Crossing the Line
The sequel to 'As Lover's Go.'
Chapter One
The Cold Shoulder
It had been only a mere month since Daisy had passed on and Rube had spent that time, training Henry (who was a bit of an ass pain but a pretty quick study) and watching Mason for signs of slipping straight into oblivion.
He considered himself a pretty good reader of people and he had definitely noticed that something was up with Mason and George. The minute she came by, Mason would find some sort of excuse to make him self scarce.
He started watching George very closely when Mason would make his lame ass excuses and leave; he saw the slight tremble in her shoulders, the sudden pained expression on her face. George would swallow thickly and then reach for the menu. It wasn't like she really ordered anything, toast and coffee. Yeah, something was up.
He wanted to broach the subject but after Daisy, he was actually a little afraid to say anything to Mason. As far as he could tell, Mason was coping – at least he showed up for work, took a soul and then went and got hammered. Yeah, he was still a first class binge drinker but what the hell; the girl he loved had died. He finally had himself an excuse that washed.
George on the other hand, well, he looked at her like a daughter and like any father, he was hesitate to talk boys with her.
He didn't want to even think that she and Mason had something going on – she was too young for someone like him and now with the whole Daisy situation, there was no way she would walk away from any sort of relationship with Mason unscathed. So, he sat back…contemplated and thought of the best way to approach this subject with his unruly little bunch.
George realized that Mason was avoiding her, for one, he had left the home he had shared with her and Daisy and moved elsewhere and for two, he had stopped talking to her, just like that.
She realized she was a fool, that she had done a very stupid, very dumb thing by telling him that she loved him. Yet, she had been drunk. Yes, drunk as the proverbial skunk and Daisy had just moved on and she had been hurting. Truths were coming at her so hard and so fast and in the midst of all that, she had realized that she loved Mason. Now he wasn't speaking to her and it hurt. It hurt badly because it was fucking up their friendship. She hadn't expected him to just tackle her then and there or be her boyfriend or whatever. She was dead not a moron but this, the cold shoulder; she didn't know what to do with it so she waited for him outside the Waffle Haus.
She decided that she wasn't going to put up with his shit anymore; she wanted her friend back.
He was wearing a grungy jean jacket and ripped black pants. His hair and a comb had clearly not met for some time and still, still just the sight of him caused her heart to pang ever so slightly. Somehow like it or not this filthy boy had her good and hooked. He walked up to the door, like someone caught in water, his eyes somewhere else and then he saw her, arms crossed, expression pained and stopped in his tracks.
Fucking asshole, he's going to turn and run.Yet, he didn't run. He walked up to her and waited for her to speak.
"Morning," she offered and he met her eyes and she was surprised to see tears in his.
"Georgie, you must hate me," he said in a small voice, so hurt and so alone and she forgave him for everything in that moment. She saw just how horribly sad he was, he looked as if he hadn't slept at all since Daisy had left.
"I don't hate you, Mason," she paused unsure of what to say, "I just don't like you ignoring me and I am sorry for what for what I said, really…"
He stopped her by shaking his head, when his eyes met hers, there were more tears and his lips were set in a grimace of pain.
"Please, you don't…"
"Just come home, Mason – more then anything I want you and me… I just miss you, I miss my friend."
She stopped realizing that she had said too much as usual. God!
She had a big fucking mouth… what the hell did she expect from him? He had loved Daisy; really and truly loved her and she had only been gone a month. A month!
"I'm an asshole, sorry…" She started, best to try and salvage some of her dignity.
He reached over and touched her hair, a sweet gesture.
"Georgie… I don't want to hear you apologize, none of this is your fault," he turned to go inside and then turned back to her, she was leaning against the side of the building, looking away from him, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Come inside with me," he cajoled softly and she turned to him slowly and he saw that there were tears in her eyes now.
She held a hand to her face as if embarrassed and he felt horrible, seeing her cry. She was his sweet, little Georgie girl. He felt like asshole of the year to have made her cry.
I am so not fucking worth it, he wanted to say, I am a piece of sorry shit and if you know what is good for you, you'll run the fuck away.
"In a minute," she said.
He nodded and went inside, leaving George alone with her tears and her thoughts.