Sunny

Chapter 12

"What did you do Sunny!" Mason whispered in her ear the next morning when she had stopped in the hallway to watch Eli playing the piano, he was playing Vivaldi's Winter and the angry haunting strains of the music filled the house. "He has been fine the last few days and then this!"

Rhea didn't say anything as she listened to the haunting music, he seemed oblivious to everyone who had wandered in to watch him play.

Phoebe had gone to work that morning and Aion was at school but her mother, Lola, and Cassie, as well as her and Mason, had all gathered to listen to the intense music as it swelled around them.

Rhea could only shake her head in denial about doing anything. She listened for another minute and then walked back to the kitchen to start on lunch. Mason wasn't giving up that easily as he followed her back into the kitchen, sitting at the center island and grabbing an apple to eat with his perfect white teeth.

"You should wash that first," she said inanely, as he was about to bite into it.

"Yes mother," he agreed and walked to stand beside her at the counter. When he was done washing the piece of fruit he leaned against the counter with his back to the sink, facing towards the door as if watching out for something.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked before he took his first bite.

She looked at him as he munched away, watching her. "No," she finally said as she chopped an onion. It was as good an excuse as any to let the tears run down her face unchecked. Eli hadn't looked at her since their boat ride, it was as if she didn't exist. It was what she knew would happen in the end, but she hadn't thought it would hurt quite so much when it finally did happen.

The sounds of Vivaldi still filled the house and it only added fuel to her crying. Mason sighed turning her to look at him as the sound of the music died away. "Those tears are more than just the onion."

She shook her head trying to deny it as he reached up and wiped away the tears with his thumb.

"Maybe there was something to Otto's suspicions after all," Lola said from the kitchen doorway as Rhea quickly turned her back to her and wiped the tears away with the towel she had thrown over her shoulder.

"What suspicions are those?" Mason asked, still sounding jovial but Rhea could sense the tension building in him.

Rhea reached out and placed her hand on his arm in warning. "It's nothing to take seriously Mason," she insisted as she pulled her hand away at Lola's accusing look.

"No, please, I'm interested in hearing all about it, does it involve me?" he whispered as he looked comically from side to side, appearing to take entire thing as a joke.

"Otto thinks that you are, or have had an affair with Rhea, and that you're pressuring her to continue with it, even while you're here with your wife," Lola hissed, watching his reaction.

He took another bite of the apple, remaining silent while he watched Lola, sensing that she wasn't finished.

"I didn't believe a word of it until Rhea came up with that ridiculous story to try and cover-"

"That's enough Lola!" Rhea threw down her knife and turned to face her friend. "You said you knew me, if you truly do, you know that it wouldn't be true!"

"Well, what am I supposed to think? I enter the kitchen to find that he's all but holding you in his arms. It makes me believe that Otto is on to something. I'm worried about you Rhea, you seem to be upset more than usual and I can't figure out why!" Lola's voice had risen and the music had stopped completely but Rhea was oblivious to it.