, l always make plans to go somewhere but this trip… tch!

“Who is there?" I answered anxiously with no interest to get the door

"Papa?”

"Kai?" My eyes broadened automatically and the laziness to get out of the bed promptly disappeared from me. l can't believe I let Kai knock on the door for so long.

I hurried my steps to the door.

"Good morning Sir”  Rachel, Kai’s nanny greeted 

" Good Morning, Rachel."

I put my knees to the ground and pulled Kai in for a hug. l was worried for no reason, I thought he came knocking on the door alone, didn't know he came with his nanny.

"Kai, insisted l brought him here, Sir. Everything he will be needing is keen.”

"Kai, are you ready to go see grandfather?"

He pouts, shaking his head, “No.”

"Why would you say something like that, Kai Kai?"

“Because he makes Papa cry,” He mumbled sadly and softly. I jabbed him up in my arms, “Come baby, don't talk about your grandfather like that.”

“But Papa always cries after talking to him.”

“Kai, where did you hear all of that from?" I said, resting him on my bed.

"I always see it, Papa."

“Don't be like that Kai, Papa Andrew will join us for grandfather's birthday." 

Speaking of that, I haven't checked my phone since l got back.

"I don't want him to come."

"Not again! Please don't tell me you don't like Andrew too?"

"I don't like any other person, only Papa,” He smiles, swimming on my bed like it was very cosy for him. He has never liked any of my partners l introduced to him, he invariably has something against all of them. He won't even allow them to touch him.

“What is your reason this time Kai?"

"I only like Papa," He is chuckling wholeheartedly.

"If you keep talking with Papa like this, how will l get to prepare for our departure?"

"Sir, I can take him around to play while he waits for you."

“No need for that, Rachel. It's okay for him to stay here with me but keep an eye on him please. He might carelessly falls off the bed and hits his head, please be careful."

"Yes Sir.”

My bed is higher than the one in his room. I went to the bathroom, took a refreshing shower and got back to see Kai ransacking the whole bed. 

My pillows are all on the ground.

"I'm so sorry sir, l will pick that up, he won't stop playing, “Rachel sighs.

"It's okay, allow him to feel free,” I said, drying my hair with the mini towel in my hands while smiling at how happy Kai looked.

"Kai, the pillow should be on the bed not on the floor,” I picked them up, throwing them back to the bed.

" No Papa."

Tsk, a smile appeared on my lips. Kai only thinks in a way l don't understand and it is so cute, he is so cute and lovely. l stood in front of the mirror in my closet and put on my black tids and black cargo pants, a knock came on the door and l walked out to the room. l went directly to pick Kai up in my arms as l watched Rachel go get the door.

"We are ready, Sir. We should leave now,” David said and l shook my head vehemently and went to my drawer, picked up one of my favourite collections of black spectacle.

“Papa l want!"

"Rachel, can you get sunglasses for Kai?”

“Yes sir!"

I moved my steps having Kai in my hands as l headed to the car.  l could hear David, Benjamin and Clinton coming out with our little bagels. l really hate having so many people around me, sometimes l feel like my bodyguards just keep increasing that sometimes I even lost count of their names. l opened the car door and let Kai go in first and later joined him.

“Are you excited, Kai?"

"Yes papa"

"I'm very happy too, l will have more time to spend with you away from work and…”

l couldn't finish my sentence when he playfully held my face and squeezed my cheeks with his tiny fingers.

"What now Kai? you are more excited than I thought,” I said having my face cupped in his tiny hands.

“I'm happy to be with papa, l don't have to go to school."

"We are ready to go, Sir,” David announces and l nodded at him through the rear mirror.

“Kai, why are you happy you don't have to go to school? Is there something going on that you are not telling Papa?" I asked him curiously as those words he said piqued my attention.

"It is only people with mothers that go to our school,” He said sitting back in his seat, a sad pout on his lips.

"Why are you talking like that Kai?"

I looked closely at him as those words left a stain on my heart, the sudden sadness in his eyes made me want to move the world for him.

"Why would you say something like that baby?"

"It's what my classmates all say to me." 

I pulled him in for a hug, l grew up with no mother by my side too and I totally understand how my Son feels.

“Kai don't worry about something like that, don't feel sad that you don't have a mother. Did you tell them that your father is enough? Did you tell them that my love for you is beyond the words love itself and how many of them can proudly say their perfect family loves them dearly? Kai Kai, you shouldn't listen to what people have to say about you, baby don't forget no matter what you do people will always have what to say about you. Do you think you will be able to live up to the thought of what people think about you daily? no baby please don't be like that. If it saddens you too much, do you want to change your school?"

"No Papa."

"Hmm, don't worry Papa will handle everything. No one will ever say those words to you again, do you understand? I will talk to your principal,” I said sincerely but he was still slightly unhappy as he was playing with his fingers and fixing his eyes on them. 

He does that whenever he is sad.

"Kai, your mood is not helping Papa concentrate.”

"I'm sorry Papa,” He apologised.

"Don't be like Kai,” l smuggled him to sit on my lap and brought his head so he could rest on my chest, and soothe his cheeks with my hand.

"Don't forget Papa will always be here for you.”

“l think you should change his school, you have been donating to that school annually yet the principal allows Kai to be bullied, “David suggested in an annoyed tone.

“He will always get bullied with something like that, David. I just need to make sure it doesn't repeat itself again.”

"Yes, Sir."

"Don't fall asleep Kai, let's board the Plane first."