Heartbreak Warfare

by K. B. Webb

  “Jazzy,” she cuts him off.

  “My name is Jasmine.”

  “Jesus, fine, Jasmine,” his voice has a sarcastic tone to it that I know Jasmine doesn’t miss, “I’m not trying to dismiss you. I just don’t understand how you could think this guy is worth losing everything over. I get it, you think you’re in love, but you’ve also said that about at least 5 other guys. What makes this one so damn different, huh?”

  “You realize that you just completely dismissed my relationship, right?”

  I can tell by the look on Jason’s face that he honestly didn’t know he was. He looks a little shocked and slightly thrown off by Jasmine’s words. She continues speaking to him, “I don’t have everything figured out Jason, but I do know that I love Ryan, that Ryan loves me, and we plan on loving each other for a very long time. I know that to many people this whole things seems rushed, but to us it makes total sense. I know that no matter how things go between you and I, Ryan will be there for me. I know that Ryan is going to move in with me soon and I can’t wait to wake up next to him every day even though he leaves dirty clothes on the floor and the toilet seat up. That’s how I know this one is different Jason. That’s how I know Ryan is different.”

  She smiles at me when she finishes talking and I reach over and squeeze her thigh, smiling back.

  “You sound like Todd.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, when he and I first started dating, his mother did not approve of me. She thought that I was a bit of a self-centered ass hole. Those were actually her exact words.”

  “Well that’s not surprising,” I don’t realize I have spoken out loud until I hear Jasmine laugh and see Jason raise an eyebrow at me.

  “Anyway, she pretty much told him that he could and should do better and told him to end things with me. He went into this very dramatic speech about how much he loved me and I was the one for him and he didn’t give a rat’s ass about how she felt about me because he loved me and that was what was important. So, right now you sound like Todd.”

  “OK, what does that have to do with anything?”

  “Well, if you love Ryan half as much as I know Todd loves me then this must be serious,” he turns towards me, “and Ryan, if you love my sister half as much as I love Todd, you must really love her.”

  “More than anything man. I don’t need my job back. I didn’t come here to get it back, I came here to support Jasmine because I love her and when you love someone you support their decisions, even if you don’t agree with them.”

  “Ah, I think I Dani told me the same thing yesterday, but in her version she called me a dumb ass mother fucker.”

  We all laugh and Jasmine beams with pride, “That’s my best friend!”

  “Jazzy, I called you here to talk to you about lots of things, but I never intended on asking you to sign over the company. I just said that shit because I was mad, and when you walked in here and offered up your portion in exchange for Ryan’s job, well I got even madder. I worked really fucking hard after mom and dad died to keep this company together and make it profitable so that one day you would have something that was theirs to carry on and be proud of. I realized though, with a lot of help from Todd and Dani, I worked so hard to make something for you so you could have a future, but I have done a lot over the last few years that has held you back from actually having a future.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Well, I,” I have never heard Jason stumble on his words. He is always so well put together and professional, so seeing him trip over himself is kind of shocking, “just follow me. I don’t know how to tell you, but I can show you.”

  He stands and we do the same. We follow him out of his office and down the hall to a closed office door.

  “You’ve been telling me for a year that you were ready for more responsibility, that you were capable of making your own decisions. I never thought that you were incompetent or stupid Jazzy. I just felt like I was protecting you, and now I realize I was just holding you back. I have been way too hard on you over the years, and I need to make up for that.”

  “Make up for it how?” Jasmine look confused and I know I do too.

  Jason opens the door and we step into what looks like a normal office. There is a new desk in one corner with a book shelf mounted behind it. There is a white couch on the far side of the room and a coffee table in the middle with some flowers. Jasmine walks over to the desk and runs her hand along the top but stops quickly when she notices the pictures that are framed on it. There are three in total. One is another copy of the picture that hangs in the lobby of Jasmine, Jason, and their parents. Another is a picture of Jasmine, Jason, Todd, and Dani. The last one is in a smaller frame sitting next the computer. It’s a picture of a younger looking Jason holding a baby Jasmine. She picks it up and hugs it to her chest, “Jason, what is all this?”

  “This,” he waves his hand around the room, “is your new office, if you want it.”

  “New office? For what?”

  “Well…” he turns around a piece of paper that is folded to look like a name plate with sloppy hand writing on the front.

  Jasmine Slade, Director of Marketing and Development

  When Jasmine see’s what the paper says, she instantly begins to cry, and runs to Jason and hugs him.

  They have a moment that I think they have needed to have for years. Jason tells Jasmine how proud he is of her and he is so sorry for the things he said to her, he tells her that their parents would be so proud of everything she has achieved and their dad would have kicked his ass if he knew the way Jason had been treating her. She laughs and hugs him tighter.

  “Knock, knock.” Todd walks in and his eyes instantly land on Jason and Jasmine, “Oh thank God y’all made up!”

  “Well the office kind of did the trick,” Jasmine laughs and releases Jason before hugging Todd.

  “I thought I did a pretty good job, but there is so much more we can do with this space! I have tons of ideas!” Todd starts talking to Jasmine about paint colors and accent pillows, whatever the hell those are.

  Jason gets my attention and nods his head in the direction if his office. We leave Jasmine’s new office, and head to his.

  “Take a seat Ryan.”

  “Man, if you want to give me some more bullshit about how you don’t approve of me, I won’t sit here and take it. I won’t tell Jasmine about it, but I won’t let you talk shit to me.”

  He shakes his head at me, “That’s not why I asked you in here. Has she ever told you about a guy she dated in college named Andrew?”

  The name sounds familiar so I knew she’s brought him up before, but I can’t remember too much about him.

  “I think so, but I don’t remember much. Why?”

  “Well, she was barely a freshman and he was a senior planning to get a master’s in business. She thought she loved him. Hell, she swore she loved him and he promised me up and down that he loved her too. He was from a prominent family so I knew he wasn’t after her money, and he made her happy, so, I approved. Worse fucking decision I ever made.”

  “Why is that?”

  “They dated for about 6 months before I met Andrew’s father. He owns a string of construction companies along the coast. He approached me about merging our companies. He said that since his son and Jasmine were on the fast track to marriage we should just make everything one big family business. I said hell fucking no. I told him that I had not spent the last 5 years working my ass off to hand off my family’s name to someone else. He was pist, so fucking pist, and admitted that he had his son date Jasmine just so he could get an in with me,” he takes a deep breath and grips the sides of his chair, “I was fucking furious. I wanted to call Jasmine right then and there and tell her the truth, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I knew she wouldn’t believe me, and even if she did, I knew she would resent me. So, instead I called Andrew. I told him that I knew everything and I was not fucking OK with it. I told him that if he
didn’t end things with Jasmine immediately, I would have him black balled from every Master program in the south and make sure that his family’s business was run into the fucking ground. He wasn’t as stupid as I thought he was, so he did break up with her, but when she asked why, he said it was because I had threatened him and told him he had to do it. When Jasmine called and questioned me about it, I took the blame. I just said that I didn’t approve of Andrew so she wasn’t allowed to be with him. After that, every time she dated someone and I even for a second thought they wanted her because of her name or her money, I shut that shit down real quick. I knew it pist her off, but I felt like I had to do it.”

  “Damn, does Jasmine know any of this?”

  “No, and she can’t. I don’t want her to have to deal with all that bullshit, so I do it for her.”

  “I get that,” and I do. I am finally beginning to understand Jason’s actions a little bit. He’s not a total fucker, just a partial fucker who wants to protect his sister and has a shitty way of doing it

  “So the point to this whole conversation it to make you understand why I act the way I do when it comes to Jasmine. I have seen people try to take advantage of her, and I can’t let that happen. It’s my job to protect her, and even if I have shitty way of doing it sometimes, that is always what I’m trying to do.”

  “Well, if I were you I probably would have beat the shit out of that Andrew kid, and every other dude who hurt her.”

  “Oh I did. A year later I saw him at an LSU game and he tried to act like we were buddies. I didn’t take that well, so I punched him in the face. No one hurts my baby sister.”

  I laugh at his admission, “Well good for you man.”

  “I wanted to talk to you for another reason too. Look Ryan, if you don’t want your job back, I totally understand, but if you want it, it’s yours. I fucked up when I fired you, and I admit that. I didn’t realize how much shit you did until you were gone for a day. It’s like without you around everyone becomes fucking incompetent.”

  I smile a little with pride. I have worked my ass off since the day I started at the gym to get things in order and running smoother. It’s nice to know that Jason can see that. “Well, I love my job Jason, and I do want it back, but you need to know that if it ever comes between your sister and my job, your sister will always win.”

  “That’s exactly what I want to hear,” he stand up and extends his hand to me, “so I can expect to see you to be at the gym tomorrow?”

  I stand and shake his hand, “Yes sir.”

  We walk out of his office and down the hall to Jasmine’s, where she and Todd are still talking about how to decorate it. We both stand in the doorway for a moment watching them. Jasmine looks so happy right now. I am so damn proud of her right now. She not only stood up to Jason, but now she’s getting the job she deserves, the job I know she will be amazing at.

  “Hey Ryan,” I glance at Jason whose eyes are set on Jasmine, “you hurt her and I will fucking end you. We clear?”

  I turn my eyes back towards Jasmine. I love this girl and I know that I will never do anything to hurt her, or anything that would make Jason want to ‘fucking end’ me, “Crystal.”

  “Jasmine, I don’t want fucking roses, alright? I get that every wedding has roses, but I better not see a single fucking rose. That damn florist better know that.”

  Jason and Todd’s wedding is in 3 weeks and Jason has turned into a full blown groomzilla. Since I am his sister, best woman, and wedding planner, it is my job to reel his crazy ass in. I really should be getting paid for this shit.

  “Got it Jason, no roses. I think every florist in the state knows you don’t want roses at this point. Chill the fuck out and I will be at the office in a few minutes.”

  “Why are you coming here, you aren’t working today?” Since Jason gave me the job as Director of Marketing and Development two weeks ago, I have been working long hours almost 7 days a week. I love my job, so I don’t mind at all, but I do need a day off. Since tomorrow is my birthday, Jason forced me to take a few days off to relax and celebrate. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect because in two days Ryan’s parents will be coming in town. This will be first time I meet them and the first time they have been back to Monroe in over three years. It’s going to be an emotional visit for Ryan, so I am so happy I’m off work to be there with him through it all.

  “I’m not working today, but I need to drop some stuff off for you to look at. I’m getting coffee now then I’ll be there. You want anything?”

  “Sure, just black. The largest size you can get.”

  “Got it.”

  “Hey, do you and Ryan need anything for the apartment. I’m going to pick you out a gift tonight.”

  “You realize my birthday is tomorrow, right?”

  “Yes, I know when your damn birthday is. You know I wait till the last minute to do shopping. It’s just how I am.”

  “Sure, it is. But to answer your question, no, we don’t need anything. Just get me whatever. Or nothing at all. I really don’t care either way.”

  “Well I’m going to buy you something. I’ll just figure something out.”

  “Whatever. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  We hang up and I walk into the little coffee shop a few blocks from my office. The line is longer than usual today, but I’ll wait. This place makes the best white caramel lattes in town.

  It takes ten minutes, but I finally place my order and step to the side to wait for them to call my name.

  “Jasmine?” At first I think it is the coffee guy calling my name until I see Charlie sitting at a table a few feet away. He stands when I walk over to him.

  “Hey Charlie!” I’m surprised to see him but happy at the same time. He looks a hell of a lot better than he did the last time I saw him, “how are you?”

  “Great actually. How about you? I heard you and Davis were living together.”

  “We are. And things are going great with us. How’s Holly?”

  “Pregnant.”

  “What?! Congratulations!” I give him a hug because I really am happy for him, “are you excited?”

  “Hell yea. I’m nervous as hell though.”

  “So, I take it things with you and Holly are going well?”

  “Yep. I’ve been sober for about 2 months which worked out because the day after I showed my ass with you and Ryan, we found out she was pregnant. As soon as I saw the word pregnant on that test, I knew I had to get my shit together. So, I joined AA and have been sober ever since.”

  “That’s great Charlie. Ryan will be really happy to hear that.”

  “Yea, I need to call him. I owe him big time. He pretty much saved my relationship that night.”

  “Well give him a call and you and Holly can come over one night and hang out. I would love to actually meet her. Ryan only has good things to say about her.”

  “She’s amazing. I’m not really sure how she puts up with my shit.”

  “Well I think you’re pretty amazing yourself, as long as you’re not drunk.”

  “Yea, I still feel like an ass for the things I said to you that night. Being drunk did not make the shit I said OK.”

  “Don’t sweat it Charlie. People have said much worse things stone cold sober.”

  “Jasmine?” The coffee guy calls my name and sets my drinks down on the counter, “Well Charlie, I gotta run by my office and take my brother his coffee. It was great seeing you. Again, congratulations and make sure you call Ryan so you and Holly can come over.”

  “I will. It was great to see you too,” he hugs me goodbye and I step to the counter to grab my coffees.

  I walk out the door and can’t shake this feeling that someone is watching me as I leave. Instead of taking a good look around, I head to my car, wanting to shake the feeling.

  After dropping some files off with Jason, bringing him coffee, and planning a lunch birthday date for him, Todd, Ryan, and I, I head home.

  I walk in and see Rya
n sitting on the couch watching Sports Center. He decided to take a few days off of work too. We’ve both had crazy schedule’s the last few weeks so I have been really looking forward to just relaxing with him.

  “Hey baby,” I walk over and sit down beside him and kiss his cheek, “you’ll never guess who I saw today.”

  “Charlie,” he sits up and grabs his cell phone off the coffee table.

  “Yea, how’d you know? Did he call you?”

  “Nope. I got these this morning,” he hands me his cell phone and shows me pictures of Charlie and I from the coffee shop. There are two of us hugging, but most of them are just us talking. We’re both smiling and I have my hand on his shoulder in one. This is fucking weird. Who the hell would do this?

  “What the fuck? Who sent you these?”

  “Why were you hugging him?” Ryan turns so that his body is facing mine but scoots away from me slightly.

  “Wait, are you asking me why I was hugging him or accusing me of something more?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “Well jack ass, I was hugging him because he told me that Holly was pregnant and I was happy for him. Sorry, I didn’t know that congratulating someone on their first child wasn’t fucking allowed.” I am not dealing with this shit. I can’t even believe that Ryan would accuse me of doing anything inappropriate. I think I have done enough in the last month to prove that I am faithful and will always choose Ryan over anyone, or anything.

  I stand to leave the room, because I know if I sit here too long I will end up chewing his ass.

  “Shit, Jasmine, I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for what, being a total dick or assuming I was doing something wrong when she saw those pictures. Did you even give me the benefit of the doubt and think that there had to be a logical explanation for those pictures?”

  “Baby, I am so sorry, for all of it. I knew it wasn’t anything, I really did. I just let someone else’s opinion get in my head, and I should not have done that. I know that you would never do anything like that. I know it, I just fucked up.”