Cornbread & Crossroads

by Bella Falls

  Her words hit Mason right in the heart, and his jaw tensed while he controlled his emotions. “Marian was definitely special.”

  A hush fell over the three of us until the bubbling of the sauce on the stove was the only noise. I squeezed my boyfriend’s hand and his thumb brushed against my skin.

  Wanda watched the two of us with a knowing grin. “But I can’t lie, I think life can sometimes push us in the direction we’re meant to grow.” She winked and turned her attention back to her food. “Give me your order and I’ll bring it out to you myself.”

  We waited at the counter close to the front door and watched customers come and go in companionable silence. Mason sat with his finger over his mouth, deep in his memories. I people-watched while we waited. Everyone seemed in a big hurry to get somewhere else, and I wondered if any of them ever took the time to appreciate where they were in the moment like I did right now.

  Wanda brought us a basket full of more items than Mason had ordered. She waved us both off when we offered to pay. “Your money will never be good here. Say hello to Marian when you talk to her today. And you, Miss Charli. You’ve got a good man there. Don’t mess it up.”

  We walked several blocks away to a small park with swings and a basketball court. Graffiti decorated most of the cement surrounding us with scenes depicting kids laughing and playing. A large oak tree sat in the middle of the small grassed area. Mason led me over to a bench sitting in the tree’s shade and pointed at the placard.

  I read it carefully. “You bought this bench?”

  Mason touched her name with tender care. “Yes, so that she can continue being a guardian angel and watching over the kids here in this park forever.” He invited me to sit down, and I accepted the honor with a heart full for the child he used to be and the man his mother-figure had helped him become.

  The picnic Wanda provided for us would feed an entire family. Mason retrieved two meatball subs and a large paper bag with hot homemade fries, setting all of it down in between us.

  “I’m gonna get so messy eating this sandwich,” I mentioned, staring at the drip of marinara barely hanging onto the bread.

  Mason stuffed the sub into his mouth. “So?” he said while chewing. After he finished the bite, he wiped his mouth on a napkin and tossed a new one in my direction. “One thing Marian taught me is that a mess can always be cleaned up. No point in avoiding something because it’s inconvenient or might be hard. Because if you do, you might miss out on fun.”

  Giving in, I opened my mouth as wide as possible and took a bite. The savory goodness of all the flavors combined together and I groaned my delight. “So good,” I admitted.

  He nodded in agreement. “When Marian first started bringing me here after she first found me, she said I was as thin as a bean pole. So, she would bring a bunch of food with us to see how much she could get me to eat.”

  I swallowed my mouthful and glanced at him. “Did she used to eat meatball subs with you?”

  With an embarrassed grin, he said, “Yes. They were my favorite, so we always ate them here together before she encouraged me to play with the other kids.”

  After picking up a crispy fry, I dipped it in the ketchup to cover up the wave of emotions almost overwhelming me. I wish I’d had a chance to meet Marian in person if only to thank her for helping to shape Mason into this amazing person. A soft breeze blew across us but the leaves on the branches above us didn’t rustle. The hairs on my arms stood up, and I swore I could smell the faint scent of perfume.

  Lifting my head a little, I closed my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered to the energy surrounding us.

  “What?” Mason asked.

  I brushed off his question with a shake of my head. A little kid from the swings came over and stared at our shared meal. When I offered him a fry, he accepted it with a smile that was missing two front teeth. Mason asked him if he was hungry, and when the kid shrugged, he offered him the rest of his sub. The little boy stared at the food with big eyes as if afraid to touch it, but after a second when he was certain we wouldn’t try to take it away from him, he snatched the sandwich and ran off.

  Since the subs were so big, I gave Mason the large portion I had left and searched the basket to see what else awaited us while sipping on a cup of iced tea.

  “This is sweet, but it’s not like what we have at home. Beyond the tang of citrus, there’s a very…earthy flavor to it,” I said, lifting up the lid to look inside.

  “Here, let me see.” He took the cup from me and sipped it. “Yeah, no doubt Wanda infused some herbs in it.” He smacked his lips and thought about it. “I think I taste rosemary?”

  Checking my spell phone, I looked up the uses of the herb and almost snorted. “This source says that rosemary’s a symbol of loyalty and fidelity.” I left out the third element of love on purpose. Guess she wanted to make sure I held up her command not to mess things up with the detective.

  Mason let me try his purple taro bubble tea, and I found the flavor of the sweet potato more pleasant than I expected. “I miss some of my old haunts like Wanda’s,” he said.

  “Jackpot!” I liberated a small square wrapped in cellophane from the basket. “Do you miss the action you saw up here?”

  “Do you think Honeysuckle hasn’t had more than its fair share?” he chuckled. “Especially with you around.”

  “Hey, I don’t cause the trouble. It just seems to find me,” I protested in jest. Pulling off the plastic wrap, I drooled over the dark, moist brownie that smelled like dessert heaven.

  Breaking the large portion in half, I tore off a smaller chunk and bit into the rich chocolate. “Holy unicorn horn, that is amazing.”

  Mason’s eyes followed my every movement as I licked every crumb off my fingers and moaned my pleasure. When I caught him staring, I stopped. “What? Have I missed some?”

  He cleared his throat and put down the last bit of his sandwich. “Uh, no. Just enjoying your reaction. I’m glad you like your lunch.”

  I stopped fussing over the brownie and maintained his intense eye contact. “Very much so. Every part of it.”

  While I finished my half of the brownie, I watched a group of kids approach the basketball court with their own ball and negotiate themselves into small teams. The game stopped and started as they invited newcomers to join when they approached and adjusted teams to keep things even. When they played, they put everything into the game as if they were in the pro finals, but they laughed just as hard when they took timeouts to just be kids.

  By the time we finished eating, the park was filled with laughter and joy from all of the children. A mother carrying a tiny baby on her hip and pushing a stroller approached the bench and asked if we were finished.

  “Here.” Mason cleaned up the wrappers and last bits of food and threw them in the basket, wiping off any leftover crumbs from the seat. Before we left, he placed two fingers on the bench in farewell.

  We held hands while we walked back toward Wanda’s cafe, and I begged him for more stories from his childhood involving Marian. He painted a picture of a young kid struggling to figure out what his life was supposed to be and how being identified as a witch changed all that. To my surprise and amusement, the honorable detective had also had a few brushes with the law, both mortal and magical, during his formative years.

  “But you know what?” he said after telling me one of the many lectures Marian gave him. “I don’t regret a thing. Even my failed engagement.”

  “You know you’re not alone in that, right?” I added. “If we hadn’t gone through what both of us experienced…”

  “Then we might not be where we are right now,” Mason finished. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, causing people to have to walk around us. “And I’m pretty happy with where we are.” He gripped my hip and pulled me closer, planting his warm lips against mine.

  He tasted like brownies and sunshine, and the honks of a horn, cat calls, or whistles melted away in his embrace.

  If I had known
I needed to climb a steep stairwell, I wouldn’t have worn my heels. Mason waited with patience for me to take it one step at a time until we got to the top. He pushed open the heavy metal door to reveal a rooftop unlike any other I’d visited.

  Wooden stakes lined the sides of the small space with strings of twinkling lights hanging across that glowed against the dark sky. Potted plants added a little bit of greenery to the urban skyline, and the scent of sweet jasmine wafted in the breeze.

  Mason led me across the roof until we came to a small table with two cloche-covered plates and a couple of burning candles. Scenes like this only existed in books, not in real life. I gazed at everything and recognized the amount of effort it took for him to achieve the surprise.

  “Okay, I think you’ve been lying to me all this time,” I said, approaching the edge of the roof and gazing out over the twinkles and sparkles of the city below us.

  He paused and frowned for a second. “What do you mean?”

  I lifted an eyebrow. “There’s no way you’re just a detective. Whatever you did when you worked up here, you have some serious connections.”

  Mason relaxed at my teasing and put his arm around my waist as he joined me in admiring the cityscape. “Well, since you’re my girlfriend, I guess I should let you in on my secret. I’m actually Bruce Wayne.”

  “I knew it!”

  He produced a small sunflower from out of nowhere. “Most people would say I should shower you with roses, but I knew you’d prefer this.” Running the soft petals over my bare arms, he waited for my reaction.

  I shivered but refused his jacket. “I’m not cold. I’m in absolute awe of how special you’ve made me feel this entire trip. Especially tonight.”

  “And I haven’t even turned up my charm yet,” he said, his voice low with expectation.

  If this wasn’t his maximum effort, then I was in serious trouble. I smiled, pleased to find myself excited and not scared at the prospect of succumbing to Mason’s charms tonight.

  Offering me his arm like a true gentleman, he escorted me back to the table. He placed the sunflower inside the vase with a few other blossoms in the middle but moved the whole arrangement to the side to give us a better view of each other. With practiced panache, Mason lifted the covers and revealed our meals.

  We’d eaten at a little Italian place off the beaten path owned and run by a sweet family who still used their old nonna’s recipes brought with them from Napoli. I’d remarked after that amazing meal that I’d never be able to look at marinara sauce in a jar the same ever again. Mason had ordered me a caprese salad with slices of fresh tomato and mozzarella with basil covered in salty olive oil plus a portion of the spaghetti alla carbonara di mare, with all kinds of seafood in the amazing sauce.

  My mouth drooled over my own plate, but when Mason lifted the cloche from his, I laughed. My second favorite place we had eaten at was a basic burger joint, but they made the most incredible burger with dry-aged beef, caramelized onions, crispy hickory-cured bacon, smoked cheddar, spicy pickles, and a barbecue mayo all stacked on a toasted pretzel bun. And while I gobbled up the fries back at the Harvest Moon Cafe, I needed to convince Mr. Steve to try a version of truffle fries like the ones on my boyfriend’s plate.

  “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” I accused while my mouth watered. “That’s the only explanation for why you’re spoiling me so much.”

  Mason covered his plate with his hand. “Who says I’m sharing?”

  Although we had wine glasses, he lifted a nearby pitcher and filled mine full of dark liquid. One sip and I smiled at his choice of sweet tea that provided the perfect taste of home.

  “Where’d you get this?” I asked. When I’d asked for iced tea to go with my meals, it had all come unsweetened.

  He shrugged. “Like you said, I’ve got connections.”

  We both ate while recounting some of my favorite moments from the trip. Mason’s face lit up at all the different experiences I shared, and I knew it pleased him to no end that I’d enjoyed the vacation as much as he wanted me to. We both ate a little off each other’s plates until one more bite might make us burst.

  “Guess I’ll save dessert for later,” he suggested, pushing his chair back and standing. He held out his hand for me to take, and I rose to join him.

  We walked around the edge of the rooftop, gazing at the scene changes from the different angles. A nice breeze cooled us, but I didn’t feel a chill with my body wrapped in his steady embrace. He quieted after a while, burying his nose in my hair and holding me with a tighter grip.

  “Charli, there’s something I’ve been wanting to say to you for a while,” he murmured into my ear. “And now that I have you here all to myself, I’m actually nervous.”

  Turning around, I held onto him and lifted my eyes to gaze at him. “I’m all ears.”

  Mason brushed a few strands of hair out of my face. “I know the two of us haven’t been solidly dating for that long, but there are some things a person knows right from the beginning.” With a sigh, he hugged me close to him.

  I breathed in the scent of him and reveled in how safe it made me feel. When he didn’t continue right away, I tried to coax him along. “And what did you know about me from the beginning? That I was annoying? That I didn’t listen very well? That I would always run into danger first and deal with the consequences after?”

  My questions stunned him for a moment until his genuine laugh vibrated through me. He planted his lips on the top of my head. “Yes to all of those things. But mainly, you were different from any other woman I’ve ever known. You were someone I wanted to figure out.”

  “And have you?” I asked in a quieter tone, a little heat rising in my cheeks.

  He leaned back to look me in the eyes. “Not even close. And I’m willing to take as long as possible day by day. Forever,” he whispered, stroking my cheek with a gentle finger. “If you haven’t figured it out by now, then you haven’t been paying attention. I love you, Charli Goodwin.”

  His words floated in the air and mingled with the scent of jasmine, swirling around and caressing me with their sweetness. My high heels put me almost at his height, and I lifted my face to accept his heated kiss.

  I broke our intimate embrace long enough to say the weighted words back. “I love you, too, Mason.” My lips sealed our mutual declaration, and I lost myself in him for a few precious moments.

  Mason broke our contact long before I wanted to, and I whined in protest. Kissing the tip of my nose, he chuckled. “That wasn’t the only thing I had to say tonight, but as per usual, you make me lose my words.” Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a dark velvet box. “This is actually the reason I needed to come back here.”

  My eyes widened, and I backed away from him, a sudden panic seizing me. “I know what we just said to each other, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it’s way, way too soon for—”

  “Relax, Charli. I do know you well enough that giving you something like what you’re thinking about would be a huge mistake at this juncture.” With his thumb, he worked my lip out from under my teeth where I chewed it in worry. “But there is something inside that I hope you’ll be willing to accept.”

  Flipping open the small box, Mason revealed a small pendant with a delicate chain nestled inside. “This belonged to Marian. I gave it to her when I graduated from the wardens’ academy as a way to show her she was the moon and stars to me. May I?” he asked with heated anticipation.

  I nodded, a little embarrassed at my outburst but thrilled to receive a gift that clearly meant so much to him. Holding my hair out of the way, I felt his nimble fingers slip the necklace around my neck and hook the clasp in the back. Once it was in place, I turned around so he could see it on me, and his eyes shone with pride and love.

  I examined the modest pendant in my fingers, already cherishing it. The larger of the two stones gleamed pearl white while the smaller stone sparkled in a darker tone.

  “That’s a moo
nstone with a sapphire above it,” Mason explained, pleased with my acceptance and excitement.

  “A moon and star,” I breathed, stroking the larger of the two with my thumb.

  He nodded and added in a quieter voice, “Marian liked to say that she was like the moonstone and I was her star.”

  Laying the pendant against my skin, I took his hand in mine. “I like that. They both shine in the night sky together.”

  His bright smile lit me up on the inside. “I knew you’d get it.” Cradling my cheeks with both hands, he drew me in for a much longer kiss.

  The heavy metal door banged open. “Clairmont, you still up here?”

  Mason broke away from me in exasperation. “Over here. Is there something I can help you with, Clarkson?” His body tensed against mine but he didn’t release me from his hold, moving his arms to encircle me as if in protection.

  A man a little older than Mason navigated around the plants and lights until he approached us. “There you are. You haven’t been answering your phone.”

  “Because I’ve been a little busy. This is Charli, by the way. My girlfriend. Charli, this is Detective Jack Clarkson. He’s the one who helped me with the sting at Wanda’s.” The introduction lacked the friendliness I’d grown accustomed to while being here.

  The man acknowledged me with a curt nod but kept his eyes on Mason. “Listen, I know I helped you get this all set up for tonight, and I’m truly sorry for interrupting and everything, but we finally got a break.”

  My boyfriend loosened his grip on me. “Break in what?”

  The other detective huffed, “The Mordecai case.”

  The romance of the night deflated with those words. Mason extracted himself from me and took a step away. “You’re kidding.”

  “I’m not,” Detective Clarkson said. “One of the kids is talking because the werewolf took his younger brother. I said Mordecai’s treachery would be his undoing one of these days. I just didn’t think it would take this long. And since you were one of the primaries on the original case, I thought you might want to jump in.”