Bloodline

Feeling betrayed is an odd thing. Usually, betrayal is done for a reason, maybe a lack of options or a sense of moral right, but it never seems right, does it? even when you know you're doing the right thing there's that knot in your stomach, telling you that this is wrong. That you're gonna hurt someone you care about. I've definitely crossed people in order to help them, Skye springs to mind, but I've never actively worked against their interests to benefit myself. I've never been close enough to someone to feel truly betrayed, or have the option of betraying them...

Now I do. And I feel betrayed by the one person who I've relied on for my entire life.

I know, I know. I'm meant to be working on forgiving Jenny, but Jasper knows everything about what she did to me, and he still took her in? I know leaving someone on the street is awful, but... I mean he didn't even talk to me about it?

It's been a couple of days since I heard the news, I should be worried about starting work tomorrow. Instead, I'm obsessing over my brother's house guest. He's been at the hospital non-stop so I haven't had a chance to talk to him about it. Rouge has been helpful, calming me down and encouraging me to be rational, and Elise has taken such good care of me I can't find it in me to be mad at the moment. I'm just confused. I sit at the table with Elise and Camille, Rouge is out with Trish, I haven't had the chance to see her new home, but I'm definitely curious to see what kind of shack on wheels she's-

My train of thought is interrupted by the front door, and endless barking. Ruby's been staying with one of Mum's work friends since the birth, which can only mean one thing.

"I'm home!" My mother's voice rings through the house. I should be pleased, but all I can think about are questions. Did she know? Did she think of it? Does she care that Jenny's our half-sister? Why didn't she tell me?

Mum enters the kitchen with Ruby following suit and immediately leaping onto Elise's lap. "Aww, did you miss me, beautiful girl?" She asks, mushing the dog's cheeks. My eyes meet Mum's and it's clear she's clocked that I'm not in a good mood. Part of me feels guilty, she looks tired, she's been staying with Minnie and Jasper at all hours, she hasn't come home, just slept in Jasper's car... I should give her a break... But I need to know.

"Do you mind if I talk to my Mum?" I ask in French, so as to not startle Mum. Elise and Camille look at each other, then leave the table, Ruby following Elise as closely as possible without literally becoming her shadow. "Did you know Jenny was living with Jasper?" I demand coldly. Mum's brow furrows, but not in confusion, but in sympathy. I don't need pity right now. She takes a seat across from me and holds my hands in hers.

"Yes. I knew. Jasper found her back in the park, she told him she was losing her place to stay, he offered his spare room." She explains calmly. This isn't surprising, it's not like I thought she suddenly turned up and asked to move in, she's not that gutsy. "I understand how things are between you two, I'm not asking you to forgive her, but we can't have her living out on the street, it's not right." She continues.

This assertion irks me. "Why not? tonnes of people are homeless, don't get me wrong, I don't like it, it shouldn't be that way, but it is. Why is it so necessary to adopt her?" I growl. I know I'm being unreasonable, but wasn't tormenting me for years just as unreasonable?

"You know why. Do you think I like the idea of my ex-husband's love child living with my son? With my granddaughter? Of course not, but she's still Jasper's sister, and you just like he'd never turn you away, he can't just abandon her." Mum snaps back. "Having spoken to her... She's definitely a troubled girl, but she's not the witch you think her to be."

My fists clench on my legs. Yeah, she's a damn saint, where do we put the statue for her? "She bullied me, for my entire life. Do you think I deserved that? I had to learn that life's not fair, I don't see why she shouldn't have to. Why she can just walk into our family like it's nothing." I retort, crossing my arms.

"You didn't deserve that." Mum sighs. "But neither does she. Honestly, I think, if you took a step back and looked at the situation you'd come to the same conclusion. She saw you as someone her friend hated, and her loyalty drove her to hate you too. Are you saying you've never jumped to a conclusion about someone based on what you'd been told about them?"

Gabriel, William, fuck, I even assumed everything about Lauren. I was gonna kill Gabriel just because Rouge was upset. I was terrified of William just because Elise had said she was worried. I figured Lauren was going to be some stony-faced businesswoman just because Jasper had said she was good. Is it possible... Could Jenny have made the same assumption? If mine were never disproven, would I still think the same things about these people?

"I think, if you two met under different circumstances, you'd realise how similar you really are." Mum concludes in a soothing tone.

Similar?

Is that true?

Could I have really ended up like her?

If Elise told me she hated someone, I'd be fully on board to jump down their throat at a moment's notice... Can I really say it's any different to what Jenny did? Would I know if the person Elise hated deserved it or not?

I look back to my mother, her eyes filled with worry. "I need a favour, I know you're tired, but I really need you to do something." I request humbly.

"Take me to Jasper's house. Take me to Jenny."