Candles

25 | D I S A G R E E M E N T

JILLIAN WATCHED ME WITH HATRED clear in her eyes as she processed what I just told her. She sat on the other side of the kitchen table, her lips in a thin straight line. I waited for her to yell at me, informing me of how inconsiderate I was for doing this without consulting with her first. Her smeared makeup made her look even more intimidating and I swallowed hard as I awaited her response. I did not think she would react this way, though. I thought she would have been happy I was helping Sydney out. Instead, she looked bothered by this.

"Look," I spoke. "I know you don't know her that well—"

"Neither do you," she snapped. "You've known her for...what? A couple months? And you're letting her move into your house for free? Harry, something about this doesn't seem right. Have you actually sat down and thought this through?"

"I have and she isn't living here for free. I'm going to charge her an affordable price until she is able to get back on her feet."

"I honestly think you shouldn't have offered her one of the guest rooms. Harry, babe, I love you but this is insane! Is this some sort of payback? Has she done something for you that I don't know about?"

"What if Greysen lost his house?" I asked her, making her lips shut. "I know how you two are close. Wouldn't you let him move in with you until he was able to get back out there on his own?"

"That'd be impossible because we both know he'd go to you first."

"You're missing the point, Jill."

She covered her face with her hands and I was forced to feel guilty about the entire situation. I did not understand how doing this was wrong. I was helping out a friend, nothing more. Sydney was falling into a deep, deep hole and I was pulling her out. I was doing the right thing by being a good friend and Jillian was missing it. She just did not want another female living with me and I understood that. However, if I did not help Sydney out, where would she go?

Jillian rolled her eyes at me, "I wouldn't be this upset about it, you know, if you decided to tell me right then and there rather than the day you decided to let her move in!" Her eyes were watering again and I hated how she was crying because of me. I was just trying to do the right thing and it was not going like how I had thought it would. I rubbed my temples as she stood up from the table and began to pace the floor. Her black hair bounced against the back of her neck and she shook her head before pointing a finger at me. "Why not help her get a hotel room, huh?"

"Jill—"

"Don't!" she threw her arms up into the air out of frustration. "Don't you dare try to make me look like the bad guy in this, Harry. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel if I suddenly decided to let a man move in?"

"Well, if it's Greysen—"

"Stop bringing him into this!" she growled. "I'm talking about a man I barely know. A man you barely know!"

"Okay, I'm beginning to see your point."

She sighed and her arms dangled at her sides. She looked tired and most of all, pissed off. I looked down at my lap and took a deep breath. I knew how much she was going through and I was only making it worse by telling her this. She was right. I should have told her when I offered Sydney one of my guest bedrooms. I should not have waited until today to tell her. Sydney was moving in and it was too late to do anything about it. I was not going to tell her she could no longer move in when she already had her stuff packed and ready.

"Sit down," I said, nodding back at the now empty chair. Jillian's eyes never left me as she sat back down. She began tapping her fingernails against the table and for the first time in a while, she looked exhausted. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, smearing her makeup even more. When she placed her hands flatly on the table, I placed mine on top of hers. "There's no need for you to cry. She isn't going to be here forever. Once she gets back on her feet, she's moving back out into the world. I promise."