The Secrets Hidden In The Scars

      However, even despite a wish literally to attack his friend with questions about what’s happening, Terrence decides to wait for a while until he chooses a good moment to talk to Edward and try to find out just something from what is hidden from everybody so hard.       “Oh, hey again,” Terrence pronounces with a slight smile, comes to Edward, shakes him by the hand, hugs him amicably, clapping him on the back, and steps back from him some time later. “You're late… I was waiting for you for one hour…”       “Sorry, there were traffic jams,” Edward shrugs. “A couple of car accidents, a drunk man that was crossing the road for literally half an hour, a shabby cat that was almost hit… In short, too much to explain!”       “Oh, I see you didn’t miss on the way,” Terrence laughs quietly. “While I’m here, you’re watching cats and alcoholics. I would’ve left a long time ago if I hadn’t had to wait for you.”       “Let me remind you that you invited me to go to Mrs. MacClife’s home,” Edward smiles innocently. “So, be pleased to be patient, self-proclaimed king of the show business.”       “Why am I a self-proclaimed one? I am really a king of the show business, in which everybody knows and respects me!”       “Oh, shut up, please, otherwise I will kill you right here,” Edward rolls his eyes.       Terrence chuckles quietly with a proud look and then glances at the open hall door.       “Okay, go to hell,” Terrence waves a hand. “Sit in the living room. Give me two minutes. I’ll take something, and we’ll go.”       “Alright, Your Highness,” Edward smiles slightly. “I’m ready to wait for you for twenty minutes.”       “Come the fuck in before I change my mind about taking you with me.”       With these words, Terrence slightly pushes Edward to the hall door. Lockhart comes into the house with a quiet laugh and comes into the living room, looking around with interest and getting delighted by his friend’s home every time he comes here.       A large living room, in which many people could be, looks very luxurious and exquisite. Railing and fences on the second floor in the place, from which there is a perfect view of the whole living room, are unbelievably beautiful thanks to interesting patterns. It’s possible to see a big chandelier on the high white ceiling that perfectly lights up the room at a dark time of day. And lamps are placed either on tables or on the floor in corners that are poorly lighted up. Marble polished tile is placed on the floor that gleams beautifully and makes a sound when someone knocks it with shoe soles or heels.       Half of the living room is empty. And a few soft sofas and armchairs with incredible patterns are placed on the other half. A transparent coffee table framed with light brown inserts is placed among them. There is also a carpet with interesting pants that perfectly fits beige and brown shades, which this room has. And it’s also possible to see artificial flowers placed in high, gold-painted vases in different corners of the living room. There are many doors that lead to other rooms, dark curtains are placed on the windows and some arches that are barely covered.       When Edward admires this beauty, he dreams of living in a similar place and admiring every single corner. Unfortunately, the condition of his life in a shabby room in an old house that was built somewhere at the end of the twentieth century is far from perfect. Now he has no opportunity to earn money for his own gorgeous housing. He is not an actor, singer, or businessman – nobody, who earns millions, lives in private, luxury residences, and feels like kings and queens. So, the man doubts that he will start earning great money and live in luxury.       Edward walks into the living room and looks around for some time, while Terrence locks the door and leaves for one minute to take something. But then he stops his eyes on his friend’s guitar and a notebook, in which he had been trying to write songs before Letitia came here. The man comes closer and looks at what is written on a bunch of papers placed near it on the coffee table with interest. When he wants to take one of the pieces and read what is written in it, Terrence returns to the living room. A quiet knock from his shoe soles on marble tile lets him know it.       “Writing songs?” Edward asks.       “Yes, I tried, at least…” Terrence smiles shyly, looking for something on one of the tables, which are placed near the sofa, and on which there is a bunch of stuff. “I had written something before you came…”       “Really? Can I look?”       “Erm, yes, sure…” Terrence shrugs. “But I don't think you will like it. As the one to be more experienced in it.”       “We’ll now check if you’re really as multitalented as you think.”       Edward takes Terrence’s notebook and reads what is written on the open pages. But after turning a few more pages, the man pays attention to the line that his friend wrote literally some time ago. Lockhart starts to read all these words with interest and sees there are notes near them that specify what chords should be struck, in his opinion. There are also notes about how long some words need to be sung, how long one or another note should be held, and what emotions they should be performed with. After reading almost all the lines for songs and quietly singing what he gets, Edward smiles shyly and nods in approval.       “Wow, it’s cool!” Edward exclaims. “I didn’t know you could write such good songs.”       “I wrote something before,” Terrence smiles shyly. “But two stubborn idiots named Peter Rose and Daniel Perkins, not knowing it, let me discover another talent.”       “Yeah, their conflict kicked your ass enough, and you decided to provide yourself with some stuff you could work with if you got an offer to sign a contract with the studio.”       “It’s true. But actually, I just liked writing songs. And I’ve lately got too much inspiration and can’t literally stop.”       “I like it, you do it pretty cool, buddy,” Edward nods with a shy smile, putting the notebook on the table, taking one of the pieces from the bunch, and reading what it contains. “It all has a soul…”       “Glad you appreciated,” Terrence smiles shyly, putting something in the inside pocket of his coat.       “So…” Edward puts the paper on the table and puts his hands on his hips. “No matter how much I wanna laugh at you, I must confess that you’re really multitalented. You act in movies, sing, play guitar, and now write songs. You’re so wild, man!”       “As they say, talented people are talented at everything,” Terrence says with his head proudly raised up. “And believe me, I can do very much you don’t know about.”       “After such amazing lines, anyone would put aside their doubt about your uniqueness. Of course, you could write songs very well before, but now there is something special about these lines.”       “Could someone doubt me?” Terrence wonders, leaning on the sofa with his hands.       “I'm gonna be honest, I’ve never had them,” Edward takes another piece of paper and sees some words that express sadness much more than happiness. “Oh, these words are kind of sad… Not similar to the more positive songs you have here…”       Terrence frowns slightly and comes to Edward to look at the sad words in the paper that his friend means.       “Yeah, they’re really sad,” Terrence replies thoughtfully. “I had a fucking bad mood. So, I got something like this. Sad… Depressive…”       “Happened some time ago?” Edward asks.       “Yup. The problem with the band made me feel lousy… But it woke up my wish to write more and more. I don’t know if it’s available to the public someday, but I hope at least some of these songs will be recorded and released.”       “I think a song with these words could become a real hit,” Edward assumes confidently, reading the words on the paper in his hands again. “It could be salvation for someone…”       “Nope, I wouldn’t like to release this song. Even if I recorded, I would do it only for my closest people.”       “So, are these words kind of personal to you?”       “I’d say yes. I wouldn’t like these personal things to be known to the whole world.”       “I get it…”       Terrence nods, thinks for two seconds, and sits on the sofa.       “You know, buddy, I’ve lately thought of writing a song that would mean a lot to me. It doesn’t have to be sad… I wanna write a song that I will only be performing for my closest people. Record in the studio, invite someone, and listen to it together without releasing.”       “You won’t believe me, but I also thought of writing a personal song for me,” Edward chuckles shyly.       “Really?” Terrence wonders.       “Yup.” Edward puts the paper with the lyrics on the table and sits on the sofa next to the thoughtful Terrence. “I wanna write a song that would tell people about me fighting for what I wanted to get, wishing for something, and reaching my goals.”       “Write it then. If you say you have no inspiration, I won’t believe you ‘cause you’ve always been an idea generator that works perfectly.”       “No, the problem isn’t about it,” Edward laughs shyly. “I just need to get ready for writing this type of song. To write it, I’d have to remember everything I’ve overcome. But there are moments I don’t want to think about.”       “Oh, I have the same problem… I wanna write something, but I wouldn’t like to experience much from what was my nightmare.”       “Maybe, someday, I’ll decide to do it…” Edward thinks for two seconds and sighs with sadness in his eyes. “But the truth is that I haven’t lately been able to think up good words. Somehow, I tried to write something but felt in a stupor.”       “It’s all vice versa for me…” Terrence laughs shyly. “I was writing songs because I had to. And it wasn’t always good. But now I have so many ideas that my head is tearing apart.”       “Yay, MacClife, it seems like you and I exchanged our places,” Edward replies funnily. “I lost all my skills, but you got them and began to write real masterpieces.”       “That’s right. You’re quickly rolling down, but I’m rising up.” Terrence chuckles quietly. “Giving in, man, giving in.”       “Even the best have bad hair days. Bad lyrics, bad melodies… It’s fine. I don’t worry about it. If I can’t do this now, I’ll get something incredible later.”       “Absolutely agree…” Terrence sighs with sadness and runs his hand through his hair. “But I can’t say everything is fine…”       “I get it…” Edward leans back in the sofa. “I know you began to dream of your band getting famous, recording albums, traveling around the world with shows, and making your fans happy.”       “I do mean it. I can’t start a musical career. Somehow, I was offered a contract, but then they suddenly left and forgot about me. And now my friends have fought to the fuck, and the band’s story is about to be over. Someone doesn’t kind of want me to become a musician…”       “But you shouldn’t give up. If the band is broken up, you’ll try to become a solo artist. I’m sure the studio would listen to you, and the manager of ‘Against The System’ would love to work with you.”       “I know and have been thinking about it a lot… And Raquelle motivates me not to forget about my dream and get what I want, despite nothing.”       “She’s also sure you’d become a musician. Just think of Raquelle every time you barely think of giving a fuck about everything.”       “I do this at those moments…” Terrence glances aside and smiles slightly. “I'm happy Raquelle and I have no problems, and we understand each other well.”       “I'm very happy you established your relationship,” Edward says with a slight smile and sadness in his eyes. “Glad you’re gonna get married soon. Besides, I still remember you being sad when you said almost everything was lost, and your breakup was inevitable.”       “You're right…” Terrence nods. “I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened to me if Raquelle and I had broken up and gone our separate ways.”       “The important thing is that you learned the lessons and try not to make the same mistakes.”       “Yup, I’m doing my best to make her happy. And Raquelle doesn’t leave it unnoticed and makes me feel better in the hardest and darkest times.”       “Having a trip abroad was definitely good for you,” Edward smiles shyly. “You forgot about your cares for two weeks and spent time with each other.”       “I think it’s one of the best moments of my life. Our vacation helped me realize I didn’t wanna let that girl go, and I madly loved her. She’s really the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I regret appreciating her not as much as I should’ve done.”       “I’m glad you found the happiness you deserve.”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which Terrence carefully watches the sad Edward, who thinks of something, locking his fingers tightly.       “Now Raquelle and I understand each other much better,” Terrence confesses. “We may love someone with all our hearts and feel a crazy passion. But if we have no respect and a wish to support, take care, listen and give in when it would be better, something good would hardly happen.”       “You two have changed very much in three or four months. Those events established your relationship.”       “I believe so,” Terrence says nothing for a second and thinks about something. “Sometimes I wanna get those memories out of my head. But then I understand that those events made us better. I realized very much and changed my point of view about some things.”       “I’m sure it will keep getting better,” Edward slightly claps Terrence on the shoulder. “The important thing is that you don’t forget the lessons you were given. All the words said by many people, who’ve lived a long life and seen much. You’ve gotta learn to live together before you have a wedding.”       “Yeah, you're right…” Terrence pronounces thoughtfully and cracks a smile.       Silence settles in the air for five seconds, during which Terrence fingers over, and Edward looks at him with sadness. But then MacClife gets straight, coughs quietly, and gets up from the sofa.       “Okay, why we’re sitting here and talking about bad things…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “We wanted to visit Mother…”       “Well, I’m ready to go,” Edward says thoughtfully as he shrugs. “If you are, we can go.”       “Yes, I’m ready.”       “Let’s go them.”       Edward gets up from the sofa a little lazily and pulls down his coat, while Terrence puts on his one that is placed on the back of an armchair and takes keys from his jeep from a table near the sofa. After making sure they took everything, Terrence and Edward leave the house, and then Lockhart is waiting for his friend to lock the hall door with a key. They come to a back jeep placed in a special place for it and get into the salon after Terrence unlocks it with a key. Then he quickly departs from the house and goes on the road to go to the house of Rebecca.       

***

      First, Terrence and Edward talk about something that does not have to do with them or anyone of their friends or close people on the way to their mother. They have the pleasure of joking with each other somehow, and they often laugh at something. But some time later, Terrence decides to try to find out what’s been happening lately between Edward and Natalia, and whether he knows something about her secret.       “By the way, Natalia's mother visited me at home…” Terrence confesses carefully, closely watching the road.       “Natalia's mother?” Edward wonders, sharply moving his surprised look to Terrence. “Mrs. Rochester? She was at your home?”       “Yes, before you came. I thought that was you and went to open the door. But I saw a woman, who introduced herself as Letitia Rochester, Natalia’s mother and the wife of her father, Anthony Rochester. She is a beautiful middle-aged woman… A blonde… Looks similar to our Blondie.”       “But what was she doing there? What did she need from you?”       “Actually, Mr. Rochester wanted to talk to Raquelle. But since she is having shootings, that woman decided to talk to me.”       “It’s weird…” Edward frowns slightly. “Could Raquelle tell Mr. Rochester something Natalia doesn’t wanna say?”       “Who knows…” Terrence shrugs. “But that woman and Mr. Rochester are worried about their daughter, who is behaving strangely.”       “Strangely? What do you mean?”       “For example, the fact that her parents will go to Mexico in two days, and Natalia begged them to take her with them. For the second time, just saying. When they were gonna go there, she persuaded them, saying she was worried about her grandmother.”       “I see no reason to worry,” Edward shrugs without emotions. “She’s worried about that woman and wants her to defeat cancer as soon as possible.”       “No, the Rochesters believe she’s running from something. From what could happen a few months ago. From what could recently happen… They’re sure something is happening to Natalia, but they don’t know who could help them ‘cause nobody knows anything. At least, Raquelle and I don’t.”       “Are you sure there is a reason to worry?”       “I don’t doubt. Something really happened to her. And ‘something’ is very serious.”       “But what could happen?” Edward throws his hands up, looking like he does not care about what’s happening to Natalia, but being worried about her deep inside. “Is that so seriously that the Rochesters panic so hard, and she even went to the home of you and Raquelle?”       “Well, I think you could answer this question,” Terrence glances at Edward. “Something we don’t know about definitely happened between you and Natalia.”       “What?” Edward asks in a little shaking voice and smiles falsely while he is getting quite tense and having a slower breath. “No… No… Why do you think Natalia and I have some problems?”       “Because you do,” Terrence replies confidently, closely watching Edward, who starts to pull the sleeves of his coat nervously. “Do you think Raquelle and I are blind and didn’t notice you and Natalia being weird during the dinner? Too cold and distanced. Rochester was afraid of you. She had been funny and hadn’t looked scared before you came. It was clear she wanted to get out and not to see you.”       “I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Edward jabs quickly in a low voice. “Everything is fine about Natalia and me. We weren’t strange at the dinner.”       “You do understand everything. You’re silent for an unknown reason and pretending that nothing is happening.”       “Do you think we would’ve come to dinner if we’d had some problems? Who would love to see someone they fought with or are actually enemies with? Think yourself!”       “Is it so hard to confess that not everything is fine about you and your girlfriend?” Terrence wonders. “What’s the point of hiding it and telling everyone everything is fine? While you don’t actually care about each other. Natalia was afraid of you, and you looked at her with contempt or even hate. No smell of love.”       “Gosh, Terrence, what you’re talking about!” Edward shakes his head while he gets white, and his heartbeat gets faster from the excitement. “You thought up some bullshit and believe it!”       “It’s not bullshit, buddy. I’m saying what I saw at dinner, to which Raquelle and I invited you and Natalia. It let us know you had problems. I only suspected that something wasn’t right. I didn’t like the messages you both sent us. But on that day, Raquelle and I made sure that my suspicions were confirmed.”       “Who knows what I wrote in those messages. I was very busy. I typed a text on my phone too quickly without checking mistakes or the meaning of sentences.”       “Stop finding excuses!” Terrence throws a little colder. “Your messages had no mistakes, your punctuation was correct, and your sentences had one or another meaning. So, don’t try to make me sure you have problems with grammar ‘cause you don’t. You did know what you were writing about.”       “Terrence, please…”       “Listen, Edward, I'm not gonna meddle in the relationship between you and Natalia and understand you wanna solve them by yourself,” Terrence exhales sharply. “But why are you lying so openly and pretending that everything is fine? Just confess that you have a problem and are working on its solution.”       Edward slowly glances at his hands and nervously fingers over or pulls down a seat belt, unsuccessfully trying to hide his nervousness and twisting around the passenger seat.       “Erm, sorry, Terrence, but I don't understand what you're talking about,” Edward replies hesitantly, swallowing up nervously.       “I think you understand it,” Terrence says gloomily, and changes the speed with a gearbox. “I mean, I don’t doubt. I don’t understand why, but you have a goal, trying to make everyone sure that Natalia and you are a perfect couple.”       “I don’t have a goal and try to pretend. You always find falseness about everything and stopped to know an act from reality. We’re not living in a movie, Terrence. We aren’t actors, we’re real people.”       “Don’t make me an idiot, Edward. I’m quite a smart man to know some things. For example, I can feel when people lie. And in your case, there is no need to try. If you’re pretending to be madly happy and in love, learn to look truer and make people believe your act. The one, who will never become an actor, is you. Sorry for the rudeness and frankness, but you’re really talentless at it.”       “Don’t worry, buddy, I ain’t gonna steal your title of the best actor and claim on your crown,” Edward says funnily with a slight smile. “I can temporarily borrow it and not let you turn your nose up and proclaim yourself God.”       “Alright, kid, stop avoiding the answer and speak up about what’s happening to Natalia and you. And be sure, early or late, Raquelle and I would know everything from you or third people. Who are really aware of what’s happening to you.”       “Oh, Terrence, why did you cling to me?” Edward moans tiredly, putting his hand on his forehead and running it over his face, while his eyes are set on the window of the car. “I did say everything is fine about me and Natalia, and we aren’t pretending.”       Terrence exhales sharply, trying to calm himself down because Edward starts to irritate him a little by refusing to say something, openly lying, and trying to change the subject.       “Okay, let’s forget about problems with your relationship with Natalia,” Terrence says quietly, changing the speed with a gearbox and tightly grabbing the steering wheel. “Now I want to hear everything you know about her secret. Her mother suspects that Rochester has been hiding something for a long time. And it happened some time later after you met her.”       “Are you asking me?” Edward rounds his eyes, twisting uneasily in the seat and pulling down the sleeves of his coat strongly, and rubs his little sweaty hands. “You better ask Natalia about it. She has told nobody what’s happening to her.”       “Maybe, you know something about it? A few months ago, you briefly mentioned that, but told me no details.”       “I swear, I really know nothing about it. Since Natalia and I began to date, I forgot about her strange behavior. And she doesn’t definitely think about that case…”       “I don’t think… She probably still thinks about it, but says nothing. Her parents think they need to find out what happened, ‘cause the case might be very serious.”       “But how?” Edward shrugs. “That girl would hardly say something. If she has said nothing to anyone yet.”       “Do you really know nothing about it?” Terrence frowns slightly, moving a suspicious look at Edward. “Maybe, the problem with your relationship with her is hidden in that secret?”       “No, no, Terrence, I don’t lie to you! As for what happened to Natalia after we met, I know nothing and can only guess the reasons for her sadness.”       “But why did you get so cold to each other and stop feeling what you felt before?”       Edward sighs quietly, leans back in the seat, and says nothing, looking quite tense, excited, and gloomy. Terrence sees it well and understands that he needs to press on his friend a little to get just something out of him.       “What's happening, Edward?” Terrence asks quietly. “Why are you two pretending that everything is okay when a black cat ran between you? You were so happy and in love! How happy Natalia was when she realized you didn’t wanna stop speaking to her… How happy you got when she stopped ignoring you and said she was ready to try to date you. Where has it all gone? Where’s all your love? Why don’t we want to smile when looking at you?”       Edward watches the empty road located across thick forests through the windshield for two seconds. Then he sighs very quietly and leans his head back with closed eyes.       “Oh, honestly, I also want to finally understand what's happening…” Edward replies without emotions and runs his hand over his face, moving his eyes aside. “I don’t know what’s happening between you…”       “So, do you have conflicts?” Terrence frowns slightly.       “Any couple has conflicts, Terrence,” Edward replies, swallowing up nervously, crossing his arms over his chest, and looking down. “Natalia and I also have disputes, but they’re not very serious.”       “Is your problem about it?”       “One of the problems… But actually… Actually, I… Oh…” Edward runs his hands over his face and exhales sharply. “I dunno… Sometimes I think she is not the girl I need…”       “Why? Natalia is very cute, well-mannered, educated… As sentimental as you are. I think she fits you perfectly.”       “I know, but I think she is not my person. She has everything, but something is not right…”       “Are you gonna break up with her?”       “I dunno… But I haven’t lately felt too comfortable with that girl.”       “Did you have a conflict with Natalia on the dinner day?”       Edward says nothing for a few seconds, while his eyes are running from one side to another. He does not either find the courage to say something or tries to find an excuse to make Terrence lose interest in this talk and change the subject. But later, the man exhales sharply, quietly, and says something with a great reluctance, often bilking his eyes and looking much whiter from a little scare:       “Yes, we fought some time before the dinner… That’s why we were so weird…”       “Fought?” Terrence frowns slightly and changes the speed with a gearbox. “But why? Something serious happened between you?”       “Nope, nothing serious,” Edward says hesitantly. “Just a dispute that any couple might have… Some misunderstandings…”       “Couldn’t you decide what sort of movie to watch at a cinema?” Terrence asks funnily, trying to make the atmosphere less tense.       “Well… Actually, yes…” Edward tightly grabs the sleeve of his coat. “She wants one thing, but I want another… Sadly, sometimes it’s very hard to agree with women.”       “But why did you come to dinner?”       “Could we refuse? I would’ve personally come anyway, ‘cause I didn’t see you and Raquelle for more than one month and terribly missed you. Maybe, Natalia didn’t actually wanna go, but a chance to meet her close friends made her forget about the conflict.”       “It kind of explains why she kept herself far from you…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “Did you hurt her so much that Natalia dreamed of you and her going home?”       “Erm…” Edward stutters, pursing his lips for a second. “Well, nope, I didn’t hurt her a lot… She just took all of that too seriously. That’s Natalia. That girl can get hurt by even the stupidest thing. For example, she was mad at Raquelle for a long time, ‘cause she thought she was hurt for no reason.”       “Could she get so mad because of a simple conflict because of, let’s assume, choosing a movie?” Terrence wonders. “That girl should know she wouldn’t avoid it. Would she always react to any argument so hard?”       “I don’t know, Terrence… I don’t like this situation, but I’m afraid that girl could hardly be changed. She’s impressionable, vulnerable, and sentimental… She can’t be deprived of it…”       “Yeah, too much… I’m surprised her parents didn’t say that she wouldn’t avoid conflicts and get hurt and worry about any one of them so much. They’ve been married for almost thirty years, as Natalia said somehow, and they should’ve gotten her ready for that and taught her not to react so hard.”       “Maybe, they did… They could probably even argue with her pretense…” Edward shrugs. “But that’s our blonde… Nobody can change her…”       “Sorry, very sorry…”       Silence settles for some time, during which Terrence frowns slightly while keeping driving the car, and Edward quickly cleans his throat, becoming gloomy and a little hesitant by this time. He is still looking for any way to avoid the talk and try to say something for his friend to believe what he comes up with.       “But you and Raquelle shouldn't take our misunderstanding so seriously and have false guesses,” Edward says hesitantly. “If something happened, Natalia or I would tell some of you.”       “We two wish you happiness and want to see you happy,” Terrence replies with a slight smile. “If we have a chance to help you, we’re always ready to do it. After Raquelle and I almost ruined our relationship, we got enough experience that we’re ready to share with those, who need it.”       “Thanks a lot for your care, but please, don't worry about us. Better solve your problems. You need to reconcile Peter and Daniel somehow and save the band, but Raquelle…” Edward falls into silence for a second. “Raquelle’s happy. She has nothing to complain about. The loving fiancé is by her side, and her popularity as a model is growing every day… Moreover, she’s gonna get married soon.”       “But Natalia is a close friend of Raquelle and mine, you're my friend. The fact that we worry about you and want to help you is quite normal. Because we love you two and wanna help you, even if we shouldn’t openly meddle in your life. Just like parents, who adore controlling their children even when they’re adults.”       “Natalia and I love you two very much, and it’s nice to know you worry about us,” Edward smiles shyly with sadness in his eyes, moving his eyes to Terrence. “But better think of yourself. Your career, each other… Your wedding… Your future children…”       “Children?” Terrence smiles much wider.       “Yeah. Early or late, you’ll get babies. You aren’t gonna live without children all your life.”       “Of course, we aren’t gonna. I wanna have my own children.”       Terrence sighs and thinks about something for two seconds. Edward decides to use the moment and avoid the talk about his relationship with Natalia, finding a wonderful thing his friend would talk about with pleasure.       “Have you and Raquelle thought of a baby?” Edward asks amicably.       “Not yet, but I wouldn’t mind it,” Terrence replies with a slight smile and changes the speed with a gearbox. “I think I'm ready for fatherhood. I actually love children. I’ve gotten to babysit with children of my acquaintances.”       “Would you be happy if Raquelle told you she was expecting a child?”       “Of course. But I think making a child right now is too early. First, Raquelle and I reconciled some time ago and made our relationship more or less better. Second, we should have a wedding first. And third, I need to solve the band’s problems. I don’t think I’d be able to think of diapers, toys, and bottles of milk and pray that nothing happens to my child and think about how to save my band.”       “I absolutely agree with you. If a child is born, you’ll be connected forever. And it’s a great responsibility.”       “I completely get it and know what I’d do if I decided to become a father. So, that’s why Raquelle and I better for some time before we talk about it.”       “Would you probably like your first baby to be a boy?” Edward assumes with a slight smile.       “My child’s sex doesn’t matter to me,” Terrence replies confidently. “I’ll be truly happy to have a boy or a girl. If I have a boy, I’ll do my best for him to grow up into a real man. But if I have a girl, I’ll be growing her up as a princess, and she’ll be as strong, brave, clever, and beautiful as her mother is.”       “You make me smile,” Edward smiles widely. “Saying about it with such warmth…”       “Someday, your time to buy diapers and shake your baby in your arms will come.”       “No, I’m not ready for fatherhood now…” Edward looks at his hands. “I like children, too. And I have the pleasure of watching them playing on playgrounds. But I don’t want it now…”       “I believe you need to solve your problems with Natalia or find someone you would be really happy with. When you need that girl, you will get a wish to do it. Of course, I was always able to imagine myself being a dad, but after meeting Raquelle, I didn’t doubt she was the woman that I wanted to make a mother of my children.”       “Anyway, I’m not gonna become a father now, and I try to be careful not to make a child accidentally. I’m only twenty-five… I think many things would happen in my life before I wish to marry and have my own children.”       “At least, you see yourself as a daddy surrounded by lots of little babies,” Terrence chuckles, glancing at Edward.       “I hope your babies will be born much earlier,” Edward laughs shyly. “So, I’d be able to babysit with them and get to know what’s waiting for me better.”       “I’ll think if I let my children go to their uncle.”       “Your children are gonna madly love me and run to me shortly after they see their beloved uncle on the doorstep.”       “I can’t imagine that scene.” Terrence laughs shyly. “It seems like it’s too early for you to become a dad… I think you’re a young idler, who's not ready for serious responsibility for something or someone.”       “But I can do it to you. And I laugh when I imagine your children peeing on your clothes, painting your irresistible face with markers, and having you wrapped around a finger.”       “Oh, we’ll see it, kid!” Terrence exclaims with a laugh.       “See, buddy, see… But I’ll watch you, take a couple of pictures, publish the funniest ones on the Internet, and think up hilarious signatures.”       “Oh, I’d kick your ass enough if I wasn’t driving a car…”       “Hooray, I’m safe!” Edward whoops funnily.       “Shut up, at last! Before I regret taking you with me.”       Edward imitates the way Terrence speaks and gets a clap on his forehead from his friend, who distracts himself for a second. MacClife would probably answer him and give him a couple of slaps on the head, but decides to do it later. Terrence does not also get excited and keeps watching the road and driving the car.       From this moment on, the guys spend their way to Rebecca’s home silently. Every one of them has fallen into their thoughts and is thinking of something. Terrence thinks about what’s happening to Natalia and Edward and whether what he just heard is true. Well, Edward himself is reflecting on what is going to happen to his life in the future and feels sad because of problems in his relationship with his girlfriend.       

***

      Meanwhile, Natalia is sitting at home and waiting for Raquelle to come to her, who also has a plan of talking to her friend and persudaing her to confess just something. While waiting for Raquelle’s arrival, Natalia is looking through a small window placed in her room without emotions, watching how life is going on behind the apartment and thinking of something. Since her parents’ apartment is right in the middle of the center on a high floor of a high, elite building, she can see a wonderful view of a lively part of the street.       A crossroad never gets emptied. Cars of different colors and sizes, trucks, buses, bikes, taxis and other transports always go on it. Many people go to another side on pedestrian crossings when there's a green light. The crossroad is surrounded by many buildings made of glass or bricks, in which people live, or in which there are stores with bright posters and goods shown to the public that suggest everyone come in. However, everyone does not have time to admire the assortment, no matter how gorgeous it is, because they rush to do their business and pay no attention to what’s happening around them.       “Sometimes I want to live some good moments that happened to me again…” Natalia thinks, moves a strand of hair off her eyes, leans on the windowsill with her hands, and sighs heavily. “I want to get back and do my best for many things to be different. I wanna fix all the mistakes I’ve made… Those, because of which I ruined what was important to me… I should’ve found the courage to recognize some things and not made anyone doubt me or my honesty.”       Natalia sighs heavily again and inclines her head, thinking about something. A few seconds later, someone rings the door, and, getting bad thoughts out of her head, the girl smiles shyly and goes to open the door. Then she sees Raquelle standing on the doorstep and looking a little tired but quite happy after today’s shootings.       “Hey, friend,” Raquelle smiles shyly. “Here I am.”       “Aw, Raquelle, I’m so happy you came,” Natalia says with a smile, lets Raquelle in, takes her in a tight hug, and shares an amicable kiss on the cheek. “I feel lonely here…”       “Lonely?” Raquelle wonders, rounding her eyes. “Are you still home alone?”       “Yup, Father and Mother are working and will be back home late. So, I feel bored… But I don’t do it now. Because you’ve come.”       “I kind of felt you were lonely and decided to make a company for you,” Raquelle laughs shyly.       “I believe your feelings worked right again.” Natalia closes the door after Raquelle and locks it. “They don’t almost lie to you.”       After locking the door, Natalia hugs Raquelle around the shoulders and slowly goes to the living room with her.       “Listen, we should’ve suggested Anna join us,” Raquelle says thoughtfully, looking around with interest. “Since you came back to New York, we haven’t come all together yet.”       “I thought about it and wanted to call her and suggest coming here,” Natalia shrugs with sadness in her eyes. “But Anna turned off her phone, and I didn’t manage to reach her. I guess she’s spending her time with Daniel…”       “I don’t doubt it. After he conflicted with Peter, she began to give very much attention to Daniel and literally forgot her friends.”       “And it’s sad, I must confess…” Natalia confesses with sadness in her eyes and smiles shyly. “But it’s okay, we’ll spend a wonderful time without her. And she would probably find a way to make that man sure to tell the reasons for the conflict.”       “I’m sure it would happen early or late.”       “I think so.”       At this moment, Natalia and Raquelle come to the living room.       “By the way, you look exhausted,” Natalia notices thoughtfully, while Raquelle puts her purse on the sofa and looks around the whole room. “Hard day, huh?”       “Yeah, the photoshoots were too long and hard,” Raquelle sighs quietly and runs her hand over her hair. “The photograph was too nervous. And a couple of people on the set didn’t spread happiness.”       “Listen…” Natalia sits on the sofa and puts a finger on her lip with a thoughtful face. “Isn’t that the one, who’s known for his unbearable character? Almost all models complain about him.”       “Yup, that’s him…” Raquelle sits down next to Natalia when the blonde claps slightly at the place near her to suggest sitting down. “But I found out that I was gonna be working with him at the last minute. The one, who was supposed to photograph me originally, ended up in a hospital. The magazine’s editors didn’t wanna delay the shootings and replaced a photographer.”       “And couldn’t you refuse?”       “No, I couldn’t run away from the shootings, being dressed up and having makeup. Of course, I wasn’t happy that my time to work with him came, but disrupting the shooting is not my rule. I had to brace myself and bring the shootings to an end, despite how disgustingly that man behaved. He was mean, yelling, criticizing me… I needed a little to have hysteria.”       “Oh, I’m so sorry, honey…” Natalia caresses Raquelle’s hand softly with sadness in her eyes. “Very sorry…”       “Thank God, those hard shootings are over. A little later, I’ll tell my manager team to decline offers if that nasty man is a photograph. I don’t wanna work with him anymore.”       “Nevertheless, he can take wonderful photos. Of course, he’s a nasty and disgusting man, but he does his work perfectly.”       “I also like the way he works. But today’s tortures and shouts at the whole set were enough for me. I’m done! I don’t want more!”       “Many models refused to work with him. So, some time later, he’ll have to realize why his career starts getting ruined.”       “I don’t care. I no longer work with him – that’s all!”       Natalia smiles shyly and glances aside while silence settles in the air for two seconds.       “Hey, why didn't you go home if you got so tired after the shootings?” Natalia asks. “You could have a good rest, and we would’ve met tomorrow and gone somewhere tomorrow. Maybe, we would’ve made Anna leave her sweetheart for a while.”       “I'm not too tired to be ready to drop,” Raquelle smiles shyly. “Moreover, I have nothing to do at home ‘cause there’s nobody there. I wouldn’t like to be alone.”       “Did Terrence go somewhere?”       “Yes… Decided to walk in the city… Maybe, he’d later visit his mother, whom he hasn’t visited for a long time.”       “Does she visit you at your home?”       “Well, she’s come two times, but a long time ago.”       “You could invite her to dinner. I’m sure she’ll come with pleasure.”       “Maybe, we would do… If Terrence didn’t think of visiting her at the nearest time.”       “Okay…”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which Natalia moves her sad eyes down, and Raquelle closely looks at her, seeing her friend looks tired and definitely upset with something.       “By the way, you also look tired and a little sad…” Raquelle notices thoughtfully.       “No…” Natalia sighs heavily, glancing aside. “I’m just a little sad ‘cause my parents are going to Mexico in two days. To get ready for Grandma’s moving to us.”       “Are your parents going there again?”       “Yup, they told me this morning. We wouldn’t have been back here a few days ago and would’ve stayed there for two more months. But my parents had some problems, for which they had to come back to New York for a few days. But now they kind of solved everything and are ready to go to Mexico again.”       “Won’t you go with them?”       “I suggested my help, but Father and Mother said they’d do it by themselves,” Natalia shrugs with sadness in her eyes. “So, I’ll stay here and wait for news about my grandma.”       “You did say the therapy helps her, and she truly believes in her recovery. I don’t think you have reasons to worry.”       “I know… I’m just missing her so badly and can’t wait for her to move here.”       “Soon, darling, soon,” Raquelle caresses Natalia’s hand with a comforting smile. “While your parents are working, you won’t feel bored alone, ‘cause your grandmother will be with you.”       “Can’t wait…” Natalia smiles shyly. “My friends don’t almost visit me… You’re busy with your work and spend a lot of time with your fiancé… Getting ready for your wedding… And Anna kind of forgot you and me and gives her attention to Daniel.”       “Is it bad?” Raquelle wonders. “Yes, Anna meets us rarer, but she still remembers us.”       “Well, you're right,” Natalia agrees thoughtfully and glances aside for a second. “I'm very happy for her ‘cause she found personal happiness. But I’m sad because Seymour shut herself off us.”       “I’m sure she still loves us and would love to invite us somewhere someday.”       “How long ago did you meet her the last time?”       “We recently talked on Facebook. We discussed what happened in our lives…”       “And yesterday, she went to my home. We talked a little and drank a cup of coffee. She said you told her about my return to New York.”       “Yes, it’s true,” Raquelle nods. “And she told me she wanted to go to your home. I would’ve come, but I couldn’t do it ‘cause I was at Grandpa’s home until the late evening.”       “You were at Mr. Cameron’s home?”       “Yup. I wanted to go to him for two hours, but stayed ‘till twelve o’clock.”       “That’s great you don’t forget him. He misses you while you live far from him.”       “I know,” Raquelle nods with a slight smile. “When I have some free hours, I always visit him and help him if he needs it.”       “It seems like you learned to schedule events better. You work, pay attention to your handsome guy, help your grandfather and spend time with your friends. You’re just a meteor, friend! How do you manage to do a few things at the same time?”       “I dunno! But I do it and am glad I can schedule my day as I want.”       “Maybe, you find a free hour and go to Anna’s home? We do know well where she’s living and could always visit her and her sweetheart, who is as attractive as your irresistible fiancé is.”       “Nice idea…” Raquelle puts a finger on her lips. “If we met Daniel, we could try to make him sure to explain his behavior. Find out whether we have a reason to worry that he might take it out on Anna and mock her the way he does it to Peter.”       “Of course, we shouldn’t meddle in their business, but sometimes I’d like to. I’m interested in what could happen between two people, who had been good friends and aren’t now ready to take the first step toward reconciliation.”       “If Terrence doesn’t get anything outta these stubborn people, Anna and you will suggest our help and quickly get a confession at least out of Daniel,” Raquelle promises confidently. “As everything started because of him, may he explain why he got so mad at his friend.”       “He needs only to give a sign!” Natalia chuckles kindly. “And we’ll make that stubborn guy speak and swear no danger threatens our friend Anna.”       “We won’t leave Terrence in trouble and help him at least make this situation a little clearer.”       “By the way, how is Terrence experiencing the conflict in the band? Is he still determined to ignore them for some time?”       “Yes. He’s very upset but trying to hold on. Sometimes Terrence tries to write songs at home. He says he has lately got too many ideas.”       “You know what he’s written?”       “Not yet. Terrence wants me to know it when at least one song is finished.”       “Whichever he writes, I’m sure it’s gonna be a masterpiece,” Natalia replies confidently with a smile. “Although your handsome guy shows off much and fluffs up his peacock tail, I must confess that Terrence is a very talented man.”       “Don’t tell him that,” Raquelle smiles slyly. “For him not to show off much.”       “Don’t worry, friend, we won’t let him praise himself to the skies,” Natalia assures, putting her hand on Raquelle’s hand. “Of course, support is very important, but in MacClife’s case, we better give fewer compliments.”       “But I like the fact that he doesn’t lose his fighting spirit and does what he likes. Terrence says he wouldn’t get upset because of the band’s breakup and would use his chance to become a solo performer. He should do it this time.”       “Aw, friend…” Natalia exhales with a shy smile. “He does it because you motivate him. You know well that your handsome guy would’ve given a damn about all his dreams and himself without you and your support.”       “I know, but I'll always be proud of Terrence,” Raquelle replies with a shy smile. “My man will surely make all his dreams come true and get everything he wants from me.”       Natalia smiles much wider, looking at Raquelle with little sad eyes and feeling upset because she is not experiencing such wonderful moments.       “You know, Natalia, sometimes I think about what would’ve happened if we hadn’t made peace and had broken up,” Raquelle confesses thoughtfully, stopping smiling and sighing quietly.       “Don’t think about it, sweetie,” Natalia says softly, puts her hand on Raquelle’s shoulder, and caresses it. “It’s in the past. Terrence and you didn’t make a mistake and are gonna become a wife and a husband soon.”       “Now I understand I wouldn’t take it, would go insane from grief, and start to regret our breakup,” Raquelle sighs heavily, moving her eyes down. “If I don’t have Terrence by my side, there is no second half of mine. I can’t imagine my life without that man.”       “Why do you think of what’s in the past? Live in the present and do everything for Terrence’s love for you to get stronger. For him not to leave you.”       “You know, friend, I wanna forget everything that gave us so many problems. But I understand we wouldn’t have realized what our mistake was if not for those events.”       “You will not break up because you were made for each other. You couldn’t have met. But fate pushed you toward each other. MacClife and you were fighting like a cat and a dog, but you had some feelings deep inside.”       “Yeah,” Raquelle laughs shyly. “If someone had told me I’d get married to that man, I would’ve laughed at that person.”       “I was sure you’d be together anyway,” Natalia smiles shyly, looking absolutely relaxed. “And I’ll always love you and wish you happiness.”       “Terrence and I love you and Edward and will always be by your side,” Raquelle says softly. “Whichever happens, you can always come to us and ask for help.”       And then Natalia gets quite nervous and tenses all her muscles, while her eyes are running from one side to another. She inclines her head and crosses her arms over her chest, swearing silently because it did not work right. While Raquelle quickly notices changes in the behavior of her friend.       “Y-yes, of course…” Natalia pronounces hesitantly, nervously fingering over.       “Listen, Natalia, I know it's not my business…” Raquelle starts carefully. “But I would like to know what’s happening between you and Edward.”       “Erm…” Natalia stutters, sharply moving her eyes to Raquelle and trying to show a surprise so hard. “What would you like to know? And… What does Edward have to do with it?”       “Terrence and I saw that Edward and you got nervous after seeing each other. You definitely felt a mutual disgust.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, why do you think so?” Natalia asks amazingly, feeling her breath getting much heavier because of the excitement. “Why do you think Edward and I have some problems?”       “Natalia, honey, I understand it’s probably hard for you to talk about it. But the dinner, to which we invited you and Edward, proved that there were problems in your couple. You were too distant and cold. No hugs, no kisses, no talks with each other.       “It seemed to you, sweetie…” Natalia pronounces in a little shaking voice. “Edward and I were hugging and talking.”       “Yeah, but you were doing that without pleasure. Like under torture or a pistol. I clearly saw Edward settled fear inside you. You were kind of afraid to say or do something wrong. You always looked at him like you were waiting for his approval.”       “Gosh, friend, it’s nonsense!” Natalia smiles falsely, touching her mouth and nose and not noticing all the movements of her hands get sharp, and her skin gets white. “Why did you think I was afraid of Edward and looking for his approval?”       “Because it’s the truth. Natalia, Terrence, and I aren’t as stupid as you think. And the case is not about it. You and Edward are lying so openly that any stupid person would see you have some problems. Who are you trying to make sure that everything is fine with you?”       “We aren’t trying to make anyone sure everything is fine about us,” Natalia jabs quickly. “Because everything is wonderful.”       “Stop, friend, I’m begging you. Your face clearly lets me know all your words are not true. Moreover, you’ve never been able to lie. You’re a terrible liar.”       “I don’t lie. Lying is very bad.”       “But you’re lying. I mean, Edward and you are lying. But I don’t understand why. What kind of goal do you have? What did my fiancé’s friend do to you to make you shake and look as white as snow?”       “He did nothing, Raquelle. You thought it up.” Natalia smiles falsely again, shaking her legs nervously. “Everything is wonderful about us. I love Edward very much and am glad I’m dating him, and he adores me and doesn’t stop making me happy.”       “Don’t make me a fool, Natalia. You can lie to anyone, even though nobody’s gonna believe you. But I know you too well and won’t believe any of your words. I know that Edward and you have problems and hide them. If everything was fine, I’d see it in your eyes. But now I see you’re scared, upset, and tense.”       “Raquelle, please…”       Raquelle exhales sharply with closed eyes, relaxing her shoulders.       “Okay, I’ll go on another way…” Raquelle says softly. “Maybe, the problem is not about your relationship with Edward, but you? You’re still hiding something that happened a few months ago. I still remember you telling me there was something you couldn’t tell anyone.”       “I…” Natalia pronounces in a shaking voice, blinking her widely open eyes much more frequently and breathing much slower. “I… I don’t u-understand what you’re talking about!”       “It’s been about three or four months, but you haven’t said what you meant. We forgot that ‘cause we believed you were happy with Edward, and that case wasn’t so serious. But now we’ve got a reason to think about that and find out what’s been torturing you.”       “Please, let’s not talk about it…” Natalia begs with pity in her eyes, which are getting wetter and wetter.       “But what happened that you’re shaking? What’s the point in hiding that and making us guess what your problem is? Everybody knows it: Terrence, Edward, Anna, me… I’m sure your parents are aware of that situation. I’ll be honest, I haven’t talked to them, but at least one of them discussed it with your father and mother.”       “It’s very hard for me. Don’t make me feel much worse.”       “Please, Natalia, trust me,” Raquelle begs with pity in her eyes, taking Natalia’s hands. “We’re friends. You can tell me anything. If you want, I’ll tell nobody about your secret. Just explain the reason for your tears and sadness, so I know how to help you.”       Natalia cannot say anything and just shakes her head, trying to fight back the tears coming to her eyes. Although she can somehow fight back her tears, she does not know what to do with her nervousness and fear of something or someone.       “Does it have to do with Edward?” Raquelle asks quietly. “Did he do something bad to you?”       “Nope…” Natalia pronounces in a shaking voice and quietly sniffs, looking down.       “But what’s your problem? Did he begin to dislike the fact that you’re lying to everyone about your secret and get mad at your refusal to confess everything?”       “No, no, it’s not true…” Natalia, shaking slightly, closes her mouth with a hand, sniffs a couple of times, and does not notice a couple of tears roll out of her eyes over her cheek.       “Natalia, please, trust me and tell me what’s happening to you and your relationship?” Raquelle takes Natalia’s hands again and softly caresses her shoulders. “Where is the true love you had a few months ago? Why did you get so cold for each other? What's the point in pretending and making everyone sure that everything is okay?”       Raquelle falls into silence for two seconds, looking at Natalia with pity in her eyes.       “Where’s my friend, who was so happy a sympathetic guy paid attention to her?” Raquelle shakes her head. “She could talk about her beloved man for hours and always smiled when hearing his name. But now I see another person, whose eyes have no bright gloss or happiness. She doesn’t like to talk about that man. As if he’s not her sweetheart… Not the prince she was waiting for…”       Natalia says nothing and just keeps looking at Raquelle with sadness in her eyes and sniffing quietly.       “Tell me what’s going on,” Raquelle says softly. “If I have a chance to help you somehow, I’ll do it with pleasure. I’ll be happy to share the lessons I learned after I almost lost Terrence because of my stupidity.”       “Ah, if I knew it…” Natalia says with sadness in her eyes and quickly runs her dead eyes over the whole room with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what’s happening between us…”       “I think you understand everything, but you don't wanna talk about it. You're afraid of something or someone that stops you from confessing everything.”       “There are just things that you need to do for everything to be fine. If you don’t do them, you have a very small chance to keep what you have.”       “I don’t get it,” Raquelle frowns slightly. “What are you talking about? What do you mean?”       “Don’t think about it, friend,” Natalia swallows up nervously as her eyes start running from one side to another. “I… I said it… For nothing… Yes! I just said what I thought about first…”       “Okay, then answer just one question,” Raquelle says thoughtfully, folding her hands in front of her. “Did you fight with Edward on the day Terrence and I invited you for dinner? Or did you do it before?”       “Did we fight? I…” Natalia purses her lips slightly and fingers over nervously. “I…”       “Just give a short answer: yes or no.”       Natalia says nothing for two seconds before she exhales sharply with closed eyes and admits:       “Yes, we fought some time before dinner.”       “Really?” Raquelle rounds her eyes. “Some time before dinner?”       “But don't think something serious happened. It's an argument that might happen to any couple.”       “Do you have claims for each other? Or did Edward hurt you somehow?”       “Sometimes I think he’s not the man of my dream…” Natalia says hesitantly. “Edward wants it to happen as he wants… But when I go against him, he gets mad and tells me some bad things.”       “My gosh…” Raquelle gets horrified, shaking her head. “Does Edward really treat you so terribly?”       “He doesn’t love me, Raquelle…” Natalia moves her eyes full of tears to Raquelle. “I knew Edward lied about his love for me. I shouldn't have believed him and given a chance to my relationship with him. It was clear that he needed me only for his interests.”       “Why do you think so? Has he been pretending that he loves you for the four months you’ve been dating?”       “Yup…”       “No, it can’t be the truth! I saw how that guy looked at you! I don’t think he used you.”       “No, friend, when a man doesn’t appreciate his girlfriend and wants to do what he wants, it says much about him.”       “I think you’re slandering him. I think Edward is quite a sweet, shy, and decent man. I’m very happy Terrence has such an amazing friend, and you have such a good and trustworthy boyfriend.”       “Maybe, he really is. But that man doesn’t appreciate me.”       “Sorry, but I don’t wanna believe it. Yes, I still think that he’s suspicious. But… Maybe, you took that fight too seriously? What if you are exaggerating? I do know you might get hurt by one little argument. You’d be worried about it for one week.”       “I dunno, friend…” Natalia sighs heavily and smiles falsely. “Maybe, I’m really exaggerating everything and making everything worse… Love dramatizing… I could make a misunderstanding a worldwide problem… A global catastrophe…”       “Whatever happened to you, I hope you’ll make peace and not fight because of stupid things,” Raquelle smiles shyly, believing Natalia but understanding there is something about her word that makes her doubt if her friend tells the truth.”       “Don’t worry about us, Raquelle, we’ll get over it.” Natalia softly caresses Raquelle’s hand. “Some time later, everything will get better. Don’t pay attention to me…”       “But, Natalia, how can I be indifferent to the fact that my best friend has problems?” Raquelle wonders with sadness in her eyes. “I truly worry about you and want you to be happy. As you deserved.”       “I’m really happy, darling,” Natalia replies hesitantly. “You’ve got no reason to worry.”       “Not only do I worry about you and Edward. I think you know Terrence does, as well. He can’t be indifferent to the problems of his friend, and he is worried about you. You became his very close friend. Almost like a sis.”       “I know, friend,” Natalia smiles slightly. “Edward and I are pleased that you are curious to know what’s happening in our lives. But you need to care about yours. If you forget about each other again, you may be about to break up.”       “No, darling, we’ll no longer make that mistake. We have enough time to pay attention to each other and help you and Edward solve your problems.”       “Thanks for your care, but we don’t need your help. Everything is fine, and we’re very happy. And we’ll surely reconcile after the fight. People can’t live in peace all the time.”       “I’m glad you get it. But still, try not to take conflicts too seriously. Or people might understand you wrongly.”       “I know… But I’ll try to…” Natalia glances aside for a second. “And I’ll repeat: don’t worry about me. Better think of your relationship, your fiancé, your career… Your wedding… Terrence needs to do his best to reconcile Peter and Daniel and save the band. And you need to reach much more in your modeling career and get popular for people of any age and status.”       Natalia bites her lip and smiles with the corners of her mouth.       “And you two need to think of future children,” Natalia adds softly. “About little kids that will be born someday.”       “Future children?” Raquelle smiles slightly and thinks for one second. “You know, you're the second person, who said it today. When I was buying coffee before going to your home, I talked to a girl, who was working at the café. So, she also asked me about children.”       “Wait, all your fans, reporters, and relatives will be asking you about it soon. At first, everybody annoyed you with questions about whether you had a boyfriend when you were single, now they are waiting for your wedding, and are gonna be expecting news about expecting your first baby.”       “Thank God, my relatives don’t annoy me with it yet. I didn’t know where to hide when they were talking about my wedding. But I wouldn’t stand talking about children.”       “Would you like to have your own children?”       “Of course, it would be great.”       “Honestly, I’ve never heard you talking about children and planning to give birth to yours.”       “I’m just not ready for that now and don’t see myself a mother at the nearest time. I don’t exclude giving birth to children in the future, but now I don’t even think about it.”       “Are you afraid it might ruin your career and make your body worse?”       “I think my body wouldn’t get worse after giving birth to a child, and I would get it back quickly. I say it because my mother didn’t almost gain weight and kept herself in shape. I remember Grandma telling me he was surprised that she looked like she hadn’t given birth. Because when Grandmother Rosella gave birth to my father, she stopped being as skinny as a stick.”       “You’ve got no reason to worry. I’m sure you won’t have problems with it ‘cause your genes are wonderful. And you’re able to work with any nutritionists and trainers that would help you become a slim beauty and get everyone surprised by your body.”       “I need to keep my shape to be popular as a model and not to stop being attractive to my fiancé,” Raquelle smiles slyly. “I must fit such a handsome man.”       “If you gave birth to his child, Terrence wouldn’t leave you and would love you with any type of body. Of course, he adores anyway, but a child would get you much closer in all senses.”       “Nevertheless, I can’t give a damn about me. So, I’ll be doing my best to stay beautiful and wanted and become a wonderful mother when we have children.”       “I think he’d be happy to be a father,” Natalia smiles shyly. “He loves children… Somehow, Terrence said he loved watching them playing on playgrounds.”       “I know, he told me he could go somewhere where children walk and watch them,” Raquelle replies with a slight smile. “And honestly, he’s the first man among my familiar people, who grew up for getting married so quickly and wishing to become a father so early… All my familiar men grew up for that by thirty years and later. But Terrence has been ready since he was twenty-five.”       “He probably got used, so to say, to being a nanny for everyone,” Natalia shrugs with a shy smile. “Among all his friends we know, Terrence is the oldest one. Although our age differences aren’t so huge, it might impact him. Maybe, there are older people we haven’t met, but I know only those, who are younger.”       “I think it’s true. And I think when his child is born, he will do his best to become a wonderful father. You know how much Terrence hates his father… He’s terribly afraid he might become the same and tries not to let it happen.”       “Yeah, he has a too tense relationship with his father,” Natalia replies thoughtfully.       “I'm so sorry that nothing can be changed. I don’t think Terrence would change his mind and wish to give in to his mother and meet his father.”       “Maybe… Or someday Mrs. MacClife will get sick of persuading him and decide to lie to make their meeting happen. I’m sure it will happen ‘cause MacClife doesn't want it.”       “Do you think there is a chance that they'll reconcile? Will Edward forgive him?”       “I don't know, Raquelle…” Natalia shrugs. “That man hurt Terrence very much. He left him and didn’t think of him when he was a baby.”       “I guess, there are some reasons that would change everything. But I doubt we would know it someday.”       “Who knows, friend…”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which the girls glance at different sides and think of something. And then Natalia quickly checks the time on a big watch hanging on the wall in the living room and looks at Raquelle.       “Hey, Raquelle, would you like to stay with me for dinner?” Natalia suggests amicably. “My parents will be back home very late, but I don't wanna stay alone… We could cook something, talk, watch a movie… Just spend a cool time for the first time after my return.”       “Sure, I’d do it with great pleasure,” Raquelle replies with a wide smile. “But if your parents are back earlier, I’ll be glad to have dinner with them.”       “Aw, thanks, honey, you saved me from loneliness!” Natalia takes Raquelle in her strong hug for two seconds and steps back with a wide smile. “Now the rest of the day is gonna be wonderful!”       “Why can't I use such an amazing chance to spend time with my best friend? I could at least distract a little from today’s nightmare on the shoot and not to kill time all alone, sitting at home, while my man is walking somewhere.”       “Don’t worry, Raquelle, I’ll do my best for you to forget that insolent idiot shouting at the whole set and relax,” Natalia says confidently. “Now we will find something tasty in a refrigerator, get something to drink, and spend the rest of the day with some wonderful folks.”       “Aw, Natalia, what I would do without you…” Raquelle leans back in the sofa with a wide smile.       “Relax, take off your coat, and feel like home,” Natalia says, clapping Raquelle on the hand. “I’ll check out what there is in the refrigerator and take something to drink for us.”       “Okay. But at first, I’ll warn Terrence that I will stay here.” Raquelle reaches for her purse placed next to her, opens it up, and looks for her mobile phone.       “Wise solution, friend,” Natalia replies, gets up from the sofa, and slowly goes to the kitchen, fixing her hair brushed up on the way.       “So he doesn’t worry and knows when to expect me”       While Natalia goes to the kitchen to check the food in the refrigerator, Raquelle takes her mobile phone from her purse and sees a notification that says she got a new message from Terrence one hour ago.       “If you’re back home and don’t see me there, don’t worry. Edward and I went to visit Mother. I invited him to go with me, and he agreed. I hope I'll get something out of him that we can reflect on. I don’t know when I'll be back, but I’ll try not to stay for too long.”       After reading the message, Raquelle smiles shyly, thinks a little, quickly types the text on the phone, and sends her reply to Terrence.       “Sorry, I just saw your message. Okay, I got it. But you won’t worry, ‘cause I’d hardly be back home at the nearest time. I’ll stay with Natalia for dinner, support her and try to encourage her to make some confessions. I’ve gotten something out of her, but we need more to know what to do. I’ll try not to be late and will be back as soon as possible.”       When she sees the message has been sent, Raquelle puts her phone in her purse and folds her hands in front of herself, thinking about what she found out. The girl did not believe Natalia and thinks her friend could say the first thing she thought about to close the subject quickly. However, Raquelle is not going to give up and is determined to find out something yet to reflect on. But Raquelle puts a little more hope in Terrence. She hopes he will talk to Edward and find out much more to start to get some guesses and try to help their close people.       

***

      Meanwhile, Terrence and Edward arrived at the house where their mother Rebecca is living, spending a good time on the way and having interesting talks. They are now standing in front of a beautiful, but large house with everything for comfort. Not the one that rich people have, but the condition is good. It’s located in one of the quietest places in the city, where there are many dense forests. A few modest and small houses, in which neighbors of the woman are living, are located near this one.       After stopping the car not far from the gates of the house, Terrence and Edward leave it and close the doors. And while MacClife locks the auto, his friend looks around and gets incredibly overwhelmed by the beautiful place where he is now. Even though Edward has been here several times after meeting his mother, he does not stop getting admired by this house, as if he sees it for the first time. This kind of beauty makes him sad because he will never have the same cute house, in which he would live alone. Even the smallest house has a too high price. Edward will hardly earn that amount of money, even if he works like crazy and saves everything he earns. Sometimes he thinks he will live with the woman named Victoria Richardson forever. The man does not know what would happen to him if she died. But he guesses he would hardly stay in this apartment and have to leave it.       “Ah, never stop admiring this house,” Edward says with admiration in his eyes, still looking around.       “I couldn’t let my mom live in a crummy room at a hostel,” Terrence notices, putting the keys from his car in his pocket. “It would be disgusting to think my conditions are much better than hers. So, I insisted on buying any house she would’ve liked. There was a great choice, but she preferred this one.”       “If I had a chance, I would also love to live in my own house. Even if it was small, it would be my own.”       “Don’t you really have an opportunity to save money and buy a small house in the country?”       “Are you kidding me? I’ve been trying to earn money since I was seventeen, but it's only enough for everything I need! I don’t even dream about buying my own place.”       “Are you earning not so much and not able to save something?”       “The cheapest house’s price costs fifty thousand dollars. I’m not able to earn so much money, knowing I earn at least eighty or one hundred dollars per week for a one-side job.”       “Well, find a full-day job. They’d pay you much more money, and you’d be able to save something.”       “Where could the one with no education and experience work? And I must confess that working in the same place is boring. I prefer driving in the city and working in different places. Sitting in the same place for half of the day is madly boring.”       “I understand you, ‘cause I was changing one work to another. But you’ll never earn much money by having a one-sided job.”       “I know, but to be honest, I’m used to that. The important thing is that I earn some money and am able to live. I have a place now, even if it’s not mine.”       “But you can’t live with that woman forever. What would ya do if she died? You’d hardly stay in her apartment, ‘cause you’re nobody to her.”       “I’ll think up something. But I surely know I’ll never have money for my own place that would be bought by me. I’ve literally lived on my bag since I was seventeen, and I jumped from one stick to another like a bird.”       “You think everything’s so hopeless?”       “I think so,” Edward smiles shyly. “But I’m not upset ‘cause I don’t have to get used. I already accepted the fact that I’d never be able to live in a gorgeous house or a small apartment.”       While Edward looks at Rebecca’s house with a slight smile, Terrence watches him with sadness in his eyes and understands he feels a little sorry for this guy. He does not think of buying a house for his friend, but he would like to help this guy, who lost hope that he would live a good life.       “Okay, stop admiring nature,” Terrence suggests confidently, cleaning his throat quickly. “Let’s go to Mother.”       “But it’s very beautiful here,” Edward notices with a slight smile. “And quite… But I love this kind of place.”       “Well…” Terrence smiles slyly. “If you want, I can leave you here. To protect my iron horse. But I will spend a wonderful time with Mother and eat something delicious. M-m-m…”       Terrence slowly turns and wants to come to Rebecca’s house with a sly smile, but Edward sharply stops him, grabbing him under an arm and pulling him down.       “No, friend, you will not leave me here. If you invited me, I will not get off you and will not protect your old horse.”       “You are an old horse!” Terrence gives Edward a slight clap on the back of his head. “My baby would defeat any new car! But your old creation made in the 90s is gonna get broken soon. And someday you’d have a steering wheel in your hands.”       “You know, although that car is quite old, it can do very much.”       “Huh, my baby can defend your old thing instantly,” Terrence strokes down his hair with a proud look. “Moreover, I can perfectly drive a car and feel good when the speed is crazy.”       “Oh, you found a reason to praise the beloved you again…” Edward rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “Listen, Terrence, can you live at least one day without self-praising? Or is hearing a compliment and making yourself sure you’re still attractive and irresistible as important as breathing?”       “If you don’t feel sorry for your old thing, you will know what my auto and I can do. I’ll defend you and prove that my awesomeness is impossible to be denied.”       “I’d rather defend you in something else. What you’re an absolute loser at.”       “It doesn’t exist because everything my hands touch literally becomes gold.”       “Ar-r-r, you did put on a crown and proclaim yourself a king!” Edward chuckles with a proud look. “But it’s okay, I’ll quickly strike it off your gorgeous head.”       “You’re speaking too much, friend. I said everything, you won’t catch me – that’s all!”       “Think what ya want. But don’t regret being so self-confident and puffing your peacock tail up.”       “Hey, you, annoying boy, stop talking! You’re starting to irritate me with your needless comments.”       “I didn’t impose on you,” Edward smiles innocently. “You did invite me to go to Mrs. MacClife. So, your whining doesn’t make sense.”       “Move the fuck on!” Terrence slightly pushes Edward in the back to the side of the house of their mother. “Either you’ll move your ass quickly, or I’ll drive you to a highway, leave you there and go to Mother alone.”       “Oh, oh, how bold you are!” Edward exclaims with a chuckle and goes to the house he needs with his hands raised up, while Terrence strongly pushes him in the back. “Don’t be surprised if you don’t find your baby in the same place. Maybe, I’ll later find a moment to steal the keys from your pocket and drive it a little. Or be careful, ‘cause you might stay on a highway, not me.”       “Next time when we go somewhere together, I’ll take a wide scotch and tape your mouth tightly, so you shut up at least for two minutes,” Terrence says confidently. “Your tongue is getting longer every day.”       “You’re getting too arrogant, as well. But it’s okay, I won’t let you turn your nose up and make you remember you aren’t God. You’re the same human as all the people on the Earth.”       “Close your mouth at least for ten seconds and go to the house.”       Terrence pushes Edward in the back again. But Lockhart sharply turns and gives him a strong clap on the back of his head with a laugh. Then he gets the same one from his friend. They share two more before MacClife uses a slight grip of the neck toward the guy and gets his hair shaggy with a free hand. While Edward beats his friend on everything he can and also gets Terrence’s hair shabby after getting released from the grip.       But the friends decide not to continue their game on the street, even if nobody has gone and been driven by them in this place. After putting themselves in order, Edward and Terrence go to the house of their mother. The latter one hugs his friend on the way, claps him on the shoulder and head amicably, and gets the same answer from him. A few seconds later, the friends finally come to the hall door of the house they need.       Terrence presses the doorbell, while Edward is just waiting, putting his hands in the pockets of his dark blue jeans. Some time later, a blue-eyed woman with a normal body, dark brown hair, and a short hairstyle shows up. She looks quite petite when being in front of Terrence being almost six foot and Edward being two or three centimeters lower than him.       “Terrence? Edward?” Rebecca pronounces with a wide smile. “Oh, gosh!”       “Hey, Mom,” Terrence replies with a smile.       “Hello, Mrs. MacClife,” Edward greets.       Terrence takes Rebecca in a touching hug that she accepts with pleasure and shares an amicable kiss on the cheek. And then the woman hugs Edward with greater warmth, being happy to see him for the first time in a while.       “What a surprise, guys!” Rebecca pronounces happily, a little excitedly. “Why didn’t you say you’d come? I would cook something…”       “I just thought a little and decided to make a surprise for you,” Edward replies with a mysterious smile.       “Yeah, we didn’t visit you for ages,” Terrence nods with a slight smile.       “Oh, yeah, you really forgot me…” Rebecca nods confidently, putting her hands on her hips. “The first one disappeared for one month and didn’t let us know about him. And the other was on the tour and was busy with music… Guys, I want you to call me at times. I’m missing you…”       “I missed you very much and couldn’t wait to see you,” Edward replies softly. “I’m sorry for what happened.”       “Even if we were very busy, we missed you and thought of you,” Terrence adds confidently.       “I believe, my dears…” Rebecca smiles widely. “Okay, let’s not talk on the doorstep. Come in, relax, feel like home…”       Rebecca steps back from the doorstep, and Edward and Terrence enter the house slowly but confidently and look around with interest. The living room in the woman’s house is much smaller than in Terrence’s one, but still light, comfortable, and spacious. Two gray sofas are placed in front of one another, and a transparent coffee table with remote control of a small TV hanging on the wall under light brown stairs leading to the second floor. A few small windows are closed with white shutters and spread the light in the living room in daylight. A chandelier with four bowls and a few little floor and desk lamps lights it up at a dark time. There is a small bookshelf with a bunch of books on shelves, little vases, and framed photos in the furthest corner. A few pictures are hanging on the wall. Some landscapes or weird patterns are painted on them. And a small pot with a room plant is placed on a little table placed near the stairs.       Everything does not look very rich, but all the elements of the design perfectly harmonize with one another. Edward not being used to living in this beauty looks around the whole living room with admiration in his eyes and a slightly open mouth and gets overwhelmed by how wonderful it is. The man envies a little because he is not able to live in his own house or apartment, no matter if it’s pricey or cheap. The man is ashamed of the fact that he does not have a decent education, a good job, or his own place at the age of twenty-five. He keeps jumping from one place to another, playing guitar all day long and writing songs that nobody will need.       While Edward reacts to everything he sees with admiration and feels sorry about not living his best life, Terrence goes to the living room and takes his phone from the pocket of his coat to check missed calls and messages. After barely unlocking it, the man sees he got a new message from Raquelle that she sent literally a few minutes ago.       Terrence smiles slightly when finding out that Raquelle got something out of Natalia. Not knowing how little she has found out, the man starts to understand that the girl was right when insisting on talking with her friend and Edward. But he hopes she will find out much more than he did. Relying on her, Terrence replies to Raquelle, typing a message and sending it.       “Better late than never. Do you know something? Wow! That’s great! I’ve also got something outta my friend, but it’s not enough for us to decide something. I’m relying on you, sweetie. Try to talk to Natalia and find out as much as possible. I don’t know if Edward is gonna tell me more, but I’ll try to find out more.”       Rebecca, who locked the door, comes to Edward looking around the living room and takes a couple of things, and Terrence typing a message for Raquelle on his phone.       “You made me very happy with your visit,” Rebecca confesses with a smile. “I’m sitting and thinking about when my boys would love to visit me for at least two hours.”       “I really wanted to visit you,” Edward confesses with a slight smile, putting a little thing in its place. “But Terrence called me and suggested coming here together. So, I agreed with pleasure.”       “Where did you disappear, honey?” Rebecca comes closer to Edward and takes his hands. “You disappeared so suddenly and forgot me at all.”       “Well, I left the city due to work for one month…” Edward replies a little hesitantly. “I found a good job in another city, for which they paid me a lot of money.”       “Were you so busy that you had no time to contact your close people?”       “Sadly, I had very much work…” Edward glances aside for a second. “I got so exhausted in the evenings that I couldn’t even take my phone and call my relatives.”       “Well, what happened now? Did you finish your work? Or something went wrong?”       “I did everything I should’ve done, got my money, and returned to New York,” Edward smiles much wider. “Now I’m home, next to my close people, who I missed very much.”       “Please, don’t leave us anymore, or at least warn us where you are,” Rebecca says, softly caressing Edward’s cheek. “We were worried about you and afraid that something happened to you.”       “It’s okay, Mrs. MacClife, don’t worry,” Edward replies confidently, taking Rebecca’s hands. “I hope I will not leave the city anymore.”       “I wish, my sweetie…”       Edward smiles much wider, kisses Rebecca cutely on the cheek, and hugs her touchingly, while she answers him back with pleasure. And two seconds later, they step away, and Terrence comes to them after finishing typing a message for Raquelle and putting his phone in his coat.       “Oh, Terrence, why were you standing aside?” Rebecca wonders. “You’re acting like you’re a stranger.”       “No, Raquelle just sent a message, and I replied,” Terrence shrugs with a shy smile. “She said she wanted to go somewhere and would be back home late.”       “Shootings again?”       “Yes, today a few shoots are scheduled… And I’m glad I decided not to stay home and went here.”       “I think it’s a wonderful reason to spend some time together,” Rebecca notices with a slight smile and glances at Terrence and Edward. “Edward, Terrence, stay with me for dinner. I promise to cook something from your favorite dishes.”       “I will do it with pleasure,” Terrence smiles widely. “I haven’t eaten what you cook for ages.”       “I wouldn’t mind, either,” Edward nods confidently. “And I terribly missed your magnificent sweet doughnuts.”       “Aw, Edward, you have a sweet tooth,” Rebecca laughs shyly and pinches Edward’s cheek. “I still remember you eating all the doughnuts that I cooked for you for the first time.”       “Yeah, I can’t live without sweet food. But they were actually so delicious that I couldn’t stop.”       “You left nothing for me,” Terrence crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not such a fan of sweet food, but I do adore Mother’s one. But you ate everything that should’ve been mine.”       “Not true, you ate a couple of them! Unlike someone, I do always share something with you.”       “Yeah, keep pretending to be an innocent lamb…”       “Okay, my dears, don’t fight,” Rebecca calms down, caressing Edward and Terrence on the shoulder. “I’ll make sure you get your piece.”       “A big piece for me, please.”       “Wait for a while, I’ll cook something now.”       “Don’t worry, we’ll wait,” Terrence nods. “Nobody is waiting for me at home, and Edward has no reason to rush.”       “M-m-m, I’d stay in such a comfortable house forever…” Edward smiles shyly. “I really love being here… I’d say this is the place where I’d love to live.”       “So, since you like being here so much, you can think about moving to my house,” Rebecca suggests. “The house is small, but there is enough space for you. You could live in a free room on the second floor.”       “Moving to your house? This house?”       “Yeah, why not? If you want, I can let you live here with pleasure until you get enough money to buy your own housing.”       “Ah, Mrs. MacClife, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to buy my own place…” Edward sighs with sadness in his eyes. “I have no money, even for the most terrible and cheapest apartment. What I get from one-sided jobs is not enough to plan such a big purchase.”       “But why… If you keep some money from every single salary, you will be able to find a place in two or three years. You should understand you can’t be homeless forever.”       “I know, but everything is hopeless in my case…” Edward glances aside. “Probably, they were right when telling me, ‘Study, Edward, study to get a good job.’ But I gave a damn about everything. And now I have neither a home nor a job…”       “Everything depends on you, my sweetie. If you try and look for it, you will get lucky. But I can help you and let you live with your close person as much as you want.”       “Yeah, Edward, why don’t you really think about it?” Terrence agrees. “Grab your stuff and move into Mom’s house! There is really enough space here, and you wouldn’t bother each other.”       “Of course, the idea is wonderful…” Edward replies thoughtfully.       “My son is right,” Rebecca says softly. “I got attracted to you for the past few months and started to consider you literally my son. You kind of fill the emptiness in my heart that I got after my younger child was taken away.”       “Wouldn’t I really bother you if I moved?”       “Not at all, my dear, c’mon! Vice versa, I wouldn’t feel so bored and lonely to live here when Terrence or my neighbors don’t visit me. But he has his house and is gonna create his family. And you could live with me and stop making me feel lonely. Moreover, I always need a man at my home, for example, to fix something…”       “Honestly, it would be a little sad for me to leave the woman I’m living with alone,” Edward confesses. “I got attracted to Mrs. Richardson and love her like my second mother.”       “I get it,” Rebecca says softly. “But I don’t make you immediately take your stuff and move in here. I just suggested it, so we’re much closer to each other. If you doubt and need time to think and talk to that woman, I’m ready to wait. But remember that the doors of this house are always open for you.”       “Yeah, I need time…” Edward replies thoughtfully. “I’ll think about your suggestion and later tell you if I accept it. I promise.”       “Okay, I’ll be waiting.”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which everybody also does not hide their shy smiles and glances at different sides.       “Okay, let’s talk a little, and then I’ll go to cook dinner,” Rebecca suggests amicably. “I can give you something to drink if you want.”       “Oh, no, thanks, I don’t need anything,” Terrence refuses politely. “I don’t wanna deprive myself of appetite before dinner.”       “Agree,” Edward nods.       “Then, I’m suggesting sitting on the sofa and talking,” Rebecca says and sits on the sofa, and Terrence and Edward sit down next to her on both of her hands. “Tell me, how are you two doing? Are there some pieces of news?”       “Well, I’m more or less fine,” Terrence replies thoughtfully.       “How are you living with Raquelle? I hope, is everything fine?”       “Yes, everything is fine about me and Raquelle, and we get on well perfectly.”       “When are you gonna get married? Have you picked up a wedding day?”       “Not yet. We’ve got so much to do that we don’t have to talk about it.”       “Don’t delay it too much. I wanna celebrate your wedding as soon as possible.”       “Don’t worry, Mom,” Terrence smiles shyly. “When Raquelle and I pick up a day, you’ll know it shortly.”       “But don’t fight there. Or you might think of a breakup again. And you will have no wedding.”       “Nope, we don’t even think about it! I don’t know what I would do if we weren’t together now. What happened helped me realize how much I love and appreciate that girl.”       “By the way, why don’t you take her with you? I haven’t seen Raquelle for ages and would be very happy to see her at my home.”       “Raquelle and I will surely come when we have some free time,” Terrence promises with a slight smile. “Choose a day when she has no shootings and visit you.”       “Okay, I’ll be waiting with impatience.”       Terrence says nothing and just smiles shyly at Rebecca, who moves a little strand of hair off her eyes.       “Well, what about your band?” Rebecca asks. “They say you’re working on your first album hard.”       “Oh, you see,” Terrence exhales quietly, looking around the whole living room and putting his hand on his forehead. “The case is that everything is not what we want.”       “What do you mean, honey?” Rebecca frowns slightly. “What do you want to say?”       “We aren’t recording an album, Mom. The band is about to break up, and I personally doubt it could be saved.”       “My gosh… Something serious happened to you?”       “Sadly, yes… I told you about the drummer. Peter, and the bass guitarist, Daniel. So, the band might be disbanded because they fought hard and don’t want to reconcile.”       “Fought? But why, Terrence? You said they were friends for ages and got on well! What happened to them?”       “They’re the only ones to answer your question,” Terrence shrugs. “But since they say nothing, I can’t say anything to you.”       “Don’t you really know what happened to them?”       “Terrence has tried to find out what happened to them many times, but no results,” Edward replies with sadness in his eyes. “Those two are silent and refuse to explain something.”       “But they blame each other and say I need to make one of them explain everything,” Terrence adds.       “Can’t you even assume anything?” Rebecca wonders. “Those guys can’t fight for no reason.”       “There are a couple of assumptions, but in order to say it’s true, we need to make them confess everything. It has to do with Daniel, who has lately been openly mocking Peter because he has no girlfriend. Or Peter himself, who has been too irresponsible and stopped doing what he should do.”       “Oh, gosh… How could someone mock a friend just because they don’t have a girlfriend? Maybe, he wants to date anyone? Nobody can make you love someone against your wish.”       “I don’t know, Mom…” Terrence replies thoughtfully. “Actually, Perkins was laughing at Rose much earlier because of that. And we found it a harmless joke. But I haven’t personally liked it in the past two months, and Daniel’s jokes became the bullying. He doesn’t look like he doesn’t wish Peter anything bad and does really want to humiliate him just because he doesn’t date anyone.”       “Hm, what a weird guy… He doesn’t probably spread kindness…”       “Daniel seems to be a cold and little arrogant man at first sight,” Edward notices. “But now we believe he is the same inside. And I personally don’t understand how he could be a friend of the opposite of himself. Peter is different. He’s a harmless and amicable guy, who has definitely never been aggressive to anyone.”       “What if they weren’t friends? What if those guys just talked because they were in the same band, as Terrence said?”       “Maybe, but when I met them for the first time, they got on well and looked like good friends,” Terrence notices. “Their relationship got worse some time ago – after we were back from the tour with ‘The Loser Syndrome.’ Maybe, I know the reason but can’t make them sure to tell the whole truth. And I’m afraid I’d never do this…”       “Sadly, I don’t know what to advise. Or maybe, I don’t have to advise anything because you did your best.”       “I’ve tried so much that I’m too sick of this and left them alone. They can do what they want. Since they don’t care about the band, I will not fight for it, either. I no longer want to be the only one to care about our future. If those two want to save the band and reconcile, I’ll support them with pleasure. But if they give a damn, that’s okay. I don’t make anyone.”       “But what are you gonna do if you don’t save the band, and those two don’t reconcile?”       “I won’t give up and will be trying to become a solo performer. I’ve got some stuff that I could work with. If the band’s business doesn’t get better soon, I’ll talk to people from the studio and our managers and try to persuade them to keep working with me. This time, the chance to start a musical career is much higher. And I ain’t gonna miss it.”       “I’m glad you don’t give up on your dream,” Rebecca replies with a slight smile. “Because music is really your element. I know well what a strong and clear voice you have. But if you learn from vocals teachers, you’ll get much better and get the love of the public.”       “So, I want to make the studio sure to sign a contract with me. If they demand, I’ll pay liquidated damages for the contract of the band ‘Against The System’ and sign a new one, terms of which I will be following.”       “You will do it, sonny,” Rebecca softly caresses Terrence’s hand. “Your talent undoubtedly must be discovered by the whole world. Many people praise it. I know newspapers wrote good reviews during your tour with the lads. Everybody madly liked the way you were singing and playing.”       “I won’t give up, Mom, I promise,” Terrence smiles shyly. “I will be trying to get into the musical world until I do it. Because I want this more than anything.”       “Right, Terrence, never give up. Remember that long and hard work always gives you wonderful results. Nobody said you’d get everything easily for your beautiful eyes.”       “I think you must say, ‘thanks a lot’ to Raquelle,” Edward notices confidently. “Because without this girl, Terrence would’ve hardly gotten something.”       “You’re saying it like your friend is nothing without her,” Rebecca says a little gloomily. “I do know well how much he worked to get everything he has. Do you think he got his fame and wealth for nothing? No, my sweetie. Terrence had to get over much.”       “I know, but it’s kind of the truth. At first, everything was fine, but when Raquelle came into his life, she began to feed him with the energy that he needed to reach his goals.”       “It’s true,” Terrence smiles shyly. “When Raquelle came into my life, I really got much more energy and stronger motivation to reach for something. I want her to be proud of me… I want to share my happiness with her and be happy when she supports me and pushes me forward.”       “You reached very much before meeting that girl,” Rebecca says and puts her hand on Terrence’s shoulder. “I think you saw how poorly you and I had lived since childhood and wanted to do your best for our lives to be better. You began to work very early. You were looking for any one-sided job for a few dollars for me or your incidental expenses. And then you got such luck and got famous around the world and began to earn much money for playing in movies.”       “Yeah, I definitely got my luck… Or we would’ve hardly gotten out of the hole… And who knows, maybe, I would’ve also been homeless and workless as Edward is now.”       “I’m sure your friend would be lucky someday, and he’d find a way to get good money and move to his place. Edward is by far not an idler and is really able to work all day long to get just something.”       “I doubt I’d be as lucky as Terrence was, somehow,” Edward smiles shyly with sadness in his eyes, tightly locking the fingers of his hands.       “You will be lucky someday, too,” Rebecca softly caresses Edward’s hand. “The important thing is to keep believing and working hard. Early or late, you will get your luck. But if it’s very hard for you, you have the people, who you can ask for help.”       “Yeah, Mother suggested you help and let you live with her,” Terrence notices.       “If you have difficulties, you can also always stay here as long as you need. Moreover, this house was bought with the money you honestly earned. I can’t pretend you don’t have to do with it.”       “Thanks, of course, but I have my own house where I’m living with my fiancée, who I love very much, and who is gonna become my wife soon,” Terrence replies with a slight smile. “But I’ll never stop visiting you in my free time and helping you.”       “I know, honey, I do.”       With these words, Rebecca softly caresses Terrence’s cheek, making him smile shyly. Silence settles in the air, during which Edward looks at his hands, getting a little sad because his friend’s life is way better than his own.       “By the way, Edward, your eyes are kind of sad,” Rebecca notices thoughtfully. “You smile, but your gaze doesn’t express real happiness.”       “Erm, nope…” Edward pronounces thoughtfully and runs his hands over his face. “Just didn’t get enough sleep…”       “Yeah, you really look a little sleepy… But I hope you don’t have any problems.”       “No, luckily, everything is wonderful.”       “And how are you and Natalia doing? I haven’t also seen this girl for ages, though, I miss her very much.”       “Everything is fine,” Edward smiles unhappily. “Erm… She recently returned from Mexico along with her parents. I told you her grandfather was sick with cancer…”       “Yes, I know. How is that woman doing? Is the therapy helping her?”       “It seems like, yes. Natalia’s parents say the therapy is effective.”       “Oh, Natalia does such a good thing by not being indifferent to her grandmother’s illness and helping her father and mother take care of her. That girl has a soul and a heart… Not every young girl or young boy would agree to be by the side of a sick old person and take care of them.”       “She just loves her grandmother very much and is worried about her. And that girl proves her love for her by her actions.”       “Aw, sweetie, you chose a wonderful girl,” Rebecca smiles widely. “Natalia is just a gem! I really like that girl… She’s so kind, caring, polite, soft… May God bless her!”       “Yeah… You’re right…” Edward tightly locks his fingers and throws a little gloomy look aside.       “Did you probably miss her while she was far from here?”       “Erm, yup…” Edward pronounces hesitantly and nervously pulls a black bandage on his hand. “I really missed… But I had no time to talk to her on the phone…”       “Hm…” Rebecca frowns slightly, looking at Edward, whose low voice has no emotions. “Your voice is kind of weird… It’s kind of unpleasant for you to talk about her…”       “What you’re talking about!” Edward pretends to be horrified falsely. “How could it be unpleasant for me to talk about my girlfriend? Think yourself!”       “Yeah, but you’re talking about her without pleasure. Your eyes no longer shine, and your smile is absolutely false… Aren’t you trying to lie to me that everything is fine with you while everything is bad?”       “No, Mrs. MacClife, it seemed to you! Everything is fine with me and Natalia! Erm…” Edward glances at Terrence with a much heavier breath. “Terrence would confirm my words! Or talk to Raquelle if you don’t believe me! They two would say everything is fine.”       “Yes, yes, I can confirm everything is wonderful about these two,” Terrence laughs shyly and starts to work with his hands actively, deciding to play along with Edward not to get his mother upset. “They’re very happy with each other. Moreover, Raquelle and I recently invited them to dinner and spent a wonderful time together. It was our first meeting after my friend’s disappearance and his girlfriend’s return from Mexico.”       “Right!” Edward exclaims with an unhappy smile, quietly exhaling with great relief. “We spent a wonderful time and talked until the late evening. It was so great that we didn’t even wanna leave…”       The strange behavior of the men makes Rebecca a little suspicious and understands that Edward and Terrence hide something. She does not actually believe everything the friend of her son says because he looks a little tense, does not look into the eyes when talking about something, and breathes heavily from the excitement.       “Oh, you are definitely hiding something,” Rebecca assumes, squinting her eyes slightly and suspiciously looking at Edward, who cannot hide his emotions, and Terrence, who uses his acting skills and seems quiet at first sight.       “No!” Terrence and Edward protest at the same time, sharply shaking their heads.       “We hide nothing,” Terrence says confidently.       “Nothing,” Edward adds quietly.       “Edward, maybe, you have problems?” Rebecca asks. “With Natalia, right?”       “I have no problems,” Edward jabs while his eyes are running from one side to another. “Everything is wonderful.”       “Don’t lie to me, my dear. If everything was fine, you would look much happier and more relaxed. Just like a few months ago when you announced you dated Natalia. I did see happiness in your eyes. But now there is no hint at this.”       “I’m really happy, Mrs. MacClife,” Edward smiles falsely. “Everything is wonderful about Natalia and me… I just need to sleep a little… Because I didn’t get enough sleep…”       “Yes, Mom, everything is really fine about Natalia and him,” Terrence lies quite truly. “He just needs to have a rest. That’s why he seems so tired and sad.”       Rebecca tiredly looks at her sons for two seconds and exhales quietly.       “Oh, okay, if you don’t want to say, I won’t make you,” Rebecca says gloomily. “If you want, you will tell me everything later.”       “I’m fine…” Edward tries to truly smile. “I just got tired…”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, which Rebecca breaks again:       “By the way, Terrence, I recently talked with your father on the phone. I must confess that he was quite excited…”       “You do know well that it’s unpleasant for me to talk about that man,” Terrence says in a low voice. “I will not meet him even if a pistol is put against my head.”       “Oh, Terrence, please, stop being so stubborn,” Rebecca sighs quietly. “Why don’t you just talk to your father? I don’t ask you to forgive and love him. At least talk with him. You should listen to him and learn something very important. Besides, he could help us with finding your younger brother.”       “I wish to hear nothing about him. I’m even ashamed of calling that man my father. When I was in a fight with Raquelle, I was strongly shaking from thinking I could do the same thing he did. I literally began to attack the innocent girl and stopped controlling myself.”       “I completely understand it, honey, but no matter how hard you resist it, you need to talk with your father. He can tell you everything that happened between us, and why he left our family.”       “What could he say? It will be disgusting when he looks at me with pity in his eyes and excuses his disgusting act. Beating you for a long time, leaving you with one child with her and taking another… Tearing him apart from you and me and making two more children with another woman… I do know everything and don’t need explanations!”       “Everything has a reason. And you should know it.”       “No, Mother!” Terrence cuts off sharply. “Sorry, but I don’t want to talk about the man, who did a cruel thing to us. You will not make me get over me and meet the one we could call a betrayer.”       “Please, Terrence, at least listen to him. I’m asking you just about that. And then you can turn your back on him if his arguments don’t change your mind.”       “Please, stop trying to do this. I do not want and will not meet the one to betray you, my brother, and me. The brother, who we may never find. Because we don’t have any information about him.”       “Don’t be so categorical…” Rebecca begs with pity in her eyes. “Everything is not what you think…”       “I said everything, Mother.”       Rebecca sighs heavily with sadness in her eyes, while Edward looks at her and Terrence and, frowning slightly, recalls the years he spent with his father, who always treated him like he was nothing and forced him to leave his home because of his behavior at such a young age.       “Excuse me, don’t you really have any news about your younger son?” Edward asks hesitantly.       “No, sadly,” Rebecca replies quietly. “And we don’t know where to find my sonny.”       “So sorry…” Edward moves his eyes aside for a second. “But I am sure that you will find him.”       “I don’t know, Edward, I no longer have hope that we will.”       “But we will not give up!” Terrence says confidently. “Yes, I’ve lately thought about it rarely because I’ve been busy with my business. But soon, I will start to think about what we can do.”       “It’s gonna be hard…” Edward says thoughtfully, crossing his arms over his chest. “Having no information and common familiars.”       “It’s okay, we will hire a private detective. We will pay them a lot of money and ask them to find out something. I am sure that it’s going to be super easy for them.”       “Don’t think about it, Edward, it doesn’t have to do with you,” Rebecca says softy. “We will solve it somehow. And you better think about how to start speaking to your parents again. Reconcile with your father and find your mother.”       “I don’t aim it,” Edward says gloomily.        “Your father would probably like to talk to you and can’t calm down because he is worried that you left home and stopped contacting him.”       “After he gave me lots of slaps and kicked me out of home?” Edward hums quietly. “I’d better have no home and job than live with the man, who took it out on me when he met failures.”       “Oh, you’re also headstrong…” Rebecca moans quietly, looking around the whole living room with a tired look. “Don’t take an example from my stubborn sonny and don’t be so categorical.”       “Listen, Mrs. MacClife, I won’t deny that my hate for my father is not as strong as Terrence’s hate for his father. Even though he’s never loved me, considered me his burden, and hated me because of something that reminded him of his past. But I wouldn’t also like to meet him and listen to excuses for his disgusting acts. Life on the street was too cruel and hard, but I’m happy I made one of the best decisions of my life.”       “If you and your brother meet them, they will surely tell you everything and confess much. And after talking with them, you will have a different opinion about him.”       “I don’t get it!” Terrence exclaims. “Why are you defending that man so hard and trying to whitewash him? Yes, maybe, you still love him, but you should forget about any kind of love after what he did. A man like him will never change and get better.”       “You don’t know the whole story, Terrence. And your father is ready to tell you everything. I’m defending him because I understand the reasons for his actions. Yes, he did a terrible thing, but Jamie is not a monster that you try to make him.”       “Indeed, Mrs. MacClife, don’t make Terrence do what he doesn’t want,” Edward says confidently.       “Edward…”       “Would a good man leave his family and take away his second child? Whom, as I understand, hardly knows that he has a brother. I would never do such a nasty act and would truly love my children if I got them!”       “Guys, are you gonna be running from your close people all your life? They are not strangers to you! They are your father. Their blood is flooding inside you. You are their reflection at the age that you have. Yes, those men is by far not perfect and has made a bunch of mistakes. At least, I confess Jamie’s mistakes and am ready to accept them. But your fathers will always be your fathers, no matter how much you want to pretend it’s not true.”       “Sorry, Mom, but I don’t wish to hear anything about that man,” Terrence says in a low voice, raising a hand with the palm turned on Rebecca.       “Me too,” Edward pronounces gloomily. “Please, don’t tell us about him anymore. Terrence and I don’t care about what they want to do or say. May they say it to his second wife and his younger sons that mean much more to Father than his oldest ones.”       “Oh, boys, why are you headstrong and not wishing to do what I say?” Rebecca asks, running her hands over her face with a tired moan. “Huh, boys?”       “It would be better, believe me,” Terrence says softly. “We’re living well without Father and don’t need his help… Why do we care about the one to prefer to leave us?”       “My gosh, what do I do to you two?”       “Love,” Edward smiles shyly. “Just love us and be by our side.”       Rebecca sighs tiredly and hugs Edward and Terrence, who are sitting on the two sides of her, and softly caresses the heads of every one of them. While they are just happy to feel like little boys and find themselves in the woman’s hug, who spreads the incredible warmth and tenderness.       “It goes without saying, I love you, my dears,” Rebecca says quietly. “And you, my stubborn sonny… And your friend… I’ll love you, despite nothing.”       “We love you very much, too,” Terrence replies softly and confidently.       “We love you!” Edward smiles widely. “You’ve become a very close person to me.”       “I know, my sweeties,” Rebecca replies shyly, caresses Terrence’s head, which is placed on her shoulder, and kisses the top of Edward’s head, making the men smile widely.       Rebecca thinks about something for a few seconds, caressing Edward and Terrence’s shoulders, still embracing them and being happy when seeing the friends pressing themselves toward her with pleasure and not being shy about showing love for their mother. A little later, she glances at the arch placed in the furthest corner, barely covered with a transparent curtain, and leads to the kitchen, and calls the memory of a wish to cook dinner.       “Okay, I’ll go to the kitchen and start to get ready to cook dinner from what I have,” Rebecca says thoughtfully, stepping back from Edward and Terrence. “You can sit here and talk.”       “Okay…” Edward shrugs. “I’ll also see what there is here…”       “You can also go to the back of the house. It’s very beautiful.”       “Thanks, I’ll look.”       “Okay, I’m leaving. Don’t feel bored, my sweeties.”       Rebecca softly caresses Edward and Terrence on the shoulder, slowly gets up from the sofa, and goes to the kitchen. The friends stay alone and watch their mother. They are silent for a few seconds and throw a glance at different sides. And then Edward, frowning slightly, glances at Terrence and starts a talk first:       “Hm, have you always hated Father? Or since a certain moment?”       “Since childhood,” Terrence replies quietly, tightly locking his fingers. “Mother somehow said I was always asking where my father was and asked to bring him to me until a certain age.”       “Somehow, she said you were really close to him when you were a baby,” Edward smiles slightly. “I remember Mrs. MacClife saying you tried to calm him down when she was giving birth to me. She says you were waiting for my birth in the hall of the hospital together.”       “Honestly, it’s hard to believe I was so close to the man I hate now.”       “Listen, Terrence…” Edward says quietly and moves closer to Terrence. “Why do you actually think your father was beating your mother? You’re saying it very confidently, and you don’t doubt our parents broke up because of that.”       A short silence settles in the air because Terrence says nothing, looks down, and tightly locks his fingers, getting a little nervous and looking quite tense.       “You know, Edward, they say children don’t remember what happens to them…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “But I have one memory… I was about two or three, I dunno for sure… And… I remember Father strongly slapping Mother in the face. And shouting at her loudly before while she was trying to calm him down. I got really terrified by those shouts and began to cry… I can hear all those shouts in my ears… I don’t remember what they said, but our parents were fighting very strongly.”       Terrence looks down, still thinking about that memory and getting a little white.       “And then Father told Mother he was gonna take his stuff and leave the family and home,” Terrence says. “And he really left… I remember his packed bag… It was black… But the color lost its brightness and was kind of pale… Yes, I remember that case thanks to flashes… I can’t remember everything… But I do know what happened on the day Father left us.”       “So…” Edward pronounces thoughtfully, being surprised by Terrence’s confession. “Do you exactly know that your father slapped your mother in the face?”       “It happened before my eyes,” Terrence confesses. “I clearly remember that sonorous clap on the cheek… Remember Mother’s tears and begs of not leaving when Father said he’d leave the family…”       “Are you sure it really happened? What if you made yourself think so? And yeah, how could you remember what happened in the first years of your life? I don’t remember mine, but you memorized that!”       “I don’t know, Edward… But I remember that moment… And I didn’t want to believe Father was leaving me and Mother… I don’t remember if I asked about him later, but as Mother said…”       “Erm…” Edward frowns slightly. “What about the fact that he was regularly beating your mother? You hate him because of that. Do you remember other events when it happened?”       “Nope, I don’t have more memories… The case is that someone told me about it. And I’m sure that he could do that. A good person wouldn’t have mocked a woman and treated his son like a doormat, whom he kicked out of home without remorse. Knowing he had no home, no job, and no money.”       “But who told you that? Your mother couldn’t say that ‘cause she’s defending your father too hard! From whom did you hear that? Who still makes you think your father is a stinker?”       Terrence says nothing for two seconds, trying to recall the face of the one to tell him that, but he is not able to do it no matter how hard he tries.       “I don’t know…” Terrence shakes his head. “I don’t know… Can’t remember…”       “What was your age when you were told that?” Edward specifies.       “I can’t say exactly… But I know it happened in my early childhood…”       “And who was that: a man or a woman?”       “I don’t remember… But I remember that the voice was very disgusting… So terrible that I’m still shaking slightly.”       “So, have you believed that since you heard it? Haven’t you even tried to find out if it’s true?”       “Yup… It left a bright mark on my mind. I still remember that and try to keep myself far from Father.”       Edward sighs quietly, looking at Terrence with sadness in his eyes, and runs his fingers through his bag of hair.       “Oh, MacClife, you shouldn't believe those, who don’t know what really happened,” Edward says thoughtfully. “Maybe, an evil man or an evil woman told you that, and you believe it like a naive idiot. Could someone else know what happened between our parents? I don’t think so!”       “Wanna say someone could deceive me?” Terrence sets his widely open eyes on Edward. “You think someone lied to me when they said that Father was regularly beating Mother and mocking her?”       “I don't know, Terrence, but it's possible,” Edward shrugs. “I’m not defending your father and making him an angel. But still, I don’t think he will dare to mock the helpless woman like that.”       “But I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some truth about it. Remember, Father didn’t feel sorry for kicking you out and didn’t care about where you’d go or how you’d live. If he treated his own son like that, why would he care about his ex-wife?”       “Well, I don’t know…” Edward sighs, glancing aside. “But I would think about it instead of you. No matter how bad your father was, I don’t believe that he could go so far. And you believe the one, who probably didn’t know the situation. I don’t know why they needed, but nothing is clear yet.”       Terrence would have never thought someone would like to tell him a lie about his father and mother. The man does not understand why someone did it, and he cannot even assume who wanted to turn him against his father so badly. But after the words said by Edward, MacClife starts to look at the situation differently. Though, Terrence understands that all these words may be just words.       “Of course, I can't confirm that my words may be true,” Edward says quietly. “But I repeat: instead of you, I would think whether you can believe what you were told.”       “Your words definitely made me think about it,” Terrence sighs quietly. “But I’m not really sure if it’s true.”       “Anyway, the fact that you just believe what someone said makes me suspicious. And if you remembered the one to do that, we could get some guesses.”       “But who could do that? The only thing I can say is that person was an adult. It wasn’t one of my friends or acquaintances of my age.”       “It would be stupid to assume that. But it’s also hard for me to assume who it could be…”       “I didn’t use to think about it and try to think deeper. But now I think I need to think about it. Everything happened for a reason. The reason we don’t know yet.”       Terrence moves his sad eyes to his hands tightly locked and thinks of what he heard, doubling over.       “Hey, buddy, don’t get stuck on it,” Edward says confidently, clapping Terrence on the back. “I just assumed you could be deceived. Who knows, maybe, what you were told really happened, and Mrs. MacClife is just too kind and forgave your father many years later.”       “What if it’s true?” Terrence asks. “What if Mother forgot the past because everything wasn’t as terrible as we think?”       “I can say nothing, Terrence. But the clear thing is that we don’t know the full story. We’d probably have to discover very many secrets.”       “What if Mom forgave this man so easily because Father slapped her just once?” Terrence doubles over and runs his hands through his hair, looking much more upset and thoughtful. “Just like I did… But while I was madly regretting that, Father hardly felt something and got no remorse.”       Terrence thinks of the fateful day he slapped Raquelle in the face and almost killed her in anger. Despite agreeing to forget everything, every one of them sometimes thinks of that terrible period. Edward already regrets starting this talk. He sees how it’s hurtful for his friend to talk about what made him wish to shoot himself. What made him feel such strong shame that he had never felt before.       “Terrence, please, don’t think of that horrible time,” Edward says with pity in his eyes, clapping Terrence on the shoulders. “Raquelle and you agreed not to think of that. Why would you think of what should stay in the past?”       “I doubt I’d forget that…” Terrence sighs heavily and slowly gets straight, running his hands over his head from the top of his head to the nape of his neck. “I can’t forget it… I can’t stop thinking that I did the same that Father did… I was also so wild that I was ready to kill Raquelle with my own hands. But I don’t wanna be like him… I don’t wanna be the bastard that isn’t able to control himself.”       “No, you won’t become the one! At least because you’ve got shame and can regret and recognize your mistakes.”       “Maybe…”       “You are not senseless and know about pity, regret, and a confession of your fault.”       “Maybe, I am when I’m calm, and nobody makes me irritated. But when someone makes me mad, I kind of turn into a different man.”       “Everyone becomes an animal when getting furious,” Edward tries to comfort with a shy smile. “I could do a lot when someone makes me mad.”       “I think it’s impossible to make you lose your temple,” Terrence laughs quietly. “You’re a sweet angel that wouldn’t hurt a fly and couldn’t get mad.”       “Maybe, I’m thousands of times quieter than you and don’t get excited easily. But if you try hard, I may be a terrifying demon and do what I would surely regret.”       “You can kill me, but I can’t imagine you screaming loudly, strangling someone, and destroying everything in your way.”       “But I can be the one,” Edward hugs Terrence amicably and slightly claps him on the shoulder. “So, Terrence, don’t get upset. Because I don’t personally know any person, who would keep calm even when they are about to go wild.”       “You can comfort fellows, kid,” Terrence chuckles quietly. “I got a little better after your words, honestly.”       “I'm glad I comforted you a little,” Edward smiles shyly.       Terrence smiles shyly, feeling much better after a few comforting words from Edward, but still thinking about what he just heard. The friends say nothing for a few seconds, during which the younger one supports the older one with a slight smile and amicable hugs. And then Rebecca comes to the living room, stroking down her hair.       “The food won’t be cooked soon,” Rebecca says. “You have to wait for a while. But I have some fresh fruits… If you want, you can eat something before dinner.”       “Great…” Edward smiles shyly. “I wouldn’t refuse to eat something… I haven’t eaten fresh fruits for ages…”       “I put a couple of plates with fruits on the table in the dining room. Go there and choose whatever you like.”       “Alright, thanks…”       Edward slowly gets up from the sofa and goes to the spacious dining room, where a big table with two transparent plates full of fruits is placed. The room is made of white and crème shades and full of light thanks to huge windows and a chandelier with a few domes. There are a few arches that lead to other places in the house. And some little framed pictures are hanging on the walls and perfectly fit the modest but fabulous design.       Terrence is still sitting on the sofa and thinking about his friend’s words with sadness in his eyes. After watching him a little, Rebecca slowly comes to her older son, sits down next to him, and puts her hand on his shoulder.       “Terrence, are you okay?” Rebecca asks quietly.        “Yup, I’m fine,” Terrence slowly gets straight and moves his tired, depressed eyes to Rebecca.       “You look kind of sad. Something makes you worried?”       “Nope, everything is fine… I just thought about something bad…”       “Do you have problems with Raquelle that you don’t want to talk about?”       “No, the problem is about it… I just thought about the terrible thing I did to her.”       “But, honey, why did you decide to think about it?” Rebecca wonders. “It’s all in the past, and you saved your relationship with Raquelle. You’re gonna marry her soon.”       “Sometimes I think about it and feel just disgusting,” Terrence says quietly and exhales quietly. “I think I’ll never forget the disgusting thing I did to that girl.”       “Did Edward tell you something to make you think of that?”       “No, no, Edward said nothing. Sometimes these thoughts come into my mind.”       “Don’t think about it, sonny,” Rebecca says softly, caressing Terrence’s shoulders and stroking down his hair slightly. “Nobody thinks of that event. So, you should forget it. I completely understand it and told you I wasn’t happy with that situation. But it stayed in the past, and you keep living with the wonderful girl that I love like my soon-to-be daughter-in-law.”       “I try to, Mother. But I can’t always do it…”       Terrence tries to smile shyly, deciding not to start talking about his father. Although Rebecca does not believe Terrence’s smile is true, she decides not to get him tortured with questions and to try to talk with her a little later.       “Okay, my sweetie, don’t be sad,” Rebecca says with a slight, comforting smile, embracing Terrence and kissing him on the temple. “Better go to eat something from fruits. The food won’t be cooked soon.”       “I’ll wait, it’s okay,” Terrence replies quietly.       “Go, my sweetie, your friend is now in the dining room. Talk with him a little… I’ll come to you later… Or you come to the kitchen and sit with me.”       “Yeah, sure…”       Terrence sharply runs his hands over his hair, slowly gets up from the sofa, and goes to Edward sitting on the table and eating a bunch of grapes, but glances at him when his friend comes to him and says something while the man examines what he sees on plates with fruits. Rebecca watches Terrence with a little sad look and sighs heavily when he hides somewhere.       “Ah, Terrence, how I wish you made peace with your father someday…” Rebecca sighs heavily with sadness in her eyes. “At least give him a chance to talk to you! I don’t ask you to love him. He just needs to explain a lot to you. And together, we could find our younger son, about whom I’ve been thinking a lot since the day I met Edward. That boy became like a son to me. He’s so kind, nice, caring, shy…”       Rebecca makes another heavy sign and looks around the whole living room.       “And Terrence says Raquelle always does what she wants. He would be thousands of times more stubborn than her, ‘cause he doesn’t want to do a little thing. How do I make him change his mind and make him sure that this talk is important to all of us? I really want my child to reconcile with his father. I want our family to be reunited someday. Or all of us to treat each other warmly enough to spend time together.”       Rebecca glances at the side of the dining room where Edward and Terrence are, sitting at the table, eating some fruits and talking about something with a slight smile on their faces.       “But don’t worry, Jamie, I’ll do my best for Terrence to agree to talk with you. I’m absolutely sure he must know all the truth from you. You should confess everything to him. I promise, your son will know our story wasn’t what he thought. And Terrence will finally stop thinking that what he made himself think about is the truth. If it doesn’t work, I’ll have to plan your meeting with him. And I’m afraid I’d have to do it because I see no other way.”       After thinking about the conflict between Jamie, Terrence, and Edward with sadness in her eyes, Rebecca goes to the kitchen to cook dinner for her and the men, who made a sudden but very nice visit to her and made her very happy. But even when she starts working with some food, the woman thinks about that situation and about the fact that the friends are hiding something. And that “something” has to do with one of the two or Raquelle and Natalia. Bad presentiments have never deceived her. She is sure something bad happened, and it might bring their family some bad pieces of news at the nearest time.