Page 62 of Tempted

“You didn’t know did you, Mother?” Victor didn’t like the implication of her silence.

Madeline raised her chin definitely and glared at him. “Of course I knew.”

“What?” he yelled feeling as if his head would explode. “You knowingly put my children in danger by recommending a felon to me? Are you insane? You’ve had some hair-brained schemes in your life but this takes the cake. How could you?”

“I did it because I knew you’d act like a butthead and that’s exactly what you’re doing now. Did you at least give the poor dear a chance to explain?”

“Poor dear? Are you kidding me? She tried to kill a man! She’s been in prison and God knows what other bad habits she might have picked up in there? I can’t believe you would do this. I thought you loved your grandchildren and I’ve always trusted your judgment about their welfare up until now.”

When she gasped, he realized he’d hurt her but he was furious. His mother, the one person who was supposed to be in his corner had been in cahoots with a con artist. He wasn’t going to back down in this.

“I love those kids and you know it.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Do I?”

“Yes, you do. And you may be angry with me for withholding this information, but I’m still your mother. You’re not too old for me to smack you to next month so you’d better watch your tone with me, young man. It’s true, I knew about Jasmine. She was honest with me from the beginning. I was the one who told her to not tell you during the interview because I knew she was right for the job and I also knew you wouldn’t look past her history.”

Victor flared his nostrils. He wasn’t going to let her put him in the wrong. “Damn right I wouldn’t. She’s a criminal.”

“You’re starting to sound like a broken record, Victor.”

“Mother¯”

She held up her hand. “Don’t you mother me, Victor Alexander. If your father was alive he would be sick over the way you’re acting right now. He was a fair man who had compassion for his fellow man. One of the charities I’ve worked with in the past employed ex-offenders and I got the opportunity to talk to some of them.”

“Mother—”

She shook her head. “No. Let me finish. I learned a lot from the people I talked to. Not everyone is dealt a fair hand in life and sometimes those situations lead to desperation. I agree that there are some horrible people in prison who deserve to be there but then there are people who are taken advantage of by an unjust system. Sometimes they make mistakes but it doesn’t mean we should simply write them off. That’s what’s wrong with the world today. Jasmine needed a job and I saw how good she was with the children. She explained her past to me to my satisfaction. So I wanted to help her. I shouldn’t have taken that decision out of your hands, but I did and for that, I’m sorry. After Jasmine had been her for a while, I thought you would see for yourself what kind of person she is and you’d judge for yourself and see beyond some unfortunate circumstances.”

“Those circumstances being that she repeatedly stabbed a man!” he roared feeling himself lose the upper hand.

“And even after she’s been under your roof for months, and seeing how much Chelsea and Tyler love her, and how highly I think of her you couldn’t listen to her side of the story? She probably should have told you much sooner but¯”

“No. She shouldn’t have deceived me at all.”

“And where would that have gotten her? She wouldn’t have had the job now would she?”

“Of course not. I love my children.”

“One wouldn’t think by the way you’ve ignored them most of their lives. Jasmine turned that around and this is how you repay her? How could you? I raised you better than that. I’m so disappointed in you.”

He’d had enough. “Well, I guess I’ll have to live with that disappointment. And going forward I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere with the decisions I make concerning my children. Your comments about how they’re raised are neither required nor wanted.”

“I see.” That stubborn chin came up once again. “Well, seeing as there’s nothing more to be said on the subject, I guess I’ll go home. Do I take this to mean I’m not allowed to see my grandchildren?”

Victor sighed. He was super pissed at her duplicity but he didn’t want to end things this way with his mother. They’d always been close and he would eventually forgive her for this but right now he just felt like being angry. He knew she’d meant no harm and probably believed Jasmine to be a good person. That was his mother, compassionate to a fault. She just needed to know she’d gone too far this time. “Mother, of course you can see them anytime you’d like. What kind of monster do you think I am?”

“The kind who toss out a single mother trying to pick up the pieces of her life after an unfortunate ordeal.” She turned on her heel and headed toward the door.

Victor felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach but he wouldn’t let her have the last word. “Yes, some mother. Did she tell you about her child endangerment charge?”

Madeline stiffened and turned. “What are you talking about, Victor?”

A smirk tilted the side of his mouth. “I guess you didn’t know everything did you. That’s how she lost her daughter. Don’t you see? Jasmine played you for a fool?”

His mother glared at him so hard if looks could kill he would have dropped dead on the spot. “No, she didn’t tell me, but unlike you, I’ll reserve judgment until I have the actual facts. Say what you will about her, Victor, but Jasmine Brooks is a decent woman who’s had some bad luck. And now I’m questioning how I could have raised such a heartless son. Good luck dealing with the fallout because you’re on your own.”

She slammed the door behind her.

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