Page 18 of Every Breath

“The hell I have! You at least have another chance. My wife has moved on. I’ll never get to touch her or make love to her again.” Paul’s eyes flashed with anger.

Mason felt instant contrition at Paul’s rage and pain. He didn’t stop to consider how his friend must have felt to see his wife remarry and have children with another man. Had Brandi found another man worthy of her love, he knew he would have had to let go as well. Even as he thought of her being with someone else, he ached.

“Paul, I’m sorry. I was only thinking of myself.”

“All right.” Paul took a deep breath. “Brandi doesn’t hate you. She’s just confused. She hasn’t gotten over your, er, Damon’s death and Rodney ingratiated himself into her life when she was most vulnerable. She feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude, which he naturally has no problem exploiting. It won’t be easy for you to break the hold he has unless he messes up.”

“How am I supposed to get close to her now? There’s only so much time I have in a day and lately it’s all been spent on trying to right all these wrongs of the old Mason. I seem to be making some headway with Ben at least. He’s a great kid. I can’t see how any man could have neglected his son so shamefully. When I think of the times I watched DJ growing up without me, I can’t help but feel that this guy should be exactly where he was going in the first place.”

“Well, I agree with you about that. He’s lucky he had some heavenly connections, but on the bright side, now that you’re Mason Collins, it will make all the difference in the world to Ben.”

“I hope so. I’m not doing so well with my mother though. She seems so hostile to me. I offered to bring her home with me, but she won’t even speak to me. She looks at me like she doesn’t see me. I sit with her for a couple hours each visit and tell her about what’s going on in my life and how Ben’s doing and what’s going on at work. She only shows any interest when I mention Ben’s name.”

“Well, you have to remember the raw deal she received when her husband died. I think she has the right to be upset at being placed in that dump of a nursing home when she expected support from her only child.”

“I know, but I wish she would talk to me. That reminds me, I have an appointment with the director of another facility. That place is much nicer. More of a country club than a nursing home. Hopefully, she will like it better.”

“It’s a start, but you still will have to keep putting in time with her. Money isn’t going to solve all of your problems,” Paul pointed out.

“Probably not, but it certainly helps. You know, it’s funny. I always dreamed of a place like this, but it all means nothing without Brandi and the kids. You’ve got to help me, Paul. What am I supposed to do?”

“How about getting your teeth cleaned?”

Mason stared at Paul. What the devil was he talking about? “As cute as that idea is, I have more pressing things on my mind.”

Paul gave him a sad look, and Mason felt a sudden wave of alarm. What was that about? “What?”

“It’s happening already,” Paul answered.

“What is? What are you talking about, man?”

“You’re starting to forget. I knew this would happen when you came back.”

Now Mason really felt panicked. “Forget what? Would you stop talking in riddles?”

“The longer you’re down here, the more you may forget bits and pieces of Damon Evans’s life. You won’t completely lose all of his memories, but as you make new ones as Mason, you’ll lose some of Damon’s.”

“What?! You never mentioned this!” Mason raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He didn’t want to forget. He didn’t want to forget the day he met Brandi or the first time they made love or the day she gave birth to the twins.

“You knew there was a price you had to pay for coming back. I’m sorry, but this is how it works.”

“But what about Brandi and me?”

“I’ll try to help you as much as I’m allowed, which isn’t much, unfortunately, as far as winning Brandi back, but your first responsibility is to redeem Mason Collins. To be honest, I only recently learned of the memory thing myself or I would have warned you. You have to remember no one’s come back before; this is as new to me as it is to you.”

“So I’ll eventually forget how I felt about her? When I agreed to this, I didn’t know the price would be so high.” Tears of frustration filled his eyes.

“Look, I can’t say what will happen to you and Brandi as you begin to lose some of your old memories, but like I said, you won’t lose all of them.”

“But I could lose the important ones?”

“Maybe. I’m sorry, man. In the meantime, I suggest you make a dental appointment with Dr. David Cross in Horsham for a cleaning.”

“How will going to see the dentist help me?”

“For one thing, it will keep that white smile of yours healthy, and since Brandi is a dental hygienist in that office, it will give you an opportunity to see her again.” Paul winked.

“You’re a sly devil. I thought you weren’t going to interfere where Brandi and I are concerned.”

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