Selena didn't have the nerve to knock, while Bailey opened the bedroom door.
He'd specifically chosen a time like this where Elliot wasn't there. Bailey knew that Selena didn't know how to deal with her.
The door opened to reveal Jasper sitting there watching the TV with a bored expression.
Hearing the door, he turned around to look, his face turning shocked.
Then it sank.
"Come over here."
He called out towards Selena. Then, he turned to his father.
"Close the door, Dad. I've got some things to talk about with Selena. Don't worry. I won't bully her."
Bailey knew his son best. He smiled faintly, patted Selena on the shoulder and let her in, then closed the door.
Only Jasper and Selena were left in the bedroom. Selena walked over to Jasper's bedside, not even daring to sit.
Face cold, Jasper opened his mouth.
"Do I look like I'm going to eat you? Sit, or are you that afraid of me?"
Jasper had thought about it for a while. He believed that Selena had run because she felt like he and their mother were lying, that they couldn't accept the existence of this child.
Considering his own sister distrusted him this much, Jasper was quite angry.
He treated her this well, but she didn't trust him.
Or that she suspected that their mother wouldn't accept the child. But as her big brother, of course he was going to deal with it. Jasper felt like he was getting the short end of the stick.
"It's not like that, big brother."
Selena sat slowly on the chair next to the bed, eyes rimmed with red.
"Then explain. Why did you take Daniel and leave? Did I do something wrong? Or did Mom say something behind the scenes that you didn't like? Even if that was the case, you shouldn't have left. You should have told me. I could have helped. Leaving so suddenly without so much as a word or a letter – what if something happened to you out there? Am I supposed to regret it for the rest of my life? You're an adult now, Selena, you can't always run away from home to deal with your problems. Besides, you're not alone now. Dan just had surgery and is still recovering. If something had happened to you while you were out there, or if you'd raised the child badly, it'd be you who'd regret it for the rest of your life!"
Jasper lectured his sister from the heart, chiding her for a long while before Selena finally spoke.
"I never distrusted you, Jasper. I know my big brother's the person who cares about me the most in this world. I know no matter what troubles I come across, you'll be at my side protecting me. It's been like that from when we were small. You always would love me. Why would I distrust you? Even a year ago, I knew that you approached it because you loved me. I've never blamed you."
As she spoke, Selena's tears fell, and Jasper's heart softened as he sighed.
"Never mind. I was too harsh earlier. Too angry... you left home twice. I held it in the first time, but I couldn't this time, so I let my tone get a little hard. I thought you didn't trust me, or that I'd done something wrong, or there was somewhere you misunderstood about me. That's the part that bothered me the most. I never thought my sister would turn away from me when she was in trouble."
At that, Jasper sighed heavily again.
"So tell me, why did you leave? What's the issue? Is it the child's father? Is his identity too complicated? You're afraid that it'd be dangerous for the family if the kid stayed?"
That was the other answer Jasper could think of. He felt that if his sister still trusted him and trusted the family, but still left without a word with the kid, then she clearly wanted to lay low. It was a definite possibility.
Maybe it was that she needed to keep it from the child's father. If the child's father knew, he'd been in danger, or she would be in danger herself. But the Hollands weren't a small family anymore. They had power, they had authority, they had connections. A regular person couldn't put such fear into his sister.
He didn't understand. What kind of status did the kid's father have? To have Selena this afraid.
"It's got a bit to do with the father, but not all. I've got a lot of troubles I can't word for shame. I feel like voicing them would stab me in the heart. Can you not ask about that, big brother? From this moment on, I won't leave anymore. I mean it this time."
"So you still don't trust me enough to tell me your troubles and let me help?"
Jasper said disappointedly. He turned away from his sister.
He really was upset. He wasn't the best, most elite person, but at least he was responsible, protected his family, respected his parents, and cared for his sister. But here she was distrusting him so much, as if all of his care had been a joke.
It could be said that his manly pride had been trampled.
His own sister didn't believe he could resolve this. Sure he looked casual and maybe a bit unreliable, but that was just because he liked to joke around. He'd never not delivered on anything he promised her.
"Let me put it this way, big brother. Do you have any secrets strictly your own? Maybe not a huge secret, but not fit to say out loud? That's my situation right now. It's not something that can threaten my life or Dan's, but I don't want to voice it. At least, I don't want to voice it right now. But I can promise you. From now on, I'll trust you and rely on you and never leave again. Can you give me a chance? I've already come back with Dan. Dan's sick, and can't come to the hospital, so I couldn't bring him here today. Please forgive me, I'm begging you..."
Selena spoke, her gaze pleading.
Jasper, though, grew even angrier.
Why did this little sister of his not trust him at all?
Besides, she'd always told him everything, but she was clamming up now. She didn't care for him anymore.
"You said all that, but it was all just nonsense. You still haven't said why you left. So I'll change the subject."
Jasper turned to her and demanded.
"Now that you left, why did you come back? What made you come back?"