Disabled.

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Eight

Ten Years Ago - Christmas Day

Seven year old Mason smiled brightly at his parents as he bent down in front of the Christmas tree, picking out the boxes that were addressed to him and placing them in a pile before sitting down to open them. He chose to open the biggest box, hoping that it was what he had begged his parents to get him. 

And the moment he peeled a corner of the wrapping paper, and saw the red logo, he knew he had gotten what he had wished for. He quickly unwrapped it and grinned as he looked at the Lego set. He loved spending hours with his dad, building different Lego sculptures as they talked about everything and nothing. He jumped up and ran to his dad and wrapped his arms around him. His dad picked him up as he hugged him.

"Do you like your present?" his father asked him. Mason pulled away slightly as he nodded his head.

"Can we build it today?" he asked. His father smiled slightly as he slowly nodded his head.

That day had turned out to be the worst day of his life--or so he had thought. All the signs had been there; the way that his parents sat on opposite sides of the room as he opened his presents, the dark circles around their eyes, the way they avoided speaking to each other, and most of all, the way they avoided looking at each other.

As a seven year old, how was he supposed to see all those signs when all he had cared about were the presents under the tree?

It was at dinner when they broke the news to him. He had noticed that unlike every other year, they hadn't gone to his grandparents for dinner. And instead, his mother had cooked for them. But he was still happy about spending Christmas day with his parents until he heard his mother crying from where she stood by the stove, scooping the mashed potatoes from the pot into a glass bowl. 

Worried, Mason walked over to his mother and hugged her from behind. She turned around and knelt down to be at his level before wrapping her arms around him.

"Why are you crying?" he had asked her. She pulled away and wiped her tears before holding onto his hand.

"Come sit, we have something to tell you."

He quietly followed her to the dining table and took a seat in his usual spot. He looked at both of his parents, standing on opposite sides of the table with darkened expressions.

"Dad, what's wrong?" he had asked, looking at his father. But his father couldn't say a word as he too began crying. He then turned to look at his mother and she offered him a small smile before it quickly disappeared.

"Sweetheart, your dad won't be living with us anymore." 

He was taken aback.

"Why not?" 

"Because," his father spoke now as he wiped his tears, "your mom and I are not happy together anymore. We still love you but we don't feel that way about each other anymore."

"But can't you just do something you like to be happy again? When I'm not happy, you always get me ice cream or candy and that makes me happy. again" 

"Sweetheart, it's not that simple," his mother clarified. 

But no matter what they said to him, he didn't want to accept this--he couldn't. Ever since his birth, he had lived with both of his parents. So how could he suddenly live with just one of them?

---

Two Years Ago

"We're getting married!" his mother had announced as she showed him the ring on her finger. Her boyfriend of three years had his arms wrapped around her as he looked at him with a large smile.