Chapter 93: Answered Prayer.

As usual, he closed his eyes and attempted sleeping again. Seconds turned to minutes and within fifty six minutes of struggle, he finally fell asleep.

Tuesday came after a beautiful night rest by Simon and a sleepless and disturbing night for Paige at the Kentley's mansion. Just as expected, Anna and Emily arrived Kentley's Mansion around two in the afternoon. Paige was totally thankful that they came home early enough as she was bored silly. She had wanted to call Simon earlier to ask if he was with them but her robost pride just wouldn't let her. So she only hoped he would come back with them. 

Her hope was dashed to the wind when Anna and Emily finally got home and there was no sign of Simon. Even as she hugged Emily and Anna welcoming them home. "You've been staring at the car all day, what's the problem?" Anna whispered noticing how Paige me kept staring at the Jeep they came back with.

"Simon isn't with you?" Paige whispered back.

"Is he suppose to be?" Anna whispered not wanting Emily to overhear them. Earlier She had hugged Emily out if excitement the hug was reciprocated as well.

They made it into the Mansion and Paige looked back at the jeep one more time just to reassure herself that Simon wasn't with them. 

"How are you Paige? Oh, we've missed you so much." Emily said as they stepped into the living room.

"Speak for yourself Emily." Anna cut her short.

"What? Why?" Emily asked curious. "Didn't you miss her?"

"Uhmm." Anna started making a babyish face. She looked at Paige who stared back meekly with a smile. "Okay, maybe just a little." She said smiling. "And that's because you are my friend." Anna told her laughing.

"That's not fair." Paige said squinting her eyes. "But I missed you both so much." She complained coming closer to Anna for a hug.

Emily smiled seeing the two in their feelings. "I'll be in my room you two. And you're too old be be babies." She said laughing as we made it to her room.

"Bye Emily, mother." Anna and Paige said respectively. 

"But seriously, I missed you so much Anna." Paige said as they hugged each other.

"Mhmm, I figured." Anna started with a smile. "You missed me so much that you called me literally every minute to check up on me. I spent eight days in Acubana and you called me like how many times. One......" Anna started counting with her fingers. "Two..., Oh! I stopped at two. Is it twice then?" She asked with a girlish smile.

"Anna! Don't be like that now. I called. Remember when I called and you didn't pick up and you had to call back saying you weren't close to your phone. Remember?" Paige asked.

"Oh, I remember all right. And it is that one time you called. Cause it only happened once. One time Paige." Anna stressed.

"Oh Lord. Anna I'm so sorry. It was so bad of me, I know that. I am very sorry. I was rather occupied with.... you know, s....stu..."

"Stuff." Anna added. "Look, I get it. You were busy with a couple of stuff and I'm not angry okay. I'm just being sarcastic. It's just a funny thing I do sometimes around friends."

"Around friends yeah?" Paige asked with a knowing smile.

"Around friends." Anna smiled back. "So, you missed me huh?" She asked as they took a seat in the living room while Sherman was seem still shuffling around with their boxes. "But you weren't here all alone. We left you in great company. By the way, where is Simon. You were asking about him out there. Isn't he home?" She asked pretending not to know of her brother's whereabouts.

"I kinda thought he was with you." Paige replied. "I got back yesterday and he was gone. He wasn't home." She told Anna.

"Oh, you went out? To where? Oh, you ba..d g.i.r.l.  you made a new friend didn't you?" Anna asked with a lofty smile.

"I didn't." Paige replied.

"You didn't? Where did you go to then." She pestered.

"Uhmm, promise you won't judge." Paige said pointing at her with a shy smile.

"What? Okay, I promise. Just spill." Anna said.

"I went to the Tedsons Anniversary dinner like I told you. But, I kind of spent the night there." She said with a raised eyebrow followed by an awkward smile.

"Pheww." Anna blew out. "You are a bad girl. Was it Frankie?" She asked pretending like she didn't know already judging from the fact that Paige didn't get to see her that night. "It is Frankie right?" She asked again.

"Yes." Paige scoffed. 

"Tell me about it."  Anna nudged her shifting closer.

"Well, between us girls," she started with a smile. "It was a disaster. It is safe to say to that I'm now fully convinced that Franklin Tedson isn't all that." Paige said making a face.

"What!" Anna gasped.

"I'm serious Anna. I raised him so high up there" she said with a demonstration of his hands. "That when I finally spent time with him, I became disappointed. Can I ask you something?" She added immediately with a pleading eyes.

"Okay." Anna replied.

"Do you know where Simon is? I think I did something and he might be mad at me presently. But hey, you can't blame me. Do you know where he is please." She finally mustered the courage to ask.

"What did you do." Anna asked with a concerned look.

"Anna, i don't know..." She hesitated. "He is your brother. I don't want to say....."

"Just talk Paige. Family ties aside. I'm listening."

"Okay, while you were away. Simon and I, we kind of clicked." She said making a click sign with her fingers. Anna nodded listening to her. "While you were away, No, before that. Holy shit!" She exclaimed trying to arrange her thoughts. "I'm freaking out Anna, I'm really freaking out. Oh my God!" She exclaimed laughing.

"Oh yeah, you are freaking out." Anna added laughing. "Just calm down and talk to me sweetie." She urged her.

"Okay, okay, okay. I'm calm now, I'm calm now. Let's try again. "Simon and I, we have something going on. Or so I think. But, I might have messed things up. You see, I thought I had a connection with Frankie. So, I wanted to explore it. I wanted to know the kind of person he is and I did. But it didn't go so well because I always ended up comparing him to Simon at every single opportunity I got. Frankie is a terrible man. I do not have the exact words to explain it." She said looking at Anna who appeared blank with her gaze fixed on Paige.

 "Continue." She urged Paige.

"I struck a nerve with my actions especially the way I acted towards Simon when I decided to explore my path with Frankie. Right now, I think he's very mad at me and I deserve it. I mistreated him. He told me how he felt about me severally. Not once Anna, not even twice. He told me at every opportunity he got." She told Anna. "And I just took him for granted. I treated him like shit. I thought Frankie was what I wanted." She paused.

"And now?" Anna asked waiting excitedly for an answer and praying it will be what she is thinking.

"And now, I realized that he is not. I'm afraid it might be too late already. Do not judge me Anna, although I derserve a harsh judgement. But I know I messed up and I'm seriously in need of a real solution right here. Do you think he has given up on me yet? What should I do?" Paige asked continuously.

"Paige, what exactly do you feel for Simon? I understand you or rather how you feel. But it won't look or sound same to someone else. It might sound like you want to eat your cake and have it." Anna explained. "What do you feel for him? Do you think you feel the same way he feels about you? Or do you just want to explore your options or you wish to settle for him because Frankie wasn't what you wanted. Is he your second choice?"

"That's the problem, I don't even know." Paige replied with a whisper. "I want to be with him, I feel great, happy and honestly myself when I'm with him. I do not have to pretend to be someone else." She replied.

"Where you pretending with Frankie?" Anna asked out of curiosity.

"Kind of. I was trying so hard to fit into their world.  Gosh! I've seriously messed things up with Simon. Big time." Paige said in a state of dilemma. "What should I do Anna, what do you suggest that I do?"

Anna heaved a sigh of relief. At least, it was good to know that her brother's heart desire have been granted on a platter. The next step was how to get Simon to accept her back wholeheartedly and this to Anna is quite an easy task. "We will start with the first step. You need to reach out to him. Have you spoken to him since you got back?" She asked Paige.