need anybody’ crap and treat Spencer right. How’s that for sympathy?”
Before Mason could say a word, Claire walked over and opened the door.
“Mason wants to see you, Spence.”
Spencer walked in and warily approached Mason, evidently unsure of his welcome.
Mason looked at Claire for a moment, then smiled at Spencer.
“I’m sorry, Spence.” He reached out and touched the boy’s hand. “I’m in a lot of pain, and it’s making me grouchy. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
Spencer smiled hesitantly. “What message was Mom supposed to give me?”
Mason thought fast. He really did love Spencer and hadn’t wanted to give him up. “I just told her to tell you not to be in a hurry to come see me. The doctor says I’ll be in here for quite a while.”
Now his grin was real. “That’s okay. I’ll come and see you every day while you’re in here.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Mason didn’t need to give Claire any more reasons to hate him. “Your mom is too busy to have to bring you every day.”
Claire spoke up. “I’ll make the time. Spence can come straight here from school and bring his homework so you can help him. I’ll pick him up before dinner. That’ll kill two birds with one stone.”
Mason’s eyes swept the room, looking for the hidden cameras. Because this had to be one of those prank shows, if he heard Claire right.
“Mason, how are you gonna do things for yourself?” Spencer asked with the bluntness of a teenager.
Claire held her breath, wondering if Mason might lose his temper after all.
Mason just decided to be honest. “I guess I won’t be able to for a while. I hope all my bones heal fast, though, so I can be up and around soon. How am I ever gonna teach you how to outrun those girls if I can’t?”
Spencer looked questioningly at Mason. “Two girls got into a fight at lunch today. They both said they were my girlfriend, but I’ve only ever just said ‘hi’ or ‘please pass the salt’ or something stupid like that, to either one of them. What’s the matter with girls?”
Mason looked at Claire when he answered. “You just always need to be careful of what you say or do to a girl. Believe me, it’s very easy to do the wrong thing and hurt them very badly. Then you can’t take it back and fix it ever again.”
Spence looked at Mason, a confused expression on his face. “If I mess up and hurt a girl’s feelings, why can’t I just tell her I’m sorry? Mom always told me to apologize when I make a mistake, and most people will forgive me.”
Claire felt a pang of guilt as she heard her very own words being unintentionally thrown back at her. Had she been too unforgiving? She would have to give it some serious thought later on.
Mason still looked at Claire. “Sometimes, the mistake is too bad for an apology to fix. Just be careful.”
“Okay.” Spencer nodded. “I will.”
Claire couldn’t help but think about what Emily told her. Was the Mason talking to her son the “real Mason” now? Could he have changed like Emily insisted? She wondered if she could believe him. Claire just didn’t know.
There were a lot of things Claire wasn’t sure about anymore.
Knowing Spencer was with Mason at the hospital for the third afternoon in a row, Claire had left Zoey with Louise and met Judy for a little bit of shopping. Seasons and Such was a second-hand store that carried quality, used clothing at prices Claire could afford. She bought all her own, and most of Zoey’s, clothes there. She’d bought Spencer’s at the local discount store ever since she was hired at Butlers. Spence wouldn’t complain about wearing used clothing, but Claire was afraid of the backlash if one of his peers saw him in one of their castoffs. Kids could be so cruel to each other sometimes. It was already hard enough on her son being raised by a single parent.
“Find anything yet?” Judy walked up beside her. Judy herself was loaded down with hangers full of
Before Mason could say a word, Claire walked over and opened the door.
“Mason wants to see you, Spence.”
Spencer walked in and warily approached Mason, evidently unsure of his welcome.
Mason looked at Claire for a moment, then smiled at Spencer.
“I’m sorry, Spence.” He reached out and touched the boy’s hand. “I’m in a lot of pain, and it’s making me grouchy. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
Spencer smiled hesitantly. “What message was Mom supposed to give me?”
Mason thought fast. He really did love Spencer and hadn’t wanted to give him up. “I just told her to tell you not to be in a hurry to come see me. The doctor says I’ll be in here for quite a while.”
Now his grin was real. “That’s okay. I’ll come and see you every day while you’re in here.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Mason didn’t need to give Claire any more reasons to hate him. “Your mom is too busy to have to bring you every day.”
Claire spoke up. “I’ll make the time. Spence can come straight here from school and bring his homework so you can help him. I’ll pick him up before dinner. That’ll kill two birds with one stone.”
Mason’s eyes swept the room, looking for the hidden cameras. Because this had to be one of those prank shows, if he heard Claire right.
“Mason, how are you gonna do things for yourself?” Spencer asked with the bluntness of a teenager.
Claire held her breath, wondering if Mason might lose his temper after all.
Mason just decided to be honest. “I guess I won’t be able to for a while. I hope all my bones heal fast, though, so I can be up and around soon. How am I ever gonna teach you how to outrun those girls if I can’t?”
Spencer looked questioningly at Mason. “Two girls got into a fight at lunch today. They both said they were my girlfriend, but I’ve only ever just said ‘hi’ or ‘please pass the salt’ or something stupid like that, to either one of them. What’s the matter with girls?”
Mason looked at Claire when he answered. “You just always need to be careful of what you say or do to a girl. Believe me, it’s very easy to do the wrong thing and hurt them very badly. Then you can’t take it back and fix it ever again.”
Spence looked at Mason, a confused expression on his face. “If I mess up and hurt a girl’s feelings, why can’t I just tell her I’m sorry? Mom always told me to apologize when I make a mistake, and most people will forgive me.”
Claire felt a pang of guilt as she heard her very own words being unintentionally thrown back at her. Had she been too unforgiving? She would have to give it some serious thought later on.
Mason still looked at Claire. “Sometimes, the mistake is too bad for an apology to fix. Just be careful.”
“Okay.” Spencer nodded. “I will.”
Claire couldn’t help but think about what Emily told her. Was the Mason talking to her son the “real Mason” now? Could he have changed like Emily insisted? She wondered if she could believe him. Claire just didn’t know.
There were a lot of things Claire wasn’t sure about anymore.
Knowing Spencer was with Mason at the hospital for the third afternoon in a row, Claire had left Zoey with Louise and met Judy for a little bit of shopping. Seasons and Such was a second-hand store that carried quality, used clothing at prices Claire could afford. She bought all her own, and most of Zoey’s, clothes there. She’d bought Spencer’s at the local discount store ever since she was hired at Butlers. Spence wouldn’t complain about wearing used clothing, but Claire was afraid of the backlash if one of his peers saw him in one of their castoffs. Kids could be so cruel to each other sometimes. It was already hard enough on her son being raised by a single parent.
“Find anything yet?” Judy walked up beside her. Judy herself was loaded down with hangers full of
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