Franklin Mason (franklin_mason) wrote in astor_ridge, @ 2011-02-28 00:11:00 |
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Entry tags: | franklin, solo |
Who Franklin and Tyler Mason (NPC)
What Tyler needs someplace to stay
When Sunday morning, February 27
Where Apartment 2425
Status Narrative
The last thing Tyler Mason expected was to move back in with his father at the age of twenty-seven. Well, it wasn’t the last thing, but it certainly wasn’t something he’d seen in his near future, or indeed in his future at all. Then again, he hadn’t expected his girlfriend to throw him out of their shared apartment either, but that was just what had happened that Sunday morning. He wasn’t quite sure why – they’d been having breakfast, the dog had been sitting on his usual chair between the two of them and Tyler had made some casual remark that he couldn’t even remember now, but Jennifer had blown a gasket and Tyler had ended up on the street with a hastily packed suitcase and the keys to his car in his hand.
Still, even at this point, moving in with his father hadn’t entered his mind. His first go-to was, as always, his mother, but she had gone to Morocco to do volunteer work for a month. Sitting in his car, one hand on the steering wheel, he went over his options – some friends came to mind, but none he felt like living with for an undecided amount of time. His brother Chris and his family inhabited his mother’s house whilst their place was being renovated and their sister Phoebe wasn’t a person Tyler agreed too well with. Phoebe had always been daddy’s girl, which probably was the reason Tyler and her didn’t go together well. Tyler had always been more attached to his mother and with his father’s self-deception, this hadn’t really changed.
Once his father entered his mind, Tyler sighed. He knew Frank likely wouldn’t say no to putting him up for a few days, or even several. He definitely had the space, for all Tyler knew. Still, he wasn’t at all sure he wanted to stay there. Looking through the car window, he saw the dog looking out through the window next to the front door, looking as quizzical as he always did when he was left behind when someone went out. Another sigh and Tyler turned his gaze forward again, one hand reaching for the key stuck into the ignition. Pausing for another few moments, he then turned the key and started the car. He hadn’t visited his father since last September – his apartment, that was, but they’d met a few times in town – but it wasn’t hard to find the way to the Astor Ridge building. It was pretty much a landmark in Destiny Falls.
Parking his car in the guest parking lot, he left his suitcase in the backseat as he went up to the entrance door, nodding at the doorman as he entered but, true to his nature, didn’t give the man a smile. Crossing the lobby to get to the elevators, he had to wait for a minute before one arrived for him to enter. Pressing the button for the 24th floor, he leaned against the wall as he settled in for the ride to the near top of the building. For being ten o’clock on a Sunday and an elevator going up, there were a surprising amount of stops, but eventually Tyler got off on the 24th and made his way to the door of apartment 2425. Taking a deep breath, he then raised his hand and knocked.
When the door opened, Tyler met his father’s surprised face – and the watchful gaze of the parrot on his shoulder – with the slightest twitch of the right corner of his mouth. “Good morning, dad.”
“Tyler..!” Frank said, a smile coming to his lips. “What are you doing here? I didn’t expect any visitors this early on a Sunday.”
“I didn’t expect to be visiting anyone this early,” Tyler replied, eyeing the parrot with a certain wariness. “Is it an inconvenient time?”
“Not at all, not at all..!” Frank stepped aside to allow him inside. “Come on in – have you had breakfast? I can whip something up, if you want.”
“No thanks,” Tyler said with a shake of his head. “I managed to finish most of it before I had to leave.” He looked around the hall, eyes moving over the various furniture, devices and things placed all around.
“Leave?” Frank got a light frown on his forehead, moving Banjo from one shoulder to the other.
A slight pause. “Jenny kicked me out, dad.”
“What on earth for? I haven’t heard about the two of you having any problems.”
Tyler shrugged. “Neither had I. Apparently our mutual decision not to have kids was suddenly not mutual.”
The creases on Frank’s forehead deepened for a moment, then smoothened out. “Well, that’s women for you,” he said with a slightly confounded chuckle. “I’m afraid I can’t give you much advice though, except that you talk to her when she’s calmed down some.”
His father looked confused. Tyler didn’t blame him. It occurred to him that he could have called ahead, especially as he wasn’t known for sporadic visits under normal circumstances. Nevertheless, there he was and he could only get to the point or chose to leave. Since he had nowhere to go, he decided on the former. “Dad... I know this might be very sudden, but... Do you think I could stay here, just for a few days? I can sleep on the couch, it doesn’t matter.”
The confused expression took a few moments to leave Frank’s face, replaced by concern and a fond father-to-son smile. “Of course, Ty. You’re always welcome here, you know that. And you won’t have to sleep on the couch, I’ve got an extra bed I’ll dig out for you.” As he came up to put a hand on Tyler’s shoulder, Banjo took flight and soared over to sit on a nearby lampshade. “You can stay for as long as you need, don’t worry.”
“I’ll be out as quickly as possible,” Tyler said, tentatively putting his hand on top of Frank’s.
“Did you bring anything with you?”
“Yeah, I left the suitcase in the car. I’ll go down and get it.”
“Oh, I’m sure we can get someone to bring it up for you, the staff here is very helpful.”
Tyler just managed to keep the derisive sneer from his face at these words. The fact that his father so easily referred to the Astor staff just didn’t sit well with Tyler, knowing the view his father used to have on life. Still had? He didn’t know, but whatever the case was, he disliked it. “No, I’ll go get it myself, I don’t mind. I’ll be back in a little.”
As the front door closed behind him, Tyler let out the nth sigh of the morning. So far, so good. He just wondered what the coming few days would be like.