"Mason!!!!"
Nana's voice boomed into the room the second time. Mason adjusted his pillow and rolled to lie on his chest.
Just like old times, Nana had woken up at 6 a.m. and was standing in front of Mason's door. Her voice, though, now has a melodic tone that soothes the soul, however, its persistence made it annoying to the ear.
"¡Let me sleep!!" Mason shouted when the voice came the third time. He rolled on his back and glared toward the door, as if he could see Nana through the wood.
Just then, his phone rang and he stretched to pick it up from the drawer beside his bed. He tilted the phone to see the caller's ID.
"Vivian? Why's she calling me at this time of the day?" he whispered to himself before swiping it and raising it to his ear. "Hey Vivian, what's up?"
The word he heard sent liquid fire up his torso. Despite the morning cold, an inexplicable heat washed over his body, making his eyes bulge out in what could be best describe as anger and fear.
"What did you just say?" he pressed, but the words he heard didn't change. He stepped down from his bed and threw on the clothes he had worn the previous day. His hands trembled as he reached for the door and opened it.
"Go and prepare, Nana. We're leaving now," he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion, brooking no refusal and discussion.
For a moment, Nana was dumbfounded. But she wasted no time and rushed back to the main residence. At least he told her this time, she thought to herself. He didn't leave without telling her as he did years back. But why did he tell her to go and prepare so suddenly?
Nana halted in front of the door and smiled. I'm going with him? Does he really want to take me along? She blushed and opened the door. Her mother was already setting the dining table for breakfast.
"Mom, Mason seemed to be leaving this morning, and I'm going with him," she announced, and without waiting for her response, she rushed to her room to pack up.
Mr. Robinson, who was sitting in the dark corner of the room, unbeknownst to Nana, raised an eyebrow and leaned into the light to give his wife a questioning gaze.
"We both heard her, no need to give me that look," Mrs. Robinson replied to his gaze. "You'd better let her leave if you don't want to have another depressed daughter on a sick bed."
"That's not what I'm thinking," Mr. Robinson clarified.
"Then what?"
"He said his birthday is tomorrow. Why the hell is he leaving now?"
Mrs. Robinson's eyes widened as the realization hit like a blow. Her mouth slightly opened to speak, but her question died in her mouth. And just then, Mason entered the house. He scanned the faces of his parents, and he could read the curiosity on them.
"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad. But I have to leave, an urgent matter has arisen which I must solve as soon as possible," he said, keeping the nature of the issue to himself. "I really wish to spend my birthday here with you, I'm so so–"
"It's alright, Mason, we understand," Mr. Robinson cut in. "For you to have to leave urgently, I'm sure it's something you can't ignore."
Mason's face fell to the ground in sadness and disappointment.
"Look at me, Mason," Mrs. Robinson chimed in. "I'm proud of who you've become. You survived on your own in this harsh world, I'm really proud. Go on, okay? We'll wait for you to come visit us again."
"Take care of your sister. I know I don't need to tell you that, but–"
"Don't worry, Dad," Mason said, cutting him off. "I'm not only going to take care of her, I'm also going to make her rich."
Mr. Robinson stood up from his seat and ambled toward Mason. As he approached him, he pulled him into a gentle hug. "Thank you, Mason, and I'm sorry. I hope it's not too late," he whispered into his ear.
"No. Thank you, Daddy," Mason whispered back before disengaging. The father and son shared a smile before turning around at the strange noise behind. It was Nana, it was as though she were transporting the whole world in her traveling box.
"What the hell are you carrying, Nana?" Mrs. Robinson grumbled. "Are you not coming here again?"
"Of course I am," Nana said. "What's wrong with carrying a box with a few of my belongings?"
"Did you say a few? Nana, you call this few?" Mr. Robinson queried, his expression etched with amusement. "What if you want to take all of your stuff? I bet you'd have loaded them in a trunk."
"I'll be waiting outside," Mason, uninterested in the ongoing banter, said, and went out after saying, "I won't wait for long, Nana. If you get outside and don't find me, just know I'm gone."
Nana dragged her fully loaded and heavy box inside and removed some of her belongings that she considered might be less important. Though the decision was difficult, she wouldn't have been able to do it if not for her mother.
Finally, her box was lighter than earlier. She was set to leave. She dragged her box outside and saw Mason at the side of the road. Beside him stood Raymond, carrying a box and a backpack.
"What's going on?" Mrs. Robinson's voice echoed toward Mason, as if speaking on Nana's behalf. "Is Raymond also going with you?"
Mason nodded slowly. "I believe it's better to surround myself with people I love and trust," he replied. "I would've taken you along, but you wouldn't want to follow me."
"Of course, we can't leave our work behind," Mrs. Robinson replied and moved close to Mason. She hugged him and patted him on the back. "Take care, my love. I'll call you from time to time." She let go of him and went back inside after hugging Nana and muttering something into her ear.
Mason could feel her tears contained, ready to burst at any moment. She won't be alone after all, she'd be with her husband. That's what Mason thought to himself to make him leave with no worries. He sniffed the air, trying to absorb the trails of her scent.
"Let's go already!" Nana's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. And when he turned back, he saw her and Raymond a few meters away. Both of them motioned for him to join them with a smile on their lips.
Mason picked up to close the distance. Deep inside him, the memories of the entities he saw the previous night still lingered. And he tried as much as possible to believe it's just his own imagination, better still, an illusion.
However, part of him still believes it's something much more surreal. Something he must pay more attention to. Something he must be worried about. Mason stared at Nana and Raymond, whatever the future holds, and whatever comes, he was not alone anymore. Together they'd face it.
He put his cap and nose mask on and collected Nana's box before continuing to the nearby train station. The journey back to Washington was a very quiet one. Nana and Raymond, aware of Mason's mood, decided to give him some space.