Yule Tidings by Savannah Dawn Page B

are you going?” Anne asked weakly.
                  “The hell away from you.  I’m going to find my fiancée and make sure she’s okay.  Then I’m going to find a hotel where I can sleep in the same bed with my fiancée without being treated like I’m some kind of rotter, and tomorrow I’m taking Alex home, as far away from you as possible.”
                  “When is the wedding?” Anne asked slowly.  She remembered Jason saying something about December, but she wasn’t sure if he’d actually told her the date or the weekend.
                  “Don’t worry about it, Mom.  You’re not invited.  Not anymore.”  Jason turned to walk away.
                  “Jason, please,” Anne said softly, almost pleadingly.
                  “No, Mom.  You’re not welcome around me, Alex, or the baby,” his voice was cold and empty.
                  “Jason, I didn’t mean…” Anne stuttered.  She never meant to make Jason so angry.  She’d only been trying to help him see reason.  He didn’t know anything about Alex.  He couldn’t really be certain of her in so short a time.
                  “Yes, you did.  I’m not changing my mind.  Maybe Alex will take pity on you, but I won’t.” Jason walked away, looking worriedly for Alex.  He was nearly to the bathrooms when he heard her crying.  He knocked on the door softly.  “Alex?” he said gently.  “Are you okay?”
                  “Yeah,” she coughed, “I’m fine, just angry and hurt.”  Alex didn’t bother standing up.  She sat on the floor in the bathroom stall where she’d run for refuge.  She knew Jason would find her.  He was always there for her.
                  Jason looked at the waitress by the front door, as if asking for permission to enter the women’s restroom.  She nodded sympathetically.  Apparently the entire restaurant had heard their discussion.  No big surprise there, since his mother was yelling.  He went inside and knelt by Alex on the tile.  Her cheeks were stained with the tears that were still falling, her eyes red and puffy.  She sobbed as he took her into his arms, cuddling her against his chest.  “It’s okay, honey.  Don’t listen to her, she’s crazy and miserable,” he said, rubbing her back. 
                  “Why couldn’t she have been happy about the baby?  I don’t understand.  Even if she didn’t like me at all, how could she be so uncaring about her grandchild?” Alex sniffled and wiped her eyes.
                  “I don’t know, Lexi.  I really don’t,” Jason said gently.  “Come on, let’s get you off this cold floor.  I grabbed our bags from the house before we left.  We’ll stay at a hotel tonight for some R&R, and in the morning we’ll go home,” he said, urging her to stand.  She was shaking, her hands ice-cold from the bathroom floor as he pulled her to her feet and into his embrace.
                  Anne walked through the bathroom door in time to see Jason pull Alex in close.  She looked at Jason, holding Alex ever so tenderly in his large hands.  She didn’t know what to say.  She didn’t want to admit that Alex had described her accurately, but she couldn’t deny it either.  As she sat alone in their booth, everyone casting discreet glances at her, clearly horrified by the things she’d said, Anne knew she’d been wrong to make such a scene.  She might not like Alex, but that was no excuse, not really.  Anne cleared her throat.  “I know you can’t or won’t forgive me right now, but I shouldn’t have said those things here, in public.  I’m sorry.”  Anne turned on her heel and walked out the door without another word, Jason and Alex staring after her in surprise and confusion.  Jason knew his mother wasn’t asking him to forgive what she said, just where she said it.  She believed