Take Time to Realize

*The woods of La Push- 1st Person*
I shifted into my wolf form without hesitation.
Jingie was out of line. I could go where ever I pleased; I didn't need to explain myself to a hormonal teenage girl. I could go bang whoever I pleased. I didn't like having to patrol all day and then get hell for not coming home the night before. She just loved to fight with me. She always had. She was just another too-emotional-girl in my life. As if I didn't have enough.
She used to understand me. Before Jason happened, she approved of my late-night-outings and not coming home for extraneous amounts of days. She would go out herself, every night. I was the coolest big brother back then. Then Rachel Black walked into my life. So what if now I have to think about Jason too. I put a roof both Jingie and Jason’s head and that should be enough.
‘What was the fight about tonight?’ Sam asked curiously.
That brought me into my memories.
*Start memory*
I walked, no make that stumbled, into my home. I peered into the living room to see Jingie asleep on the couch covered in one of the hot pink blankets from her room. Keeping an eye on her sleeping form, I stepped around her and into the kitchen. I opened a refrigerator and pulled out the carton of milk, I kept in there for Jason. I chugged the milk and forgot about the refrigerator door. It closed with a thud and I heard stirring from the living room.
“Paul? Is that you?”
I sighed and made my way back to where Jingie was curled up on the couch, “Yeah.”
She rubbed her eyes and stared up at me, “Where were you last night?”
“With a girl…” I told her.
“You know that Jase has been wondering why you’re never home, right?”
I shrugged the fact off, “Tell him I’m at work.”
“So that’s your big solution? Lie to him?” Jingie was fully awake now. “Do you think this is all a game, Paul? You’re not a teenager any longer Paul! You’re a twenty-three year old divorcee with a five-year-old son!” She paused, “It’d be different Paul, if it were true that the reason you never see your son is because of your work. But that’s not the case. I understand you’re a wolf and you have patrol. But the rest of the pack patrols and works the same hours as you, and they still don’t feel the need to skip out on family to live it up.”
My body had started shaking, “The rest of the pack isn’t me. They don’t have to take care of a kid as well as well as coming home and getting bitched at by their teenage sister who doesn’t understand anything!”
Jingie stood up, “Oh, I do understand things, Paul Dale Parker!”
“Oh, really?” I folded my arms across my chest. “Like what?”
“I understand why Rachel always hated me!” Jingie stated calmly. “I understand why she doesn’t trust me with Jason. I understand why you party and sleep around still. I understand why you don’t like talking about mom and dad with anyone. I understand why the pack has so much patience for you. I understand why you don’t mind never being home for me…” Her voice had grown softer. For the first time in my life, Jingie appeared fragile to me. It seemed she was so close to breaking, close to crying. Yet in the next moment everything about her was as fierce as before, “The only thing I don’t understand, is why you wouldn’t want to be around for Jason! He loves you, he looks up to you… and yet at you cast him aside the second you get a whiff of potential for you getting laid!”
I glared at her, “Are you saying I don’t care about MY son?”
“No!” She sighed in defeat. “I’m saying that you care about your own selfish needs more!”
*End memory*
Something about reliving the fight again made me feel guilty. I knew deep down inside that she was right. I was just too stubborn to think about it very much.
Sam frowned, ‘She’s right Paul. Jason does need you.’
‘No. Jason just needs to be kept away from the two of you!’ Jacob’s angry thoughts cut through our conversation. ‘She’s just as irresponsible as you are!’
You haven’t even met Jason. And he’s your nephew.
‘That’s because I don’t want to go back and have to deal with you stupid Parkers just to meet him!’ Jacob growled. ‘You shouldn’t even be a dad let alone have equal custody. Plus, if your sister’s the one that looks after him, he’s probably smoking weed!’
I snarled. Jingie isn’t like that. You know it. Just because you hate me, doesn’t give you the right to insult her. She’s done nothing wrong to you, in fact she wants you to come back because everybody else misses you!
‘Guys!’ Sam yelled. ‘Paul, you need to start taking care of your child! Jake, you need to come home!’
I phased then and started the long walk home.