"I know things have been difficult for you lately," Dahlia said, taking a seat next to Spike. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that you had someone to talk to, if you needed it."Spike nodded, looking down at his hands, fidgeting nervously. "I... I"Your family is just like any other family, Spike," Dahlia said gently. "They're human, and humans make mistakes. No one is perfect, and it's not healthy to expect perfection from anyone, including yourself. The important thing is to try to forgive, and to move on from the past.""But it's hard," Spike said, his voice cracking. "My mom is always trying to make everyone happy, and my dad... well, he's just not the person I thought he was. And my cousins... they're just so different from me."Dahlia paused, considering her next words carefully. "You see, Elliott was able to forgive you because he saw that you were sorry, and that you truly regretted your actions. He understood that everyone makes mistakes, and that people can change. But
Carnelian was anxious, wondering where Spike might be. She was sitting in her living room, when she suddenly heard a tapping at the window. Looking up, she saw a dove fluttering against the glass, as if trying to get her attention.She opened the window and carefully untied a message from the dove's leg. Holding it up to the light, she saw that it was from Spike. "Spike is back," she read aloud, her heart pounding with anticipation.As Carnelian approached her ex-husband, she saw a look of relief and joy on his face. "I'm so glad to hear that Spike is okay," he said, taking the letter from her hands. "It's been so worrying, not knowing what happened to him."The two of them stood together, reading the letter and feeling a sense of hope and anticipation. Though they had been divorced for some time, they still shared a bond of love and concern for their son."We should go to him," Carnelian said, her eyes shining with emotion. As they approached the spot where Spike had last been seen,
As Travis strolled back to his chair, sipping his coconut drink, he reflected on Miss Fee's words. She had offered him a chance to stay in her kingdom permanently, but there were strings attached. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment - he had hoped for something more, something without conditions. Still, he tried to remind himself to be grateful for what he had. After all, he had only been there for a few days, and he had already experienced so much. Maybe three days would be enough.Travis's thoughts were in a whirl, his feelings for both Miss Fee and Carnelian pulling him in opposite directions. It was like a battle between his head and his heart, reason and passion at war within him. He knew he couldn't have both, but he couldn't decide which to choose. And so he sat, lost in thought, trying to find his way out of this tangled web of emotions.Travis was determined to prove his superiority over Melchior, the other suitor for Miss Fee's affections. But Melchior remai
Carnelian laughed, the sound as lovely as a spring rain. "Well, I'm glad to be back," she said. "Now come, let's sit in the shade of the trees and talk. There's so much to catch up on."Travis followed Carnelian to a secluded glade, where they sat on a mossy log and looked out at the flowers blooming around them. The air was sweet and fragrant, and the sun was warm on their faces. It was as if they were in a different world, far from the cares and concerns of ordinary life.Carnelian broke the silence first. "Tell me, what did you learn on your journey?" she asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.Travis was tongue-tied, his words stuck in his throat like a knot of vines. He fumbled for something to say, but the words just wouldn't come. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, and he couldn't seem to find the right ones. He shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do or say. It was as if he had forgotten how to speak in the presence of Carnelian, his tongue suddenly heavy and slow."I learn
Spike didn't know what to say. With a deep breath, Spike turned to Travis. "I'm not sure I can accept this," he said. "But I'll try. For my mom."Carnelian's eyes filled with tears, and she wrapped her arms around Spike in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "I know this is hard, but I promise you, I'm not making any rash decisions. I'm doing what's best for us. For all of us."The smirk on Travis's face only served to further Spike's suspicions. What was this guy up to? Travis was certainly charming, and he had a way of getting what he wanted. Was he using that charm to manipulate Spike's mother? Was he just trying to get what he could out of her? Or was there something more genuine at play here? Spike just couldn't tell."You're awfully interested in my mother," Spike said, his tone accusatory. "What are you really after?""That's a fair question," Travis replied, his voice smooth and calm. "And I want to be honest with you. I'm not after anything. I truly care about your mother
Elliott narrowed his eyes, not sure if he should believe Spike. "Wait, so you do want them to be cute, but you think it's too good to be true? I'm a bit confused," he said. Spike laughed, and explained, "It's just that things never go that smoothly in real life. Something always goes wrong. I'm worried that something bad is going to happen to them." Elliott nodded, understanding what Spike meant. "I get it. You're just being cautious," he said.Spike felt a blush rising to his cheeks. He knew that Elliott was a good person, and he felt grateful to have him as a friend. But he also felt guilty for the way he had treated Elliott before they became friends. He knew he had been mean and selfish, and he didn't want to take advantage of Elliott's kindness. "I'm really sorry for the way I treated you before," he said. "You didn't deserve that."Elliott smiled, and put a hand on Spike's shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "You were just having a hard time, and you didn't know how to deal with it.
Elliott narrowed his eyes, not sure if he should believe Spike. "Wait, so you do want them to be cute, but you think it's too good to be true? I'm a bit confused," he said. Spike laughed, and explained, "It's just that things never go that smoothly in real life. Something always goes wrong. I'm worried that something bad is going to happen to them." Elliott nodded, understanding what Spike meant. "I get it. You're just being cautious," he said.Spike felt a blush rising to his cheeks. He knew that Elliott was a good person, and he felt grateful to have him as a friend. But he also felt guilty for the way he had treated Elliott before they became friends. He knew he had been mean and selfish, and he didn't want to take advantage of Elliott's kindness. "I'm really sorry for the way I treated you before," he said. "You didn't deserve that."Elliott smiled, and put a hand on Spike's shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "You were just having a hard time, and you didn't know how to deal with it.
Spike felt a knot of frustration in his stomach. He had been so sure that his plan would work, but it seemed to have backfired. Now, Travis and Carnelian were even closer than before. He had to do something, but what? He wracked his brain for another idea, but nothing came to him. He felt helpless and defeated.But then, a thought occurred to him. What if he could make Travis seem untrustworthy, without doing anything obvious? What if he could make Travis look bad without anyone knowing it was him?Travis felt a sharp pain as a rock hit him on the head. He turned to look for the source of the rock, but he couldn't see anything. The only other person there was Carnelian, and she was standing there with a look of innocence on her face. But Travis knew that something was off. He was convinced that she was behind the rock, even if she was pretending to be surprised."Did you just throw that rock at me?" Travis asked, his voice shaking with anger."What?" Carnelian said, her eyes widening.