THE REUNION

Richmond walked into the living room as soon as the maid let him in and saw all Nancy's friends seated there.

"Hey, Richie." They chorused

"Hello ladies," he said as he looked at the ladies smiling, his eyes did a quick scan around the room searching for Nancy when it fell on someone who looked very familiar. She was also staring at him with wide eyes.

"Martha?" he said in surprise.

When Nancy had told him about getting in touch with Martha and that she would be her bridesmaid he didn't believe her. No, he believed her, he just didn't think Martha would actually agree to attend the wedding but standing in front of her now he was flabbergasted at how much she had changed and had grown into a beautiful woman.

For Martha it was like voodoo, when Richmond walked in, in a navy blue suit, his midnight black hair sleeked back. He had gotten taller and even more handsome, she thought as her breath hitched in her throat. How could she not recognize him, he was the reason why she had left in the first place.

"Rich," she whispered as she stood up, her eyes glittering with unshed tears as she realized just how much she missed him. She was the only one who called him Rich. Nancy had preferred calling him Richie.

He walked towards her before she could finish sorting out her thoughts and pulled her into a hug that even surprised her.

"Gosh Martha! It is really you." Richmond said again as tears fell down Martha's eyes. She couldn't believe he would be this happy to see her, she didn't expect him to be this happy to see her. Not after what he said that day…..

He pulled away to get a good look at her and beamed. She looked down shyly forgetting all the women that were now staring at them. They seem to be in their own world.

"You look so beautiful Marthy." Richmond said using his nickname for her and she blushed. It was like meeting him at prom. She was wearing a gown and he was in a blue suit, all that was left was for him to ask her to dance.

"baby!" she heard Nancy's voice break their bubble and immediately Richmond let go of her and turned around to see his fiancée smiling at him at the door. He smiled sweetly back at her and went to kiss her before hugging her, making Martha's stomach coil in sadness.

She remembered again why she never went to that prom, why she had run away, nothing had changed. Richmond may be really happy to see her but the person he had kissed and given a ring to was Nancy, not her.

A slight frown appeared on her face and she lowered her gaze as she sat down oblivious of herself being Nicole's new fascination as she was now staring at Martha intensely.

"I see you met our best friend," Nancy said amidst the kiss.

"I am impressed, my love. You are a genius. How did you do it? how did you find her?" Richmond asked as he stepped back.

"Something called social media," Nancy said as Richmond led her to a sofa on which they could sit together and draped his hand around her shoulders protectively pulling her to himself, Nancy leaned into him comfortably like that was where she was meant to be.

Martha let her eyes trail their actions and smiled sadly, "you guys haven't changed a bit." she said.

"Really? You think so?" Nancy asked smiling then turned to Richmond happily as he leaned in for another kiss.

"It's because I love her as much as I did when we met seven years ago," Richmond murmured against Nancy's lips but loud enough for all of them to hear. Nancy smiled while Martha looked away bringing out her phone as if she wanted to check for a new message.

"So tell me, Richie, what have you been up to," Nicole said breaking the ice and Richmond turned to her.

"Work?"

"Baby, you can't be busy with work. Our wedding is in seven days, how can you be busy with work." Nancy complained pouting as she did.

"Nan, I have everything covered. I'm just clearing all my schedules so nothing disturbs our honeymoon," he said as he takes her jaw in his hands and kissed her silly again.

"Hun! Get a room you two." Lucy exclaimed.

"Yeah! This is bad for our eyes." Mara seconded.

"It is utterly gross!" Nicole exclaimed ruining the moment as she rolled her eyes and Nancy busted into laughter.

"How so Nicole, I am hoping that by the time we are back from honeymoon, I would have a baby sitting right here," Richmond said as he turned from Nicole to place his hands on Nancy's flat stomach.

"Stop it. You're making me blush." Nancy said innocently as she slapped Richmond's shoulder playfully before resting her head on it.

"That's the plan baby," he said as he wrapped his hands around her waist. "So what have you been up to Martha," he said looking at Martha again.

"Oh, nothing much. Just living life." Martha said as she tried to sound casual.

"Any boyfriends, fiancé? Any man in your life we need to know about." Nancy asked as if she knew what Richmond was asking.

She still remembered how worried Richmond had been about Martha five years ago when he found she didn't have a date to the prom. She knew that Richmond worried about her like a brother. She was his friend too after all.

"No, I'm not in a relationship right now," Martha said letting her eyes drift to Richmond who held her gaze smiling slightly. She immediately looked away.

"Well there would be a lot of handsome bachelors at the wedding, so get ready to grab one for yourself or Richie could introduce you to his best man," Nicole said.

"There would also be lots of eligible bachelors at Nick's beach party tomorrow, you should be there Nicole," Richmond said to Nicole in reply and if Nicole wasn't too surprised by the news she would have thought he was defending Martha.

"Nick is throwing a beach party tomorrow?" Nicole asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Babe would you like to go with me. Let's just go have fun." Richmond said to Nancy, his tone going soft in a way that makes her smile.

"Of course, I would love to. All of us would be going, right girls?" Nancy said looking at her friends. She loved her man but she wasn't going anywhere without her friends at least not until she said her vows.

"Of course!" Lucy said.

"I can't come with. I have surgery to perform tomorrow." Mara said.

"What exactly is Nick celebrating?" Nicole asked

"I don't know, maybe our love," Richmond said looking at Nancy again with his mesmerizing light brown eyes and she smiled.

"You are coming, right Nicole?" Nancy asked still staring into her man's eyes.

"Of course! And so is Martha!" Nicole declared smiling.

"Well, I.... don't think I can. I think I should settle in tomorrow. I also have a conference this week." Martha immediately said. The last thing she wanted now was to watch Nancy and Richmond replay this whole lovey dovely scene in front of her tomorrow.

She had watched enough today and she must say this scene was enough to make her doubt if her decision to come back here was a good one. When she received a friend request from Nancy on Facebook she accepted and agreed to come to her wedding as her bridesmaid because coincidentally her wedding fell on the week of her microbiologist conference in Hillwood and also because she was so sure she was over Richmond Grey.

But sitting here in this living room with them and watching them it was like back in Montrell high and her heart still ached almost as if she never left. Maybe she hadn't been really honest with herself about her getting over him or maybe she thought that after so many years, their relationship wouldn't be as cordial as it used to be. Now that she was here she didn't know what she was thinking agreeing to this wedding invitation.

"You are coming." Nicole said with finality looking at Martha dead in the eye.

Maybe the others hadn't noticed, she did. She saw all the waves of emotion that went through Martha's eyes since Richmond walked into the room and she just knew that there was something there and she was going to get to the bottom of it. What better way to uncover a secret than at a party when the spirit was high and drinks were flowing. Even the most cautious of people spilled their most guarded secret after a few wines.

She nodded to herself satisfactorily as she schemed, she was going to make sure Martha came to the party even if she had to drag her there.

Mara elbowed Nicole angrily and whispered, "What's with the stern tone. Don't force her if she's tired."

"Oh come on!" Nicole said loudly for everyone to hear, "you just got to town after so many years, shouldn't you be eager to get into society? I'm sure you would be running back to your place after the wedding so just take your time to enjoy this week!" Nicole said narrowing her eyes as she persuaded Martha sweetly and Mara immediately knew she was scheming something. The Nicole she knows didn't know how to speak nicely except to Nancy of course.

"She's right! I'd help you unpack, so you can rest today. Let's just go to the beach party tomorrow and relax. Hmm, you know it's been so long since we spent time together." Nancy pleaded giving her best puppy eyes and pouting. Richmond laughed making Martha's heart do a summersault and she immediately scolded it but still found her eyes drifting to his.

"You should come Marthy, my bride-to-be is even pleading," Richmond said shooting her one of his smiles, and her heart immediately melted but before she could scold again, Richmond's phone rang and he excused himself going out to pick it up. She tried not to let her eyes trail after him but her ears and heart did.

"So are you coming?" Nicole asked again and Martha nodded. Since Richmond had asked her she would go even though she knew she didn't owe him anything and that she should even be angry with him, she still found herself not wanting to offend or break his heart.

"Yeah!" Nancy said and Nicole immediately moved forward to give her a high five even though she knew very well that they were rejoicing for different reasons.

Richmond came in just in time and smiled at the gesture with a questioning look.

"Martha is coming to the party," Nancy announced and he turned to her and gave her a genuine smile.

"That's really good to hear but babe I've got to go. My dad was on the phone he has something to discuss with me." he said as he walked to kiss her cheek.

"Okay send my greetings to him," Nancy said

"I would do that, bye babe. Martha." Richmond said as he left while Martha only nodded.

"I should also go unpack and rest," Martha said standing up, suddenly desiring to be alone. Nancy immediately stood up,

"I'm going to help you, that way we can move fast." she said and before Martha could protest, she turned to her friends, "do you guys want to help too?"

"Of course." Nicole immediately said.

"No, we're not." Mara retorted glaring slightly at Nicole. "We have to put some preparation in place for the bridal shower, why don't you two go ahead."

"Okay. See you guys." Nancy said as she pulled Martha along towards her room.