Santa's Daughter | ✓|Book One| ❅ (2015)

Chapter Three

My phone vibrated in my pocket.
It was Mason.
"Hello?"
There was a pause.
"Mason?"
"Clara?"
"Hey!"
He is just the cutest guy ever. He always start off our conversations sweet and straight, not awkward and trying to hard.
"Where are you?"
"At home. Please tell me you are at home or at least safe, Mason."
"I'm at home too."
I sighed. How will my foster parents get home?
"My parents aren't."
"Yikes."
"I know."
There was a long pause at the other end.
"Listen, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
There was another long pause.
"Mason?"
"Yeah?"
"You were saying something?"
"Yeah. How am I gonna do this? This is so damn hard."
"Mason, you're scaring me."
He sighed.
"Mason!"
"How about after the snow clears up, we meet at the café where Keith works?"
"Sounds good."
He hung up. I wondered what was he going to tell me.

A few minutes later, I decided to write list of possible theories about Mason's news:

Theories of Mason's worrying phone call.

1) I cheated on you by accident.
Oh please. The only mistake that he makes is being absolutely so damn perfect all the time. And being forgetful sometimes, including my birthday.

2) I lost all of my money.
He isn't Jake. He is rich, but not as rich as Jake. Come on.

3) I got a place in Idaho. Come with?
We talked about getting our own place in Idaho. We went there on holiday, and we loved it. That became our dream home.

4) My pet cat died, and I need time alone to adjust.
His pet cat, Whiskers, is very ill. I wonder how she's doing.

5) I lost a bet, and we have to be separated.
What? These things happen!

6) I made a terrible mistake.
Woah. Mason is a no - nonsense guy. He tries his hardest to be perfect all the time, he even makes himself sick. This would be worrying.

7) I'm not ready to get married.
Why the heck did I write this down? Let's scribble this off the list.

The next day, the snow cleared up. My parents managed to get home safe last night, but they got a fever and a cold.
I threw on some clothes and put my hair in a ponytail. I put on my trainers and disappeared behind my front door.
I went into the corner shop and bought a newspaper, only to come to a shock:

BILLIONAIRE CANCELS ANNUAL LIGHT SWITCH ON!!!!
Sir, You Went A Tad Too Far.
Jake Daniels has fully transformed into twenty first century scrooge as he even had the nerve to put an end to the annual light switch on.
'It's pointless!', he said. 'It could upset other religions. What's the point? You can always do this at home anyways.'

I didn't even bother to read the full report.

I sat in the café, waiting anxiously for Mason. Keith saw me waiting anxiously and came over to me with a cup of cappuccino.
"You alright Clara?"
I smiled at him.
"Yeah."
But Keith knows whether something is wrong.
"Tell me what's up."
I sighed heavily.
"Mason called me yesterday. It was worrying. I'm waiting for him."
He sighed and sat down.
"You know that Mason's a good guy."
"Yeah."
"So why are you stressed?"
I gave him my theory list. He examined it like a teacher marking work.
"This is insane. I bet it's nothing really. Please stop overreacting. Maybe it's nothing? Something small?" He didn't even sound certain himself.
"I hope you're right."
He winked at me and was about to leave as soon as Mason came.
"I give you two a minute." Keith walked off.
It was just me and Mason.
"So why scare me like that yesterday?", I asked gently.
He sighed.
"I don't know how to tell you this."
I grew impatient with him.
"Mason! You said the exact same thing yesterday on the phone so just spot it out, tell me, I can take it.", I said in an encouraging tone.
He sighed.
"Mason!" I was almost yelling now.
He held my hand tight underneath the table.
"You're scaring me, Mason."
He took a deep breath.
"I got a call.", he said. "I'm leaving for New Zealand tomorrow. And I fell hard for this model. I will never see you again. We might as well call off the wedding."