Mind Slide by Glenn Bullion

in her track uniform brought back bad memories for Mason. He glanced down at her foot.
    Mason grinned when he saw a bookshelf in the dining room. It was full of books on the human mind.
    He looked around at the furniture. It certainly looked comfortable. A large sectional couch in the living room, with a stereo that dwarfed his own, and a huge television. The dining room had a large table and six chairs. The kitchen was stocked as well. A set of stairs led up to the bedrooms and bathroom.
    It was creepy to see some dishes in the sink. Only a little more than a week ago, Doc lived in the house.
    “Wow,” Mason said, thinking about the moving truck outside. “Where will you put all your stuff? You just gonna sell it?”
    Kelly brought her hands to her face. She was foolish to think she could do this. She thought she was emotionally distant from her father, but this was too soon. Maybe she should sell the house.
    “I can't do this,” she said.
    Mason almost touched her shoulder, but pulled his hand back. He wrinkled his face at her.
    “You're kidding, right?”
    She turned to look at him. He shook his head.
    This was the same woman who nearly disfigured her foot trying to slip out of a restraint, then threw boiling water in her kidnapper's face.
    Seven years after the fact, she was still the most incredible woman he ever met.
    “Listen to me. You can do anything ,” he said. “I don't think there's anything that could stop you.”
    Kelly returned his confused look. She thought he was patronizing her at first, but saw the look in his eyes. It made her heart skip a beat.
    “You don't know me that well, Mason.”
    “I know more than you'd think.”
    She wanted to reach out and hug him, but restrained herself. She wasn't good at hugs.
    “So, we're putting everything downstairs?” he asked.
    She took a breath and nodded. “Yeah. Let's get started.”
    They spent the next few hours unloading and organizing everything in the basement. The basement was finished with walls and carpet, but unfurnished. It almost looked like an entire studio apartment when they were done with it.
    The sun had nearly set when they finished. The moving truck was completely empty. Mason, Brian, and Dani were in the living room watching a cartoon on television. Kelly and Lisa were in the kitchen.
    “Thank you so much for the help,” Kelly said.
    “Oh, no problem at all.”
    “Get that bastard!” Mason shouted from the couch.
    The women peered into the living room. Brian and Dani both stared at Mason. He looked sheepish and embarrassed.
    “The coyote and the road-runner,” he explained to the women.
    “How can you root against the road-runner?” Brian asked.
    “Cause the coyote's a genius.”
    “You're out of your mind.”
    Dani looked at Kelly and rolled her eyes. It was all she could do to not burst out laughing.
    “Mason's a good guy,” Lisa said.
    “Yeah. I didn't even ask him for help. He just volunteered. He volunteered you guys too, I guess.”
    Lisa looked at her. “He offered help without you asking?”
    She nodded.
    Lisa stole a glance at Mason, who was engrossed in the cartoon. “Hmm.”
    “What? What's going on?”
    “Oh, nothing. He keeps to himself, usually.” She looked at her family. “Are you two ready to go?”
    “Aww. Do we have to?”
    “Yes, Brian. I'm sure Kelly has her own plans tonight. You two can stay over another night.”
    Brian gave his daughter a playful punch on the arm. “You hear that? We can stay over sometime.”
    “Dad, you're so weird.”
    Kelly walked the Lowdrys to their car. She actually got a hug from Lisa. Kelly thanked them all again for the help. She didn't know where she'd be without it.
    Mason gave her a smile and crossed the street to his Jeep. She walked with him.
    “What are your plans for the night?” Kelly asked.
    He looked at his cell phone. It was almost seven o'clock. Dinner. Hang out with Lucy. Then maybe an hour or so of the Discovery Channel.
    That was how he rocked