Castle family vacations often involved far off, destinations. Alexis was going on book tours and visiting non-American countries before she was old enough to truly understand what was happening and that excitement only grew as she got older. The world was her oyster to explore, and see everything that her privileged life had to offer.
The Masons, on the other hand, are all about the history.
Their family trips are all about what they can learn from the past, whether it be civil war battle fields or sites of ancient civilizations, and it’s the latter that the annual family vacation has lead them to this particular year. Richard helped chip in for a venture to South America that seemed to split the difference for both families. Richard and Martha could get in plenty of beach time, while the Masons could explore some of the ancient historical sights nearby.
Tom, of course, is having a field day, rattling off all kinds of facts and stories. It’s clear that even while his department is American history, he clearly loves the subjects in all it’s forms. They’re making their way through a cluster of small houses, all stone faces but covered with moss and ivy, when he climbs down over a ledge or two and waves for her to follow.
“Alexis! Come get a closer shot of some of the carvings.”
Alexis follows dutifully as his photographer for the day, listening to him jump into a story about how the native people of the area used the carvings to signify some kind of early calendar when another voice splits the air, one that she hasn’t heard in the longest time.
“Lex?”
She freezes in place, and Tom looks at her quizzically. Almost no one calls her that, not even Hal unless he’s half asleep, and she slowly turns on her heel to face a pile of dark curls. Under those curls, is her ex-boyfriend Pi.
“Oh my God.”
“Holy shit, I knew it was you.” He walks over to her with a wide smile, throwing his arms around her and pulling her in tightly. The hug still feels the same, but Alexis almost wants to flail against it, given who she happens to be in the presence of. “Wow, you look great.”
“It’s good to see you too, Pi.”
“Pi?” Tom looks clearly amused, resting his hands on his hips, and Alexis pulls out of the hug before awkwardly rubbing the back of her head.
“Uh, Tom, this is my friend Pi. Pi, this is my fiancé’s father, Tom Mason.” She hopes that Pi will get the message but he doesn’t seem to.
“Oh, damn, fiancé! I didn’t know you were getting married. Malia didn’t say anything.”
She squints. “You still talk to Malia?”
“Oh yeah, we’re friends on Facebook. She’s the best.”
Tom, still looking amused, then asks the dreaded question. “So how do you and Alexis know each other? Friends from school?”
“Oh no, sir. We used to date.”
Alexis closes her eyes, wincing under the bluntness of that delivery. It gets worse when she hears the voice behind her next.
“You used to what?”
She spins to find Hal standing behind her, a confused expression on his face. Alexis opens her mouth like she’s about to explain, but Pi cuts her off.
“We used to date. See, we both did this study abroad break during our senior year of high school, and that’s where we fell in love, under the gorgeous papaya trees. Did you know that papayas are an amazing source of nutrients?”
“I did not,” Tom acknowledges, and Hal drapes an arm around Alexis’ shoulders, tugging her in close. She’s happy to burrow into his shoulder as Pi drones on about papayas for a bit, before eventually returning to the point at hand.
“Anyway, long story short, our tropical love was not meant to survive tough New York City life. Alexis broke my heart, but I want you to know, Lex,” he reaches forward and takes her hands, drawing her eyes back to him. “I’ve got no hard feelings. Sure, it was rough at first, but we were different people, and we needed to go on different paths. I see that now.”
“Well, good. I’m …really glad.”
“Good,” he smiles, giving her hands a squeeze. “Well, it was really nice to meet you, Masons.” He pauses and claps a hand on Hal’s shoulder. “Take care of her, will ya? She’s a pretty special girl you’ve got.”
“Oh, believe me. I intend to.”
With one last smile, Pi disappears back into the jungle whence he came, and Alexis just buries her face in her hands. “How of all the jungles in the world, did he show up here?”
The Mason men surrounding her just burst into laughter, before Tom reaches forward and gives her shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t worry. We all have one of those.”
“It’s true,” Hal nods. “I’m absolutely never going to tell you who mine is, but it’s true.”
Alexis sighs before holding up her hands. “I was seventeen, okay?”
Tom nods as he mimics the gesture. “I one hundred percent believe you.” Then, as he turns and continues to make his way through the ruins, he frowns. “Though now I kind of want papaya juice.”
Alexis groans, but dutifully follows. At least her father isn’t here to see it.
jungle excursions | new york wolves | 894 | set 4
The Masons, on the other hand, are all about the history.
Their family trips are all about what they can learn from the past, whether it be civil war battle fields or sites of ancient civilizations, and it’s the latter that the annual family vacation has lead them to this particular year. Richard helped chip in for a venture to South America that seemed to split the difference for both families. Richard and Martha could get in plenty of beach time, while the Masons could explore some of the ancient historical sights nearby.
Tom, of course, is having a field day, rattling off all kinds of facts and stories. It’s clear that even while his department is American history, he clearly loves the subjects in all it’s forms. They’re making their way through a cluster of small houses, all stone faces but covered with moss and ivy, when he climbs down over a ledge or two and waves for her to follow.
“Alexis! Come get a closer shot of some of the carvings.”
Alexis follows dutifully as his photographer for the day, listening to him jump into a story about how the native people of the area used the carvings to signify some kind of early calendar when another voice splits the air, one that she hasn’t heard in the longest time.
“Lex?”
She freezes in place, and Tom looks at her quizzically. Almost no one calls her that, not even Hal unless he’s half asleep, and she slowly turns on her heel to face a pile of dark curls. Under those curls, is her ex-boyfriend Pi.
“Oh my God.”
“Holy shit, I knew it was you.” He walks over to her with a wide smile, throwing his arms around her and pulling her in tightly. The hug still feels the same, but Alexis almost wants to flail against it, given who she happens to be in the presence of. “Wow, you look great.”
“It’s good to see you too, Pi.”
“Pi?” Tom looks clearly amused, resting his hands on his hips, and Alexis pulls out of the hug before awkwardly rubbing the back of her head.
“Uh, Tom, this is my friend Pi. Pi, this is my fiancé’s father, Tom Mason.” She hopes that Pi will get the message but he doesn’t seem to.
“Oh, damn, fiancé! I didn’t know you were getting married. Malia didn’t say anything.”
She squints. “You still talk to Malia?”
“Oh yeah, we’re friends on Facebook. She’s the best.”
Tom, still looking amused, then asks the dreaded question. “So how do you and Alexis know each other? Friends from school?”
“Oh no, sir. We used to date.”
Alexis closes her eyes, wincing under the bluntness of that delivery. It gets worse when she hears the voice behind her next.
“You used to what?”
She spins to find Hal standing behind her, a confused expression on his face. Alexis opens her mouth like she’s about to explain, but Pi cuts her off.
“We used to date. See, we both did this study abroad break during our senior year of high school, and that’s where we fell in love, under the gorgeous papaya trees. Did you know that papayas are an amazing source of nutrients?”
“I did not,” Tom acknowledges, and Hal drapes an arm around Alexis’ shoulders, tugging her in close. She’s happy to burrow into his shoulder as Pi drones on about papayas for a bit, before eventually returning to the point at hand.
“Anyway, long story short, our tropical love was not meant to survive tough New York City life. Alexis broke my heart, but I want you to know, Lex,” he reaches forward and takes her hands, drawing her eyes back to him. “I’ve got no hard feelings. Sure, it was rough at first, but we were different people, and we needed to go on different paths. I see that now.”
“Well, good. I’m …really glad.”
“Good,” he smiles, giving her hands a squeeze. “Well, it was really nice to meet you, Masons.” He pauses and claps a hand on Hal’s shoulder. “Take care of her, will ya? She’s a pretty special girl you’ve got.”
“Oh, believe me. I intend to.”
With one last smile, Pi disappears back into the jungle whence he came, and Alexis just buries her face in her hands. “How of all the jungles in the world, did he show up here?”
The Mason men surrounding her just burst into laughter, before Tom reaches forward and gives her shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t worry. We all have one of those.”
“It’s true,” Hal nods. “I’m absolutely never going to tell you who mine is, but it’s true.”
Alexis sighs before holding up her hands. “I was seventeen, okay?”
Tom nods as he mimics the gesture. “I one hundred percent believe you.” Then, as he turns and continues to make his way through the ruins, he frowns. “Though now I kind of want papaya juice.”
Alexis groans, but dutifully follows. At least her father isn’t here to see it.