Seasons of Fate (2 page)

Mason

   Well here I was again, another meeting, another hotel. I can’t stand being out and about but, this was business and I had no choice. I’m CEO of several companies worth millions, of course I also employ the best to run each one but eventually I have to make an appearance, to deal with the ins and outs, as they say. I’m not sure why I’m holding this meeting here but the lawyer specifically requested this venue.  My driver pulls over to the hotel, and I take a deep breath, looking out the window. I can’t help but think about my life and how things were simpler when I was younger. You see, I started my career in music, I loved singing and composing, it gave me such a sense of peace but when you get into the music business things change rapidly and I realised that all the shit that went with a high profile career, just wasn’t my scene, so I decided to take a step back, focusing on writing and blending into the background. Now I’m not saying the money wasn’t great, that would be a lie, I earned a shitload of cash, which was helpful when I decided to branch out into different industries. I’m now worth a hell of a lot more than I was then but that also puts me back in the limelight, which is why I stay out of sight as much as possible. It’s kind of lonely but it’s also necessary. I still write at home but it’s mostly for movie soundtracks.

   So here I am debating whether I can be arsed getting out of the car. That thought gets pushed aside when I see the most beautiful woman walk out of the hotel, she’s smiling and it’s beautiful, almost freeing. I think my heart just stopped for a second, she’s handing a stroller to a cab driver, and turning to leave. I don’t think I’ve ever had this sort of reaction to a woman, I have to meet her, and it spurs me into action. I jump out of my car, but before I have a chance to reach her she turns and seems to be pushing somebody away, my eyes catch the glint of a knife, before she falls to the ground. Holy shit, what’s happening? A man in black runs past me fleeing the scene, so I run to her, she seems calm, I on the other hand am loosing my mind, I call behind me for help and lean down to touch her face, she suddenly asks me if I’m ok. What the hell!!! Was I ok? I noticed the sirens and people gathering around us, but I can’t seem to take my eyes off her and then before she passes out she whispers one thing ‘Lily’

   The paramedics arrive along with the police, I am taken aside and asked too many questions, half of which I have no answers to. A large man runs out of the hotel, carrying a little girl, who is crying. I approach them slowly and say

  
‘Hey, I’m sorry but is this Lily?’ The man hugs the little girl to his chest and then holds his hand out.

  
‘Mr Stone, my names Clive, this is Lily. Her mom….what happened?’

  
‘I have no idea, I just saw her get hurt, I’m sorry, She called out for Lily so I just wanted to check with you.’ Clive nodded at me and said

  
‘They are staying here, she only popped out for a minute. I can’t believe this, she’s a sweetheart, Ms Clarke I mean. Why would somebody do this?’

  
‘The police will probably want to talk to you. Does the hotel have surveillance?’

  
‘Yes sir we do, I’ll make sure to assist any way I can. Lily, sweetie. Mom’s going to be fine, I’ll take you to the hospital.’ The child didn’t move from Clive’s arms.

  
‘Mummy….I want my mummy.’

  
‘Clive, I’m going too.’

  
‘Of course, I’ll just let somebody know what’s happening. Their here on vacation, just the two of them.’ My heart broke for this little girl, she looked terrified. I had a sudden urge to just grab her and hold her to me but she seemed comfortable with Clive. We travelled to the hospital together, When we arrived I told them what happened and who we were, and we were escorted to a private room to wait for any news about the beautiful Summer Clarke.

Chapter 2

Summer

   I woke to the sound of beeping in a too bright room, my body felt like lead and every limb hurt. Trying to move was hard but I couldn
’t seem to push away the anxious feeling that surrounded me, when I winced out loud I heard a shuffling sound then a hand moving closer to me. My eyes fluttered for a moment before they settled on the face above me. ‘Oh My God’ I thought, he had the most amazing blue eyes, like the colour of the ocean with hidden secrets. I seemed to be stuck in a trance just looking into his eyes, him staring back didn’t help but he broke eye contact first helping my brain to work again, and prioritise my thoughts ‘Lily’ I tried to ask him where she was but he seemed to understand as soon as my eyes widened with worry.

  
‘Its ok, she’s fine. Clive has her in the waiting room, I can call them in if your ready for visitors?’ wow his voice was just as amazing as his eyes.

  
‘Thank you, ‘I croaked ‘I was scared she would be left behind.’ His eyes crinkled in a small smile before he spoke

  
‘That’s understandable, but I think she pretty much has a hotels worth of people all looking after her, it seems they are all smitten with the little princess.’

   I tried to smile but coughed instead, he leaned over to grab a cup of water and pushed a straw into my mouth. I could do nothing but sip, when he moved away he look perplexed by something, like he wanted to ask me a question but didn
’t know how. So I asked him where I was instead.                                                 

  
‘Your at Bellevue Hospital, I’m sorry but we weren’t able to provide them with many details for you, Clive gave them your name but wasn’t sure of anything else. I hope you don’t mind but I have asked them to do whatever they need to make sure you make a quick recovery.

  
’ I looked at him and my eyes must have said something to him, I’m not sure what but all I can say for sure was that I was terrified to explain our details to him or the hospital, not wanting to give too much away, so he was quick to add

  
‘Don’t worry I’ve taken care of everything and arranged for all your medicals details to be sent to myself, all you need to concern yourself with is healing, Just out of curiosity, why did you do that for me? I wasn’t sure what he meant so I just looked at him with a blank stare so he continued ‘I mean you saved me, that knife was meant for me, but out of nowhere you pushed him away from me and gave no thought to yourself, I didn’t know there were still people like you out there.’

   I didn
’t know what to say to that, I hadn’t thought about it at the time, it was just instinct based on many years of needing to protect myself, but on some level I had to admit that I didn’t want anybody else hurt, I hadn’t known who the target was and didn’t stop to find out but I still knew I needed to stop the attack, without realising I answered him out loud

  
’I didn’t think, I just reacted. How did you know the knife was meant for you? He looked at me with a kind of awed expression and then he said

  
’The hotel security confirmed what happened to the police. Thank you, you really are my guardian angel, I’m sorry I didn’t even introduce myself. My name is Mason Stone, and it’s an honour to meet you, Summer Clarke.’

   After our introductions Mason confirmed that I had been stabbed, they had taken me into surgery on arrival. No main organs were damaged and I should make a full recovery, relief washed over me and I smiled. Mason then told me he would go talk to the doctor and ask Clive to bring Lily in. When Clive walked into my room a few minutes later, he held a quiet tearful Lily in his arms. When I reached for her she bounded down and jumped up onto the bed, I cradled my baby regardless of the pain I was in at that moment. Straight after Clive came in, the doctor walked in with Mason right behind him.

   ’It’s nice to see your awake Ms Clarke, I have discussed everything with Mr Stone but I can confirm that your surgery went well and a full recovery is expected. You will probably be in some pain for a few days but we will provide you with pain relief when you’re discharged.’  I couldn’t help but ask

  
‘When can I leave? Everyone looked at me like I had two heads

  
‘Well I would like to keep you here a couple of days before I release you, however you will require some support when you leave, do you have any family near by?’ I cringed what was I going to say ‘No all our family is dead’ I don’t think so, but luckily Mason stepped in

  
‘Its ok Doc, I will be taking care of Ms Clarke, you can give me all the information I need for her recovery.’ I couldn’t believe it, was this a trick or something, a man that actually offered to look after me, weird. I suppose my thinking was probably due to my extremely sheltered life and the lack of any human emotions being thrown my way by anybody I shared DNA with. I was so stunned that I think Mason took that to mean I was offended and back peddled slightly

  
‘I’m sorry Summer if I presumed anything it’s just that I would like to take care of everything until your back on your feet.’ I just looked up at him and blinked until I could respond

  
‘Thank you but I don’t want to impose on you, I’m staying at the Sanctuary so I will be well looked after.’

  
’Nonsense, I wont hear of it, Please allow me to help?’ He looked at me with such confusion that I could only nod my head, I think he was probably wondering what the hell he had just offered to do, I mean I have a stab wound and a 4 year old to take care of. I knew nothing about this man, was he really this much of a gentleman or was he just feeling obliged to help because it may seem like I saved him? I did I suppose but that was not my main concern or was it? God I’m really confused by this situation.

   While I was struggling with my inner dialogue the doctor had already agreed that he would pass all my care information to Mason, Clive sat back watching until that point but decided he would make things a little easier for me by saying he would watch Lily until I came back to the hotel, he insisted and said that his wife Margo was already on her way to pick them up and was more than happy to have a little house guest for a few days. I reluctantly agreed on the basis that he would bring her to see me everyday. I had never been apart from Lily before and the thought left me with an ache inside I wanted her right next to me where I could see her but to explain that reasoning would mean divulging part of my history which I just couldn
’t bring myself to do.

   Later that evening when I was alone, my thoughts wandered over the last 24 hours, wow what a weird experience, kind of out of body I suppose, I was stuck in hospital in New York, after being stabbed saving a complete stranger who has now taken it on himself to be my white knight while my baby is looked after by virtual strangers who I just happen to trust more than any family member I grew up with. Strange world.

‘
Oh God‘, I forgot all about my closest friends, I needed to make a call to Lys and John, I knew they would have been expecting my call to make sure we were ok and would probably be out of their minds by now. I used the hospital phone knowing my best friends numbers by heart and made the call, John answered after three rings, saying my name out loud before calling out for Lys.

  
’How did you know?’ Stupid question I suppose, we had no other people in our lives at this point and as Lys and John lived together now in a rented flat, it makes sense that I would be the one calling, Duh.

   
‘What do you mean how did I know, you silly cow, where have you been? What’s taken you so long to call us? We have been scared shitless.’ John never curses at me so he was obviously pissed off

  
‘I’m sorry, calm down. Look something happened and this is my first chance to call you guys since I last spoke to you,’ which just happened to be two days ago,

  
‘What’s happened? Tell me now or I’m going to freak the hell out.’ Oh poor John, he really was the brother I never had, I could hear shuffling on the other end which must have been Lys trying to listen to our conversation

  
‘Look guys don’t freak out but… I’m in hospital’ all I heard was the very loud ‘WHAT’ which reverberated down the line.

  
‘Its ok guys, it’s a minor stab wound and I’m being released soon, nothing to worry about. ‘I said trying to convince them.

  
‘Summer how can you say don’t worry, we always worry about each other, we are all we have remember’ of course I knew that, but from such a long distance away I didn’t want them to be scared, so Lyssa’s next words shocked the hell out of me.

  
‘Tell us which hospital, so we can come straight there, I have already booked our tickets to New York, we’re leaving tonight.’ Tears clouded my vision, until I blubbered like a fool. After confirming the details we said our goodbyes and I began the anxious wait for my best friends to arrive. 

   Not long after, a knock on the door woke me from a light snooze, Mason walked in carrying god only knows what, I actually laughed out loud. It was like he brought everything with him so he could camp out in my hospital room.

  
‘I hope you don’t mind but I decided to keep you company for a while and brought a few things, I asked Clive to pack a few essentials from your room and I bought a couple of things I thought might make you smile’ the beam on his face was hard to resist so I just grinned back. He sat in a chair next to me and almost looked lost so I decided to ask him some questions.