No Regrets {#Wattys2016}

~Day 10~

Song~ Demons by Imagine Dragons

***

"Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises though," I grumble.

"You'll like this surprise...I hope," Mason responds while starting the ignition.

I watch as he takes several back roads. The gorgeous red and yellow hues of the autumn leaves contrast the bright blue afternoon sky creating the perfect scene. The houses begin to distance themselves from each other and are soon replaced by lumbering trees.

We finally turn onto an empty road. A rusty black iron gate is open allowing us to go further down. A sign off to the side informs me we are at the Augusta cemetery. I turn to look at Mason with soft eyes. He keeps his gaze directed to the road. He finally stops the car at a row of graves.

I stand beside him and extend my hand. He grasps it tightly and leads me to a small grave. A bouquet of flowers are placed at the foot of the headstone.

In memory of Emilia Barnett. Beloved wife & mother. Love makes memory eternal. 1978-2014

A small dove is engraved into the stone below the dates.

"Mom, I want you to meet Vivian. She's the girl I was telling you about the last time I was here." He turns to me and gestures towards the gravestone. "Vivian, this is my mother, Emilia."

"Aw Mason," is all I can manage to say. All the words I want to express get caught in my throat.

He looks at me with blurry eyes. "I wanted the two women in my life who have impacted me the most to meet."

I reach up on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck. After a moment I pull back and turn to the stone.

"Hello Mrs. Barnett, I'm Vivian. Mason has told me so much about you. All good thing, I promise." I smile and sit down. Mason follows and sits beside me.

"Did you bring her these?" I ask picking up the decaying flowers.

"Yes, last time I visited her which was only a few days ago. I try and come as often as I can."

My heart skips a beat. "She's lucky to have such a loving son."

"She died so young," he says. A tear rolls down his cheek. I wrap my arms around his neck and soothingly rub his back. He buries his face into my hair and squeezes gently.

He takes a deep breath and pulls back. "The other reason I took you here was because I want to tell you everything. Yesterday, I got you to face your fears and it put you in the hospital. For that, I'll never be able to forgive myself. But, now I have to face my fear of letting people in."

"It's okay. Take your time. I'm listening. No matter what I'm here for you," I say in a gentle voice.

"My mom got pregnant at 18. She was a recent high school graduate and was about to go to college, but instead got me. My father was and still is a drug addict. My mom met him in high school, even though he was a couple years older, and was drawn to him. Why? I'll never know. When he found out she was pregnant, he insisted they got married. Now you must be thinking he genuinely cared. No. The asshole only wanted the child support checks parents receive monthly to help their child. Instead of raising the child, he used the money to buy and deal drugs. Once I was born, my mother was left alone to raise me. Within a year, she got pregnant again this time with my sister. Another cheque rolled in and my father had double the amount he did before. This went on for a long time, until the police came and informed us he was caught and found guilty of possession and dealing of narcotics. He was sent to jail for 2 years. When he was released, he was sent to meetings to help his addiction and it worked...for a while. A few years ago he was found driving high by a police officer. They searched his vehicle and found large quantities of various drugs in his trunk. He was sent back and to this day is still in jail."