All characters belong to Stephenie Meyers. No infringement intended. The plot is mine. This story continues sexually explicit material and violence themes and overtones. If this is not your thing, please leave now, or if you are under than age of 18.
A/N: thanks for reading and reviewing
"Jasper, can we play my 360 game?" Miles asked me, rummaging through his backpack. My 'little brother' was just so damn cute. I couldn't wait to see his other brothers as well as his parents Michael and Felicia. They were all an important extension of my family, and I could not leave this city without spending time with them. I remembered when we were growing up we used to spend every Friday night together. Our parents would play cards or whatever and we would hang out and play with each other. Those were the good old days.
"It's this one right here." Miles said walking towards me with the game. I looked at James who rolled his eyes. He thought video gaming was the biggest waste of time, even though he'd purchased me one recently. The boys were still here because their parents were both running late and their two older brothers were busy with work and after school activities.
It was after four-thirty now and my father had already called to let us know he was on his way home. Rosie had also called and said that she would be home earlier than previously expected. That seemed to make James a little nervous. He knew my father and sister didn't care for him, and being around them was going to make for a very uncomfortable night…especially if Uncle Reggie and everyone else started dropping by. I think he had prepared himself for a simple visit with just my family. He wasn't ready to deal with everyone!
I was still unnerved by the revelation that Rose knew Edward Cullen, a sexy blast from my present. I didn't know how I was going to approach that subject with her but I knew I had to find out more details about that party. There was no way I could be at a party with Edward. He wouldn't know to pretend he didn't know me, and if I told him why, he would surely think I was lame for letting another man beat my ass and for trying to cover it up. No. I had to get to Rose before disaster struck.
"Which game is it Miles?" I asked. Even though I was sure his parents screened every game they purchased for him, I wanted to make sure I wasn't giving him permission to play something he shouldn't have been playing. I might not visit that often, but I felt a sense of responsibility for my brothers. Miles handed the game to me. It was the 2011 version of Batman: Arkham City. Being that Miles was only ten, I wasn't so sure this was going to be a good idea since it was rated "teen."
I found it sweet and quite interesting that Miles would ask my permission to play his game, especially when he hadn't seen me for so long. Surely he would have asked my mother first. It warmed my bruised heart to know that he still thought of me as his family. I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat. James had taken away my confidence in the love these folks had for me, but it was up to me to take it back. I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised by his little request. When we were younger, our parents taught all of us to be respectful to adults and if an adult family member was present, ask their permission before doing something we were not sure about doing. I was sure his parents still taught them to do the same.
"Milesy, did your parents buy this for you?" I asked him as I turned the case over in my hand, examining its summary and warnings.
James watched us intently from his corner of the couch. He was quiet as a church mouse, but he seemed quite interested in this little boy's respect for me. I bit my bottom lip to keep from smirking at him. He wanted total and absolute reign over me, and he certainly didn't want anyone else, not even a little child, to show me respect. He wanted to keep me under his boot, where he could continue to crush every shred of self-respect and dignity I had. On the other hand, his cool glare made me somewhat nervous. I mean after all, he beat my ass on the regular, so who was I, the pathetic punk he'd made me to be, to try to tell this kid he couldn't see something? I was nothing, a mere nobody, and definitely shouldn't have the right to offer this kid anything.
"No." He admitted. "My friend Jason let me borrow it until Monday." He looked at me with the biggest, most innocent eyes ever. "So can I play it? I know how to put it in."
This was going to be tough but I couldn't let him play that game. If his parents gave him permission to play when they got home, that was their prerogative. I didn't feel comfortable letting him play it. Besides, I'd played that game. While it would have been acceptable for me or even his older brothers, the violence, blood, and suggestive themes was not appropriate for a child his age. There was even alcohol and tobacco references and mild language.
"Milesy, I'm sorry buddy, but I can't give you permission to play this." I stated softly but firmly. I made eye contact with my mother who'd just come out of the kitchen. She smiled and nodded in agreement. She knew how much I love to play and if I felt something was wrong with the game and he shouldn't play it, she would support me. "I'm sure you have other games you can play. If not, there are some games in the cabinet you can play." James shifted in his seat and I briefly glanced into his icy blue eyes. I swear it looked as if he wanted to tell Miles he could play that game just to spite me, but he didn't offer a word. I quickly focused on Miles again.
Miles stuck his lips out and pouted. "But why can't I play that one?" He whined. I walked over to the X-Box cabinet to look for more appropriate games. I took out a few and walked back to him. He already had tears in his eyes.
Way to go Jazz. Break the kid's heart.
"Because that game is rated for teens, Miles. You're only ten. How about one of these?" I tried to show him the other games, but he refused to be bothered with them. I sighed and looked to my mother for some help. She simply smiled and sat back to let me handle it.
"Ten is not that little! I don't wanna play those!" He reached for the Batman game, but I held it from his reach. "It's not that bad. I played it before."
"Did your Mom and Dad know you played it?" I knew his parents very well. There was no way in hell they would have allowed me and Kevin to play a teen rated game when we were Miles' age, and I suspected there sense of right and wrong hadn't changed much. Like Miles, if we had played it, we snuck and played it behind their backs.
He shook his head. "No, but I was going to ask Daddy if I could play it again."
So he knew his parents wouldn't approve. I almost saw myself in this kid again. Adulthood had really changed me. I could recall doing exactly the same thing. "Then you need to wait until he comes home and ask him then, okay." I remained firm, but tried to soften my voice as much as I could to lessen his disappointment.
He folded his bony arms over his chest. He was about to cry. "I don't want to wait until he comes home." He stuck his lips out again. "Please, Jasper. I'll just play one game, then turn it off."
I felt bad for doing this to him, but there weren't many things in my life that I got to do right. I felt good about what I was doing. Miles' family had always protected and taken excellent care of me. I didn't have much to give anyone, but I really wanted to do something positive for my little brothers, even if it was just refusing a video game.
"Milesy, I'm really sorry buddy, but we can play one of these other games. You can't play this one without your parents' permission."
Tears trickled down his boyish cheeks. "Please, Jasper. Daddy doesn't care if I play it." He started sniffling and I felt myself resolve weakening.
"Oh, come on Jasper! That game can't be that bad." James interjected. I knew it! I knew he was trying to find a way to undermine me and show me who was boss, even in this situation. "What could possibly be wrong with Batman?"
Miles and I spun our heels just in time to see him give Miles a wink. Miles, while looking a little unsure of James trying to insert his very unwanted, and unnecessary opinion, just sniffled and looked to me again. He looked at me for confirmation now that my husband had basically said there was nothing wrong with the game. Surely it was okay if James said it was! Not! I gave James a dirty look and he smirked, satisfied that he was trying to show me that I was still useless and if he really wanted to, he could take control of this situation and reduce me to ashes.
You bastard!
"James," I said, boring my eyes into his. "Miles is ten. I know his parents do not allow him to play teen rated video games. He can play another game." I was surprised by the confidence I found in my voice. I didn't know if it was because I was so over James, and was basically mentally preparing for my exit, but there was no way I was going to go along with what he was trying to do. He didn't even care about Miles. He had no use for him. He just wanted to use him against me, but I wasn't going to stand for it. I loved Miles and this was not James' business. I would just have to take another beating.
He laughed. "Jasper you are so over-eccentric. Let the boy be. Miles play the game if you want. Jasper hasn't seen you for a while and I'm sure your parents will be fine with you playing. Jasper is just overreacting as always. He can be quite the drama queen when he wants to be. Jasper, give the kid back his game and just chill out." He gave me that this-is-mandatory look. "Besides, Miles is not your child. You should worry about your own concerns and stay out of other people's business. That is his parents' call, not yours. You can't even handle your own business, and you certainly own no personal authority."
My eyes welled with tears that I fought back. The sad part about that statement was that it was true. He controlled everything I did. He knew it and so did I. For the second time today, he'd publicly embarrassed me and stripped me down to uselessness. He had no right to interfere with this. I held onto the game as Miles waited for me to comply with my commanding officer's viral request.
Before the words, "go straight to hell," could escape my lips and land me in the ER, my mother finally intervened. She stood and walked to stand directly in front of the three of us.
"Miles, what did Jasper tell you honey?" She reached for the game and I handed it to her. I saw James cross and uncross his legs. I could see that tongue-in-cheek thing he does when he's thinking. He was hot with the fact that I even had a crumb of rebellion in me. He didn't like my mother defending me. Not only had I defied him, but I had other people protecting my actions. I was probably going to get hit with his back hand as soon as mother left the room, or maybe even dragged to the neighbors' yard again.
Miles sniffled and wiped his face with hand. "I want my game back." He reached for the game, but my mother moved it from him. "Give me back my game!"
My mother was well equipped to diffuse tantrums. Trust me I knew from experience. She held the game in her hand and placed her hands on her hips. "Miles you need to go have a seat. Now, Jasper says this game is not appropriate for you to play, so you're not going to play it. That's final."
I heard James sigh heavily. My mother had allowed me to keep the reins in this and my authority was final. IT was a shame that I was twenty-three years old and had no say in anything unless my mother was defending me. I glanced at him from my peripheral vision. He was chewing on his bottom lip and clenching his fists.
"But Daddy doesn't care if I play." He stomped his foot. I knew his parents didn't allow temper tantrums. At least they didn't when we were little. My mother didn't play that either. She walked over to him and stood in front of him.
"Miles go sit down right now." She pointed towards the couch and he grudgingly obeyed, stomping his expensive Nikes. He flopped down on the couch and kept his arms over his chest. "Now I don't want to hear another word about this game. I'm going to put it away until your father gets here and that's his business if he wants to let you play."
He cried, balling up his lips. "Mr. James said it wasn't bad and I can play it! Jasper is just being mean!" That did it. My mother, as sweet as she was, had enough. She walked over to the couch and stood over him.
"I don't care what James told you. He doesn't live here and he damn sure doesn't pay bills here. If we told you that you can't play that game, you will not play it. James don't rule nothing at this address, and our word is final! Is that clear?" He glared at her and she pulled him from the couch. "I said is that clear, Miles?"
Poor kid. This was my fault. He looked so pitiful. "Yes, Ma'am." He said softly.
"You listen to me Miles Brenn and you listen carefully. I don't tolerate this behavior from my children or your brothers and I'm not going to put up with it from you. Now you will show respect and do as you are told, or you will spend the rest of the evening in the spare room until your parents come pick you up. I don't want to hear any more of this foolishness. Do you hear me?"
He nodded and she released him. He sat down and buried his face in his cherub hands. I turned and put the games back in the cabinet, making brief eye contact with my husband who looked like he was ready to leave. He was going to get me if it was the last thing he did. I exhaled and just shook my head. On one hand I felt like a responsible adult and on the other I felt like a loser…a mere kid myself. My mother went back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. I walked over to Miles and sat on the couch beside him. Patrick was still asleep in my parents' bedroom.
"I'm sorry, Milesy, but I just don't want you to see something you shouldn't. Please don't be mad at me." I reached out to him but he pulled away from me. That broke my heart so badly. I removed my arm from him, but remained on the couch beside him. He was still crying and pouting with his arms tightly secured around his small torso.
"It's not fair!" He exclaimed. "Mr. James said I could and you won't let me."
This little sweet, innocent boy is going to cause me to have to get my jaw replaced.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, buddy, but maybe when your father says it's okay we can play together. How does that sound?" I offered. I knew Uncle Michael wasn't going to allow him to play, but I had to try to ease his disappointment and my guilt.
"I don't want to play with you!" He spat. He slid to the far end of the couch. "It's not fair and it's your fault!"
I slid towards him but he jumped just in time for my mother to come back out of the kitchen. "Leave me alone Jasper! You're not my friend!"
Okay this kid was really starting to act like a little brat, but I remained calm. "I'm sorry, Milesy." I apologized again.
"Stop calling me that!" He squealed.
My mother shook her head. "You know what Jasper? You don't owe him an apology." She sat her glass on the table and reached out and took his elbow. "Miles, that's it. You're going upstairs."
"I don't care! I don't care what you make do!" He yelled in her face. I heard James snickering behind his hand. "I want my game!"
"Miles, that is enough of that!" My mother scolded him. "Now go upstairs right now."
"No." He stomped that little foot again. "I want my Daddy!"
"You're about to get more than your father if you don't stop this foolishness this instant." She warned. I couldn't believe I'd started a pint size feud. Aye!
"No! You don't tell me what to do!" He screamed. "You're not my mama!" My mother looked as if he's just slapped her. Now if that had been me, even as a grown man, I would have been scavenging for my teeth. She spun him around and gave him two swats to his backside. Now truthfully, those were teaser swats, nevertheless, I didn't like violence of any kind. I guess I got hit so much by James, that I couldn't bear the thought of anyone else getting hit. I lowered my face so my mother couldn't see my objection.
He cried louder. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" He was decompensating fast and I knew that if my mother didn't calm him soon he was going to start showing out for real. 'I'M TELLING MY DADDY!"
"Miles Brenn, that's enough." We were so wrapped up in the melodrama that we hadn't noticed my father's arrival and entrance into the house. He removed his hat and his coat and walked over to where we were standing. He, like Uncle Reggie, looked like a defensive linebacker.
These guys must work out five times a day!
He placed his hands on his hips and stood at my mother's side. James tensed up as soon as my Dad walked in. What? Dad made James nervous? Maybe it was his size that intimidated him. Maybe he was sizing my father up and was somewhat taken aback by the fact that my Dad could easily drop his hammers on him. In a not-so shocking maneuver, my father turned his back to him, and completely ignored him.
Miles immediately retracted when he heard my father's voice. He knew that Michael and Felicia had given my parents absolute authority over him and the other boys in their absence. Translation, they were more than friends across the street. They were surrogate parents and they had permission to do what they saw fit when it came to taking care of them while Michael and Felicia were not there. The Brenns and my parents had been friends longer than I could remember. They trusted each other to the fullest and had always shared the responsibility of parenting each other's children. At the moment my father was the only sheriff in town and Miles had better step in line really quickly.
"Miles, you know better than to carry on like this." My father hadn't changed a bit. I swear when he said that, I had a flash back…several of them. I had to check my butt to make sure it wasn't the one in the line of fire. Those words brought back some painful, not so distant memories.
Miles sniffled and turned on the water works again. "They…t-tt-took my game."
"I don't care what they took. You know you don't scream and yell at adults like that. You are not grown." He cried harder. "Dry that up before you get in some real trouble." He immediately wiped his face. My father wasn't playing games with him, so Miles decided not to take him for granted.
"Go in the bathroom and wash your face. When you come out you better be a different boy. Understand?"
"Y-yes, s-sir." Yep. My Pops still had it. Hell! He made me nervous.
"Well get to it." Miles shuffled to the bathroom, flopping his arms in protest. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Once he was inside the bathroom, we all chuckled softly among ourselves.
"Hey, son." He reached for me and pulled me in for a tight hug. It felt good to be in this familiar place…in the safe arms of someone who would always love and protect me. I hugged him tightly for a moment then pulled back.
"Hey, Dad. It's good to see you." I said.
"Ditto. How are you?"
"I'm doing great. What about you?"
"I can't complain now that you're here." Surprisingly I didn't hear a peep from James, not even a sigh. I could see from the corner of my eye that he was sitting very defensively with his arms and legs cross, rolling that tongue in his cheek again.
"What was all of that about?" He asked, referring to our little warrior in the bathroom. "He was quite upset."
"He's upset because I told him he couldn't play some video game he wanted to play." I confessed. "Now I'm on the blacklist. Totally eight balled."
My Dad chuckled. "Yeah. I've been on that list several times. He'll get over it. Michael will jerk a knot in him if he knew he showed out like that."
"Guys don't tell on him." I pleaded his case because I knew they were telling the truth. They just laughed and my Dad kissed my mother, and kept his back to James. Admittedly that was rude, but what did I care at the moment. James had allowed Eric to dis me earlier, and then beat me because I said something. Then after all that, he tried to punk me in front of Miles. I certainly wasn't going to say anything to my father for disrespecting him.
I had to admit that my father not asking me why I chose not to allow Miles to play the game was a little bit empowering. It sounded pathetic, but I didn't have much going for me these days. My Dad was showing me that he trusted my judgment just as Michael would have. In essence, he was treating me like the man I aspired to be. He knew that I wouldn't have denied Miles without responsible cause. This made me feel good about myself. This was a cheap way to gain some measure of self-respect, but I really appreciated my father for doing this. I was sure Diablo noticed it too and would probably smack the dignity right out of me as soon as we were behind closed doors.
"I'm going to finish what I was doing in the kitchen and leave you three to it." My father shot her a harsh look. He caught that innuendo. She was reminding him to be respectful to the ominous presence behind us.
He completely ignored her. "So, Jasper." He clasped his hands together. "We have a lot of catching up to do. I'm going to change my clothes and then we can grab a beer and head outside." He winked at me and smiled. "Leave the women in the house."
Okay now he really was being disrespectful. There was only one woman in this house at the moment, and that was Mama. He was taking a pot shot at James. He was definitely going to cause me to get a foot up my ass again. Before I could say anything, Miles came out of the bathroom and wobbled to the couch.
"Come here, Miles." My father motioned for him to come over to where we were standing. Miles obeyed. As my father had instructed, he came out of the bathroom with a clean, dry face and in a somewhat calmer mood.
Miles stopped in front of us. "Sir?" He asked softly. That one little word confirmed my earlier thoughts. Michael and Felicia hadn't changed their sense of right and wrong. We had been taught to say sir or ma'am as a sign of respect to adults. This might not work for everyone, but according to our parents, it worked for them…their children.. in their households, and that was the order of things. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
"Miles, I'm very disappointed by what I just saw." Miles dropped his head, and shed a few more tears. "I don't ever want to see you behave like that again. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, Sir." His voice was mousy.
"Now you will apologize to Liz and Jasper, and if I hear you do that again, your behind is mine."
Miles sniffled. "Yes, Sir."
I knew exactly how Miles felt. My behind belonged to James...with or without a belt.
My father nodded and turned to me. "I'll be right back."
I smiled at him. "Okay, Dad."
When my father left the room, Miles turned to me and burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Jasper."
Holding on to the pieces of my heart that fell with those precious little tears, I sank to my knees before him and took his hands into mine. "It's okay, bud. Don't cry, okay?"
He nodded and I pulled him into a hug. "I promise that if your Dad says it's okay, I'll play with you for as long as you like." I pulled back so I could look at him. I reached up and wiped his tears with my fingers. "Deal?"
He nodded, and I swear I had to resist with everything in me from kissing those chubby little wet cheeks.
"I have to go say I'm sorry to Auntie Lizzie." He stated softly.
I smiled at him and stood. "Yeah, I understand. That's the right thing to do. She's probably waiting for you to come talk to her."
He nodded again. "Okay." He turned and grudgingly walked into the kitchen.
I was not at all excited about being left alone with James. He wasted no time jumping from the couch to get in my face. Still cautious that he was in my parents' house, he pulled me upstairs to our room. Once inside he pushed me into the walk in closet that was farthest from hearing range of anyone else in the house. He closed the door behind us. What was he going to do to me in my parents' house? Admittedly James was crazy, but surely he wasn't stupid.
He grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back. He threw me on the wooden floor of the closet, and pressed his knee in my back and my face to the floor. I fought to keep from screaming from the pain of what he was doing to me. If my parents' heard and knew what this coward was doing to me, they would bring down the house.
James didn't hit me but turned me onto my back. My head hit the floor with a thump. His blues eyes looked black, and evil. He was full of rage.
"You are nothing, Jasper. Nothing. You are a fucking loser. Oh you might have gotten here and think you're hot shit, but you will go back to Forks with nothing and you will never see these hoodlums again." He slammed my head on the wood again.
"James stop it! You're hurting me." Tears stained my face again.
"Do you want me to whip your ass again?"
"No, sir."
He slapped me and I was sure the others heard it. "You think you're a big shot?"
"No James."
"We're leaving tonight. I am done with this shit!"
"James...no...please...I'll be good...I'm sorry... Please d-"
"Hi everybody!" I heard my sister Rose's greeting as she pounced through the front door. James retracted when he heard her voice.
Thank you God for Rosie!
"Hi, baby." My father greeted her as he came out of his room. "How are you?"
"I'm great! Where's Jazzy?" She asked almost squealing in delight. "I saw his car out there."
James let go of me, and walked out of the closet. I follow him and we stood there glaring at each other.
"I'm assuming he went upstairs to the bathroom or something. He'll be out in a minute." He said. "How was your day?"
"Great. HURRY UP IN THERE JAZZY! DID YOU FALL IN AGAIN?" She yelled to me.
"Yeah. I think I found some of your brain in here!" I yelled back, still glaring at the monster in front of me. No matter how much it hurt, I had to keep the atmosphere jovial. Rose would be up in arms if she knew James had just smashed my head on the floor.
James walked over to me. :Don't forget that little package I have in my glove compartment. It's got a bullet in it with your name on. I'm done playing with you."
He raised his fist to me but dropped it again when Rosie, Miles, and Patrick all screamed my name as loudly as they could. I was sure she put them up to that. My parents were laughing. I straightened my hair and left the room with him trailing behind me.
Coward!
"JAZZIEEE!" She ran over to me when I reached the bottom of the stairs, and I spun her around in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're here." Indeed she was, but I was the only one she was glad to see. Like my father, she completely ignored James.
"Hey, little sissy! You look great." Rosie was definitely gorgeous in a pretty-kind-of-sister way. With those flowing blonde locks and her small frame, she was a knockout. When we were in high school, all of the guys wanted her. I was sure nothing had changed. She was even more beautiful now.
She looked down at me. "Well, I wish I could say the same about you." She gave me the once-over. She wasted no time giving me one of her Rosie-has-to-dead-honest-or-die critiques. "You are too skinny and you look like hell. And why in the hell are your eyes puffy and your face all puffy? You can't fool me Jazzy. I know you, remember. I'm your twin. You've been crying. And look at your hair. It's a mess! What the hell is going down there in Forks?" She looked back towards James knowingly and game him a nasty look, which he gladly returned. He couldn't stand her and believe me the feeling was mutual. "Or better yet, what's going on here?"
I decided to play down her assessment. "Aw come on Rosie! It's not that bad. I've been traveling all day and lounging around. Some of us don't have to look like a goddess all of the time."
She smirked, and put her hands on her tiny waist. "Humph! Say whatever you want Jazzy. You could only wish you looked this good."
I laughed along with my father who was now playing cards with Miles and Patrick. It hurt to laugh, and the back of my head was throbbing. My father gave James a strange look as if he suspected something had just gone down in our room. He and Rose had always been so intuitive.
I swiftly tried to sway their focus. "Oh, yeah, right Rosie. I really want to look like a seven foot blonde Amazon…yeah my life ambition." She swatted at me but I ducked away.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" She rolled her eyes and I laughed. "Anyway…I'm glad you're home. Next time don't stay gone so long. I will come to Forks and get you if I have to." Another innuendo sent flying across the room at James who remain silent.
"You wanna bet." James murmured. She was caught up and didn't hear him, but I did. I just shook my head.
"So Jazzy, did Mama tell you that we are planning a get together for tomorrow?" She asked her eyes dancing. My father looked in our direction and saw the stick-stuck-in-my-ass look I had on my face.
"Oh, Jasper lighten up." He said. "It's just a small gathering. A few friends and family…all of whom are very excited to see you again. You'll be fine."
"Yeah, Jazzy, don't start all of that whining and complaining. We're having that party and you're going to be there whether you want to or not. Besides a lot of our old friends are going to be there. You'll love it." She took my hand and led me to the sofa table to show me her planner for the party. "See, this is what I have in my mind."
For the next ten minutes she went on and on about her plans for my welcome home party. James was still obsolete and before long my mother was beckoning us for dinner. As everyone filed into the separate dining room, including James, I caught Rosie by her arm and prevented her from going with the rest. It was a good thing our dining room was out of earshot. I wouldn't have been able to talk to Rosie about Edward otherwise.
"Rosie, who all are you inviting to the party?"
"Just a few friends and family from around…no big deal." She shrugged. "Why do you ask?"
"Rosie, I need for you to keep your voice down a little bit okay." I lowered my own voice a few octaves. "Please?" I begged.
She rolled her eyes again, but honored my request. "Oh Jazzy, you really shouldn't be afraid of that little bitch. I swear I can't stand him…sitting there trying to act like the queen he wants to be. I want to break my heel off in his ass, and I probably would if it wouldn't be uncomfortable in there for you later."
God help me, but I couldn't resist laughing. Rosie just didn't care. She and I were equal and opposite. She was the voice I never had. She was fearless and she had always protected me. She was always the one who came to my defense…her and Kevin, when we were growing up. She was everything to me, and if I couldn't count on anyone else, I knew she would always be in my corner.
"Come on Rosie, go light okay? For me?" I pleaded again. I didn't want to get her riled up and risk her going off on James either. That would mean James would say something to her and that would start a war between him and my entire family.
"I will not!" She whispered through clenched teeth.
"Rose, please. For me?" I pleaded for the third time.
She folded her arms across her chest, and sighed. She resigned to my request, but not before giving me her usual warning. "Alright, Jasper, I will." She called me by my full name so I knew she meant business. "But, let me get this straight with you right now. If that douche bag so much as look at you the wrong way and I see him, I'm going off."
I nodded, but remained quiet. I knew she meant that and I'd known her long enough to know that there was no use in trying to convince her not to do exactly what she had a mind to do. I left it alone.
"So about this guest list…" I prompted.
"Rose! Jasper! The food is getting cold!" My father called from the dining room.
"Be right there!" We called back.
"The guest list?" I prompted again.
"Alright, alright. Don't get your Armani's in wad!" She smiled at me. "If you're wearing any." She winked devilishly.
"Rosie, that's just nasty."
"Oh, like you and Mr. McNasty don't go commando all the time." She winked again. "Easy access."
It was my turn to roll my eyes. I smiled sheepishly at her. "For the record, you are my sister and that's just nasty for you to talk about my unmentionables, and it is none of your business, nosy!" She smiled. "Now, the guest-"
"Ugh! Okay!" She hurriedly listed off about two or three dozen people, but I was only interested in one.
"What about Edward Cullen? Mom told me he would be there."
She looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. "You know Edward?"
"Shh! Rosie keep it down!" I put my hand over her mouth, and glanced in the direction of the dining room.
"I'm not going to call you guys again!" My father yelled again. "We're going to eat without you!"
"Coming Daddy!" Rosie yelled. "You know Edward?" She asked again, her voice significantly lower this time. She scrunched her nose in her devious little I-want-to-be-nosy way.
"Well, yes and no. I only met him once, this past week."
She clasped her hands and jumped in excitement. "Oooh… that is great!"
I shook my head and looked back at the dining room. "No…it's not."
"What do you mean? He's a fantastic guy and he's a good buddy of mine. He's in some of my classes and we hang out at school. He comes to do screenings at the church once a month. He's smart and very hawt! You two would make a great sauce and cherry combo!"
I couldn't help but laugh at the girl. "Rosie, stop that! I'm married!"
She shrugged that off like my marriage was just a sloppy inconvenience for me and for her. "And?"
I rolled my eyes. "And that means, I'm not up for saucing and cherrying with no one…especially Edward Cullen!" After what just happened in the closet upstairs, I wasn't so sure if I believed my own statement.
She tapped her foot and shot James the finger he couldn't see. "Screw James! He's a lost cause. What you need is to tap in to that Cullen arse!"
"Rosie!"
She laughed. "Oh yeah, you're right! I forgot…you don't tap, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind popping that little cherry of yo-"
"Rosie!" I couldn't help smiling at her antics.
"What?" She asked as if I was clueless about this great ideology of hers.
"Stop that!"
She laughed. "Ra da tat tat!" She winked at me. "Yep, I gots ta get to work on that. You guys are going to be KA-POW!"
I shook my head in disbelief. "Rosie, no we're not and get that idea out of your head. You can't do that, nor go around playing match maker when my match has already been struck, and my cherry has been popped."
"Oh Jazzy please! That limp noodle in there put that flame out a long time ago, and it doesn't matter if you cherry is saucy now. I'm sure Edward will like it either way. What you need is a bite of that…"
"Oh boy." I slapped my forehead. "Rosie, is he going to be there or not? I told James that I didn't know him and if he sees him there, it's going to be on. Rosie you can't invite him to that party."
She stared at me blankly. "It's my party, I do what I want to. To hell with Lucifer! In that case I'm glad I invited Edward. I so want it to be on!"
"Rosie, please. James will be extremely pissed with me if he finds out I lied to him and told him that I didn't know Edward. Edward will see me at that party and blow my cover."
"I don't give a shit what Dracula thinks. He can go choke on one of his nuts for all I care. Besides, I've already invited Edward and he cut his trip short with his parents so he could come hang out with me."
"You didn't tell him about me did you?"
"No, I didn't. He knows I have a brother and that the party is for him, but he doesn't know you're my brother…his next piece." She winked at me again.
"Aw, Rosie, this is not going to be good for me. Can't you tell him not to come?"
When she saw the genuine, desperate look in my eyes, her heart melted. "Oh, alright. I will tell him to act like he doesn't know you."
What! "No Rosie you can't do that!"
"Why?"
"Rosie, he will think I'm lame."
"No he won't. I'll just tell him you have a jealous husband."
"Oh great, that makes it better!"
"Jazzy, why would James be upset with you knowing Edward anyway?"
"I can't talk about that right now, Rosie. Just please don't invite him to that party, please."
She sighed. "I'll try to call him Jazzy and make up something, but if I can't get him he's going to be there. He called me from somewhere this morning to RSVP and told me his cell phone fell in the pool at his parents' house, and he doesn't have a landline. I may not be able to reach him."
I groaned. "Aw man."
"Jasper, don't worry about it. Nothing is going to happen at that party that the family can't take care of. Trust me. Now let's go eat."
What about after the party?
She bounced off to the dining room leaving me standing there. She had no idea what this meant. I rubbed the back of my sore head. This was not going to end well.
I followed her into the dining area and took my seat next to James who was pushing food around on his plate. He gave me one of his infamous nasty, threatening looks. I was sure he thought I'd just dished the goods to Rosie about what he'd done to me. He should have known better. Rosie would have lit his candle by now if I had.
"You guys couldn't wait for us?" She asked.
"We were starving." Patrick said.
"Yeah, Rosie. We don't have all night to eat." Miles quipped. He seemed to have forgotten all about that video game.
"And why are you two munchkins still here, anyway?" She asked, piling food onto her plate. For a small woman, Rosie could pack away the harvest.
"Because." Patrick started, swallowing his food before he proceeded. "My Daddy and Mommy are getting home late and we have to stay here."
"Is that right?" She teased.
He shook his little head. "Hmm…hmm." He smiled, chewing his food. "I guess you're stuck with us for a minute."
We laughed. Truthfully my stomach was queasy from the knowledge that Edward Cullen, my denied fantasy, was possibly going to step out onto the pages of my reality tomorrow. I saw disaster in the wings. I started eating my dinner and made sure to over compliment my mother. It was truly delicious.
"Mama, I have missed this. Mmm." She'd cooked my favorite, smothered pork chops. "This is so good."
She giggled. "I'm glad you like it baby." She winked at me. James remained silent. Even if he thought it was good, he wasn't going to say it. He was still fuming at me.
We ate and laughed and enjoyed each other just like old times. It was so good to be here with all of them. It felt like I'd never left. Regardless of James' obvious discomfort and his refusal to join our jovial conversations, I was enjoying myself. My father was sitting at my left and James at my right, and I totally blocked out any unwanted pleasantries. I was home and that's all that matter…even if my head was throbbing from the recent impact with the wooden floor in my bedroom closet.
"Mickey is going to be ecstatic when he gets here." My father stated.
"You and Uncle Michael and those nicknames. Is he as buff as you are Dad?" I smiled. "I swear you guys are on steroids or something." James shifted uncomfortably.
My father laughed. "No steroids, but definitely protein. Mickey is more cut and bigger than I am because he works out harder. The guy is a health freak!" He winked at me. "He's going to have a field day with you tonight. Consider yourself warned. You might be going home with a new diet and exercise plan."
James sighed and I read his mind. He would throw it out the window before we got down the road good. There was no way in hell he would allow me to exercise like that or eat or drink anything that would make me stronger than he was. It didn't matter anyway. I wasn't planning on going back to Forks with him. Not after his threats. I'd already made up in my mind to borrow someone's phone and call Kate some time before Sunday morning since I was sure he would want to leave bright and early. I couldn't risk going back to Forks and being trapped by him forever.
"Yeah, Daddy has been talking about beating you and Kevin down in some spades tonight." Miles interjected.
Everyone groaned. "MILES!" They yelled at him.
"Ooops!" He said bashfully, painfully aware that he'd just let the cat out of the bag.
"Miles that was a surprise!" My mother said.
He winced. "Um…sorry."
I was beaming from ear to ear. "Kevin is coming home?" I was so excited I nearly started crying again…this time from joy. "So that's why they are running late. They are waiting on Kevin at the airport." I laughed and bounced on my chair. "Seriously? Don't play with me guys."
I looked around the table and the looks on their faces told me that Kevin was indeed coming home this weekend. I squirmed with childish delight in my seat.
"Freaking awesome!" I laughed again. "So awesome!" James had his eyes glued to his plate. He knew very little of Kevin, but he knew he and I were good friends. I could feel his jealousy seeping from his pores. I could have cared less at the moment.
My father playfully slapped Miles on the back of his head. "Way to go knucklehead!"
"I'm sorry Uncle JP. It slipped."
I laughed. "This is the best news I've had in forever! Thanks Milesy! If you'd told me this earlier, I might have bent and let you played that game." I teased.
He groaned. "That's all it would have taken! Aw man!"
"Miles!" The scolded again.
I laughed. I heard James almost growling to himself at the revelation that yet another person would compete for my affection or worse…possibly persuade me to ditch his ass. He was dreading his decision to bring me here. I took another bite of my pork chops and with a mouth full of food, I said, "This is just great. Well worth the trip!"
They all looked at me like I spit fire on them. "Well gee, thanks. We're glad to see you too and that you came home just to see us." Rosie frowned. "We love you too!"
I laughed and shook my head. "Come on guys. I have nothing but love for you, but when Kevin comes around…well…um…"
"Shut up Jasper." My father winked at me. "We already know." James was fuming silently next to me.
I smiled at him and he returned it. "Thanks, guys."
They all smiled at me. They knew how much seeing Kevin would mean to me. James on the other made it clear that he was very unnerved by that. I suddenly had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach but tried to keep it from traveling to my face. I didn't want my family to know just how terrified I was of Kevin coming and then possibly having Edward at that party. That would be a double whammy and while I sincerely planned to escape getting in that car with James this weekend, I wasn't sure if I could escape his secret wrath in the meanwhile.
When James got up and excused himself from the table, I knew right then I was in trouble. I looked around at my folks and they all had the devil could kiss their asses look on their faces. They just didn't even understand. Hell I didn't understand it either. I sighed heavily but pushed James to the back of my mind and lost myself in comforting laughter and reminiscing about old times. Whatever was destined to happen would happen. In the meanwhile, I had to enjoy every second with the most precious people in my life…my family.
A/N: Well what can I say here? Jasper is trying to find himself and I commend him for trying to be a responsible man. I wanted to show in this chapter that sometimes victims find pleasure and self-respect in the small of actions. Jasper loves his family and they love him. I like how his parents allowed him to find his place as a man and when it was necessary help him take control back from James.
James is an ass. Oh he will definitely be getting his. Don't even worry about that. I'm glad Lizzie slapped him off of his horse. Sometimes abusers do exactly what James did. They abuse and threaten behind closed doors but are too cowardly to do it in front of others. Some are just the opposite. What do you think? Is James capable of abusing Jasper publicly?
What is going to be interesting is what is going to happen at that party with Edward and Kevin on the horizon. Remember Kevin and Jasper have been friends since birth, and his father and Michael went to jail for him one time before. I would love your ideas…maybe I will put them in the story and give you credit for them. Okay I will go ahead and spoil this for you…Jasper is not going back to Forks. LOL…I know I know, I can't tell you much more than that because otherwise I will spoil the story for you. The big question is what happens with James. I have it all mapped out, but I would love to hear your opinions.
What about Rosie…WOW!
Hang on…the next chapter is going to be a doozie… I hope you enjoyed this.