Where Would I Be Without You

Chapter Seven

At ten eleven a.m. today, while sitting at my desk at work and watching the seconds click by on the big office clock on the wall, I officially turned thirty. I had a wave of somberness come over me, and then a floral delivery came with a huge bouquet of blue and white flowers. The card from Mason simply read: Happy Birthday. Whatever feeling was in my soul about getting older faded away with the possibilities of a thing happening between Mason and myself. I decided then and there that the Steve's of the world were long out of my life, and I was marching forth with my plan of maturity now and with any luck with Mason's help as he indicated.

Just as I was thinking about the future Mrs. Montahue, which would be me, striving forward with an education, charitable duties, and a drop-dead gorgeous husband with possible kids on the way, a familiar voice dropped me out of the clouds.

"Amber dear, I thought it might be nice if you and I had lunch today for your birthday." There, before me, in my five by five cubicle, with a voice that could duplicate nails on a chalkboard if she so desired, was my mom. All five feet three inches of her and short brown hair with a lot of gray showing through, donning a very nice pastel blue dress as if she was going to church, stood the woman I had not bothered to call back since Sunday night's fiasco. It seemed so long ago as Mason had been filling my every moment with thoughts of could he be and what ifs and oh my, I shouldn't be thinking of doing that at a time like this.

Her voice jumped an octave cheerier, if that was possible, as I had yet to respond to her standing here in my office. "Oh my! What lovely flowers. Who's Mason?" She had to question because not reading the card of whom the flowers were from was not an option for my mother. Oh good jest, this was going to be one heck of a lunch.

"Mom?" I finally found my voice. "What a lovely surprise. I wasn't expecting you." I did not answer if I could go to lunch because I was racking my brain for something, anything, to come up with as an excuse.

"Darling. You haven't called me back since everything that happened on Sunday." She whispered the words as soon as she got to the word 'since', as if everything that happened on Sunday should be a huge secret. Which it was. Except for those that were there and Mason getting the short edited version.

"About that, mom." I cleared my throat as it felt as if it was restricted and my eyes felt crossed. With the way my mom was patiently waiting for me to say something next, they probably were. "The thing is..." Just as I was about to babble out more than three dozen words of nonsense, Bethany rounded the corner in a navy blue power suit.

"Good. You're here. I was hoping I would catch you two. Mom called me last night to tell me she was going to surprise you for lunch. I wanted to beat her here, but I had a meeting." She looked powerful in her suit and professional brown hair cut with her two-inch sensible heels. Are those? They can't be; they'd set her back at least $600 for the pair. Those are some seriously cute professional heels. The navy leather looks like butter. I wonder if she got them wholesale and if she'll let me wear them sometime.

My mother's voice interrupted my thoughts that had diverted to Bethany's adorable professional heels away from everything else. "Darling. Why would you want to beat me here? I told you I wanted to have a private lunch with just your sister." Ok, so now I am just Bethany's sister, not my mother's daughter. And why private? Unless that is, she was going to ruin my birthday by berating me about college and dating a married man. That, I was sure was her plan. I owed Bethany HUGE, since I knew she had a busy schedule with her new position and the last thing she needed to deal with was my mama drama, even if it is her mom too.

Before I could say anything, my inner office phone intercom beeped with my boss's voice. "Amber? Can you come in here real quick?" I picked up the phone so that his voice was not echoing out over the office.

"Sup?" My boss was four years younger than me, with a business management degree, and wore baggie jeans, large graphic tee shirts, baseball hats sideways with stickers still on them, and large gold chains. He was part of the reason that I joked around playing like a gangster sometimes. Over my shoulder, I could hear my mother chiming in about the improper way I answered the phone. If she only knew, but explaining it would only take too much energy.

I hung up the phone with a smile on my face and a shrug to my shoulders in the direction of my mom and sister. "He needs to see me in his office before I can run out to lunch with you two. Be right back."

Bethany was already on her phone punching in something or other while my mom was talking to her about why she did not hear her correctly about wanting a private lunch versus asking my sister to join her. Bethany held her ground but never looked her in the eyes. As I walked towards my boss's office just thirty feet down the cubical hallway, I heard Bethany reply. "Are you sure mom? Because I distinctly remember you asking me to come, otherwise why would I? I am super busy at work."

Then I stopped in my tracks on the way to my boss's office and hide two cubicles down just to hear my mom's reply. "Oh dear, I know you are. I must have been so frazzled that I forgot to mention. It's quite alright. I am glad you are here." I stood up from my hiding spot and walked briskly towards my boss's office, angry that my mom always let Bethany off the hook, angrier that she wanted to ruin my birthday by talking to me about junk. Because that is what it felt like, a bunch of stuff that just did not need to be talked about. I am thirty now for gosh sakes, and if I am going to make mistakes, I do not want my mother's input on it.

I opened my boss's door and there stood a man all of five foot one, oriental persuasion, baggie logo'd jeans, and matching tee shirt, only two gold chains today; he must have been in a rush to get to work and no hat. No Crawly work shirt, which was typically a no-no, but he was the boss, so he got away with his current dress code that he considered dressed up for the job. Add to the fact that he had some kind of mohawk haircut going on that was all held back like a ponytail to the back of his head. "Amber!" He was excited to see me. I walked in, closed his glass door to his glass office that overlooked the production floor.





"What's sup?" I plopped down in an old green leather chair and relaxed my body.

"Happy Birthday!" He stood over his desk, but not by much height, as they had never found him a smaller desk for his tiny pint-size body. He looked over to me from something he was looking at on his desk. "Was that your mom and sister I saw out there?"

"God. Yes. She wants to take me to lunch. Berate me that I haven't quit my job and gone to college." My boss, Mr. wannabe gangster but goes by the name of Wally Woo, knew all about my life, even about Steve. I had sent him an early inner office memo that I was passing off my new beau Mason, as Steve. He sent me back a short comment. 'You work fast'. Wally Woo was cool that way. He got it. All of it. The over bearing parent, the better than me sister, the boyfriend issues and if I wasn't mistaken he was about to help me out.

"Well. Here. Happy Birthday. Show this to your mom." He handed me a packet, and I looked at it.

My reply was excited but sounded more stunned. "Online management course paid for by Crawly. Rocking." I finally looked up at him and practically jumped out of my seat to hug him but refrained. Office etiquette had some boundaries, besides I would feel like I was hugging a fifth grader. "Dude. How'd you get this approved?"

"Let's just say that your last review was outstanding, and if I can get you trained and replacing me, I can move up to International Sales Management. That gig pays a hell of a lot more, and the chicks will dig me in a three-piece suit."

I laughed while holding the packet in my hand. "Woo, they dig you any ways. There is no one quite like you Woo." We both started to laugh. "See you at Pete's tonight?"

"You owe me a song." I nodded and smiled as I walked out. We did the perfect rendition of Ice-Ice-Baby last month that had the crowd cheering. As a boss, he was super cool, but as a friend, he rocked it. Perhaps he was one of the many reasons I didn't think leaving this place ever made sense. I was truly happy here. It's not a rocket scientist job, but it's a great job with great pay and benefits so why would I want to go anywhere else. Oh yeah, the fact that it would get my mother off my tail about getting an education.

As I walked down the hall with the packet about college in hand, paid for by Crawly, I knew that my mom would find something wrong. I could only hope it was enough of a distraction to keep her from going on about Steve and asking about Mason. I know I needed to tell her, but I just did not want to deal with her on any of this. As I rounded the corner to my cubicle, half lost in the cover letter to my packet telling me that my two-year online management course was being paid for by work, I didn't notice the third person in my cubicle office until I practically shouted out his name in excitement. "Mason!"

My mother was the first to chime in, while Bethany actually looked as if she was quite taken with his looks. He was dressed in nice black dress slacks and a nice blue business shirt and tie. And here I was in my sexy bar jeans, work sneakers for running the halls and production line, but had a nice pair of black heeled boots for the bar after work. I had on my navy blue Crawly polo shirt, which would be replaced with a really sexy top for after work. My current hair status of up in a clip would get replaced with a few curls and hairspray. I felt like I was dressed in my typical dull at work in a production company, while everyone else looked spiffed up for a funeral. I would think wedding but sometimes my mom made me feel like doom and gloom.

"So this young gentleman here, Mason Montahue of Montahue Properties, just informed me that you two have started dating." Her voice held excitement over the Montahue Properties part, but I knew she was judging.

"Yeah. About that mom. Strange thing happened on the way home from the dinner-party Sunday." Before I could state a clean rendition of what happened, Mason chimed in.

"I already told your mom that we had been friends for quite some time, and that I was just waiting until you were available to ask you out. That we had two very lovely dates and have decided to commit to dating each other." He put his arm in mine and then proudly stated. "Where to ladies? My treat. I'm sure the birthday girl is starved."

"Well I was thinking..." My mother stepped right up with where she wanted to eat, not bothering to ask me, uh hello the birthday girl, where I wanted to eat. As we walked out of the building, there was Marion pulling up to the guest parking spot in her Audi A6. I knew this just blew my mom's plan all to hell, and I had an inkling that Bethany had wanted backup for my mom. Marion had always had a way of getting my mom to show her softer side, which Mason also seemed to have that effect at this moment.

While everyone got in their cars to drive just four blocks away to a decent restaurant, Mason and I drove together in his BMW. It was black and fully loaded, and the dark tinted windows gave me sultry ideas. Which I needed those to go away right now, but with the smile on his face, it was really hard.

"Quite the surprise running into your family. This makes date three in three days, and I am already meeting your family."

"I know. Sorry. I didn't know they or you were coming today."

"I wanted to surprise you. Don't be sorry. I was prepared if you had other plans. Did you like the flowers?"

"I love them. I have never had a man send me flowers at work. You did a bang-up job of sending a huge bouquet. By the way, the ladies at work were jealous of the flowers, and I caught quite a few pairs of eyes checking you out as we left." A huge smile spread across his face.

I think he liked the attention; but he had his own question to ask, as he didn't miss the large packet I tossed on my desk. "What was that packet you tossed on your desk when you came back to your desk? It had a huge smile on your face staring at it before you looked up and saw me. Thanks for the over joyous shout of my name by the way." I knew he was teasing me, because I had shouted his name as if I was singing a hymn in the church choir.

"Oh that! I was so excited to see you. I forgot that I wanted to show my mom. The Crawly Plant is paying for an online management course for me to take so that I can eventually run the production line. I am so excited. I know this will help in keeping my mom quite for a bit about college. It's not a four-year degree like she wanted but even so. This is more my style, and the fact that the plant is paying for it, rocks."

"I'd say. That's great news Amber." He reached over and stroked my leg, then held my hand. This gave me ideas on what I would like to happen in this dark tinted window car, just as we pulled into the parking lot to the restaurant. When his hand left mine, I felt as if I missed his touch already. However, with him there by my side, along with Marion and Bethany, I felt as if my mother could do nothing to upset me.

After lunch, Mason kissed me sweetly on the lips, and then said his proper good-byes to my mom, sister and Marion before heading to his car. Marion insisted on driving me back to work and practically dragged me away from my mom as she was gearing up for the inquisition about Mason. Bethany was in her car and gone down the street before Mason left his parking spot. Marion and I drove away as my mom had a hurt look on her face as she was getting in her car. I felt bad, even though I was mad at what her original intensions were, and she had no right; I felt bad that she looked sad. I still had a heart even though we had no bond.

"Wow. You owe Bethany. Could you imagine if she hadn't texted me the four-one-one, and Mason showed up, and just you, your mom, and Mason went to lunch? Yikes. She is really not a bad sister. It could help if she wasn't so perfect, yet I think she only does it so she doesn't have to deal with the wrath of your mother. You, the rebel you are, just encourage it."

"I do not." I laughed, but we both knew it was true.

"So what's this about the Crawly Plant paying for an online degree for you? You mentioned it when your mom tried to talk about you filling out college aps then Bethany interrupted asking Mason way more questions than a sister should. She's jealous you know. Hell, every single female out there that wants a man like him is jealous. He is sexy Latino hot, and he knows how to handle the women. Your mom was like putty in his hands. And he picked up the check for all of us. How sweet?"

"Gosh, Marion. I know. It's like my prayers have finally been answered when it comes to a good man. I would have settled for half his looks and all of his sexy good nature."

"So have you already, you know?" I knew exactly what she was insinuating.

"Not yet. He's Catholic too, not that we practice, but we agreed on seven dates." I beamed with pride because if I liked a guy, I barely made it past date one without giving out the goodies. Probably why, I had not gotten to the prize - a true relationship.

"Wow. You are practically Virgin Mary." She taunted.

"I know." I jokingly laughed back. "So Wally Woo called me in. He has plans to get into management with International Sales and knows he can't transfer until he has someone in his spot. I'm the candidate. Lucky me. I am so stoked. This just took a major off my 'I'm gonna grow up now that I am thirty' plan."

"Well, I think I can help you with the charitable volunteering part. We are having twins."

My scream could have shattered the windows. "What? Yes! Boys or girls, or one of each. Because if it is one of each that would be so very cool, not to mention the whole twin connection thing and your plan of wanting two kids over in one shot..." I would have rambled on, but she put a hand gently over my mouth. Then when she pulled it away, we both giggled, as she knew that was one way to stop me from babbling when I was excited.

"Don't know the sex yet, just that I was so tired that Carl insisted we go back to the doctor, and they did an early ultra sound and heard two heartbeats. So cool huh?"

"Yes. So very cool. How's Carl doing with all of this?"

"Wonderful. By the way, I'm not going to be making pilates for a while. In fact, I found a pregnant yoga class; I'd ask you to join me, but that would be kind of weird."

"Quite alright. Count me in as baby helper, sitter, whatever. This is exciting. What does Carl's mom say about all this?" I looked over at her as she pulled into the guest parking spot at work.

"Let's not go there. Hey. Have a great day at work. Carl said he sends his love and would have liked to come by your work party tonight, but he's in a meeting until seven, and then he wants to take me out to celebrate the twins. Is that alright with you?"

I reached over and hugged her as my good bye. "Quite. I'm hoping Mason will drag me out early. He considered today's lunch number three, which makes tonight number four, Thursday is five, Friday is six, and that leaves only one good thing to do on Saturday." I started to laugh.

"Slow down there speedy." She teased. Just remember, just the fact the two of you agree that an established relationship is best seems terrific. I don't want you to go too fast. There is definitely something there between the two of you. I can see it. The way he touches you possessively, the way he looks over at you lovingly, and responds to your mom at just the right time. He's good."

"I know." I let out that breathy sigh I always feel in me when I think of him. "Marion. Can you say a prayer for me on this one? It feels like he's the one."

"I will. Now get back to work before Wally Woo is mad you took an extra half hour."

The rest of the day blazed by. I had a lot of inquisitive coworkers to my cubicle, not so much over the flowers but the man who visited my office. The two 'troublesome drama duo', I like to internally call them, tried to ask a few too many questions about Mason and how they thought his name use to be Steve, less than a few days ago. I held my ground and insisted they had the name wrong. However, a small part of me realized that even though I was happy about Mason, it was not but less than a few days ago, I thought Steve might be the one. Was all this because my biological time clock was sounding off that I was looking for the Mr. Right? I was so taken with sexy words and does all the right things Steve, that I forgot to do a little online investigative work of my own. Had I done so, I would have quickly discovered that Mr. Smooth Talker, let me buy your batteries and replace them, was a jerk all along.

I had every intention of taking a few moments to search Mason Montahue online, but my workday got away from me. By the time I was heading to the ladies bathroom to plug in my curling iron, freshen up my makeup, and make myself look sexy thirty, not I work at a production plant attire, I was already running late. I texted both Marion and Mason that I was about fifteen minutes out. The few coworkers that said they were going were already there. I saw Wally heading out just as I was heading towards the ladies room and told him to save a table for four for us. I got the sure thing sign, or at least some kind of hand gesture as he walked out with his white ball cap sideways.

Just as I arrived at the bar, I saw Marion already in her car parked and waiting for me, as Mason pulled up. He parked his BMW next to her Audi, parked next to my two door used parking lot special red thing. I felt out of my league by dating Mason and having a best friend who was rich, yet I had to remember that Marion was middle to poor class like me not that long ago and something told me that Mason was not raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Marion and I waved at Mason as he parked. Then as he stepped out in faded well-worn jeans, a tight black tee shirt that showed his bulging muscles, and some really expensive looking black cowboy boots, I swooned, as so did Marion. Our collective, ah's, filled the air between us as he walked over and spoke in a country manner. "Evening ladies."

Marion nudged me and I finally spoke up. "Uh. What's with the cowboy gig?"

"What?" He kicked his feet out and showed me one of his cowboy boots like I showed him my red kitten heels at the bar the other night. "You don't like?"

"Oh I like alright. I just didn't peg you for a cowboy." I teased as he grabbed my hand to walk inside.

"Well, then maybe later, you and I should do a little getting to know each other better. Honey, I do country. This is Colorado; you can be a cowboy one minute, and city boy the next. I'm a little bit of everything. Just you wait and see." Then he dropped a soft quick kiss on my lips, and when he pulled back, he put his lips to my ears and whispered against them. "I can't wait to get to know you better later."

Ok. Here is where my whohaw just gave the rebel middle finger to my parental you are thirty and grown up inner child voice. One look, one kiss, one whisper and I was in a tailspin of fantasy and could easily have skipped out on my own work birthday celebration if Marion wasn't standing there looking in awe at the two of us. Then she said something that struck a romance chord with me. "You two remind me of Carl and myself when we first met. Mason, I can't wait for you to meet Carl."

Then Mason said something that shocked both Marion and myself. "We've already met. His company has done business with Montahue properties. Just ask him. He'll tell you. So yes, I look forward to the four of us going out for a dinner or drinks."

Right after that comment, we stepped inside the loud ruckus of a dimly lit bar to several coworkers shouting. "Happy Birthday Amber!" I moved about the bar talking with coworkers with Mason by my side, while Wally Woo and Marion caught up. She used to work with him on the actual production line when they were in their early twenties.

Two hours later, as Marion made her escape to go celebrate with Carl; I whispered into Mason's ear. "Anytime you are ready to leave. I'd rather be alone with you."

I did not have to say another word. I was quickly whisked out of there with very brief goodbyes as coworkers still noshed on the questionable buffet bar and kicked back two for one beers. As soon as we got out into the parking lot, Mason walked me over to my car, leaned his body into mine, pulled my head up to his with his hands and dropped a tongue twisting kiss that left me with only one sound to escape me. A very loud and discernible 'ah', which caused a bit of laughter out of Mason.

"What?" I teased.

"You. That 'ah' sound after we kiss. It's so adorable. You're so adorable. How did I get so lucky with you?" His statement was so romantic that I had to remember I was being swooned by a man who might be wearing a mask. He might not be all that I am making him up to be. He could have a dark hidden past that I had not revealed yet.

"Mason?" I knew what I was about to ask. It was actually very mature of me even though my whohaw was tugging at my jeans insistently begging me, screaming at me 'no, don't bother with that, just kiss him again', while I said what I said next. "Can we talk?"

He took a second as he eyes stared at me seriously. Almost afraid of what I wanted to talk about. Then he piped up. "Sure. What about?"

"Us. You. I need you to tell me things about you, so I don't listen to this internal voice that you are too good to be true." My voice was pleading with him, as he confidently answered me.

"Well then. It is I, who thinks that you are too good to be true, but sure. Let's head to my place, I'll cook us up a decent dinner, and you can ask me anything you want." He followed that up with a kiss that left me struggling with my inner fun girl as I drove my car all the way back to his apartment. It wasn't until I was parked, and he was walking me up to his building, hand in hand, that I realized that I had to go with my gut on this one. He is a good guy.