“As well as any Black mama who realized they missed their only daughter’s wedding. She’s definitely going to kill me when I get home.”
“I met Silas’s mom via Facetime and she thought I was using him to get back at his brother.”
“Well then.”
“But we get along great now!” Liz laughed.
Xeni closed her eyes and tried to focus on the music instead of the colossal mistake she’d just made.
17
Mason knew he was playing with fire. Doing a whole set of what could only be described as “Please notice that I’m in love with you” ballads was a gamble. He wondered if Xeni had even noticed. He could handle the sting of obliviousness better than flat-out rejection, not that he could escape rejection if it came his way. As he crossed the orchard, he realized he needed to tell her the truth. He was falling for her. Was it full blown love? No, that would be ridiculous, since it had only been a few days.
But in those few days, she’d revealed so much of herself to him. They were in a unique spot and, because of it, he’d seen her at what he imagined was her lowest, coping with unimaginable confusion and pain, and still he didn’t want to be anywhere but by her side. He knew he was taking a chance, but there was no point in romantic gestures if he didn’t have the words to back them up. He’d tell Xeni how he felt and hopefully she felt the same.
He could see her way off in the distance as he came through the trees, sitting alone on Silas’s porch. Well, alone with Hank and Morty. She stood and met him halfway across the yard. Hank joined her, just to see if Mason had something fun in his hands. Mason had planned to tell her how he felt as soon as he laid eyes on her, but when she stopped herself from stepping into his arms, he realized two things were off: her mood and how quickly he’d come to expect affection she didn’t owe him. Mason swallowed and immediately told himself it was time to pull back.
“Hello,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral.
“Hi.”
Something wasn’t right. “Is something the matter?”
“Um. I fucked up.”
“How bad?”
“I told my mom we got married.” Xeni winced.
“Ah…”
“And she wants to talk to you. My step-dad will probably want to talk to you too. Like, right now.”
“I—okay.”
“I am so sorry.”
Mason took a deep breath and scrubbed his hand across his face. “Okay. How did this happen?”
“She called and she could hear the bagpipes and, I don’t know… I panicked. No, I didn’t panic. I just said it. Everything has felt awful and this,” she motioned between them, “this felt like something good. Temporary, but good.”
“I think it is good, but I also thought we weren’t telling our parents.” They had established pretty clearly that their situational vows were between the two of them, those dwelling in the happy bubble around Kinderack County and its governing authorities, and one of Xeni’s friends back home. Telling their parents meant complications upon complications.
“I know. I—I don’t know. I just know her. If I don’t call her, she’s gonna keep calling and then she’s gonna try and track you down, and if that doesn’t work, she’s gonna show up. ”
There was something else she wasn’t saying, but she seemed so tense that he knew pressuring her for a reasonable explanation would only make her more upset.
“Okay. Well, let’s call her.”
Xeni pulled out her phone, slid her fingers across the screen a few times then handed him the phone. He glanced at the words MAMA EVERLY CALLING...
“What’s her name?
“Joyce. She’s fine with just Joyce. Again, I cannot stress how sorry I am.”
Mason reached out and gave her shoulder a light squeeze, then shot her a little smile. “It’s not okay, but we’ll get through this.”
“Your little husband done with his concert yet?” her mother suddenly said into the phone.
