One Dysfunctional Mess part 4

Chapter 33 Called on the carpet part II

Jason walked in to find John sitting on the couch with his head down and his hands clasped together. He looked up at the sound of his father entering the room and ruefully said "Hey."

"Hey." Jason said. "I see your mood has improved."

"Yes, sir." He nodded his head. "I'm sorry for how I acted sir."

"I accept your apology." Jason sat next to him.  "And you can go back to calling me dad.'"

"Okay." John said. "Dad." He then leaned back into the couch. "How much trouble am I in?"

"Well let's just say that the amount of your trouble you are in is falling by several degrees right now." Jason said. "You were moments away from getting a spanking tonight."

John then gulped.

"But I am not getting one right?"

"Let's see how our conversation goes." Jason said. "Now why didn't call your mother this afternoon like I told you too?"

"How could I?" John asked. "She took my phone."

The reaction in his father's eyes told him that was not the right answer.

"You could have borrowed Jack's phone." Jason said. "You could have used the land line."

"But I don't have her number memorized."

"Stop playing games John." Jason said with annoyance in his voice. "You could have asked me for her number and you know it."

John lowered his head. "I know."

"You could have called me for it or told me when I got home." Jason said sternly. "But you didn't."

"No, I didn't."

"So no more excuses young man." Jason said. "Because let me tell you playing games like this is a sure fire way of getting your butt beat."

John then winced.

I'm guessing he is no stranger to butt warnings he thought. I guess Lauren has spanked him over the years. I hope she did not spank him for calling  me.

The thought caused his ire to soar.

"I'm sorry dad."

"Again apology accepted." Jason thought he would have to ask him later. "Now tell me why didn't you call your mother."

John looked at him. "Because I didn't want to be put through a guilt trip." He told him. "Because I knew she would make me feel bad about coming out here and I did not want to go through that."

I still don't he thought.

"I understand." Jason saw a look of hope in his eyes. "But you still have to call." His hopes were quickly dashed.

"Please don't make me call her." John begged.

"I'm afraid I have to.".

"So not fair dad." John said his voice trembled. "You don't make Jack call his mom."

"I don't have a written agreement with Jack's mom for him to call her." Jason said. "I don't have to worry about her using my breaking agreement against me."

"And she will do that." John said.

"And the last thing I need is her accusing me of parent alienation." Jason said.

"She is going do that anyway." John said.

"Maybe." Jason said. "But we can't give her any ammunition." Jason pulled out the phone. "So I need you to call her. I know it's not going to be easy but you I need you to do it anyway."

He held out the phone to him and he took it. He found her name and as he looked at he wondeed how brutal this conversation was going to be.

"Now John."

John hit send and put the phone to his ear.

"Good man." Jason said.

"Hello Jason." Lauren said.

"Its me mom." John said.

"John." He could hear the relief in her voice. "I'm so glad to hear your voice." She then sniffed. "Why didn't you call me earlier."

"I'm sorry mom I have should have." John said as he felt the guilt begin to grow inside of him.

"I have to say that I am very disappointed in you right now."

Big surprise there.

"I know mom." He looked at Jason who gave him an encouraging look. "And again I am sorry I didn't call."

"I'm not talking about that." Lauren sternly said. "I'm talking about you being on Facebook when I grounded you from social media for a month."

"It was just one post mom." John said as he began to shake. "And dad said I could." Jason looked at him in concern.

"I don't care." She said sharply. "I said you couldn't and again you defied me."

"But mom...."

"Dont but me young man." Lauren said. "You sneak around my back, you don't call me like I asked, and you go on social media when I told you not to."

"Mom please listen to me." John said as he shrunk.

"No you listen to me." Lauren said.

"No I won't." John shouted. "I can't do this." John handed Jason the phone. "I just can't."

He then got up and walked out.

Jason put the phone to his ear. "What did you say to him?"

"Put him back on."

"No, I think you've tormented him enough for the evening." Jason said."Now tell me what you said to him."

"I told him how much I was disappointed in him." Lauren said. "He got on Facebook when I told him he couldn't get on for a month."

"I gave him permission to." Jason said "So be mad at me not him."

"Oh I am upset with you." Lauren said. "I can't believe that you undermined me like this."

"I did not undermine you." Jason said. "I just refused to enforce an unjust punishment."

"Unjust!" Lauren yelled. "There is nothing unjust about it. He deserved to be grounded for sneaking around behind my back."

"Well you may feel that way but I don't." Jason said. "And he is under my roof right now and its my decision if he is grounded or not."

"Typical Jason." Lauren said. "Always thinking that you know better than everyone else." Jason flashed back to twenty years ago when she used those very words in the argument that broke them up the first time.

"I don't think that I know better than everyone else." Jason said. "But I know how you are treating him right now is only going to drive a wedge between the two of you."

"You are driving the wedge between us."

"You know Lauren I am done talking to you." He said. "And so is John." He inwardly kicked himself for making him call her, for the pain that he had not been caused. "Why don't you call us back when you are sane."

He then hung up on her and let out a hard sigh. He could feel the energy drain from his body. He just needed this day to be over.

Jason then tossed his phone on the desk and went in search of John.