Page 112 of Escape Velocity
“Cal,” Mason cries, his chin wobbling as he tries walking toward Callum.
Callum takes a step back. “What are you doing here?”
He notices Mason wipe a tear from his face. “What happened?” Callum asks, his tone worried and serious.
Mason wipes another tear from his face.
Callum’s looks over his shoulder, likely waiting for his dad to appear in the doorway.
“He—Joel. He—he told my family everything. He—he ruinedeverything.”
Callum’s eyes widen and his face softens briefly from the previously anxious disposition he had earlier.
“Mase…” Callum exhales sharply. “I’m gonnabreakhis legs. Where is he?”
The door creaks open and Mason’s heart stutters as he sees Mr. Brown come out, with Tammy right behind him, practically tugging on his arm.
“Daniel, just leave them alone, okay? Come back inside.”
“What thehellis going on out here?” Mr. Brown asks, his eyes ablaze with fury already.
He practically swats Tammy’s hand away and stands next to Callum, staring daggers at Mason.
Mason used to think he wasn’t scared of Mr. Brown. He was all bark and no bite. But with what Callum had told him about his abuse, and how furious he appeared now, Mason is terrified of him.
He has the menacing presence of an attack dog; he’s just missing the drool coming from his bared teeth.
“Mason was just saying Happy Thanksgiving,” Callum says immediately, his voice taut and frame nearly frozen on the stoop.
Mason nods.
He glances between Callum and his father, and he can’t help but notice how tense they are with each other, withCallum practically frozen in fear from just hearing his dad’s menacing voice, like any second, he could get slapped.
“We don’t need anything from the Fannings. They’ve already said enough,” Mr. Brown barks.
Mason sighs and shakes his head. He wants to retort, but for once, Mr. Brown is right. He can’t try to defend his parents when his mom is one of the biggest gossips in town. And he’s being just like her by writing about Callum for the paper.
The Browns succeeded, and all the Fannings ever did was write about it. It’s a never-ending cycle that has been passed on to Callum and Mason.
But Mason has had enough. The cycle can’t continue. It starts and ends with him. Mr. Brown needs someone to stand up to him, and if it’s going to be anyone, it’s going to be a Fanning.
“Like help your wife when she was in the hospital? Dedicate their time to taking care of Callum when you wouldn’t?” Mason hisses back at Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown takes his hand off Callum’s shoulder and slowly slinks down the steps to stand in front of Mason.
Callum’s eyes flood with panic, but he stays where he is. Tammy does the same, crossing her arms as she tries to shield herself from the cold.
“I’d watch my mouth if I were you, Mason. Callum got to where he is because of me. As soon as Callum left you in the dust…”
He laughs, glancing back at Callum. “He started succeeding. And he’ll go pro without any ofyourhelp. All you have are your stupid words and headlines, and they do nothing for my boy. He’s where he is because of me. April was sick and she wouldn’t have done any better or worse without your bloodsucking family.”
“Dad.”
Callum balls his fists, his body shaking now, but Mason knows it isn’t from the cold. It’s from something much more burrowed. Something dormant for years.
“Yes, Callum? Is there something you’d like to say?”
Callum blinks, like he wasn’t expecting his father to actually listen to him and just continue to dig into Mason.
