Chapter 6

After dinner was done, Jack decided to take his son for a private talk where the women would not hear. He had heard from his wife the full news of what had happened and he did not like it one bit.

"Now Jess, you're coming to an age where you have to think responsibly and make wise choices. So you say you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes I do. What exactly are we talking about?"

"We are talking about whether or not you've just made a stupid mistake. How can you just go by the first thing that girl says and just forgive her on a whim after she lied to you for five years?"

" 'That girl' is the girl I love. I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions in these matters. I won't have you talking disrespectfully about her if that's what you've brought me here to do."

"I am your father. You will listen to me when I tell you something. You can't go out with that girl, I'm telling you now."

"Why?!" Jess was absolutely furious. He thought the old man had finally stopped treating him like a kid. But it looked like nothing had changed.

"Don't raise your voice at me! You are too young to understand what love means-"

"You can talk. You and mom started dating at twelve right?"

"Well…yes but this is different."

"How?! Just because you don't approve, you want me to give up my happiness. I've spent the last five years in misery because she wasn't there. And now you want me to throw it away because you think I haven't made a mature decision?!"

"You stop it right now! I'm warning you, if I ever see you with that girl again-"

"WHAT?! What are you going to do? No don't cut me off. You're only as wealthy as you are now because I went out of my way to find you a better job, something you didn't have the guts to do yourself because of your obnoxious selfish pride!!"

And with that, the boy turned his back and walked up to his room.

"That girl is a bad influence on you. She always was." He got a grunt in response. The senior looked down with a sigh and looked to find his wife livid.

"What?"

"Don't you DARE separate them! I've had it with you and upsetting my son over and over again."

"YOUR son?"

"Yes, MY son Jack. I'm the one who taught him to talk and to walk. I'm the one who would put him to sleep every night while you were at the bar after work. And all you've ever done is burden him. Wake up and smell the coffee!" Eyes blazing she turned to their bedroom before uttering one more comment.

"He's a better man than you ever were."

--

Jess was fuming. How dare he?! After all the times he'd slaved away to make sure that his dad had less to worry about, this is how he was repaid. The one time he thought about himself and his own comforts instead of the family, the man had to go into know-it-all mood again.

Nearby was a certain brat just dying to take advantage.

"She should've stayed dead, you know. Then you wouldn't be in trouble right now."

Jess turned to find Brenda smirking in the doorway. He lifted his fist but was beaten by Maybelle who just went forward and gave a resounding slap across the brat's face. Too shocked too say anything, Brenda just stared at the younger girl.

"Back off." Maybelle growled. "Next time, it will be my heel." And the girl followed her brother in attempt to cool him down.

--

Maybelle approached her favourite sibling. She understood his anger and she herself was raving. Leslie was the only one to be a real sister to her ever. All that stupid witch with a red cheek she called her sister had ever done was mock and torment her. But Leslie had straight away been nice to her and given her Barbie dolls when they got to know each other.

"Don't listen to them Jess. They just can't accept the fact that you have something better."

"Have they ANY idea what I've been through? How much I've killed myself in the inside for these few years. Who do they think they are?"

"Calm down Jess. They want you disrupted. Think of Leslie and what she would think."

His girlfriend's sweet face came into his mind and slowly he let out the steam. Heaving a controlled sigh he looked at his sister.

"Thanks for the save back there May. I would've killed her if you weren't there."

"No probs. It felt really good." They both just laughed at that. Once the laughter had subsided Maybelle cautiously asked, "Hey Jess. Is it alright if I meet her tomorrow?"

"Of course. She asked for you. You know what? We'll walk together to see her there."

"Sounds great. Get some sleep big brother. We have a big day tomorrow."

After his sister had left, Jess took out his phone. There was a few moments of dialling before someone picked up.

"Hey Jess. What's up?"

"I called to vent. My dad's being a complete ass to me."

"How."

"He's saying you aren't good enough for me. He thinks you are a bad influence and tried to make me break up with you. He called you a liar Les."

"I told you coming back would make some things difficult. Now you're having to hear it."

"Les, listen. You are worth any pain. I'm not going to break up with you. I mean, come on. It's only been a few hours since we started."

"You still don't have to pay the price for my wrongdoings."

"It wasn't your fault. How was anyone to now that the rope would snap? You are just as much as a victim as anyone else in this matter, if not more. I can handle my dad. He can't stop me from doing this. But you don't need to worry about anything. All you have to worry about is getting reacquainted with my little sis tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yeah. May's excited too."

"That's great Jess. I hope everything goes well. Jess please, talk to your dad. I don't want there to be a rift in your relationship with him. It won't be any good later on."

"I won't Les. It'll all calm down after a few days. He just goes back to being grumpy. I bet mom is giving him an earful now."

"Nice to know your mom approves. Well, I have to go now. Love you."

"Love you too my queen. Sweet dreams."

With that he put the phone down and sighed. Hopefully everything would blow over in a couple of days. He was not going to let anyone take his sweet Leslie ever again.