Chapter 11
Jason turned on Daniel first.
“You said she stole your position.”
Daniel rubbed one hand over his face.
“Jason—”
“You said everyone wanted you.”
Silence.
“You said they laughed at you because she controlled things.”
One capo answered before Daniel could.
“No one laughed.”
Jason looked at him.
The capo continued.
“Your father did his job.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
Rachel understood.
The humiliation Daniel had fed Jason for years did not exist outside Daniel.
He had manufactured an insult.
Then recruited his children to avenge it.
Alyssa whispered:
“You made us hate her.”
Daniel snapped:
“She never treated you like her own.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Correct.”
Jason laughed harshly.
“Finally.”
Rachel turned.
“You have a mother.”
Jason’s smile faded.
“She died.”
“I know.”
Rachel’s voice stayed calm.
“I never tried to replace her.”
Alyssa looked down.
Rachel continued.
“I paid for your school.”
Jason said nothing.
“Your car.”
Nothing.
“Your travel.”
His jaw tightened.
“Your gaming system.”
He finally snapped:
“So what?”
“So none of those purchases made me your mother.”
Silence.
“And your refusal to love me never excused hurting Ethan.”
Jason looked toward the stairs.
“He has you.”
There it was again.
Rachel stepped closer.
“Yes.”
Jason’s eyes reddened.
“He gets everything.”
“No.”
“He gets you!”
The room went still.
Jason breathed hard.
“Dad said once Ethan was born, we were leftovers.”
Alyssa turned toward Daniel.
Rachel did too.
Daniel looked away.
Jason continued:
“He said you’d eventually cut us off.”
Rachel stared.
“So you decided to prove him right?”
His mouth tightened.
“You always pick Ethan.”
“He’s three.”
“I was fifteen when you married Dad.”
“Yes.”
“You never needed to protect me.”
Rachel’s face softened slightly.
“That isn’t true.”
Jason looked confused.
She continued.
“But protection is not obedience.”
Pause.
“And pain does not become acceptable because someone else once felt neglected.”
Jason looked at the broken plane piece still on the side table.
Then said something ugly because shame frightened him.
“He still cried like a baby.”
Rachel stared.
May you like
“He is a baby.”
And that was when even Jason had no answer.
