Blood Mates

Thanksgiving Blow Up

Thanksgiving was a time of celebration in many houses. And the Knight family was no different. House all done up for the holidays, Alaia was finishing the three plates she’d prepared for William, and made sure to add another just for desert.

Desmond came into the kitchen and c****d an eye at his niece as she hummed packing up the food. “Going somewhere niece?” Alaia looked up at her uncle, “Going to drop this off to William so he won’t be eating any unsavory frozen foods. And, making some necessary plans to ensure he and someone else not spend the day alone.”

Desmond watched Alaia finish shooting off a text and asked, “And what did you just do?” Alaia giggled as she shot him a mischievous look, “I heard Miss. Arden was very smitten with our local architect.”

Jerking back, Desmond watched Alaia giggle and then happily say, “Jasper would be thrilled if he comes back to find his dad boo’d up. And even better I’ll be here waiting for him.”

Desmond winked as he snagged a cookie from a tray, “Well that’s always a bonus.”

Alaia made clear of her promise to go by Jasper’s house to check up on his dad throughout the week. At first William had been bashful saying he’d be fine, but Alaia stubbornly told him she’d be back.

And every day since like clockwork, William knew when to expect the sweet girl to come bouncing in. They’d talk and William enjoyed her company, since Alaia was not only pretty but insightful.

But today when Alaia arrived, was different.  William was a little pink in the cheeks as he stood in a nice shirt and jeans as he nervous combed through his dark brown hair.

“Am I holding you up for a hot date Mr. Wynter because I can go?” Alaia said playfully as she watched him. William nervously laughed ruffling his hair reminding Alaia of his son, “Oh no Alaia, it’s just…” Blushing he admitted, “Arden Sammuels asked to come over and spend some time with me.”

Alaia teased like she didn’t know, “Miss. Sammuels? Oh my god! No, are you two-?” William blushed even redder, “NO! Of course not,” Fiddling with his shirt William lied unconvincingly, “I just told her my son was gone, and since she has no children, and her husband’s gone she’s alone as well. She just thought we should spend it time together, instead of being alone.”

William forced himself to stop correcting himself and looked at Alaia thankfully, “And thanks to you we won’t be eating frozen turkey dinners with dressing and mac n’cheese.”

Alaia gagged at just the thought of one of those disgusting meals and said, “Mr. Wynter if you ever eat that stuff again I will show up in your dreams to haunt you. That’s nothing but frozen slop in a box, you deserve hot cook meals mister.”

William laughed feeling warm, “Fine. And stop calling me Mr. Wynter. William.” Alaia grinned, “Fine William. But I should go, I promised my mom I’d bring her a pecan pie from the bakery.” Kissing William’s cheek, Alaia chirped, “Happy Thanksgiving Will. And tell Miss. Sammuels I say hi!”

William agreed waving bye to her. When Alaia left, William pulled out his phone and sent her a thank you text for being so nice. And then he texted his son bragging about the food she dropped off and how he was getting sexy lady company to top it off.

Jasper of course sent him back a bunch of gifs of him being sad, hungry, jealous, and one of him chocking someone out. And William didn’t have to guess who. He instead just sent his back love and support and telling him to try to have fun.

William was sitting his phone down when his doorbell rang. After building up his nerve, he answered it and Arden sparkled as she stood in a black dress looking sophisticated. “William.” She greeted holding a bottle of wine. William accepted a hug and a kiss on each cheek as he helped her out of her coat.

As William and Arden made their way to the kitchen for a nice dinner, Jasper headed to hell. He’d locked his door and stuffed his headphones on his head all day, both Lucy and Roxie had tried to get him out of his room, but Jasper wanted to be left alone.

And it seemed everyone wanted to bother him.

The only thing that made Jasper’s day was seeing his dad telling him Alaia had stopped by, brought him food, and now he apparently had a date. Something he hadn’t done much of since his mom left.

Jasper of course rooted for his dad’s happiness, and then sent his girlfriend plenty of flirty kissy emojis. He thanked her for being so f*****g awesome and promised her a bomb date when he got home.

And as he wondered what he could do for her, his mom called him down for dinner. Jasper groaned and went downstairs and found them all waiting on him. Lucy nudged him as she appeared beside him, “Done being a sad boy, sad boy?”

Jasper laughed as he taunted, “Done being a bratty bit-.” Davon looked up at him and snarled, “Watch it!” But Lucy was laughing as she punched Jasper’s shoulder, “Touche douche wad.”

Jasper nudged her and sat down beside Seth as the food was rolled out. And he couldn’t lie, if anything he missed his mom’s cooking. Groaning as he dug into his second loaded back potato, his well-seasoned turkey was waiting, four cheese pasta next to it, and the pumpkin pie he wouldn’t let out of his sight.

Yasmine smiled at her son eating and watched Lucy slowly scoot the rest of her loaded back potato to Jasper. Unnerved by his appetite, as he eagerly accepted it, Lucy watched it disappear. “Dude are you good?” She asked unsure.

Jasper nodded quickly as he gulped down coke, “Didn’t eat today. Saved room.” Seth and Davon both groaned, “Why don’t we do that?” Seth asked holding his full stomach in pain from his eyes being bigger than his appetite.

Jasper chuckled a little and told him, “Get a good burp and do two lunges.” Seth did as advised and soon felt the wiggle room in his belly. “Whoa,” he said sitting back in his seat a more comfortable full now.

Jasper nodded, “Yeah discovered that trick when I was younger.”

Yasmine laughed as she remembered, “You’d be in such pain from having eaten too much! Next thing I know he’s doing pushups at the table.” Lucy shook her head fighting a smile, “Leave it to sad boy to do sad boy shit.”

Jasper flipped her off with a beaming smile making her laugh.

And for a moment everything was okay. But then Davon stuck his foot in his mouth and said, “See, you’re going to fit in just right around here for the rest of the year.”

Jasper stiffened, “What?” Lucy looked at her dad confused since she hadn’t heard about this, “Wait he’s moving in?” Davon nodded but Jasper protested, “No the hell I’m not! I told the both of you, I’m not leaving my dad for a year.”

Yasmine winced as she nervously clenched her fork, “Look I know you’re going to choose a college close to him. So, I thought why not stay here for the rest of the year. I know by now you’ve got most of your credits and are ahead in your classes, you always were. It wouldn’t be too big an adjustment.”

Jasper scoffed, “Other than everything I care about, my dad, my friends, my girlfriend is there. I have not one reason to stay here.” Yasmine looked at Jasper hurt, “What about me?” Jasper heard the pain in her voice as she asked softly, “Your mom? Your stepdad, your stepbrother, your stepsister. Your little sister?”

Jasper stared at Yasmine in disbelief, “That’s not fair mom.” Yasmine cried as she exclaimed, “It’s not fair that it seems your dad can get all of you and I can’t even get a quarter of that!”

Davon watched his wife run out the back door to shift where Jasper couldn’t hear her. When she was gone, he looked at his stepson angry, “You can’t keep doing this too her.”

Jasper looked at Davon angry as he hissed, “Oh f**k off Davon.” Davon growled low in the back of his throat at Jasper’s disrespect and had to control himself as he snarled, “I know you’re hurting in your own way, but you’re not a kid anymore. Throwing fits because your mom left your dad isn’t going to change anything. She chose who she wanted.”

Jasper was livid now as he sneered, “No, Yasmine decided that instead of being a woman and just ending her marriage to my father that she’d sneak around with you. Proof no matter how good a man is, a woman will still go hunt down a scum bag to give her a cheap thrill.”

Davon shot up yelling, “You don’t know a damn thing kid!”

Jasper laughed mockingly, “And that’s where you wrong you backwater loser!” Davon jerked back as Jasper harshly sneered, “You think I hate you because you’re with my mom?”

Davon started to nod but Jasper boomed, “No! I hate you because you were the coconspirator in my dad’s misery. Because instead of leaving before we got home, you two let yourselves be caught by him, and worse you let him break in front of his son.”

Davon’s face went slack as Jasper shook his head in anger, “I never should have known why my mom and dad broke up. And I NEVER wanted to see how he looked as my mom told him she didn’t love him and didn’t want to work it out. Because she loved YOU.”

Jasper shook his head in disgust, “You were single, your wife was dead. So, you were free to do as you please, but my mom wasn’t. And the fact how I’d be affected, how I’d feel, wasn’t a concern. Neither of you even had the consideration that me and my dad might still be in pain from your actions, and here you are! Acting as if you did nothing.” 

Jasper stormed out of the dining room as Davon weakly called for him. But Jasper grabbed his stuff and started out the door.

Davon reached for him, but Jasper snatched him from as he cruelly told his stepfather, “Here’s the truth Davon, I’ll never respect you. To me you’re nothing but scum and I will never look at you like a man for what you’ve done.”

Jasper looked at his mom coming in through the backdoor and told her to her face, “And I’ll never forget what you did mom, and I don’t forgive it.”

And then Jasper left leaving his mom in tears as Davon tried to think. But as his daughter and son left, Davon had to change his entire perspective on everything.