Narrated by Mason:
After Peyton's phone call, I had only a few minutes to come up with a plan. The first person I call is my mother; she's the only one who can help me in this situation. She has been visiting Peyton as much as possible and building a friendship with her.
I explain the problem I'm facing, and she suggests that the best thing I can do is buy a new house, or she can gift us one so that we don't have to live in the same house where I lived with Paige. I like her plan, but I'm not sure if it can be achieved.
She proposes that I tell Peyton I'm organizing a surprise wedding for us and that I'll take her to a paradise island. I have no idea where that is, but my mother has many friends and partners through the charitable campaigns she participates in with various foundations. Surely, she will help me arrange everything.
Furthermore, she tells me that she will buy us a house because she doesn't want us to live in the same one where I was happy with Paige. I support her decision because I haven't wanted anyone to enter the house that was once ours. It will always be Paige's and mine. I haven't even had any visitors in this house because it will forever hold the best memories of the time I spent with Paige.
I follow my mother's instructions to the letter and memorize everything so that Peyton believes it's all my idea. On the way to her house, I repeat everything I need to say to make it seem like it's something I planned entirely.
When I arrive, it's difficult to tell her everything, but I manage to convince her. Every day, I feel like she's becoming more different from the person I met, and it makes me think that I never truly knew her, at least not until now.
I spend the afternoon with her, although in my mind, I'm thinking about everything my mother must be doing to organize everything she told me. Peyton notices my preoccupation but doesn't say anything. She just enjoys the time with me, and I do my best to please her.
As I leave, I go straight to my mother's house. I need to talk to her and understand how all this wedding stuff works. It's not something I want to do, but I have to do it out of my responsibility to her and our child.
When I arrive at my mother's house, I see her on the phone, and I sit in front of her, waiting for her call to end. After she hangs up, she looks at me and says,
"Don't worry, I'm organizing everything," she says before I can say a word.
"Since when have you been doing it?" I ask, confused.
"Since today, it's not like I had it planned, but she's pregnant, she's been waiting to be your wife for three years, and it was the first thing that came to my mind when you told me you had problems with her," she says, shrugging.
"Thank you, you really saved me from a big problem. Her mood has been so unpredictable lately, and sometimes I don't know what to say or how to act to not make her feel bad. I feel incredibly stressed," I comment, letting my back fall onto the sofa, as if sprawling in the place.
It's incredible how my life has changed. If only I could continue living, forgetting Paige, everything would be different. I could have a happy family with Peyton and our baby growing inside her womb. No matter how hard I try, I can't stop missing Paige, and I won't be able to pretend much longer in front of Peyton. I'm sure she's not as happy as I am. After three years, I haven't been able to make her completely happy.
My phone rings, and I'm surprised to see that it's Riley. She never calls me unless it's about Paige and something is happening with her.
"Hello, Riley," I greet nervously.
"Mason, how have you been?" she asks kindly.
"What can I say, surviving," I reply honestly.
"I'm calling because I'd like to talk to you. Maybe I should have talked about this before, but I think it's good that you know the real situation, and I hope we can meet to discuss it," she says nervously.
"Is Paige, okay?" I ask, scared.
"Yes, yes, she's fine. It's about something else, not her," she answers.
"Alright, when can you? Your call surprises me, so it must be something important," I comment sincerely.
"Tomorrow at one o'clock, we can have lunch while I explain the matter to you, and you won't lose time at work," Riley says.
"Alright, sounds good. See you then," we say our goodbyes, and I find myself staring at my phone with the screen turned off.
My mother observes me and takes my hand, saying, "Darling, I don't like seeing you like this, and I know the reason why. Unfortunately, we can't do anything against fate, and Paige is not coming back," she says with affection.
"I love her, Mom, and it hurts not having her with me. I miss her every moment," I let out everything that I've been holding inside. Who better than my mother to comfort me?
"My child, I know you love her and how much it hurts, but don't overwhelm yourself just yet. You don't know what destiny has planned for you in the future. There are things we can't control and others that we can," she says, smiling.
I don't understand what she meant, but I feel like she's hiding something from me. I look at her, and before I even ask, knowing me better than anyone, she says, "Don't worry, son. Mom will take care of everything," she kisses my forehead, and her words leave me even more confused.
I understand she's talking about the wedding, but it feels like there's something more that she doesn't want to tell me, and that's strange. We've always had trust between us, so why would she hide something from me? That phrase lingers in my mind.
I close my eyes and let the tears fall, as they do every night, accompanying my dreams. Yes, because I still don't live with Peyton. As I mentioned before, I've been making excuses to delay everything related to us living together and getting married.