For Mason, it felt like decades for morning to come to him; every tick of the clock, the silence of midnight, and the hours passing by did nothing but add more to his anxiety.
At daybreak, Mason showered and prepared for the journey ahead. He called Vivian and told her to oversee the company for him until he arrived.
He also told her to try by all means to get his necklace from Layla, as going to her company would only cause problems since he'd made the public focus on the company. And the public seeing both of them together elsewhere spells doom for him.
Mason made his way to the airport thereafter. And soon he arrived at the town he'd once lived in before. Everything has changed; some streets have been demolished and rebuilt. He's been gone for only two years, but it felt like decades. When he got to Shoko's shop, he learned the man had relocated, and no one knew his location.
Nevertheless, he continued downtown toward the bridge that had not only served as a way for him to get home, but also a place where he'd made so many memories. A fleeting sense of nostalgia washed over him as he walked on the bridge toward the other side.
Of course, he had a nose mask on his face; he wouldn't want to draw attention after he'd exposed his identity to the world. As he walked the street to his… former home? Or always his home? He heard news of him on the neighboring house's radio.
No doubt, every channel was already speaking of him. How would his mother react when she saw the news? Mason imagined many scenarios in his head of the different types of expressions she had. His family's faces are still vivid in his mind, even though he had no photo of them.
When he got to the front of the house, a feeling of sadness and happiness engulfed him, each emotion struggling to dominate his mind. Tears trickled down his face.
Finally, he's home. Away from the stress, from his struggle, from the hallucinations he'd had the previous night.
Just as he was about to take a step forward, the door opened and Nana appeared. Mason could see tears forming in her eyes as she called his name. Her hair has grown long, almost reaching her waist. She'd developed a feminine feature most ladies could only pray for.
The siblings only stared at each other for a full minute, and when Mason was certain Nana had entered her puzzled state, he broke the silence.
"Hi Nana," he said, though it sounded awkward, Mason couldn't think of any other way to start a conversation with his sister, who definitely must still despise him.
"Mason!?" a voice came from behind her.
He raised his head and gasped.
"Mom?"
Mrs. Robinson rushed toward him and hugged him, tears pouring down her face.
"My son, is this really you?" she said. "I can't believe I'm seeing you again."
Relief washed over Mason. He'd thought Mrs. Robinson would go bananas when she saw him. However, his relief was short-lived, as a sounding slap landed across his face, causing him to stagger two steps backward.
"How could you leave without telling me?" Mrs. Robinson shouted, her anger now visible amidst her tears. "Do you think you can replace yourself with a letter? Do you think I wouldn't let you leave if you told me?"
Tears streamed down Mason's face. Not because of his mother's words but because of the slap. It was so painful. He'd never recalled her slapping him like that before, or perhaps because he'd never been hit in the past two years.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he muttered, keeping a close watch on her hands in case they move funny. He never wanted to be caught off guard by such a slap again. Never!
Mrs. Robinson moved forward and pulled him into her embrace. Mason felt her warmth, and he cried. This must be it! What most children crave and go crazy for: the touch of love from their mother.
"I miss you, my son."
"I miss you, too, Mom. I really do."
"Mason?"
Mr. Robinson, who's just coming out of the house, saw his wife hugging someone familiar. His first instinct screamed Mason's name. Sure enough, his guess was proven right, and his eyes widened. He rushed toward Mason, who was just pulling back from his mother, and he hugged him.
Mason was dumbfounded. He never expected him to show him such emotions or courtesy. He still remembered vividly how he'd disliked him then, and told him to keep away from Nana. It was like a dream to him.
Mason's hands moved on their own and wrapped around the man. A smile forced out of his lips as he thought to himself, I'm finally home. Sweet home.
"Come inside, Mason," Mr. Robinson said as he pulled away and gestured to him. "We have so much to discuss."
Mason nodded and moved toward the door. As he was about to reach the door, Nana, who was still standing there, turned away and ran off. Mason felt his heart ache. He wanted to run after her. He wanted to hug her, but he couldn't do that just yet. Not until he spoke with his parents first.
As he entered the house, he assured himself he would see her. He must. He'd hurt her, and he must make up for it.
Everything still looked the same in the house, and the pictures he took with his family still hung on the walls. His and Nana's childhood pictures, his first birthday in the house, first time at the amusement park, and photos he and she took in school uniforms.
At the other corner of the room were the picture frames of their graduation day. The day has long been forgotten as he'd put everything behind him.
Happiness settled over him as the thought of still having a place in the family came to him. He was happy there was a place he could finally return to. He sat on the couch for a complete five minutes, as though he was in a staring competition. No word was uttered, no questions asked.
It was difficult to start a conversation, and Mason felt every second wasted was hurting Nana.
"Should we talk about this later?" he asked, and as if that's what his parents had been expecting, they nodded in concurrence. "Then I should go see my sister. Excuse me, please."
He rose up and rushed out in the blink of an eye. When he got outside, he looked around for her. If she were still the same sister he had always known, there was no other place she could be if not her father's workshop. Mason rushed there. The clocks have changed through time; new models have replaced the old ones.
Mason looked around the workshop, and when he didn't see her, he walked toward the door ahead, a place that used to be his room. He wondered what resided there now. As he pressed down the handle, he pushed, but the door wouldn't budge. He knew it. Nana was within; he could feel her.
"Open the door, Nana," said Mason, as gently as he could. "Let's talk, please."
There was no answer, not even a drop of a needle or a footstep. But he knew she was in there.
"Nana, please. I know I've offended you, just give me a chance to explain," Mason continued, knocking on the door persistently. But it's all silence after silence.
Mason collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. He leaned against the wall beside the door, his head slumped forward.
It was then that the door jammed open, and Nana's worried face emerged. Her eyes lit in terror as she beheld Mason on the ground, holding his chest.
"Mason, are you okay?" she asked as she knelt down beside him. She held his face in her hand, scanning his eyes.
Mason shook his head slowly and weakly.
"I'm not okay," he replied.
"What's wrong with you?" Nana insisted.
"I missed you, Nana," Mason replied. He met her gaze, and tears showered down his face. "I really missed you."
Nana stood up, realizing his trick to bring her to open the door. She turned to leave, but Mason briskly rose up and held her hand. She yanked it off and returned inside. Mason followed. This time, he pulled her back and hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Nana. I can serve any punishment you want me to, but please don't do this to me. I can't bear this silent treatment."
Nana tried to push him away, but she couldn't; all she could do now was cry. She hit his back with her fist several times. But there was a limit to her anger.
"How could you tell me not to expect you? How could you tell me to move on without you?" she said amidst sobbing. "You're so cruel, Mason."
"Trust me, I regret it every single day," Mason replied. "Can you still forgive me?"
They cried for some time, and Nana finally leaned back. She'd stopped crying. She wiped Mason's tears and hugged him tightly.
Nothing in the world could sever the bond between two siblings in love!