Chapter Three....Scene One

Tristan winced as Jade applied the band aid to his forehead. “Oh you’re such a little girl,” Jade commented. “I didn’t even touch you.”

“You know, if I’d known you’d be this grateful I certainly wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble,” Tristan said.

Jade finished applying the band aid and kissed him on the cheek. “Is that better?” She asked.

He grinned sheepishly. “It’s a start,” he said.

“So I guess it’s true what you said about your brother. He is quite a dish.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re just saying that to tick me off aren’t you?”

“Maybe or maybe not,” Jade said, shrugging. “Why? Are you gonna go down there and challenge him to a duel?”

“Lady for you, I would go down there and challenge him to two duels; one for you and one just for the sheer joy of knocking him flat on his ass.”

“I definitely don’t sense any sibling rivalry there,” Jade said sarcastically.

Tristan laughed. “It’s not exactly as it sounds. Eric and I have always had a competitive relationship but it’s never been a rivalry. We’re just both very good at pretty much anything we apply ourselves to and I guess since we mostly excel against others we now compete amongst ourselves to see who is better.”

“I gather that competition is still ongoing?”

“Yeah pretty much, there’s nothing one can do that the other can’t. I guess that’s just the downside of having a twin; there’s no such thing as being one step ahead.”

“You’re twins? I thought as much. You’re both always looking like you know exactly what the other’s thinking about.” She blushed as she came up to him. “So did he feel that kiss I gave you?” She asked.

“I think that has a better chance of happening with identical twins but I don’t know. Perhaps we should give it one more try.” Jackpot, Tristan thought as he lowered his mouth to hers. He cursed silently when the front door opened and someone walked in.

Jade giggled at his disappointed look answering as her mother called her. “We’re in here Mom.”

“We?” Amanda said, coming into the kitchen with her arms full of groceries. She eyed the young handsome man standing with her daughter. “Who do we have here?” She asked pleasantly.

“Mom this is Tristan, a friend from school. His parents just moved here. Tristan this is Amanda Taylor aka Mom.”

Amanda stuck her tongue out at her cheeky daughter. “Hello Tristan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The pleasure is all mine and that is parent by the way, singular. It’s just my Mom. Dad died when we were young.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yes well Eric and I have always looked at it positively. I guess you can’t really miss someone you never knew so we’ve been sort of lucky to be spared such sorrow.”

“Indeed,” Amanda said. “So you just moved here huh? Where do you live?”

“Just along Sereneville Close.” Tristan answered.

“Really, well that’s nice,” Amanda continued. “So what does your mother do Tristan?”

“Oh she’s a private consultant. That’s partly why we move around so much.”

“Ummm, there are several things wrong with that theory but how about we discuss them over dinner?”

“Mom,” Jade protested. “You just can’t ambush him like that.”

“Who’s ambushing? I’m just being polite and offering our newest Sereneville resident dinner at the Taylors. Nobody’s ever turned down one of my casseroles before.”

“Well I’m certainly not aiming to be the first one,” Tristan smiled. “It would be my pleasure to join you.”

“Well aren’t you the well mannered gentleman,” Amanda said. She turned to Jade. “I like him,” she said, talking as if Tristan wasn’t there.