L.M.: rubs cheek "Didn't see that coming. Was the slap necessary at the reunion?"
"Ok but I want you two to get married first before we meet"
pauses, contemplating "That's a condition, Mason. Are you willing to wait for me to marry Sophia before we introduce her to Tommy?"
"No, she's not pregnant... yet. But we've talked about it, and we're both open to the idea. So there's a chance that within a few months, Sophia could be carrying my child."
"Well I hope that is your child"
takes a deep breath "Mason, I understand that this is a lot to take in. I know it's not easy for you to accept another woman into our lives, especially one who is pregnant with my child. But Tommy deserves to know the truth, and he deserves to have a family. I want us all to be happy, and I believe that with time, we can make this work."
"I am still pissed at you but fine"
"I understand that you're still upset with me, Mason. I don't expect you to forgive me overnight, and I certainly don't expect you to accept Sophia right away. But please know that I'm doing everything I can to make things right.
takes a deep breath "Thank you, Mason. I appreciate the effort. And hey, if you ever want to talk about anything or just need someone to listen, I'm here for you. We can work through this together."
sits alone in silence, reflecting on the conversation "This isn't going to be easy, but I'm determined to make it work. For Tommy's sake, for our sake. I just hope I can prove myself worthy of being a father to him."
calls L.M. "Hi, it's me, Mason. Can we talk?"
pauses, then answers the call "Hello, Mason. What's up? Is everything okay?"
"I want to see you in person"
takes a deep breath "Sure, I can meet you in person. Where do you want to meet? A coffee shop? A park? My office?"
takes a deep breath "Alright, Mason. I'll invite Sophia over to the house. We can meet at 6 pm tonight. Is that okay with you?"
takes a deep breath "Good. Well, I guess we better prepare for tonight. I'll make sure everything is in order and make sure Sophia knows what to expect.
paces nervously "Tonight's going to be a big night. I need everything to go perfectly. I want this meeting to go smoothly and for everyone to come out of it satisfied.
"So, uh, can you bring some flowers for me? Just something to brighten up the place."
stops pacing and smirks "Of course, Mason. I'll pick up some beautiful flowers on my way over.
rushes out of the house, heading to the flower shop "Alright, I need to find the perfect bouquet. Something that will impress Mason and show how much I care. Red roses, classic and elegant. That's what I'll get."
opens the door, smiling nervously "Hi, Mason. Thank you for coming. Please, come in."
As Mason walks through the door, he notices a suspicious-looking envelope on the coffee table
picks it up "What is this?"
pauses, looking nervous "Oh, that's just a letter I received from an old friend. It's nothing important. Please, let's sit down and talk."
opens it "L.M. this is not yours, this is my daughter’s DNA test result… Your daughter is not yours."
stands up abruptly, shocked "What?! This can't be true. There must be some kind of mistake. This result can't be accurate."
grabs the paper and examines it closely, trembling "No, no, this can't be happening. It just can't be. How could you not tell me about this before now? How could you keep such a huge secret from me?"
"I’m sorry I thought it was best to find out today rather than sooner"
paces back and forth, running his hands through his hair "Best?! You call this best? How could you keep such a life-altering secret from me?
stops pacing, glaring at Mason "Sorry doesn't fix this. How could you betray me like this? How could you keep such a secret from me?"