Page 77 of A Night To Remember

Charlie turned to Helen. The little bit of control she had been holding in concerning this woman was threadbare. She would have loved to give Helen a nice smack, but didn’t want to cause a scene at the hospital that would upset Jake. She wasn’t, however, going to put up with anymore of Helen’s disrespect.

“Helen, I’m not sure what I did to you personally to warrant your rudeness. I have tried to be nice but you have been a nasty bitch. You’re lucky I don’t believe in violence or I would have smacked the shit out of you already. Because you’re Jake’s sister I would like us to be civil to each other at least, but if you ever again talk to me like you have been, I just might break my no violence rule.” Charlie turned away from Helen’s stricken face.

“I’ll see you later, Jake.” She smiled at him before walking out the door.

“The nerve of that woman,” Helen huffed. “Really, Jake, just because she managed to pop out your child, who she hid for all this time, doesn’t mean she can just ingratiate herself with the family. You should have seen the way Mom and Dad were treating her.”

“How did Mom and Dad treat her?” Jake asked, wanting to strangle his sister. He couldn’t blame Charlie for going off on Helen. He’d always told Helen her mouth would get her in trouble one day.

“Like she was one of the family. Oh, she put on a good show as if she cared, but I know it was just an act. Then she made up some ghost story just to be the center of attention. To make matters worse, she involved the kids,” Helen seethed. Jake had tuned Helen out at the word ghost.

“That woman needs a good slap across the face,” Helen declared, bringing him back to their conversation.

“That woman has a name. It’s Charlie, use it.”

“I would sooner call her something else.”

“Are you finished?” Jake put up with a lot where his sister was concerned, but the disrespect of his daughter’s mother was one thing he wouldn’t tolerate.

“I could go on all day about that woman.”

“But you won’t because I will not listen to you anymore.”

“Jake—”

“Can it, Helen. You know what? You can be a real jackass sometimes. What right do you have to treat her that way?”

“How can you ask me that after what she did to you? She’s lucky I don’t scratch her eyes out.”

“Helen, you’re lucky she didn’t kick your ass. What happened between Charlie and me is none of your business. No matter what you think you know about the situation, don’t you ever talk about her like that again. She’s the mother of my child and I love her,” Jake warned his sister.

Helen snorted. “You love her? Even after what she did?”

“Helen, I know your heart is in the right place but you don’t know Charlie. Maybe if you got to know her, you would realize she is not as bad as you think. Truth be known, I haven’t been an angel in this entire ordeal.”

Helen’s jaw dropped as if she couldn’t believe he had spoken to her that way. “Jake, I just want you to be happy, and from what I’ve seen, Charlie has made you miserable. Even when I walked in here you had sort of a sad look in your eyes. Do you think I can stand back and say nothing?”

“As difficult as I know it is for you to keep your mouth shut, that’s exactly what I’m asking you to do. I’m asking you this, as your brother, to be nice to Charlie and if you can’t be nice to her, please be civil.”

“No way!”

“For me, Helen. You claim you are mad at her because of the way she treated me, but you don’t seem to care very much for my feelings right now. I’m asking you to do this one thing for me. If you want me to be happy then prove it. Just lay off, okay?”

“And if I don’t?” she challenged.

Jake sighed. “We’ve always been close, Hel, and I would hate to lose that closeness by not visiting you anymore.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would hope you don’t test me on it.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I have never been more serious about anything in my life. When you speak against Charlie, you’re speaking against me,” Jake said, wincing in pain as he tried to reposition himself in the bed. He wished the nurse would hurry up with his medication so he could get some sleep.

Helen folded her arms mutinously before she spoke. “Fine. I’ll be civil, but not for her sake. I’m doing it for you and that adorable little girl of yours,” she said stubbornly.

“That’s all I ask,” he said leaning back against the bed.

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