midnight rain | mason mount

xli

APRIL 2, 2023
AUTHOR POV.

Charlotte had convinced Kai and Ben not to tell Mason that she knew about his cheating. She wasn't ready to confront him about it, and... Part of her felt bad for him. She knew how stressed he'd been about issues with his contract. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn't. Because she felt for him.

She slept on the couch that day. The next morning, when he woke up and came down into the kitchen, she was getting ready to leave. Her bags were packed.

Without looking up from what she was doing, she said, "Yesterday was the one day I specifically asked you to come home early. I've literally never asked you to do that. I worked my ass off making us dinner because I felt bad about the fact that I've been away for a week taking care of Phil. And you come home like this." 

"Char, I'm so—"

"Save it. I don't want to hear it."

"Char, please."

"I'm going to Stockport." She said succinctly. She wanted to minimize conversation with him. "I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"Why are you going to Stockport?"

"I want to go check if Phil's okay. I have a lot of legal stuff to take care of after my parents passed. And perhaps the biggest reason? I can't bear to be in this house with you. And it was your house before it was ours, so I'm not gonna tell you to leave. I'm leaving instead."

"Of course you want to take care of Phil." 

"Yes, well contrary to you, he's never let me down." 

"Right, because you care about his appendectomy but not about the surgery that I'm gonna get on my pelvis." 

"For a person getting surgery, you sure as hell enjoyed your night drinking alcohol." 

"I don't want to hear your voice right now. I'm leaving." She picked up her bags and her car keys and started heading towards the door.

"Charlotte—"

"I don't give a shit about whatever excuse you're going to give me right now. I need to be alone, and if you have even the slightest bit of respect for me, you're going to leave me alone."

She stormed off before he could say another word.

~

It was nighttime by the time she arrived in Cheshire where Phil lived. The lights were on— good, he was home. She impatiently rang his doorbell, her bags in her hand and a takeout box of Chinese in the other.

When he opened the door, he frowned, shocked to see her there.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, confused.

"No hug? No 'I missed you?'"

"Seriously, Lottie. What are you doing here?"

"I come bearing gifts." She said, referring to the Chinese food in her hand.

"I know you didn't come here all the way from London just to bring me Chinese food."

"Do I need a reason to come and see my best friend?" She stepped in the house and kicked her shoes off. "Just out of curiosity. How long can I stay here?"

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like, Lottie, but you gotta tell me what's wrong. I know that look on your face."

"I was worried about you. With your foot and all."