Best Friend
Pt15 - Deep-Fried Oreos (Day for Dylan)
R -M
Everybody was at the fair. Bonnie had Dylan in the stroller and Mason was buying their tickets. Damon reluctantly brought Sybil, because he didn't want her to feel left out. But he explained to her they needed to take a step back. He told her they were friends and nothing more, which meant no more sex. He didn't think it was healthy in their relationship.
Abby was there, and she would just wait for Nik to get off work and show up. She and Ginny were inside already and buying game tickets for the carnival games. Mike, Damon, and Sybil stood behind Bonnie and Mason, who seemed happier today. Damon's blue eyes darted towards Bonnie's finger. She still wasn't wearing the engagement ring, yet, she still had their ring around her neck.
What kind of man, don't realize his fiancé don't wear her ring?
He turned towards Mike. "I'll pay for your whole day today hunny. Consider this a date." He laughed.
"Well, don't think you're gettin' in my drawers. I ain't easy." Mike said.
"You guys are childish." Sybil said.
"Excuse me, but I'm a lady." Mike continued.
They both heard Bonnie sneak a laugh at them. She peaked over Mason's shoulder at them shaking her head smiling.
... 6 years ago ...
"Mike, you gone get on the tilt-a-whirl with me?"
"Why? What's wrong with Sal?"
Bonnie looked at Damon and smiled. "What, Doodle, you ain't told Mikey you don't do rides?"
"Bird, shut up. I do rides. But not the ones that make your stomach turn."
"In other words, you do the Farris wheel and the bumper cars?" Mike laughed.
"Listen, I'll have you know, I real man can admit, shit like this gets him sick. So what? I went through with airborne school. I've jumped out of a plane more times than you can count. This ain't shit, compared to that." He spoke confidently.
"Doodle, you wanna get on the spin out?"
"Fuck no. That shit that gets you all dizzy, where you stick to the wall? Listen, I ain't gotta prove myself to nobody." He convinced himself making Bonnie giggle.
Mike jokingly grabbed Damon around the waist. Held him tight and looked him in the eyes. "Of course not baby. You tell them. My girl don't need to prove nothin' to no one. Come on baby, let me win you a teddy bear." Then mike kissed Damon's cheek. Damon rolled his eyes. And changed his voice to a feminine one.
"Sure. But don't go gettin' fresh with me. Just because you're spendin' money don't mean I'm gone give up the panties."
"You guys are crazy. I swear." She laughed at their antics. Mike never felt like a third wheel. He was very comfortably apart of Bonnie and Damon's lives. After his divorce, he lost everything, and they were the closest thing to family he had. "Is your girlfriend comin' Mikey?"
"Nope. Just us tonight. I feel like I've neglected the two of you lately. So, I didn't invite her." He joked.
"Really? Shucks, I invited Sybil and her husband, Enzo."
"What? Why did you invite her?" Damon asked. "She's a little creepy. She stares at everybody, in a weird way."
"She's just shy. Wait until you meet Enzo. He's different, but they really are good together."
"Good. In a way feel like she's undressin' you with her eyes Bird. She ain't all there, upstairs. What really happened between you two while I was gone?" He laughed, and she hit him.
"Doodle, stop. You know my heart only beats for you." He picked her up and planted the longest, lovingest, kiss on her lips. His hands wrap around her waist, and hers around his neck. "Oh, you give the best sugar. I love those lips." She said pulling out of his kiss.
"Then quit talkin' and keep kissin' silly girl." His lips land back on hers and it was, in no way uncomfortable for Mike. He just went through his cell phone to call his girlfriend. "Mrs. Bonnie Salvatore?"
"Yes, Mr. Damon Salvatore... I mean Sergeant Salvatore?"
"Can we do this forever. Can I hold you and kiss you until your hair turns grey?"
"Only if you promise, to love me just the same." She smiled.
"My heart won't let me stop loving you. My heart beats, because your blood runs through my veins. You're a part of me, like I'm apart of you. Got damn woman, you make me happy. Got me bein' poetic and shit."
"I had a dream last night about Baylee. She giggled. I couldn't see her face, but I heard her." He took a long, deep look into her eyes. "It was weird. But... it felt kinda nice."
"She was real baby girl. You knew her better than anyone." Her eyes watered.
"I want some popcorn." She changed the subject, because she hated talking about it.
"Okay. Let's go get some popcorn. How about caramel corn?"
"That sounds perfect." He slowly slid her down his body and interlocked their fingers. He loved holding her hand in public. He loved having her next to him, knowing she was his. He didn't even look at the other people around them. They were always in his bubble, the two of them. They somehow allowed Mike into it too.
... Present Day ...
"Sy, you gone get on rides? I need to know if I should buy you a bracelet."
"No thanks. I'm not much for rides. But, I guess, I'll take a few tickets for the Farris wheel."
"I can definitely do that." Damon smiled. They walked around to the first game. Damon decided to let Mason and Bonnie do the first few games with their son. He watched as Mason sat behind his son for the squirting gun game and take first place beating Bonnie who got second place. They got to pick a stuffed animal. Bonnie smiled and cheered for the little boy who had no idea what was happening. And then Mason, reached down and kissed her.
This happened for maybe two or three games, before Mike walked up to him. "Hey, this is a day to mingle. Get to know your wife's future husband." He said lowly and laughing. "Man, what will she do, when she finds out you ain't divorced?"
"I don't know. I'm workin' my way to tellin' her. Slowly. I'm just, tryin' to be supportive. I don't recognize that woman. You notice, she been actin' strange since that day at church?"
"I mean, this is a helluva predicament." Mike said.
"Yeah, but it's not just that. She became demur, and quiet. She become submissive, in a weird unspoken way."
"What do you mean, like you think they do that freaky shit?" Mike asked.
"Naw. Not that bdsm shit. Although, that ain't that damn weird compared to what I'm noticin' from her. But I mean, like, she, don't speak a whole lot. He does a lot of talkin' for her."
"Now that you mention it, I did notice it. I just thought, it was because he was older."
Damon paid close attention to Bonnie's behavior. She and Mason had a weird relationship. Or maybe it was normal, and what he and she shared was weird. He couldn't put his finger on it. He just knew, she didn't feel like herself, in his mind.
"Hey guys. I figure since today is a day for minglin' I could get to know you two." Ginny said.
"I'll take it." Mike said smiling. "You, wanna play a game with me? I'm kind of competitive."
"Not nearly as competitive as me. Let's go. Pick your poison."
"Three pin game."
"You can't be serious, right?" She laughed.
"What?"
"I'm a pitcher, your askin' me to throw a soft ball at three pins. My accuracy is not only precise, but I can throw over ninety miles per hour."
"But I am a man." He said on purpose, pushing her buttons. He didn't believe it gave him an advantage, he in fact knew she could probably out throw him, but he instantly felt comfortable enough to tease her. Almost like he was flirting.
"Bruh, that's the wrong thing to say to me." She looked at the carnival worker and gave him tickets. "I'll pay for mine and his. Three rounds each." She said.
"What are the stakes here?"
"I don't know, name it."
"Loser takes winner out to dinner?"
"Fine, get ready, because I ain't a cheap date." She smiled.
Mike grinned, watching her get serious. Damon looked at him. "Brother, I'm not sure you wanna tick her off. She might switch up and hit you with that ball."
"Naw naw. She's, funny. She likes to be challenged. I can tell, I'm just havin' fun with her."
"Okay, men first." She said.
"Naw. I insist. Ladies first."
Ginny grinned and shook her head. "You sure princess?"
"I'm sure." He watched her hold the ball and she walked about thirty feet from where people normally stand. Bonnie walked up and looked at her.
"Who challenged Ginny?"
"Take a wild guess." Damon laughed.
"Oh, he screwed up now." She said.
"I tried to tell him. This ought to be funny." Damon turned and watched Ginny toss the ball in the air and catch it. She didn't even prepare herself. She looked at Mike and smiled, then she just threw the ball. Like nothing. Every pin down. The carnival worker looked at her stunned. At this point, a small crowd of people stood around watching. The next ball was in her hand already. She jumped up and down in her spot three times hyping herself up.
"Come on Ginny. Let 'me see why they call you the girl who makes the boys cry." Bonnie said.
Ginny took a few more steps back and threw the ball again. Every pin down.
Mike was impressed. But not just because he knew she'd kick his ass, because she was doing it, and not even trying to. She was doing it, in shorts, a frilly shirt, and some sandals with rhinestones. "Oh shit. I may have jumped the gun a bit." He was getting worried.
"Mike. She's going to break the pins."
"What?" He asked Bonnie.
"She loves this game. But when someone challenges her, she breaks the pins. So this is her last throw, right? She going to throw a fast ball." Mike didn't believe her. He took a step back and swallowed.
Ginny took a few seconds getting into her stance. She got her arms tightly wound and focused on her target. Then she looked at him and winked her eyes, lifted her leg, and dropped it just before releasing a fast ball into the pins. Wood everywhere. She broke the pins.
Bonnie laughed.
"She broke the got damn pins." Mike said.
"She broke the got damn pins." Damon said patting Mike's back.
"Mike... she broke the got damn pins," Bonnie laughed.
All of the little girls were asking to take selfies with her and getting autographs, all of the little boys were amazed, and doing the same thing. "Promise me, when your famous, you don't forget us little people." Bonnie said.
"Oh shut up." Ginny laughed. "Well Mike, your up." She tossed him a glance. Then she walked passed him bumping his shoulder. He wiped the small amount of sweat his forehead collected when she raised the temperature on him.
"You know, now that I think about it, maybe I should just take you out to dinner instead. I'm not gonna beat that. There's no way I'm breaking pins. Now give me a gun and kick your ass in a shooting game."
"Fine. We'll play a gun game. But not before you sweat. Get your butt over there grab three balls, and take this ass whoopin like a man."
"Ciaooo. You're spicey."
"I'm not spicey. I'm hot as hell." She tilted her head with a serious face.
"You're cute you know that. I'll give it to you. I like a tough woman."
"Don't hit on me. We're in competition." After a couple of throws, he'd already lost.
..x..
"How is business Mason?"
"Oh, Ms. Bennett. It's going very well. My job will have me in Europe this summer. I'm expanding internationally, as I start my own agency."
Abby's eyes got big. "Wow. That's gonna be hard on your relationship, ain't it? I mean y'all are engaged, and planning a fall weddin' and that seems like Bonnie will be alone."
"Oh, not at all. I'm taking her and Dylan with me. We spend a lot of time separated. I invited her to join me."
"Really? But, if you're gonna be workin' will Bonnie be in Europe alone?"
"She'll have Dylan. I'll be around, but as I conduct business, she'll have all of Europe to see. She'll be able to go to Germany, Paris, London, Italy... listen, I'm giving her everything, any woman could possibly dream of." Mason got slightly defensive.
Abby gave him the side eye but remained polite. "Mason, some women love that. Traveling, and money, and wealth. I get it. The fancy clothes, cars, and luxuries. But, Bonnie's never really been that type. She loves Target. It's in fact her favorite store for years. Some women want all of that, and some just want love, support, and time. Ya know?"
He turned to watch Bonnie as she sat with Dylan and Ginny eating cotton candy. "She knows he shouldn't be eating that." He said to himself.
"Mason, did you hear me?" She cleared her throat. Watching him focus in on Bonnie feeding Dylan cotton candy. "Mr. Lockwood?" She called out gently, tapping his arm causing him to jump.
"Listen, Bonnie will love Europe. Dylan will love Europe. I'm going to take care of my family."
"Of course, you will, I don't doubt that. But I was saying Bonnie's never been a woman who cares for riches as much as she's cared for time, love, and support."
"I agree with you. I love her so much, I give her all my time to dedicate to perfecting her mind, body and career. I support her decisions to wait on children, although I want more kids like yesterday. I do all of that. I'm her biggest supporter, cheerleader, motivator. Nobody can give Bonnie what I can give her." He seemed frustrated, but he respected Bonnie's mother.
"Yes, but, you must understand Bonnie won't consider children if she has to raise them alone. She was raised in a one parent home. Although her father and I were married, he was gone, an awful lot. It broke her heart not having him around. She won't put a child, let alone several through that. Not if your married. She'd much rather raise a child alone, then to raise a child in a marriage, where she is alone. Do you understand, Mason?" Abby held his arms and spoke as calmly as she could.
"I can hire nannies to help her. But I must support my family. I've dreamt of being this successful my entire life. I've dreamt of having the perfect wife, and family. Bonnie's perfect. Look at her. She's educated, she takes care of herself, she's beautiful, she's an amazing mother, she's kind. She's fierce. She's the kind of woman every man would want." He pulls out a money clip. "Would you like me to get a caricature of you and Dylan?"
"Ahh, sure." She said feeling how it was slightly peculiar that he jumped off subject. "Let me go get him." Abby said.
"No, no. Go ahead sit with the artist, I'll grab him."
"Okay." Abby smiled at the man who was about to draw her caricature.
Mason walked to Bonnie and Ginny. "Hey, he can't eat this sugar, Bonnie. What are you thinking? He is going to be wired-up?"
"Mason, relax. He's barely had any."
"Bon, you know how he gets with sugar. He's anxious enough as it is. He's going to be screaming and putting on a show in front of everyone." Mason grabbed Dylan.
"Where are you going with him?"
"I'm going to get a picture of him and Abby done. In the meantime, please stop eating all of this junk."
"Lockwood, relax, she's on vacation with her family."
"Ginny, it's okay. I'm done anyways." Bonnie said. Mason walked to Abby with Dylan.
"Bon, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, why do you ask?" She said, in a robotic way as if what just happened didn't happen.
"It seems you should've gotten upset at how he just reacted. He went a little overboard. I'm surprised Damon didn't see." Ginny said.
"I don't know Ginny. He just... sometimes I'm not sure Mason realizes how rigid he is. But I get it, he doesn't want Dylan and me putting all that sugar in our bodies. I just wish he'd live a little sometimes."
"Why don't you tell him Bon?"
"I do. Everyday. I'm always askin' him to relax and live a little, but it's easier for me to just go with the flow, because he'd really stubborn and embedded in his behavior."
"Dylan is your son. Put your foot down."
"Ginny, I do. Mason doesn't listen. He thinks Dylan will be overactive."
"It's not so bad for a child once in a while. I don't get it. I never really realized until now, how strict he is. Thought it was just a work thing."
"Yeah, well, it's why I won't have more children right now. He wants me to just be pregnant. Have four more kids."
"What!"
"Exactly. I told him I need time to even consider. Then he's pressuring me to get Damon to sign over adoption rights of Dylan to him. I don't know. It's a lot. I can't do that to Damon, and I absolutely will not."
"Of course not."
"But how do I tell this man, I'm gone marry, I don't want to have more kids?"
"Bonnie, you said you want more kids."
"Yeah, if Mason can lighten up. But I don't think he will." She laughed. "I love him. But I think Dylan is my only child. What can I do, not wanting more kids with him?"
"Wow, Bon I don't know what to say. Mason, needs to relax and-"
"Hey, who loves deep fried Oreos?" Mike interrupted them.
..x..
Damon and Sybil were waiting for their deep friend oreos. She's been quiet most of the day. She had a lot to think about, as Damon gave her an earful earlier that day.
"You're awfully quiet today."
"I don't have much to say today Damon. I'm just an observer. Apparently everything I do sets you off. So I'm just going to be quiet."
"If you feel better being quiet Sy, then by all means. But I brought you today for fun. Quit thinkin' 'bout bullshit today. Life is short." He said patting her shoulder.
"Yeah, and how do you feel that, that man, is going to marry Bonnie? That he wants your life? You could have with me, what Bonnie has with him."
"Sy, you and I were both at low points in our lives. We connected because of it. But we both have things we need to work on that makes us not good for each other. Your incessant need to crowd me. My incessant need for space from you. I want to be there for you as a friend. I don't want to turn my back on you. But we were each others crutch and it wasn't healthy."
He handed her some deep-fried Oreos. "This looks disgusting."
"It's disgustingly good." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Just try it."
"Fine." The uptight woman bit the cookie. She was quiet. He waited for her response. She said nothing. But she hummed very low.
"You like it. I knew it."
"Its pretty decadent, and fattening, but I like it... a little." She received a phone call. "I should take this, I'll be back in a few minutes.
"We'll be around here. Just find us when your done." He walked back towards Mike, Ginny and Bonnie. "Hey these things are so got damn good. It's a shame. Why you ain't eatin' none Bird?"
"I'm not that hungry. Plus those are not very appetizing to me." His face dropped. "What?"
"Exactly!" Ginny said. Trying to get Bonnie to eat a deep fried oreo is like pulling teeth."
Damon looked at Ginny then to Bonnie. "That what you told her? You don't like 'em?" He and Mike laughed.
"I just said they're not appetizing."
"How you gone tell that bold face lie? Me and you used to eat these all the time. Every year, I should say." He stalked her with her little dress on and her favorite boots. He looked to Ginny. "Don't let her tell you that. We were so disgustin' that we'd feed them to each other and sometimes eat them out of each other's mouth in a kiss." Ginny was shocked. She never sees Bonnie and Mason do such things.
"Don't be inappropriate Doodle."
"Really?" Ginny asked.
"Trust me Ginny. I've witnesses it." Mike said. By his point Bonnie trying to remain stoic rolls her eyes at Damon for blabbing. He was in her face with a cookie.
"Doodle, keep that thing out of my face." She said, and she opened the door for his jokes.
"You know you love it, when I put it in your face." His lifted his eye brows suggestively. Her face turned sour, and both Ginny and Mike backed away from them watching them.
"Doodle, stay away from me, do not, do this today." She backed away from him while he kept stalking her body.
"Don't do what?"
"You know exactly what you're doin' get it away from my mouth."
"You love it near your mouth. Tell the people how you beg for it."
"You know I'm talkin' 'bout the damn cookie."
"Oh well, I'm sure they know I love your cookie in my mouth." She tried her hardest not to smile at him. While he pushed up on her.
"Doodle...? Doodle? Stop it." She was back up into a table, forcing her to sit.
"Now, open your mouth, and just taste it."
"What are we, teenagers?"
"I miss bein' a teenager with you. So just bite this cookie, and tell me you don't love it." She opened her mouth slowly, and let him put the cookie in her mouth. He took his time and his eyes stayed on her mouth as she wrapped it around the cookie, and her eyes stayed on his eyes, as his eyes watched her lips. She bit down slowly and licked her lips, getting any remaining crumbs. Except the corner of her mouth, where he used his thumb to wipe, and then suck his finger.
She held in the hum, she knew he was waiting for it. She thought the cookie was delicious, but she didn't show it. So he put the rest of the cookie to her lips, and as she opened her mouth, he used his long finger to push it into her mouth, until her lips wrapped around his finger. He bit his bottom lip watching her lips take his finger. "Oh baby girl. You drive me crazy you know that?"
She pulled her lips off of his finger slowly and finished the cookie. "You always did have me wrapped around your finger, big daddy."
Ginny and Mike stood in utter shock. "It makes no sense how two people can be so effortlessly in love and not see it." Ginny said.
"It makes no sense how two people can just, look at each other like that." Mike and Ginny cleared their throats and broke up the tension between Bonnie and Damon, before Mike and Sybil noticed. "Hey, so... the circus show starts in an hour. We should head over and get good seats."
"Yeah. I agree. Dimitri loves animals." Bonnie said, but she and Damon were already lost again inside of each other. He sat next to her while they shared a lemonade. They were just being easy with each other. Sixteen-year-old Bonnie and nineteen-year-old Damon. "Doodle, can I bring Dimitri by your parents' house to look at animals one day? Especially the horses? He'd probably really enjoy it."
"Baby girl don't ask me. You know you're family."
"Yeah, but, I was thinkin'... you could put him on the horse with you and ride."
"I ain't rode a horse in a while baby girl. I told you, I don't like doin' none of it. Drivin' or ridin' horses." She sympathized with him. His baby blue eyes looked at her like he's loved her his whole life. "Drink." He pushed the lemonade to her mouth. She drank and he finished speaking. "But, if you bring my son by, I can let him feed the animals, and run around with the chickens." He smirked.
"I'll take it." She tapped his nose as she sat on the bench style tables, eating another deep-fried Oreo that he fed her, with his long fingers. He sat with each leg straddled over the bench facing her. They looked comfortable and Ginny and Mike stood nearby talking amongst themselves.
...
"Aww this is perfect." Abby said looking at the caricature.
"Yeah. It's interesting how these guys do this." He smiled and happened to glance up and over at Bonnie and Damon looking very friendly on the tables with Mike and Ginny.
"Oh sweetie, Mason, Nik just called. He's at the front of the park. You mind if I take Dylan with me to go meet him?"
"Uhh, sure." He said, but feeling some type of way about Bonnie and Damon's sitting near each other on the table. Abby put Dylan in the stroller and walked towards the front of the park. Mason cracked each side of his neck, and walked towards the group. He was tensed up. He forced himself to calm down. Bonnie and Damon were sharing a lemonade. The closer he got the more he realized they had no idea he was approaching them. He heard them in casual conversation.
"No way. I think it was on Halloween that Grams caught you drinkin' beer behind the church and tore you a new asshole Doodle. She lit into you like the Fourth of July."
"Well, I do Miss grams. I'm hoping my son don't do that shit."
"Naw, he won't. He's gone be a good boy."
"Going to." Mason corrected her. "Not gone. He's going to be a good boy. What did I tell you about speaking that way?" He flashed, everyone looked at him, but he didn't notice. Then he looked to Damon. "You're absolutely, right. Because we are going to make sure he's too busy to get into trouble." He sat across from the two of them at the table. Smiling, unsuspectingly. "He won't be a trouble maker, or a slacker. I don't have time to deal with such none-sense. He damn sure won't have to resort to some last minute forced future to make him grow up and keep him disciplined. I know some guys take a while to get their shit together and jump into a decision like the military. Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with the military. By all means, you guys are the reason this great country is... well great. But, I want, and I'm sure we can all agree that, that we want Dylan to focus on his studies and be a man with many options, before resorting to the last one Maybe he'll play ball, or be in business."
Mason was, becoming territorial. Turning something into a pissing contest that didn't need to be competitive. Bonnie didn't like it. "Mase, can I speak to you, please? Alone."
"Of course, sweetie." He stood up and grabbed her by her hand and walked her somewhere alone. When they were out of everyone's sites, she snatched her hand from him.
"What the hell was that?"
"What?"
"You were puttin' down Damon's career of choice. The military. Don't you dare do that!"
"No. I wasn't, but we all know some guys join as a last resort. Guys who have nothing going for them."
"He's being really great about all of this. Considering he found out the way you did. Considering he and I haven't spoken in over two years. He ain't got nothin' against you."
"Quit speaking that way. I hate it. You don't speak that way in LA, why do you do it here?"
"Force of habit. It's comfortable, and familiar."
"Like him?"
She twisted her face at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You're sitting there flirting like a teenage girl, sharing a lemonade."
"I wasn't flirting. First of all, Damon and I were best friends. Okay. We grew up together. We happen to fall into these habits as friends, and nothing more. He was my best friend before Ginny and my whole life, he was like family to me. We made a mistake when we tried to be more than friends. Which is why we are so comfortable with one another." Bonnie didn't entirely lie. They were friends her whole life. They were friends before they got married. But they aren't separated because they made a mistake taking their friendship there. They had bad timing and couldn't seem to get it right.
"I'm not sure if you think I was born yesterday. But you're almost twenty-six years old. I'm almost forty. I'm not stupid. Don't toy me, Bonnie Bennett."
"Mason, I'm sorry, if it appeared as if I was flirting. I love you."
"I love you too. Now quit embarrassing me babe I mean it. He thinks I'm stupid and I'm not. He's trying to be clever, but I see through him." Mason sounded like Sybil, she thought. Which was weird, because she knew he was a better person than Sybil. Wasn't he? She watched him speak, and all she heard was Sybil. "He's trying to get you back. But I don't lose. So, he better get used to losing."
"Mason, don't do that. This isn't a competition. Damon told me he wants me to be happy. So, let's be happy. I know our issues aren't all resolved, but for the time being, let's enjoy this. Please?" She puffed her bottom lip out and he softened. Which was hard, because Mason didn't soften. He worked hard, he played hard, he reacted harshly, and the only soft spot he had was Bonnie. That was one thing he and Damon had in common. Bonnie.
..x..
"Hey y'all. Nik is here. Where we headed now?" Abby asked.
"Circus. Dimitri likes animals." Damon said.
"Where's Birdie?" Mike asked.
"She was talkin' to her fiancé somewhere." Damon said sounding amused.
"Hey, Stefan never showed up?" Abby asked.
"Naw. He, went into the B.I. early so I could be here. He called in Zack, and they are tag teamin' the bar. Tonight's first bull ride free, for all the women. Ginny, you might wanna brush up on your skills." Damon said jokingly.
"Haha. Very funny Doodle." She said mocking Bonnie.
Once Bonnie and Mason made it back to the group they all headed towards the circus.
...
"Not too close. I don't wanna get attacked by no Siegfried and Roy rogue tigers."
"I second that Ms. Abby." Ginny said. "It's kind of cold in here. I didn't think I'd need a jacket today."
"Here, sit by me. I'm twice your size. If I put my arm around you, don't mean I'm trying to get in your panties. I'm just naturally, very hot blooded, and I can warm you up." Mike sat Ginny next to him. Put his arm around her biceps and rubbed them up and down. She tried not to look into it, but she bit the inside of her cheek feeling his powerful hands on her arms. Bonnie folded up the stroller and sat it at the bottom of the bleachers. She grabbed her son and walked to sit next to Ginny and Mike. Mason sat by Ginny, and Ginny sat By Mike. Abby and Nik sat next to them, and Damon walked up to sit by Bonnie and Dylan, with Sybil on his left.
"Good, we take up the whole row." Nik said.
"Okay, Nik and I are gonna get popcorn and drinks. Be back."
Everyone started to take part in their own private conversations.
"Its chilly in here Sy, you want my flannel?" Damon asked.
"Please. I guess today wasn't a good day to wear straps." She smiled and looked down. Damon lifted her face.
"Aye, smile. It's been a good day. I won you a teddy bear." He whispered to her. Bonnie heard him. She looked over and watched Damon and Sybil. "Do you like your teddy bear?"
"Of course, I do." She held it in her lap. He kissed her cheek and put his arm around her, rubbing her shoulders to warm her up before he put his flannel on her. They were being nice to each other. Bonnie felt some sort of way about it. She just glued her eyes to them as they spoke quietly to one another. She couldn't hear their whispers, so she just assumed the worst. She assumed he was telling Sybil he loved her and she was assuming Sybil was saying it back. It didn't help that she had no idea that Damon ended things with Sybil. She felt her chest sink in and tighten. She clutched it. Watching them together made her emotional.
"Babe, you good?"
She turned towards him when she heard his voice. "Yes, Mase. I'm good." She left everything still. Bonnie didn't know why she held things in, or lied to herself. She didn't know why she wouldn't accept vulnerability for herself. She just... didn't.
"Are you cold?"
"A little, but, I'll be fine. I'm going to need to wrap my arms around him, so he's not cold." She said of Dylan.
She looked at Damon and Sy, who were in their own world. She wrapped her arms around her son and kissed his cheek. He giggled some baby gibberish to her and they laughed.
"I've never seen you wear these boots before." Mason said.
"Oh yeah, my favorite pair. Well one of them. I leave them at my momma's house."
"Mother."
"Mase, please. I leave them there, because my line dancing days had passed. Or so I thought. Then Ginny and I went dancing and she had a blast."
Ginny heard her name. "What?"
"Line dancing. Mason asked about my boots."
"Oh yeah. I loved it. I'm gonna get myself some boots now. We need to line dance in LA."
"What? Babe, you never told me you line dance."
"I do. I also ride horses."
"Wow. I can't believe I don't know these things about you. Why don't I?"
"You don't ask, Mason. But I mean, I guess it's my fault for avoiding it all together."
He looked at her and he suddenly felt weird. Damon heard the tail end of their conversation, and he didn't say much. He kept quiet and started eaves dropping. "Thats crazy, because in LA, you're so... I don't know. This life doesn't seem to fit you."
"I work too much in LA to do anything fun. I've become boring."
"Hey we bought a popcorn for every couple. And these two cup holders with these drinks. Can you guys grab this stuff before we drop it."
"Oh, gosh thank you." Ginny and Mike started grabbing things and passing it down. Everyone thanked them, and the drinks and popcorns were divided. Sybil and Damon shared. Mason and Bonnie shared. Mike and Ginny shared. Abby and Nik shared. Everyone had heir own drink.
"Thank you, Ms. Bennett. " Mason told her since she bought him a water instead of an ICEE. "This was thoughtful."
"You're welcome sweetie."
"Ooh aahhh." Dylan said as the lights lowered and sparkling colorful spotlights began to decorate the arena with their gleaming streams. It was very quiet, but his little sound effects were tugging both Damon and Bonnie's heart strings. "Ma ma yay. Ma ma... my god." Bonnie looked at him never having heard that phrase before. She smiled.
"Yeah baby boy. My God?" She looked at him shocked. She looked up to see if Mason heard him but was checking his email on his phone. It wasn't uncommon. She didn't realize the things in her life that were so unlike anything she'd normally find acceptable until she came back to Virginia. "Oh... look at the Elephant, baby boy."
"Phenephan. Phenephan. Yayyyy. Ma Ma." He was so happy clapping and laughing, and Mason was still checking his emails. Bonnie felt like screaming and smacking his phone out of his hand. His giddiness was too much joy to handle and when he continued to get excited she heard his father.
"Yeah lil man. Elephant!" Bonnie looked helplessly at Damon. She gave him a timid smile, and he put his arm on her lower back and leaned into her cheek.
"He's the cutest thing I've ever seen, I could watch him all day."
"Me too."
"He's umm, he's really such a happy kid. I can't help but to get excited when he gets excited." Damon then grabbed Dylan's hands making him clap. "Yeah baby boy? We love it, right?"
"Hmm, da da."
"Oh, my God, what?" Bonnie asked Dylan.
"Did he just...? Did he?"
Dylan reached for Damon, and kept saying it. "Da da. Yay. Da da." And he held out his fingers opening and closing them repetitively as if he wanted Damon to grab him. "Uppie? Uppie! Da da."
"Oh, my God. He, called me dada, baby girl. He called me dada!" He exclaimed, and grabbed his son from her and squeezed him. "Damn baby girl. This is me right here. This little boy is everything. I wish I had this every day. The circus, his hugs, his love, his smile. I can't live without this." Damon became very emotional and it made her emotional. "Baby girl, please don't take him away from me." He pulled Dylan in and kissed his head hugging him. Bonnie tried to just live in the moment and avoid the inevitable. She just enjoyed the circus with Dylan and his father, because watching how such a moment is cherished by Damon and then the thought of taking them away from each other, was too much for her to think about right now.
..x..
"Sweetie, I need to go take a phone call during his intermission."
"Mase, you literally leave tomorrow. This is his first time at the circus."
"Babe, but I bet you won't be complaining when that expensive private school calls us back and he's accepted."
"A school he can't start for another two years Mase."
He just looked at her and walked away. "I'll be back." She shook her head as he walked away anyways.
"I love this. Things like this, are worth more than all of the money in the world." Damon said.
"Yeah. He loves this. We don't do it back home."
"You mean, back in LA? Right? Because Virginia is your home." She smiled and looked at him.
"Doodle, you know what I meant. Anyways, we stay so busy in LA, we actually, never do this kind of thing with him. Our schedules are rigid. I need to change that. I'm so busy working, and when he and I have time together, I'm so busy educating him and working on teaching him to speak, that I neglect the simple and fun things like the circus, or the park."
"He needs those things. He's not even two. He wants excitement, and joy. I mean education is important Bird, but... bein' a kid only happens for a short part of our lives, and then we rush to be grown ups and when we become grown ups we miss childhood. He needs to run and play. Hell, you know what I've always wanted for my children that I never had? A dog. We had horses, cows, chickens, pigs and not one got damn dog." Damon laughed.
"Right. Us either. I've always wanted that too for our kids. We talked about it in Georgia. Getting a puppy for... for..."
"For Baylee. Bird, you gotta stop, bein' afraid to talk about her." She tried not to speak about an incredibly sad moment in their lives, which lead to much of their downfall.
"Well, we spoke about a puppy before. But, we are not allowed to have dogs where we live now, and honestly, I don't think any sky-rise is a place for a dog, so we may never have one for years."
"Sky-rise ain't a place for kids." Bonnie gives Damon a guilt-ridden look, because she knew his words to be true.
...
Mike and Ginny hit it off surprisingly well. As the first act heated up the tent with all the fire and lights, Mike could casually remove his arm from around Ginny.
"You know the thing about popcorn?"
"What's that Ginny?"
"It makes you thirsty." She laughed.
"Yeah well you know the thing about ICEEs?"
"What?" She asked.
"They make you even thirstier."
"I know right. Now we are sitting here, thirsty as hell full on popcorn and ICEEs." She laughed.
"Unless..." he raised his eye brows at her.
"Unless what?"
"Look. Your agent, left an unopened bottle of water, right there."
"Mike Lawson, are you suggesting I steal Lockwood's bottle of water?"
"I am. I'm damn thirsty and in the past forty minutes he hasn't touched it."
"Okay, and what am I supposed to say when he comes back looking for it?"
"Tell him it fell down the bleachers." He said with a serious face.
"You want me to lie?"
"Not a lie. Okay. A fib. There's a difference." He made her laugh.
"A difference, you sound like you believe that."
"I do. A fib is told to benefit everyone. We get his water, and he doesn't think we stole it." He looked at her seriously causing her to stare at him in the same manner. "See your thinking about it."
"No, I can't believe I was actually baiting myself with your idiotic logic. But seriously, it makes sense, when your dying of thirst." She laughed.
"See. Now grab it before he gets back. I'm sure between the two of us we can kill it real quick."
"Oh, gosh I can't believe I'm doing this." Ginny picked up Mason's bottle of water. "It's still freakin cold." She smiled. Once she heard the cap pop, from breaking the plastic, she smiled before putting it to her lips to drink.
"I suppose my bright idea, that you disagreed with made sense when you drank it first? Instead of passing it to the mastermind first?"
"Oops." She smiled tilting the bottle towards him. "What, I don't have cooties Mike. Stop staring like my germs might kill you."
"I wasn't staring at that. I was watching how your lips wrapped around the bottle." He let that out on accident. "Shit, I didn't mean to say that out loud. I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"No, it's not. It wasn't sexual okay. I just, I've been looking at your lips all day. They are so... pouty. You don't notice but I look at them when you talk and I just got caught looking at them when you put the bottle to your lips. I was curious to see what kind of bottle drinker you were. There's two types. One that puts their lips around the entire opening, and one that sticks their top lip in the opening."
"Oh yeah, which one am I?"
"You like to put the entire opening in your mouth. I credit that to the athlete in you, because athletes are used to grabbing, drinking a bunch at once and getting back in the game. I didn't mean to disrespect you."
"No worries Mike, it's okay. Besides, I've been watching your eyes watch my lips all day. Trust me, I did notice." She smirked and handed him the water bottle. He had no idea how to come back from that. He just felt stupid, then he killed the rest of the bottle of water because she made that tent hotter for him than it was supposed to be.
...
Damon looked at Sybil, who was playin' on her phone, checking her social media accounts. He looked back to Bonnie, as Dylan was getting restless. "If I could do things differently, I would Bird. I think that, when I watch you now, I see how much I neglected what mattered to you. It seems like I took part in setting this tone for you, where you've become this person, who takes on this persona of the invincible woman. You want things to seem better than they are. So, instead of confronting issues, you just accept it, and work around it. I think I contributed to that after Baylee, and I don't want that for you. Mason, might be a decent man, but... he is the kind of man who is more worried about his status and his image. By all means, if that's what you want, go for it. But if I know you the way I think I do, this ain't what you want at all. The life he has built, is just that. A life built by him. Not you."
"He works very hard Doodle. He is living his dream."
"But are you livin' yours?" He got closer in her ear and kept talking. "I can see where I messed up now. I can see that, I didn't put as much focus on your needs as I should've. I recognize that now. And I'm watchin' this man do the same thing. Only now, he's puttin' yours and our son's needs on the back burner. He wants a family because it looks good on paper. But he don't want to put in the work a family requires."
"Doodle, that's not-"
"Don't defend somethin' that goes against everything you've stood for, for the past twenty-five years of your life. I won't let you defend that, because you're better than that." A singular tear dropped down her cheek, because she realized she was becoming exactly what she wasn't okay with. She was becoming her mother, when her mother was married to her absentee father. Damon wiped her cheek.
They looked down at their son, who was asleep. "Wow. He didn't need me to sing to him today."
"Baby girl, he lived like a child today. He had a fun day full of laughter, love, and playin' and he tired himself out. He's a normal child. He just needs this. I don't mean the circus. I mean this kind of love. The love you give him, times two."
She knew what he meant. She knew he meant, Dylan needed more than one parents time. And while Mason loved Dylan, he hadn't been able to give him what Damon wanted to and was capable of. Bonnie didn't want to doubt Mason as a father figure. And up until recently, she never doubted him. Until the day her best friend met her son. That day on, had Bonnie questioning everything about Mason as a father, and even her as a mother.
As a mother, was she being honest with herself? Was she living the life she wanted, or a life out of favored necessity? Was she running from something in Virginia, or thoroughly happy in Los Angeles? Why is it, that every time she and Damon find themselves entangled in one another again, she questions her entire life?
"I make you question everything. Because deep down, you and I know the answer. It's the same answer for every question." They find it hard not to stop staring at one another. "Our baby boy is officially snorin' baby girl. You wanna leave?"
"No. I miss this. Can we just finish watching the circus?"
"Yea. We can." Dylan was sprawled across both of their laps. "He called me dada."
"I know. I can't believe it." She smiled.
"I can." His hand made its way up her back to the nape of her neck, where he gently tickled her neck at the start of her hairline. His touch was always comfort to her.
...
When the circus was over, everyone headed towards the rides. Abby and Nik were feeding each other cotton candy. Bonnie had never seen her mother so happy. So, she was glad to hear Giuseppe's confession about his vasectomy. "They look happy, right?"
"Oh yeah. Your momma ain't never smiled so much, from my recollection." He and Bonnie stood in the ferries wheel line, while Sybil took a walk around to look at souvenirs. Mike and Ginny went to the shooting game across the way.
"So, I'm surprised we get to ride a ride together."
"Why Bird?"
"I don't know Doodle. It just feels like we've grown so far apart sometimes." They showed the worker their bracelet and got in the cart.
"I guess I can thank my lucky stripes Mason is such a busy man. He seems to do business more than anything else." He looked at her and she said nothing. "Anyways, I never told you I like your shorter hair."
"Really? You always loved when it was long and loose."
"But this shoulder length really brings out your green eyes." They sat in the rocking cart and Bonnie scooted into him. "I was thinkin' when you leave here, I go back to Georgia to finish clearing a couple of months. But I can fly out to visit you and Dylan in a month."
Her eyes lit up. "Really? You hate the whole idea of California."
"Not if you and my son are there. Granted, Mason will be there, but I'll stay at a hotel and-"
"Nonsense. We have a three-bedroom condo. You can stay with us. It'll be better for Dimitri. He can sleep with you in his bedroom that he never sleeps in."
"Well, I'd hate to impose. I know as a man, I wouldn't want no other man stayin' in my house."
"Oh, Mason respects our friendship. It'll be fine." She was having and unexplained moment of excitement. Damon wanted no parts of California. But something was different. She was feeling awful for all the times she wanted to tell Damon about their son but stopped herself feeling he wasn't ready. She was beginning to realize how wrong she was about him.
"So, it's a plan?"
"Yeah. Dimitri and I will give you a good LA tour, and Mason works so much, he won't even halfway be around. I'm excited Doodle. You finally, get to see how hard I work. I never thought the day would come, that you'd follow me somewhere. I mean even though we're not together, I just never imagined you would ever see what I'm capable of. This makes me so... happy."
"Well after years of you, supporting my career and choices, I should be a part of something you've done. I'm just angry I didn't try sooner." He pulled her into him kissing her forehead. Then he moved down and picked her lips. She smiled.
"You really have no idea, what it means to me. Don't break your promise to me Doodle."
"Never again." He pecked her lips again. The ride went slow and Damon's eyes were closing and she could hear him snoring a little as his head rest on hers.
"Doodle, you sleep? Why are you so exhausted?"
"I haven't slept in a few days. Just been up, unable to rest."
"Why not?"
"My mind won't rest, even when it does I'm having nightmares. So... I rest my eyes here and there throughout the day. Today, I slept on the way here when Mike drove."
"I don't like that. You need to sleep tonight. It's not okay to be so tired."
"I suppose once I'm out of the military, I'll get treatment for it."
"You can't keep, dismissing these problems Doodle, it ain't okay."
"I'm fine Bird. I promise." He lied. She knew he was lying.
...
"Say it. Say it again!"
"Fine, Mike. You kicked my ass. Are you happy? You really shot the shit out of those vampires and werewolves hiding out in that cemetery scene."
"Are you a sore loser Ginny Baker? Is that the stench of loser I smell?"
"No, you're a sore winner, Mike Lawson. Of course, you can shoot better than me. You're in the military. Just as I can throw better than you. But... as long as we get that out of the way, you and I should be fine from here on out. We owe each other dinner."
"For my date, I'm thinking Mc Donald's. Maybe Taco Bell."
"Oh, no. You're taking me to eat ribs and macaroni and cheese, greens and whatever else they make in the south."
"Oh, you don't mind getting messy?"
"Not at all." She smiled and poked his nose."
"This weekend. Let me take you to Blacksburg, we can explore it together."
"Wow, so this is a date, date?"
"Friendly still, but yeah, a date." He smiled. "Oh, wait you have a hair..." he pulled some of her hair off her lips that stuck to her lip gloss, "right there. Okay I got it." He said looking down at her and they were really close to each other.
"Thanks." She said softly. "I had fun with you today."
"Yeah, I'm alright. I've been told." He puts his arms around her shoulder and walks with her. They walk and talk slowly. "So, I was thinking. I know it's kind of sudden, but uh... maybe you can take a selfie with me? I don't meet many people I like, let alone enough to take a selfie. Would you mind, taking a picture with so I can look back at the highlights of this trip?"
"Sure, only if I can take one on my phone as well." She smiled. "Great." They took their phones out. Each took several goofy pictures. Starting with Mike. Then Ginny posted some snaps writing I kicked his ass today! And on the last picture, Mike told her...
"Kiss my cheek."
"Okay." He held his camera out and when she kissed his cheek he turned his mouth to her as he snapped it. "Oh, my God, Mike." She laughed. "You ass!" He stopped her and kissed her again. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Why don't you stop me?"
She shook her head and grinned. "Send me a copy of that picture, please." He grinned while hey continued walking.
...
As the night drew to an end. Everyone stood around saying good bye to each other, as Bonnie sent Damon a text message, and waited for his response. He looked at her, smiled, and nodded his head in agreement. When they went their respective ways. Bonnie allowed Dylan and Damon a heartfelt good bye, and she headed out with her mother, Nik, and Ginny. Damon, Mike, and Sybil went their own way. Mason drove back to his hotel.
She got Dylan tucked away in her bed, and right at ten she opened her window, knowing he'd be waiting quietly outside. He crept into the room. "That was nice of Mike to bring you, even though it's late."
"Gave him an excuse to see Ginny. He's taking her to look out at Haven point."
"Naw?"
"Yeah. I doubt they'll do anything though. Mike just wants to talk and connect to somebody. He ain't lookin' for nothin' and they hit it off today."
"Yeah. Well, Ginny ain't either. Funny, they'd actually be a cute couple though." She smiled. "Anyway, come on Doodle. You and I will lay on either side of Dimitri. But... I can rub your head if you put him on your chest. His chest, next to yours... you'll be surprised how calming it is." She pulled Damon's shirt off, trying not to look at his chest. His eyes almost paralyzed her so she kept hers everywhere but his face. She picked up Dylan. "Here, lay here." He laid down she took her son, in his diaper and laid him on Damon's chest. They were chest to chest.
Damon felt instantly calmed. "This is nice." He said quietly.
"Yeah. I do it a lot. He and I sleep together a lot. Mason is always entertaining Thursday's through Saturday nights. So, I lay in my sports bra with him on my chest." She slowly shut the lamp off and crept in bed next to them. She pulled her t-shirt off and was in her sports bra. She pulled her body close to Damon's. Started rubbing his scalp gently.
"I'm jealous of Mason. He gets this every night."
"Pft. Please. Mason hates Dylan being in our room. He doesn't even want the crib in our room anymore. Dylan's not allowed to sleep with us. Mason sleeps like a crazy person."
"He don't know what he's missin' then." Bonnie looked in Damon's eyes as his head turned towards her. She smiled.
"This is nice. I can admit, Mason, and I don't have this closeness. We don't cuddle. I mean we lay together sometimes. But we are always in bed at different times. In and out of the house at different times. The most time we spend together is during dinner these days."
"What kind of relationship is that?"
"The kind, that two people work and follow their dreams Doodle." She noticed his eyes slowly lowering. "My goal, is to help you get a good night's rest, best friend. I just want to see you taking better care of yourself. You hear me?"
"I hear ya, baby girl." He spoke lowly. Her fingers gently stroked his scalp through his black hair.
"You made me love you, I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do it.
You made me love you, and all the time you knew it. I guess you always knew it."
As she kept singing, he kissed her forehead. And for the first time in a long, Damon Salvatore slept, like a baby. Bonnie just watched him for hours. With their son on his chest. He didn't move all night, and his one arm held his son, and the other arm held her.
Excerpt Pt 16:
Bonnie watched Nik and Abby hug and she used her fingers to rub the ring that hung on the necklace around her neck. The gold necklace he bought her before Baylee's funeral for her ring. The necklace she never took off, with the very first ring he had ever given her. She was lost in her own thoughts, as he watched her rub her necklace. She didn't realize he was watching her. His eyes watered, watching her, as she was emotional, and soon the ceremony was over. Everyone was at the Bennett household for the reception.
Lots of Bamon and Bawson! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This chapter just showed how absentee Mason is. Damon pointed out to her that she is doing what her mother did. She didn't notice it, because it was such a learned behavior, she grew up with. Funny how sometimes, we do things our parents did that we hated without noticing, right? We pick up good and bad habits from our parents. Abby's one on one with Mason showed that, even she realized what is happening between Bonnie and Mason. Bonnie and Damon are being much more mature with each other.