Masks and Underwear

Chapter 12

"Co-what now?" Jonah asked, slightly flabbergasted. "You heard me" Dean smirked. "The paperwork is at our office, come on". Jonah followed him, asking a dozen questions but getting no response whatsoever. He groaned, making Dean chuckle, as they walked into their office space. "Paperwork is on your desk" the man stated, pointing at Jonah's spot.

Jonah frowned, walking over to his desk, inspecting the papers. "If you sign, you'll be still my assistant but also a bit more" Dean started to explain. "I'll stay head of the company while you'll become my second in command, sort of. You'll be giving me advise and substitute whenever I am unable to attend. You're also getting a pay raise, of course"

Jonah stared from the papers to Dean and back to the papers. "A-are you for real?" the teen gasped. "All I did was go to a meeting". "You've lead my board meeting like you've never done anything else in your entire life" Dean stated. "I've seen the footage, you were amazing Jonah!". "Told you I'm pretty smart..." the boy muttered, still not believing a single thing.

"Just sign here, here and here and everything will be fine" Dean smiled, pointing at some blank spots. "B-but I'm a minor. H-how-?". "My lawyers handled it" he shrugged, waving it off. "I've also got permission from your mother so everything is fine". "M-my mother..." Jonah whispered.

He hadn't really seen her since he started working here, which was already a bit over a month ago. Of course he had called her and spoken to her doctors but he hadn't actually visited her or something like that. He'd been busy with, well, everything... He really should make time to see her.

"It's completely legal" Dean stated, pulling him out of thought. "So what do you say huh? Wanna run this place with me?". Dean walked up behind Jonah, slowly wrapping his arms around him, placing his head on the teen's shoulder. "Why do I feel like you'd just ditch your responsibilities and make me do all the work?" Jonah asked with a small smile. Jonah expected him to protest, to shout out how much that hurt him and overreact like the drama queen he really was. But boy he was wrong...

"I'll just have to make it up to you another way then~" Dean whispered seductively into his ear. He started placing kisses in Jonah's neck, trailing along his jawline and lowering his hands on him. "N-not here! W-we're at work!" Jonah blushed, pushing him away immediately. Dean rolled his eyes, handing Jonah a pen. "Just sign you dork"

"Could I take this weekend off?". Dean looked up to see Jonah standing in front of his desk, fidgeting with the ends of his sleeves. He was nervous to ask him that question. Dean noticed he started acting differently since Wednesday when he signed his new contract. Today was Friday and he had been acting off all day.

"Why?" Dean asked, crossing his arms. "I-I have right for vacation?" he said, but it came out as a question. "A-and I've got a big test coming up?". Again, no statement but a question. Dean frowned, seeing right through Jonah's lies. "And now the truth" the man demanded, staring into the kid's eyes. "I-I just need to go somewhere" Jonah muttered, his fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt.

"What's the big secret all about? I can't know what your plans are?" Dean asked, tilting his head. "I-I uh..."Jonah whispered, looking at the ground. Dean knew Jonah couldn't keep a secret for long, surely not from him. So why wasn't he telling him? What was so important even Dean couldn't know about it?

"I-I'm going to visit m-my mom this weekend" Jonah whispered, glancing at Dean a bit uncertain. "I-if that's okay with you, of course". "Why didn't you just say so?" Dean asked confused. "W-well she uhm has a problem with her memory, a-a side effect f-from her c-condition, you see, a-and if you were t-to leave her f-for a month and c-come back she won't r-recognize you a-anymore..."

By now Jonah had started crying and Dean shot up from his chair, hugging the boy. "What if she doesn't know who I am anymore?" Jonah cried out. Dean didn't answer, he just kept stroking the smaller boy's back, trying to get him to stop crying. "M-my mom might not recognize me anymore..." he cried, holding on tight to Dean.

"Of course she will, you're her son, she will always remember you" Dean stated, fake confidence filled his voice. Not that Jonah noticed. "Y-you really think so?". "I know so" Dean smiled. It was a lie but it was what Jonah needed to hear at this moment. Dean didn't even think Jonah noticed and just smiled back. "T-thank you"

Jonah took a deep breath as he stared at the building in front of him. Today he was going to see his mom for the very first time after she was taken here... "It'll be fine!" Dean shouted from in the car, the window rolled down. "Sure you don't want me to tag along?". "T-this is something I have to do on my own" Jonah stated. "Alright, call me when you're done" Dean shrugged, driving off.

Another long sigh. Come on, you can do this Jonah thought. She's your mom, she won't harm you... Jonah walked into the building, biting his lip nervously as he got to the front desk. "How can I help you?" a young man asked, this was probably his weekend work while he was in college or something. "I-I'm looking for Erica Adams" Jonah said with a slight stutter. "I-I'm her son, I have an appointment"

He started typing on his computer, scrolling through some things, a few clicks here and there. "Jonah Adams?". "That's me" Jonah smiled. "Alright, room 308, third floor, down the hall" the guy stated. "Thank you" Jonah sighed and started making his way up there. It felt like the longest 10 minutes of his life just walking up to her door.

She's your mother! What are you so afraid of?! He shook his head and just opened the door before he could change his mind. There she was, Jonah's mom, playing chess with a nurse. "Oh, Erica, looks like you've got yourself a visitor" the nurse smiled, signing the boy to come in. "I told you about him yesterday, did you remember?". "Yes, you told me someone wanted to see me" she said with a small smile. S-she actually remembered that..?

"I'll leave you two alone" the nurse said with a soft smile before leaving. Jonah sighed and went to sit down in front of his mom, continuing the game of chess. "So uhm how are you feeling?". "Good" his mom answered, making her move. "I-I didn't know you could play chess" Jonah said with a nervous smile. "Well, there's a lot you don't know about me son" she laughed.

"Y-you know who I am?" Jonah asked with a wide smile. "Of course I do! You're my son!" she exclaimed. "Ever since I've been here, my memories have been crawling back into my head on their own pace. The treatment hurts, but it's worth it". "I-I'm so glad" Jonah forced out, trying not to break into tears. His mom was getting better! This was really happening!

"Check mate" she stated, looking into her son's eyes. "It isn't your fault though, Clarissa put you in a tough spot. She's really bad at this game". Jonah chuckled. It was true though, he basically lost before he even started. "Why don't you tell me about how you've been?" she asked. "Where do I start?" Jonah laughed. "Why don't you start by telling me how you're able to afford this place?". Jonah bit his lip and let out a nervous chuckle.

"Well, remember that job interview?"