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Lucy nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. That was fun! Thank you so much!"
The instructor looked confused and frowned, looking to Mason. But Mason just sat up and pushed to his feet. It felt like someone was poking his back with a spear.
"We're good," he grunted, coming to his feet. He shuffled back to their seat, following Lucy as she sat down. The next couple stepped up to take their turn.
Mason grabbed his backpack and pulled a bottle of water out for each of them, groaning as he leaned over.
"Are you alright?" she asked tentatively.
He growled, "No, my back hurts. But more than that, we never should've done this. You fucking passed out, Luce, and that's not cool. Scared me to death. Do you know how that makes me feel?"
She shook her head silently, and he continued.
"It's like Amanda dying all over again. I'm helpless and can't do anything to stop it or protect you from yourself. It's hell on earth, and I won't do it again. Do you hear me, little bird?"
She hunched her shoulders and nodded, turning her head away and drinking her water.
He felt his stomach lurch as the boat gained speed and the other couple shot into the air with a squeal. They finished the boat ride in silence, but his anger and frustration ebbed with the tide.
When they got back to the car, he felt more guilt claw at him. He gripped the steering wheel and drove back to the resort.
She looked around as he searched for a parking spot and said softly, "I'm going to the hotel bar for a few hours. I need to people watch and work on my manuscript."
He nodded. "I'm going to go take the night shift on the surveillance mission."
They walked silently to the room to change. When he came out of the bathroom, she was already gone. He stopped by the hotel bar to make sure she was there. She typed on her tablet and might not have even known he was there.
He rubbed his temples and drove back to the old apartment building to watch Malia and Lee. While he drove, he called home.
"Hello?"
"Howdy son, how's the trip turned out?" Pops asked.
Mason nodded and turned into the parking lot. "Fine. We went parasailing today, and Lucy passed out. I might have said some words in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have."
"She passed out? Is she ok?"
"Yeah, she's fine. She does that when she has a panic attack sometimes."
"That's not right, son."
Mason snorted. "Tell me about it."
"What did you say?"
He sighed and leaned his head back, closing his eyes for a moment. "I said something about how much I hate when she passes out and that she puts herself in situations that will lead to it. If she'd just stay safe and sound on the ground instead of pushing these boundaries, it wouldn't be a problem."
It was Ray's turn to snort. "You can't tell a woman what to do, Mason. Haven't you learned that by now?"
He grinned. "I guess not. She's giving me the silent treatment now."
"Sounds like you need to make it up to her. What can you do to apologize?"
Mason tilted his head back and forth. "I can think of a few things. She's working on her book now, and I'm not going to interrupt her. I think we both need some time apart, so I'm going to do some surveillance tonight."
"You have a few days left. Make them count. Focus on what's important, and I don't mean work."
Mason's chest tightened at the words, but he parked the car and nodded. "I will."
