Page 8 of Magnetic Temptations

Mason licks his lips and looks upward, his eyes scan the tiles as if the ceiling will have the answers he’s seeking. “I was more of a latch key kid so I’m not sure what I can say that’ll help you navigate your feelings or how to handle situations with Gunner. But I will say, kids like me who had to come home to an empty house then make sure that his siblings got their after school snack, did their homework, picked up the house, and was tasked with starting dinner before worrying about himself, we would’ve given anything to have an ounce of what you had. Don’t get me wrong, Mane, my parents loved us, but they both had to work dual jobs in order to keep a roof over our head, bills paid, and our bellies full.” As I go to respond, he takes both of my hands in his and peers into my soul through our locked eyes. “Just take some time for yourself and digest what I shared. Try to remember everything he and the rest of the men went through to make sure he was a key component in your life. I may not know him well, but even I can see the sacrifices he’s made to make sure that you have a bright future.”

After Mason shared all of that with me, he really made me think. We didn't share a word between us while I helped him unpack his belongings and put all of his things away. Past events play through my mind like a picture wheel as I consider the fact that I may not have been fair to my dad all along. Yeah, he could handle things differently, but then again, so could I.

Sucks when there are times that something slaps you in the face and you have to step back so you can reevaluate. Maybe Dad and I should sit down and have a talk, set some ground rules, and figure out how we can improve our father/daughter relationship. He's the first man to ever own my heart, and I know, at the end of the day, he'll be the last one as well. I’m not sure how well he’ll do with boundaries since he’s the type of man to crash through a door if someone’s in trouble, but it’s a start.

The thought that keeps ruminating through my brain is, have I been too hard on him? Have I blown things out of proportion? Have I put a divide between the two of us, and if I have, can I fix it? As my thoughts go round and round, I begin to feel a migraine take root in my head.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Mason says as he brings the last of his bathroom essentials in and sets them on the sink’s counter.

“I’m reassessing,” I justify. He gives me a smile through the mirror and I begin unpacking his toothbrush, paste, and shower stuff. Once everything is in order, I meet him in the bedroom, which is attached to his bathroom, and we exit together.

“You gonna be alright being around your dad? Or are you going to need more time to figure things out in your head?” Mason asks as we trek down the stairs and enter the main room.

“I’m good. Dad and I, sometimes we’re complicated, but the one thing I can say is that we never stay upset with each other for long. He’s already forgiven, I just wish he’d think before acting. He and my uncles are worse than toddlers sometimes,” I joke.

“Most men I know act that way,” Ella interjects, Hydro’s arm wrapped around her waist. “But they have a valid excuse.”

“Do I even want to know what that is?” Hydro asks, his brows raised with skepticism.

Ella sends him a mischievous smile before saying, “Y’all’s brains don’t develop and mature until you’re halfway through life.”

“She’s right,” I add. “It’s a scientifically proven fact.”

“You’re a brat,” Hydro tells Ella, pinching her ass.

“Hang on,” Ella says, leaving the comfort of Hydro’s arms and heading over to the mirror hung up behind the bar. “Yep, my horns are still holding up my halo so calling me a brat shouldn’t be the best you can come up with.”

“Demoness is more like it,” Bruiser insists, snickering as he walks up to where we’re huddled. “You’ve always had those horns, but the halo is new.”

“It’s always been there,” Ella argues. “You’re just too dimwitted to see it.”

“Did you just call me stupid, Ella?” Bruiser asks, looking affronted even though I know he’s not. Nothing ever gets to him unless you’re the bunny bitch in the cellar who poked holes in the condom and ended up knocked up. That entire thing is fucked up. I can’t believe our club doctor led that implosive revolt.

“If the shoe fits, wear it,” Ella snarks, grinning at Bruiser.

“Brother, help me out,” Bruiser pleads, staring at Hydro. “You gonna let your old lady disrespect me like that?”

Hydro holds his hands up and shakes his head. “You’re on your own, brother. You started it so be man enough to deal with the outcome.”

“Thanks, pres,” Bruiser spits out, and when Hydro turns his head to look at Mason, Ella sticks her tongue out at our cousin. I’m waiting for her to pull out one of her old moves, stick her thumbs in her ears and wave the remaining fingers through the air. That’s something that used to irritate the shit out of Bruiser when we were children.

He points a finger at her and squints his eyes before mouthing, “Payback’s a bitch.”

Ella, in true Ella fashion, begins bobbing her hips and flailing her arms through the air in an ‘I’m so scared,’ motion. Not wanting to be dragged into any of their childishness, I reach down, grab Mason’s belt loop and pull him out of the group he’s standing with… i.e., the men, and sprint away as fast as I can while towing him behind me.

“Why are we running?” he asks as we walk through the kitchen and out the back door.

“Because that is fixing to turn into a free for all, and I’ve grown up with them so I know how it’s fixing to play out and want no part in it,” I explain.

“It gets worse than that?” he questions, looking over at me as if he doesn’t believe me because adults don’t revert to five year olds in the world he comes from.

“Trust me, you have no idea how bad it’s probably gonna get,” I retort. “Name calling, wet willies, wedgies, you name it and it’ll likely happen.”

He grins and starts to turn. “Maybe I need to see that since I don’t remember acting like that with my siblings.”

“No, no you don’t.” I reach out and grab the waisted area of his jeans that have the button and zipper and pull him back toward me. “Trust me, it won’t be the last time you’ll see someone act that way, but when those two get started, shit gets unnaturally childish and I’d prefer your first impression of my cousins not to be that.”

What I leave out is the fact that a lot of the damn adults do the same way. I guess it comes from everyone being together for so long.

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