The Everlasting Effect

Chapter Sixteen: Denara

Three Months later

"Uncle Mase!" Rhys shouts giddily upon spotting Mason outside the ice cream shop and runs up to him.

"Rhys, don't run!" I yell out but obviously ignored. She's like a chihuahua with a bone. Gets excited easily and will only listen when there's something in it for her. Otherwise, she is happily stubborn. She's been begging to see Mason and the rest for a while now, but we prohibited any visits until she recovers. Lord knows she would bounce off the walls with the guys in happiness. Honestly, I didn't need four other children running around.

Thank goodness, we're not crossing a street and that it's one pavement without many people. I can monitor her, and Mason is on the other side. Nothing can go wrong. A mother's nerves, that's all it is, I convince myself in a silent mantra. She's recovered from her surgery, but the doctor however advised for us to monitor her and to take it slow.

She's okay and healthy. Everything will be fine.

I take in a deep breath and watch the interaction. She gives him a leg hug and her brown eyes stare up at him with adoration and a toothless smile. I swear sometimes Rhys gets way too excited with the guys, and then she does with Jamie and me. The fondness between them puts me slightly at ease and some nerves disappear.

I haven't seen Mason since the incident at the hospital and now that I have to face him after months of hiding away; it feels like theirs knots in my stomach that are constantly twisting. My palms are slightly sweaty. I'll just blame it on the chilly weather and being dressed too warmly.

"Sunshine, look at you! You grow taller every time I see you. You're almost my half-size." The amazement in Mason's gruff voice is uncanny, and his brown orbs stare at her in wonder and awe. He picks her up like she weighs nothing and is just another bag of potatoes and spins her around.

Her laugh rings around the neighborhood and is infectious. Looking at the two of them now, I can see the obvious development. Rhys reaches Mason's hips and, considering how tall he is and the rest of the guys, all I can say is that Rhys is going to grow like a spring onion. Their interaction makes me think of Arawn and how this could have been their father-daughter moment. How Danny would behave with her and how Arawn would act in that moment and it's the smallest things that get me thinking.

"Since when did we become chopped liver?" Jamie mutters swollenly to me and a pitch slightly higher than a whisper.

Her shoulders slump in dejection and maybe there's a slight jealously to her undertone. She continues to trail behind me and takes a bit longer to get to the ice cream parlor. I'm pretty sure it's getting Rhys' attention because waiting for Aunt Dearest is taking forever. I bump her shoulders and smile at her to cheer her up. I think my daughter just stole my best friend, but that probably happened a long time ago. She has everyone wrapped around her tiny fingers and dancing to her tunes.

Rhys turns away from Mason and searches for us in the distance and huffs in annoyance. She has a cute little pout on her lips. I can just imagine her next words.

"Mommy, Aunt Jamie hurry. I want chocolate chip ice- cream and you promised!" She emphasizes the words ice- cream to exaggerate her point.

"We're coming, sweetheart!" I say soothingly picking up the pace, ignoring the beautiful scenery of the fall colors. The August weather and rustic scenery of the leaves and trees momentarily relieve my anxiety and taking my mind away from replaying memories. The hospital incident has been on replay on my wind twenty-four seven.

I can never get rid of the feelings that seem to ambush me at my loneliest moments and creep into my head. Arawn's face never left my mind and the disappointment that followed that followed when Mason and Jamie arrived. It's a feeling that I will never forget and will haunt me forever. Part of me agrees that this was for the best, but half knows I could've avoided all of this animosity. Mason and Rhys walk into the ice cream shop ahead of us, and Jamie and I get a booth.