Mason Ch. 15

Ben stopped Mason by the door as they were getting ready to leave.

"Barbara had a good feeling about you the very first time she laid eyes on you and so did I. You've been so good for Toni and Jamie and I just wanted to say thank you and welcome to our family, we're happy to have you."

"Thank you but it is I who should be thanking you and Barbara for giving me your blessings. I promise you that Toni and Jamie will always be safe and loved." Mason replied.

"I have no doubt about that." Ben replied shaking Mason's hand.

*******

Jamie chatted the entire way back to Toni's condo. Toni actually had to tell him to take a break because he used dad in almost every other word. Mason answered each of Jamie's questions patiently not at all minding the frequent use of the word "dad". He knew that Jamie was trying to get used to saying it and that he had to get used to hearing it.

"Are you going home?" Jamie asked when they got to the condo.

"Not just yet, I believe that you and I have some reading to catch up on." Mason replied.

He decided that he would spend the next several nights at the condo next to Toni's and that he would give her and Jamie a key, it was time to start teaching him about responsibility.

"Jamie before we go inside, I want to show you one of the places where I live." Mason said.

He unlocked the condo and led them inside.

"I'll be sleeping here from now on until your mom and I get married." he said. "I'm going to have keys made to give to you and your mom for emergency use. Do you understand what that means?" Mason asked.

"It means that I can't come in whenever I want?" Jamie asked.

"That's exactly right." Mason said. "It's alright to use the key if you locked out of your place or if there's an emergency and you need a safe place to go. Does that make sense?"

"I got it." Jamie replied proud that he was going to be trusted with something so important.

"Good." Mason replied as he ruffled Jamie's hair. "Why don't we go in and get started on our reading?"

Toni didn't miss the feeling of rightness about the situation; she could honestly say that she was really happy for the first time in a long while. She watched Mason and Jamie together and the feeling was reconfirmed.

Later when Jamie was in bed, Mason kissed Toni and told her that he would be back.

"I have an errand that I need to run, I won't be long."

******

Mason drove the cemetery where James was buried and found his headstone. He stood in silence for several minutes paying his respects to a man that he had only met once but owed so much to.

"Although we never officially met, I owe you a debt that I can never repay. You loved Toni and kept her safe and happy, for that you will always have my respect and gratitude. You had the foresight to release her to love and to be loved and for that I also thank you. I am here to make a pledge to you, I pledge to always love and protect those who you have entrusted to me. Toni and Jamie will want for nothing and Jamie will know who you are, I will make sure of it. Rest well James." Mason said and then he walked away.

After leaving the cemetery, Mason went to his house and to his bedroom. He moved the large dresser with no effort at all and opened the safe that was hidden behind it. In the back was a large wooden jewelry box that was covered with intricate abstract designs. He murmured a few words and the box sprung open revealing the contents inside. Mason carried the box to the bed, sat down and emptied the contents out; he was looking for something specific. He found it after a minute or two and held it up to the light. The amethyst gem stone surrounded by small perfect diamonds sparkled in the light. There were other rings that he would have liked to have given her but she would have thought them too showy or pretentious, this however was perfect. The stones were large enough to notice but not so large that Toni would find the ring too much.

Mason first saw the ring over two hundred years ago and almost bypassed it but it seemed to be calling to him so he bought it, stuck it in the box and hadn't given it any more thought until today. Apparently even then the fates knew what was going to happen he realized as he put the ring into his pocket. He secured the box, put it back into the safe and pushed the dresser back into place.

By the time he got back to Toni's an hour and a half had passed, he spent more time at the gravesite than he had intended. Toni was in the kitchen making tea when he walked into the kitchen, she didn't hear him come in so he took the opportunity to watch her without her being aware of it. She was humming to herself as she put several teaspoons of sugar into a mug. "Soon." Mason thought to himself as he knocked on the wall to let Toni know that he was back.

"Want a cup of tea?" Toni asked in greeting.

"No thank you" Mason replied as he sat at the counter and waited for her to finish making er tea. They still had to talk about work but that could wait, he wanted to get the ring on her finger first.

Mason followed Toni to the living room and waited until she sat the cup of tea down before taking the ring out of his pocket.

"Toni, I know that you've already agreed to marry me but I wasn't fully prepared when I first proposed to you and now I am."

Mason got up from the couch and knelt in front of Toni as he had earlier, took her left hand in his and proposed as he slid the ring onto her finger.

"Toni, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Toni said without hesitation.

Mason kissed her hands and then moved so that he was sitting beside her on the couch and kissed her, he wanted to do more than kiss her but that would have to wait.

Toni looked at the ring on her finger, "It's beautiful, how long have you had it?" she asked.

"A long time, when I bought it I didn't know why or who it was for, now I know." Mason replied as he held the hand that he had just slipped the ring onto.

By morning they had decided what to do about work. Toni wanted to keep practicing but agreed to go to part-time as would Mason. They agreed that if there was a child that Toni would be the one to decide whether she wanted to work or stay home.

It was five am when Mason reluctantly left.

'I wish that you didn't have to go but Jamie...."

"I know." Mason said. "When are we going to get married?" he asked.

"Four weeks?" Toni asked.

"I can't convince you to make it a week can I?" Mason asked.

"No and a month isn't that far away." Toni replied.

******

The next evening Mason waited for Toni to come out of her condo, his plan was to drive her to work.

"What happens if I have to stay late?" she asked. "I think that I'd better drive myself." she added.

Mason had a sense of foreboding that he couldn't shake.

"Sweetheart, let me drive, if you run late one of your parents can come for you."

"I'm fully capable of driving myself to work and back" Toni said kissing him on the chin. "Come on we're going to be late."

Mason stopped Toni, "Let me drive." he said. "I know a shortcut." he added.

As soon as Toni agreed, the feeling of foreboding was gone.

Ten minutes later they were at the hospital.

"That was a lot shorter." Toni agreed as Mason parked the car.

Toni hadn't even made it to the sleeping room that she would be using when the announcement calling for all available physicians to go to the ER. The ER was in chaos as ambulances pulled up and brought injured people in.

"What happened?" Toni asked as she went to a gurney.

"Oil truck exploded on the highway." The paramedic said as he helped transfer the victim to the cot.

A chill ran through her, Mason had known. Maybe not the specifics but he knew that something was going to happen and that's why he didn't want her to drive.

Four hours later, things had calmed somewhat. Several of the accident victims had to be transferred out to burn centers, three were in ICU of those three, one wouldn't make it through the night. The remaining five were going to the med surg/ tele units.

Toni went to the sleeping room, kicked off her shoes and put on the bunny slippers. She kept thinking that one of those people could have been her if she had driven

Toni jumped when her cell phone rang. Mason.

"Are you alright?" he asked before she could say anything.

"You knew didn't you?" Toni asked.

"I didn't know the specifics but I knew that I couldn't let you drive to work tonight but are you alright?"

'I'm fine." Toni replied. "I could have been one of those people, had you not insisted on driving..."

"Stay put, I'm coming to you." Mason said and hung up.

Seconds later he was in her room hugging her. "Better?" he asked.

"Better and you'd better get out of here before someone sees you." Toni replied.

"I don't care if I'm seen." Mason replied as he kissed her. "But I do have to get back, see you in an hour?" he asked.

"Barring any emergencies yes." Toni replied walking him to the door.

After Mason left Toni decided to do rounds before lunch and then she could dictate. On her way to the med surg unit she ran into Dr. Ellis and the resident working with him that night.

"Hello Toni." He said.

"Hi Mike, how are things?" Toni asked and then nodded at the resident.

"Excuse my manners." Mike said. "Eli this is Dr. Toni Jacobson one of our best doctors and Toni this is Eli Marks, he'll be working with me but I believe that he plans to specialize in trauma."

Toni shook hands with the resident and welcomed him.

"Mike's a good teacher, you'll learn a lot from him."

The resident started to say something when he was interrupted by Mike.

"Why don't you go ahead and pull the charts of our patients? I'll be there shortly.

As soon as the resident was out of earshot Mike spoke.

"Still seeing Donahue?"

"As a matter of fact I am." Toni replied. "What is it with you? How many different ways are there to tell someone that you're not interested? I've told you in so many words, I know that Mason has spoken to you about it but here we are having the same conversation. So let me end this once and for all, I am not interested in you for anything other than a professional relationship. I am engaged to Mason therefore I am off the market and feel free to announce that on the rumor mill."

Toni walked off leaving Mike Ellis staring at her and wondering what would have happened if he had gotten to her before Mason.

******

The floor was quiet with the exception of the occasional IV pump alarming or call light going off. Toni pulled the charts that she needed and went back to the physicians section of the station. She rounded on one patient at a time and then either wrote, discontinued or added orders. She was writing orders on the last patient when Kim tapped on the door.

"Dr. Jacobson? Do you have a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?" Toni asked as she finished writing the orders for the last patient.

Kim sat down and gave Toni a nervous look.

"I wanted to tell you that I've been talking with Tom, Dr. Myers and he's doing well. He'll be at the clinic for a few more weeks and then he'll be back."

'That's good news." Toni said sensing that there was more to it.

"We've decided to start seeing each other when he gets out...."

"Kim...

"Let me finish." Kim said.

"I know that you think that all I'm looking for is a rich doctor to take care of me and at one time that would have been true but not anymore. I know that Tom is vulnerable right now but I really like him. I liked him even before that whole thing happened, that's why it was so hard to say anything but I couldn't let him just throw his life away. That's why I came to you knowing how you felt about me."

Toni was quiet for several minutes; she heard no lie coming from Kim and felt her sincerity.

"How I feel or don't feel about you has nothing to do with this." Toni said. "Tom is a friend and I don't want him hurt or taken advantage of by you or anyone else. The warning that I'm going to give you would be given to anyone who I felt had the potential to hurt someone that I cared about. You hurt him or take advantage of him in any way, I will hunt you down and kick your ass are we clear on that?" Toni asked.

Kim nodded her head emphatically, "I understand." Then she saw the ring. "Are you getting married?"

"Yes." Toni replied.

"To Dr, Donahue?"

"Yes." Toni replied.

"Congratulations! " Kim said excitedly. "I love weddings!" she added throwing a hint.

"Thanks, look I gotta run. See ya." Toni said handing the chart to Kim.

By morning, the news of their engagement was all over the hospital.

*******

Mason was in his office dictating when Joyce stuck her head in. Mason hit the pause button and looked at her.

"So I hear congratulations are in order." Joyce said sitting down.

"Yes, thank you." Mason said.

"Am I going to get an invite?"

"We haven't made any concrete plans but chances are it will be a very small ceremony." Mason replied.

"So when's your last day?" Joyce asked changing the subject.

"Toni and I are both staying on a part time basis, when are you leaving?"

"I gave notice for sixty days." Joyce replied. "Were you serious about your offer?"

"I was and I am." Mason replied.

They talked for a few more minutes before Joyce left the office. Mason wondered if her replacement would be as good and as aggravating at she had been.

********

The next weeks were filled with making wedding plans. Tried as they might to keep the guest list down, it still ended up with one hundred names on it. Toni was seriously rethinking the suggestion that they just elope but seeing the happiness on the faces of her parents made her keep her mouth shut.

Mason had wanted to have the wedding at his house but there just wasn't enough room.

"I have an idea." he said one evening. "Ethan has a cook who runs his own business on the side; we could have the ceremony and the reception there as well. The thing is if we're going to use him, we have to call him soon, reservations are made weeks in advance."

Toni shrugged, "call him. If we can't do it there we can use one of the hotels that has banquet facilities."

Toni listened as Mason called and spoke with Ethan about Caesar.

"He's available? That's great! We'll call him tomorrow with a menu. You'll meet her soon; you are coming to the wedding aren't you? I would like for you and Katrina to meet her. Thanks Ethan and give Katrina and the girls my love."

"It's a go." Mason said as he hung up the phone.

"I heard." Toni said softly.

"Toni?" Mason asked.

'Nothing, I just had a moment of insecurity but I'm alright now." she replied.

"If there's something bothering you let's get it out now." Mason said.

"Really, I'm good. It was for just a second I wondered if you were still in love with her." Toni admitted.

"You once told me that there was a part of you that would always belong to James and I told you that the same would be for Katrina. I also told you that it in no way meant that I couldn't love someone totally and I meant that, Toni I love you. It's not Katrina that I think of when I close my eyes to rest and it's not Katrina that I want to make love with every day. It will always be you and no one else, do you understand that?" Mason asked.

"I understand." Toni replied. "I think that it's just nerves." She added playing with his fingers.

*******

Three weeks later Toni stood in front of the mirror looking at her reflection. Today was gong to be the fourth happiest day of her life, the first one was when she married James, the second was when she passed boards, the third was when she and James witnessed Jamie's birth and finally today when she married Mason.

She found it hard to believe that she was happy; she thought that the pain of losing James would never subside but it had, it had taken three long years but the pain had finally subsided. The only thing that marred the day was the phone call from Gina telling her that she shouldn't be marrying again so soon. Toni heard Robert walk in to the room, say something to Gina and then he was on the phone apologizing profusely.

Toni was also nervous, she was never one for big crowds and she was going to be meeting Katrina-the other woman for the first time. She wondered how she would compare to her and what Katrina would think about her. She didn't know why Katrina's opinion of her mattered so much except that it was because Mason had loved her. A tap on her door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Come in!" she called.

Barbara came in carrying the dress that Toni would get married in, it wasn't a wedding gown per se, Toni drew the line there. She and her mother argued about what she should wear for days until Ben stepped in.

"Barbara, it's her wedding and she doesn't want a gown."

That was all it took for Barbara to give up. It took them two days to find the dress that Toni would be wearing.

"It's a beautiful dress." Barbara said as she hung it up.

The dress was cream colored with a flowery design that was slightly darker in color than the dress itself. The neckline was squared; the sleeves fell to her elbows. The waist of the dress fit snugly around her waist before it flared out over her hips with the hemline ending two inches above her knees.

"Did you bring the extra panty hose?" Toni asked.

"Three pair just like you wanted." Barbara replied.

"I'd better start getting dressed, god forbid that I should be late to my own wedding."

******

Mason had a hard time resting; he hadn't seen Toni in over twenty-four hours by the decree of Barbara.

"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding so say your goodbyes and have a good time with Ben and Jamie."

The three of them had gone to the movies and played at a video arcade until Jamie was too tired to stay up any later. After putting Jamie to bed, Ben and Mason talked.

"I guess you already know how stubborn she can be." Ben said. "That comes from her mother's side of the family."

"I noticed." Mason said chuckling.

"And I guess you found out that while Toni is a good doctor, she can't cook to save her life."

"I noticed that too." Mason said and told Ben about Toni flouring the bacon.

"Yep, that's our Toni." Ben said laughing.

The rest of the evening passed quietly with Ben leaving around one am. From that point on, the night slowed down. He talked to Toni several times throughout the night but it wasn't the same as seeing her. He had even entertained thoughts of appearing in her room just long enough to kiss her good night but he didn't, he didn't want Jamie to wake up and no one be there.

Now he was pacing back and forth counting down the minutes when he would marry Toni. Caesar had the restaurant looking nice but not over the top, he was however surprised by the menu.

"Mickey Mouse pancakes?" Caesar asked incredulous. "Wouldn't she rather have prime rib or.... Or.... Mickey Mouse Pancakes? He asked again.

Toni and Mason had agreed to let Jamie help with the menu knowing that's what he would choose. The tables were already set with real china and silverware and crystal goblets for the fresh orange juice.

It was almost time.

Mason turned when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Ethan! You made it, where are Katrina and the girls?"

"In the bathroom." Ethan said. "I wanted to be the first to congratulate you , nervous?" he asked.

"A little." Mason admitted.

'You'll be fine, oh there's Katrina and the girls." Ethan said.

Katrina made her way over to Mason followed by the girls who had grown so much and were as beautiful as Katrina was, they would have Ethan's height hew noted. Katrina hugged and then kissed Mason on the cheek, "Congratulations! We're so happy for you!" she said smiling up at him.

"Thank you and I'm glad that you could come." Mason replied looking down at her. He greeted the girls with hugs and kisses and then looked at Katrina again. She was still as beautiful as he remembered but the feelings that he once had for her were gone, she was his friend and the wife of his friend Ethan, all was as it should be.