One Wild Night

Chapter 898  Everyone Makes Mistakes

Tom remained on the balcony after his phone call with Harry, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The conversation with Harry left him heavy-hearted and worried about Jade.

Instead of heading back inside, he leaned against the railing of the balcony, the cool night air brushing against his skin as he pulled out his phone again. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He stared at it for a moment before dialing Jade's number. He needed to hear from her and know how she was doing, and to also understand what had driven her to such a drastic misunderstanding.

The phone rang several times before Jade answered, her voice shaky and filled with sorrow. "Tom?"

"Hey," Tom began softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "I just spoke with Harry. He told me what happened. I wanted to hear from you, to know how you're doing."

At his words, Jade broke down, her sobs echoing through the phone. "I'm so sorry, Tom. I messed everything up. I was so stupid. I messed up so badly."

Tom's heart ached for her. "Jade, it's okay. You don't have to be sorry to me. It's going to be okay. Stop crying," he said softly.

"I was so stupid," Jade cried. "I let my insecurities get the best of me. I saw that text from the event planner and jumped to conclusions. I didn't even give Harry a chance to explain. I ruined all his plans and efforts without even knowing. I ruined our vacation."

Tom's heart ached for his sister. He wished he could be there to comfort her in person. "It's okay, Jade. It's going to be okay. Take a deep breath. You didn't mess up beyond repair. These things happen. We can work through this together. Why didn't you tell me what was going on earlier? I could have helped."

"I just wasn't thinking straight. I couldn't think past my suspicions and fear. I don't know what is wrong with me. God knows I'm trying, but it's just like my brain ceases to function when it's most important, and now I hurt Harry. I can't imagine how disappointed and hurt he must be," she cried.

Tom sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and sympathy. "Jade, we all have our moments. But you need to talk to someone about this. You can't keep letting your past control your present. It's affecting your relationship and your happiness."

Jade sniffled, trying to compose herself. "I know, Tom. I need help. I know it. I just don't know where to start."

"We'll figure it out together," Tom assured her. "Come back home. We'll find a therapist and start working on this. You don't have to go through this alone."

Jade's voice wavered with gratitude and despair. "I don't know what to do, Tom. I'm so scared."

Tom's voice softened, filled with brotherly love and concern. "I know you are, Jade. But you're not alone. We're here for you."

"What if I end up losing him? What if he decides he no longer wants me after all of this?" Jade asked fearfully.

"You won't. Harry loves you and he will always want you. And that is why you need to focus on getting help. You're smart, Jade. One of the smartest women I know. All you need is a little professional help, and you will be fine," Tom said softly.

"Okay," Jade said, her voice trembling. "I'll be back tomorrow. He wants us to  leave tomorrow instead of next."

"That's okay. I will pick you up from the airport tomorrow. Just focus on getting through tonight. Try to get some rest," Tom said gently. "We'll handle everything else when you get here," Tom promised.

"Thank you, Tom. Thank you. And I'm sorry," Jade cried.

"You'll be fine. And don't forget that I am here for you, and I love you. Never forget it," Tom said softly before hanging up.

After hanging up with Jade, Tom immediately dialed Bryan's number. Bryan picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Tom. What's up?"

"I just talked to Harry and Jade. The engagement is off," Tom said, his voice heavy with the weight of the situation.

Bryan's tone shifted to one of concern. "What happened? Did something happen again? I thought everything was going smoothly between them now?"

"Not really," Tom admitted. He proceeded to explain the entire situation of Jade's misunderstanding and the resulting fallout.

Bryan listened intently, his voice filled with worry when he spoke again. "That's rough. Poor Jade. I hate seeing her go through this. And Harry too. They both must be feeling terrible."

"They are," Tom said, running a hand through his hair. "Jade's a mess. She knows she needs help, and Harry's willing to wait for her, but this is a huge wake-up call."

"Yeah, it sounds like it," Bryan agreed. "What can we do to help?"

"Harry mentioned a therapist," Tom said. "I will check them out and see if they're a good fit for Jade. She needs to start therapy as soon as possible. And they are returning tomorrow. I will go over to pick her up…"

"I will come with you. Maybe you can come over to pick me up. Lucy can stay with Sonia while we go get Jade together," Bryan suggested and Tom nodded.

"Yeah. I think that's a good idea."

"Do you think we should tell mom and dad about this? You know Dad has his way of talking to someone. He might help," Bryan suggested.

"That's for Jade to decide. She can reach out to Dad if she wants to talk to him," Tom said and Bryan sighed.

"Yeah. You're right. Alright. Do you think that maybe I should give her a call?" Bryan asked, wanting to talk to Jade.

"You should if you want to," Tom said and Bryan nodded.

"I will. Thanks for keeping me updated, Tom," Bryan said before hanging up.

After ending the call with Bryan, Tom returned to the bedroom. Lucy looked up from where she was sitting on the bed, her eyes filled with concern. "I just heard from Candace and Andy. The engagement is off? What happened?" She asked, since Candace had called to ask her if she knew why Harry had called off the engagement.

Tom sighed as he sat down beside her before explaining the situation, detailing Jade's misunderstanding and Harry's reaction. Lucy listened quietly, her heart going out to both Harry and Jade.

"I can't imagine how Jade must feel," Lucy said softly. "It's easy to see how she could have misunderstood, but it's still so sad," she said, feeling sorry for both Jade and Harry.

"Yeah, she's devastated," Tom said. "And they will be back tomorrow. Bryan and I will be going to get her, so you can stay with Sonia," Tom said and Lucy nodded.

"What about Harry? How is he doing?" She asked and Tom sighed deeply as he shook his head.

"He feels pretty hurt. And I'm sure he must feel frustrated too," Tom said, thinking about how Harry had sounded earlier.

Lucy nodded, "He would need you too," Lucy said, and then reached for his hand, "This must be tough for you too, considering how close you're to them both," she said with understanding.

Tom pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand, "Maybe after talking to Jade, I will go spend some time with Harry," he said and Lucy nodded.

"Yeah. Let's do all we can for them. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know," she said, and Tom smiled, grateful for Lucy's support.

"Thank you. Let's unpack our bags since we won't be traveling anymore," Tom said and they both rose to do just that's

As they unpacked, Tom looked at Lucy, "If you were in Jade's shoes and you saw such a text on my phone, what would you have done?" He asked curiously.

Lucy paused, folding one of Tom's shirts thoughtfully. "Honestly," she said, "I'd probably react similarly. But I think the key is communication. I'd hope that I'd talk to you before jumping to conclusions."

Tom nodded, feeling a sense of relief at her understanding. "I hope you do, Jewel. And I hope you will always give me the benefit of doubt, and trust that I would never deliberately do anything to hurt you."

Lucy gave him a nod, "I will keep that in mind. But you should know that if Harry had said this to Jade, she would have had this same response too. I'm just saying some times it's possible to forget in the heat of the moment. Emotions can be overpowering, especially when insecurities are involved."

"I wish she had confided in me or someone before it got to this point. I really want her to be happy and find peace. I want the same for Harry too. They both don't deserve this."

Lucy smiled gently, setting down the shirt. "They are both lucky to have you. You're doing everything you can to support them as best as you can, and that's what matters most."

Tom sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I hope it's enough."

Lucy walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "With your support and love, she will be fine. And we'll all be here for her, every step of the way."

Tom hugged her back, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Thanks, Jewel. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Lucy looked up at him, her eyes filled with warmth. "Hopefully, you will never have to find out."

Away from there, Bryan sat on his bed, his phone pressed to his ear, waiting anxiously for Jade to pick up, while Sonia watched him.

He had spent the last couple of minutes  telling Sonia about what was going on, and she was surprised and displeased that they had all kept the surprise engagement away from her.

The phone rang several times before he heard the faint, trembling sound of his sister's voice. "Bryan?" Jade's voice was thick with emotion.

"Hey, love," Bryan said softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "How are you holding up?"

Jade broke down, her sobs pouring through the phone. "I messed up, Bryan. I hurt Harry and ruined everything."

Bryan's heart ached at the sound of her distress. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure you didn't ruin everything."

"I did, Bryan. I acted so foolishly," Jade continued, her voice cracking. "I let my insecurities take over, now, I've ruined everything. Our vacation, our engagement, our relationship, everything."

Bryan sighed deeply, feeling the weight of her words. "Jade, everyone makes mistakes. What's important now is how we move forward from here. You're not alone in this. We're all here for you."

Jade sniffled, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know what to do, Bryan. I feel so lost and scared."

"You don't have to figure it all out right now. And why do you feel lost and scared when you have two big brothers? We will find you if you're lost, and we will protect you from whatever you're scared of," Bryan said gently.

"When you get back, we will figure out everything together. So, can you stop crying?"

Jade took a shaky breath. "I'll try. Thank you, Bryan," Jade whispered.

"You don't have to thank me," Bryan said. "We're family. We're here for each other, no matter what. And Jade, would you like to talk to Dad? Sometimes he has a way of making things clearer."

Jade hesitated for a moment. "Yes, I think that might help. But how can I reach him? I don't even know where they are right now."

"I will text you the number they sent me in case of emergencies," Bryan said, and after hanging up, he quickly sent Jade the number, feeling a sense of relief that she was willing to talk to their dad.

He hoped their father's wisdom and straightforward nature would help Jade find some clarity and peace.

Jade stared at the number on her phone for a moment before dialing the number. After a few rings, she heard her mother's voice.

"Hello?" Evelyn answered, her tone cautious.

"Mom," Jade said, her voice breaking. "It's Jade."

Evelyn's voice immediately filled with concern. "Jade, what's wrong? Why do you sound like you've been crying?"

Jade took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I need to talk to Dad. Please, can you put him on the phone?"

Evelyn hesitated, clearly worried, but she didn't press for more information. "Of course, sweetheart. Hold on."

There was a brief pause, and then Jade heard her father's voice. "Hey, baby, what's going on? Have you been crying?" He asked, since he had heard Evelyn say she sounded like she was crying.

The sound of her father's voice broke something inside her, and she began to cry uncontrollably. "Daddy!" She cried.

Desmond's voice was calm and steady. "Baby, take a deep breath. Tell me what happened."

Through her sobs, Jade recounted the entire story. Seeing them at the lounge, the text message, her insecurities, her confrontation with Harry, and the devastating fallout. She poured out her heart, her tears flowing freely.

When she finished, Desmond's voice was gentle but firm. "Harry is right to react the way he did and to put an end to things for the time being. You're not ready yet to be in a healthy relationship. You can't move into a new relationship while carrying all the baggage from the last. The baggage will take up all the room the relationship and make it toxic," Desmond said, and when Jade kept crying, he paused.

"Darling, are your tears going to fix this situation?" He asked calmly as though he was talking to a little girl.

Jade hiccuped, trying to catch her breath. "No, they won't."

"What is going to fix it?" Desmond asked, his tone insistent but compassionate.

Jade sniffled, "Getting help and changing for the better."

"That's right," Desmond said. "So, wipe those tears and focus on getting the help you need. You're smart, Jade. Push emotions aside and deal with this logically."

Jade nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I will, Dad. I promise."

Desmond's voice softened. "Good. We all make mistakes, Jade. What matters is how we rise from them. You're strong, and you can get through this."

"Thank you, Dad," Jade whispered, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. "I'll do my best."

"I know you will," Desmond said. "Now, stop crying and put on your big girl pants."

"Okay," Jade said, feeling a renewed sense of determination as she brushed her tears away.

"I will put your mom on now," Desmond said before handing the phone to Evelyn who had been listening with concern.

"Your dad has said everything. Stop crying, alright? Everything will be fine. It will all work out eventually as long as you play your role. But don't do any of this for Harry's sake. Do it for yourself. For your peace and happiness, and for your self-confidence," she said, and after talking for some time they hung up.

After hanging up, Jade sat quietly for a moment, absorbing the conversations with her family.

She couldn't help but feel grateful for the unwavering support of her family. She was happy that she had them.