Archer Diaries

Promised Lies

I officially turned an adult today and Maya made it her mission to spoil me with love and food, lots of it. Antoine had told me how excited she gets on birthdays but I took that info for granted until now. She almost threw a party but Antoine managed to convince her with an excuse that I hadn't been here for long so no one really knew me. I was honestly overwhelmed by it all. Memories of Mum flood my mind, memories of those birthdays we shared together where we seemed genuinely happy and like the real normal family we never were. Now all that seems eons ago, like it happened in a previous life where I'd known nothing but happiness and love my entire life. I braved my sorrow for Maya because she is only thing close to a mother that I have now and probably for a long time because I have no idea where my real mother is and if I would ever see her again. Maybe it is for the best for we have caused each other such immense pain. One that can't be easily erased from the mind. Happy Birthday to you, Mason.

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The memory of seeing her look so flabbergasted when she laid eyes on him brought a smile to his face. It had taken everything in him not to give in to the smirk that was itching to spread across his face at her expression then. That jerk of a husband had failed to notice his wife's sudden change in demenour but then again what did one expect from a self absorbed fool like him. He sighed and sunk lower into his cream coloured couch staring blankly at the flashing images on his flat screen tv. The blaring from his phone brought him out of his trance. He looked at the screen to see it was Gary, his supposed new boss.

"Hello!" he answered.

"Hey, Mason." the older man begun cheerfully, "How was your meeting?"

"It was good. He is interested in the proposal"

He chuckled, "Of course he is! That bastard's greedy as hell. We can discuss more over dinner tonight?"

"Sure! What time?"

"7 at Louvent"

"Okay, see you then!" He hung up and threw his phone next to him. He flickered through channels for a short while before getting fed up and turning off the tv. He stalked of to the kitchen to grab an apple from his fridge. As he munched into it, he became consciously aware of how awfully quiet it was. How rich folks handled solitude was beyond him but that was the life he had to live now as Leo Garcia, the rich young finance wiz who lived in the high ends of Cumberland, a place which was figuratively miles and miles away from his old home on Barnes Street. He finished his apple and tossed the rest into the trash can. He then made his way to his room to get ready for dinner with Gary Young.

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Dinner with Gary had been great. Jorge had been right about him. He was such a pleasant fellow that it was quite hard to imagine him in the shrewd business of money laundering, the very same business that led Mason to him, thanks to Jorge. It was this business deal that Gary had him pitch to Rodrick Hawthorne. The man was already involved in other illegal businesses so this deal was just another money earning venture for him, a very lucrative one at that.  He was driving and had stopped at a red light before checking the time on his dash board only realise it was 9:50pm already. He swore softly and took the road that led out of town, to the cliff praying she would be there.

And there she was, lying on a blanket with her eyes shut and headphones on. She looked so peaceful, it warmed his heart. He suddenly found himself next to her reaching out to remove the stray hair away from her face when her eyes fluttered open. He watched as surprise gleamed in her dark brown orbs making her jolt up immediately and push a bit further away from him. That move pained his heart but he made sure not to show it so instead he smiled.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you" he apologised as he stood up and distanced himself away from her painfully. He knew she wasn't used to his presence yet so he had to take his sweet time to woo her. That required patience, one virtue he had a hard time possessing.

She stood up with her eyes trained on him unable to form words out of her mouth. She had waited for him with the intention of asking him a lot of questions but now that he was here, her brain was in a mess.

In the end all she could say was "You've changed a lot!" He gave a hearty laugh which had her face scrunch up in a frown, "What's so fuuny?"

"You! After four years and all I get is 'you've changed a lot?'"

She crossed her arms across her chest feeling slightly annoyed that he found her disoriented state funny. " What were you expecting?"

"An hello would suffice though I was actually hoping for a hug and perhaps a kiss...?"

The humour in his voice caused her hardened stance to cripple and she offered him a genuine smile for the first time, "Well all you had to do was ask!"

"Really! Then I'm asking now!"

"Too late, sorry!" They burst into laughter and after they calmed down, it got awkward again.

"It really great to see you again, Robyn" Mason said

"Same here though it's quite strange it had to be in my husband's office. What were you doing there anyway?"

"Business related"

"What business, Mason?" she noticed the sudden change in his mood at the mention of Rick but she was too curious to pay any attention to it.

"I'm not at liberty to say, sorry"

She scoffed in annoyance, "Do not give me that BS! You disappear for years and suddenly return as a rich businessman in cohorts with Rick. You even changed your name for God's sake. What happened to you, Mason because I'm pretty sure whatever you're up to is no good."

"Robyn..." he begun closing the distance between them.

"Don't you dare lie to me"

"I'm not but I can't tell you anything now either." He now stood right in front of her forcing her to look up. He saw the sadness etched in her eyes and it broke his heart. Against his better judgement, he reached out and gently brush the side of her face gliding his hand down slowly. She tensed at the contact but didn't move away this time.

"You have no idea how much I missed you. I never stopped thinking about you, you know. The first few months were unbearable but the thought of seeing you again, having a moment like this right here with you is what kept me alive and sane. Granted I did not live a saint's life when I left however all that matters now is that I'm here... to make good on that promise..."

She stared at his face breath hitched and emotionally jumbled inside. He just had to say these words to confuse her all over again. With how close they were, she could feel the heat enamating from his body. She already knew he had changed however his physical change was now consciously tainting her senses. He had been taller than her when they first met but he had definitely grown a few inches more. His lanky body was now replaced with a well muscled one which that to be attained from working out frequently. His face had enhanced its previous features, his dark brows were bushy, a slightly crooked nose, fuller lips and what had once been a smooth face had a few hairs sticking out. From where she stood, she caught sight of a few hairs gracing his chest. The only thing that remained the same was his eyes which revealed strong feelings towards her. He indeed had returned a man to her, a man who was slowly getting under her skin and not in a bad way at all. As hard as it was, she pulled away from him taking slow deep breaths.

"You're not the same man I used to know, Mason. As harsh as this may sound, you were broken before you left and unless you recieved therapy while you were away. I don't think you're completely healed from your past and it scares me to think of all the things you may have done to get to where you are now. For that reason, I don't think I can trust you at least not until you come clean and tell me what really you are up to especially with Rick."

She grabbed her blanket from the where it laid and walked over to her car. Mason watched silently as she sat inside and drove off. His heart clenched in his chest out of despair. She was right, he was still broken and for the first time in a long time, he gave into his tears.

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