Page 104 of Grand Love

Scarlet corrects me before our glasses meet. “No. To the boys.” She winks at me. “May god have mercy on their eyeballs.”

“And inappropriate boners,” Megan adds, making us all laugh.

“To the boys and inappropriate boners!” we say in unison, clinking the Lowells’ finest crystal.

* * *

Mase

My eyes seekout Jasmine sitting at the reception desk the minute the elevator doors slide open. I haven’t bothered to chat to her in weeks, she seems to come in, get her job done then leave. She doesn’t say much to me, she doesn’t really acknowledge me to be honest, but I do know she speaks to George a lot. I wouldn’t have bothered to think much of her mood had the email I received this morning not arrived in my inbox.

“Jasmine.”

Her head pops up, her eyes tired and red-rimmed.

It throws me off, despite my indifference towards her.

“Can I have a word?”

“George isn’t in yet,” she tells me, looking around at the empty reception area.

“It’s fine, pick the messages up after.”

She follows me into the office and instead of sitting at my desk, I gesture to the sofas. With a frown, she lowers herself to sit down, smoothing out her skirt and sitting with her knees together and angled to the side. She looks like a different woman to the one who was photographed on my lap last year. Her skin is clear, her hair shiny and not a tacky yellow colour like it was before.

“You look well, Jasmine,” I announce as the thought comes to me.

I can see the surprise my compliment has on her. I instantly think back to every interaction we have had. It’s always been about Nina, or her children. I’ve certainly never complimented her.

“Thank you.” She watches me, waiting. She knows I didn’t call her in here to tell her that.

“I had an email this morning. Vinny picked it up in your inbox. Do you not check your work account?”

She frowns, then smooths her hands over the edge of the sofa in thought. “You snooped through my messages?”

“We have access to all employees’ emails, Jasmine.” I lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees. “You listed it with your social worker.”

“Oh no.” She tenses, her body jolting before she catches herself. “I haven’t looked.”

“Here.” I pull up the email, leaning forward and passing her my phone so she can read it.

“They’re giving me contact?” Her smile is instant and lights up her entire face. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her smile, and ironically, it reminds me of one I’m all too fond of. “I haven’t seen the boys in nearly two years.” Her voice cracks. “I’ve missed so much.”

Fuck.

I rub my hands together, watching on like a jackass, not knowing what to do as she swipes at her tears. “This is good news; they obviously see that you’re making an effort. The meetings are going well?”

She nods. “Yeah, I just… I gave up when they took Betty.” She composes herself, taking in a breath and blowing it out harshly as she reads the message again.

She looks up once she’s finished. “I hated you so much that day. I still do a little.”

“Watching them take Betty from you will be something I will never feel proud about, Jasmine. No matter how many wrongs you have done, I know you don’t deserve the hand you’ve been dealt in life. You just need to learn to help yourself.”

“You think they might actually let me have them back?”

“If you carry on as you are, I don’t see why they wouldn’t.” I swallow thickly, not wanting to feel sorry for her but not being able to control my emotions. Jasmine isn’t a bad person. She just got a little lost in life. “Jasmine, I’m sorry. I believe I judged you too soon, and wrongly. I can see that Lenny was a massive part of the problem.” I roll my lips, my knee bouncing. “By voluntarily stepping away from him, you took a massive step towards your children.”

“I know.” She nods, looking at her lap.

---