One Wild Night

The following day they gathered at the dining table for breakfast as usual, and this time Candace was forced to join them.

“Did you sleep well?” Janet asked with a warm smile, and Candace gave her a nod.

Candace wasn’t sure how to relate with the woman who was the twin sister of the woman who had given birth to her and given her away. It wasn’t like she had anything against Janet. No, she didn’t.

Her only problem was that she really didn’t know what she was meant to say or do. Or what was expected. The whole thing was awkward. It was easier for her to relate with Harry and Aaron because they had left her no choice in the way they opened their arms to her. And it was easy to connect with Lucy too because she and Lucy were almost age mates and had interacted closely before now. But with Janet, it was different.

She knew that Janet wasn’t pretending to be nice to her. Janet had always been a pleasant person, and although she hadn’t really interacted with her before now, she had known that much from Jamal, who always spoke fondly of Janet.

What Candace did not know was that Janet felt the same way. She didn’t know how to approach Candace or what to say either. It wasn’t every day that a person found out her evil estranged twin sister had started a family and abandoned them.

“I learned you are acquainted with our Matt?” Evelyn asked conversationally, and Candace paused, wondering what it was with everyone and her personal business and why they kept talking to her about Matt.

“Yes. He helped me a great deal by helping me reconnect with Jade,” Candace said with a forced smile.

“Grandma Evelyn, do you know Matt too?” Jamal asked curiously, and Evelyn turned to him.

“Yes, pumpkin. He is Bryan’s best friend,” Evelyn said, and Jamal smiled.

“He is my friend too. He promised to play games with me and to be my tour guide in his jet,” Jamal said, and Evelyn smiled.

“That sounds like something our Matt would say. He is a really good guy, and I hope he finds love soon,” Evelyn said, looking at Candace.

Bryan had said Candace rejected Matt, and Matt had said he used to be friends with her. That had to mean she was the one turning him down.

Thankfully, Candace didn’t have to respond to that as all attention turned to Sonia and Bryan as they joined them at the table. Sonia was wearing one of Bryan’s sweatshirts with a short, while Bryan was wearing sweatpants with a tank top.

“Mr Lover boy, when did you boys get back from your surprise visit trip?” Desmond asked when Bryan and Sonia joined the table, and everyone laughed in amusement.

“Before midnight. Good morning everyone,” Bryan greeted as he pulled out a seat for Sonia beside Jade, and they both sat down.

“Good morning, everyone,” Sonia greeted cheerfully.

“It’s good to see that you have both resolved things,” Evelyn said with a pleased smile.

“Yeah, they certainly have,” Andrew said with a grin when he took note of the hickey on Bryan’s neck, who was sitting beside him.

“It’s good to see you again, Andrew,” Bryan said, and Andrew grinned.

“Did you miss me much?”

“I wish I could say I did. How is your shoulder now? Have you had someone take a look at it yet?” Bryan asked with concern remembering the swimming pool incident.

Andrew rolled his shoulder, “Yeah. Janet made sure Lucas took a look at it. Thanks for asking,” Andrew said, and Bryan nodded as he glanced at Janet.

“I think you look lovelier than the last time I saw you,” Bryan said, and Janet giggled.

“That is such a sweet thing to say,” Janet said as she looked around the table.

“Why are Lucy and Tom not down yet?” Janet asked Samantha and the two maids who were attending to them.

“They won’t be coming down. Tom asked that their breakfast be served in the bedroom and requested that they not be bothered,” Samantha explained, and Evelyn raised a brow.

“So he is not going to come down to say hello to his parents who are visiting him?” Evelyn asked with disapproval.

“He didn’t exactly invite you to his house. You invited yourselves. And he is not the reason you’re here either, so if you are looking for someone to say hello to you, you should go to Harry’s house,” Jade said grumpily, and all eyes turned to her.

She had been unusually quiet and moody since she joined them at the table, so her annoying statement wasn’t exactly surprising.

“Is everything alright, Princess?” Desmond asked as he watched her with interest.

“I’m fine,” Jade said with a scowl as she picked a slice of toast and shoved it into her mouth while glaring at her phone.

She couldn’t believe that Harry had not called her all night to find out if she had arrived home or to wish her goodnight. And he was not making any move to call her this morning either. The cold-hearted bastard!

After breakfast, Sonia followed Jade, leaving Bryan behind, who was conversing with his parents and the Perrys after Candace and Jamal excused themselves to get ready so they could leave for Harry’s to spend the day with Aaron.

“Are you alright?” Sonia asked with concern as they approached Jade’s bedroom.

“Harry hasn’t called nor texted. He didn’t call last night, and he hasn’t called nor texted today either,” Jade said as she walked into her bedroom, and Sonia went in with her.

“Did you try calling him?” Sonia asked, and Jade looked at her incredulously.

“No.”

“Why not?” Sonia asked, wondering if there was any rule that stated that the guy had to be the one to call.

“Because I want him to miss me. He said he wasn’t going to miss me. It’s going to hurt my pride if I call him first,” Jade said matter of factly as she lay on her bed, and Sonia shook her head as she joined her.

“So you’d rather be moody all day than pick up your phone and call him?” Sonia asked as she propped herself on one elbow and looked at Jade.

“Yes. I’d rather be moody than let him know I miss him,” Jade said with a scowl, and Sonia giggled.

“Good luck with that then,” Sonia said, and Jade glared at her.

“Is that all you’re going to say? What do you think I can do to get him to call?” Jade asked, and Sonia shook her head.

“No offence, Jade. But right now, you sound like a lovesick high school teenager, not a mature, confident lawyer,” Sonia said, and Jade sighed.

“Really?”

“Yes. Pick up your damned phone and give him a call. There is no point playing hard to get if you’re going to spend the whole day scowling and snapping at everyone,” Sonia advised.

“Whatever. I’m not calling him first,” Jade said as she rose from the bed and went to drop her phone on top of the dresser so she would not be tempted to dial Harry’s line as she had been struggling not to do all morning.

“So you resolved things with Bryan, huh? Are you going to move in with him?” Jade asked as she returned to the bed, and Sonia bobbed her head.

“Yeah. We reached a compromise. If it doesn’t work out, then I can move out,” Sonia said, and Jade nodded.

“That’s nice. Fighting doesn’t suit you two,” Jade said with a distracted smile.

“I know, right? I’m so glad we were able to resolve things. Jade, keeping the phone far away from you, yet keeping your gaze on it this way isn’t going to make Harry call you first,” Sonia said when she noticed how Jade’s gaze remained fixed on the phone.

“Fine! I will give him a call, but I’m not going to visit him!” Jade said as she rose from the bed and went to pick it up, and Sonia stifled the urge to giggle.

“That’s your call,” Sonia said as she lay back on the bed with elbows spread out on the pillow and both palms under her head as she looked up at the ceiling.

Once Jade picked up her phone, she dialled Harry’s line, and after several rings, Harry picked up her call, “Good morning, esquire,” Harry greeted pleasantly, and she resisted the urge to glare at her phone.

“Good morning, Mr Jonas,” Jade greeted sweetly, and Harry grinned while Sonia giggled.

“Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, esquire?” Harry asked although he knew exactly what the problem was. Of course, it was Jade, so he knew what the problem was. He had been anticipating it, knowing how stubborn and proud she was.

“My sleep was perfectly fine, and my morning is going beautifully. Thanks for your concern. I hope you had a good night’s rest too?” She asked curtly, and Harry stifled the urge to chuckle.

“Sure, I did. I haven’t slept this well in a long time,” Harry said, and Jade glared at her reflection in the mirror, imagining it to be Harry.

“Good for you. I’m calling to find out how your dad is doing. I hope he is feeling better today?” Jade asked, and Sonia giggled, enjoying Jade’s childish display. Why did people do such ridiculous things when they were in love?

“Yes, he is perfect. The attractive young nurse is so good with him….”

“That’s good, then. Give my love to him. Have a nice day, Mr Jonas,” Jade cut in and hung up before Harry could say anything else, making him chuckle.

What was he going to do with this Hank Princess? Her stubbornness, pride, and impatience were second to none he had ever seen; he mused in amusement.

Of course, he had wanted to call last night but had decided to wait and see if she would call as he asked her to, and by the time he realised she wasn’t going to call, it was late already, and he didn’t want to disturb her sleep. And a while before her call came in, he had been trying to come up with the best way to say good morning to her, but she had called sooner than he expected to express her displeasure so formally.𝓞𝗏𝑳xt.𝗇𝓔t

Well, it was all good. She was going to call back soon anyway, that he was sure of.

Back in Jade’s bedroom, Sonia was rolling on the bed with laughter as Jade fumed over Harry’s description of the nurse.

A knock sounded on her door, and both ladies turned to it, “Come in,” Jade called in annoyance, and a maid walked in with a basket containing flowers and chocolates.

“This came for you,” the maid informed her, and Jade frowned.

“Me?” She asked, thinking the maid was talking to Sonia.

“Yes,” the maid said, raising the card that bore her name, and Sonia looked with interest as Jade took the basket and card from the maid and set the basket on the dressing table before opening the card.

[Good morning to the most beautiful lady in the world. I hope you have a day as bright, colourful, and beautiful as you. Love, H.J]

Jade’s lips fell open, and her cheeks coloured rosily as she looked from the card to the flowers and then back again, and seeing her reaction, Sonia got off the bed.

“Who sent it?” She asked curiously.

“Harry,” Jade whispered, feeling both elated and embarrassed at the same time.

“I love me an old-fashioned gentleman,” Sonia cooed when she plucked the card from Jade and read the short note.

As the maid walked out of the bedroom. Evelyn and Janet walked inside, and Evelyn took the card from Sonia while Jade remained where she stood, looking at the basket in stunned silence.

“I told you it’s from Harry,” Evelyn showed Janet with a proud smile.

“Harry is so sweet,” Janet said, and Jade couldn’t agree more.

As annoying and cold-hearted as he could be, he was definitely sweet, and now she didn’t know how she was supposed to call him back after that formal phone call she had just made. Damn Harry!