Disclaimer: I don't own Monk. Any orginal character in the series is mine
"Jared," Leland told his son, "we need to talk"
"Why? It's not like you care about me anymore"
"What?"
"Oh please," Jared said, "ever since it happened you haven't loved me or even cared about me"
Stottlemyer's mouth dropped open.
"Is that what you think," he asked, "you think I don't love you… don't care about you"
"Duh"
"No… Jared I love you more then you can ever imagine. Look… sit down son"
Jared sighed and sat down
"Now listen," Stottlemyer began, "I know you don't approve of my decision… of what I did… I know it's hard for you"
"Yes, it is… I mean didn't you care about mom at all?"
"Jared I loved your mom very much, but your mom wasn't pregnant at the time. Trudy was. If I had saved your mom I would have killed to people… not just one. It was the hardest decision of my life"
"Why couldn't you have saved them both?"
"It was too late," Stottlemyer explained, "and it had happened too quickly"
"It's just not fair," Jared said, "and it makes me angry"
"And it's okay to be angry," Stottlemyer told him, "I'd be worried if you were not angry"
"Why her," Jared asked, "why someone so great as mom"
"Jared ever since Jennifer… mom hasn't been the same"
"At least she's with Jenny now," Jarred admitted, "but I don't want her to be gone. It's not fair. I miss her so bad it hurts worse then it did when I was Max's age and ran into the hornet's nest or the time Jenny got mad at me cause I did something stupid"
"I know Jared," Stottlemyer said, "and while that's NOT an excuse for skipping school I understand where that anger is coming from"
"No you don't. Dad I'm sometimes playing with Nathan and Andrew and I resent them because their mom is still alive and mine… is dead"
"You know… a week ago when Kara-Lynn was born do you know what I felt?"
"No," Jared admitted, "what did you feel?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, I resented her. This tiny innocent baby… my own GOD-DAUGHTER…"
Leland paused for a minute careful before he continued
"Does that mean that I don't love my friend?"
"No"
"Does that mean I don't love that baby?"
"No"
"No. It means at the time I was having a hard time accepting that what's going on"
"So… are you going to get mad at me," Jared asked
Stottlemyer shook his head
"That would accomplish anything," he told his son, "I'm going to have you go to therapy"
"WHAT! I'm not a freak"
"No you're not Jared," Stottlemyer told him, "You're a hurting little boy"
"I'll stop being sad"
Stottlemyer smiled sadly
"Jared there's no shame in going to therapy"
"There isn't?"
"No… not at all"
"But my friends will make fun of me"
"They don't have to know," Stottlemyer told him, "but if they made fun of you they are not real friends"
"Okay fine," Jared said annoyed. Stottlmyer didn't comment on his son's attitude. He got his way. Why make it tougher?
"Dad," he asked, "do you ever miss mom?"
"Every second of every minute of every hour of every day"
"So do I"
"But I had to do what I did Jared," he said, "that's what your mother would have said to do"
"I know… but that doesn't make it hurt any less"
"No… but we're together. That's what family is"
"We are," Jared said smiling at his father
"Yes," Stottlemyer replied, "we are"