Free The Money Is Green by Mr Owen Sullivan

the suitcase into the trunk, Jason got in the car, leaned over, and gave Janine a long kiss. “Thank you for picking me up. I appreciate it.”
    Putting the car in gear, Janine looked into her side mirror as she merged into the airport traffic. “You’re welcome. How was your flight?”
    Jason sighed as he fastened his seatbelt. “Long but uneventful,” he answered. “So, how did it go with Crystal since we last talked? Did things improve any between you two?”
    She turned and looked at Jason with sad eyes. “I’m sorry, Jason. I need to tell you about some things.”
    She steered the car down the street and headed towards a Starbucks on her left. She parked the car in front of the coffee shop and they both walked in silence through the entrance. They found a small table by a window and sat down. Janine set her purse on the chair next to hers, put her elbows on the table, and put her chin in her folded hands. She stared straight ahead for a long moment and took a deep breath.
    “Jason, I honestly tried and I tried hard, but it’s no use. I don’t think anyone has given me the silent treatment for three days like she has. I’ve tried, I really have, to engage her and to interact with her, butshe refuses to give me the time of day. As long as Crystal is going to be in your life, which she should be, I don’t see a future for us.”
    Jason reached across the table and placed his hands over hers. “Please, Janine, don’t give up on me. I know things will get better. Crystal just needs some time to adjust to you being in my life. She’ll come around. I really appreciate you staying with her and I know she can be tough, but give me a day or two and I’ll have a chat with Crystal and explain to her what happened between me and her mother. I was hoping to avoid this talk to spare her feelings, but it no longer can be ignored.”
    She threw her hands up in exasperation. “We’ve been dating for almost a year. How much longer do I put up with this? As long as your ex-wife keeps poisoning that young girl’s mind, I have no chance.”
    Jason sighed. “Just give me a chance to talk to Crystal.”
    Janine nodded. “Okay.”
    They got back in the car and headed home. Jason stared ahead at the road in silence.
    ♦
    Papers were spread out all over the kitchen table as Jason poured over the stack of documents. Cost breakdowns, solar panel cut sheets, cash flow projections, along with the latest bid proposal to Inter-Power for the Copper Mountain job were laid out in order of priority. Jason had his laptop open and was finishing up an email when the front door opened and Crystal walked in. Her green soccer uniform had a few grass stains across her chest, and her cleats made squeaking noises as she walked over the linoleum floor. Jason got up and gave her a hug, holding her for a minute. “How’re you doing, pumpkin? I missed you terribly.”
    Crystal leaned away from him like he had just come from a gym workout and stunk. “I missed you too, Dad,” she said flatly.
    He cleared some of his papers from the table and pointed to the seat next to him. “Come sit down and tell me about your week. How was school? Did you win your soccer game yesterday? What did I miss?”
    She tossed her backpack at her feet and slid into the chair. She stared at him for a minute before answering in a monotone, “School was fine. We won the game yesterday and I had a goal, and Janine is a bitch and I can’t stand her.”
    Jason sat back. “What’s wrong, Crystal? Why won’t you give her a chance? She’s a wonderful lady with a big heart and she cares about you very much. If you would take the time to get to know her, you two would get along famously.”
    “Dad,” she said sternly, “I don’t need another mother, nor do I want one. Have you booked my flight to North Dakota? I really miss Mom and want to visit her.”
    Jason tapped his fingers on the table and took a deep breath. “You’re not going to North Dakota. Your mom wants