𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 - j. avery ¹

forty-nine

"I don't like a dirty kitchen either. Dirty cereal bowls in the sink aren't gonna exactly tip the scales." Jackson said.

"Oh my God." Allison looked at the familiar figure, who just entered the hospital.

"Okay, I'll make sure to clean the bowls tonight." Jackson assured her, still typing on the tablet, not daring to look up.

Allison cleared her throat, tapping his side, "Your mother. Your mother."

"Hm?" Jackson looked at Allison, before turning his head to look at the direction Allison was looking at, "Oh—"

"She does not look happy." Allison stated, shaking her head, "She'll hate me even more."

"Come on." Jackson gestured towards the end of the hallway, "It'll—It'll be fine."

The couple walked forward as Allison looked at Jackson, "Y-You told her, right?"

"Her? I did." Jackson nodded.

"How did she take it?" Allison asked, before Jackson could respond, Catherine met them halfway as she eyed both of them.

"So—I understand congratulations are in order." Catherine said, eyeing Allison who nervously chuckled. Jackson wrapped an arm around her shoulder causing Allison to tightly smile at her in-law.

***

Allison and Jackson were seated inside the conference room on one side while Catherine sat on the other.

The silence was killing Allison. She expected for either Jackson or Catherine to speak up first, but she should have known that they are both stubborn.

"I-I know this was a shock, and it was a shock to me too, I mean..." Allison nervously talked, "I love your son, you know I always have loved your son."

"You know what? Babe, don't." Jackson stopped Allison, "She doesn't care. But I know why you're here, mom, and I could have saved you a trip." Jackson put his hand on top of Allison's, "I already called Mike Farris."

"The time to call Mike would have been before you stood up at that...barn" Catherine spoke, eyeing her son up and down.

"Wait," Allison furrowed her brows looking at Jackson, "Who is Mike Harris?"

"Farris." Jackson corrected her, "He's our attorney for the Avery Foundation."

"Protects our financial interests." Catherine eyes her daughter-in-law.

Allison couldn't help but not cover her shocked expression, "You think I'm after your money?"

"I have no idea what you're after, dear." Catherine narrowed her eyes at Allison, causing her to quietly scoff.

"All right." Jackson narrowed his eyes at his mother, "That's enough. You're not gonna march in here and start questioning my wife's character."

"You want to talk about her character?" Catherine retorted. "She left a man at the altar. She broke his heart and humiliated him in front of everyone that he loves. I have no idea what she's capable of, never mind you."

Allison looked up at Catherine, "I am not nor was I ever interested in your money."

"Wonderful." Catherine sarcastically said, "That's what I said when I married into the Avery family, and you know what I did next? I signed a prenuptial agreement."

"I said I'd handle it." Jackson glared at his mother, "This is totally inappropriate."

"What's inappropriate is that the engagement was 15 minutes at a rest stop on the turnpike." Catherine argued, narrowing her eyes, "Fortunately, postnuptial agreement were created for moments like this."