Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Paul gave him a sad look, and Mason felt a sudden wave of alarm. What was that about? “What?”
“It’s happening already,” Paul answered.
“What is? What are you talking about, man?”
“You’re starting to forget. I knew this would happen when you came back.”
Now Mason really felt panicked. “Forget what? Would you stop talking in riddles?”
“The longer you’re down here, the more you may forget bits and pieces of Damon Evans’s life. You won’t completely lose all of his memories, but as you make new ones as Mason, you’ll lose some of Damon’s.”
“What?! You never mentioned this!” Mason raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He didn’t want to forget. He didn’t want to forget the day he met Brandi or the first time they made love or the day she gave birth to the twins.
“You knew there was a price you had to pay for coming back. I’m sorry, but this is how it works.”
“But what about Brandi and me?”
“I’ll try to help you as much as I’m allowed, which isn’t much, unfortunately, as far as winning Brandi back, but your first responsibility is to redeem Mason Collins. To be honest, I only recently learned of the memory thing myself or I would have warned you. You have to remember no one’s come back before; this is as new to me as it is to you.”
“So I’ll eventually forget how I felt about her? When I agreed to this, I didn’t know the price would be so high.” Tears of frustration filled his eyes.
“Look, I can’t say what will happen to you and Brandi as you begin to lose some of your old memories, but like I said, you won’t lose all of them.”
“But I could lose the important ones?”
“Maybe. I’m sorry, man. In the meantime, I suggest you make a dental appointment with Dr. David Cross in Horsham for a cleaning.”
“How will going to see the dentist help me?”
“For one thing, it will keep that white smile of yours healthy, and since Brandi is a dental hygienist in that office, it will give you an opportunity to see her again.” Paul winked.
“You’re a sly devil. I thought you weren’t going to interfere where Brandi and I are concerned.”
“I’m not a devil, just a devious angel. Besides, I said I wouldn’t interfere; I didn’t say I couldn’t give you a couple of helpful…suggestions.”
“Well, you certainly—”
“Who are you talking to, Dad?”
Mason turned around. His son was looking for signs of another person, but Paul was gone. “No one, sport. I was just talking to myself. Where’s DJ?”
“He’s downstairs playing the game.” Ben grinned. “Mom says that talking to yourself is a sign of craziness.”
“Did she now? What else does your Mom say?” He smiled indulgently, ruffling the child’s bright red hair.
“She said that you’re probably being nice to me lately because you probably need to shoot another commercial and you want me in it,” Ben said solemnly. His big green eyes looked at him as if he were trying to figure out whether it was true.
Mason’s heart went out to the child although he only knew him for a short time. It was really a shame that until now there wasn’t a better relationship between father and son.
He also found it disconcerting that Karen would tell Ben something like this, regardless of whether it had been true in the past or not. Involving children in adult squabbles was not cool. He made a mental note to talk to Karen when he dropped Ben off at the end of the weekend.
Mason knelt in front of Ben, taking the child’s chin between his fingers so that their eyes met. “Do you feel that a commercial is the only reason I want to spend time with you, son?”
Ben shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. You can tell me the truth.”
“Well, you didn’t come to my party and you promised me you would, and the last time you took me out, you brought that woman with you. She wasn’t very nice. She told me that my freckles were ugly and that I would never be handsome like you.” A tear slid down the boy’s cheek, which he hastily wiped away. Pain coursed through Mason’s body at what this child must have gone through.
“Listen to me, Ben. I’m sorry things were the way they were before, but I promise to make it up to you. You’re my son and you’re very important to me.” He pulled Ben into his arms. Ben wrapped his thin arms tightly around his neck.
“I love you, Dad,” the boy whispered against his neck.
Mason’s heart swelled with pride. He felt a strong connection to this boy. “And I love you, too.” Strangely enough, he meant it.
Ben pulled out of his embrace, and he had a huge smile on his face. “DJ challenged you to a game of Madden. He beat me, but I think you can take him.”