Page 12 of Jack

Zuri could not blame her. Jazmine's familylife had been less than stellar. Her father had been an abusive drunkand her mother had not even bothered to put up a fight. As soon asshe finished college, she left for Europe where she had been dazzledby a smooth-talking Italian and rushed into marriage.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "But I need to."She swiped at the tears on her cheeks. "He was abusive."

Zuri's eyes flashed, and she felt her angerrising. "He hit you?"

"No." She shook her head againwith a broken laugh. "I told myself that it would have beenbetter if he did. Then I could have retaliated. Given as good as Ireceived." Her watery smile came. "Remember that jerk oncampus?"

"Larry something or another. Tried toharass us when we decided we wanted nothing to do with his drugs."Zuri smiled at the memory. "Thought he was dealing with a bunchof naive and scared girls."

"We showed him."

"Crippled him from the waist down."She laughed softly. "I will never forget the look on his damnface." Her smile faded. "Honey, it's okay if you don't wantto talk."

"I need to and you're my best friend.I should not have married him, Zoo. I saw the signs. He was amegalomaniac. And I saw glimpses of it. He wanted more of everything.And if I received a contract over him, he would go into a sulk. Heisolated me, telling me that he just wanted us to be alone together."She smiled bitterly. "I had several miscarriages."

"Oh honey."

"But it's for the best. He neverwanted children. He told me that after we were married, made it likeit would come between our careers." She paused and stared intoher cooling brew. "Said he wanted me all to himself. With nodistractions. When I discovered the first time that I was pregnant, Ithought he would come around. I was wrong. He called me names and wehad a horrible argument. When I had the miscarriage, he brought meflowers in the hospital and said he was going to be better. He neverwas."

Zuri reached across the table and graspedJazmine's hand, offering silent comfort. "I'm so sorry you hadto go through that," she said softly.

Jazmine squeezed her hand in return. "Thankyou, Zoo. Talking to you helps more than you know."

"Anytime," Zuri replied. "You'renot alone in this. We'll get through it together."

Jazmine nodded, appreciating the support."I just need to find a way to move on, to rebuild my life."

"You will," Zuri assured her."You're strong, and you have so much to offer the world. Take itone step at a time." An idea emerged. "Why don't you comeand stay with us for a while? There's an extra bedroom and I am sureZach would have no objections to you staying."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly!"

"Of course you could." The morethe idea took root, the more she realized it was exactly what herfriend needed. "You are now back in the states, and you saidyou've retired from modeling. Have you any idea what you're going todo?"

"Buy a house, put my art degree tosome use." She laughed shakily. "I have some money putaside—enough so that I can afford to rusticate for a bit."

"While you're contemplating that andlooking for the perfect place, you're staying with us," she toldher firmly. "I refuse to take no for an answer, and you knowwhat kind of pain in the ass I can be when I am determined to get myown way."

"Don't remind me. Are you sure yourbrother won't mind? I don't want to impose."

"He won't. Zach's cool like that."

The profound sadness settled over her. "Inever had that."

Zuri squeezed her hand. "I know. Haveyou seen her?"

Jazmine shook her head. "I calledwhile I was in Italy and told her about the divorce. Do you know whatshe said? That it serves me right for traipsing abroad to hook upwith a foreigner. And that I had better not think I could come by andstay with her. I bought her that house."

Her lips trembled and Zuri felt thefrustrated anger and pain at her friend's suffering.

"As if you would stay with her. I knowshe's your mother, but I have never seen a more bitter and dried upwoman."

"I used to make excuses for her. Hewas abusive and she was afraid to leave. Fear crippled her, but I dobelieve she enjoyed being a victim. I swore I would never becomeher."

"And you haven't," Zuri remindedher swiftly.

"I keep telling myself that." Shesmiled tremulously. "Every day."

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