Journey for the Gem

Journey for the Gem- Chapter 19

EPILOUGE

        *#1 JASPER’S THOUGHTS

Jasper hesitantly stepped into the small, dimly lit hotel room. Bringing his mother back had really changed his life; his father now seriously, really cared about him, not just Jasper’s looks and having a good image. Just last week, he had awkwardly asked Jasper what his favorite bands were. Two days later, an envelope had been placed on his white, linen-clean hotel mattress, containing two tickets to Kicking Daisies, along with a handwritten note from his father, saying:

Jasper,

I’m not very good with emotions. I think you’ve figured that out by now, so I want to say in this letter that I haven’t been the best father. I haven’t been there for you, and I’m so sorry, son. I really do love you so much, but I guess I just sort of fell apart when you came home from school that day, covered in your mother’s blood and holding that golden knife. And know that I have my special lady back, I wanted to apologize for everything. I was just an emotionless shell, and I’m sorry again. So to make a small sliver of my behavior up, I bought these tickets for you and YOUR special lady to go to. You told me that this was one of her favorite bands to see, so here you are. Just keep her away from that male singer and that smoking guitar player. Well, love you.

Dad.

Jasper was jolted back to the present as the door opened and his father smiled at Jasper. Jasper nodded his head awkwardly at him, choosing a thin smile over a glare. His father was already forgiven, but silences with him were still too awkward for his taste. Jasper spoke first.

“Hey, Dad. Um, could I maybe… see mom?”

His dad’s slight smile widened into a pitying lovey-dovey look. “Sure.”

Jasper drew a deep breath in. He had been putting this off for too long; he needed to suck it up and go in there. He guessed that he was not charging into his mother’s private room since he had been the reason for her death. If he had told her not to pick him up from school that day, she would’ve been alive and well. But he also wouldn’t have met Jade or anyone else, probably. He wouldn’t have transferred schools and learned that he was inhabited by an Egyptian god, and his dad would still be cold to him.

He opened the door slowly, quietly, cautiously.

“Honey?” his mother’s voice rang out in the silent room. “Is that you, Jasper?” Ramie asked again. Jasper heard the rustling of sheets as his mother got up from the bed that she was napping in to turn on the lights, and Jasper saw his mother for the first time in two years, alive. He felt a delirious smile spread across his face and his eyes light up as he took in her figure. His mother used to be a frail woman with dirty blonde hair and warm brown eyes. Now she was a larger, stronger, and healthier version of herself. Rust-colored brownish-red hair went down to her back, and her brown eyes were tinged with green. She smiled at him as Jasper stepped forward to hug her.

“I missed you, mom,” he said, allowing himself to sob slightly as he felt Ramie’s warm, muscular arms envelop him and squeeze him until he was gasping for air.

Life was going to be fine with his mom back, Jade as his girlfriend, and the gang by his side.

        X^) RUBIO’S THOUGHTS

“Hey, Ruby,” Rubio said, smiling at his half-sister, who was currently trying to stomp on his foot. He had snuck up on her while she was eating an ice cream cone, and Rubio had taken it and licked it all over before throwing it off the hotel balcony.

“Rubio! You little dork, I love you already!” she shrieked finally breaking her façade and jumping on him, smothering him with a bear hug.

Rubio smiled, touched. He hugged her back, patting her shoulder. Suddenly he whipped her around and put her in a full nelson headlock and smiled in satisfaction as she screamed at him.