a little goes a long way

"She'll get over it," Jared didn't want to listen to Jazmin say another word about Rox.

Of course, he didn't like hearing how he was the bad guy in all of this. Of course, his soon to be ex-wife was still under his insurance. And yes, it might have been cold that he took the baby and moved on. But after all, she was in a coma. Wasn't like he could afford to be there watching after her, everyday. As it was, there were her sisters and mother. It seemed to him they were happy he was taking some responsibility with Nan.

But then again, he had Jazmin's help.

"Did she say I was using you, or something?" Jared kept an eye on Jazmin as she was in the kitchen making him a sandwich. She'd already brought him a beer.

"No, of course not." Jazmin winced.

"I can hear her saying it, right now." He wasn't sure he even wanted to finish his beer, but then he saw the hearty roast beef sandwich and the spicy potato-chips. Jazmin certainly knew how to whip up a snack.

She'd changed. He noticed it at Rox's wedding shower. She wasn't the bitch he remembered. Always, getting in his face, sassying him around. He grinned as he bit into a chip. He'd just figured it out. She thought he was hot, even then.

But he kept his mouth shut.

"What?" Her smile broke through laughter. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her below the ear.

"You know me, too well." He whispered. He closed his eyes. He wanted to keep things this way. A part of him just couldn't take seeing his wife, that way in a hospital. Instantly he was sad, yet here was Jazmin, in his arms.

She'd been a comfort during Thanksgiving. A real nice surprise, in fact. Jared didn't think much of Roger, but Leon was OK. That boy just needed some real balls, he thought. Why on earth would he work at a children's theater?

"We gotta get together with that little sister of yours and Leon. I gotta talk that boy into thinking about the police academy." Jared smiled as he tickled Jazmin with a kiss on the neck then. If he couldn't have Rox, he'd just take her sister.