Betty Jo McManus sat staring out the window of her small kitchen, staring at the massive Blood Hound, Jackson, she'd adopted a few months back and the demure form of her tabby, Maddie, as they romped and played outside in the back yard. Of all the pairings in this world! She'd been more than a bit nervous the day she'd brought Jackson home. She'd not grown up on a farm for nothing; she knew lots of hound breeds enjoyed nothing more than a good chase, especially a cat! And then there'd been Maddie. She'd been queen of the house for five years already, so Betty Jo hadn't been too sure how the two animals would get along when she'd brought the underfed, wounded Jackson home. Yet unsure as she had been of their coexisting in those first few days, she'd had nothing to fear. If ever there'd been an example of animal "odd couples," Maddie and Jackson were it, sleeping together, playing together, even going on the hunt for Maddie's daily mouse together!
She laughed aloud to herself as she watched the small grey cat do nothing short of a summersault as she leapt deftly over the back of the charging hound, who barked cheerily and rounded for another try of what Betty's imagination couldn't help but label as the animals' versions of "tag, you're it!" If only humans could view life with such an open heart for love. Even as the thought ran through her mind her spirits deflated a bit. Two days. Counting today, just two days until her sweet Aidan was getting married. Would she see him at all after that? The girl he was planning to marry was just about the most selfish piece of work she'd ever met. In the months they'd been together she'd already caused more than a small bit of trouble between Aidan and Mason, and Betty had thought them inseparable! Poor Mason! How would he cope with this? It had been as obvious as the nose on her face that the poor boy had been madly in love with Aidan for quite some time. Sometimes she wondered if Aidan could really be so blind that he didn't realize. God know's his father had been. That's why they'd wound up getting a divorce; he couldn't see what was right in front of him before it was gone!
She allowed her imagination to run free for a moment as she placed herself in Mason's predicament. How would it feel to be hopelessly in love with someone, only to be asked to stand up for them as Best Man? She couldn't fathom it! She shook her head and sniffed silently, a surge of guilt flowing through her. She wasn't being fair to Aidan. He'd told her he loved the girl. Unfortunate as the situation was, Aidan had said he was in love with Meagan. And even though her heart bled for Mason, would she really be comfortable with her son dating another young man? It was all well and good to talk and preach "equality," but what if he actually brought some young man through the front door? Would she be so strong in her beliefs then? All the same, her heart went out to the young man she knew was going through such turmoil.
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The phone was on its tenth ring by the time Mason had jumped from the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and slipped and slid his way into the living area. His head was pounding. Those aspirin he'd taken had obviously been a waist of time. Who in the hell would be calling this early in the morning? Everyone he talked to on a semi-regular basis knew he was out of work and busy for the next three days while Aidan got married. Probably some stupid idiot from work who'd lost another transposition of the music he'd spent half of last week getting ready for the gig while he was gone!
"Hello?"......."Mason?" Betty Jo McManus' voice wavered as she answered, and Mason's heart plummeted. Calls this early in the morning usually meant disaster. "Mrs McManus, what can I do for you? Is something wrong? Are you okay? Is Aidan okay?" "Oh, I'm fine dear. I just called to check on you. How are you doing? I know you've been quite busy lately, helping with everything." "Mrs McManus are you sure you're okay. It's kind of early." Betty chuckled nervously on the other end of the line. "I really am okay dearest. I just had you on my mind. I.......I was wondering if I might come by and see you for a little while." Mason ground his teeth and cursed under his breath. She'd called at this godforsaken time of the morning to `see how he was!' Leave it to Betty Jo McManus! She'd always been kind of strange. "Sure Mrs McManus. I'll just call down and tell Aidan you're on your way." "Oh no! That's okay. I just thought you and I might spend a little time together. You know, I thought we might just.......talk."
She wanted to talk! At just a bit past seven o'clock she wanted to talk! What the hell was so important to talk about at this time of day? Mason mentally reprimanded himself for feeling so upset with Aidan's mother. Betty Jo McManus had been the closest thing to a mother he'd ever had. His grandparents had been great to live with after his father died, but they were older by the time he'd come to live with them. Since he and Aidan had already been friends Betty Jo McManus had stepped up and taken over as surrogate mother for Mason. She knew things about Mason, things he'd done, things he'd said, things he felt, that no one else knew or had known, not even his grandparents. But what on earth could be so important as to make a visit now? Shouldn't she be fretting over Aidan, and not him?
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She had to push the doorbell a couple of times before Mason answered, and when he did answer he was still in a towel. "Mrs McManus! How....wha... how the hell did you get here so fast?" "Mason I've told you time and again that you're not to swear in front of a lady!" She felt a smile tug across her face even as she mocked a reprimand at the lovely young man in front of her. "Are you going to invite me in, or are we going to stand and have this conversation in the hallway?" He stood shaking his head in bemusement at her, but gestured her in all the same. "And put some clothes on, will you? I know I'm your adopted mother, but I had no desire to see you parade around like that all morning!" "You caught me in the shower. Give us a sec to finish?" "Yes, but be quick......Oh, and by the way..........I was already here. I called from my cell phone!"
Five minutes later Mason was showered, clothed, and sitting on the terrace of his apartment with her as they sipped the two strong brews she'd purchased on her way over. He looked tired, like he'd not slept in several days. His eyes were sunken and his color was not to her liking. "Mason you look terrible." He smiled morosely. "Thanks. I'll try to find as worthy a compliment for you too Mom!" "No, I meant it Mason. You don't look well. You look as if you've not slept in a week, you've lost weight, your eyes don't have their normal sparkle, and you've hardly said two friendly words since I got here. Now I admit I might not be the most interesting company in the world, but I'd take a little more pep and vigor than what you've been offering!"
He was silent for a while. "I guess I've just been under a lot of stress lately." "Is it the wedding?"........ "Hmmm? Oh, yeah, that's part of it. It's just a lot of stuff." She heaved a sigh as she turned to stare into the face of the young man she loved almost as much as her own. This wasn't going to be easy. She'd been trying to prepare herself for this talk all the way across town. But even as she sat here with this dear young man she felt herself grow more than a bit uncomfortable. She was about to do something that Aidan would either love her for or hate her with all his heart.
"Mason?" "Mmm-hmm?" "Have you told him?" "Told him what?" "Have you told Aidan how you feel?"
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Of all the things Betty Jo McManus could've asked Mason "have you told him" wasn't what he was expecting. "What do you mean? Have I told him what?" The plump woman studied his face for some time, her eyes as sharp and serious as Mason had ever seen them. And when she did speak again it was as though everything she said came spilling out before she could stop herself. "Mason I think it's time you and I talked about something serious, something we should've talked about long before now. I.......I know you're in love with Aidan." She held up a hand, as though halting any protest Mason might've had, though he was in such shock that none came. "No, now let me finish. I don't mean to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable. Believe you me, this is not the conversation most mothers ever dream of having. But if I've judged you right in this, and I honestly don't think it could've been any more obvious through the years, then I think we need to talk about this before you and Aidan both wind up being unhappy."
He sat in complete silence at the words Mrs McManus had blurted out, his breath still caught in him. He began to shake. How did she know this? How long had she known? She appeared somewhat shocked at her own forwardness in the matter, as she now sat staring at him with tears forming in her eyes. "Mrs McManus I.......I......" Try as he might the words would not come. His mouth parched and his mind racing, it seemed his body was determined to deny him the ability to reply or explain anything to Aidan's mother. "Mason are you okay? I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you or....." A soft hand had reached over and taken his own. "Mrs McManus I......I..." Hot tears had begun streaming down his face. His body began to shake almost violently as his breathing heaved within him.
"No. No, I'm not okay. I.......I..." But he didn't have to say what he was, or even what he wasn't. The same soft hand that had caressed his own pulled him from where he sat until he fell forward into her waiting lap. He knew he should've felt foolish, felt ashamed at crying so shamelessly into the lap of the woman who's son he loved. But there was not stopping. Now that the tide of stayed emotion had been released there was no stopping. So he simply cried. He wept and sobbed until there seemed to be no tears left within him to shed. He expected to look up and see a face disgusted or full of shame. But he did not expect to see tears streaming down her cheeks as she smiled timid smile.
"Mrs McManus how long have you know this?" Though the smile stayed a sadness clouded her eyes. "Sweetheart I've known you felt something for him for a few years now. I kept thinking you might take matters into your own hands, or that he'd at least get his head outta his butt and see the truth!" "But why.....why didn't you say something before now?" Her features clouded completely, the smile now gone as well. "Because it wasn't my place. It still isn't actually. If what I've begun today doesn't work out I'll wind up hating myself for the rest of my life." He couldn't quite understand her meaning by this. "Why? What do you mean you'll hate yourself."
This time it was her turn to cry. "Oh Mason, don't you see? I've opened the door now. I'm telling you now that you've got to go to Aidan before it's too late and tell him how you feel. I truly believe in my hear that he'll hear you out. I believe even now you two could have a future together. Do you honestly think I want him with that selfish......well, do you think I want him to marry her? She's terrible!" "But I still don't understand how that will make Aidan hate you. Lots of mother-in-laws don't care for their daughter-in-laws." Betty suddenly fixed Mason with a stare so serious that Mason felt himself become a bit frightened. "Because dear if things don't work out between you and Aidan then I will be the reason he will have lost both of you, Meagan and yourself."
Mason studied Betty Jo McManus' face for a while. It seemed this emotional revelation had taken its toll on her. Suddenly she looked frail, as though she were the one who needed comforting. "Then I won't tell him. Just because you know the truth doesn't mean Aidan has to. I"ll......" "Mason Montgomery Alexander I did not drive all the way over here, console you while you just bawled your eyes out, and then share this deepest of secrets with you only to have you sit on your backside and do nothing about it!" She'd picked up her purse and was halfway to the door before turning to face him again. "You'll go to that phone this instant, you'll call my son, you'll tell him there is something you need to talk to him about, and we'll see what becomes of it!"............... "Oh, and by the way.......I hope you enjoyed the coffee; it was a new blend!"