Chapter 35

It doesn't take me long to get home. Dad isn't here, and I'm not sure where Aida is. I search the

living room and kitchen, but she isn't there. I head upstairs to see if she's in her room, and I find her

door locked. We don't usually lock our doors. Being twins, we don't hide much of anything from

each other.

I knock on the door, but there is no answer. I wait a bit and put my ear to the door to see if I can

hear anything. I hear what I think is some shuffling, so I knock on the door again. The doorknob

jiggles, and the door opens slightly. “What's up, Adela?” Aida looks a bit flustered and slightly out of

breath. I try to look into the room, but that prompts Aida to squeeze through the door and close it

shut behind her.

“Uh....how are you?”

The bedroom door opens, and my head shoots to the door. Landon is on his feet in no time. Tia

walks through the door, and I swear my heart is practically beating out of my chest. I have missed

laying my eyes on this beautiful woman. You would think that we have been apart for years and not

just hours

"We should talk,” Tia says with a tone of finality. I look at Landon, who is looking at me. “You two

should sit.” I can feel my knees getting weak, but taking a seat is the last thing I want to do. “I can't

do this. I have to worry about my sisters, father, Luna Kimberly, and now this Jenna character is here

to try to get rid of me, I guess. I just can't do this.”

I can feel tears start to build in my eyes. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. Tia will leave

us, and I'm not sure how we will be able to survive. “If I am to stay, I need to do so on my terms. I

need to be comfortable here, and that means saying and doing whatever I feel is necessary, Luna-

to-be or not.” I look at Landon, wondering if he knows what that means, but he looks just as

confused as I am. I look back at Tia and wait for more. “I will need to tap into another side of “Tia’,

and I need you two to be supportive. If there is any issue in the way I handle things and people, I

will insist on leaving this place.”

“Does that mean you're staying?” I love when Landon comes in with the needed questions. I don't

care anything about what Tia does or says or how she handles anything. I just need to know that

she will be here. I need to know that she will continue to stand by my side through all of this mess

and more.

Tia sighs and walks over to us. “Yes, I will stay. I can't imagine being away from the two of you.”

Landon reaches for her first, and she pulls back a bit. “Just remember, I need to do this how I see fit.

If it becomes an issue, I will go.” Landon and I both nod in agreement. Landon wraps her up in his

arms while I stroke her hand between mine. I missed the sparks that come from our touch.

“Tia,” she looks at me while she is wrapped in Landon’s arms. “I don't care what you do around here,

I just want you around. You can do whatever you feel is necessary and if that isn't enough, then you

can let us know. We.....I love you, Tia.”