Since You've Been Gone. (boyxboy)

Chapter 8: Opportunities

"I have no future... not anymore."

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"....And I need to go to Cara's later because we need to discuss my hair. And Oh, I almost forgot. You and Ed have that fitting at the tailors at 3..."

Jasper's grip gets tighter and tighter on the steering wheel. Beth had been going on and on about all things wedding since they'd left the farmhouse. Her continuous talking was now beginning to irritate.

"...And you're friend Thomas. He is such a character. Ellen is single. She would just love him, he's just her type..."

"Stop Beth. Just stop!" Jasper shouts out loud. The sound of his voice echoes in the small space in the car and makes Beth recoil a little in the passenger seat.

"Jas..." she begins but he again cuts her off. His eyes never straying from the road ahead.

"You just keep going on and on about this fucking wedding, all the time. Telling me what I'm supposed to do and where I'm supposed to go. And now, you're insisting upon who we invite!" He glances at the woman in the passenger seat. Her face doesn't seem to understand where he is coming from.

"But...you're friend. You were going to invite him."

"I was Beth. That's the point, I hadn't decided. But you just went ahead and invited him anyway." Jasper takes a hand off the wheel and waves it in the air in exasperation.

Beth can feel the tears want to well up in her eyes. She tries to keep them in as she swallows down the lump in her throat. "I only want to make you happy Jasper. That's all I want. I thought I was doing the right thing."

Jasper side glances her again, now all too aware that she was on the cusp of tears and was about to cry her eyes out. He now felt irritated with himself for being so harsh. "I know, I'm sorry.... Sorry for shouting. It's just Tom and I. Not seeing each other all this time has made things awkward."

"I'm sorry." Beth says again, now with the tears making an appearance. "I just want you to be happy. I don't want to lose you."

"Why would you lose me? You've done nothing wrong." Jasper says with a half laugh. "You need to stop trying so hard. I promise I'm not going anywhere." He smiles at Beth and she smiles back at him, before her gaze turns to the side window. As she looks out to the emerging city landscape, her smile fades a little. Her own thoughts are full of her own past demons, but she would keep them hidden. She had gotten this far. What he didn't know, wouldn't harm him.

***

"Tom....Tom....THOMAS!" He could hear Jim's voice invade his jetlagged sleep as he lay sprawled on his stomach on the bed, too tired to even get undressed and lay under the blankets.

"Mmm.. "he groans as he can hear someone coming up the stairs. There is a loud wrapping of knuckles on the door and then the door is being opened.

"Tom, Molly wants to talk to you." Jim says as he steps a foot inside. He sees Thomas' worn out state and approaches the bed. "Get up."

"Too tired." Thomas groans as he wriggles a little on the mattress, making the bed sing its squeaky tune.

He can hear Jim huff as he tries to once again coax Thomas from the bed. "Molly has something important she needs to discuss with you, about your future.

"I have no future. Not anymore." Thomas groans.

"You're damn right, you'll see no tomorrow if you don't get out of that bed, now move!" Jim pushes at Thomas' legs so he can sit on the bed. It forces Thomas to sit up. Jim watches Molly's brother as if it took everything in his power to sit up straight. He knew whatever was going on with him was probably not just about being overtired.

Thomas is aware of Jim watching his every move, it causes him to question. "Just say what is in your mind Jim. You don't usually hold back."

"You were always so mature, so grown up. But now it seems you have digressed to a teenager." Jim shakes his head at Thomas' lack of personal care. "I think you need to hear what your sister has to say. You need to sort yourself out."

"Thanks for the advice I didn't ask for." Thomas says as reluctantly he gets up from the bed. "I will now go downstairs and brace myself for more."

Jim tries his best to keep his cool at the attitude he was getting from a man who knew better. "You know, your sister has bailed you out and has been there for you more times than anyone else in your family. It would be the least you could do, to listen to what she had to say."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Thomas turns to Jim, still sitting on the bed. "I know I've let her down. I've let Jasper down, I've let everyone down."

"So go make it right. Talk to Molly. You never know, you might like what you hear."