Page 105 of Finding Us
Umm … okay then.
While Blake grabs his backpack, I get the bag that contains all his presents from Cassie. “These are Blake’s too,” I say, holding out the bag.
“Cassie bought me presents,” Blake informs him.
“That was nice of her, I hope you said thank you.” He’s trying to act normal in front of his son, but I can see straight through him. He’s majorly pissed. I would be too if I thought he was going out looking for my replacement. Having Cassie here was supposed make things easier, not worse. “Enjoy your night, ladies,” he clips on his way out the door.
“Cassie,” I snap as soon as we’re alone. “What the hell was that?”
“What?” she gasps, feigning innocence.
“You know exactly what you did. We’re not even going out for drinks.”
“He doesn’t have to know that,” she retorts, placing her hand on her hip. “I’m just keeping him on his toes.”
“Or widening the already unsurmountable gap between us.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”
There has been radio silence from Mason since Monday night. It’s now Wednesday, and I’m supposed to take Blake to school this morning, so when 8 am comes and goes with no word, I start to worry.
Red: Hey, just checking you’re still dropping Blake off this morning?
Twenty minutes pass and I get no reply, so I decide to call him … it goes straight to voicemail. I’m about to hang up, but think better of it because I’m worried something may have happened, or possibly Blake is sick. I don’t even want to entertain the idea it has something to do with what Cassandra said the other night. “Hi, Mason, it’s Jacinta. You didn’t drop Blake off this morning, is everything okay? Let me know either way when you get this.”
When I end the call, I search for Connor’s number in my phone. He answers on the second ring. “Hey, Jaz … is everything okay?”
“Have you heard from Mason? He didn’t drop Blake off this morning.”
“Shit,” he says. “I was supposed to tell you that Blake wasn’t going to school today. Sorry, I forgot.”
“Is he sick or something?”
“No, he and Mason have gone away for a few days.”
Why that news makes my stomach recoil, I can’t say. “I didn’t know they were planning a trip.”
“They weren’t. It was a last-minute thing. Mason just said with everything that’s gone on lately, he just needed to get away for a few days.”
“Do you know where they went?”
“Up north somewhere.”
“Oh.”
“Are you alright, you sound upset?”
“I’m fine,” I lie. “I was just worried one of them might be sick … I’m glad they’re not.”
“I’ve got to go, Jaz, I’m expected in court in a few minutes. I’ll talk to you tonight when I get home.”
“Okay, bye.”
The moment I end the call, I drop my phone onto the bed and bury my face in my hands and cry. Things are worse than I thought, but the truth is, I only have myself to blame.
Chapter29
Mason
