Two Weeks Between Love and Hate

“Why do I have to go with you again?” Jillian grumbled as she continued lazing on the couch in nothing but track shorts and a loose top cut off right above her bottom rib. Her petite chest was barely noticeable under the fabric, but the shorts definitely showcased the curves of her wide hips. She had a bright bushel of red hair tied up in a messy ponytail, and her eyes were glued to her phone screen as she scrolled through social media, seeming completely disinterested.

“Because you’re living in my home, eating my food for free, and you need to stop being such a recluse,” replied a version of the girl that looked almost identical but aged up several years, but not many, with straighter hair. She stood over her daughter with arms crossed, clearly exasperated. “You’ve been here for six months now, and all you do is lounge around and take up space recently. I want you to get out more and back into the real world.” Her harsh words had the tender undertone of tough love.

The girl lounging on the couch rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. The real world had chewed her up and spit her out. She wanted nothing to do with it.

“Well, I’ve been helping with your kids, the laundry, and picking up some shifts at Mika’s,” she retorted with more than a bit of sass. The older woman only shot her a stern look.

“You mean your siblings and laundry that you help create?” Her mother shot back, nowhere near done with her.

“Jillian Eris Lins, you’re going to that dinner, and that’s final. You’ve been staying here rent free, and you’re still my child. If you’re living under my roof, you follow my rules. Now, get your butt upstairs and get ready!” Her tone left no room for argument. It was clear she wouldn’t accept any more sass, especially from her eldest daughter, who had moved back home earlier this year.

“Ugggghh, fine!” Jillian exclaimed, sliding off the couch like a rag doll before slowly standing up. She shot her mother a glare before stomping her way upstairs. “Nothing ever changes around here, does it? Friggin’ slave driver,” she muttered under her breath.

“And pick something appropriate! We’re not going to a nightclub,” her mother called after the retreating figure.

“Yeah, because that would actually be fun, god forbid!” Jillian shot back as she entered the room that she shared with her younger sister.

Jillian slipped out of her clothes, revealing her near anorexic figure. Her petite breasts were small, maybe B cups at best. In front of a tall mirror, she took an overly critical look at herself. Frowning at the sight of her skin sucked in between her ribs and her stomach appearing sunken like she hadn’t eaten in ages. It wasn’t as bad as when she first arrived back home and she was on the journey to getting healthier, but old habits were tough to shake.

“Gross.” she muttered to her reflection, the dissatisfaction clear on her face as she scrutinized every part of her body one after another.

Once she was done berating herself, Jillian rummaged through her closet until she found a cute baby blue dress with a single off-the-shoulder strap. It fit her just right, not too tight but not too loose either. It would hide most of her defects and leave a smooth, unassuming figure, primarily thanks to her wide hips stretching the bottom part. Standing in front of the mirror, she let her curly red hair down from its ponytail, and it cascaded down past her shoulder blades. She blew a strand of hair away from her face with a sigh, grabbing a comb to tackle the knots with a grimace.

The door creaked open behind her, and a petite girl with long, straight red hair peeked inside. Jillian turned, flashing a warm smile at the young teen.

“Hey there, Junebug. Come on in. I’m just getting ready for this pointless dinner.” June quickly moved inside the room, wearing a dress adorned with sunflower print—Black background on top, white on the skirt.

“You look adorable,” Jillian exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. Their arms wrapped around each other as they shared a sisterly embrace. June was everything to her, the one she missed the most and one of, if not the biggest, reason she made the arduous journey back home.

When the hug ended, June looked Jillian up and down with a surprised look, who nodded with a sigh.

“Yep, Mom’s making me go too, so I’ll be by your side the whole time.” Leaning down, she planted a kiss on the teen’s forehead.

“Need help with your hair?” June nodded. With a smile, Jill guided her little sister to the mirror and started brushing her hair gently.

“Girl, you are just so beautiful and growing up so fast,” she complimented her little sister. Wrapping her arms around June from behind, she added, “No guy or girl will ever be good enough for you.” Whispering softly as June’s hand rested on her older sister’s arm that embraced her.

The door to their room swung open again, and their mom popped her head in.

“Hey, you two ready? It’s almost time.” Both girls glanced at their mom and nodded.

“Yeah, just putting on the final touches and we’ll be good to go,” Jillian replied, her mom giving a gentle nod, along with a soft smile.

“Alright, but don’t take too long,” she said before closing the door. It was a little while later when they finally made it downstairs.

Their parents stood waiting at the front door, a scene of affection unfolding before them. Jillian’s mom was adjusting her dad’s collar, wearing a slim fitting red dress that fell to her mid thigh. Her father had a tan complexion, short chocolate brown salt-and-pepper hair, and a trim goatee with the same silver strands. Her mother leaned in, lips brushing against his neck as she whispered promises of intimacy.

Jillian quickly intervened, shielding her younger sister’s eyes with a dramatic plea, “Please, not in front of the children!” Her mother smiled and rolled her eyes, backing up from her husband and releasing a sigh of amusement. With her straight red hair falling just above her shoulders, one side tucked neatly behind her ear, she wore sapphire earrings that danced with each movement, almost matching the sharp blue of her eyes.

“Alright, you two, it's time to hit the road. We’re heading over to Katia’s, and her son is in town. Let’s try to make a good impression, please?” She stared mainly at her eldest daughter, Jillian, whose expression soured instantly.

“Wait, you never mentioned there would be some random guy over there. When were you planning on dropping that bomb on me?” Jillian grumbled, shooting a glare at her mother.

“I’m telling you now. Katia says he’s a wonderful young man, hardworking, kind and very dedicated. Maybe you’ll pick up some manners from him tonight. But regardless, I expect you to be polite. Got it?” Her mother’s tone was firm, so Jillian just muttered some choice words under her breath.

“I heard that, Jillian,” her mother replied sharply.

“What? I said Bill Schmit, you know, from those car commercials,” Jillian shot back, prompting another eye roll from her mother.

Leaving their family home, the four of them strolled the two blocks down the street to Katia’s place. Jillian held June’s hand as they walked close to one another, seeming inseparable. They passed by an expensive SUV parked in the driveway as they approached the house.

“So, is her son loaded or something?” Jillian asked bluntly.

“Jillian, don’t you dare ask something like that. Even if he is, what does it matter? Just be civil, for goodness’ sake!” her mother said, a bit exasperated at her daughter’s lack of tact. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed out her dress and knocked on the door. With a smile, she gave her husband’s hand a squeeze as they waited.

“Just a minute!” Katia’s voice came from inside the house. She hurried down the hall and rapped loudly on Jason’s door.

“Jason, hun! Are you ready? They’re here!” After that, she dashed back to the front dining room to make sure everything was ready for dinner.

Meanwhile, Jason slowly raised his head from his pillow, still half-asleep.

“Huh… Whazzat?” He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and letting out a sleepy cough. He was so used to the humid climate that the altitude and dryness were murder on his throat.

“Ugh... need water,” he groaned, dragging himself out of bed and sitting on the edge for a moment. He lazily scratched his head, making a mess of his already messy bedhead. Dressed only in his sweats, he didn’t even notice or care. Eventually, he stood up and shuffled out of his room, barely registering his surroundings as he headed for the kitchen.

Jason shuffled sleepily behind his mom as she arranged glasses on the dining room table. Katia then hurried to the front door, bursting with excitement. She wore a chic white blouse and a black pencil skirt paired with dark pantyhose and heels. Her mature frame fit the clothes perfectly. Her face lit up when she opened the door, and her pink-tinted lips spread into a wide grin as she saw her guests.

“Ginny!” Katia exclaimed with delight, and Jillian’s mother echoed back, “Kitty!”

They rushed into each other’s arms, sharing a tight hug like they hadn’t seen each other in forever. When in reality, they saw each other yesterday.

“I’m so thrilled you all could make it tonight. I can’t wait for you to meet my son!” Katia said, her bright smile beaming. She glanced over at Ginny’s husband, still smiling.

“Damon, so great to see you again,” she greeted, walking over to hug him, too.

“Katia, always a pleasure, “ Damon replied simply, returning her hug with one arm and as little contact as possible.

Katia turned to Jillian and June with a warm smile.

“June, good to see you again as well. You look lovely. And you must be Jillian.” Before Katia could give Jillian a hug, The redhead extended her hand for a shake instead.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs....” Katia chuckled nervously as she took Jillian’s hand, shaking it softly.

“Oh, please, just call me Katia. No need to be so formal.” Jill flashed a defiant look at her mom before turning back to Katia.

“Alright, Katia. Nice to meet you,” she said, letting go of her hand.

“Come in come in! Dinner’s almost ready. I’ve got some wine if anyone’s interested,” Katia said, gesturing toward her front door. “Let me just go check to see if he’s… ready.”

Suddenly, she noticed everyone’s attention was fixed on something behind her. Curious, she glanced back, and her eyes widened in surprise. Jason, half naked and completely unaware of the guests, strolled past the front door, taking a long swig from a water bottle.

“Jason!” Katia accidentally screamed, her hands flying to cover her mouth.

“Jason?” Jillian said quietly to herself, eyebrows raised as she took in the unexpected sight. The name was surely just a coincidence.

Jason almost jumped out of his skin when his mom suddenly screamed his name, causing him to tighten his grip on the water bottle and accidentally drench himself. He quickly shifted into an orthodox boxing stance, scanning his surroundings for his imaginary opponent, coughing up some water that shot down into his lungs.

“Huh? cough, Wha- cough what’s going on?” he asked suddenly wide awake, blinking away the water from his eyes.

“Jason, for heaven’s sake, go get some clothes on!” Katia said loudly.

June couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Jason splashing himself with water. Jillian glanced down at her little sister, surprised to see her actually laughing. Even their mom couldn’t suppress a giggle. But she wasn’t as amused. As she eyed the man, something about him felt oddly familiar. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen him somewhere, even as she took several long moments to admire his physique.

“Mom? What the fuck is going on?” Jason asked, feeling puzzled as his mom hurriedly guided him down the hall, pushing from behind.

“I already told you, we’ve got company over for dinner. And watch your language. Now, go get dressed, and don’t show your face until you are! Seriously, what were you even thinking!?” It all left Katia feeling utterly embarrassed by the recent events.

“Alright, alright, sheesh. I don’t even remember you saying anything about guests,” Jason replied as his mother shoved him down the hallway.

Pushing him into his room, his mother closed the door behind him. She would give him a few minutes to dry off and get decent for dinner. Katia hurried back to the front to attend to their guests.

“I’m really sorry about that, Ginny. I think he’s just got some bad jet lag or something.” she chuckled nervously.

Ginny flashed a smile at her best friend as she returned and laughed softly.

“Oh, don’t sweat it, hun. I totally get it. Besides, I didn’t mind the show,” she teased. Giving her husband a playful side eye, his expression wasn’t one of anger from the comment but something quite different.

“Anyway, come on in. Let’s have some wine. I know I need some. Are you good with sparkling apple cider, sweetie?” Katia said, turning to June, who nodded shyly.

The group headed into the dining room and took their seats at the table, except for Katia, who went into the kitchen.

“Well, wasn’t that quite the first impression,” Ginny remarked with a slight chuckle.

“Genevieve...” Damon began, glancing at his wife, who met his gaze. She bit her lower lip and winked at him, giving off a playful vibe. They seemed like eager lions, ready to pounce on each other.

“Oh, come on, you two. Get a room,” Jillian groaned, covering her face with a hand and reaching over to hide June’s eyes as well. Fortunately, Katia returned with a bottle of wine and a bottle of sparkling apple cider. She popped the cork out of the wine and started pouring glasses for everyone, doing the same with the apple cider for June.

The group chatted for a bit, mostly about recent happenings and Damon’s work. He was a foreman for the local branch of a major construction company and sometimes got his kids to pitch in. They were helpful when he needed an extra hand but risked getting into trouble with OSHA.

“We usually have the twins help out when they want some extra cash. Reese doesn’t mind it, but Wendel is more, mmm, reclusive,” Ginny mentioned before Jillian chimed in.

“One’s a jock, and the other’s a computer geek.” Her parents shot her a glare so intense it could slice through steel. “Sheesh, relax, it’s just a freakin’ joke,” Jill said, filling her mouth with wine instead of saying anything else.

Katia kept the conversation flowing without missing a beat.

“Jason was always glued to that computer of his. He wasn’t much for socializing with others. He’d bug me every so often to grab him some part that hit the market he had to have. But he’s doing quite well for himself now. He even got a promotion not too long ago. I’d say if Wendel decides to turn his hobby into a career, there are definitely worse choices out there.” She gave her best friend a reassuring smile, which was returned.

“That’s wonderful news, Kat! You must be so proud of him. And he looks like he’s taking good care of himself as well,” Ginny added, earning another jealous stare from Damon and a groan from her eldest daughter.

Katia let out a little giggle and nodded. “Oh, I very much am. You can’t tell now, but he used to be much heavier, but it was like it all slid off him in college. Almost every week, he tries to convince me to move out there with him. But I want him to have his own space and not have to worry about his mother being baggage.”

Her bright smile revealed just how thrilled she was to have her son home. All the while, Jill was practically slouched over the table, lost in thought, having already finished her first glass of wine. She knew she’d catch flak if she asked for a refill. Aside from too many coincidences happening in a short amount of time, she was bored out of her mind. Feeling a gentle tug on her dress, Jill glanced over and smiled at June.

“What’s up?” She asked the teenager, who pointed at the apple cider bottle. “Oh, you want some more?” June eagerly nodded, unable to simply grab it herself due to her overbearing shyness.

Jillian grabbed the bottle of cider and poured a refill for her sister. June took another sip from her glass as Jillian lightly ran her fingers through her sister’s hair. Just then, an unfamiliar voice interrupted the moment.

“Sorry for the delay, everyone, and please forgive me for earlier,” Jason said as he entered the dining room. He was dressed in a sleek black turtleneck that clung to his muscles and had some fancy Italian brand name stitched on the chest. He was also wearing black slacks that were perfectly tailored to his long legs and sporting a flashy gold watch that looked like it cost a fortune.

The entire table glanced up as Jason spoke. He was used to addressing large groups, so it didn’t bother him to have all the eyes in the room on him. That was until his eyes met the gaze of the eldest daughter of the Lins Family, her curly red hair framing her pale, freckled face. Suddenly, he felt his heart begin to race, and his palms grew sweaty. The feeling of her gaze on him caused him genuine distress. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to see right through him, and the mischievous grin that slowly crossed her face as time seemed to slow made his stomach lurch. It seemed impossible, but there she was – Jillian Lins, sitting in his childhood home. Every fucking freckle on her face brought back truly awful memories.