Unexpected

[Lyra Newbury]

Mason Marlowe

Lyra had been hating herself with much more fervor than usual since rekindling her affair with Julian and having not been successful in telling Mason they couldn't be together anymore. She had been trying to figure out the best way to approach the break up, when Mason invited her to meet him for drinks at Ambrosia. She needed to tell him before it went on any longer, so she made the decision to tell him tonight.

She wore a simple black dress with a modest bust line that hugged her curves. She had spent more than an hour determining what in her wardrobe was appropriate break up attire. Black seemed fitting. She was meeting Mason at the lounge, instead of him picking her up from her flat, as had been the case on all of their other dates. She assumed he knew what was coming and this was the reason for the change in pattern.

She entered the lounge and scanned the crowd, knowing Mason probably had a private table somewhere, but she didn't see him.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason had been uncomfortable with the way things had left off with Lyra. He assumed something Nik had said was causing her to pull away from him. Particularly the remark about him insulting her, which was not true. Mason had said nothing negative at all about her, and therefore he decided he needed to show her he was serious about her. That Nik could say what he wanted, but Mason thought that she was the real deal.

He spotted her before she him. Indeed he had a private table seated above the other patrons, it gave them a beautiful view, but also allowed for more intimate conversation.

He went to meet her, "Lyra. You look beautiful."

[Lyra Newbury]

He seemed to appear in the crowd out of no where and Lyra smiled as he approached. "Thank you," she said coyly in response to his praise. Even with the difficult evening that lay ahead, Lyra enjoyed the compliments his words and eyes gave her.

"You look rather dashing tonight." Mason always looked good, but when he dressed up there not a man for miles that could compete with him. He was going to make her really work for this break up.

[Mason Marlowe]

Harder than she knew. He took her arm in his and led her back to their table.

"Lyra," he began.

A woman hearing his voice stood. She was stunningly beautiful. Regal. Dressed with the elegance that only true wealth and power could buy, and a stature that came from knowing her place in the world was at the top of the food chain.

"I'd like to introduce you to my mother."

[Lyra Newbury]

She kept a pleasant look on her face as they moved through the crowd to the private table above the rest of the lounge. Mason always had the best seats, if Nicolas' assumptions about Lyra were correct she would not be planning to break things off with this man, the view from the table would have been enough to insist she stay with him.

As the approached a woman stood from the table and Lyra felt a cold chill run over. The sensation was intensified when Mason introduced the woman as his mother. Lyra's mouth fell open.

This was not how she was expecting the night to go.

Lyra was at a loss for words for several seconds. When she finally found her voice it sounded strange but the effect was only heard by her as it was simply her voice mixed with the thumping of her heart in her ears.

"Pleasure to meet you," she said, flabbergasted. She looked at Mason. What the hell was he thinking!

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason grinned keeping his arm around her.

"Mother, this is the woman I was telling you about." he said proudly.

"Ah yes. Well now I see what all the fuss was about." she smiled pleasantly. Mason pulled his mother's chair for her once again, then moved to do the same with Lyra before sitting down himself.

[Lyra Newbury]

This is not good. This is so very bad! Lyra knew, after many intimate conversations with Mason, that he had ran away to America to avoid his mother's insistence that he settle down and get married. If Mason was introducing Lyra to his mother, it meant he was serious. And that meant Lyra was in serious trouble.

She smiled nervously at both of them. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd be joining us Mrs Marlowe."

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason chuckled as his mother turned startled toward him. "It's my fault. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Mason Marlowe, you did not trick this young lady into meeting your mother without giving her any forewarning! Heaven knows I did not raise such a silly boy." she looked heavenward. She turned an apologetic expression toward Lyra, "Don't worry child, I'm really quite happy to be meeting you."

Mason looked at Lyra and suddenly his great idea didn't seem so great, "I'm sorry for not telling you Lyra."

[Lyra Newbury]

She didn't like that Mason was being scolded because of her, no matter how gentle his mother was. She needed to put on a more confident face, but Lyra had never met a boyfriend's parents before. This was completely uncharted water and she was in the middle of an ocean in a dinghy.

She took a deep breath, sat up taller, and smiled. "Don't be silly, Mason. There's no need to apologize. I was just taken off guard, is all."

Lyra turned to his mother. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you. Mason speaks very highly of you."

She wanted to vomit, her stomach was doing flips.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason's mother turned her gentleness to her son and placed a strong proud hand over his, and smiled back at Lyra, "I've been learning much about you recently as well."

Mason smiled at the approval of both women.

[Lyra Newbury]

There was a brief moment of worry that flashed over Lyra's face as Mrs Marlowe mentioned hearing about Lyra. Lately the talk about Lyra had not been good and she instinctively tensed. But it was gone soon enough and she smiled again. "All good things, I hope." It was meant to be a joke but Mason could probably sense the apprehension in her voice.

[Mason Marlowe]

"He's a Marlowe. He has excellent taste." she said reassuringly.

Mason took Lyra's hand under the table. He was finally realizing that perhaps springing his mother on Lyra was not the best idea. It was when she began pulling away from him that he realized how much he truly cared about her. He didn't want to lose her before he had really begun to court her. He saw a future with her, despite what Nicolas thought.

[Lyra Newbury]

At the touch of Mason's hand on hers, Lyra smiled sincerely and breathed a sigh of relief. He had a strange calming effect on her and even though her intention for this evening was to end their relationship she felt a sort of peace as they held hands under the table.

A waitress came and asked if they were ready to order. Lyra turned and looked at Mason who had taken to ordering for her. He knew she found it romantic.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason indeed ordered for her as had become their custom when they went out. His mother ordered as well and kept a keen eye on them.

She insisted that Lyra call her Caroline, and continued to make pleasant conversation.

As meeting the parents, or rather the mother, could go the dinner was a success.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra felt more at ease with the rest of their evening and Mason, in tune with her needs, would hold her hand or stroke her arm whenever he sensed she was getting anxious for any reason. As the evening came to a natural close, Lyra thanked Caroline for the wonderful evening and asked if she could steal Mason away for a few minutes.

When there was some space between Mason and his mother, Lyra looked up at him. "When can I see you again? Just the two of us?" This had all gone much to far but her ball was only a few days away and she wanted to squash any unneeded pain before then.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason also misinterpreted her desire to see him again one on one. A heated look came into his eyes as he kissed her.

"I've got to go out of town to handle some urgent business. Of course I'll be back in time for the ball, and then afterward we can have all the time in the world." he promised her.

[Lyra Newbury]

No! No! No! This was not how this was supposed to happen! 

Lyra tried to resist him, but his kiss was overwhelming and when he pulled away she had literally lost her breath. It took her a few moments to compose herself.

"Do you really have to go? Can't you push it back a week? I really want to see you before the ball, Mason."

[Mason Marlowe]

"Trust me, if I could I would." he told her wrapping his arms around her, "Believe me."

Seeing as how he believed he was passing up intimacy with Lyra the 'business' he was referring to was important indeed. If he had known he was putting off being dumped, he probably would have stayed away longer.

[Lyra Newbury]

She was clearly giving off all the wrong signals and Mason was kissing her and holding her while she tried in vain to schedule their break up. She contemplated just telling him now and getting it over with, but she could see Mason's mother in the distance which was as big a deterrent as one could get.

She sighed audibly at his response and looked to the floor. She wasn't sure where to go from here but if she kept talking she would certainly entice more displays of affection from Mason. She signaled her understanding with a silent nod then forced a smile and looked up at him. This mess definitely required a scheming session with Samantha.

[Mason Marlowe]

Mason kissed her forehead once again before his mother came upon them.

"Lyra, it was a pleasure meeting you." she said with a smile eyeing both young persons. There was a kind twinkle in her eye that said she was matchmaking.

Mason tried not to grin as he placed an arm around her.