She smiled up at him, "Oh yes! They came in this morning, they're so happy aren't they? I always feel like they’re smiling at me when I look at them."
Mason nodded and took his mother's hand to help her step down from the small lip of the window display. She walked around him wiping her hands on her apron as she moved over to the counter. "So what brings you by dear?" she paused looking at her computer then back to him, "Not that you need a reason, but this is an unexpected visit. Especially after you yelled at me yesterday morning."
No one, absolutely no one could make Mason feel guilty like his mother. He walked around the counter and leaned against it watching her as she scrolled through the first orders of the day.
"Well I actually came by to apologize to you." and that comment automatically brought Lena to mind and her horrible attempt of an apology. Pushing her from his thoughts, for the moment, he heard his mother say, "Oh you did, did you?”
"Yep." Mason smiled as she turned to face him and leaned her waist against the counter in a pose that mirrored his. She reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear.
"And what are you apologizing to me for son? Yelling at me or hanging up on me?"
Mason grinned and shook his head, "I did not yell at you."
"This does not sound like a good apology to me." she said in a sing song voice.
"Alright, alright." Mason chuckled, "I apologize for yelling at you and hanging up on you."
She reached up and patted his cheek, "That's quiet alright son. Obviously something had you quite upset."
"Yes at the time I was upset but I’ve since come to terms with it." Thinking with a chuckle of Lena as the it, in question.
"Well good! I'm glad to hear it. I just hate when my boy is upset." Turning she walked back down the aisle he’d come in from. He grabbed his keys and followed her stopping by the bright yellow sunflowers. She turned to beam at him. "See? Don't you feel like they just smile at you?"
Mason swung his keys around his fingers. "Yeah mom they do. I still don't know why you order so many. Don't people usually by them one at a time?"
He watched as his mom twirled one in her hand, "Yes usually. I have one customer who buys one everyday."
Mason felt his eyebrows rise, "Really? Everyday?"
His mother smiled then looked up at him, "Yes dear, everyday."
"Wow. I wonder who they’re for?"
His mother smiled softly and reached out to touch his cheek, "It's not my job to ask son. I just make sure I have what’s needed."
Mason nodded understanding his mother, in some ways, was like a confessional and counselor of sorts. Someone that people went to when they wanted their happiness celebrated, their guilt assuaged, or their grief expressed. She touched more people in a day then he did in a week. She was a wonderful person and he knew he was lucky as hell to have her.
"Well I just wanted to come by and say sorry for being a jerk and that I love you."
She smiled, reached out and squeezed his hand. "Well thank you for that son. I love you to." she paused and smiled widely, "Even when you're being a jerk."
Lena sat staring at the files in front of her. It’d just turned 3pm and she’d been busy all morning. She had patient after patient and hadn’t been able to stop and eat let alone think. She’d worked on a five year old boy today with a piece of chalk wedged in his right ear and extracting it hadn’t been pleasant for anyone in the room, including Lena who had felt horrible for the child who’d started screaming the minute he saw the long pair of stainless steel scissors going toward his ear. Lena grimaced remembering the crying child, the worried mother and her own immense headache. It’d felt like hours, but in fact had been twenty excruciating minutes. However, the day had finally slowed down and she’d got a break in her schedule before the last few patients of her shift and as she sat at her desk her mind wandered to Mason Langley. She hated to admit it but last night, after the frustrating and humiliating turn of events, she had gone home and Goggled him. She now wished she hadn't. She knew everything from what his favorite color was, which was sky blue, to how many women this year he’d dated, which was a staggering thirty three and it wasn't even mid May yet! How could one man have the energy to date that many women? Let alone sleep with them? Then, of course, her mind started wondering to Mason in bed and Lena doubted when he was there he did any sleeping. Groaning to herself she dropped her head onto her arms and thought, why on earth had I agreed to this? Then she reminded herself, oh that's right he suckered me into it with his manipulating words and his damn dimples.
Lena had also found out that he’d grown up right here in Chicago and had decided he’d wanted to open a restaurant from a young age where his family and friends could relax and ‘hang out’. He’d entered the local Culinary Institute and got his degree then went and spent one year in France interning with some of the great chefs of the country. Returning state side he’d located an old rundown warehouse and had it renovated and transformed into Exquisite. The doors to his restaurant had opened 13 months earlier and it’d been an instant hit with the town. A feel good story of hometown boy makes good. Again Lena found herself sighing. She sat back in her chair and stared at the phone. She’d contemplated calling the restaurant and canceling all day but had stopped herself at the last minute, she didn't want to appear to be a coward and in his own way he’d issued a dare of sorts to turn up or he’d come find her. She stood up and was about to go down to the cafeteria when Shelly knocked on her door.
"Oh are you on your way out?"
Lena shook her head, "I'm just going to get something to eat."
Shelly looked at her watch. "I can come with. My schedule’s been cleared for the afternoon."
Lena nodded and started walking with her to the elevator, "What? People don't need to breathe today?" It was a standard joke between her and the Pulmonologist.
"Yes they do. But right now I need to eat," She paused then winked at Lena, "And gossip."
"I knew it." Lena groaned as the got in the elevator.
"So you are going tonight right?" Shelly probed.
"Of course I'm going. He threatened to come down and get me if I didn't." Lena grumbled.
"Hmmm. I'm not sure that would be a bad thing Lena. I think I’d let that man drag me anywhere he wanted to."
Lena rested her head on the back wall. "The man is infuriating."
"He's gorgeous."
"He's frustrating."
"He's charming."
Lena rolled her head against the wall to glare at her friend. "He is a serial womanizer. I don't need this." The elevator pinged and the doors slid open. They got off and walked into the cafeteria.
"You don't need what? A date with a good looking man?"
Lena picked up a tray showed her badge then moved with Shelly down the aisle. She picked up a ham and turkey sandwich. "I don't need a distraction, a complication."
Picking up a bottle of apple juice Shelly stated. "What you’re really saying is you don't need emotional distractions, but Lena honey? I’ve never met anyone who needs it more.”
She paused and picked up a granola bar and kept moving. Lena looked at Shelly’s tray. "That's all you're eating?"
Shelly nodded, "I ate a sandwich earlier. Don't change the subject. You’ve been really bad lately, even for you. Late in the mornings. I know you aren't sleeping for shit and I don't think even you can remember the last time you had fun or sex."
Lena's head whipped around to her friend. "Who said anything about sex?"
Shelly laughed, "Lena, did you see that man? It didn't need to be spoken it was implied the minute he smiled and those sexy ass dimples appeared."