Chapter 17 - Mason’s Question
Mason was twenty-four when he asked me to dinner alone.
He had graduated college.
Worked as a structural engineer in Cincinnati.
Derek was proud.
Lauren was proud.
I was proud.
He ordered a burger.
Then sat fidgeting.
“What?”
“I need advice.”
“Money?”
“Marriage.”
I laughed.
“That may cost more.”
He rolled his eyes.
Then pulled out a ring box.
His girlfriend Chloe.
They had been together two years.
“I want to propose.”
I smiled.
“Then why do you look terrified?”
“Because Dad told me everything.”
My smile faded.
“H&O?”
“Yes.”
“Whitman Construction Group?”
“Yes.”
“The mortgage?”
“Yes.”
I waited.
“He told me why he hated you.”
“Why?”
“Because when you asked for financial statements, he knew you’d see he was failing.”
I nodded.
“He said he wanted everyone to think you were selfish so you’d prove you weren’t.”
There it was again.
Simplest version.
Mason swallowed.
“And I helped.”
“You were twelve.”
“I still chose.”
“Yes.”
He looked surprised.
I smiled gently.
“You don’t have to pretend you had no responsibility. You also don’t have to punish yourself forever.”
That was important.
Then:
“What does this have to do with Chloe?”
“I don’t want money to become like that.”
Good.
We talked.
Transparency.
Separate accounts if they wanted.
Joint account if useful.
Written agreements for big loans.
Prenup if appropriate.
Never hide debt.
Never treat asking questions as betrayal.
Then Mason laughed.
“And no spitting.”
“Excellent legal principle.”
He smiled.
Then:
“Should I ask her father before proposing?”
“No.”
He laughed.
“I knew you’d say that.”
“Ask Chloe.”
He did.
She said yes.
At the wedding there was no head table.
Long communal tables.
I noticed.
Maybe intentional.
Maybe not.
Derek attended.
Lauren came with a man she had been dating named Mark.
No tension.
They had all grown tired of performing ownership.
Mason gave another speech.
This time he pointed at me.
“Aunt Rachel left one dinner and accidentally fixed our entire family.”
I stood.
“No.”
Everyone laughed.
I said:
“I did not fix you.”
Then:
“You all eventually started fixing yourselves.”
Mason considered.
“Fine. Better wording.”
Then Derek approached me later.
He had aged.
Steady job.
No business ownership.
No fresh legal trouble.
His obligations completed.
“How are you?” he asked.
“Good.”
“Peter?”
“Good.”
He looked toward Mason.
“He's a good man.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“I told him everything.”
“I know.”
“He asked me why I didn’t just sue Frank if I believed he owed me money.”
“What did you say?”
Derek laughed bitterly.
“I said I thought family didn't sue family.”
We both remembered.
Dad eventually did.
Then Derek said:
“I think I was addicted to feeling owed.”
That was a good phrase.
“Frank owed me. Lauren owed me loyalty. Mason owed me admiration. You owed me money because you had it.”
He swallowed.
“I don't think that way anymore.”
“I hope not.”
Then:
“Have you forgiven me?”
Years earlier I said not yet.
This time I thought.
“Yes.”
His eyes filled.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn't mean I trust you with money.”
He laughed.
“Please don't.”
Then:
“Thank you.”
No hug.
No erased past.
Just release.
Later Mason danced with Lauren.
Then Derek.
Then Chloe.
No one was given away.
No one owned the center.
I sat beside Peter.
He whispered:
“You okay?”
May you like
“Yes.”
And I was.
