I crawled into bed with Mason. He was sound asleep. I wrapped my arm around him and smiled at the feel of his warm skin against mine. It was so comforting.

“I think we’re going to be okay, Mason,” I whispered in his ear.

He didn’t respond, of course. I kissed his forehead and drifted off to sleep.

JULY 27

TH

DIXIE SQUEALED WITH JOY as Mason threw a ball around with her. She ran back and forth across the yard after each throw, squealing every time Mason pretended she beat him to it.

I couldn’t stop smiling as we all goofed around in the backyard. Mason was happier as well.

“Hey, Dixie, see if you can catch this,” Mason said.

She clapped her hands happily and her pigtails whipped wildly behind her as she ran. She was the cutest little girl I’d ever seen. I had never met such a character, and she was my sister. Mom had done a good job with her. She was smart and full of life.

“So after all these years you find out Joy-Ann was a good mother after all,” Mason said. He stepped back and lobbed the ball in Dixie’s direction.

“She cared. I know she wasn’t perfect, but it’s nice to know she did care,” I said, plucking a dandelion from the ground.

Mason nodded, watching Dixie take a tumble as she chased after the runaway ball.

“I am happy for you Ken-doll,” he said, emphasizing my name in a weird way like old times.

“What for, Mason?” I said. I pulled at the leaves of the dandelion.

“You weren’t disappointed. And from what I remember about your mom, she wasn’t that bad. She always snuck me candy. I think the only thing she was guilty of was not keeping her legs together,” he grinned.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said, trying to remember anything at all other than screaming matches between her and Wanda.

“It’s good, Kendall. It’s really good,” Mason said. He jumped, catching the ball Dixie threw at him.

“What about your grandparents. Don’t you want to see them?” I asked. Mason had very few relatives. And he didn’t seem interested to see them.

Mason made a face. “Shit, Kendall. It’s not a happy reunion when you come back worse than when you left. I don’t want to burden anyone,” he said, brushing the subject off.

I decided not to say anything else. It was obvious he didn’t want to discuss it.

“What happens now?” I asked.

Mason clutched the ball tightly. Dixie ran toward us to get it. He shot me a look right before she tackled him.

“Come on, Mason!” she squealed. “Momma said I can’t spit on you anymore.”

“She’s a smart lady then,” he said, lifting the ball high above his head, teasing her some more.

“Just when I was starting to think you were a good guy,” she said, crossing her arms.

Mason laughed, dropping the ball. “You really think I’m a good guy, Dixie?”

“Yes. Don’t tell anyone, but I think you look like an angel. You have eyes like them. And their skin,” she told him. She rubbed at her nose.

Mason was confused. So was I.

“What angels have you ever seen that are half Puerto Rican?” he asked.

Dixie tilted her head to the side, confused. She stared at him, trying to understand what he said.

“What’s Pertoe Reecan?” she asked, the words coming out foreign and mispronounced.

“Basically Mexican,” I said in simpler terms for her to understand. She nodded in understanding.

“I saw a picture at the grocery store. It said angels. And there was this picture that looked like Mason,” she said nonchalantly and then she took off after the ball.

Mason looked away, trying to make sense of what Dixie said.

“Who knows? She’s five. I’m sure any Mexican with light eyes reminds her of you.” I laughed.

But Mason wasn’t amused.

My mom hollered for us to get moving before the bank closed for lunch.

We sat in front of the bank in her car. She’d kept her promise to give us some money to help us out since we were broke.

She applied some lip gloss as she looked in the rearview mirror before she climbed out of the car.

“I need to run into the grocery store and pick up a few things for dinner. Do you guys want to come?” Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she looked into the car at Mason and me.

I started to undo my seat belt, but Mason grabbed my arm stopping me. I raised an eyebrow confused.

“We’ll just stay here,” he said nonchalantly. My mom nodded helping Dixie out of the back seat and they were gone.

I twisted around to get a good look at Mason. I hoped it wasn’t something silly like getting frisky in the back seat.

“I wanted to check something out. Just humor me. It won’t take long,” he promised, getting out of the car.

I followed him past the grocery store, trying to figure out what we were doing. Mason took my hand. He was acting a little strange.

I stared at the bank’s doors. “Mason, why are we at the bank without my mom?”

He opened the door, holding tight to my hand. The bell chimed overhead sending everyone’s eyes in our direction.

“Kendall, you talk too much…shush,” he said.

“When I’m not getting answers, I do,” I snapped.

Can I help you, sir?” The bank teller asked as Mason tugged me through the line, cutting to the front.

I apologized to the woman behind us for his rudeness. I wasn’t sure what had come over him.

“My name is Mason Vaughn and this is a robbery,” he said as cool as a cucumber.

I couldn’t believe my ears.

The teller acted confused. Most bank robbers wore masks to remain anonymous.

“Mason,” I said, trying to maintain my composure. I tried to wriggle free from his grip on my hand. He wouldn’t let my hand go.

“Sir…” the man started. He blinked quickly, growing nervous once neither of us cracked a smile.

One man behind us tried going out the door. Mason spun on his heel. “No one moves!”

The man stopped in his tracks and held up his hands in surprise.

“Does this guy even have a gun?” someone asked.

I swallowed, hoping he didn’t. I looked at Mason.

“Of course. What kind of idiot robs a bank without a gun?” He proceeded to pull a gun from the waist of his pants. “Now everyone have a seat!”

One woman with a baby burst into tears as she dropped to the floor with her squirming baby.

“Is this your plan?” I asked angrily.

Everyone kept their eyes glued to Mason’s every move.

“Shut up, Kendall,” Mason ground out.

My mom appeared at the window. It didn’t take her long to figure out what was going on. She looked frightened when she saw Mason was holding a gun. She threw open the bank’s door and barged in.

“Mason!” she yelled in disbelief. No one expected Mason to do this.

I didn’t know what the point was.

Dixie stayed behind my mom’s legs, peeking her little face out.

“Joy-Ann, I swear to you I’m not going to hurt her. Just take Dixie and go home.”

“I thought you were an angel, Mason?” Dixie said softly.

“No, I’m sorry, Dixie, that’s not me,” Mason said.

My mom looked at me, unsure if she should listen to him. She had just gotten me back. “Kendall, what should I do?”

“Just do what he says. I’ll be okay. Mason wouldn’t hurt me. And please don’t call the police,” I begged her. She nodded and left quickly. For some strange reason, she trusted me.

I knew she didn’t want to go, but there was nothing she could do.

The bank teller cleared his throat. “Sir, if you could please rethink what you’re about to do.”

Mason ignored him. “Everyone up against the wall.” He locked the door and took all the keys, quickly barricading everyone inside in a matter of minutes.