Garden Ch. 21 Teaser

Here's a peek at chapter 21: Thanksgiving:

Jasper typed away for an hour and half, the house slowly beginning to fill with the scents that Jasper identified with the holidays. Sage, apples, cinnamon and vanilla wafted from the kitchen and it brought a smile to Jasper’s face, despite the inherent sadness he always felt around that time of year. The holidays were always hard without his family. They’d been so close, and the years following his dad and Amber’s deaths had been hard, but he’d still had his mama. After she’d passed and he didn’t even have the comradeship of the Corps anymore, Jasper had tried his hardest to pretend the holidays didn’t exist.

“Jasper?”

“Hm?” He blinked. Edward was looking at him, a concerned expression on his face.

“Are you alright? I’ve been trying to get your attention for a few minutes,” Edward said quietly.

“Oh. Yeah, sorry.” Jasper offered him a small smile, aware of the looks he was getting from Carlisle and Emmett as well.

“Would you like to come outside with me?” Edward asked.

“Sure,” Jasper answered, closing the lid on his laptop and setting it on the floor next to the chair. He let Edward sit up and stand first, then took Edward’s offered hand, and they ducked through the kitchen to the patio.

“You sure you’re alright?” Edward asked, fishing his cigarettes from his pocket. He was smoking less often, Jasper realized. Maybe he really was trying to quit.

“Yeah, I was just thinking.” He joined Edward on the lounger.

“What about?” Edward leaned into Jasper’s side and Jasper draped an arm around Edward’s shoulder.

“My family,” Jasper answered quietly. “This time of year can be…difficult,” he admitted softly.

“I can’t even imagine,” Edward said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know,” Jasper said with a shake of his head. It was supposed to be a day for being thankful for what he had, not to bring himself and his lover down by thinking about the past. He combed his fingers through his hair with a quiet sigh. “I miss them.”

**

Until Thursday!