SUCH IS LIFE

Nancy opened her sleepy eyes at the feeling of a kiss on her cheek, she saw Richmond smiling at her and she smiled back at him sleepily.

"I didn't expect to find you fast asleep here." Richmond said glancing at Lucy who was also enjoying an undisturbed nap.

"Hey. When did you get here?" Nancy asked sleepily, she tried not to open her eyes too wide to prevent the sleep from slipping out of her grasp.

"Just now, I met Nicole."

"Oh." Nancy said as she pouted a little."

"You seem tired."

"I stayed awake all night going through that numerous catalogs to choose a perfect dress for our wedding," Nancy explained still pouting, earning herself a concerned look from Richmond.

"Did you find the one you like?" he asked and she smiled happily indicating yes before closing her eyes as the sleep began to fade away from her tight grasp. "I should let you sleep, shouldn't I?"

"Hmm, you should, just five minutes. I'd sleep for just five minutes I promise." she said sleepily again as she began to drift off causing Richmond to laugh a little at her childishness.

"Where is Martha?" he asked suddenly, remembering the only person that should be there but was nowhere to be found.

"She went for a walk." Nancy said waving him away to stop him from disturbing her.

"I'll go find out what she's up to then." Richmond said but only got a groan for Nancy as he left.

.........................................................

Martha sat calmly on a small rock boulder watching the sea wave slap against the rock. She had been seated here for God know how long, and she still wasn't tired or bored.

This had naturally always been her favourite spot on the infamous Hillwood beach, she loved to stay in this place and have her own fun even swim if she wanted. The place was close to the rocky caves on the far right end of the beach and was separated from the rest of the beach by masses of rocks.

It held a lot of her memories. Memories of her and Nancy being silly and swimming naked hoping no one would catch them, memories of her first kiss, memories of Richmond...

"I knew I would find you here." Richmond said suddenly and Martha turned around at first in shock then relaxed when she saw him. She thinned her lips, not smiling or looking as happy as she had been the day before when she got back into the country.

She was over the giddiness of seeing him again, she had heard an earful of how he had lived since her departure, so there was nothing to be excited about when it came to him. She thought.

"Hey, Rich. What are you doing here?" she said not taking her eyes off the wave.

"I could ask you the same thing." Richmond said as he stared at her smugly, "seeing you here makes me wonder if you miss us." he said calmly and Martha turned to him surprised.

"Us?"

"What! You are going to pretend you don't miss us? I know I missed us." Richmond said calmly as he took a sip from the red cup in his hand.

Martha scoffed angrily and stood up turning to him.

"Are you crazy? What nonsense are you talking about?" Martha asked fuming.

"Babe I know you're mad but....."

"I am mad? Wait did you just call me babe?" Martha scoffed again, glancing at the sea as she ran her hand through the roots of her hair. "Am I some kind of joke to you Richmond? You think I am a joke don't you?"

"no. no. of course not!" Richmond said with a serious face.

"We are over! We ended five years ago! You ended us! You chose Nancy over me! You said we were not meant to be, what we had was not real?! How can you stand here and say there is an US!" Martha shouted at him and he took two quick steps to her.

"It was not what you think. Look, Martha, if I knew you would remember everything I said word for word. I would have never said those words to you. I am sorry."

"It was not what I think? You're sorry?" Martha asked as tears stung her eyes everything began to hurt again as it had done five years ago. "I loved you! You hurt me! And now you say it is not what I think?"

"I still love you Martha."

"Don't!" Martha said taking two steps backward her mouth twisted in anger. "You and I broke up five years ago, you are getting married to my friend in a few days. Five years ago, you made it clear that you couldn't stand up for me, that I wasn't worth it."

"No! Never! You were worth it, you are worth it. It wasn't the way it seem, Martha. If you give me a chance I can explain." Richmond argued with pleading eyes.

Martha looked into his pleading eyes and was confused. She didn't understand what was going on, why he was suddenly acting like this. Is it true what they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder? But he hadn't tried to find her, he hadn't even reached out to her all those years, he only loved Nancy, only saw Nancy. The only reason he was like this was because he saw her again.

"No! It is too late to explain."

"Marthy"

"I don't care__"

"Marthy"

"about your explanations."

"Marthy."

"I begged you to understand me___" tears spilled from her eyes now

"Marthy please" Richmond moved close to her but she took a step away, looking at him with accusing eyes.

"You abandoned me. When I needed you the most, you don't get to explain the reasons for your decisions days to your wedding." Martha said and turns around to walk away but he grabs her hand and pulls her to his chest, hugging her from behind, shocking her.

"It was the only way___ it was the only way I could protect you Martha." He whispered.

Martha around turned and looked at Richmond confusion written all over her face as she searched his face for evidence that he was deceiving her but found none.

"Give me a chance to explain why I did what I did five years ago, why I am still here preparing to walk down the aisle with a woman I don't love." he croaked and Martha looked into his eyes. he looked tormented.

What are____

"I did what I did to protect you Martha and I am still making these decisions to protect you. Nancy and her father are not who you think they are." Richmond said with a distressed look and Martha's brow furrowed as she tried to digest the news. The information she just heard but couldn't understand.

She had known Nancy and Mr. Bloom since she was a little girl. They had treated her like family. Treated everyone around them well, they had helped her and her mother during some very serious trying times. Even her mother had told her to break off her relationship with Richmond when she heard of it because she didn't want to repay the blooms evil for good and that was why she had hoped Richmond would choose her then, but he didn't. Saying now that they are not who she thinks meant what exactly?

"I missed you." Richmond said gently as he swiped strands of hair off Martha's face. Her eyes widened and her thoughts ran wild.

Martha looked at him wanting to say the same thing but instead moved back, still staring at him, her mind was still clouded.

He didn't love Nancy? How could he look at her like that, kiss her like that, not be able to get his hands off her and say he doesn't love her.

"Tell me what exactly is going on."