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Chapter 705  Friends

She liked to believe that she was very tolerant of other people's choices as long as their choices didn't interfere with her boundaries.

Was she perhaps not tolerant enough? She mused and glanced at her phone when it vibrated with an Instagram message notification.

She was surprised to see that the message was from Kimberly, so she clicked on it immediately to see what it was.

[I know you must think all sorts of things of me, and I'm sorry to barge in your dm this way again after what I did. But I'm desperately in need of a friend, and you're the only one I can think of. Please, can I talk to you?]

Lucy's eyes teared up as she read the message and without thinking about it she clicked on the call icon.

Kimberly who was on her way to the airport received the call immediately, "Lucy, thanks for calling. I'm sorry to be a bother but I just really needed to talk to someone and you were the only one I could think of," she said in a tearful voice.

"It's alright. You can talk. I will listen," Lucy offered quietly.

"I'm sorry about the prank. I'm really very sorry. All of this mess is my fault. I know I should have said no when Lawrence suggested it, but I just couldn't. I'm so sorry I made a mess of things for everyone. Lawrence died because of my stupidity and I don't think I could ever forgive myself for it," Kimberly's voice broke as she started sobbing, and the driver who was taking her in a cab to the airport looked at her with concern through the rearview mirror.

"You shouldn't beat yourself over his death. It wasn't your fault," Lucy said but Kimberly wasn't listening.

"It's all my fault. Hearing about his daughter must have shocked him so much. He was already feeling terrible over upsetting everyone because of the prank and I added to it. I still can't believe he is gone," Kimberly wept and it occurred to Lucy in that moment that Kimberly was both mourning Lawrence's death and dealing with her family issue at the same time.

She didn't know what to say, so she kept quiet as she listened to Kimberly cry and talk about how she had made a mess of everything and didn't even know how to fix it.

Once Kimberly had calmed down a bit, she cleared her throat, "I'm sorry I called you this way. I know I have no right to," Kimberly said apologetically.

"It's okay. I don't mind."

"Can I ask a favor?" Kimberly asked and Lucy raised a brow.

"What?"

"I know it's selfish of me to want to ask you for anything right now. You can say no if you're not comfortable with it. And I honestly don't expect you to want to help me. But could you help me look after Dawn while you're there. I know she's going to feel lonely and sort of isolated over there but it will help if she has at least one person on her side. I will understand if you say no," Kimberly said and Lucy sighed.

"Is there anything in particular you want me to do for her?" Lucy asked thoughtfully.

"She's smart for her age and thinks deeply about things. I'm sure she is trying to figure out all that is going on right now. I don't want her to think I abandoned her or anything. She might want to keep to herself and stay out of everyone's way. Could you just be with her and help her feel better? I know I'm asking for a lot, but I can't just leave her there and not at least ask someone I can trust to help me take care of her. I would have sent her governess down to be with her, but they don't want a stranger under their roof," Kimberly explained.

"Alright. I will check on her often and make sure she is okay. You do what you need to do and come get her as soon as you can," Lucy said and Kimberly let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much, Lucy. You have no idea how thankful I am."

"It's really not a big deal," Lucy said dismissively.

"It is. And I'm grateful. For what it's worth, Lawrence liked you and really admired you. Although he didn't really appreciate how you threatened him to report himself to his son, he thought you were a good partner for Tom. He said every man needed a no nonsense woman like you by his side," Kimberly said and Lucy smiled ruefully.

Too bad he had died before she could apologize to him.

"Thanks for telling me that," Lucy said and turned to the door when a knock sounded on it.

"I need to go now. I will try to update you on how she's doing as often as I can," Lucy promised before hanging up.

Lucy dropped her phone on the bed as she went to get the door, thinking it was Sonia, but when she opened it, it was Jade.

"Hey! Is Tom inside?" Jade asked and Lucy shook her head.

"No. He went downstairs a short while ago. He should be at the study," Lucy said and Jade sighed.

"I see. Can I speak with you for a moment?" Jade asked, and Lucy shrugged as she stepped aside for Jade to go in.

"Why don't we go to my room instead? That way we won't be interrupted," Jade said and Lucy returned inside to pick up her phone before following Jade to her bedroom.

Lucy was very curious to hear what Jade wanted to talk to her about, and thankfully the moment they were seated, Jade didn't beat around the bush.

"I happened to overhear your conversation with Sonia earlier," Jade confessed and Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"I didn't eavesdrop. I overheard it while trying to find you both," Jade said when she noticed the way Lucy was looking her with suspicion.

"Why were you trying to find us?" Lucy asked curiously.

"I wanted to leave the kid with Sonia so I could be part of the discussions downstairs. I wasn't sure you would be willing to keep watch over her considering everything. And then when I couldn't find Sonia, I figured she was with you and went to Tom's room, but when you weren't there either I had to look around for you both," Jade explained and Lucy drew a deep breath.

"So, where is the kid now?" Lucy asked curiously since she planned to go see the kid the moment she left Jade's room.

"In her room. That's not what I wanted to talk about," Jade said and Lucy raised a brow.

"What do you want to talk about?" Lucy asked and Jade looked at her for a moment.

"I know it's probably not my business, but I couldn't pretend like I didn't hear anything when I did. I hope you don't see this as me meddling or prying in your business," Jade said and Lucy merely looked at her without saying a word.

"I can't say I know how you feel. I do not know about your family, but we have always been this way in our family. By this way, I mean getting involved in everyone's business and giving unsolicited advise. Even if you want us to butt out of your business, I can't assure you that will happen overnight. It's going to be a gradual process for us all. Especially our mom. And there are times when we might forget and unconsciously slip back into the habit, so, maybe you could try to be more patient with us and Tom too. The last thing any of us would want is for you to end things with Tom because of us. And none of us thinks you want to ruin Tom or tear our family apart either. We have just never had this sort of tension in the home before and everything is getting to everyone," Jade said and Lucy pursed her lips, as she thought about what to say.

"Be honest with me, Jade. Do you think I'm doing too much? Maybe I'm overreacting and demanding too much?" Lucy asked and Jade held her gaze for a moment.

"I believe it wouldn't have gotten to the point where you had to speak to the whole family about it, had things not gotten out of hand. The situation of things prompted your reaction, and anyone would have reacted. So, I can't say you're overreacting or demanding too much," Jade said and Lucy sighed.

"I didn't mean to hurt your mom's feelings."

"I didn't mean to hurt your mom's feelings."

"We all know that. We wish things didn't have to be this way, but it can't exactly be helped right now," Jade said and to Lucy's surprise Jade took her hand.

"You know, I sort of expected that we would become friends and get along easily simply because you were Tom's girlfriend, but I was wrong. And I've always sort of had this notion that you were too uptight and tightlipped. I'm getting to understand you better now. I hope we can be friends and get along. Not because of Tom. But because I admire you," Jade said and Lucy smiled.

"Sure. Thanks. I'd like us to be friends too."

"You must have heard the kid is going to be here for a while, right?" Jade asked and Lucy gave her a nod.

"I'm pretty sure you feel uncomfortable," Jade said and Lucy shook her head.

"No, I don't. If anyone would feel uncomfortable in this situation, it would be Dawn. I know enough about the situation of things to understand why she is here, but she doesn't. Can you imagine how she must feel being in the midst of strangers?" Lucy asked and Jade's brows pulled together.

"Well, she's a kid. Even if it was explained to her she wouldn't understand. And I'm pretty sure she would miss her mom for a while but once she would adjust soon enough," Jade said easily.

"You said she is in her bedroom?" Lucy asked and Jade nodded.

"Yes. She seemed sleepy earlier."

"Which of the bedrooms?" Lucy asked curiously, since she really wanted to see the kid.

"The last bedroom down the hall. It's just after your room. Why do you ask?" Jade asked as Lucy rose.

"I'd like to check in on her. I'm yet to see her," Lucy said and Jade nodded.

"Alright. I should go see Tom," Jade said as she rose and they both walked out of the room together.

Lucy headed down the hall for the visitor's bedroom and when she got there she knocked lightly on the door.

She waited to get a response, and when she didn't, she turned the knob.

Her heart broke the moment she stepped into the room and the first sight that greeted her was of Dawn curled in a fetal position as she wept silently.

Without saying a word, Lucy shut the door behind her and went straight to the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Dawn close to her.

"Why are you crying, dearie?" Lucy asked as she patted Dawn's back and brushed the tears from her face but Dawn said nothing as she kept sobbing quietly.

"Don't worry, Dawn. Everything will be alright, and mummy will come get you soon," Lucy assured her softly.

Dawn looked up at her with teary eyes, and for the second time Lucy fell in love with the child.

"Are you Lucy?" Dawn asked with a sniffle momentarily distracted, and Lucy looked at her in surprise.

"Yes. How do you know that?" Lucy asked and Dawn pointed at her iPad.

"My mom said you will be my friend," Dawn said and Lucy smiled.

"That's right. I'm going to be your friend so you don't have to be worried or feel lonely. I will watch over you until your mom comes to get you, so you don't have to cry anymore. Can you promise me you won't cry and whenever you feel like crying you will come find me?" Lucy asked, and Dawn looked at her for a moment before giving her a nod.

"I won't cry."

"Good girl. So we are friends now, right?" Lucy asked as she extended a hand to Dawn.

"Yes, we are friends," Dawn said with a nod as she shook Lucy's hand.