Jade was still seated in the dining with a frown etched between her brows as she tried to figure out what was up with Andy when Candace returned.
"I'm back. I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long," Candace announced as she took the seat opposite Jade.
Jade glanced up at her, "You didn't. Is Andy okay? She didn't seem fine," Jade asked, concern coloring her tone.
Candace nodded, a hint of worry in her eyes. "She's a bit tipsy. I guess she had a little too much to drink at her place," Candace said and Jade sighed.
"I see. So, what did you want to talk about?" Jade asked, her voice tinged with weariness.
Candace hesitated, her gaze searching Jade's face. "You know how Andy and I were talking to you yesterday?" she began tentatively, and Jade gave her a nod.
"Well, she ntioned sothing about shutting you up in front of Lucas and Tyler. So, today we got talking and I wanted to know why she said that, and she sort of implied that I've been talking to you rudely. I was wondering if you think so too?" she asked, her tone tinged with apprehension.
Jade's eyebrow shot up, "Why are you asking that? Shouldn't you be able to answer the question yourself? Think about the way you talk to , especially in public, if I did the sa to you, would you appreciate it or not?" Jade asked since that was what she had wanted to talk to Candace about.
Candace's brow furrowed, her confusion evident as she wondered why Jade sounded so upset. "Is that a yes?" She pressed, seeking clarification.
"Yes, Candace. It is a yes. I don't like the way you talk to in public," Jade said, her tone tinged with hurt.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Candace asked in confusion.
"At first it was fun. I assud it was like the banters between you and Harry, but it has beco increasingly embarrassing and annoying. Now it feels like you are always wanting to oppose at every turn whether we are alone or in public and it hurts my feelings. That is what I wanted to talk to you about." Jade's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she struggled to compose herself.
Candace hadn't realized the impact her behavior was having on Jade, and it weighed heavily on her conscience.
"I…."
"Please let finish. I was going to talk to you about it before you brought it up. So kindly let exhaust all I want to say," Jade said and Candace gave her a nod to continue.
"I know I do not have the best of behavior, and I might act childish and immature a tis, but I don't think it is okay for you all, especially you, Candace, to shut up in front of others. If you all think I'm too childish and immature to hang out with you, then I will have to stop being friends with you. I don't want to be around people who act like I'm a nuisance or make feel so bad about myself. Maybe it's best I relate with you going forward as just Harry's sister," Jade said, wiping off the tears that had rolled down her cheeks.
"You shouldn't say that, Jade. We've co a long way. You know your friendship ans a lot to ," Candace said, her voice filled with sincerity.
"I don't think it does. If it did, you would treat with more respect. Isn't friendship supposed to be about having each other's back and covering each other's flaws in public and dealing with them in private? Andy seems to be my only friend among all of you. She has never shut up in public yet she is the one who brought up the subject yesterday…."
Candace shook her head to stop her, "I didn't know how to go about it. I wasn't sure if I should talk to you, and that was why I always tried to jokingly tell you the truth bluntly," Candace said even though she wasn't sure jokingly and bluntly made sense together.
"Jokingly tell the truth bluntly? What truth have you told , Candace? That I make everything about myself? Like you did on the yacht in front of everyone? Do you think I just show up and choose to make everything myself? Is that the way you would want to tell you about yourself in public?"
Candace's heart ached at Jade's words, and a pang of guilt coursed through her. "Jade, I swear to you, I didn't an to disrespect you. I love you too much to ever want to do that. I admit that most tis I like to get on your nerves by taunting you just for fun, but not once have I thought of disrespecting you. I love and respect you too much to want to do that. I've told you several tis before how much I look up to you and how you're part of the reason I chose to study law…."
"Yes, that was before you got close to . And as the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt. Maybe I should have kept our relationship at a professional level. I know I'm not perfect and I still have a lot to work on, but I'd rather do it beside people who genuinely love ," Jade cut her off, her heart burning more and more as she spoke.
"C'mon, Jade. You know very much that I love you. We all do. I had no idea I was hurting you, Jade. I'm truly sorry I made you feel this way. Believe , I never ant to hurt you. I only talk to you that way because of our closeness. I wouldn't speak that way to a stranger or soone I'm not close to, would I? I never thought you'd take it so personally. I'm sure Sonia and Lucy didn't an to be rude to you either," Candace said, her voice filled with regret as she reached out to hold Jade's hand.
Jade sat silently, her emotions swirling inside her. She wanted to believe Candace's words, but the hurt ran deep. She valued their friendship, but recent events had left her feeling isolated and unappreciated.
She needed to clear this up because they were beginning to make her feel like it was best to shut up around them rather than have them shut her up, and if that was the case, then she would rather not spend ti with them anymore.
"It will never happen again, I promise, twin sister-in-law," Candace said, tugging on Jade's arm playfully.
A hesitant smile tugged on Jade's lips, "Are you sure?"
"Of course. There is no reason for you to make all that threat about treating as Harry's sister. You hurt my feelings, you know? I wouldn't be here or have any of these without your help," Candace said and Jade sighed.
"Alright. Maybe I overreacted," Jade said, her voice softening. "I appreciate your apology, and I know you didn't an to hurt . I just needed to let you know how I felt about the way you talk to ," Jade said and Candace nodded, her expression filled with remorse.
"I understand, Jade. Just know that I value our friendship more than you think, and I promise to do better going forward."
Jade managed a small smile, touched by Candace's sincerity. "Thank you, Candace. I value our friendship too."
"By this, I'm not saying you can't correct when I'm wrong. I'd just rather you do it when we are alone, and also you shouldn't always taunt or oppose everything I say for fun. It's not fun for ," Jade said and Candace nodded.
"Noted. I promise to be a better friend going forward," she said and Jade sighed, relieved to have poured it all out.
"Are you both done? This is so boring," Harry said with a yawn from where he stood watching them and they both turned to scowl at him.
"I thought I asked you to stay out and reflect on your behavior?" She asked and he grinned.
"I'm done reflecting. Plus, I ca out to fix the clock in the living room," Harry said as he walked over to where they sat.
"Did sothing happen to the clock?" Candace asked as she rose.
"Nothing that should bother you. Are you up for a chat? Let's go over the details of our interview," Harry said and Candace nodded.
"Yes, but I don't think Andy might be up for it. She is a bit down," Candace said and Harry frowned.
"Down? Why? Did sothing happen?" Harry asked in concern.
"None that I know of. She was in a good mood when I dropped her off earlier, but by the ti I went to pick her up, she was a bit tipsy and sullen," Candace said and Jade nodded.
"Yeah. I noticed too," Jade said and Harry sighed.
"Do you think I should check on her?" He asked Candace, and she shrugged.
"Go check on her. Maybe she might tell you what's wrong," Jade suggested since she was very concerned about Andy.
Harry nodded and walked over to Andy's bedroom. He knocked on the door gently and opened it when he heard Andy's grunt.
"What's up with my sweetest baby sister," he greeted as he walked in and Andy smiled involuntarily.
"Hey!" Andy greeted as she set aside her empty plate.
"The pasta was pretty nice. Thanks," Andy said and Harry gestured towards the bed.
"Can I sit?"
"Of course. Sure," Andy said with a nod and Harry sat down.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, and Andy smiled.
"I'm okay. I suppose I'm just having a mood swing," Andy said and Harry nodded.
"Do you want to tell your big brother what triggered it?" Harry asked and she sighed deeply.
"A bottle of wine," she said and Harry cocked a brow.
"You want a bottle of wine?" He asked and she giggled.
"No. That's not what I an. The wine back at my place reminded of Cassidy. It's stupid. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but then again, why the hell not?" Andy said and Harry nodded.
"The wine? I suppose it's a particular brand you both shared? Did it make you miss him?" He asked as he adjusted on the bed so that his back was resting on the backrest.
"Yes. A particular brand. It led to think about a bunch of other stuff."
Harry listened quietly as she told him all that she had been thinking and as she told him about how she had t Cassidy and everything about their relationship, tears fell from her eyes.
Sensing that she didn't need him to comfort her but wanted him to listen to what she was saying, Harry simply took her hand in his in silent comfort and let her keep talking.
Once she was done, she looked at him, "Do you also think it's Stockholm syndro?" She asked and Harry shrugged.
"What do you think? It's your feelings. You know what you feel better than I do. Do you think it's Stockholm syndro?" Harry asked and she shook her head.
"I checked it out on the internet. What I feel isn't the sa as the symptoms I saw online. But it doesn't make sense that I have feelings for soone like Cassidy despite all that happened between us, does it?" She asked and Harry smiled.
"You know, when it cos to emotions like love, it doesn't always make sense. The heart wants what it wants. And it would be foolish to beat yourself over it. And you my dearest Andy, is no fool. Leave it to ti and chance. Want to know what I have learned from my relationship with Jade? What will be will be. If it isn't love, the feeling will go over ti or you will et soone else and get over him. If it is love, and he feels the sa way as I know he does, I don't think you should hold him on to his past. I would burn down the world if anyone so much as lay a finger on Jade, so don't judge him by what he did when he was in pain. Sotis our pain is capable of blinding us to the pain of others. And hurting people hurts people and bleeds on others. If it's ant to be, I'm sure you both will find a way to et again. Until then, don't spend what little ti I have with you pining over another man. It makes jealous," Harry finished with a mock scowl, and Andy grinned.
"Geez, Harry! I really didn't want to talk about this, but I'm glad I talked to you. I feel much lighter. I didn't want to talk to Candace 'cause she believes whatever I'm feeling is Stockholm syndro, and I didn't think she would understand or approve my feelings," Andy confessed.
"Well, good thing you talked to . So, is that all that was bothering you?" Harry asked, and she nodded.
"Do you want to go to bed now or are you up for a chat and maybe a group movie night?" He asked and she smiled.
"The chat and group movie sounds like a better alternative to sleeping," she said and Harry rose and held out a hand to her.
"I have to freshen up first. I will join you guys when I'm done," she said and Harry picked up the plate she had used in eating.
"I will be waiting for you then," Harry said as he headed for the door.
"Big bro?" Andy called, and Harry smiled as he turned to look at her.
"I love you," she said, and Harry grinned.
"I love you too. Don't keep us waiting," Harry said before walking out.
Once he shut the door behind him, Harry sighed. It seed like all the ladies in his life were in need of therapy. He might just have to employ one therapist to attend to all of them and heal them from their various traumas.
He returned to the living room to see Jade and Candace chatting about Sonia's wedding, and he smiled when he saw how excited Jade was about their conversation.
Seeing them that way, no one would believe that they had both just had such a heated conversation a while ago with most of the heat coming from Jade's end.
That was one of the things he loved about Jade. How she was a baby heart and never seed to hold grudges.
And he liked that Jade had been able to express her feelings and both of them had been able to resolve things. The last thing he wanted was for the lady he wanted to be his partner for life to not get along with his twin sister.
"Have you talked to Andy? How is she?" Jade asked when she noticed Harry's presence.
"She is fine. Was just having a mood swing," Harry said as he took the plate to the kitchen and Jade followed him.
As Harry washed the plate, Jade pecked his cheek and he turned to smile at her, "What did I do to deserve that?"
"It's a thank you," Jade said with a grin.
"What for?"
"For doing what you did. I know you well enough to do that for my sake," Jade said and he shook his head as he dried his hand.
"It was for my sake too. I want you here. I love having you here," Harry said and Jade's smile softened.
"You know, you've changed a whole lot," she said, her voice teasing yet gentle.
"How?" He asked as he carried her and made her sit on the kitchen island while he stood between her wide legs.
"You know, you and your principles. The old Harry wouldn't be caught dead tampering with clocks and lying to keep here," she said with a teasing smile.
He winced internally, the mory of his past self still fresh. The thought of sharing his living space, especially with a woman he wasn't married to, had felt like a violation of his personal code. His principles, once so rigid, now felt archaic and restrictive in light of how he felt about Jade.
"You are right," he admitted, his voice laced with introspection.
He t her gaze, his eyes sincere. "I wouldn't have believed it three months ago. I used to think I knew exactly what I wanted, and what I believed in. But being with you has challenged those beliefs in the best way possible. It's made realize that sotis, our principles are tested by the people we love, and we learn that life isn't always black and white, that sotis the best choices are the ones that make our hearts happy, even if they don't always fit neatly into our pre-defined boxes. So, maybe what I needed was soone to challenge my rigid ways, to show that happiness sotis lies outside of our comfort zones."
Jade's smile blood as she reached out, her hand gently brushing his chin. "Well, I'm glad I got to be the one to challenge your rigid ways, Mr. Not-So-Principled-Anymore," she said and Harry chuckled as he kissed her while she wrapped both arms around him.
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