When Mason got inside the family residence, he found Mrs. Robinson sitting on a couch, reading a book. He raised his head and saw Nana ahead. When their eyes met, she raised her thumb, a comprehensive gesture that the task had been accomplished.
"Mom!" Mason called, steeling himself for what was to come.
Mrs. Robinson tilted her head upward to meet Mason's smiling face. Her eyes widened in what seemed like shock and horror. She opened her mouth in a silent scream.
"It's me, Ma–"
"Mason!?" she cut in. "Why did you cut your hair?"
"You recognize me?"
"Of course! Why won't I?" she replied, unable to muster a worthy retort for such a stupid question. "I raised you, Mason. I know even your smell. And who else has blue eyes in the family?"
Mason couldn't contain his emotions as the dam burst. Tears trickled down his face. Raymond, Mr. Robinson, and Nana failed to recognize him at first sight. But Mrs. Robinson didn't think twice, didn't even doubt as she recognized him.
"You shouldn't cry, dear," Mrs. Robinson said as she slowly neared him. "What type of mother would I be if I didn't recognize my son?"
Mason wrapped his arms around him. His tears fell on her misty white dress. Mrs. Robinson pulled back, her eyes adopting a serious look.
"Nana! Bring me my slippers, I need to teach this boy a lesson!" she said, her voice traveling across the room.
"Wait a minute, Mom," Mason said as he tried to step backward, but Mrs. Robinson's hand grabbed him by the collar.
"I'm not running away, Mom," he said. "I'm just curious. You knew about my appearance all this while?"
"Of course, why do you think I didn't allow you to cut your hair short?" Mrs. Robinson said.
"Because of my face?"
"Because of your eyes, Mason. I've always known you'd make such a fine man. But those eyes… there's a charm in them."
"What do you mean?"
Mrs. Robinson let out a deep breath and let go of Mason's collar.
"Those eyes, Mason, there's charm in them," she repeated. "Any lady who looks at your eyes would be doomed; they'd be enchanted."
"What!?"
"I don't know why, but your initial eyes matched your hair color before. They somehow began to change to blue three years ago."
"So that's why you let my hair cover my eyes?"
Mrs. Robinson nodded. "How did ladies react when they saw you like this?"
"Like they've seen an angel. I even received free clothes for taking pictures."
Mrs. Robinson's eyes grumbled NO!!!!! when she heard the word Pictures. Her expression shifted to what Mason couldn't comprehend as she grabbed his hand.
"Promise me something, Mason," she said. "Promise me you'd never let the world know about you. Give me your word you'll never show your face to the world." She looked desperate as she stared into Mason's eyes with dead seriousness.
Mason was confused. He couldn't understand why his mother appeared so worked up because of his eyes. Yes, he's left people astounded by his beauty during the little time he has transformed. However, going as far as hiding his face forever is something more…
"Talk to me, Mason! Give me your word!"
There's no good in keeping her tense or asking more questions, and Mason decided to assure her. Perhaps that might work, until the day he leaves the Robinson's house to pursue his dream.
"I promise," Mason said, and he put his other hand on hers, rubbing it reassuringly. "I'll do as you asked."
Mrs. Robinson forced out a deep sigh of relief. Shivers ran down her spine as she recalled the menacing voice she heard in her dreams a few years ago.
Veronica… protect my son. He must not be revealed to the world or his fate would be doom. No one must hear or know about him. He's a boy shouldering a greater destiny. Protect my boy, Veronica… you must…
The voice had haunted most of her dreams then. The recurring dream had caused her sleepless nights and hallucinations. But soon they left when she looked into Mason's changing eyes. And that was when everything clicked into place.
"Mom, are you okay?" Mason's voice brought her back to the present, and the daze in her eyes broke. She smiled and then nodded, wiping off the beads of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Nana! Where's my slippers?" she called out again. Mason tried to break free, but she was faster. She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him closer.
"You sure do hold grudges, Mom!" he exclaimed, but Mrs. Robinson barely acknowledged him.
"I can't find them!" Nana cried back, though Mason knew those were lies.
"If you don't find them for me, you'd be the one to take all his beatings," Mrs. Robinson said, the threat in her voice hanging forever. "And I'd make sure to give you the best beatings of your–"
"I found it!" Nana's voice echoed toward them. "I can't believe they're right under my nose!" She appeared from the corridor holding a pair of slippers.
Betrayal! Mason screamed within himself as he shot Nana a glare. "I'm going to kill you!" he mouthed.
"I know, but I'd rather die in your hand than in Mom's," Nana mouthed back as she handed over one of the slippers and quickly backed away, but not until she was grazed by a swing from their mother. She grabbed her side and mustered a cry.
"Aucht! Mom!"
"What took you so long? You think you can help him escape?" Mrs. Robinson said and turned back to Mason, her slipper raised up, ready to deliver.
"Wait a minute, Mom," Mason said, a wry smile coming to his face. "Should I just use your wigs then?"
Mrs. Robinson returned the smile. "That's not going to work, dear. Just receive your beatings with love and content."
"Love and content, my foot!"
"Mom, no! Ouch! It's painful!"
****
Nana stared at Mason, and she smiled as they sat down on a large rock in front of their house, beautified by the orange glow of the setting sun.
"You're not in pain, I presume?" she said, her gaze probing.
"Her beatings were like those of a child. And what pain could that soft slipper possibly cause?" Mason replied. "I just exaggerated my screams and pretended I'm in pain to make her believe her messages are well passed across."
"Now you know the system. Sometimes you'd need to exaggerate to make her believe you're punished," Nana said.
"However, do not treat her like a fool. She's just not interested in violence or causing us pain. She's a good woman."
"Yeah, yeah. One might think you're the firstborn," Nana scoffed.
"Of course I am! I'm a few weeks older than–"
"I don't want to hear it! You even asked if she recognized you earlier. How could you ask that, knowing mom's keen sight is none like any other?"
"Well, that's true. I just couldn't believe it. Even you didn't recognize me, nor did Dad."
Nana was quiet, and when it seemed apparent she couldn't continue further, Mason continued.
"So Mom didn't have an outdated sense of fashion as everyone claimed. She deliberately let my hair grow long to hide my eyes," he said.
Nana's eyes regained life. "What!?" she said. "Did you see what she wore earlier?"
A smile slowly spread across Mason's face.
"A nightgown, isn't it?"
"Exactly! How can someone take a morning bath only to end up back in their nightgown? And it's almost evening now."
Both of them erupted into laughter. Soon, a figure approached and sat with them on the rock. Alarm, Nana stood up and gave him a questioning glare.
"Spare me that gaze, Nana. I'm not going to pick on him today," Raymond said, and he tilted his head up, allowing the soft ray of sunset to sink in. "Let's just talk and have fun today, okay?"
Nana's gaze was unwavering until Mason pulled her hand to sit down beside him, breaking the tension.
"It's okay, Nana. We've been together the whole day," he said, and Nana reluctantly obliged.
"Did you see those girls earlier?" Raymond began.
"What girls?"
"At the bridge."
"Oh, them? Yes, what's wrong?"
"They followed you here to confirm your identity."
"Really?" Mason laughed, his eyes cringing at the corner.
Raymond nodded. "When I met her eyes, she fled with her friends."
"Who are you talking about?" Nana chimed in.
"The girls' group in town," Raymond replied. "Mason was trying to deal with them earlier, but I inadvertently interrupted."
Yes, it's good to know you're aware of what your interruption had caused, Mason thought. He listened as Raymond filled her in.
Nana's face suddenly adopted a mischievous grin. "Come morning, as soon as possible. I want to show them something they'd never forget," she said, and turned to Mason. "Do you remember the book I gave you a few weeks ago? That is what we're going to do."
"Wait… the Playboy's–"
"Yes, you're going to be a playboy tomorrow. So prepare yourself, cute face," Nana cut in.
"I can't wait to see tomorrow come," Raymond chuckled, his body shaking as he laughed.
"You're not joining us, Raymond. It's something only Mason and I must do."
Raymond's laughter froze on his face as he heard Nana. His body shifted uncomfortably on the rock.
'Never have I felt like this. Am I being rejected now?' he thought to himself. 'Whoa, Mason must have felt the same with the girls' group.'
He slowly rose up on his feet. "Good luck with your plan then," he said and left, barely containing his embarrassment.
Mason leaned back and lay his back on the rock. Nana also joined. They watched as the stars began to appear on the vast expanse, hoping for the next day to arrive as soon as possible.