Something In Between

Chapter Twenty

Jeremy's P.O.V.

Another hard pressure came upon my bruised hand and I sank my nails of my unocuppied hand into Mia's arm. I knew I was hurting her and I should let go of her but she didn't seem to want to let my hand go. Who knew beating up my bastard of an old man would make me end up in the patient's room with a bruised fist. I wasn't much of a fighter actually. David and Zach were the fighters in our little group. I buried my face into the crook of Mia's neck, breathing her sweet scent in. She smelled so damn good - I nuzzled my face into the depths of her neck and felt the heat from her skin radiating to my own. My lips pulled up into a smirk at her innocent reaction.

I was just about to have a taste of her skin when another pain was caused on my fist and a moan was elicited out of me. "That fucking hurt, Lucy." "Language," all of them mumbled solemnly. I pulled my face from Mia's neck and caught a glimpse of disappointment crossing over Mom's features. My heart fell at the sight. Lucy had already wrapped up a white cloth around my fist, shielding my scraped knuckles.  

"Mom. You are not angry. Are you?" I asked her carefully. 

She sighed, stood up and looked at my friends and their girlfriends. "Children, I need to have a talk with my son. If you don't mind." Larissa and Karen said simultaneously. "Of course we don't." Chelsea simply nodded, tugged on David's sleeves and dragged him out of the room. He eagerly complied, sending me a wink. I rolled my eyes, wiggling my fingers in the air. Karen and Larissa mimicked Chelsea's actions and all of them strode out of the room. 

"If you don't mind, Mama Cover, I would like to stay." I looked towards Mia, catching on the determined look etched on her face. She couldn't have looked more beautiful. "Mia, you don't want to -" She placed her index finger against my lips, silencing me. "You have no say in this, Jeremy. I want to know more about you and that can't happen if you keep putting up walls around you." I carressed her cheeks, unaware of the presence of Mom and Lucy being in the room. "You should know that I have a messed up life, Mia. I'm a screw-up and I. . ." Tears were clouding my vision. She stroked my cheek with the most delicate touch. "Nobody is perfect in life, Jer and believe it or not, I used to have a messed up life as well. That was until I met you." 

She forced me to look into her eyes and I found myself getting lost in the brown of them. One drop of tear trailed down my cheek and I leaned my forehead against hers. "And I you," I mumbled in hushed tones. Mia pulled away from me, much to my disappointment and looked back at Mom and Lucy, who were huddled together on an empty bed. Lucy had tears running down her cheeks as well as Mom did. "Mom, I'm really sorry for -" She shook her head, cutting me off. "I don't blame you for hating him, Jeremy. In fact, I'm actually proud of what you did." She lifted up her head, meeting my wet eyes.

"But, earlier I saw -"

"I'm disappointed in what that man became." Lucy shot her look. "Mom, he is none of your concern anymore." Leaving Mia's side, I squatted in front of my mom and held her hands in mine. "Mom, it's high time we find out what actually made you marry him. We are not kids anymore." Mom gave me a weak smile, her eyes still glistened in tears. 

"Do you ever wonder why I never mentioned your grandparents? My mom and dad?" she silently queried. Lucy and I shook our heads. "Your grandpa was actually a millionaire back in the day. The typical cocky, handsome yet player of an heir. Your grandma - well, she was a waitress in a bar and sometimes, she would entertain the man that comes through the entrance." My heart constricted. I always knew Mom kind of hated her mother but I never expected this. From the looks of it, Lucy had no idea too. Mom continued, never noticing the surprised looks on our faces.

"One day, your grandpa walked through that door and every woman in the bar knew something was not right. Ian Cover was a well-bred and for him to stride through that bar as if it were the most normal thing he did was unbelievable. Your grandma was a beauty back then but even she knew what kind of man he was. Ian wasn't the type of man that would back down from a challenge and when he had his eyes set on a woman, he vowed that he would always get them. He lured her into a trap and she fell right into it. They continued their relationship for a while until eventually, they started falling for one another. However when your grandma got pregnant with me, he asked her hand in marriage. But because Ian's father was so against his son getting married to someone of her upbringing, he ordered a few man to go after your grandma. Ian got there just when they reached your grandma but by accident, they fired a shot on Ian. He died on the spot. In a state of panic, those men ran off. At that very moment, I decided to grace Earth with my presence," she said in cold sarcasm.