Divide and Conquer

I've never been someone to bail on plans... Mainly because I never used to be someone who was invited to things. The up-side of this is that, when I called Gabriel and told him we weren't going to be able to make it to the bar, no one questioned our intentions. Trish had gone to meet the seller of her new home, meanwhile, the rest of us came back home to put our heads together. Honestly, the mood Trish is in I don't think she'd be up for peace in our time anyway.

We converged on the living room to finally put our thoughts into words. Camille had only returned early this morning so we're careful not to wake her, especially given the sensitive topic at hand. Sensitive is the right word. As Rouge takes up position in Jasper's chair and Elise and I sit on the sofa I consider how best to start the proceedings.

"Shit's fucked." Rouge announces.

Okay, yeah, that's one way, not like she's wrong though.

"Things have been going so great for us I didn't think to stop and make sure everyone else was okay too... We've burned a lot of bridges." I think aloud, establishing my thought process.

"It's not like we but ties with anyone who didn't deserve it." Elise points out. She's not wrong either. But then I think about Gabriel, how certain I was that I hated him, then I couldn't help but like him after I'd seen things from his perspective. Doing bad things doesn't make someone a bad person, just a person who needs more help than they can get.

Rouge sits back in her chair. "Trish complains about her parents a lot... But I don't think she really hates them. I think there's so much politics involved, she just wants to be treated like a daughter, but as long as her parents have a say they'll never see her as anything else than another player on a board. It's not their fault, not really, they've got a warped view of reality." She considers. Wow, she's sure changed her tune since her verbal barrage earlier.

"Maybe this camper van will help then, means they have less power over her?" I propose. "If they can't control her, maybe they'll start to respect her?"

"No." My twin answers flatly. "That's how we'd react, but as long as she can be married off, they'll consider that her value, respect isn't the issue, they're locked in a game spanning centuries, they can't just give it up because Trish lives at a different address."

I feel stupid, I know I've been a schemer in the past, but this seems like a different level, requiring a much smarter mind than mine. Rouge is the only one that can think of a solution, and I think she knows that too. "Is there anything we can do to help?" I ask her.

"If I think of anything I'll let you know." She sighs. "In the meantime, there's other business that needs attending to." She continues, looking to Elise.

"Like what?" My girlfriend asks sincerely. Come on Moon, you know full well what we're talking about.

"William." I explain. "We're gonna be sticking around, and so is he, we can't just pretend her doesn't exist." I have images of him appearing while we're trying to buy cabbage and begging for forgiveness on his knees by the carrots. I think I might be hungry.

Elise's face doesn't seem impressed by our idea. "We've talked, he's not a part of my life anymore, it's over." She argues.

"Is it?" I counter. "I saw your face when Trish was arguing with her parents. William's made bad choices but he's still the man that raised you. It's more than we got, at least yours wants to be a part of your life."

She looks as if she wants to argue back, but I think a part of her knows we're right.

"She's not the only one with stuff to fix." Rouge interjects. Huh? I count two people's parents who didn't accept them and neither are mine. I mean, one abandoned me, but pretty sure that counts as a pre-existing condition. After a few seconds it becomes clear I'm lost, leading to Rouge to clarify. "Jenny. Let's be honest, she's been the picture of rehabilitation, and you're still acting like she's the same girl."

"She is the same girl!" I growl. "Unless she literally vanished and it's an actress taking over her life, she's still the one who bullied me. I know, I know she's put in all this effort, and so much of me wants to make amends, but this isn't a one-off like William or Trish's parents, this was my entire life. I had nightmares about that girl."

My sister sits forward, looking into my eyes unblinkingly. "Do you still have them? The nightmares?" She asks. Is that the point? Of course I don't have them anymore, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. "Thought not. You know why? Because there's way more good in your life now than there has been bad inflicted on you. What she did was awful... And then she stopped. Like it or not, we're flesh and blood, there's no getting rid of her, so you have to find a way to forgive her."

Fuck.

I hate when she's right.

Whenever I'm around Jenny she gives me so many reasons to forgive her, and none to keep hating her, yet... I just keep doing it anyway. Maybe I'm holding on to it? Maybe a part of me is scared that I could return to where I was back then, and letting Jenny in would make me vulnerable. Is that unfair? Protecting myself? stopping someone before they can harm me?

Pretty sure it's that line of thought that starts wars.

Damn it. Sounds like we're all going to have to do stuff we don't want to, but I'd rather we send everyone off happy than hold on to some pride of 'winning' the arguments. I look to Elise, she gives me an empathetic nod. She's my compass, if she's saying Rouge is right then I don't have a leg to stand on. Looks like we're all in agreement.

"Alright." I decide. "Time to earn our new lives."