Romance
Knotted Roots - Part 13. Top Story - October 2025.
I held onto Jasper, for what felt like hours, but it was only a matter of a few minutes. “I’ll be right back, Jasper.” I slipped out of his limp arms, as he slouched back to the couch. I made my way to the kitchen to brew up some coffee, hoping the warmth and energy would bring some kind of life back to Jasper’s eyes. I wasn’t sure what else to do, but I knew Jasper needed someone. Had he told Jane? Did anyone else know? Even I was in disbelief over the shattering news of his father’s passing. He was doing so well, enjoying the most of his life, especially recently, with Jasper being home. I needed to remain strong, for Jasper. His world just broke, the only family he had left was his father. He was all that remained of the Black family. While the coffee brewed, and the warm roasted smell wafted aimlessly in the air, I returned to Jasper, who had his phone back in his hands. It looked like he had just sent a message to someone, but I wasn’t sure. “Jasper?” He didn’t look up, his fingers slowly gliding over his glass screen. I sat down beside him again, and saw him looking at the few photos of him and Pa he was staring at. He clicked on one in particular, a photo with him, Pa, Jane and her parents, seemingly enjoying a barbeque. “You guys look great together…” I breathed, “He finally went to church that day.” Jasper croaked, his voice gritty. I didn’t know what to say, so I just leaned on Jasper’s arm, hoping it brought him comfort. We sat there, silently leaning against one another until I heard the coffee maker ding. “I’ll grab us a cup.” As I poured the hot brew into two coffee mugs I heard Jasper’s phone ring briefly, followed by his footsteps moving outside as he answered the phone. I sat patiently at the kitchen table awaiting his return but was soon spooked by Jasper slamming the front door shut, his steps rapidly approaching like thunder. “Who was that?” I asked, nervous that he was in such a rage, he had just lost his father, what else could have possibly happened?! “Like you don’t already know.” He gritted through his teeth as he leaned angrily over the kitchen sink. “Jasper, I…” “Why are you here Grace?” “I heard the sirens and saw them turning into your driveway. What happened just now?” My voice rose with confusion, slightly defensive with the way Jasper’s unpredictable anger grew. His body was tense, as if he was trying to control every muscle, every reaction. His hands gripped the basin of the sink like he relied on it for support, for stability. “Jasper, why don’t you just breathe, calm down.” “Calm down?” He scoffed, as he turned so that I could see his face, I took a step back. There was a darkness in his eyes, his face contorted and unrecognizable. “Jasper, you’re not…” “No! I know why you’re here Grace. You can stop pretending now.” “Pretending?!” “You and your slimeball of a fiance are so eager to take this ranch, my heritage, my life!” Jasper’s anger was explosive, as if a nuclear reaction had just occurred. “I tried to love you Grace. I really did, and yet, I’ve been a fool this entire time. I was so blinded that I didn’t realize how bad you’ve manipulated me.” “Manipulated you?!” Jasper let out an exhausted, breathy, laugh. “Greg told me everything.” He said slowly, his eyes like a predator on mine, I was frozen. I wasn’t scared of Jasper, but there was an aura in the way he stalked around the kitchen table towards me, that made me tremble for a moment. “You and Greg think you can take this ranch from me.” His voice was low, twisted. His arm pinning me against a nearby wall in the kitchen, his face sinking so we were on even eye level with one another. “You thought you had this perfect plan, the way I crawled like a puppy to you, the way we made love that night. Oh, it was almost perfectly thought out.” “Jasper…” “No! You don’t get to play with my feelings anymore! I’m done tormenting myself for you!” Could he honestly believe that was why I was here? Have I not hurt as well? Or did he forget how it was when he left? I knew he wasn’t thinking clearly, influenced by Greg’s vile lies, if I had any ounce of love left for him, it was gone. I couldn’t love anyone who would intentionally destroy one’s reason for existing, to so carelessly attack one’s soul. Jasper needed to see the truth, that I never wanted his ranch, that I was here for him! “Who was on the phone?” I asked coldly, now that there was space between us. I was beginning to feel more secure, more bold. “Answer me Jasper!” “Like you didn’t tell him.” He said exhausted, his chest heaving. His eyes low, not even looking at me anymore. His muscles, slowly relaxing. It was as if I was watching him give up, to submit to something. That wasn’t the Jasper I knew. Sorrow swirled in my heart, and it was then that everything had begun to make sense. Greg was in town talking with the bankers, he must’ve seen the ambulance! “Jasper, I haven’t spoken to anyone! I’ve only been here, with you!” “Liar! He told me how you’ve been hoping for this day to come. How you only ever wanted him!” “Jasper, that’s not true! You know that!” “I don’t believe you!” “Jasper, I’m here because I love you! I know you don’t want to admit your feelings for me after everything you’ve been through! I know you’re trying to change yourself! To be different, to be with Jane. But you don’t need to change for me, Jasper! I loved you then, like I love you now, recklessly.” I shouted, a pure emotional release, no longer able to restrain myself. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t have crawled into bed with another man!” His hands slamming against the wall behind me, pinning me once more. “It’s not like I was yours to lose! Besides, I made a mistake, Jasper!” “I gave you every piece of me, Grace! For once, I wanted you to love me, without me begging for it!” I stood astonished, speechless. The black envelope, the bantering, how he held me in his room, against the sheets, the passion burning like an inferno. Looking upwards at his shadowy expression, that’s when I saw the tears that had been running down his face. “I think it’s time you left Grace.” “Surely you don’t…” “Leave!” Jasper’s booming anger was evident, and perhaps he needed space, time. He just lost his father, Greg calling him in his darkest hour and stirring things up in the midst of everything. As I slipped out underneath his arm, I slowly made my way to the front door, grabbing the cold doorknob. I looked back to Jasper in the kitchen. He had slumped down to the ground, head in his hands, and my heart churned with torment as I couldn’t ease his pain. I couldn’t because I was part of what caused it, and that tore my heartstrings like a broken chord on a guitar. When I got home, I ran straight to my room slamming my bedroom door and landing on my bed, trying to smother my sobs in my pillow. “Grace, dear?” It was my father, he rarely ever comes into my room, he always knew it was when I needed space, but his presence seemed to bring relief. “Papa! He’s gone!” My father just wrapped me in his arms as I curled into him like a little girl, and sobbed violently in his chest. “I know honeybee, I know.”
By Sibley Shamra4 months ago in Chapters
Knotted Roots - Part 12. Content Warning.
It was about midday now, and I was about to go back outside when I realized I hadn’t heard from Pa this morning. Was he still sleeping? It was unlike him, he was usually up as the sun rose over the mountains, and with everything going on with Grace, concern grew rapidly, a heaviness sinking in my chest as I climbed the stairs as if they weren’t even there. Pa had been doing more lately, and it was of slight concern that he was doing too much. Pa’s door was still shut, I leaned my ear against the door as if hesitant to open the door, afraid of what I might find on the other side. Hoping to hear his gentle snoring, instead of the deafening silence. Unable to hear him, I swung the door open, and Pa was on the floor as if he had fallen. I rushed over to his side, desperate to see him awake, breathing, anything. Nothing! Fumbling with my phone, my fingers shook with fear, and I had to focus to press the three numbers, 9-1-1. “Hello? Yes, I need an ambulance!” I gave them the address, and a blur of emotions crashed like a tsunami! “Pa! Wake up!” I held him in my arms, unsure of what to do, praying that the medics would arrive before it was too late! What if it was already too late? I could hear the sirens in the distance, thankful they were almost here. “Come back to me Pa! Come back!” I screamed, my face wet with tears. “Hello? Medics!” “I couldn’t respond, my voice was gone, only the sounds of my sobs could be heard as if a haunted echo in the house. I heard the medics making their way upstairs, and everything tuned out, a ringing and buzzing sound filled my ears, as they rushed in. “Sir, you need to let him go.” One of them said as two of them had to physically rip me off of Pa’s body. I didn’t know what else to do, so I hugged the stranger, tears like rivers burning down my face “Pa…” “My team’s working on him, come on, let’s go downstairs.” “No! I can’t leave him…” “You don’t want to remember him this way. Trust me.” Several other medics had hooked up countless wires and machines to him, another had begun CPR. The medic holding me was able to walk me out of the room, my eyes never leaving him, “I should’ve checked on him sooner…” I croaked, finally slumped on a couch downstairs. “You did what you could.” My body went into shock, I felt numb, my eyes felt empty and my heart barely beating. Jumping up when I heard the footsteps of the medics making their way downstairs. I moved towards the hall where the stairs meet the living area and front door, when the medic grabbed me again. “Pa?” I saw the group of medics wheeling the stretcher, a white sheet covering the top of it, “Where is he?” The medic had to use all of his physical power to restrain me, “He’s…” “No! Don’t say it!” “I’m sorry, sir. He’s gone.” “Bring him back! Bring him back to me!” I screeched. The medic holding me back, tried to comfort me, hugging me back as I grieved. “Sir, do you have anyone you can call? Anyone who could stay with you?” I nearly collapsed in exhaustion, the medic had finally got me to sit back on the couch, the realization of Pa’s passing sinking in. “Sir?” I looked up to him, unable to remember what he just asked me. “Do you have anyone that can come, maybe sit with you?” I had no strength left in me, not even to respond to him, so I just nodded. Pulling out my phone, I stared at it blankly for a moment. Who should I call? Jane? Grace? Both of them? The medic seeing the phone nodded, said his condolences again, and made his way to the ambulance out front. I couldn’t think, tears blurring my vision with every blink, thoughts of “what if” tormenting me. I didn’t even flinch when the door flew open, a figure slowly approaching me. I was unable to look anywhere but the screensaver on my phone. All I could focus on was Pa.
By Sibley Shamra5 months ago in Chapters
Knotted Roots - Part 11
Grace woke up the next day in disbelief, her childhood sweetheart, Jasper Black, in love with Jane?! It was hard to believe. Although, who could blame him, I haven’t necessarily been a saint, or really fair to him. Grace was honest with herself, slowly brushing her hair while reflecting in the mirror. Her mother startled her, breaking her from her thoughts as she entered after a light knock. “Grace, honey. You’ve been sitting up here all day. What’s going on?” “Nothin’ Mama.” “Are you having second thoughts about Greg?” Mama always seemed to have a way of reading me. I wasn’t sure how to answer her, I loved Greg, but I also loved Jasper. Now that he’s moved on, could I? Did I want to? “This is one of the most important decisions of your life, sweetie. Take all the time you need.” With her kind words, Mama left the room. I was alone in my thoughts again. Maybe I should go for a ride, it had been a few weeks since I took Spot out. I grabbed a hat from the rack by the door, and made my way to the barn.
By Sibley Shamra5 months ago in Chapters
Knotted Roots - Part 10
Ever since Jane and I started dating, we had gone on a few dates, went horseback riding, and the day I looked forward to the most, finally rolled around. It was Sunday, the day he got to learn more about this God he became infectiously curious about, and the remainder of the day would be with Jane. Jasper got dressed, and quickly descended the stairs, “Pa!” “In here Jasper!” Pa was sitting in the living room, dressed well, suspiciously well. “What’s this about?” I asked him, curious about his fancy attire. “Well, I was hoping I could join you today, if that’s okay?” A broad smile spread across my face, “Come on old man, can’t be late to get Jane!” And with that we were off to Jane’s. Pa remained in the truck, while I retrieved Jane from her front porch.
By Sibley Shamra5 months ago in Chapters
ABondThroughTheFire
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By BeeSparrow5 months ago in Chapters
ABondThroughTheFire
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ABondThroughTheFire
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By BeeSparrow5 months ago in Chapters
PhantomRhymes
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The Language of Little Hearts Children experience the world in colors brighter and emotions deeper than adults often realize. To a child, a lost toy isn’t just a missing object — it’s the end of a friendship. A parent’s raised voice isn’t a moment of frustration — it’s a thunderstorm in their tiny emotional world.
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