Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 29

What if  told you this was supposed to be the second to last chapter? A few things went on longer than I anticipated, but that's alright!

Beware, the end is near...we'll see.

Enjoy!

Jazmin
Stephen stood abruptly and grabbed my drink. I grabbed his arm before he scattered away.

"Uh, what are you doing?" I said with my face scrunched. He gave a dry laugh.

"They clearly put something in your drink, so I'm going to go get you a new one." He gritted.

"I meant what I said. I'm not taking it back either. We have the ability to help her, so that's what I'm doing."

"Jazmin you don't know what you're dealing with!" He whisper yelled.

"And I don't need to have it figured out all right now, but if I don't act..." I shook my head, "I can't even imagine." I looked toward Stephen who had inner conflict swarming in his eyes. He didn't know what to do, but I did.

"I don't know what to say." He spoke up.

"I'm not going to be able to walk out of here and sleep peacefully at night knowing there was something I could've done for her and I didn't." I pointed at him, "Not like you do."

"You're putting this on me?"

"I'm putting this on everyone who had the capability of doing something and didn't." I hissed. He sat up and folded his hands on the table. He turned his gaze to the girl who was now sat down at a table. I mean the look on her face.

She needs help.

"Jazmin we have to talk about this. I mean, are we supposed to be her parents now? What are supposed to be to her?" He was frantic. He had that same look in his eyes when he thought Vinny was dead.

He was scared.

I grabbed his hands and turned my whole body to him.

"She definitely needs a mother and father figure in her life. Of course, she can decide our relationship as time goes on. But at this moment what we can be is her escape." He squeezed my hands and nodded slowly.

"...You're right. This situation has gone on too long and something should've been done about it..." I closed his eyes, "I don't know how to be a father figure or whatever, but...I can try." He looked at me.

"That's all I ask," I touched his cheek, "Is for you to try." His jaw clenched as he took another swig of his drink.

"Whoa, who died?" Vinny came to the table, Giovanni and Damien followed behind him.

"We have an important matter to discuss later," Stephen said firmly to them, "Not now." They nodded at him and didn't press any further at the moment.

"Are you going to get something from the auction, Jazmin?" Damien asked. I quirked my eyebrow. Auction?

"Uhh, I didn't know of any auction..." I looked at Stephen.

"Ahh, Stephen held back because he was gonna have to run his pockets." Vinny laughed.

"Shut up, I just forgot to inform her. She can get whatever she wants." He turned toward me, "They auction off a bunch of expensive items for people to bid on and buy. All the proceeds go to numerous amounts of nonprofits in Italy." He explained.

"That's generous. But you know how I feel about spending your money, so I guess if the bid gets high-."

"Get whatever you want, amore. I don't care how I high the bid gets. You can get whatever you want." He scolded me.