Chapter Twenty-Four
David
By mid-morning, Mason's parents' house was a hive of activity as everyone bustled about getting the garden ready for the party. It was a gloriously sunny day, perfect for a barbecue.
They'd arrived just after midnight the previous night, after catching a train straight after rehearsals had ended. When David woke, Mason was gone from the room, leaving him alone. He lay still for a few minutes, listening to the hubbub drifting up from below. The room they'd slept in was Mason's old room. It was small, barely big enough for the double bed it housed, but cosy. It was right at the top of the house, in what had once been loft space but had been converted, probably to create more room for Mason's ever-expanding family. Even with the conversion, David wasn't sure how they'd packed in seven kids. Mason had said his oldest sister was sixteen when he was born, so for a couple of years at least, they must have all lived in the same house. David guessed that, as the only boy, Mason was lucky enough to have his own room, though he hadn't actually asked.
The sounds of the large family organising each other and children playing were all comforting, a slice of mundane family life, or 'normality' as Mason would put it. Instantly, David could understand why Mason wanted to do such normal things. They'd spent the last three weeks, since their day at the beach, doing more 'couple-y' things—David was determined to make that a word in Mason's vocabulary, whether it was in the dictionary or not. It meant going out of town so as not to inadvertently run into any of the dancers from BalletEast, but they'd gone to the cinema, had meals out together, even gone shopping together. That had led to the hilarity of the ice cream they'd bought almost melting by the time they got home, which gave them the perfect excuse to eat the whole tub between them. Well, not the whole tub. David had convinced Mason to strip off naked, and they'd sat in the bath together, eating the ice cream off each other. Afterwards, they'd had a long, hot bath.
They'd also done more things within their own homes, such as cooking and cleaning together. The tedious tasks had been so much more fun in Mason's company. They'd laughed, joked, and talked their way through them, often pausing to steal kisses and hugs. Being with Mason stopped daily tasks from feeling mundane in a way David had never experienced with previous partners. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Having a sub dress in nothing but an apron and rubber gloves while he watched them clean had stopped that job from being mundane. Not that he'd asked Mason to do that yet.
He found the bathroom easily enough, so he could shower and get dressed and then go downstairs to join Mason. As he entered the kitchen, he was met by a literal whirlwind. There were people everywhere. Men, women, and kids running around and playing hide and seek. Everyone seemed to be doing something, even if that something was just playing and entertaining the little ones. The kids were a range of ages from late teens to crawling.
"Mason's in the garden, helping set up the barbecue," a young woman said as she swung by him carrying a platter of crudités covered in cling film. She gestured to the back door with her head. "I'm sure he'd like the help." She smiled at him. "I'm Alana, the second youngest. I'd shake your hand, but—"
"Nice to meet you," David said. "I'm—"
"David Morton," she filled in for him, grinning widely. "We all know who you are," she added with a wink. "You're the man who inspired our kid brother to take up dancing."
For the first time in years, David felt his cheeks heat up. "Do you need a hand?"
"Nope. We've got it all under control. Go find Mason." She bustled off, leaving him practically speechless.
Just as Alana had said, David found Mason in the corner of the garden, arranging coals on a massive brick barbecue. David had never seen one so huge. It was easily five feet wide, with grills on two levels. It looked to have been hand-built at some point in the family's past.
Mason wasn't alone. He was with a much older man with grey hair and a warm face. Age had been kind to the man, mostly manifesting in a wrinkled neck and deep laughter lines around his mouth and nose.
"Hi!" Mason said, waving David over. "This is my dad. Dad, this is David."
"Pleased to meet you, sir," David said, holding his hand out.
Mason's dad gave him an incredulous stare. "What's this 'sir' business about? My name's William, so that's what you'll call me." He accepted David's hand and shook it firmly. "Have you come to help with the barbecue?"
David nodded. "I tried helping inside but got sent away."
William laughed. "Sounds about right. It's a madhouse in there, anyway. You're much better off out here."
"Are you any good at lighting barbecues?" Mason asked.
"I've lit one or two in my time."
David helped Mason to finish arranging the coals and some firelighters before setting to work with some extra-long safety matches. By the time they'd finished, both their hands were black, but the barbecue was lit. It would take a while for the flames to die down to a suitable level for cooking over.
While they worked, William went inside, returning a few minutes later with three bottles of beer. He'd already cracked the tops off, so he handed one to each of them and then sat down on a deckchair, clearly expecting them to do the same.
"Shouldn't we offer to help out inside?" David asked.
Mason shook his head. "They've got too many hands already. They'll all be out here soon, though."
David thought that would prove true. A couple of long trestle tables had been set up in the garden, with cheerful tablecloths draped over them. As they sat and drank, a procession of family members brought food and drinks and placed them on the table.
Two women, one of whom David guessed was William's wife, brought trays of uncooked burgers, sausages, kebabs, and marinated chicken breasts. There was also a smaller tray with slabs of halloumi and tofu.
"Hi, David," the younger of the two women said cheerfully. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Hazel, Mason's oldest sister."
In many ways, Hazel and Mason looked a lot alike. There was a clear family resemblance. They both shared the same bright, clear blue eyes and dirty blond hair. Their noses and eyes were a similar shape. If anything, Hazel looked more like Mason than Alana did. She was obviously pregnant, judging from the curve of her belly. She was radiant with it, her skin glowing and her hair full of lustre.
"And you," David said before looking to the older woman.
"Gloria," she said with a smile. "Don't you go breaking my boy's heart, you hear?"
"Mum," Mason complained, pressing a hand to his face.
"What?" Gloria demanded. "You're still my baby. You're all still my babies, and I'll step into the ring for any of you, any time."
David laughed. "I've got no intentions of breaking Mason's heart."
"Good. Is the barbecue ready yet? I think the troops are starting to waste away from starvation."
"I'm pretty sure everyone had breakfast, Mum," Mason said.
"Your man didn't, did he?"
For the second time in less than an hour, David blushed. "Sorry. I'm not a morning person."
"Not many people are, dear," Gloria said. "But when you've got a family, you don't have much choice." She pointed at Mason. "Especially one as bouncy as this young man. He never slept as a baby, you know, and I don't think he ever learned how to when he was growing up, either."
"Mum!"
"Suck it up, kiddo," Hazel said. "The rest of us had to put up with being embarrassed when we brought a boyfriend home for the first time. It's only fair you should suffer too." She put her hand on Mason's shoulder. "Come on, I need some help inside."
Mason glanced at David, who shrugged and then nodded. David really didn't mind being left alone with Mason's parents. They seemed like lovely people, from the few minutes he'd spent in their company.
"Mason tells us you're a choreographer now?" William asked once Mason and Hazel had gone inside.
"Yes, that's right. I have been since I retired from dancing about twelve years ago."
Gloria pu
rsed her lips, her eyes narrowing for a moment. "Swan Lake must have been one of your last performances?"
"Yes. That was my last season."
"Mason's told you about watching you dance, then?"
David smiled. "Yes. It's nice to know I inspired someone, especially when that someone is as talented as Mason. He's going to be a great dancer, far greater than I ever was."
Gloria and William exchanged a proud glance.
"We've got front-row tickets for A Midsummer Night's Dream," William said. "Bought them the day they went on sale."
"We've booked out two rows," Gloria laughed. "So the whole family can come and see our boy dance. It's his first big role, you know."
"I know," David said.
"You must really believe in him to give him such a big chance," William said.
They knew, then.
"I do. Like I said, he's really talented. He has masses of potential. He'll be promoted above a junior soloist before he knows it."
The two of them exchanged that same doe-eyed look of pride again.
"We have wonderful children," Gloria said dreamily. "All amazing in their own ways. I couldn't be prouder of them all."
"What do they all do?" David asked, leaning forward onto his knees.
Mason had told him, but he genuinely wanted to listen to Gloria and William speak about their children.
"Hazel's a deputy head at a primary school," Gloria told him. "Although she'll be taking maternity leave after the summer holiday."
"Her fourth," William added, and he reeled off the names and ages of Hazel's children.
They went through each of Mason's other sisters, from oldest to youngest. Nancy's children were the oldest grandchildren. She'd had two sets of twins two years apart and was a full-time mum for a long time. Once her kids were old enough to cope without her, she'd done a part-time degree and now worked for an aeronautics company as one of their engineers. Esther and her husband had adopted two refugee children. They both worked for charities. Meredith was the only sister who hadn't married and didn't have children. She was a doctor and was training to be a surgeon. Like Hazel, Jade had gone into teaching, although she taught high school kids. She had two kids, a boy and a girl. And Alana, whom David had already met, was a sculptor who lectured at the local university. She'd been married a couple of years and had a baby girl, although apparently they were planning more.
It was a lot of information for David to hold in his head, especially when he was also trying to remember the names of twelve children and five husbands.
"I think the barbecue is ready for cooking," he said once they'd finished telling him about Alana's latest exhibition at an outdoor sculpture park.
He and William began to cook the meat, reserving one area of the barbecue exclusively for the vegetarian food, while Gloria went and circulated around the rest of the family. As the meat gradually became ready, David found himself chatting with a steady stream of people on just about every topic he could think of. It was wonderful, but exhausting at the same time.
Lunchtime drifted into afternoon, and afternoon turned into evening, with David wondering where the hell the time had gone. It had literally flown by, and every member of Mason's family had welcomed him warmly. His only regret was that he'd barely spent any time with Mason.
As darkness fell, David managed to find a quiet moment to steal Mason away to a quiet spot in the garden. The chatter of the family was still very close by, but for a few minutes at least, it was just the two of them. David held Mason to him, resting his hands on the small of the younger man's back.
Mason mirrored David's light embrace. "Have you had a good time?" he asked, a line of concern slashing down the centre of his forehead.
"It's been amazing," David said. "Your family is wonderful, Mason."
Mason grinned. "They are, aren't they?"
"You've got everything, Mason. A great family, a career that inspires you—"
"An amazing guy I love?" Mason asked, lifting his eyebrows.
"Say that again." David stared down at him, his heart feeling like it had stopped. He was sure that only the sound of Mason's voice, confirming what he'd said, would make it start again.
"What?" Mason asked, a cheeky smile curving his lips upwards. "That you're amazing?"
"Brat," David chuckled.
"You know it."
David slipped his hands down to Mason's arse so he could squeeze it through his jeans. "The other thing," he said. "Repeat that."
"That I love you?"
"Do you?"
Mason nodded slowly. "Yeah. I think I do." Panic flitted through his eyes. "Too soon?"
David kissed him, a long, slow, passionate kiss that he wanted never to break away from. "No." He rested his forehead against Mason's. "It feels like perfect timing. I love you, too."
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mason
"I had a great weekend," David said, embracing Mason.
They were standing close to the entrance of the train station, out of the way of people coming and going.
Mason smiled at David. "Me too."
"Bus or taxi?"
Mason laughed. "Wow, you know how to ruin the moment, don't you?"
David rubbed the back of his neck. "Guilty! If it's okay with you, I think I need to go home and sleep."
"Can't handle the pace, old man?"
David pulled Mason to him, mashing their lips together in a kiss. "Oh, I can. I was only thinking of you. What time do you have to be at the studio?"
Mason winced. "Just after eight, to warm up."
David patted his arse. "It's late. So, taxi or bus?"
Mason checked his watch. "Bus. We should make the next one if we hurry."
They held hands for a few strides but gradually drifted apart as they got closer to the bus stop.
Mason was exhausted, but it was a happy exhausted. They'd stayed up until the small hours of the morning, chatting with various members of his family. He'd loved how easily David had fitted in and how warm a welcome his family had given him, but between two late nights and several hours on a train, Mason was fit to drop.
He said goodbye to David at the door to his flat and then trudged inside. His intention was to get some food and take a shower before falling into bed, but he ended up sprawled on the sofa, too tired to make it any farther.
A loud knock on the door jolted him out of his almost-asleep state. Rubbing his eyes, he took a moment to compose himself before standing and answering it. Why David hadn't used his key, he wasn't sure.
His eyes widened when he saw Kirk standing on his doorstep. The dancer had a smirk on his face, and his arms were folded as he stared at Mason.
"Funny thing," Kirk said, barging inside. "I was on my way home from visiting my grandparents when who should I see getting onto a bus near the train station?"
The pit of Mason's stomach dropped out.
Kirk prodded him in the chest hard enough to make him stumble back. "You and David, looking all cosy." His face contorted with jealous rage. "You are fucking him, aren't you?"
Mason's brain wouldn't work at all. It was scrabbling just to keep up, let alone think of anything to say as Kirk shoved him onto the sofa.
"I knew you weren't good enough. I knew you were fucking someone, and I guessed it had to be David, seeing as you’re a queer, you devious little shit.”
“You… followed me?” It was all Mason could manage to say.
He didn’t think he’d ever felt so vulnerable. Kirk had followed him. He knew where he lived, was in his flat, and was mad as hell.
“No shit, Sherlock." Kirk spat. "What did you expect me to do? Let you and David get away with screwing me over?"
Mason shook his head. "It's not like that."
"Like hell it isn't." Kirk stabbed his finger against his own chest. "I'm the leading soloist, not you. I've been dancing longer. I have more experience. I'm the better dancer, and you…" His face contorted. "You fucked the choreographer so you could steal my role.
"
That wasn't what had happened, but Mason knew there was no point in defending himself, because Kirk wasn't going to listen. Worse, he was unlikely to keep his mouth shut, no matter how much Mason pleaded with him. But he had to try.
"Veronica had ultimate control over the casting decisions," Mason said, pushing himself upright so he could stare Kirk in the eyes. "Do you really think she'd have let David give me Puck if I didn't deserve it?"
Kirk took a half-step back. Unfortunately, Mason's words didn't have any kind of positive effect. Instead, Kirk's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists.
"You know they go way back, don't you?" Kirk asked. "Or didn't David tell you that?"
Mason had known David and Veronica were friends—David had called her 'Ronnie' on several occasions—but he'd never actually asked how well they knew each other or for how long. It hadn't mattered to him.
"She's his ex-wife," Kirk went on. "So, forgive me if I'm not convinced by your pathetic excuses."
Mason felt like he had just had a baseball bat slammed into his stomach. "And you really think she'd pander to her ex-husband rather than putting her company first?" His words came out confidently enough, but doubt still nagged away at him.
Kirk's eyes flashed with something incomprehensible. He slammed his hands into Mason's chest, shoving him hard. Mason stumbled back against the sofa and then crashed down onto it. It felt like the air had been knocked out of him, or maybe his bones had turned to jelly.
"Maybe they're still fucking each other," Kirk mused. "Because there's no way you got Puck based on your talent. So, either you fucked David to get the role, or he gave it to you so he could ram his cock up your arse. Which is it, fag?"
Love on Pointe Omnibus Page 34