Page 92 of Forever Home

Oh for fuck’s sake.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I close my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “First, I did try to tell you about World of Foods when I visited last. Second, I’m not engaged to that girl. She’s lying and trying to get her fifteen minutes of fame.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” She scoffs. “I would remember you telling me. And as for the girl, your sister says she is a model and comes from a very wealthy family. So of course, you’re marrying her. Why would you not want to?”

I’ve heard my mother say some absolutely bizarre things over the years, but this… this tops it all. Before I can reply, I hear her call my father over. And then the phone being put on speaker as she relays her version of our conversation to my father. Which is the farthest from what it actually is.

“Jaxson, what’s gotten into you?” He finally says over the phone. “You can’t just ask a girl to marry you and change your mind.”

“Dad, stop. That isn’t even what happened. The girl made it up, and…” I stop mid-sentence as I let out a soft laugh before leaning back in my chair to look at the ceiling. “I don’t know why I’m even explaining myself. Look, I never asked that girl to marry me. She is making it up to be in the spotlight. I love someone else.”

Which is why I came back to New York in the first place. To win Madison back, and set things right with the entire Caitlin situation. Because I love Madison—more than anything.

“Son, I don’t understand you. First there’s this girl you’re engaged to, and she isn’t enough, so you’re in love with someone else—we raised you better than this.” My father says scoldingly.

“No you didn’t.”

“Excuse me?” he replies.

Sitting up, something within me snaps. “I said, ‘No, you didn’t.’ I understand that you may think you raised me, both of you… but though you were there… you weren’t actually there.”

“Jaxson!” my father yells through the phone, as if I’m still a boy that he can boss around. “How dare you talk to us like that? You know we have only ever wanted what’s best for you.”

“No, you only cared when I played ball. Ever since I got hurt, you shrugged me off as if I was a disappointment. Neither of you ever tooknote of anything that I’ve done with my career since then. Regardless of the number of contributions, I happily send you guys every year. I’ve tried over and over again to be there for the entire family. To be part of the family and show you I care and I always get nothing. Hell… last time I was there, mom acted like it was an inconvenience. She couldn’t even spare a five-minute conversation with me for me to tell her about the show and everything else that was going on.”

Never in my life have I spoken to my parents the way I am right now, but damn does it feel good. For years I’ve kept everything inside me. Tried to fix things, and though I was still ignored, I never gave up. I tried to never take it personally, always making excuses for them and the way they were acting. But not now.

Enough is enough.

“Jaxson,” my mother says softly. “That’s not true… You could see I was dealing with your siblings and—”

“That’s just it, mom. You’re always too busy. You do have another child besides the ones that still live in Willowcreek. You told me that I should be calling more often… when was the last time you called me? Because I can tell you, it was last year in February and it was because you needed money. You kept the conversation short, and then said you had to go and asked when I’d be sending it. That’s it.”

“I didn’t realize that it was a burden to help your family…” she mutters, selfishly. “I mean, I’m your mother.”

“Exactly!” I snap at her. “You’re my mother, and when was the last time you actually acted like it?”

Again, silence.

Shaking my head, my heart aches at the thought of talking to them like this. The fact that I have to give my own parents a wake-up call that honestly, is probably not going to do anything at all. It will more likely piss them off for a while, and then they will act like it never happened.

Hope flourishes through me that perhaps the change I’ve needed for years is finally here. I have the career jump that I’ve been waiting for, the life I’ve always wanted, and now all I need is the woman of my dreams by my side. A woman that can only end up being Madison McKinley.

“Look,” I finally sigh. “I’m in love with Madison. And I have been for a long time. If there is going to be anyone that I plan to marry…it’s her. But I do want to thank you for something…”

“And what would that be?” my father says with a scoff.

“For showing me what kind of parent I don’t want to be.”

The moment I hang up with my parents a new found determination sets within me. I’m done with being pushed around. With people trying to dictate to me on how my life should be and what I’m supposed to be doing. No more. I won’t have it.

Marching towards my desk, I pull open the notebook I keep with contacts. Looking for one particular name that will be the answers to all my prayers.

Daniel Thornefield—Caitlin’s Father.

“This is Daniel,” the smooth voice says through the phone after two rings.

“Daniel, it’s Jaxson Rivers.”

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