The Thorns To Our Roses

TTOR || 15. Jenna

The rest of brunch was awkward to say the least. The buisness partner and his son that my dad had invited left as soon as i shared my news about my new relationship. They all looked at me like I was going crazy and when we were leaving Malik, Sadie, and Andre didn't even bother saying bye to me instead they looked at me in disgust. Everyone made it clear that they didn't support my decision. I was expecting a more supportive reaction from Sadie and my brothers. I knew my father would disapprove but the fact that my own siblings did really hurt. On the way back to the car I heard my name being called. I turned around and saw it was Jenna.

"Can you give us a minute" Jenna asked Gio and Matteo once she was in front of us. Gio and Matteo gave me a concerned look and waited for me to decide.

"It'll be quick. Wait for me in the car. I'll be okay." I said stepping away from them. They went into the car as I instructed and Jenna and I sat on the bench not too far from where the car was parked.

"What was it you needed to tell me. And if my father sent you you can go back because he already knows if he wants to tell me something he has to tell me to m-"

"Don't worry, i'm not playing messenger" She said, interrupting me from rambling on. "I just wanted to come and say I support you. Even if I'm not your actual mother and in the last couple years that your father and I have been married we haven't exactly got to know each other, I wanted you to know you have at least one person on your side even if it does not mean much." Jenna said with genuine sincerity in her voice and eyes.

I had never gotten to know Jenna. She came into our life when my father and I started fighting more and our family started spending less time together. From what I knew she was 4 years younger than my father, had a son of her own who was in college, and she had a degree in Environmental Engineering. She worked with big companies including my fathers. On her own she made a lot of money so she was not with my father for his money which confused me entirely. Whatever she saw in him I sure could not. My sibling and I respected her because of her sincerity and honesty in everything that she did. I was glad that she never made a move to try to replace my mother. I believed that she was a kind person who just had bad, correction absolutely terrible, taste in men.

Her support almost brought tears to me. Today I had already managed to turn my best friend and my brothers against me. Her saying that she was someone I could turn to filled a little of the hole that was dug when my mom left. The idea of an older woman I could look at as a mother like figure was something I had longed for for a long time now. Without realizing what I was doing I brought her in for a hug. She wrapped her pale arms that was complemented by her naturally red hair around me and rubbed my back until i started to pull away.

"Of course it does mean a lot to me. Thank you Jenna for everything. I may not know what you see in my father but I am glad to have you as my stepmother." I said smiling at her as she returned the gesture. We talked for another 10 minutes and decided to meet up sometime soon.