Blood Mates

Jasper's Mother Has Secrets Too

Yasmine Shatter was stressed. And it showed on her back that had more knots than a sailor’s rope. Rubbing a hand over her shoulder as she flexed her shoulders, Yasmine looked up from her stack of papers as her stepson walked in, “Hey handsome, how was school?”

Seth talked to her about school for a moment, a twelve-year-old pre-teen, the dark haired, brown eyed, cutie was sweet to his stepmother and saw her as his own. Especially since giving birth to his little sister.

But then there was Lucy. The sixteen-year-old girl had a chip on her shoulder from having seen her mother die. She was a tough talking brat with a permanent scowl on her face.

And she treated Yasmine like crap out of pure spite of her relationship with their father. Which she deemed inappropriate to her mother’s memory.

So, she ignored her stepmother as she stormed into the house and then into her room. Since her father wasn’t home, Lucy thought no one else in the house important to talk to.

Yasmine rubbed her eyes groaning and Seth looked at her sadly, “What’s wrong?” Yasmine looked at her surgent son and admitted, “I want to see my other son, but he’s angry with me.”

Seth looked at Yasmine surprised, “That’s possible?” Because even with his inherited anger issues, unlike his sister, Seth rarely displayed them. And he found it impossible to be angry at Yasmine who had been every bit of a mom to him since his passed away.

“Yeah apparently so,” Yasmine teased him. Seth shook his head, “You should make your famous chocolate chip cookies for him. They’d make anyone forgive you.”

Yasmine laughed lightly, “Go cleanup for dinner.” Seth left and Yasmine looked down at the custody agreement papers for Jasper. She was supposed to see him summers, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. But for the last two years she hadn’t even seen him once.

She thought he’d needed time, but as more time went on, Yasmine could practically feel her son’s spite.

And it broke her heart in half.

When her husband got home an hour later, the table had been cleared with the papers, but he could still her stress. He came in shirtless in basketball shorts and running shoes. He kissed the side of her head gently and looked down at his wife sadly, “What troubles you my love? I’ve felt stress from you all day.”

Yasmine breathed out slowly, “My son…Jasper. I wanted him to come for Thanksgiving but he’s refused.” Yasmine’s husband, Davon, looked at her sadly, “He’s still angry.”

Yasmine nodded and admitted, “This was just the last time I could see him before he graduated. He’s almost eighteen and he’s so content with just shutting me out.”

Davon looked at her for a moment, “You should talk to a lawyer. I know you wanted him to have his father, but you’re still his mother. You should spend just as much time with him.”

Yasmine finished up dinner and set the table, “And what? Tell the courts what?” Davon shrugged, “The truth? How since the split, you haven’t seen your son, William hasn’t sent him down here once, and file to have full custody of him until he turns eighteen.”

Yasmine sighed unsure if that was the way to go. Then she’d be trapping her son, and stuck having to deal with two moody teenagers scowling at her.

“That’d only make him hate me more.” Suddenly Lucy and Seth appeared and as Lucy hugged her dad she looked at Yasmine cattily, “Who hates you more? Is it a club? Can I join?”

Davon looked at his daughter seriously, “Enough Lucy.” Lucy pouted but did as told. As they all sat down for dinner, Lucy asked again, “But who were you two talking about?”

Yasmine looked at her stepdaughter a little uneasy, “My other son, from my first marriage.” Lucy looked at Yasmine with darkness in her eyes, “Oh right the one you abandoned to live here!”

Wincing, Yasmine tensely said, “I didn’t abandon him, he lives with his father.” Lucy waved her fork artfully, “Right, after you walked out on your husband and he chose to stay there with him. Smart move on his part, I wouldn’t want to be around a homewrecker eith-.”

Yasmine stood up quick, and Lucy’s satisfaction for getting under her skin and hurting her feelings left. Yasmine told them she’d be back in a while, but hearing the sickening bone crunch followed by a growl let them know she’d be awhile.

Lucy sat riddled with guilt as her father tried to calm himself and soothe his anger. “You will apologize to her, and you’re grounded for a month. No full moon bash.”

Lucy didn’t argue but instead sat quiet until her dad left. She tried to grumble like it wasn’t fair, but Seth stormed off angry with her as well. Which let Lucy know she went too far.

That and the howl of pain Yasmine showered over their reservation. The pain of a mother wolf, without her cub.