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and stalks away. 
    “I guess you were right, you really don’t like him,” Jules’ voice drips with sarcasm and she grins smugly.
    “Shut up.”
     

Chapter Four
     
    “Jules, can I ask you something?” We’re sitting on my little porch, sipping our instant coffees and nursing our hangovers.
    “Always,” she replies.
    “Do you believe that if you truly love something, you should, and will, fight for it?”
    “Absolutely,” she answers immediately.  “Why do you ask that?”
    “Well, over the last few months I’ve had a lot of time to think and I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about Matt and me.  I thought I loved him.  I mean, I guess deep down I’d hoped that love felt differently to what I felt for him but I think I just convinced myself that I loved him because … well, I don’t really know why I convinced myself of that.  But I realized in those first few weeks after leaving that if I really did love him, like real, true love, then I would have stayed and fought for him.  But I didn’t.  I left without blinking, without turning back and without ever really contemplating staying.  At first I blamed that on my father’s infidelities, but then I came to realize that wasn’t it.  Then I thought that maybe I left because I’m not a fan of confrontation-,”
    She cuts me off with a scoff so I raise my eyebrow questioningly at her.
    “Oh Puhleese.  Not a fan of confrontation?  Says the woman who tore our Year Ten Science teacher a new one because she didn’t want to dissect frogs,” she says giving me a pointed look.
    “Dissecting frogs is disgusting and besides, I was sixteen, young and stupid - that’s different.”
    “Okay then, what about the woman who stood toe to toe with a seven foot, two hundred kilo security guard at Mardi Gras because he wouldn’t let us into a VIP drag party because we weren’t drag queens.  You argued discrimination, then you tried to plead with him, then you fed his ego and offered to let him cop a feel of your boob if he’d just let us in for an hour or two.  When that didn’t work you called him all the names under the sun, shoved his chest and we stomped off.  Now, you can’t argue that you were young and stupid then because we were twenty four.”
    I start laughing at the memory and Jules joins in.  “That was a great night.  The only downer was not being able to get into that party,” I say wistfully. 
    “So tell me more about Jackson.”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” I say rubbing my hands over my face in frustration, “He drives me mad.  He’s so … ugh, I don’t know what he is but he really gets under my skin.  Did I tell you about the night I met him?”  She shakes her head no.
    “He was sitting at the end of the bar with his brother – twin brother , Jules.  Identical twin.”
    “Yummy,” she murmurs.
    “There’s no denying they’re both sexy as sin, but anyways, I went to serve them and he flirted and grabbed my hand.  I felt tingles, Jules, fucking current like shocks straight up my arm.  Then , this woman comes over and she’s all whiney and fake – fake hair, fake nails, fake tan – and she starts accusing him of always cheating on her and not being committed to make their relationship work.”
    “Then what?”
    “Well, I ripped my hand from his and walked away.  There’s no doubt about it, Jules, that man is bad news with a capital B.”
    “That’s where I think you’re wrong, Edie, I’ve got to tell you, and honey, I know you don’t like talking about it, but I feel it’s time.  Since your parents passed, you’ve been different.  You changed, and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing and that I love you any less  because it’s not and I don’t, but it’s like you’re not you anymore.  Everything became stable and predictable for you.  Remember when we were growing up and we were foot loose and fancy free, living each day like it was our last, with no regrets?  We were living ,