The Best Mistake

Chapter Thirty-Seven

It was super easy to distract myself over the weekend, especially when working with Beverly, a healthy diversion. I tried to hold myself together and be strong for her and Caleb, but it was proven to be hard. My relationship was crumbling before my eyes, in the middle of the most important moment of my career. I am supposed to be excited and ready to take on the world, instead I'm left stumbling in self pity and guilt. Mason had no right to do what he did but at the same time I couldn't exactly blame him. I mean I wasn't any better when I goaded Chasity, so who am I to judge? Royce was working most of the weekend, so we really didn't have any time to talk and honestly, I didn't want to. I am so tired of arguing over the same things constantly and it's taking a toll on me. Although I missed the girls like crazy, I was so happy to not have to put a brave face on for them. I had enough of that to do at work already. Watching them have so much fun with Mason was one of my highlights this weekend. I was bombarded with pictures and videos all filled with the girls laughing and playing around the house and the yard. Mason even sent me a video of him teaching the girls their colors and I scoffed, of course he'd find the time to include some sort of lesson with them. My heart warmed with every smile, every giggle and I knew the weekend with their dad was successful. Monday morning came before I knew it and I barely had any sleep. Normally, sleep comes easy when I don't have to worry about the girls but last night left me restless. I wore my black pencil skirt with a long sleeved dark red blouse and left my hair down for today. I strolled lazily to the office happy that I decided to wear my flats today. I pulled open the heavy door slowly and entered the building.
 
"Congratulations!!!" My entire body froze as all my co-workers gathered near the entrance with balloons, confetti, streamers, party horns and champagne.
 
"What?" I said stunned. I wanted to smile but I was having trouble controlling the muscle in my face. "Is this for me?" I turned around to make sure no one was behind me. Maybe they were expecting someone else.
 
"Of course, silly." Julia grinned.
 
"I guess that means you didn't look at your phone this morning." Caleb approached me and handed me a glass of champagne.
 
"Champagne in the morning? This should be good."
 
"I'm making an exception today." He smirked.
 
"Why?"
 
"Well had you looked at your phone, you would know that 'Whom the bells toll' just became New York times best seller." His smile widened when I gasped.
 
"What?!"
 
"Yep."
 
"Are you serious?"
 
"Positive." Caleb pulled out his phone and showed me the article quickly. I was instantly hopping in glee thankful again I decided against heels.
 
"Oh my God I can't believe it!" I cried.
 
"I am so proud of you, I decided to have an office party to celebrate your success because your success is ours also." My co-workers all cheered and clapped, and I couldn't help the wide grin. I looked around the office to see if Beverly was here and I caught her standing next to Julia beaming. She opened her arms as I approached her and pulled me into a hug.
 
"Oh my God congratulations." I said.
 
"Congratulations to you too!" She laughed.
 
"This your moment."
 
"Don't worry, my entrance was exactly like yours. Besides this is your moment too. Everyone at this company was amazing but you my love was a blessing. I couldn't have done it without you by my side helping me through every chapter." My eyes watered at her words and I hugged her once again. I mumbled a thank you and she gave me a little squeeze.
 
"Congratulations bitch." I chuckled and rolled my eyes before facing a grinning Julia.
 
"Thank you bitch." I laughed. My co-workers all gave me congratulatory remarks as they sipped their champagne and munched on the finger foods on display.
 
"How are you holding up?" Julia asked. My mom, Julia and Cat kept me sane over the last two days. I tried to avoid touchy subjects that can possibly lead to a break down. My mother was the simplest to talk to these days. While Cat and Julia were pushing me to pour my heart out like they often do, my mother was the most understanding about my needed time and gushed about her upcoming wedding. She called me Saturday squealing with glee about her proposal and I couldn't be happier for her.
 
"I'm alright." I said realizing I took too long to answer. Julia stared at me closely before letting it go, thankfully.
 
Caleb walked over to us quickly. "We are the hottest topic right now and I do mean hot. It'll be crazy around here for the next few days but a good crazy."
 
"I didn't know there's such a thing as good crazy."
 
"You'll see." He chuckled.
 
"Sorry, sorry I'm late!" Cat rushed inside the office quickly bustling like a busy bee. She came to my side quickly and pulled me into a one arm hug. "I'm here, congratulations sweetie." She kissed me cheek and I smiled appreciating the gesture.
 
"Thanks. Where are you rushing in from?"
 
"The traffic over here was crazy." She turned to Caleb, he smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. Will I ever get accustomed to seeing my best friend kiss my boss? Probably not.
 
"Yuck." Julia teased. Cat stuck out her tongue playfully and I rolled my eyes.
 
"No news was revealed, yet right?" Caleb shook his head quickly before she could continue.
 
"What news?" I asked. Before they could respond the two most beautiful sounds in the world touched my ears.
 
"Mommy!" My heart spiked and I spun around instantly to see my two girls running towards me. I barely had time to bend before they launched themselves into my arms.
 
"My girls!" I beamed. I lifted them up and buried my nose into their soft curls. They were matching today, both wearing sleeveless cute purple dresses with white long sleeved turtlenecks underneath. They were adorable. I looked up and saw Mason approaching us at a much slower pace. He was dressed in a light grey suit without a tie. Like usual, the top buttons on his shirt remained unfastened making him look more casual. He smiled at me cautiously and I gave him a wink to let him know that we were truly okay. "Mommy missed you girls so much." I gushed while kissing them.
 
"We missed you too mommy." Lily giggled.
 
"Did you have fun with daddy?" I was vaguely aware of a few of my co-workers watching us curiously.
 
"Yessss."
 
"Uh huh, we do it again." Peppa added.
 
I smiled, "I'm sure we can arrange for you to spend more weekends with daddy." I assured them. Mason's grin widened instantly. "They weren't too much trouble I hope."
 
"They were perfect." I gave him a look and he laughed. "Honestly."
 
"Hi girls." Cat said, poking their sides.
 
"Aunty Cat." Lily reached out for her and Cat took her out of my arms.
 
Mason went over to Caleb's side and whispered something to him. Whatever it was, Caleb was moved by what he said. They pulled each other into a one arm hug, and I made a mental note to asked what happened.
 
"I'm surprised her hand is still in a brace." Julia commented, picking up Peppa's covered wrist.
 
"She has an appointment to get it removed for around twelve, so I was planning on taking my lunch break around that time."
 
"Alright so let's get this show on the road shall we." Caleb smiled. "Everyone gather around, I need your full attention." Everyone circled around Caleb curiously. Mason reached for Peppa and took her out of my hands with a shy smile. I wanted to ask him what's wrong, but Caleb was already clearing his throat.
 
"I am so thankful for each and every one of you and I don't want you to think for a second that your hard work goes unnoticed. So, insight to the new spotlight that has been shed on R.P some changes must be made. I would like to recognize some individuals who will be moving up. Firstly, Jerry Trainor will be promoted from editor to one of our senior editors." I gasped and started clapping immediately and everyone quickly joined cheering Jerry on. He deserved it because of all his hard work that he has put in with every author that he works with.
 
"Jerry has done an amazing job since his first day and I trust his judgement wholeheartedly. His hard work and dedication to making sure every author assigned to him comes out on top makes me secure that he is able to take on his new position." Caleb continued. Jerry came forward to shake Caleb's hand, his smile was wide, and I could see that he was very proud.
 
"Secondly, I would like to shed some light on Julia Peck." My smile widened as I noticed the wide-eyed look on Julia's face. "Julia has been working nonstop even at home with providing an endless amount of research and photos, all needed to run our papers and magazines. She is an inquisitive person by heart and has no problem hunting down the truth. For that, Julia will no longer be on the back lines, but the front lines as a reporter." We all cheered once again as Julia stepped forward to shake Caleb's hand and playfully bowed. I shook my head at her actions.
 
"And now I would like to recognize my assistant and right-hand lady, Ava Shawn." He said turning to look at me. My heart spiked as my breathing stuttered instantly. I definitely wasn't expecting this. "Ava walked into this company almost three years ago changing so much for me. It's not a secret that she is the mother of my two beautiful nieces. Although the circumstances surrounding that fact is not important, I do believe that Ava has earned her spot onto this team the right way and without favoritism. Even when she is not here, she manages to complete all tasks given to her while assisting Ms. Hollis. For that, I have decided to make her one of our new editors." He winked. Cheers erupted around the room and it felt like my heart would climb through my throat. I could barely get my words out and Caleb moved forward to throw one arm across my shoulder and pulled me close for comfort.
 
"Thank you thank you." I chanted.
 
"You're welcome Ava. You earned it." He murmured.
 
I pulled away, my eyes still cloudy with tears and turned to Mason. "You knew didn't you." I accused playfully.
 
"Of course." He smiled, his eyes twinkling in mischief. He pulled me into a hug and against my better judgement I inhaled his mouth-watering scent instantly. "Congratulations." He said softly.
 
"Thank you."
 
"Give it up for Jerry, Julia and Ava." Caleb said. The three of us were beaming with pride at the attention we received.
 
"One more thing, don't think that I forgot everyone else. You're all a part of this team and you're all needed to keep this company running, so a pay raise will be implemented and in the works immediately."
 
The cheers around the room got even louder and I didn't think it was possible. Lily and Peppa clapped also though I don't think they knew what was going on. The office party was pretty much a success so far. We ate finger foods, drank champagnes and talked amongst each other most of the morning. Caleb and Mason were talking amongst each other near the front door and I couldn't help but be curious. The girls were more than happy getting fond over while they smacked on the finger foods.
 
"I'm thinking about going back to school." Cat said suddenly.
 
"Really?" Julia and I asked simultaneously. She nodded. "Why?"
 
"Because although I loved teaching it wasn't a real passion for me."
 
"Well what it is?" I asked.
 
She shrugged, "I'm still trying to figure that out." Her eyes landed on Caleb and she smiled gently. "He is so supportive. No matter what I do he's always encouraging me. He takes care of me guys, no matter what he takes care of me."
 
"Why do you sound so sad about it?"
 
"I want to be deserving of that."
 
"You are." Once again, Julia and I were on the same page.
 
Cat smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks guys. I just want to make myself better for me and him."
 
"There's nothing wrong with that Cat." Julia said.
 
"Yea we'll support you, whatever you decide." I added.
 
She looked more reassured by our words. I admit I understand her fears, wanting to be the best version of yourself for the people you love and who have such high expectations for you. Heat rose to my cheeks unexpectedly as I felt eyes penetrating me. My eyes locked to the corner of the room and immediately met familiar green ones. Mason smiled cheekily barely paying attention to Caleb, his eyes moving between me and the girls.
 
"Give me a sec. Watch the girls." I said to Julia and Cat before walking over to Mason and Caleb.
 
"So, does this mean I have to start looking for my replacement?" I asked Caleb.
 
He nodded looking a bit sullen. "Sadly. Although I don't think you'd find anyone who comes close to you. I'll hate to see you go but you've earned that title."
 
The surety of his words made my heart swell in gratitude and solidify my decision. "Thank you but I was hoping I wouldn't have to."
 
His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "What do you mean?"
 
"I mean, I've been operating as an editor and assistant for weeks. I love the private space I have upstairs, and I love being at your side." I smiled.
 
Caleb's eyes widened, "I couldn't ask you to do that."
 
"You're not, I'm insisting. At least for now I can handle both roles." I shrugged.
 
Caleb grabbed my hands firmly into his, "Thank you, thank you so much. I was beginning to wonder who'd compete with you." His eyes were filled with gratitude and I knew I made the right choice.
 
I laughed, "No one right now."
 
Mason nodded impressed, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a Reynolds yourself."
 
"No, but I did give birth to two of them." I glanced towards the girls. Peppa munched on a cookie and Julia fooled around with Lily. "Which reminds me. I don't want us to be late for Peppa's appointment."
 
Caleb nodded, "No problem, get going." Mason moved to gather the girls.
 
"I'll be back as soon as we're done." I promised.
 
He shook his head instantly. "Don't bother, after all of this good news I think we all earned a good start in the week. Half day."
 
"Really?"
 
"Definitely."
 
"Well email me everything, I'll do the important stuff at home." Caleb rolled his eyes but nodded. "Is everything okay between you and Mason?"
 
Caleb nodded, "It is now, no worries."
 
Mason and I left with the girls in his jeep. Luckily, I had Maxo drove me to work. He was able to return the jeep home and take the rest of the day off.
 
Thankfully Peppa was able to rid herself of that awful brace once and for all. The doctor gave her a clean bill of health and sent us on our way with a few workout tips for her wrist. Peppa was a bit reluctant to move her hand but once she realized that she was no longer in any pain she moved it more freely.
 
"I was thinking about planning a beach day this weekend." Mason said. We had just left the doctor's office and were on our way home.
 
"A beach day?"
 
"Yea a family beach day." He shrugged.
 
"Elaborate."
 
"There's a secluded beach we can meet up at near Seattle. Bring food, drinks, music and have some fun."
 
"Wow the Reynolds family know how to have fun?"
 
"Well we do now." He smiled. "You always said that you wanted the girls to grow up as normal as possible right? A day at the beach is pretty normal."
 
"Can I invite Royce and my mom, well if they want to come." I said realizing that Royce would probably not be interested.
 
"Of course, you can. I want to make this right."
 
I smiled, "Thank you." It was important to me that they get along and I'm so happy he was making an effort. "You know Caleb always said that you were so uptight. You never wanted to party and have fun, always so dedicated to your business." Mason nodded waiting for me to continue. "May I ask what changed?"
 
"The three of you." He said honestly. My heart stuttered and I shook off the feeling. "You girls came into my life and left me pretty much stumbling. I was new to all of this and I had to find a way to make it work. I knew losing any of you would've been a mistake, so I worked to keep all of you. No longer was work my first priority but our daughters and you." We pulled up in front of the house just as the last word left his mouth and I smiled appreciating his openness, his honesty.
 
"I get it." We got out of the jeep and I noted that Royce's truck was parked in the driveway. I mentally braced myself when I saw him open the front door.
 
"Hi Roy!" Mason placed the girls on their feet, and they dashed over to Roy's side. He grabbed their bags and we cautiously approached the front door.
 
Royce hugged the girls lovingly and whispered words to them before standing to look at Mason and I. His face was void of emotion as he crossed his arms and my gut churned.
 
"Girls say goodbye to daddy." I said breaking the ice.
 
Mason knelt to give them hugs and kisses. "I love you."
 
"Love you too daddy." They mumbled. He handed them their backpacks and they headed past Roy and into the house.
 
Mason straightened and cleared his throat. "Listen, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I crossed the line and disrespected you in your own house. I was wrong for that. What Ava and I shared is the past and I don't want that to jeopardize my present and future with my daughters." They stared at each other silently for a moment and I wondered if Royce would accept his apology or would I have to brace myself for another argument.
 
Royce's shoulders dropped slightly, and he unfolded his arms before nodding. "Yea, I'm sorry too. We both crossed the line and I allowed my jealousy to take over and I shouldn't have. I only want what's best for girls, I'm not trying to take your place." The two men shook hands both agreeing to a truce and I finally took my first real breath since Saturday.
 
"Ava, I'm heading back to Seattle, I have a lot of things to take care of if I want to relax this weekend. I'll call the girls tonight and give you more details for the beach day." Mason said and I nodded.
 
Royce and I headed inside as Mason pulled off. "Beach day?"
 
"I'll explain later."
 
Once Mason was gone, I headed to the kitchen to get started on dinner while the girls played with their kitchenette in the living room. Royce was leaning casually against the wall as I moved around the kitchen.
 
"Early day?" He asked.
 
I nodded, "Beverly's book just hit number one on the New York Times. Caleb threw an office party to celebrate."
 
"That's great."
 
I nodded, "He also promoted me to editor."
 
Royce's brows shot up in shock. "Wow he did?! That's amazing babe. You worked so hard."
 
His genuine enthusiasm made me feel more at ease. "Yea I did. I'll still be operating as his assistant too."
 
"Can you handle all of that?"
 
"With the pay raise hell Yea." I chuckled.
 
Royce smiled, "That's good. I'm happy for you."
 
I paused during my task which was cutting vegetables and turned to face him completely. "Are we good?" Royce hesitated for a moment and I moved away from the counter to approach him slowly. "I really am sorry."
 
"Isn't it funny how we always say that to each other?"
 
I sighed, "Well, being in a relationship as long as we have, avoiding it would be futile."
 
Royce nodded and closed the distance between us wrapping his arms around my waist. "I know and I also know that I'm tired of fighting over the same thing."
 
"Me too."
 
"Is there anything else I should know?"
 
I shook my head instantly. "You know everything, and I didn't mean to keep anything from you or cause such a mess with this. I really want us to work."
 
"I do too." He placed his forehead against my own and squeezed me a little closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his familiar scent. Our relationship isn't perfect but then again, no relationship ever is. As long as he's willing to get into the ring to fight with me, then I'll fight too.
 
The rest of the evening was spent with each other. We ate dinner with the girls, and all got dressed and ready for bed. The girls complained that they wanted to watch Moana because they weren't able to finish it at Mason's house, so that is what we did. We sat in the living room and watched tv like any other family. The girls were determined to watch the full movie and didn't miss a song. We were almost to the end of the movie when there was a knock at the door. It was shortly after eight so I was confused by who it could be.
 
"I got it." I told Royce as I went to the door quickly. I pulled the door open and saw the last person I expected to see at my doorstep. "Loren?" I asked confused. I haven't seen Loren since she gave me a mouthful after she was fired for leaking the pictures with Mason and the girls.
 
"Hey Ava, um, I wanted to talk to you." She mumbled. She was wearing washed out jeans and t-shirt with a baseball cap, almost as if she was hiding. Before I could respond, Royce interrupted me.
 
"Babe who is it? Mason is calling."
 
I leaned back slightly so I could see him still sitting on the couch with the girls. "It's okay babe, it's for me. Let them talk to Mason, it's soon their bedtime. I'll be right on the porch." I stepped outside and closed the door gently behind me before facing Loren. "What do you want?" I asked, crossing my arms.
 
"Listen, you have every reason to hate me, I would too. What I did was wrong and I should've known better."
 
"Is that it?"
 
"Well no, I wanted to tell you the truth."
 
"What truth?"
 
"Well I have nothing else to lose at this point, so I figured I'd be honest and tell you why I did what I did."
 
"Which is?"
 
Loren looked behind her for a moment before wiping her palms on her jeans and adjusting her hat. She cleared her throat and turned to face me once again. "I was paid to leak those photos of Mason with the girls."
 
"Paid? By who?"
 
"Charles Reynolds." She mumbled.
 
My eyes widened and my mouth fell open with a pop. "You can't be serious."
 
"I am."
 
"Charles Reynolds is adamant about protecting his family and keeping them away from negative scrutiny."
 
Loren snorted, "You obviously don't know him well."
 
"Explain." I demanded.
 
She sighed, "Charles reached out to me right before the girls birthday party. Once he figured out I was going, he told me to take a picture of Mason with the girls and that he'd give me instructions as to when to post it."
 
I shook my head in disgust, "All for money Loren?"
 
"It wasn't just about the money Ava and it wasn't personal. I had to think about Aaron and Nema. I was in so much debt and the money I made at the company wasn't enough to clear it off. Charles promised me he would clear off all of my debts and give me a better paying job if I did it. So, on his command I released the photo and stupidly thought I wouldn't get caught."
 
"Did he keep his end of the deal?"
 
She scoffed, "No! I was fired, my credibility was shot, and no one wanted to hire me. Charles never offered me a job or paid me a dime because someone else leaked a photo when I did. I was left scraping more than ever."
 
"Why would he do this? Why would he want to hurt us that way, his own son?"
 
Loren shrugged, "I don't know. I guess he thought that bringing out his secret would force Mason to see that he was right, but it only forced Mason to do it his own way."
 
I rubbed my forehead gently with the palm of my hand, willing the headache to leave me. I should've known there was more to why Loren would betray me, but I never would've guessed.
 
"Wait, how did you know Charles enough for him to reach out to you?"
 
"I didn't but Libby did." She admitted.
 
My eyes widened once again. "Caleb's old assistant Libby?"
 
Loren nodded, "She and I are really good friends and I confided in her about my troubles. Although I wasn't aware of the ties between you and Mason she was, and she told Charles. In return he made me an offer I couldn't refuse."
 
I started pacing, trying to wrap my head around everything. "Are you telling me that Charles offered the same deal to Libby?"
 
"Of course. Charles wanted to see R.P fall to the ground and used Libby to attempt it. I don't know what he offered her specifically, but once he found out that she was fooling around with Caleb it wasn't long before he used her to feed him private intel."
 
I gasped, "He was the one giving the information to the company's rivalry."
 
"Yea and soon she got sloppy and felt guilty. She took the blame and confessed to Caleb in secret, of course he fired her. Charles thought that he had found out on his own, he had no clue that she confessed. He was able to get her hired at R.P's competition."
 
My head was spinning even more, and I tried my best to calm my breathing. "Are you sure? How do I know that you aren't lying?"
 
"I have the proof." She said simply.
 
"Why are you telling me this?"
 
Loren hung her head with a shrug. "I'm embarrassed and guilty and so ashamed. What's the point of doing all of that to gain nothing in return? I only wanted what was best for my kids and I hurt a friend in the process. I was wrong, so wrong."
 
I stared at her for a moment, willing my emotions at bay. Although I was angry by her actions, I couldn't help but put myself in her shoes for a moment. I held out a hand for her to wait and went inside to grab my cheque book and wrote her a cheque for $10,000. Mason did say that I could use the account for anything I needed after all. I stepped back outside and handed her a cheque.
 
"It'll give you some breathing room."
 
Loren immediately shook her head. "No Ava, I can't take this."
 
"I insist."
 
"No, I only came for your forgiveness and to tell you the truth, nothing more."
 
I grabbed her hand, squeezing it around the cheque. "And you did and now I'm doing this."
 
"But why?" Her voice cracked.
 
"Because I also have children Loren, and I know that I will do anything to provide for them. So please, accept this from one mother to another." Tears left her eyes slowly and she hugged me closely. "Thank you for being honest." I said, pulling away.
 
She nodded, "No, thank you. This means so much to me."
 
"You do realize that if you were just as honest with Caleb, he would've helped you. He's a good man."
 
"Yea, I know that now."
 
We said our goodbyes and I quickly headed inside. The tv was off in the living room and I headed upstairs quickly. The girls were already asleep in their room and I headed to my room. Royce was laying on his back on his phone casually when I entered.
 
"Hey, who was that?" He asked.
 
My phone chimed in my pocket and I took it out quickly and read over the proof that I needed.
"Just an old coworker." I smiled.