A moment that I felt needed to be written and therefore read, hopefully by you.

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Yvette adjusted her dress and pressed down the skirt of it, despite the fact that it had no wrinkles on it.

"You seem more nervous than I do," Mason said.

Yvette looked at him. As usual, his appearance was immaculate: suit perfectly tailored and hair carelessly styled. He lounged back in his chair as if he were the owner of the restaurant. The word 'nervous' never would have entered her mind looking at him.

But five months of dating and Yvette knew that Mason held everything close to the chest and rarely betrayed what he thought or felt. On the rare occasions when he opened up a little to her, Yvette savored the moment, feeling all the courage it took for him to let her into his life a tiny piece more.

"You're not nervous," she stated.

Mason shrugged and sipped some water. "No, but I wanted to make you feel more at ease. It's only a dinner after all."

A dinner with her parents. But maybe in the face of years of meeting the most important politicians from all over the world, Mason didn't see a reason to be nervous in meeting her parents.

Yvette flicked away the feeling of disappointment that thought brought up. She'd learned early on that what Mason felt about a situation wasn't something she could always understand and learned not to make assumptions.

After all, he'd meet the most important politicians, he would know how to keep his nerves hidden. She wouldn't attach an emotion to an assumption.

Yvette leaned back in her chair and surveyed the restaurant, needing to look anywhere but at the utterly calm presence of her boyfriend. She'd dated before and all those times where easy, she might not have instantly understood her previous boyfriends at first but it only took a few interactions for her to understand them.

But with Mason it was like complex math. There was always an answer but it took time, effort, and a mass amount of determination to get to it. Still, once the answer was found she felt accomplished and saw how it chipped away at his wall.

The door to the restaurant opened and even over the hum of conversations and classical music, Yvette heard it as if her ears were tuned to sound. Her parents entered, a well put together but unassuming couple. As they approached the table, both Yvette and Mason rose. The second her parents saw Mason, they hesitated.

Yvette clasped her hands and gripped them. One aspect of her relationship with Mason she hadn't shared was that he wasn't Just Mason, but Mason Douglas, Former First Son.

Mason smiled at them. "Mr. and Mrs. Rojas. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He moved casually forward and shook both their hands, not at all bothered by their stunned expressions. In fact, he acted like he didn't notice their blatant staring at all. The handshakes snapped her parents out of their daze and as her father shook Mason's hand for a second time, this time aware of what he was doing, Yvette's mother stepped over to Yvette.

"When you said you were dating a white boy named Mason, you forgot to mention that he was the First Son, mija," her father said.

"I know," Yvette said, lowering her voice as well. "I didn't want you to freak out about it."

"You could have at least introduced us sooner."

"I would have if I didn't think Mason would have broken up with me over the idea. He's very private and honestly, I think five months is early for him."

Her mother sent a glance at Mason and Yvette knew she was noting how polished and well mannered he was. Looking at him it was easy to see Yvette's assessment, this was a man who held himself back, untouchable.

"I understand," her mother said. "I'm glad I get to know him now."

"Me too," Yvette said, squeezing her mother's hand.

As they joined Mason and her father, Yvette felt like she had been struck in the face. What she hadn't realized until that moment was that her father and Mason were speaking Spanish.

On top of that, Mason's accent was nearly flawless. The same realization must have hit her mother because she quickly looked from Mason to Yvette.

"You speak Spanish," her mother said, cutting into the conversation.

Mason dipped his head. "I do. But I fear I'm a little rusty I haven't spoken it in awhile."

"English will work for tonight then," Yvette's father said in unaccented English. "Let's sit."

They took their seats and a waiter materialized at their table, specifically at Mason's side. One factor of their relationship Yvette hadn't foreseen was the treatment that Mason attracted. He might not have been the First Son anymore, but he was still well known where he went. Just like her, the country had watched him grow up for eight years.

"Good evening everyone," the waiter said. "What can I start you off to drink?"

Cocktails were ordered and the waiter promised to return quickly. Which he did and left with their orders.

"How did you come to know Spanish?" Yvette's mother asked.

"My mom," Mason said.

At the statement, Yvette noticed the tiny smile Mason wore. It was the one he always did whenever he talked about his mother.

But strangely enough, she'd never seen any hint of it when it came to mention of his father. The story behind their relationship was one she didn't know and knew not to ask about. Not for awhile at least.

"My mom spent her college summers in Mexico," Mason said. "Specifically, Guadalajara. She loved the language and made sure I grew up learning. For my father's job, I learned French. I attempted some Mandarin but I confess I didn't take to it as easily and have since lost all that I did learn."

Yvette saw how the easy in which he spoke of languages and mentioned his father's job as if he were a blue collar worker completely won over her parents. There was no sense of superiority or smugness about what he could do or who he was. His lack of pretense always surprised Yvette. When he could easily be condescending, he wasn't.

"Yvette has told me a lot about you," Mason continued. "I have to admit, it's not enough. I'm curious to know all about how you started your law firm and all that you've accomplished."

Yvette's father straightened under the subtle praise and Yvette couldn't help but know she was seeing a side of Mason she hadn't before. He was genuine, welcoming, and encouraging. She knew as she heard her father talk and Mason asked the exact right question that this was Mason the First Son, the diplomat.

It wasn't that he was fake because she could tell he had honest interest in what her parents said. Sitting back she started to break down the complex situation, the mathematical situation to her.

Through food and long discussions, she put it together. This was how Mason dealt with his nervousness. Others might fidget, talk too quickly, betray themselves with tics, but Mason's was so subtle only someone who knew him would see it. Mason became the perfect representation of American hospitality. He was interested, caring, and inviting.

But as the dinner progressed, she saw that Mason's nervousness eased. Yvette noticed how his smile relaxed, his laugh warmed around the edges, and his posture softened.

The whole time he had been nervous. Nervous to meet her parents.

Yvette pressed her fingers to her mouth to conceal her smile.

Mason glanced at her and narrowed his eyes a tiny bit, letting her know he'd seen her smile despite her efforts.

Hiding it away, she dropped her hand Mason returned to the conversation with her mother: the fashion of the First Lady. A topic Mason was more knowledgable on than Yvette ever expected. But with the way he loved his mother she shouldn't have been surprised.

Eventually, the dinner wrapped up and Yvette's parents hovered around Mason as they headed to the exit. Before they even made it out the doors, they'd gotten a promise from him to have dinner again but this time at their home.

Yvette watched as Mason smiled but it wasn't the relaxed smile of before, he'd reverted to his diplomat state.

Something about the talk of another dinner had made him retreat into his other persona. Yvette felt her throat tightened with words of caution to her parents about being too eager but wouldn't embarrass them in front of Mason.

Later on she could talk to them. Right then, she wanted to be alone with Mason to get a better sense of how he felt.

But as they stepped out into the cool night air, Yvette saw that she wasn't going to get that opportunity soon. Standing on the sidewalk, waiting for them were six of her male cousins.

She would have scowled but she'd expected this when she'd seen that Emilio was working the bar and had noticed Mason meeting her parents. She should have suggested a different restaurant but Mason had said he felt comfortable there and so she hadn't argued. Now she wish she had.

"Ah, it seems my nephews are here to intimidate you," Yvette's father said. He happily clapped Mason on the shoulder. "Don't let them scare you too much."

With that parting comment, he took his wife's hand and they headed to their car. Mason easily strode towards Yvette's cousins, not showing any sign of hesitation but after what Yvette had seen that night she didn't expect anything less. Julio was the first to speak, which only felt right as he was the most protective of Yvette.

"You're Mason then," Julio said. "The First Son dating our cousin."

"I'm the man dating your cousin but I'm not the First Son," Mason said.

From where she stood by Mason's side, Yvette heard the whispers of Antonio and Sebas.

"I like his suit," Antonio said in Spanish. "It's Armani."

"Armani or not, a nice suit won't make up for anything if he's a pompous idiot," Sebas replied in Spanish.

Yvette almost spoke up to inform her cousins Mason could speak Spanish when Mason turned to the whispering pair.

"You know your cousin," Mason said in Spanish. "Is she likely to date a pompous idiot simply because he looks good in a suit?"

The stunned silence which followed this nearly had Yvette bursting into laughter. Everyone of her cousins stared at Mason without even blinking.

Then as one they all shouted and crowded around him, slapping him on the back.

A torrent of Spanish followed and Yvette knew from Mason's quickly turning head he was only understanding a fraction of what they were saying. But the acceptance and eagerness in her cousins' manner couldn't be lost in translation.

When Julio wrapped a muscular arm around Mason's shoulders and started to drag him towards the closest bar for a drink, Yvette didn't protest. She knew her family was best experienced by throwing a person into the deep end with them.

Either that person learned to swim with them or they never came back.

They were family and if Mason couldn't handle them then she knew they wouldn't last together.

Like at dinner, Yvette hung back and watched how Mason handled her loud and boisterous cousins. She was surprised to find he didn't play the diplomat, but instead somehow became a part of their group. From how well he responded to their jabs and delivered his own she would have thought they'd known each bother for years.

By the time they all left the bar, Mason had fully won over her cousins. They parted with happy goodbyes and more promises to meet up. Some words were more blurry than others, but not Mason's, due to the fact he'd made one drink last him the whole night.

Julio hugged Yvette goodbye.

"You found a good one," he whispered to her.

"I know."

She smiled up at him then waved as he headed off with the rest of the group. Mason waved Yvette towards where he'd parked his car and the pair set off.

During the journey to Yvette's apartment, Mason didn't say anything. Yvette had a million questions buzzing around her mind, wanting his opinion on everything that had happened but something about his silence held them in.

As she opened and stepped into her apartment, Mason's voice made her turn around. He stood in the hall, his hands in his pockets. Yvette smiled at him in invitation to say whatever he wanted to.

"We need to break up," Mason said.

The words crashed into Yvette like a wrecking ball. Break up. He wanted to break up. He wanted to break up after that night. After he'd connected not only with her parents but with her cousins?

What?

He connected with her parents and cousins.

He connected with her parents and cousins...

Yvette took a breath, feeling as the wrecking ball retreated.

"Okay," she said, simply. "If that is really what you want and you're not simply afraid of letting someone get close."

This time it looked like Mason was the hit by the wrecking ball. He swallowed, kissed her lightly, and backed away.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he said, and walked away.

Yvette leaned against her door frame, her heart pounding in her chest and her body shaky with relief.

She watched as Mason disappeared inside the elevator. She knew that he held her heart and she wasn't sure if she'd ever get it back.

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*stumbles and trips into author's note*

Oh hey, cool you're here, and I'm here which is good. You made it so, yeah, cool, cool, cool.

Ummm...oh yeah! Thoughts, do you have umm any thoughts about, you know, the chapter and whatnot? 💬🗯💭

Sorry, my mind is a jumbled mess. It's 8:46 and I'll literally be posting this in 14 minutes. This is without doubt the latest I've ever written an author's note.

*holds out arms and nods* that's right, you're seeing the lazy side of Joymoment. Usually I do this the day or even night before posting but, you know...umm time got away from me...it's not like I put it because I was watching 7 Korean men in a dance studio crushing the complex choreography...

😳 pssh! What! Nooooo, that would be...psshhh! I would never not definitely 100% do that no, not at all.

...🦗🦗

So seeing Mason from Yvette's point of view was interesting, right?

Not going to lie the depths of who he is always surprises me.

Well any ways hope you liked this, if not don't tell me it would destroy my soul.

Just kidding, I'm not that fragile, jeez!

But just to double check that I'm okay you better vote, comment, follow. Just to be safe.

Here's something cute to awe at.

This koala's name is Joonie.
(If you get it, you get it.)