Page 15 of Mason
Despite how annoying my sister and the rest of our family were, they had been making Sutton laugh since they arrived.Almost all of them had shown up at the same time.Obviously, they had a group chat and had planned this shit.
Sutton was glowing, though, and my cock got hard every freaking time I heard her giggle.I was in the kitchen making a charcuterie board, taking a second to breathe, when I heard her say she’d never done this before.A girls’ night full of movies and self-care.At least not with anyone other than her mom.
Which firmly ensured that I would be hosting girls’ night as often as she wanted.With every last loud, obnoxious, lovable one of them.
“You could have gone out,” Vi said as she added pepperoni roses to the board.It was excessive.No one cared that the deli meat was shaped into floral art.She was doing it to stay busy so she could talk to me alone, doing her job as a big sister and making sure I was okay.“Luca and Jagger are with the kids, but Cannon went to First Bass.Hayat’s guys are supposedly joining them.”
“I’m where I want to be.”After scattering nuts over the board, I picked it up and exhaled slowly.I loved my family, but they were a lot.Especially in large quantities.More especially, when it was the troublemakers, and the majority of those were crowded into my living room.
“Yay, snacks!”Piper cheered, snagging a cracker and smearing it with jam before adding a slice of apple and a cube of cheese.
Sutton sat on the floor between Mia’s legs, getting her hair braided.She wore the soft pajama set Mom had gifted her the day before and had on a sheet face mask.Shaw painted her fingernails while Bliss worked on her toes, giving her the full princess treatment.
Her smile came easier with each passing day.Bigger.Brighter.Every time I saw it, I fell a little more, and then I would let myself sink even deeper until all I saw was her.All I felt was my beautiful girl.
“Remember when I graduated?”Shaw dropped the brush into the polish and popped an almond into her mouth.“Who was the valedictorian that year?Oh yeah…”
She looked at Violet, and they both rolled their eyes.“Odette Washington.”
“Oh hell,” Heavenleigh snickered.“Arella hated her.No, that’s too mild.Loathed?Dreamed of her demise?Nope, I don’t think there is a strong enough word or phrase that could do her dislike of Odette justice.”
“You say that like it’s past tense.”Nevaeh adjusted her glasses.“Arella can hold a grudge like it’s an Olympic sport and she wants to bring home the gold.Odette moved to London just so she had a better chance of landing roles because Arie still throws shade at her if she tries to audition for anything she’s associated with.”
“Allegedly throws shade,” Mia added with a half grin.“It’s more a Jordan thing than Arella.He knows they didn’t get along, and he…made some executive producer choices.Again, all alleged.”
“I stand by what I said,” Nevaeh laughed, munching on a cracker piled with deli meat and smeared with spicy mustard.
“Why did she hate her so much?”Sutton asked, her curiosity front and center.
“Odette said something really mean,” Heavenleigh answered, her lips pressing into a tight line as the memories hit her.“It started long before Shaw’s graduation.Daddy was…sick.”Her throat worked, emotions clouding her face, and we were transported back to a time we all wished could be erased from our memories.“Odette said dirty drunks deserve pickled livers.”
We each sucked in a harsh breath.I was barely a teenager back then, so no one had actually told me why Arella was so against Odette.From the look on more than one face, this was news to several people.
“So, of course, Arella beat her ass,” Bliss said with a half grin, blinking back tears.
Sutton’s chin wobbled for a moment before she hardened her jaw.“Fuck Odette Washington.”
“Yeah, fuck that bitch!”Nevaeh yelled, lifting her glass.Everyone cheered, taking a drink of their Diet Cokes in solidarity.“Arella, we miss you.Ugh, I hate it when she has to shoot on location.It makes Daddy so anxious.”
“So everyone graduated from the same high school?”Sutton asked, steering the conversation back to something lighter.We were all remembering the darker days when every second felt precious.She gave the others a chance to reroute their thoughts, chewing on the grape Piper helpfully fed her so her nails could dry.
“I lived in Malibu,” Mia said, shaking her head.
“Me too,” Piper seconded.
“Me three,” Hayat commented, lifting her attention from her phone.
Of course she was texting Abi.But from the glance I got, I saw they had a group chat going with Sammy and Jamie.I was friends with Jamie and the other two Autumn’s Slumber members.We hung out a lot when they recorded with Dad.Sometimes I stepped in and mixed a few tracks.It was more a hobby than a career choice for me.A lot like the photography for my mom.I went where I was needed, when I was needed.
“Malibu’s private academy focuses more on sports.Basketball now more than football.I think Luca was the last big name to graduate from there.They have some prominent players in the NBA as alumni.Whereas here in Santa Monica, they focus more on fine arts.They tend to have more A-list musicians, actors, writers.But you already know that, Miss Cello Queen.”
Pink filled Sutton’s cheeks at the praise.“I’m an amateur at best.”
“An amateur who plays like a fucking goddess,” Piper amended, eyeing my girl like she was a tasty snack.“I watch that video from the academy’s streaming account on repeat every night.Danica has started requesting it before bed.My mom is almost as in love with your talent as I am.Which is saying a lot because I would consider leaving my husband for you.Kidding… Maybe.Depends on the time of day and how many times Cannon has pissed me off.”
“Fair,” Shaw chimed in.“He pisses her off just by breathing too loud and waking her up in the morning.”
“Right?It’s not snoring.I could handle snores.He sometimes breathes to the beat of whatever song he’s working on.It’s weirdly melodic, and it drives me crazy because then I have that beat in my head all day.”She huffed, then focused back on Sutton.“You still haven’t given me an answer about working with me.We could make magic together.”
