The road to love (editing!!)

Chapter 14 - Shockingly honest moments (edited)

Jessie

I closed the door and leaned against it with a dreamy smile on my face. Tonight had been one of the best nights of my life. Dean was an amazing person. Tentative, romantic, a good listener and a great kisser. He was so different from the Dean Parker image I had had of him in my mind from skimming Sharon's tabloids. He actually was more... human, normal even. Just a generally nice guy who happened to have been dumped in the hot and sexy pot at birth, causing women to fawn over him wherever he goes. Tonight was not different. Everyone from the girl at the reception desk, to the waitress who served us, to the manageress of the restaurant had tried to catch his eye at one stage or another. Yet he paid no attention to anyone else but me, making me feel like the most treasured and definitely the most envied girl alive.

I stepped away from the door and put my bag and keys on the small table in the living room, before going to look for my mother.

"Hi mom! I'm back", I greeted her, finding my mother in the kitchen as I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before walking on a cloud back to the living room. She finished making her coffee and followed me out of the kitchen, cup in hand.

"How was the night, honey?"

"It was great, mom!"

"I haven't seen you smile like this since the day you got your job at Mojo. He must be something special to have my baby this riled up," she teased me.

"Oh, he is. I'm so happy mom! I never thought I would find a guy as special as Dean!" I smiled happily at her.

"Dean? Dean who? "

"Dean Parker", I replied, still wearing the silly smile.

She choked on her coffee and stared at me in shock.

"NO!", she hissed at me anxiously. "You can't date him. I won't allow it."

I stared at her in shock over her sudden reaction to Dean's name. "What do you mean, you won't allow it! I'm a grown woman, mother. I can date who I want."

"No Jessie. He's not right for you. He'll only hurt you in the end. It's what the Parkers do!"

I suddenly felt confused, angry and hurt. "What is your problem with the Parkers, Mother? They are a well-known and respected family. I can't believe Dean is even looking my way, never mind dating me. Why are you suddenly so dead-set against us? Why can't you just be happy for me?"

I sat down on the couch, realizing that I had started shaking while saying those last words. I could not believe my own mother, the one person I thought would honestly be happy that I found someone great, would be so against us dating.

My mother saw the desperation on my face and sighed, calming down. "I do want you to be happy Jessica, just... please, find someone else."

I turned to her, realizing that she's keeping something from me. "I've asked you this before, Mother, and I'm asking you again. What happened between you and the Parkers? What are you not telling me?"

She looked down at the floor. "I... can't tell you, Jes. Please don't make me," she whispered as she sat down on the one-seater opposite me, suddenly defeated.

"Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm not giving up my happiness with Dean for a ghost from your past, Mother." I stood up angrily, ready to leave the room.

"Jessica! Wait!" I turned to her.

"Fine. I'll tell you, because you need to know." She motioned to the couch opposite her from which I had just gotten up and I could see her hand was trembling. "Sit down, honey. This is going to take a while."