Behind Classroom Doors II

CXIII- Acceptance

Livia's P.O.V.

I rush out of his room and to the bathroom across the guest bedroom. My nerves are so jumbled that I barely make it to the toilet before puking. When I'm finished, I try to catch my breath just like on the plane. After a minute, I've calmed down enough to get up and look for some mouthwash.

After the third time rinsing my mouth, I exit the bathroom, and walk downstairs. "Are you okay? I heard glass shattering." Dianne says as she touches my tear stained face.

I pull her hand away, nodding. "I'm fine, he just needs a minute." I look between Jack and Dianne. "I'm sorry, I had no idea it would be this bad. I would've waited or-"

Jack interrupts me, "You couldn't have known. You were just helping me."

Katie finishes cleaning up Jack's nose at the table. "If I'm being honest, I don't know how to feel. I mean, I guess it makes sense now that he's explained everything."

"You explained everything? Good." At least Katie isn't mad at me too. She begins throwing the tissues up and putting the first aid kit away.

Dianne nods, "Believe me it's a lot to process but," She pauses to take a good look at Jack, "A mother knows, and that's definitely my son."

"Yeah well, tell Shawn that." Dianne moves to go upstairs but I grab her arm to stop her. "Let's wait until he's sober."

I let go of Dianne as she smiles, "I guess I can come back in the morning. It's been a long night anyway." I glance up at the clock, it's only eight-thirty. Long night is an exaggeration, it feels like it's past midnight. She kisses my forehead, "Are you going to be okay?"

Despite my feelings of uncertainty, I try to be reassuring. "Of course."

She leaves after that. Katie goes to bed next, saying goodnight to the both of us before walking up the stairs. I tell Jack that he's still welcome to stay in the guest bedroom with Katie. "I'm staying but only in case Shawn tries anything." He tells me.

I appreciate him trying to protect me or whatever but Shawn would never hurt me. Not physically anyway. So I change the subject. "How are you feeling, after everything?" I point to his face, "It looks like Shawn got you pretty good."

Jack leans against the wall, looking up the steps. "Yeah well, I can't help but think I deserved it." He pauses, "I thought I had it bad but...I'll never understand what he went through."

I sigh, sitting on the steps, "The same could be said for you. I mean you were practically kidnapped."

Jack chuckles dryly, "That's true. They were good parents though. I went to a foster home with seven kids. It was only for a little over a week while my mom and dad pushed the adoption papers through."

"That's where you met Ty and Layla." I smile, "I suppose Emily couldn't just take you right out of the hospital."

"Yeah," Jack continues, "I thought that place was pretty bad but now...I don't know what to think. What I remember of Dianne, she was so involved. She was happy and healthy and kind. It's hard to think of her as anything but a great mother."

I reach out and grab his hand in an effort to comfort him. I used to think he was a bad guy, out to get Shawn and I for all of the wrong reasons. My instincts were right about him being up to something, but everything else was false. He's a good man who just wanted to find his birth family. "Shawn just needs some time to process everything. If you're patient with him, I'm sure he'll come around." Even though I'm upset at Shawn right now, I know he's just hurting. We'll get past this just like we do everything else.