Breaking the Habit - The Devereaux Case Files, Book 7

Chapter 14

That afternoon, Caleb and Mason arrived home at quarter past four, after a walk home from school. Dicken had shown up for lunch, at the Devereaux household and gone through two hours of training, and a two hour therapy session with Ayah. He had only covered the basics with her, telling her everything he had told his dad that morning. He had been embarrassed about not having left his room for two days. But after just five minutes with his aunt, he felt confident that it had been the right thing for him to do, to give him a chance to process the memories he was dealing with.

For a long time, during his 'therapy' session, Ayah had mostly talked about herself, and how she had coped with her memories. She had told him some things that shocked him, and a lot that made him realize just how strong and amazing she really was. He didn't understand how it had taken him so long to realize

So after a day of intense training and emotional confessions, Dicken had enjoyed the walk to school, to pick up Caleb, Mason and Evaine. He had walked Evaine right to her doorstep, and then brought Caleb and Mason home. But he wasn't the only one to notice that Mason was unusually quiet. The minute he got in the door, he didn't even stop to drop his bag or take his coat off, he just went straight upstairs to his room. "What's wrong?" Ayah asked to room at large, even though she knew that none of the adults could have an answer for her. Even Dicken looked confused and shrugged in reply. It was only Caleb, who looked sad and just as confused, who stepped up and tried to explain.

"I don't know mom. We're having a dance at school in a few weeks and he asked his friend Toby if he wanted to go with him. Toby went really quiet, all his friends started laughing and all day they've been calling Mason names. I don't get it." Caleb confessed, struggling to understand what was wrong with Mason wanting to go to a dance with his best friend. It was only natural, after all. They hung out together all the time, they went everywhere together and Caleb only wished that he had a best friend like Mason had Toby. But then, he figured Mason was his Toby.

"Can you go upstairs please and get changed? You can grab a snack when you come back down." Ayah smiled. He smiled, automatically knowing exactly what that offer meant; he wasn't being asked to do his homework.

"He didn't say a word on the walk home. Neither did Caleb." Dicken admitted awkwardly. He felt guilty because he knew nothing about Mason being upset, and he hadn't sensed the awkward atmosphere between the twins. He had noticed Mason being quiet, but had just thought it was the usual teenage moodiness setting in early. He had been about twelve when it hit him, he wouldn't have been so surprised to learn that Mason was an early bloomer. He was very mature for his age.

"All right, you three get the training ready for the boys and I'll go talk to Mason. I'll let them train first, have their dinner and then do their homework. Once I know what's wrong." Ayah spoke quietly, mostly to herself before leaving the room. Reyes and Reed shared a look with raised eyebrows, and then looked at Dicken, who was blatantly confused by her words.

"It really must be serious." Reed decided, because there had never been one time so far, that Ayah had allowed the boys to do anything before their homework. It was always done before dinner, and then training was allowed, if at all, during the week. She obviously thought that Mason needed the distraction more than he needed to sit down and do his homework. Whatever was going on, it was only something he would tell his mother about.

But Reed knew it was partially his fault that his son was upset. He and Ayah had raised their children in a very open environment, being honest about everything, even if it was painful to say. They didn't keep secrets in their family, and so both boys knew that their uncles Sammy and Seth were just as in love with each other as their parents were with each other. It had never made a difference to them. Now he realized, they should have been more careful.