Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Mase
Iroll to a stop in front of one of Chicago’s tall downtown buildings, its height looming above us, large and intimidating.
People pass by, none the wiser about why we’re here, and what we’ve been through.
Amazingly, we got a parking spot close to the front door, though I have a feeling that might have been arranged.
“Are you ready?” Jayne’s voice reaches across the space, soft and comforting, though I know underneath it all, her heart is thundering.
I swing my gaze to her sitting in the passenger seat of my truck, taking in the summer sunlight filtering through the window, shining on the golden strands of her hair that’s now back to its original color.
Just one of the many small steps she’s taken to reclaim the life she led before hiding herself away.
While I thought she was beautiful before, the fact that she’s no longer keeping herself chained to the rotting past shows in her appearance.
She still carries the heavy weight of her mistakes and choices, and I doubt she’ll ever release them, no matter what I say. But even so, there’s a lightness to her now, like she’s shed the poison that was slowly killing her.
Her eyes are filled with life, and every time she looks at me, she brightens mine.
“Yeah.”
Gaze dropping to my hands, she smiles softly.
I follow her eyes, then promptly release the death grip I have on the steering wheel with an exhale. So much for me being her pillar today.
I’m sure that meeting the parents is nerve-wracking for anyone under normal circumstances.
But these aren’t normal circumstances.
And we’re unsure of how this is going to go.
Jayne’s mom, Candace, met with a lawyer named Gerald from her old firm yesterday, and after a phone call this morning, Candace wanted to meet with us immediately to discuss things.
I can’t stop my mind from drifting to worst-case scenarios, and wondering if they’re going to say she’s in a lot of trouble, despite it not being intentional.
I have no fucking clue what happens in a situation like this.
What if she has to do jail time?
It’s possible that nothing will happen at all, but these are things that have been circling my mind, and until we have all the answers, they will continue to do so.
The hardest part is knowing that I won’t be able to protect her from any of it, only be there as emotional and mental support.
So yeah, I may be fucking nervous about meeting her parents, but it’s far from the typical boyfriend meeting the parents situation, despite me never having had a girlfriend before.
I’m sure Jayne has been feeling even more anxious about this than I have.
While I’ve lain awake on sleepless nights, staring into the dark, she’s been tossing and turning beside me, mumbling in her sleep.
It’s been a few months since Jayne told her dad everything, and while she’s gotten together with him several times, I have yet to come along and meet him. They had a relationship to fix, and I wanted them to do it without my presence.
Plus, I’ve been keeping busy working on myself, preparing for whatever is to come.
I can’t deny that my chest aches every time I think about my initial reaction to Jacob’s arrest, and all my hateful thoughts toward him over the years. I regret it all, and hope for some kind of peace for him after all this is done.
Jayne came and met my mom for the first time a couple of months ago.
I had suspected that they’d connect immediately, but I wasn’t expecting to be ignored while they talked. I had to keep taking hold of Jayne’s hand just to remind her I was still in the room.
I know my mom would have loved any person who makes me happy and loves me as much as she does. But I think she especially liked Jayne after I told her the truth about everything.
Jayne has visited her every week with me since then, and has even gone there without me a few times.
“Are you ready?” I ask as we slip out of the truck.
Jayne takes hold of my hand when I’ve reached her side. “In some ways, I’m beyond ready. I know it’s absolutely time.” She looks up at me, a nervous smile on her face. “But the scared shitless part of me wants to go home and crawl back into bed.”
“Good thing I’m here to hold your hand.”
Staring up at the building, her grip on said hand tightens, then she inhales deeply and starts walking toward the entrance.
We make our way up to the twenty-fifth floor in silence, other faces and sounds lost in the background while we remain lost in our own thoughts.
One of those thoughts that circles more than once has me slowing my steps as we near her dad’s office. “Have you told them where I came from?”
I may have made progress when it comes to my origins, but something like that may alter how her parents see me, considering what happened to their daughter.
Jayne pauses, coming to stand in front of me. “No. It’s none of their business unless you want them to know. It has no bearing on our relationship.” Lifting a hand, she presses it to my chest. “Besides, you came from your mother, one hundred percent.”
Unable to resist, I lean down and press a kiss on her forehead. “Fuck, I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I only pull back when I hear a door open, lifting my gaze to see Jayne’s father standing in the doorway. There’s immediate recognition, a likeness in the shape and color of his and Jayne’s eyes, but that’s where the similarities seem to end.
He gives me an assessing look before switching his attention to Jayne.
“Hi, Dad.” We step a little closer, Jayne’s hand squeezing my forearm like it’s keeping her grounded. “I’d like you to meet Mase. Mase, this is my father.”
I hold out my hand with mixed feelings, well aware of his past behavior and relationship with Jayne. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lapmor.”
There is no hesitation on his part; he takes my hand with one of his and pats my arm with the other. “Jennifer has had nothing but good things to say about you. I’m grateful you’ve been there for my daughter.”
“Of course.”
No one else was, I think, but then stop myself because I know he has suffered as well, and according to Jayne, he’s learned from his mistakes.
It took a day or two after the initial conversation with Jayne for it to fully sink in for him that it was Dylan who was the real culprit. He told Jayne it makes him feel sick every time he thinks about how close he was to him for so many years.
He acknowledged his part in moving things along in Jacob’s case, using his connections and money to have things done quicker than usual. He’s willing to accept responsibility and admit it publicly to back Jayne, and I respect him for that.
Jayne’s father leads us through the door into a spacious office with an overly large, expensive-looking desk situated in the corner beside a floor-to-ceiling window.
Two chairs sit on the other side of the desk, and two more sit opposite a sofa against the far wall, where an older version of Jayne sits, drinking a coffee.
I may have had reservations about Jayne’s father, but this woman . . . I don’t like her at all.
She extended the trip she was on after finding out her daughter had reappeared, instead of rushing back to see her and make sure she was okay.
And even now, instead of getting up and greeting us like Jayne’s father did, she’s sipping a coffee while looking at her phone.
What type of mother does that?
It has me wanting to call my own mom, just to tell her how much I appreciate and love her.
Finally looking up, Jayne’s mother smiles. “Jennifer, darling. You’re looking well.”
I think Jayne has only seen her once since she arrived back from her trip, and though she’s told me all about her, seeing her with my own eyes makes me understand their distant relationship even more so.
Even with the aloofness, Jayne leans down to give her mom a brief hug.
“And this must be the boyfriend.” She eyes me over Jayne’s shoulder. “I’m Candace.”
“Hi.” My smile is polite but barely there.
I gesture for Jayne to sit in one of the two chairs, then drag the other seat closer to hers and sit, holding her hand.
Jayne’s father takes the remaining seat on the sofa beside his ex-wife. There seems to be no residual tension between the two of them, and I can’t help but wonder if there was ever any love there.
He doesn’t appear to know anything yet, either, since he’s looking at Candace just as expectantly as we are.
“Well, this is actually going to be pretty quick, but I think you’ll be quite happy,” her mom begins.
Jayne and I share a brief relieved smile, then turn back to her.
“So, it looks like you don’t need to do anything at all.
Jacob is in prison again for attempted sexual assault on another woman named Remi. ”
My smile drops while the beating in my chest slows. Everything seems to slow as my mind catches up.
Jacob, in prison again? What the fuck?
In slow motion, I face Jayne, seeing the color leech from her face while her grip on me tightens. “Wh-what do you mean?”
There’s confusion on her mother’s face as she looks at her daughter. “What do I mean? It’s pretty self-explanatory, dear. You probably did everyone a favor by putting him away when you did. He might have hurt others, even if he didn’t hurt you.”
Jayne shakes her head. “No. No, that can’t be right. You must be mistaken.”
“I’m not mistaken. I thought you’d be happy with that news. Now you don’t have to do anything, and we can forget it all. Dylan is dead. Everything is taken care of.”
Turning to me, Jayne looks stricken, every ounce of hope that things might finally be fixed drained out of her pretty face.
My mouth opens and then immediately closes. I have no idea what to say or do.
“Is it possible you’re remembering it wrong?” Jayne’s dad asks softly, carefully. “And maybe it was him after all?
“No,” Jayne murmurs, still staring at me while looking lost. “He didn’t do it. I don’t . . . I don’t understand why he would be sent back.” She swallows, turning back to her mother. “Are you sure?”