Be My Friend

Chapter 45: Cherry Wine

Heavy footsteps approach the door and someone rips it open. There she was, with false bleach blonde hair tied back into messy bun atop her head and a splotch of flower on the pocket of her baking apron.

"Mason! It's about time, I was worried you weren't going to show up." She grabs me and holds me in a bone crushing hug and I was sure that I could've broke a rib.

"Mother," I wheeze out, "I need some air."

"Oh, quit being over-dramatic." She grins from ear to ear and for a moment I'm reminded of the Cheshire Cat. Her eyes trail over to the figure standing patiently with a red bottle of wine, or Chateau Lafite as Alex had pronounced on the way here. I didn't know that much about wine but he insisted it was very old and wanted my mother to have the gift. "And who's this? Is this the person you wanted me to meet?" She asks and her eyes sparkle with curiosity and something else I couldn't place my finger on.

A sudden cotton wells itself up into my throat and feels almost as if it was choking me. "I-um. Well, mom, t-this..." I try and get out. I take a visible deep breath to try and work up the courage. I didn't care if it looked like I was going to pass out, this was something I needed to get out in the open. "This is my b-boyfriend, Alex." I finally say aloud after many moments.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Walker." Alex says deeply and bows slightly after awaiting my introduction.

Her expression goes from shock into something unreadable. The expressions change just as fast as my stomach was turning while waiting for an answer. "Oh." She says finally and I let out a breath. She spaces out for a moment. "Oh." She says again as if just realizing something.

"Well, it doesn't matter who you bring into my home, as long as you take off your shoes and like pie then I don't really care." She waves her hand and motions us inside. A breath of relief expels itself from my lungs and a feeling of relaxation washes over me.

"Right, pie. You're making pie." I step inside and Alex dips a little in order to not hit his head off the frame of the door. The waft of pastry baking and food cooking hits my nose and I breath in the sweet smell of it. I remember mom would always be baking even in the early hours of the morning. If I wasn't asleep then I'd sneak downstairs and silently sit at the table to patiently wait to test the sugary goodness.

"Make yourself at home, Alex. I'm sure Mason wouldn't mind giving a tour of the place. I gotta go check on my pastries but I'm sure your brothers will keep you busy." She says and twist her hands together slightly as if wanting to say something else but decided against it.

"That went better than I anticipated." I remark once I see her disappear into the kitchen. I expected some shouting, some shunning, kicking me out maybe, or even a look of disappointment? But I hadn't expected acceptance so quickly. I didn't actually know if it was acceptance, it was hard to read her sometimes.

"Mason Walker, is that you I hear little brother?" A voice comes from down the hallway and in the living room. I inwardly cringe as a figure appears in the hallway and he doesn't look that much different from the last time I saw him, minus the beard which was new, he had the same sense of style. Blue jeans paired with a white and red Canadian tee plus a beanie holding back a mass of thick brown curls.

"I'm not your little brother, Andy. You're my little brother. Not the other way around." I snap back and narrow my eyes. He couldn't care less for my remarks but instead engulfs me in the same bone-crushing hug mom had given me. Instead of attempting to hug back I just let my arms hang at my sides awkwardly, but as if he cared any.

"You're looking good, pal." He claps me on the shoulder and I wince. "Did you get taller?" He asks, but his focus is elsewhere. Oh, yeah, perhaps it was on the 7ft tall stranger currently trying to remove his shoes in the tight hallway space we had. I notice in the corner of my eye his elbow bumps the lamp in the corner and it goes sideways unknowingly. He pauses, turns and corrects the lampshade to its rightful place. My lips twitch.

I grab my shoulder. "Did you get stronger?" I ask and twist my face into a grimace. That was probably going to leave a mark. He knows I bruise easily.