Webs We Weave

One way or another..

Jayden's P.O.V

Slo and I got in the car to go to the shops. I really didn't know where to take her shopping, but if I asked her she'd go to the cheapest place instead of a place she actually likes. So I followed the directions my assistant sent me on maps. There was a whole train of boutiques lined up next to each other down this avenue, and I saw a few mannequins wearing decent things so I'm sure Slo will find something. I parked my car and got out to open Slo's door for her, but she was already out. "I hate it when you do that." I want to show her how she should be treated, so she'll never settle for second best ever again. That Tokai guy is really a piece of work. How he let Slo slip through his fingers unnoticed is beyond me. Well, you snooze you lose.

" Babe, you've done your fair share of proving to me that chivalry is indeed, not dead yet. You don't have to open my door every time, I know you're a gentleman." She winked at me.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are in that dress?" I could never get tired of her in that dress.

"Yes, twice now already." she leaned in for a kiss and I kissed her for as long she wanted me to.

"I love that dress on you. It's like yesterday all over again." her smile seemed to fade and she looked down.

"Good. Because it's all I have now." she continued to look down, I lifted her chin with my finger,

"And me. You have me also." I stated. She has to know this.

She smiled and two tears fell from her eyes which I hope were happy tears. My phone started ringing, interrupting our moment. Who better else to do that other than my mother. Just as I picked up, Slo got a call on her phone as well and indicated that she was going to take it around the corner, I nodded. This won't take long, I don't have much to say to this woman.

"Mom.." I said. I hope she gets to the point real fast.

"Hello my darling son. How is my baby too busy to talk to his mom." I cringed.

"Mom, please, I have things to do."

"Yes of course, sweetie. Just wanted to check with you what time you'll be home for daddy's birthday celebration." Sh*t. I forgot all about my dad. I can't go without Slo anyway and I don't want to leave her alone right now.

"It's kind of hard to get away, mom. I've got a lot of work. I'll probably stop by to come congratulate dad but I won't be able to stay."

Here it comes..

"Honey if this is about the girl, you can bring her with. As long as she doesn't make a scene or embarrass the family and make sure she wears something classy, not trashy. As soon as you see her drink getting to her, take her home. We don't want any scandals." I almost got a little excited. My mom is giving Slo a free pass to join an event with the family. But I don't like the way she speaks about her, and I'm pretty sure she's only allowed to come because my mother wants me there. Dad would be really angry if he found out I didn't come because mom wouldn't approve of my girlfriend. It's so petty really. My whole family has met her and they love her, my dad's side of the family anyway. My father would never go against my mother, but he has no problem with Sloane, they get on very well. Naturally, my mother intervened and my sister was short on her heels. They have no rational reason for not liking Slo, but they were desperately trying to make me believe that Sloane won't be in my life forever. No one knows what will happen, but when she and I are together, we know.

"Why the sudden change of heart, mother?"

I don't even know why I just asked that. I already finished the whole conversation in my head, damn it.

"No darling, soon you will see things our way. Can you be here by six pm? I want the whole family here before the guests arrive at seven." And there it is. That bad feeling that I'm going to lose Sloane. My mother hasn't been wrong before, but I hope to all the gods, that she was wrong about Slo and I.

" We'll see, mother. Will try to make it before then." I said. And with that I ended the call and went to catch up with Slo. I was kind of really excited to tell her that we're going to see my family, this will be like the first time we'll be together with my whole family. I don't like the fact that my mother sounds so 'up-to-no-good', but luckily every body else will be there and they love Sloane, which is different from how they feel about my mom. My dad's family never really approved of him and my mother getting together. She was pregnant with my sister before they got together, my dad vowed to love her regardless and to accept her child as his own. Which he did, and after they got married they had me. She knows well what her own medicine tastes like, I can't believe after all that she would still make someone else drink it.

Sloane hung up the phone when I got to her, I couldn't help but overhear the last bit of her conversation with the caller. If she was upset she masked it well, but I could tell she was bothered after the call.

"I'm famished!" Slo said when we were seated at the restaurant.

"Me too. I'm glad we can sit down a little, I have something to tell you." she looked down and almost nervous for some reason.

"Angel, it's nothing bad. Don't look so worried, please." she looked up, not making eye contact, then she looked down again.

"No, it's just, I have something that I've been meaning to tell you too." Now I'm starting to worry..

"Okay..?" I looked at her with a face that must have screamed, panic! I mean when a woman says that, it's bad, right? Isn't that the beginning of the whole 'it's not you it's me' thing?

"It's about Kai."

F**k no. I don't want that man near her or even in our conversation.

"The other night, Kai came around late and said he needed to talk to me. So I got in his car and he drove us to one of our old spots and we sat there talking until two in the morning. That was the last time for me. I understand you don't want him near me or us, and that's kind of what I was trying to say to him. Obviously, the message wasn't clear enough for him to get the picture.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he gets the message next time." I interrupted her. Can this guy just disappear already?

"Babe, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I didn't mean to keep it from you, it's just I didn't want to ruin the wonderful evening, and then we got back to my place and there was the fire and we went to your place.."

"What were you thinking Slo?! Why would you go with him, what did you talk about for so long? What if he kissed you!!!" People were starting to stare, I could feel my anger getting out of control. The thought of them being alone..

"Babe, I'm sorry! It's over, nothing happened and I promise you I won't go behind your back like that again. I don't want to hurt you."

"Yes, twice now already." she leaned in for a kiss and I kissed her for as long as she wanted me to.

"I love that dress on you. It's like yesterday all over again." her smile seemed to fade and she looked down.

"Good. Because it's all I have now." she continued to look down, I lifted her chin with my finger,

"And me. You have me also." I stated. She has to know this.

She smiled and two tears fell from her eyes which I hope were happy tears. My phone started ringing, interrupting our moment. Who better else to do that other than my mother. Just as I picked up, Slo got a call on her phone as well and indicated that she was going to take it around the corner, I nodded. This won't take long, I don't have much to say to this woman.

"Mom.." I said. I hope she gets to the point real fast.

"Hello my darling son. How is my baby too busy to talk to his mom." I cringed.

"Mom, please, I have things to do."

"Yes of course, sweetie. Just wanted to check with you what time you'll be home for daddy's birthday celebration." Sh*t. I forgot all about my dad. I can't go without Slo anyway and I don't want to leave her alone right now.

"It's kind of hard to get away, mom. I've got a lot of work. I'll probably stop by to come congratulate dad but I won't be able to stay."

Here it comes..

"Honey if this is about the girl, you can bring her with. As long as she doesn't make a scene or embarrass the family and make sure she wears something classy, not trashy. As soon as you see her drink getting to her, take her home. We don't want any scandals." I almost got a little excited. My mom is giving Slo a free pass to join an event with the family. But I don't like the way she speaks about her, and I'm pretty sure she's only allowed to come because my mother wants me there. Dad would be really angry if he found out I didn't come because mom wouldn't approve of my girlfriend. It's so petty really. My whole family has met her and they love her, my dad's side of the family anyway. My father would never go against my mother, but he has no problem with Sloane, they get on very well. Naturally, my mother intervened and my sister was short on her heels. They have no rational reason for not liking Slo, but they were desperately trying to make me believe that Sloane won't be in my life forever. No one knows what will happen, but when she and I are together, we know.

"Why the sudden change of heart, mother?"

I don't even know why I just asked that. I already finished the whole conversation in my head, damn it.

"No darling, soon you will see things our way. Can you be here by six pm? I want the whole family here before the guests arrive at seven." And there it is. That bad feeling that I'm going to lose Sloane. My mother hasn't been wrong before, but I hope to all the gods, that she was wrong about Slo and I.

" We'll see, mother. Will try to make it before then." I said. And with that I ended the call and went to catch up with SLO. I was kind of really excited to tell her that we're going to see my family, this will be like the first time. I don't like the fact that my mother sounds so 'up-to-no-good', but luckily every body else will be there and they love Sloane, which I can't say the same about my mom. My dad's family never really approved of him and my mother getting together. She was pregnant with my sister before they got together, my dad vowed to love her regardless and to accept her child as his own. Which he did, and after they got married they had me. She knows well what her own medicine tastes like, I can't believe after all that she would still make someone else drink it.

Sloane hung up the phone when I got to her, I couldn't help but overhear the last bit of her conversation with the caller. If she was upset she masked it well, but I could tell she was bothered after the call.

"I'm famished!" Slo said when we were seated at the restaurant.

It was a quaint little café. We were sitting outside at one of their tables on the sidewalk, there were pot plants everywhere and succulents on every table. We opted for tapas and a bottle of wine.

"Me too. I'm glad we can sit down a little, I have something to tell you." she looked down and almost nervous for some reason.

"Angel, it's nothing bad. Don't look so worried, please." she looked up, not making eye contact, then she looked down again.

"No, it's just, I have something that I've been meaning to tell you too." Now I'm starting to worry..

"Okay..?" I looked at her with a face that must have screamed, panic! I mean when a woman says that, it's bad, right? Isn't that the beginning of the whole 'it's not you it's me' thing?

"It's about Kai."

F**k no. I don't want that man near her or even in our conversation.

"The other night, Kai came around late and said he needed to talk to me. So I got in his car and he drove us to one of our old spots and we sat there talking until two in the morning. That was the last time for me. I understand you don't want him near me or us, and that's kind of what I was trying to say to him. Obviously, the message wasn't clear enough for him to get the picture.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he gets the message next time." I interrupted her. Can this guy just disappear already?

"Babe, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I didn't mean to keep it from you, it's just I didn't want to ruin the wonderful evening, and then we got back to my place and there was the fire and we went to your place.."

"What were you thinking Slo?! Why would you go with him, what did you talk about for so long? What if he kissed you!!!" People were starting to stare, I could feel my anger getting out of control. The thought of them being alone..

"Babe, I'm sorry! It's over, nothing happened and I promise you I won't go behind your back like that again. I don't want to hurt you." I get she was being sincere, but I couldn't shake these emotions burning inside of me. Feelings of anger, fear, uncertainty, possessiveness.. Is this what jealousy feels like? I'm jealous. This is unknown grounds, I'm not at all familiar with this.

"Angel. I didn't want it to come to this, but I think you should choose. There is no way he and I can co-exist in your heart, I want to be the only one for you. If you need time, you can stay at my place and I can stay in a hotel for the time being. Or you can stay in a hotel if you don't want to be at my place, whatever is more comfortable for you. But I need an answer. I want to be with you and I want you all to myself. I want you for me, and if you want me to fight for you, I will. But I need you to choose and think this through. I didn't want to ask this of you at first, but I just realized I'm fu**ing jealous and I'm not ever going to be able to be with you if that guy stays a part of your life."

Her whole vibe was very content, like she knew it was going to come to this, like she was prepared for it. She was calm.

"Jay. I choose you. I don't have to think about it, babe, I've done all the thinking there is. There's no question about it, my love. It's you. You've taught me so much about myself in such a short time. It's like I've stopped moving some time ago, stuck in limbo or something. Then you came out of no where, opened my eyes and it's been an adventure ever since. I want you." I felt her words calm the storm inside of me. Thank God.

"Baby.. I'm so relieved and happy to hear that. I know this is going to be hard for you. But I'm here for you every step of the way. I promise." she smiled at me and took my hand.

"I love you." I could never get tired of hearing her say that.

"I love you too." Now, my turn to drop the bomb.

The girl who works there just arrived with our order and we each probably had two glasses of wine by then, so it felt like a good time to tell her. I ordered another bottle of wine, then waited for the girl to leave before telling Sloane about my mother's invitation..