by Monica James
Jeremy looks at Danielle, disgusted. “All I could see was that three year old little boy, crying in front of me, begging me not to take you away from your family. That’s why I believed her, because your mother, she broke everything inside of me, she broke my will to survive. I gave up and I hated myself for it, but I didn’t want to hurt you any longer. You didn’t know who I was, I wasn’t your father. I was a stranger who wanted to take you away from the only family you knew. I couldn’t blame you for wanting nothing to do with the man who abandoned you, because that’s what I did. I left you when you needed me the most. I didn’t deserve you in my life, and I gave up.”
Jeremy looks grief-stricken. “I continued giving your mother child support, not knowing if you ever saw a penny of it. But I couldn’t stay in America, it hurt too much. So I went to live in Europe, and not a day went by that I didn’t think of you, Jasper, or regret my decision. I was a coward and I don’t expect you to forgive me, because I will never forgive myself.”
Jeremy looks my way, smiling. “But then something remarkable happened. Three days ago, a young woman named Ava tracked me down after, no doubt, an exhausting search, and told me all about my son, Jasper White. She told me everything, Jasper, who you were, what you liked, what you did, and what a good man you turned out to be. And I listened to every single word, because it was information I was craving to hear for twenty-six years. It was the truth about my boy.”
Jasper turns to look at me, his eyes wide, and I give him a shy smile, my tears slipping into my lips.
“She told me you weren’t even aware of my existence, and that your mother had lied to me. She had lied to you. She was after the money. After all this time, that’s all she ever cared about. And that’s why I’m here. I’m here to do what I should have done twenty-six years ago. I’m here to take back, my son.”
Jeremy takes a step towards Jasper, his eyes filled with fear.
Jasper takes a small step back, and I know this is too much for him to process all at once.
Jeremy looks at me and I give him a small, encouraging smile.
However, my smile fades as Danielle jumps up, running hysterically towards Jasper.
“It’s all lies!” she cries, trying to latch onto him, but he sidesteps her. “Jasper, don’t believe them!” she sobs. “Please, son!” she begs, and it’s her final plea.
“I’m not your son,” he sneers, taking a step closer to his dad. “How could you?” he says, between clenched teeth. “You let that man beat me every day of my life. And you never stopped it. You had a choice, you had someone who loved you, but you chose him. That spineless asshole who wasn’t even my father!”
Danielle begins sobbing uncontrollably but I feel nothing for her.
Jasper is shaking in rage and I look to Jeremy for help. But Jeremy shakes his head, and he’s right. Jasper needs to let it all out, because I know once he says his peace, it’ll be the last thing he ever says to his mom.
“I could probably overlook the fact that you tried to steal my money, money that I don’t even want. But I will never forgive you for lying to me. You had the chance to make our lives better, mine and Stephen’s, but you didn’t. What kind of person does that?”
“Jasper, no. I loved your father, he was a good man,” Danielle sobs, snot running down her face. “He loved us. He never meant to hurt you.”
She drops to her knees, reaching out for him, but Jasper turns away, disgusted. In her own twisted way, Danielle actually loved William, that’s why she lied to Jeremy about telling Jasper the truth. As I have no doubt, William would have threatened Danielle, demanding Jeremy get out of their lives, or he would. When William realized Jeremy wasn’t falling for Danielle’s lies any longer, and the extra money stopped rolling in, Jeremy was no use to William. He would have wanted Jeremy out of their lives, as he was nothing but a reminder of the son he hated. The money, in the end, wasn’t more important to Danielle than William, and she cut Jeremy out. Too bad she doesn’t feel the same way about her son’s money.
Danielle could have had a happy life with Jeremy, but she didn’t love him. Love makes people do crazy things, and I feel a smidge sorry for her, but as I look at her, peering up at Jasper, that pity fades.
“Good man?” Jasper snarls. “He wasn’t a good man when he beat me senseless when I was six years old for spilling juice onto the carpet. Nor was he a good man when he knocked me out, laughing when I came to, calling me a pussy for not fighting back! I was eight fucking years old! You could have stopped that, all of it, but you didn’t. You let him demoralize me and Stephen every day of our lives, and for that, I will hate you with every inch of my beaten body and soul till the day I die!” Jasper yells, and Danielle recoils when she hears the bitterness behind his words.
She sobs hysterically, screams tear from her throat, knowing Jasper means every word.
“Get up! No amount of begging will make this right. You’re dead to me,” Jasper spits.
“Jasper,” she chokes, but Jasper shakes his head and turns away.
Danielle sobs and punches the floor repeatedly.
She turns her bloodshot eyes to me and curls her lips in rage. “This is your fault. All of it!” She points her finger at me, glaring. “You are going to pay!”
I meet her glare with one of my own.
“I dare you,” I snarl.
Danielle is up in a heartbeat and before I have a chance to react, she comes charging towards me like she’s possessed. I brace my hands on the wall and close my eyes, expecting some kind of impact. But nothing comes.
I bravely sneak open an eye, and all I can see is Jasper’s broad back, his shoulders rising and falling in quick succession.
“You’ve got to go through me,” he sneers, taking a step backward, so I’m nearly flush against his back.
“And me,” Jeremy says, stepping in front of Jasper protectively.
I’m surrounded by two protective men and my heart swells.
I can’t see much, as Jasper’s body towers over mine, but I don’t need to see her. I can feel the rage pouring off of Danielle.
“Jeremy,” she gasps, stunned.
“Danielle, I should have done this a long time ago. You will not hurt my son a moment longer,” Jeremy says with conviction.
Jasper’s shoulders depress, the tension easing out of him when he hears Jeremy’s comment. I can’t help myself as I slide my hand around his waist, and am relieved when he wraps his fingers through mine.
Danielle lets out one last final sob, and I hear her barge out the front door, her feet pounding on the porch steps as she makes her escape. Even though this is her house, she knows she’s outnumbered.
One down, one to go.
I turn to look at Indie, who is sitting on the couch, drawn into herself, trying to hide.
No such luck.
Jeremy steps aside and Jasper follows, but he turns to face me. He looks beaten and worn, but he looks relieved. And I know I have made the right choice, reuniting him with his dad.
Now, there’s one more thing I need to make right.
I give Jasper a small smile before I turn my attention to Indie. As soon as my eyes lock with hers, she cowers.
“You’re awfully quiet,” I say sarcastically.
Indie lowers her eyes. This is almost too easy.
Pushing off from the wall, I slip past Jasper to confront a guilty looking Indie.
“So, what did she promise you?” I simply ask.
Indie looks mortified that I would insinuate she had any part in Danielle’s evil plan.
But I call her bluff. “We can do this the easy way, or my way.” I smirk, crossing my arms over my chest.
Indie’s frantic eyes flick to Jasper when he moves to stand beside me. “I swear I didn’t know, Jasper!” she pleads, tears pooling in her deceitful eyes.
“We all know that’s a lie.” I scold. I’m standing my ground and not backing down. “What were you getting out of hurting the man you supposedly love?” I choose my wo
rds intentionally.
Jasper looks at Indie, his eyes narrowing, waiting for her to answer.
She places her hands over her face and confesses, “She was going to give me a cut of the money.”
My insides actually turn in disgust.
“And you were okay with that?” I ask, mortified she would actually use Jasper.
Indie lowers her hands, her mascara running down her tear-stained cheeks.
“It was all for you, Jasper,” she sobs, looking at him pleadingly. “I was going to share it with you, I promise.”
I take it back; she is as dumb as she looks.
“Did you know about Jeremy?” I ask, even though I know the answer.
Indie nods and I can hear Jasper grinding down on his jaw.
“For how long?” I persist, glaring at her.
She returns my stare and snaps, “Since we were kids. I overheard Danielle talking to my mom about it and Danielle caught me. She said she would give me money, like a weekly allowance, if I never told Jasper the truth. Happy?”
She has been using Jasper this whole time—they both have been. Even when they were ‘together’ in high school, and Jasper thought Indie genuinely wanted to be friends with him, it all came down to money. That’s why Indie hung around with him. I have no doubt she was receiving a large sum of money, money that Jeremy was giving Danielle to give to Jasper. I’d like to believe that once she got older, Danielle stopped with the bribes, as in her own warped way, I believe Indie loves Jasper.
Closing my eyes, I count to ten before I reopen them.
“I am anything but happy. How could you?” I sneer, shaking my head at her.
She guiltily turns her eyes up to Jasper, flinching when she sees his reaction to her confession. His jaw is clenched and his nostrils are flaring; I know he’s barely holding on.
“Get. Out,” he snarls, closing his eyes tightly so he no longer has to see her deceitful face.
Indie jumps up, running over to where he stands. “Believe me! It was all for you, all of it. So we could live comfortably together. At first it was for the money, but it’s not now,” she cries, attempting to justify her deception.
Jasper scoffs, narrowing his eyes at her. “Are you listening to yourself? You are trying to justify lying to me this whole time, betraying me in the worst possible way, by saying you were only thinking of me. You make me sick,” he spits, turning away from her, disgusted.
Indie latches onto Jasper’s arm, sobbing. “Please forgive me!”
Jasper pulls out of her grip. “Get away from me, you’re pathetic. If I never see you again it’ll be too soon.”
“Jasper, I love you!” Indie cries hysterically, pleading with him to believe her.
Jasper chuckles low, unmoved by her pleas. “Love? You wouldn’t know the first thing about love. The only person you love is yourself. And that’s a good thing, because no one could ever love a lying, manipulative bitch like you. You’ll be forever alone, Indie, and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself,” Jasper sneers. I flinch at the harshness of his words, but she deserves it.
Indie sobs, choking on her tears.
But this isn’t over. She has one more lie to confess up to.
I stand near Jasper, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Seeing as you’re in a sharing mood, how about you tell Jasper the truth about my test results.”
Indie sniffs back her tears and narrows her eyes at me. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“I beg to differ,” I sinisterly chuckle, incredulous that she’s still lying.
Jasper turns to me, his eyes softening.
“I believe you, baby.”
His words are like music to my ears and I bite back my tears, but I’m like a dog at a bone.
“I’m giving you one last chance to redeem yourself.”
I need to hear her confession so I can bitchslap her into next week.
But no such luck as Indie scoffs, “Dream on. I’m not going to cover for you. Jasper has a right to know you lied to him, and made him believe you were pregnant when you weren’t.”
Still with the lies.
It takes all my restraint not to punch her in the mouth. But I play it cool as I shrug, looking at my nails. “Okay, have it your way. I mean, I’m sure Doctor Hemming will be interested to know that one of his employees is a thief.”
That gets her attention as her head snaps my way. Her eyes narrow and her lips curl in fury as she snarls, “You cun—”
Jasper cuts her off before she reveals just how classy she really is.
“Get out. Before I throw you out.” His jaw hardens as he adds, “And I mean that literally.”
Indie’s gasp can be heard three doors down, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face.
“This isn’t over!” she sneers, collecting her bag, wiping away her tears.
Jasper puts his arm on mine to stop me from launching at her, but I push him off, getting into her face.
“Oh yeah?” I taunt. “Bring it. I’ll be waiting for you, you low-life tramp.”
Indie looks completely stunned by my bravery, and I think I’ve seen the last of her. But she surprises me as she quickly raises her hand to slap me. But I’m quicker, as I duck out of the way and punch her straight in the face.
She staggers backward, her hand flying to her nose.
Indie-nil.
Ava-two.
“You bitch! You broke my nose!” Indie muffles, blood pouring down her face.
“You’re lucky that’s all I broke,” I reply furiously.
Indie stares at Jasper, her eyes begging him to help her, but he shakes his head, making it clear she is dead to him.
“Get out,” he growls.
She gives me one last glare, and I’ll never forget the image of Indie storming out of Jasper’s life for good.
As soon as she’s out the door, I cradle my right fist into my left hand and bite my lip.
Jasper is over in an instant. “Are you okay?” he asks, reaching for my hand.
I hiss in pain as soon as he makes contact, recoiling.
“It might be broken,” he says, his blue eyes searching my body for any other cuts or bruises.
Raising my shoulders in a carefree shrug, I smile. “So worth it.”
Jasper smirks, but he looks like death. His hair is sticking out riotously, and his eyes are bloodshot and worn.
I touch his arm with my non-injured hand, still cradling my right to my chest.
“Are you okay?” I ask stupidly, because of course he’s not.
He looks down at my hand and then back up at me, his hair slipping into his tired eyes. “I am now. Ava, I’m—”
I place my finger over his lips to stop him. “Sssh.”
He kisses my finger lightly and the simple gesture warms my heart.
I look over at Jeremy, who’s quietly waiting off to the side, his hands clasped behind his back. I know he’s waited his whole life for this moment.
To see his son.
Jasper turns to follow my line of sight and meets his father’s eyes. As I look at the similarities between them, with their matching cerulean eyes, strong angled jaws, tipped up noses and dark hair, there is no doubt that they are father and son.
Jeremy clears his throat and takes a hesitating step towards Jasper. “Jasper, I…” Jeremy says, but stops as his voice catches in his throat.
His eyes are scanning Jasper from head to toe, in total disbelief that he’s really standing before his son.
I take a small step to the side, as this is Jeremy’s time with Jasper.
Jasper however, doesn’t move; he stands still, his chest rising and falling slowly. And he too, is examining his father with careful scrutiny.
Jeremy runs a hand through his groomed hair, so different to his son’s, but the nervous habit is the same.
“Son, I’m so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by you, I swear it.”
Jasper still stares at Jeremy, unblinking.
�
�I want to get to know you. I know we can never make up for lost time, but I really hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Please give me a chance to be the father I should have been all those years ago,” Jeremy says, his eyes revealing nothing but the truth.
I can’t stop the tears that begin streaming down my face.
Jasper, his whole life, has been surrounded by darkness, but now, now he has his chance at being surrounded by nothing but light.
Jasper swallows deeply and takes a small step towards his dad, and Jeremy’s eyes begin to moisten, pools of happiness and sorrow forming in his blue eyes.
Jasper takes yet another step, and then another, until he’s standing in front of his father.
The sight before me is a beautiful one, and I silently sob for the Blackwood family.
Jeremy shakily extends his hand out in the form of a handshake, and Jasper stares at his hand for the longest time, unsure of what to do. After a moment, he places his hand into his father’s, and tears cascade down his cheeks.
Jeremy’s eyes also fill with tears, and he takes a visible breath before pulling Jasper into his arms, embracing him lovingly. Jasper, at first, stands rigid and unsure. But as Jeremy wraps his arms around his son’s back tightly, Jasper mimics the movement and slowly raises his arms, holding onto his dad like he is his savior.
And in a way, he is. Jeremy saved Jasper. And he saved me.
I meet Jeremy’s eyes over Jasper’s shoulder and he mouths, “Thank you.”
I wipe away my tears with the back of my hand and give him a small nod.
Little does he know, I’m the one who should be thanking him.
Watching their reunion has shifted my priorities, and I feel like I’ve had an epiphany.
When I wake tomorrow, everything will be different.
For the both of us.
I don’t want to get up, but I know I have to, otherwise I never will.
Opening my weary eyes, I take in my bedroom. Everything looks the same from when I saw it last. The dresser is still strewn with random items—my favorite perfumes, lip boosting lip glosses, and an empty packet of Hot Tamales.