Page 15 of Something Like Forever

“Yeah. He won’t stoploving me.”

“Okay. Are you implyingthat Ben and Tim will stop loving you?”

Jason looked to them bothagain, this time with a guilty expression. “Yes.”

“Wewillnever—” Ben began, but the almighty hand of Allison cut himoff.

“Please explain to us whyyou think that Ben and Tim might stop loving you.”

“Because that’s whatpeople do,” Jason said. “I know you don’t want to believe it, Ben.We’ve talked about this, and maybe you’re right, but that’sromantic love. It’s stronger. People always act like—” Jason turnedto Allison. “Would you do anything for Davis? Would you die forhim?”

“Without a secondthought,” she replied.

“Why?”

“Because I’m hismother.”

Jason nodded as ifsatisfied. “And if someone was hurting him. If Brian starteddrinking again and started hitting Davis—”

“That isn’t fair,” Benprotested.

“It’s fine,” Allison said.“I think I see where you’re going with this, Jason, but why don’tyou expound for us. Tell us about your experience.”

“You all know the story,”Jason said. “I was taken away from my mom because her boyfriend wasabusing me. But she didn’t come save me. She didn’t ditch him andget clean so she could have me back. And I know none of you believethis, but she was a good mother. She loved me! At least up to acertain point. I don’t know what happened after that. She gavebirth to me, raised me with love, and still abandoned me. I wasn’tthe only one. I met tons of kids in foster care in the samesituation, so I’m not going to screw this up.” Jason’s chintrembled. “William will keep loving me, even if I can’t be withhim, and I know you’re disappointed in me now, but I’ll make it upto you, so—” His voice cracked and he started crying.

Ben rose instantly and went to him,massaging Jason’s shoulders and whispering comforting words. Thenhe looked to Allison for help.

She nodded, likeeverything was under control. Tim hoped she knew what she wasdoing, because he was feeling down now too. He couldn’t helpwondering if Jason was right. His own parents weren’t great. Timhadn’t realized how emotionally starved he was until he met Ben. Heknew that Allison’s father hadn’t been a good parent either. Hedrank too much and was abusive. Ben’s parents were amazing, but notall were. Jason wasn’t being unreasonable. Some people lovedconditionally, and only if they got their own way.

“Bad things happen,”Allison said. “None of us can deny that, but we can’t allowmisfortune to stop us from living our lives. Cast your mind back afew years. Jason, you and Ben were eating breakfast when thatlittle… when Ryan broke into the house with a gun. What happenedwas horrific. I wasn’t even there, and I still didn’t feel safe inmy own home afterwards. The experience had to be even moretraumatic for you all. Tell me, did you ever eat breakfast in thatkitchen again?”

They nodded inunison.

“Why?”

Tim knew the answer, butthe question wasn’t directed at him. Instead he waited for Jason tofigure it out.

“At first because I wantedto protect you guys, in case it happened again.” Jason furrowed hisbrow. “I might not be very tough, but I wouldn’t let him shootanyone. I’d do whatever it takes.”

“You wanted to take careof your family,” Allison said approvingly. “Is there another reasonyou kept eating breakfast in that same kitchen?”

Jason nodded. “I didn’twant to upset Ben, so I put on a brave face. I knew if I acted likeeverything was normal, he wouldn’t worry as much.”

Allison leaned back. “Tosummarize, something bad happened, but you didn’t let that stop youfrom doing what you needed to do. Did that get you shot? How manyother Ryans have broken into the house since then? Four?Five?”

“None,” Jason said with achuckle. “I get what you’re saying. Ben and Tim aren’t the same asmy mom. They might not do what she did, but isn’t it smart to learnfrom bad things when they happen?”

“Yes. It’s okay to becautious, as long as it doesn’t make you paralyzed.”

“I’m not,” Jason said. “Imoved out on my own.”

“He did really good too,”Tim said. “We kept guilt-tripping him to stay, but it didn’twork.”

Jason smiled. “It nearly did.”

“That’s excellent,”Allison said. “So you’re able to live away from Ben and Tim withoutfeeling like it will jeopardize your relationship withthem.”

“We’re still in the samecity,” Jason said. “The same state.”