Betrayal and Moving On

Fight for His Love

When the cab stopped in front of Mom's house, I paid him and got out and walked inside.

"Mason?"

Mom came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel.

"Isn't Alex staying for Sunday dinner?" she asked.

"No, Mom."

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

She walked up to me and touched my eye. "What happened to your face?"

"We saw Dale at the golf course."

"Dale hit you?" she gasped. "I knew he was a jerk, but I didn't think he'd get physical with you."

"No, not on purpose. He was trying to hit Alex and I got in the way. They got into a huge fight. It was awful."

She took my hand and I followed her to the living room and sat down on the couch with her.

"Alex just dropped you off and left?"

"I took a cab home. I left Alex there at the golf course. I told him I couldn't see him anymore."

"But why, Mason? I thought you two were becoming close?"

"He loves me. But I don't deserve it. I don't deserve him."

Mom pulled me to her shoulder and held me in her arms and I burst into tears.

"Why would you say such a thing?" she asked.

"Because," I cried.

My cell phone started to ring and I pulled it out of my pocket. The screen showed 'Alex Garcia' with a picture of his happy, smiling face. I tapped ignore to send it to voice mail and cried harder. Mom pulled my head down to her lap and she slowly stroked my hair and my arm.

Mom sighed and quietly spoke. "When your dad and I split up, I wondered for so long what I did wrong. What I could have done differently or done better. I wondered what it was about me that was so awful that he would cheat on me left and right, then abandon me. Abandon his baby boy."

"You didn't do anything wrong," I sniffled. "You're the best mom ever."

"I know that now. Just like I know that you didn't do anything wrong. You can't beat yourself up. Dale's cheating is his problem, not yours."

"I guess so."

"I know so. You said Alex loves you. Do you love him?"

"Yes. I love him."

"So you've been given a second chance at love. Why would you throw that away?"

"I was so hurtful to him. I told him that I didn't love him."

"Maybe you should call him and tell him you're sorry."

I sat up and nodded and picked up my phone. I listened to the voice mail message from Alex: 'Mason, it's me. Baby, I know you're upset. But I'm not gonna give you up without a fight.'

My hand hovered over the 'Call Back' button. I couldn't press it.

When the doorbell rang, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"I wonder who that could be?" Mom asked as she pushed me up to my feet.

I wiped my face with my hands as I walked to the door. I opened it to see Alex standing on my porch holding Aiden. Alex looked absolutely pitiful. His eyes were red and puffy and his face was bruised.

"Aiden wanted to see you," he said. His voice was rough and scratchy. "You're not gonna turn him away, are you?"

Alex held up Aiden under the armpits and pushed him towards me. Aiden looked at me with his big doe eyes. "Mason," he said. "Daddy sad."