“Who is this?” she asked immediately, indicating Mason, who stood, still holding the two pizza boxes, just inside the door.
“Mom, this is Mason Kohler.” I took a deep breath. “My boyfriend.”
Mom’s eyes widened and then she frowned. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”
“Yeah, well, I do.” I walked past her and leaned down to kiss Charlotte’s cheek. “How are you, sis? Cory says you’ve had a good day.”
Charlotte’s facial muscles spasmed as she attempted to smile. “Good. I’m happy to see you. I want to meet your boyfriend.”
Mason put the pizzas down on the small table and held out his hand to my mother. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Whelan.”
My mother shook his hand, holding it for a moment. “You must be a very special man if my Hannah is letting you into her life. I was starting to worry she’d always be alone. She doesn’t let people in very easily.”
“Mom, can you please not make me sound like some crazy misanthrope?” I groaned. Charlotte laughed. A halting, broken sound, but it was beautiful. I grinned at my sister, rolling my eyes in sibling camaraderie.
My mother tutted under her breath but didn’t make any more embarrassing comments. I held my hand out for Mason, who came to stand beside me.
“Charlotte, this is Mason.” I squeezed his hand. “Mason, this is my sister, Charlotte.” My voice cracked. My eyes felt wet. I wasn’t sure why I was getting so emotional. Perhaps bringing Mason here had been a bad idea.
Mason sat down in the chair beside Charlotte and took her hand ever so gently in his. “I’m happy to finally meet you, Charlotte. Your sister talks a lot about you.”
Charlotte’s green eyes sparkled, the one true sign of life in her face. Her mouth quirked in a caricature of her former smile. “She lies a lot. Don’t believe anything she says.”
Mason laughed, but my stomach twisted. Charlotte’s words hit too close to home for my liking.
Mason gave my sister his complete attention and she seemed to be enjoying it. “It was all good, Charlotte. I promise.”
“You’re very handsome. I can see why Hannah likes you,” Charlotte said in her halting voice, a devilish glint in her eyes.
I snorted. “You’re trying to make me uncomfortable, aren’t you, Char?”
“Well, she’s only speaking the truth.” Mason mugged, grinning wide. He still held on to my sister’s hand.
My heart could barely contain the joy I felt watching him with Charlotte.
Bringing him here haddefinitelybeen a bad idea.
I thought of the root kit I had installed on his computer. Of all the lies I told him every single day.
How could I do this to a man who so willingly opened his heart to me? A man who sat with my sister and spoke to her like a person, not an invalid?
What was wrong with me?
For the first time, being Freedom Overdrive didn’t feel like a positive thing. It felt like a burden.
“We brought pizza, Char. You hungry?” I asked, needing to stop the train of thought I found myself on.
Charlotte’s mouth worked in her excitement. “You brought pizza?”
Mason carefully put her hand back on top of the blankets and got to his feet. “Hannah said cheese is your favorite, so we got a large. She warned me you could really put it away,” he said with a chuckle.
“I love cheese pizza,” Charlotte exclaimed as loudly as she could.
Mom and I both laughed. “Well, let me go get some plates. I’ll be right back,” my mother said, heading out into the hallway.
Things were good.
Too good.
