Mrs. McNeil

"Um, thanks for taking the time to come here, Mrs. McNeil," I said, trying to steer the conversation towards a more positive direction.

"Why didn't he greet me at the door?" Jaspers mom looked unpleasant already.

"It's not his fault. The staff met you at the door and you never asked for one of us to let you in ourselves. I wouldn't have even answered the phone if Alex didn't say anything," Jasper explained.

"How could you say something so cruel? Do you know how hard it was to bring you up and keep my job? Do you even know how much I miss you?" Jaspers mother reached for him but Jasper pushed her hands away.

"Yeah yeah, I get it, you want to talk more," Jasper sighed.

"Yes!" She said. The atmosphere became strange and uncomfortable as Jasper tried not to look at his mother.

"Um, thanks for taking the time to come here, Mrs. McNeil," I said, trying to steer the conversation towards a more positive direction.

"You're married now, you can call me mom," she suggested, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Why say it if you don't mean it?

"I don't take up new habits easily," I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite the tension in the room.

"It's good to see you healthy, Mom," Jasper finally said, his voice tinged with reluctance.

"Likewise," she replied, though the warmth in her tone was noticeably absent.

The exchange felt strained, each word weighed down by the weight of unresolved issues and unspoken grievances.

As Jasper's mother continued with her backhanded compliments, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation prickling beneath the surface. "Your restaurant certainly has a... unique charm," she commented, her tone dripping with thinly veiled disdain.

Jasper shifted uncomfortably beside me, clearly sensing the underlying tension in the conversation. "Mom, please," he interjected, attempting to diffuse the situation. "Let's not dwell on trivial things. We're here to enjoy a meal together."

His mother's lips curled into a tight smile, though her eyes remained cold. "Of course, dear. But one can't help but notice the... eclectic decor."

I bit back a retort, instead opting for a neutral response. "We wanted to create an atmosphere that reflects the diversity of our clientele."

She nodded, though her expression remained skeptical. "I see."

The conversation continued in a similar vein, with Jasper's mother offering veiled critiques disguised as polite observations. Each remark grated on my nerves, but I remained outwardly composed.

I don't like the "meeting the parents" stage much.

Finally, as dessert was served, I decided to take the opportunity to steer the conversation in a more positive direction. "Mrs. McNeil, I must say, your son has been an invaluable asset to our team," I said, directing a genuine smile at Jasper. "His dedication and expertise have truly elevated our operations."

Jasper's mother's demeanor softened slightly at the praise, though a hint of skepticism lingered in her eyes. "Well, I suppose he's always had a knack for... certain things," she conceded, her tone begrudgingly acknowledging Jasper's achievements.

I nodded, grateful for the small semblance of approval. "Indeed. We're very fortunate to have him on board."

"When will you two hold a wedding?" His mom asked.

"We haven't thought about it," Jasper said. I noticed the subtle smile on her face at his response, as if she were hoping for a negative answer.

"I'd rather use the money doesn't on a wedding for more important things. Maybe that money could be used for charity work," I interjected, shrugging nonchalantly. I knew that she wouldn't be able to argue with the altruistic sentiment without sounding callous.

His mom turned to me, her gaze probing. "Where are your parents?"

"We don't speak," I replied simply.

"Must be something wrong if your own parents won't talk to you," Jasper's mom chuckled, her tone laced with thinly veiled judgment.

"That was out of line!" Jasper interjected, clearly uncomfortable with her line of questioning.

I remained composed, meeting her gaze evenly. "It's fine. There's lots of things wrong with my parents, so it was better for me to distance myself," I replied evenly, a hint of steel in my voice.

"For profit?" She prodded, trying to emphasize that I was somehow at fault for not being close to my parents.

"For self-preservation," I clarified, refusing to let her insinuations go unchallenged. "I can't risk thousands of people's jobs and livelihoods for those greedy people," I shrugged.

His mom shook her head. "I've spoken with Harper-"

"Mom, I'm married to Alex," Jasper said firmly, cutting her off.

"But why don't you like her?" His mom persisted.

"I've always hated her," Jasper admitted bluntly.

"Even if she's on the force like you?" His mom pressed.

"Especially now that she's on the force!" Jasper's frustration was palpable in his voice.

"And have you met any nice girls on the force, Jasper? I'm sure you're meeting all kinds of new people every day, and your father and I would love to see you get a girlfriend this year-"

"I'm already married," Jasper sighed, his tone heavy with resignation.

"Your father and I tried our best to raise a good kid here, Jasper, not ... I don't even know. There's nothing for me to say to this. You know what you're doing is wrong, don't you?" She whimpered, her disappointment evident.

Jasper shook his head sadly. "No, I don't think so ..."

"You don't think so? For Christ's sake, Jasper, did eighteen years of raising you just disappear? We took you to Sunday school every week, didn't we? We made sure to censor your TV, so you only watched decent shows. We had you home on the weekends by eleven. We chose all your friends to see that they were a good influence on you. We-"

"Mom, stop!" Jasper interjected, his voice a bit louder than he intended. "This has nothing to do with any of that. I'm not a criminal, okay? I never cheated at anything, I'm not doing drugs and I'm not a degenerate. I'm still me. And I'm aware that you don't approve, but I really don't think that it's wrong. Plus, I'm thirty now, you have no say."

Mrs. McNeil stood up, her frustration evident. "Don't think it's wrong? I'd go as far as to say it's sick, Jasper. It's not only wrong, it's unnatural, and it's sick."

"Mom, please," Jasper implored, his voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and determination. "I'm not a kid anymore. You've gotta accept that this is what I want and while you might not approve, I'm still your son, right?" Mrs. McNeil remained silent, her expression betraying uncertainty. Jasper pressed on, his resolve unwavering. "I just wanted you to meet him. Now you have. I wasn't going to lie to you, Mom. I am an adult now, and I have nothing to hide from you. This is me, and this is what I want. And whether you like it or not, you can't change me, not anymore. You can't screen my friends or force me to think the way you do. Because in this, I think you are absolutely wrong." Jasper's voice grew stronger, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I am going to be with Alex for a very long time. I love him, Mom, and for that, I won't apologize."

Mrs. McNeil's stubbornness remained unyielding. "You really lost your way," she insisted, her words laced with disapproval. "What about children?"

"Alex can't get pregnant," Jasper retorted, his response firm and unapologetic. "He'd already be pregnant if it were possible!"

"Jasper!"

"We consummated the marriage the first night after getting drunk!" Jasper bragged more to get under his mother's skin. "And we had plenty of hot premarital sex before that!"

As Jasper started to boast about consummating our marriage and our premarital relations and sinning, I couldn't help but lose my composure. A loud snort of amusement escaped me, despite the seriousness of the situation. It was a bizarre mix of emotions—part shock, part amusement, and a hint of disbelief.

His mom turned her attention to me. "How did you deceive my son?! I've heard the kind of person you are!"

Before I could even respond, Jasper intervened. "I've always known Alex had a strong personality, and that's what I love about him the most! Those rumors aren't true! Don't insult my husband! He's a better person than you!"

"He disrespected me and you're standing up for him?!" His mom yelled, clearly agitated.

"You clearly insulted him first! And I'm the one who disrespected you! Your mental state is clearly off the rails! Have you hit menopause?!" Jasper snapped back, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Jasper's mother gasped at his retort. "He's going to bully others with his power! The Todd family is unethical!"

"If I was going to bully you, you wouldn't be on my property right now," I interjected with a smirk, unable to resist a bit of sass.

"Alex is lovely, he'd never bully anyone," Jasper added, trying to diffuse the tension with a white lie. The air crackled with tension as the confrontation escalated.

His mother, still visibly upset, nodded reluctantly, and the conversation finally came to an uneasy truce as we finished our meal in strained silence.

As we finished our meal, I couldn't resist the urge to lighten the mood. "Hey, Jasper, want some cake?" I teased, offering him a forkful.

Jasper grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Only if it's fed to me by you," he replied playfully, leaning closer to accept the forkful of cake from me.

I giggled, enjoying the playful banter. "Well, aren't you lucky? You get the deluxe cake treatment," I teased, feeding him another bite.

Despite his mom's disapproving gaze, we continued our playful exchange, feeding each other bites of cake and sharing quiet laughter. In that moment, it felt like it was just the two of us, enjoying each other's company and the simple pleasure of dessert, while the rest of the world faded into the background.

"This meal is quite disappointing, Alex. It's evident that your taste reflects your character," she remarked.

Trying to maintain my composure, I responded, "I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy it. To each their own, I guess."

Ignoring my attempt to diffuse the tension, she continued, "It's not just the food. Everything about this place screams mediocrity. It's a wonder anyone comes here."

Choosing diplomacy, I replied, "I understand that everyone has different tastes, but we've received positive feedback from many of our patrons."

"Let's focus on enjoying the time together, Mom. The food may not be perfect for you, but the company certainly is," Jasper suggested.

I nodded in agreement, adding, "Absolutely. Let's not let a meal come between family."

His mom, still disapproving, reluctantly agreed, saying, "Well, I suppose we can agree on that. Speaking of, I had a very long chat with your mother, Alex," she began, her tone dripping with thinly veiled disapproval.

I arched an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Oh, did you now?"

"Yes, and she had quite a lot of concerning things to say about you," she continued, her gaze piercing.

I exchanged a knowing glance with Jasper, bracing myself for whatever accusations were about to come my way.

"She painted quite the picture of you, Alex," she said, her words heavy with judgment. "Described you as... well, let's just say, not the kind of person I'd want my son associating with."

Suppressing a smirk, I replied, "Really? And what exactly did she say?"

Jasper's mom launched into a detailed account of my supposed misdeeds, each accusation more outlandish than the last. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as she described me as some sort of corporate villain straight out of a movie.

Jasper interjected, his tone calm yet firm. "Mom, whether you approve or not is of no concern to me," he said, his words slicing through the tension in the air.

His mom's anger flared, her eyes narrowing as she glared at him. "You're making a mistake, Jasper," she warned, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Let me make my mistakes in peace then, Mom," Jasper asserted firmly.

His mom's disapproval lingered in the air, palpable and heavy. "Jasper, please, can't you see? There are plenty of other suitable partners out there for you. You don't have to settle for someone like him," she pleaded, gesturing towards me.

"I'm already married to him, Mom," Jasper replied, his tone tinged with exasperation. "And for the record, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Those rumors are just that—rumors."

His mom's brows furrowed in frustration. "But what about your father? He wouldn't approve of this."

Jasper shrugged nonchalantly. "Honestly, Dad wouldn't care as long as I'm not breaking the law. Look, Mom, I understand that you may have reservations about Alex and me," Jasper continued, his voice softer now, laced with a hint of vulnerability. "But I need you to trust me on this. I wouldn't have married him if I didn't truly believe in our relationship."

His mom's gaze hardened, her lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval. "Jasper, honey, I just want what's best for you," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "I worry that you're rushing into things without considering the consequences."

"I appreciate your concern, Mom, I really do," Jasper replied, his tone gentle yet resolute. "But I'm a grown man now, and I need to make my own decisions. And right now, being with Alex feels right to me."

Finally, she let out a resigned sigh, her eyes clouded with disappointment. "I suppose there's no changing your mind, is there?" she murmured, her voice tinged with defeat.

Jasper shook his head, a flicker of sadness crossing his features. "No, Mom. This is who I am, and Alex is a part of that now," he said, reaching out to squeeze my hand reassuringly.

His mom regarded us both with a mixture of resignation and disapproval, her disappointment palpable in the air.

I could tell dealing with her in the future won't be very pleasant.