Page 122 of Home: Posy 5

Wy wrong, Granite said with wide, worried eyes.Dad catch crybaby from Mom! Run, Wy! Get away before you catch crybaby!

Dragging a hand down my face, I didn't bother arguing with him and quickly walked away, wishing I could leave him behind, too.

Parents! Always finding a way to embarrass you in public.

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Mason

Jay excused himself to the bathroom, Wyatt was 'mingling' as ordered, Cole was grazing the buffet, and Posy was walking Emerson and Angelo around the gallery.

Which left me to babysit Ash.

"How do you think he did this one?" Ash pointed to a painting of a shiny tin pan with one wedge of apple pie in it.

"Like I know anything about art," I grunted. "Maybe there's a kind of metallic paint—"

"No, I mean, when has thereeverbeen a piece of pie left at our house? How did he have time to sketch it, let alone paint it, before one of us scarfed it down?"

"Maybe he took a photo of it?" suggested a soft voice I instantly recognized as my mother's.

Ash and I turned at the same time to see her standing behind us.

"Hi, Mama." I put my hand in the small of her back and drew her forward so she stood between us.

"Hey, Mama." Ash leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Bridger was brave enough to stay with Rosebud all by himself tonight, huh?"

"No, and he named her Isabelle. Isabelle Brynn." Mama smiled brightly. "Isn't that lovely?"

"It sure is. We can call her Izzy or Belle, although I'm always going to think of her as Rosebud—"

"So whereisBridger?" I interrupted the pair of them. "Did you leave him with Papa?"

"I never leave Papa alone with him. Not until I'm sure I can trust him again."

"Mama," I began.

"No, Mason." She held up her hand and her eyes were steely in a way I rarely saw them. "He was mistreating you right under my nose. And before you say that you should have told me, you were a child. I was the parent. I should have seen what was happening."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ash wander off, probably to give us privacy.

Jay? You back from the bathroom yet?I linked him.

Yeah. You need me to take over with Ash?

Please. I'm suddenly in the middle of a serious talk with Mama.

No worries, dude. I'll make sure the wayward giant stays out of trouble.

Thanks.

"None of this mess was your fault, Mama," I protested as I returned my attention to her.

"Why didn't I notice?"

"You never expected Papa to become abusive." I shrugged. "You don't need to supervise him with Bridger. He never hurt my brothers or Tyler or anyone but me."

"How can you forgive him?" she countered. "He showed me that plan you designed, the one he had framed for his home office. He told me he thinks that's when he first started crossing the line with you."

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