Off

Laura couldn't even express her anger. She grabbed her Husband by the collar, spitting right in his face as she shot daggers at him from her eyes. 

"Why are you lying to me? 'What' is your problem, Tyler?!"

"Laura, you're the one with a problem."

"You suddenly appear when everything has gone down? I'm not a fool! What did she do to you?!"

"What did who do to me?"

"What did she do?" Her grip on him tightened, turning her knuckles ghostly white. "What did Jasmine do?!"

"She didn't do anything!"

"Stop lying to me! I know she must have done something, I know it! What are you scared of?!"

"Get your hands off of me, Laura!" He shoved her away when her hold tightened again. "When would you stop blaming people for your misfortunes? Take responsibility for once and…"

"Well, I didn't tell her." She cut in, jabbing a finger at her chest. "That leaves you. Who would have if you didn't?"

"It's not just us who know about it, we don't live under a rock."

"We don't live under a rock, none of the people who know about our Marriage went missing before everything blew up, You Fool!" Tyler flinched at her tone. "For God's sake! Why can't you ever be a Man?! Giving in to a Child, Tyler-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Giving in to a Child? I told her nothing!"

"Then who did?!"

"How would I know?!" She gave him a hot glare. He stared back. "I was not in the Country throughout this fiasco and you know it. You know it."

She glared for a fairly long time. "I don't know why you'll be covering for 'her', but I know one thing. That if I go down," Laura stepped close, staring into eyes that wouldn't look back as she said in a whisper, "you're going with me. And guess who's fault that'll be."

News was spreading about her, literally everyone knew what kind of Life she had lived to have Kids at such an age. Information was popping, she couldn't even place how they found so much, but as the pure Actor she had displayed herself as, it was such a dent to her image that she was sure she wasn't ever coming back to the game.

Just how was she going to survive? She couldn't even lift her head in Public for God's sake! 

And it was all because of one, measly person.

One!

Her glasses went snap in her hands.

Just one person.

*****

"Heard about the Conference?"

"What Conference?"

"The Smiths. Everyone allegedly thinks they're incompetent enough to not research on their Employees before signing the…"

"Not interested."

"If you say so. Jasmine…"

"I say so."

"Jasmine!" She looked up for the slightest moment. 

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Not now, I don't have no time."

"I'm your Mother. You'll have to create time one way or the other."

Jasmine had her eyes dart for a second, before she was looking up again with pursed lips and sarcastic brows. "Says?"

"Stop whatever you're doing," Hazel said instead, her expression gloom, "you're dragging others into it."

"Like who?"

"The Smiths! They're out there, their names getting tarnished. Because of you!"

"The Girl's from their Company."

"So… You admit it is you."

Jasmine wet her bottom lip slowly, dragging her hair to the side as she said, "you're the one saying it."

"You can say it isn't you."

"Why should I lie about something I should be proud of?"

"Jasmine!" Hazel said, shocked.

"Mum?"

"How did you turn out like this? How did you? I didn't raise you to trample on people like this!"

"You didn't raise me to lick their feet also."

"Is this… My fault? That's what you're saying?"

"If you think it is, who am I to make you believe otherwise?" Jasmine asked with a shrug.

Hazel blinked. "Don't drag others into it, at least."

"And you expect me to do that, how?"

"By keeping them out of it!"

"Do you think before you talk?" She asked lazily, causing Hazel to suck in a sharp breath and sit up, irritated. "I doubt you do."

"Doubt all you want, Jasmine, but be sure what you're doing is so wrong. You can't just treat… The Smiths are involved in this!"

"So?"

"They're Friends. As good as Relatives! Be considerate for once!"

"Really? Did they 'consider' when she was Sueing me?"

Her Mother heaved a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair in exasperation. "You don't understand, do you?"

"No." She replied at once. "Because most of the things you spout are rubbish."

"Watch your mouth…"

"Coming here was a mistake."

"Jasmine…"

"Mum, find something to do. Talk to some people about consideration before coming to me."

Her Mum's eyes narrowed, pending, until Jasmine upped. "You're my Daughter, it's only reasonable I talk to you first… Isn't it?"

"Oh?" Hazel shrugged. "Just as I predicted."

"What did you predict?" 

"That you don't think. You 'can't' think. Not even for yourself."

Her lips trembled as Jasmine made her way out the door, not looking back even once.

Why was she so… So… 

Hazel couldn't place it, she could just tell this vibe was off. Something was off. Had been off with her Daughter for a long time.

What was it?

She couldn't place.