MEETING THE GIRLS

"Nothing much has changed around here." Martha said satisfactorily while looking around as they walked into the living room.

"I know right. Dad and I loved the decorations so much we didn't see the need to change anything." Nancy said still hanging unto Martha's elbow as they walked into the living room.

"You changed all the chairs here last year, the old clock was auctioned along with all the things that were old. How can you say nothing changed?" Nicole countered as she went to seat on one of the sofas ignoring Mara's glare.

"Yeah, I.... guess. I meant the positioning of things." Martha said uncomfortably after looking around for a while. she also noticed the changes in the furniture, they were more recent and obviously meant that her friend still had her exquisite taste even though she was dressed too simple for the amount of money she had.

Nicole only snorted in reply as Nancy let go of Martha's hand to take her seat. Martha did the same, looking around as a maid came in to serve her some wine. She smiled and mumbled a thank you while the maid curtsied before leaving.

Trying to lighten the mood, Mara sat up and asked, "So tell us, Martha, what do you do for a living?"

"Oh, I'm a microbiologist."

"Isn't that the study of insects?" Nicole said with a grimace and by now, Martha already concluded that Nicole didn't like her but Nancy laughed oblivious of Nicole's actions.

"No naughty. It's the study of micro-organisms. She's the reason we know the source of our diseases." Nancy explained proudly and Martha smiled, happy to know that Nancy hadn't changed and was still ready to defend her as she had always done in the past.

"That's so cool, Martha. I'm a cosmetic Surgeon." Mara said in reply.

"Micro-organisms are still insects, just a smaller kind," Nicole stated.

"Oh shut up Nicole." Mara said and turned back to Martha. "We are sisters in the field."

Martha smiled at her effort.

"How so? You make celebrities look more beautiful and she brings us unnecessary fear by inventing some new disease." Nicole argues, obviously in the mood for an argument and Mara glared at her for the umpteenth time that day while Lucy and Nancy stifled laughter. Martha however didn't understand what was funny.

"Don't listen to her Martha. Nicole is the mischievous one amongst us, don't worry you'd get used to her style of communication soon." Lucy said smiling at Martha who forced a smile.

Lucy was the calmest of the four friends and obviously enjoyed their company the most as she seem to always listen to their conversations with amusement.

"I'm an actress." Lucy said to Martha who now smiles brightly.

"I knew you looked familiar! Now I know where I had seen you, you won the best actress of the year award and that amazing movie you did, what was the name again? 'Freedom,' it was epic." Lucy smiled proud of the recognition and compliment given to her by Martha.

"She kisses other women's men as a profession. There's nothing special about that." Nicole said again.

"And you book hotels for a living. How is that an honorable job?" Lucy asked her and Nicole rolled her eyes, while Martha looked at them with surprise.

Who would have thought that the proud Nicole is a receptionist she asked herself, before voicing out, "you're a receptionist?"

The ladies busted into laughter and Nicole laughed too despite herself while Martha looked at them confused.

"No..." Nancy said as she tried to control her laughter. "She's a travel agent! She owns the flowers travel agency." Nancy explained as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Martha nodded slowly slightly embarrassed and a little bit sad as she realized all Nancy's friends were well-to-do and successful women. She didn't have any friends herself and never made friends with anyone since she left five years ago, she had been too focused on her academics to make friends, and also because she didn't want what happened to her and Nancy five years ago to repeat itself.

Miss Joyce, one of the oldest maids and the housekeeper of the house walks into the living room and smiles as she watches the laughing ladies satisfactorily, she always considered herself lucky to work for a family like the Blooms whose home was always filled with laughter despite the fact that they had experienced their own share of sorrow.

"Miss Nancy, Mr. Bloom is on the phone to speak to you." she said and Nancy's eyes widened in excitement as she jumped out of her seat.

"He must be eager to know if you arrived safely." Nancy said glancing at Martha,

"I'd be back ladies." She said again before following Miss Joyce out of the living room and down the brightly lit hallway to her father's study where the phone was waiting to be answered.

"Hey dad." she said as she sank into his big comfy chair.

She was happy, it had been a long time since she felt so happy and complete, Martha had been like the sister she never had, when she left, she had been devastated. She, first of all, asked her father to hire agents to find Martha and her mother as she feared that they were in danger. When the private investigator had brought back solid facts that they were safe and that they didn't want to be found she had stopped searching but she had been devastated. She didn't know why her best friend suddenly left on the day of the prom that they had both prepared for with everything they had.

She also didn't understand why her friend wouldn't want to be found, why she had cut off all contacts with her, her social media accounts and even her phone number were no longer available. If she was the daughter of a mafia lord she would have sworn that her father had a hand but she knew him very well. He was a good man and had been happy with the relationship she shared with Martha but this didn't stop her from being sad. Her sadness disappeared when she met her three best friends at the university, however.

It was Nicole first. She met her defending a four-eyed girl against some guys who were trying to bully her at a party and she had just been drawn to her mischievousness, from the way she was always so sarcastic and loved to pick up a fight, she just loved her and Nicole was right, if Martha didn't show up, she would have been her bridesmaid.

After Nicole came Mara, the only person who never got tired of trying to correct and bicker with Nicole. After her, they had met Lucy at her own movie premiere and they had all hit off from the first meet. She loved her friends dearly but she just couldn't push away the feeling of guilt she always felt for Martha who abandoned her and she wanted to know why. Hopefully Martha would tell her what had happened now that she was back.

"How are you my darling?" she heard her father say from the other side of the phone.

"I'm fine Dad."

"And your friends are they there?"

"Yes they are here, they're in the living room. We can't seem to figure out which dress to buy." She said sighing and heard her father chuckle in response

"I'm sure you would, just take your time sweetheart." Nancy nodded at that, "did Martha arrive yet?"

"Yes, Martha is back too. She just arrived some minutes ago."

"Wow! That's so nice. It must be really good to see her again."

"I know right? I missed her so much."

"I'm sure you did." he said chuckling again.

"How are you there dad?"

"Oh fine. The meeting is going on well."

"I hope you are making time to eat? Don't forget, your health is more important than any of those meetings."

"Yes, I am. I wouldn't want to get scolded by you if I don't eat now would I."

"Okay, I'm going to trust you on that. When will you be back?" she asked turning round in the chair.

"Tomorrow afternoon. My meeting ends today. I'd catch the first flight tomorrow morning."

"Oh, nice. Let's have dinner together with Martha tomorrow night."

"Yes, we should. I'd make sure I don't miss it, honey."

"Thanks, dad. See you tomorrow."

"Okay, I've got to go."

"bye," she said, returned the phone to its place, and sank into the chair smiling satisfactorily.

"How is the sir?"

Nancy looked up to see that Miss Joyce never left,

"Oh, he's fine. He would be back tomorrow. We'd have dinner together tomorrow."

Miss Joyce nodded, "I'd tell the cook to prepare something really nice."

"Thanks, Miss Joyce." Nancy said smiling.

"I heard Lara announce that Mr. Richmond arrived." Miss Joyce said again and Nancy's eyes widened in excitement.

"Richie is here?" she asked jumping out of her chair and running out of the room before Miss Joyce could even nod.