Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

never seen Jasper so angry before, but he supposed he had a right to be. He'd treated Stone badly, really badly. He heard the door open and familiar footsteps in the hall. "Hey, Mom."
    She walked into the living room as she took off her coat. "Was that Jasper I saw leaving?"
"Yeah."
"He looked angry." She hung up her coat and then walked back into the room.
"Mom, can I ask you something?" She sat in the chair across from him. "Have I treated you badly?"
She smiled. "Where did this come from?"
"Mom, I need to know."
"You've been through a lot since the accident." She dodged the question, and Preston had his answer as clearly as if she'd have just told him.
    "Look, Mom, I'm sorry." She'd been as supportive as anyone could ask, and he could hear all the things he'd said to her over the last few months. He'd been short, rude, and downright mean to her and to everyone else. "I shouldn't have taken things out on you. It's not your fault I got hurt." It wasn't anyone's fault, except the driver, but he'd done his best to make the whole world pay. He began lifting himself and scooting closer to his chair, and she got up to help him. "Let me do it, Mom," he almost snapped, but caught himself. "I need to do this myself, but thank you." He saw her smile as she watched him use his legs to help maneuver his body into the chair.
    "I have to make dinner." She got up, still smiling, and left the room.

    "Can I help?" Preston called as he wheeled himself back toward the kitchen. He never helped around the house. His mom did it all, and maybe, just maybe, it was time he helped out.

    Maybe it was time he earned his keep.
    "Of course." She looked at him skeptically, but went into the refrigerator and hauled things out, placing them on the table. "You could make the salad." She handed him a knife, and he went to work chopping vegetables and, when he was done, setting the table for the two of them. "Do you know how long it's since we did anything together?"
    Preston stopped what he was doing and looked at her, thinking before shaking his head.
She'd taken him everywhere he needed to go, but they hadn't done anything together, really together, in years. "Not really."
    She didn't turn around, but he could hear her voice get slightly deeper. "You were about fifteen, and we went to the lake to visit my sister. You had more fun that week with your cousins." She kept her back to him, and Preston knew she was trying to keep from crying. "Helen didn't want her kids eating sugar, so we'd sneak off and get ice cream together."
    Preston did remember that. When he thought about it, his mom had been pretty cool. "Has it been that long?" She nodded, and Preston thought back. After that summer, he'd gone on to high school, and his friends had been more important than his parents. After high school, he'd gone on to party away four years of college. Dad had paid the bills, and he'd done just enough to get by and keep from being cut off financially. Even after he'd graduated, he'd gotten a job he'd absolutely hated, but he couldn't keep it after the accident. "When you were younger, what did you do for fun?"
    His mom turned around, smiling. "I sang in the choir, and your father and I used to go camping when we were first married." She wiped her hands on her apron absently. "That was before we had you and his career took off." The wistful look on her face faded. "Then I took care of the house and raised you." The timbre of her voice shifted--Preston hated that sound. He'd heard it before, whenever she remembered that he was grown and wouldn't need her anymore.
"I was thinking," Preston said as he brightened his voice, "if you'll drive, why don't we go see a movie after dinner, just the two of us?"
    The look of surprise and delight on her face warmed his heart. He had indeed been a complete shit to her and to everyone else. All she wanted was a little of his time and attention, just like he'd wanted from her when he was growing up. "I'd like that." She began bringing dishes to the table, and the two of them sat down to eat, their usual quiet table replaced with laughter and a happy banter he'd never thought he could have with her. Yeah, his mom was pretty special.
    PRESTON was in the car with Jasper, and his friend hadn't said a thing since they'd left the house. "Come on, Jas, you can't stay mad at me forever." He turned toward his friend and batted his eyes at him. Jasper tried but failed to suppress a smile.

    "You shit." He batted his hand at him as they