One Dysfunctional Mess part 4

Chapter 12 The Reunion part II

"Hello Jason." Lauren said with a nervous twitch. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

Jason then noticed the woman with her.  A scowling woman who looked as if she wanted to tear him limb from limb.  He felt uncomfortable under her heavy gaze but tried to ignore it as he said "Let's sit down."  He then sat down and the two women joined him. 

"This is my friend Tina."  Lauren said introducing the angry woman.

"I'm here to make sure that Lauren is not taken advantage of."  Tina said with a snarl.

"I see."  Jason said.  "I also have a friend who is very concerned with my rights as well and me not being taken advantage of."  He then looked at Lauren.  "You remember Turner Kirk right."

"Yes."  She said managing a smile.  "Yes I do."  A look of fondness for their old friend filled her eyes. "How is Turner?"

"He's fine."  Jason said. "He's a lawyer."  The smile that was adorning her face quickly vanished and was replaced with a frown.  Fear welled up inside of her as Jason said "He specializes in family law."

Tina was quick to jump in.  "Are you threatening her?"  She shot invisible daggers at him.

"I am not threatening anyone."  Jason said.  "I'm just saying that I have a friend who is looking out for my interests as you are looking out Lauren's."  He then looked at Lauren. "And I hope that we can come to some arrangement without having to bring lawyers into it."

Lauren gulped as she said "What do you want?"  John she thought.  He want John.  He wants to take my baby from me.  Her body began to shake and a deluge of tears were about to break forth only Tina to grab her hand.  She could feel her old friend's strength transfer to her, filling her, steeling her.

"First off I want to know what is going on with John?"  Jason said. "One moment he is talking to my nephews, talking to me, excited about speaking with John and the next he is not answering phone calls or texts."

"Perhaps you should take a hint."  Tina said.  "Obviously he wants nothing to do with you and your family."

Jason shot her a skeptical look.  "And his social media has gone silent which is very odd according to my nephews.  They said that John posts regularly on Facebook and Instagram but hasn't posted anything since before I spoke with him."

"As I said take the hint."  Tina said.

"I grounded him."  Lauren said.  Jason had a look across his face that said that is what I thought.  "He went behind my back so I took his phone and computer."

"You grounded him."  Jason said with ire in his voice.  "For contacting me."

"Yes."  She replied and he could see shame ripple across her face.

"How could you do something like that."  Jason said in dismay.  "How could you punish him for talking to his father."

"She does not have to explain herself to you." Tina looked as if she was about to vault over the table and scratch his eyes out. "John is her son and if she wants to ground to him for disobeying her that her business and not yours."

"He is my son too."  Jason said forcefully.

"Yeah but she has been the one has been raising him for the past fifteen year not you."  Tina said. 

"Not by my choice."  Jason said with hurt in his voice, hurt that came from deep within his soul. "If I had known." His voice trembled. Lauren could see that he too was fighting back tears. But unfortunately for him he did not have a friend to borrow strength from. He was alone, alone in this battle for his son. "If I had know he existed I would have been there for him these past fifteen years."