The Fighter

Chapter 17

The next morning was tough because Titus had to decide if he told Mason about Megan's death. They had ruled her death as an overdose on heroin and Titus decided to get her buried tomorrow with no ceremony. There was no point in a funeral for someone who had no friends or family.

"Hey Mason, we have to talk to you," Titus said to Mason, who sat down at the table with us once he woke up.

"Do you remember a while ago I was telling you a little bit about your Mom," Titus said and Mason nodded his head.

"You said that she loved me but decided to not stay in town," Mason said and Titus nodded his head.

"Well, yesterday I found out that your Mom had passed away," Titus said and Mason looked sad.

"So she won't ever come back? Just like Grandpa?" Mason said and Titus nodded his head.

"Yeah buddy," He said and Mason ran to his room crying. We both chased after him, and Titus pulled his son into his chest and held him as he cried. I watched from the doorway.

"Why couldn't she just have stayed with us," Mason said and I could see Titus tear up at his son so distraught, and a few tears left my eyes.

"Sometimes the universe has a way of things working out a certain way. If your Mom stayed then we would have never met Quinn," Titus said and Mason looked up at me with tears in his eyes.

"We wouldn't have?" He said and I shook my head.

"No, because we would have had Mom here instead so Quinn and I would have never dated," Titus explained.

"Do we have to bury Mom?" Mason asked and Titus looked at him.

"We are doing that tomorrow," Titus said and Mason nodded his head, and Titus wiped his tears.

"Do I get to have Quinn as a Mom now that mine is gone?" Mason asked me and Titus looked at me and smiled.

"I think Quinn has been your Mom for a while now," Titus said and Mason ran over to hug me and I picked him up and held him tightly.

The next day the three of us buried Megan. We brought Mason to the store and we let him pick out flowers and he chose daisies saying they looked pretty. He stood at her grave which had been freshly buried and we placed the flowers.

"Goodbye Mom," Mason said, sending a kiss into the air, and he grabbed Titus and I's hands and we headed back to the car leaving Megan behind us.

Titus and I decided that when Mason was older we would tell him all about her, but until then we will let this be a safe place for him free of whatever feelings he may have towards her later on in life when he learns the truth about her.

Christmas morning there was always a level of excitement in the air. But somehow having Christmas with a child made things one hundred times better. I was sleeping peacefully and the next thing I know Titus is groaning next to me, as a little Mason jumped into bed excited.

"Santa came!!!" He said and I gave him a huge smile.

"He did?!" I said and Mason launched himself into my arms and I hugged him.

"Well, let's go and see!" Titus said standing up, scooping Mason from my arms.

I followed them into the living room and sure enough, under our artificial tree, there were presents piled up underneath. I smiled at Titus who had stayed up with me almost all night as we wrapped the presents together and placed them under the tree.

"Is Grandma coming?" Mason asked, and Titus nodded his head.

"Yes, plus Kate, Dante, and Ryan," Titus said and Mason danced in excitement.

We watched as Mason opened his toys, he was excited for everyone and had to show them off to us. As we finished the presents he asked Titus to help him set them up.

Titus helped Mason put all of the toys together, while I decided to make breakfast for all of the adults who would be here by 9. I made pancakes, eggs, and bacon and by the time I had finished Marie was the first to arrive.

She was holding a few presents and Mason ran up and hugged her. Next to arrive was Kate and Dante, who scooped up Mason and gave him a huge hug and then Kate gave me a tight hug and I was grateful to have her here with me for another Christmas as my best friend. Finally, Ryan arrived dressed in elf pajamas and he had a handful of presents.

We all exchanged presents after eating breakfast and everyone was so thoughtful. We got little onesies from everyone, and we got some house stuff for when we move in the near future. We also got some gym stuff for Titus and some books for me.

Finally after the excitement all day, and after Mason had fallen asleep, Titus and I sat on the couch, my feet on his lap.

"Oh! I got you a gift," I said and I stood up and grabbed it from under the tree. I grabbed the small box I had gotten him and I sat down and waited to see his reaction. He opened it up and tears came to his eyes as he opened up the locket and the little picture of mason sat there.

"I figured the other side could be for the baby," I said, and he pulled me into a hug and he kissed my head. I held onto him as he hugged me.

"I got you something too," He said as he ran to our room. He came back and he got down on one knee and he pulled out a ring. It was silver with a diamond in the middle of it. I felt tears come to my eyes as I looked at it.

"I know I already asked, but would you still marry me?" He asked and I laughed with tears running down my face and I nodded my head.

"Yes, of course, I will," I said as I leaned down to kiss him.

"Yayy!!" I heard, and I looked up and saw a sleepy Mason celebrating for us, he ran over and Titus picked him up as I cuddled both of them on the couch. Life couldn't get better than this.