Looking for Daniel Mason

"You would have to the stupidest woman in this family!" Martha words were spoken in a matter of fact tone, without malice. "I don't know if the stupidity of your infidelity outweighs the sheer lunacy of your confession in front of everyone here tonight or not? However, I have to admit it took courage that goes beyond understanding to stand up there and cut your own throat as you did my dear."

Katelyn stood and took the berating, but didn't cower, "Trust me, if I could take everything back and not have to withstand the accusations that will surely be flying around the family from here on, I would gladly do it. I had no choice Aunt Martha; I could not stand by and let someone I love with all my heart, take the fall for my actions."

Martha nodded her understanding. "I believe we haven't heard all the details and I won't press you for them my dear. I'm just glad that your mother and father aren't alive to have to bare the shame of what you have done. I dare say that as time goes by, the truth will be revealed."

Katelyn shrugged her shoulder. "The people most affected know the truth, and I'm not prepared to discuss the detail with anyone else until I have spoken to Daniel and got his thoughts on who should be told what."

Martha smiled knowingly. "As it should be my dear, but that is not the reason I came over to talk to you. I came to get it out of the road and dine on my crow. I ask for your forgiveness for the rumours I had no right in spreading. If and when I get the chance I will personally apologise to Daniel himself."

Martha went to leave and turned back to look into Katelyn's eyes. "At the time I didn't understand you refusal to believe that Daniel had left you for greener pastures. I now see that you knew your husband far better than everyone else, and I commend you on your loyalty to him. For what it's worth, as much as infidelity disgusts me. You have my respect for coming forward in the manner you did. I hope all goes well for you and Daniel."

~...~

Dan entered and stood stock still in the archway to the kitchen. Grace and Jason had been back from their honeymoon for a little over a week and this was a get together of the family to welcome them back. Katelyn was doing some food preparation at the kitchen counter with Gracie. Jason was standing nearby her chatting, as were other members of the family and guests. Dan halted for a minute, debating again, whether he really wanted to be here.

"Katelyn, can I see you in the den for a minute!" Dan didn't wait for a reply; making it a demand, rather than a request as he turned and strode to what use to be his study over four years ago.

Katelyn spun around at the sound of her husband's voice. Dan hadn't spoken to her in all this time and now it sounded as the death knell of her future with the family. No one spoke as they all held their breath and glanced around worriedly at each other. A sense of foreboding filled the air.

Katelyn had a lump the size of a watermelon in her stomach; Gracie kissed her mother on the cheek with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure it'll be ok mum! Just remember everyone's with you!"

Katelyn tried to put on a brave face and was sure she failed. "Can you finish up here for me? The lettuce needs washing and the carrots just need to be shredded." Katelyn took her apron off, drying her hands as she walked from the kitchen. Not since high school, had she felt as nervous. Dan summoning her like this made filled her with dread.

Dan was looking out the bay window at the guests milling around in the back yard when he felt Katelyn's presence. Without turning he spoke, "Why did you do it?"

Kat watched Dan's back and wrung her hand, she'd asked herself this question so many times it was indelibly imprinted in the brain, "Daniel? Can I just say one thing before I try to explain what I... well you know...everything?"

Dan turned but said nothing, the pain on his face was palpable, and it almost brought Katelyn to her knees. Katelyn took his silence as acceptance, "I know that what I have to say is too little too late! I know I have hurt you more than anyone has a right to. All I want to say is that I am so, so sorry for all the pain I have caused, and I will do anything, and I mean, absolutely anything to see that you never have to feel this way again."

Dan heard Katelyn's apology and in part his question was answered and for a second he was about to forego the rest. He saw the sorrow in her eyes and thought that he should at least let her get everything off her chest so that they could move on. Whatever that direction that might take, and without emotion he responded, "Apology accepted Katelyn! Now can you tell me why?"

Katelyn was taken back for a split second by Dan's announcement, "Was this just lips service? Did Daniel actually believe her, or was he being facetious," she struggled to gather her thoughts, "Daniel, please believe me that from the very beginning, it never entered my mind that Gracie wasn't your daugh..."

Dan held up his hand to stop her, "I'm sure in my own mind that that was the case. That's not what I want to know! I want to know why you made your confession at the wedding. You didn't do yourself any justice, and brought a fair amount of condemnation upon yourself."

Katelyn stopped abruptly with a confused expression on her face, "You know about that and what I said?"

"I saw the video they took at the reception. I'm led to believe that I have the only unedited copy, but yes, I saw it and I want to know why you'd do something like that."

Katelyn started to cry and sat in the office chair, her legs couldn't hold her up any longer. "I had no choice Daniel! It was that or let everyone keep thinking that you were at fault. I couldn't and wouldn't tolerate that for one more minute. You have done nothing wrong, you have been the most loving and forthright husband any woman could ever hope for. It angered me that people were trashing your good name."

Kate peered through tear-blurred eyes. "I talked to Gracie and Jason before I said anything and they gave me their blessing. The last thing I wanted to do was destroy their wedding day any further. In a way, it gave me back some resemblance of self-respect, even though I totally trashed my reputation. I know it was my stupidity that made you leave the church. I don't seem to be able to do anything right anymore, I just keep making bigger and bigger mistakes. Seeing you up there giving our little Gracie's hand to Jason made my heart leap with joy, you made me so proud."

Kate was crying all out, "I'm such a moron; I lost it for a minute and made that stupid gesture. If nothing else, my only hope is that you'll forgive me and stay with your children. And they are your children Daniel, no one else's! I know you love them and I know damn well that they love and adore you, this last four years have been so hard on all of us."

Dan watched as Kat sagged forward in the chair and fell to the floor, crying into her hands. Dan had mixed feelings, on one hand wanting to take her in his arms and console her and on the other, the resentment he felt for her lack of trust and respect for him. The one thing that he had gleaned from her confession was that she was truly sorry for her actions.

"Kat, it's ok now! I was actually impressed by your little speech at the reception. I realise now that being mad at you forever will not just hurt you but me as well, and certainly won't do our children any good either. It's why I have come today. I want to bury the past and move forward, I can't say that we'll ever be a complete family again, but I promise to work with you to make our children's lives better, and that doesn't mean either of us being sent packing. What do you say? Can you do that...for the kids?"

Katelyn sobbed herself to a standstill and looked up into Dan's smiling face. In a shaky voice she gasped, "Ohhh yes Daniel! Anything, anything at all, you just name it and I'll do it. I want nothing more than to get by my moronic stupidity and move on."

Dan moved over and held out his hand, "Well then come on moron, it's about time we try to salvage some of your reputation. I'm almost sure there's are some very nervous family members out there wondering if world war three is about to erupt. I'll fend them off while you go and repair your make up, you look like shit woman."

Katelyn let Dan help her to her feet and wanted to hug him but hesitated. Dan realised this and wrapped his arms around the mother of his children and Katelyn melted into his embrace without a fight.

Kat gave Dan a gentle squeeze before backing off, "Thank you Daniel, thank you for being you. You have no idea how much this means to me, if you could grant me just one more little request?" Looking up into his eyes, she waited for a rebuttal.

"I suppose I can be magnanimous enough to give you one more. What is it?"

Katelyn felt a lot of stress she was under, release itself, "You're too good for me Daniel, too good by far. Once things have settled down and you're feeling more comfortable, will you allow me to tell you everything? I don't want you wondering, I want everything out in the open. I know what I have to say will probably hurt you more, but I feel that not saying it will be worse. Can you do that for me?"

"We'll see! No promises Kat, it's too soon to be making them. Let's just see how today goes."

Gracie looked to Jason for some assurance, "What do you think that was all about?"

The others in the room were murmuring amongst themselves about the same thing; Jason shook his head, "Don't worry about things that are out of your control Grace. They've been in there for half an hour now, there isn't any screaming, and shouting, that in itself is a good sign. I have an idea but I don't want to pre-empt any possible reconciliation."

Katie and Dan came out of the study to a kitchen full of anticipation. Kat had obviously been crying and Gracie's heart missed a beat until her mother came over and hugged her, whispered in her ear, "Don't worry sweetheart, I'm ok and everything's fine, your father is a wonderful man, now I just have to go and fix my makeup. Is everything ready for the barbeque?"

Gracie squeezed her mother and nodded, "All finished and Jason has fired up the grill out on the patio." Gracie turned to face her father with a big smile, "What have I ever done to deserve a father such as you?" Gracie wrapped her arms around her father and held on as if her life depended on it.

"I ask myself the same question Gracie! Even after all that has happened I have to thank your mother for giving me such a loving daughter and two wonderful sons." Looking over Gracie's head, he winked and smiled at Jason, "But I think that we have one more person to thank. Don't you?"

Gracie looked up at the father's face and saw the direction he was looking, "You're right dad! Not only do I have the best father in the world but I am also blessed with the best husband in the world as well."

The afternoon went well with everyone chatting, Dan mingled with the guests and caught up on old times, but one item was off the list of conversation by mutual unspoken agreement, and that was the outcome of the relationship between Dan and Katie.

~...~

Katie was sweeping the kitchen floor when she heard the front door bell. Putting the broom back in the cupboard she went through to answer it. Standing on her doorstep was a young man in his twenties, and in his hand was an envelope. Katelyn froze for a minute and waited for him to announce himself. "Are you Mrs Katelyn Mason?"

Katelyn felt a surge of fear so constricting that she could feel herself fainting. She managed to keep herself upright. "Yes, can I help you?" She enquired hesitantly, waiting for those three fatal words, the three insidious words she had been worried about ever since Daniel had come back, the certain death knell to her marriage! "You are served!"

Seconds dragged past like hours and the man just stood there with an inquisitive look on his face as though mocking her. "Are you alright Ma'am?"

Katelyn could only manage to nod. "Ok then, I have a registered letter for you. Can you sign here please Ma'am?" With that, he produced a hand held electronic key pan with screen and stylus.

After signing and thanking him, Katie shut the front door and looked at the envelope as though it was a viper ready to strike. She sighed and realised that she had been holding her breath for almost the entire time the deliveryman was at the door. Walking over to the coffee table in the lounge she carefully put the letter down and sat looking at it for minutes trying to get up the courage to open it.

"Gracie?" She spoke into the phone. "Can you come over for a minute?"

Grace was worried when she came through the front door. "What is it mum? What's wrong?" She saw her mother sitting on the floor beside the coffee table and staring at an envelope. "Mum? Why are you on the floor, what's wrong?"

Katie looked up; she had tears in her eyes as she pointed to the letter, "It came by registered post an hour ago."

Gracie looked at the envelope. "You haven't opened it!"

Her mother shook her head. "I haven't had the courage to find out what's in...I just don't know if I want to find out."

Grace sat down beside her mother. "Well it's generally considered a good idea to open letters, especially if they're address to you." She said light heartedly.

Katelyn sobbed, "But what if it's...you know, a legal document."

"Ohhh I see what you're worried about. What did the man say when he spoke to you?"

Katie wiped a tear from her face and sighed, "Not much, just asked if I was Mrs Mason and when I informed him I was, he said he had a registered letter for me and if I could sign for it."

Gracie smiled. "Then I don't see why you're all worried about opening it."

Katie wrung her hands nervously, "What's to say it's not a legal document? I've never been served any legal documents before, so I don't know if they have to say those words or not before they hand them to you."

Gracie sighed. "What words are you talking about ...Ohhh you mean; you are served! Is that what you're worried about?" Gracie could see the tears building up in her mother's eyes and took her by the shoulders to face her. "I don't know either mum, but what I do know is that you have already signed for the letter. As far as any court is concerned you have received the letter, so it matters not." Katie sobbed as Gracie held her. "Would you like me to open it for you?"

Katie's breath caught in her throat and all she could bring herself to do was simply nodded.

Gracie picked the envelope up and looked at it for a few seconds before tearing the end off, blowing in it to open the folds, while Katie closed her eyes and prayed, "Please it let be nothing!"

Gracie pulled out a single sheath of paper and looked back into the envelope. "Well it doesn't look that official!" Katelyn opened her eyes and looked at her daughter watching for any sign of distress, waiting until she unfolded the letter. The suspense was killing her, but could not bring herself to ask the question screaming at her.

Gracie's face changed from a frown to a grin, and then to a full-blown laugh as she read the letter and this lifted Katie's spirits. "What does it say?

"It's an invitation mum, and gold embossed one at that!"

"Mr Daniel Mason cordially invites Mrs Katelyn Mason to spend an extended weekend at his lakeside retreat at the time of her choosing."

Katelyn was astounded. "Excuse me?"

Gracie looked over at her mother smiling, "That's what it says! Dad is inviting you to stay at his cabin for the weekend...an extended weekend no less."

Katelyn's mouth hung open and Gracie brought her hand up under her chin. "Close your mouth mum, you're catching flies."

Katelyn got herself back together, pushing Gracie's hand away in irritation. "What else does it say?"

Gracie shrugged. "Nothing; that's it. As the saying goes, that's all she wrote!"

Katelyn grabbed the invitation from Gracie and read it with a frown creeping across her face. "Damn that man! He's torturing me! Just before he drops the axe, and chops off my head."

Grace giggled, "I think you're being a little melodramatic mum! It's an invitation to a romantic weekend in the country, for god's sake. You should be happy, this is what you; we want, isn't it?"

Katelyn shook her head in confusion, wanting nothing more than for Gracie to be right, but fearing that it wasn't as she has said. "No...I mean yes ... Ohhh god Gracie, I don't know what I mean, I do want it be a romantic weekend, but after everything that has gone by, I don't think that is what this is. If this is your father's idea of a joke, then it's in poor taste."

Gracie held up her finger. "One minute mum!" She pulled her mobile phone out of her purse and hit speed dial. "Hello Jason my love... Yes sweetheart, I know I don't normally ring you at work, but I have a little problem that I think your talents could help me with... No sweetie, not that!" Gracie giggled into the phone. "Although you do this for me and you can certainly expect to get luck tonight!" Gracie laughed again. "Ohhh that's great, in thirty minutes then? Yes...No, no... mum's place... yes...Ok see you, bye darling...love you!"

Katelyn hadn't heard much of her daughter conversation, too intent on the few gold coloured words on the paper. "Earth to mum!" Katie looked up at her daughter, "What was that darling?" Gracie sighed, placing her phone back into her purse. "Jason will be here in under half an hour and we can ask him for his opinion."

After a quick talk with Marcie, Jason looked at the invitation in his hand, going over it minutely, inspecting it with a practiced eye. "Good quality paper!" He quipped as he rubbed the sheath between his thumb and index finger. "Gold embossed as well, with good penmanship!"

Lifting it up to the light and angling it he noted. "Ahhh yes, but it's obviously fake! It looks as though it was hand written, but it now looks like it may have been done on a bubble jet printer."

Katelyn's nerves had finally got the best of her and she snapped. "Cut the detective crap and tell us what you think it means!"

Jason laughed. "I'm sorry mum, but I think dad is inviting you for a weekend to work out your differences, maybe a nice dinner and dancing at an Italian restaurant. Sitting on the deck, you know, overlooking the lake chatting amicably about how you both might deal with what has happened. I think you should take him up on his offer. What have you got to lose?"

Katie and Grace look to one another and Gracie commented, "You gleaned all that from one piece of paper?"

Jason was smiling, he could see the astonishment on their faces and it amused him. "You have to realise that making assumption on limited information is rather sketchy at the best, so no, it also has to do with the phone call I received from dad this morning asking me if I'd mind bringing mum up to the cabin. And from the invitation it seems that it's mum call as to when that may be."

Gracie punched Jason hard on the arm, while Katelyn's legs gave way and she slumped in her chair. Grace eventually chortled. "You mongrel bastard! What else did he say?"

Jason's grin made it obvious that the abuse from his wife hadn't affected him much as he rubbed his arm. "He told me that he had a standing reservation at a little dine and dance place called Giovanni's, so I assumed that he intends to take mum out for dinner. He did sound upbeat on the phone so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you mum."

Gracie shivered with excitement. "You know what this mean mum?" When Katelyn shook her head Gracie continued, "Full court press! We are going shopping for an invitingly sexy evening gown, maybe a sheer little teddy that leaves little if nothing to the imagination, how about a bikini or two?"