"Trisha, your place is amazing." Cathy said as they walked into Trisha's flat. "It must cost you a bomb."
"Rent's not bad actually." Trisha replied before heading into the bathroom.
"Really? How much is 'not bad'? If you don't mind me asking?"
Trisha handed Cathy a new toothbrush. "Darling, you look beat! Teeth then bed. We'll talk in the morning. Ok?"
Cathy was tired. Very tired after the day's activities.
"Sure. Yes. Which room will be mine?"
"Take your pick. That one or this one." Trisha answered while pointing out the two vacant bedrooms. "Imogen can have the other one."
"Who is Imogen?" Cathy asked.
"Aunt May not told you? Typical. Ok. Imogen is a new girl Aunt May knows. Arriving Friday sometime. Coming up from Portsmouth."
Trisha then thought for a few seconds. "Or is it Plymouth? Not sure which. Just somewhere with lots of sailors apparently. Now, teeth and bed."
A few minutes later, Cathy was in bed. A nice, soft comfy bed. Within seconds, she was asleep.
"Morning!"
Cathy stirred groggily. "What - what time is it?"
"About nine." Trisha replied. "Brought you tea. One sugar right?"
Cathy's eyes finally became focused. Looking up from the comfort of her duvet, she saw a naked Trisha standing by the bed holding two steaming cups of tea.
"Perfect." Cathy answered as she slowly sat up. Cathy had slept naked also, as she always did.
Trisha put a cup on the nightstand nearest Cathy then walked around the bed, put her own tea on the other nightstand, pulled the duvet back and got in beside Cathy.
Cathy looked at Trisha.
"Oh don't worry." Trisha said with a smile. "I'm not gay. Just like being naked. Hope you don't mind?"
"No. Not at all. I'm the same." Cathy said. Then she reached for her tea.
They sipped their tea in silence for a minute or two.
"So. This place ..." Cathy asked, remembering her question from the night before.
"Oh yes. Well it's rented of course and the rent's not bad as I said."
"How much?" Asked Cathy.
"Six hundred a month. How much is Sharma charging you for one of his hovels? A lot I bet?"
"A hundred a week. Plus bills." Cathy replied solemnly.
"Fuck!" Trisha said with disdain. "Well, here you'll pay less. Even less when Imogen arrives. We'll split everything equally."
"Are you sure? Do you need anything now?" Cathy looked around for her bag.
"We'll all discuss it. Saturday seems best. Now. What are your plans for today? After a nice soak in the bath of course."
A bath? Oh heaven!
"Back to Aunt May's I think. But I'll need to get my things from the bedsit first and return the key. Are you sure you want me to stay Trisha?"
"Fucking right I do! You can't stay there anymore. You belong here with me. And Debbie and Jenny live just across the way. So we're all close. Sisters facing the world together! It'll be fun, don't you think?"
Cathy could only agree.
"Who do you rent from Trisha?"
Trisha grinned. "A really cute guy called Jamie."
Trisha saw the look on Cathy's face.
"And no, I don't service him to get a discount. Jamie is as gay as the day is long. He's really cute. You'll like him. He's been where we are or were close to. Back when he was younger."
Trisha took another sip of her tea, then continued.
"Grew up in poverty. Couldn't have been easy for him, but he has this knack with figures and such. Made a packet on the markets. Don't ask me how he does it, but he buys places like this and rents them for much less than he could get going through rental agencies. He's what you would call a Good Samaritan for working girls, and guys I guess, like us."
"Well I'm glad he does. This is such a lovely place. A palace compared to where I am now. Was. Sorry." Cathy said, genuinely astounded.
"Mind if I come with?" Trisha asked. "Keep you company? Help pack your gear up?"
"Not much to pack. Just clothes and some papers. Not many clothes though, if I'm honest."
Trisha put down her empty cup then threw back the duvet.
"Hey! It's cold!" Cathy shrieked, making a grab for the duvet.
Trisha laughed. "Stay put while I run the bath.
Trisha then looked at Cathy, sizing her up.
"We're the same size I guess and I have plenty of clothes. You can borrow some things if you like."
"Are you sure? That would be fabulous. Thanks Trisha. For everything."
"No probs. We're all together now." Trisha then laughed again, and struck a pose. "The-Four-Female-Sex-Loving-Musketeers!"
Cathy laughed too as Trisha disappeared into the bathroom.
An hour or so later, Cathy and Trisha arrived at the bedsit.
"God! This place is a dump!" Trisha exclaimed as Cathy opened the door.
Ten minutes later, they left with all of Cathy's belongings in a sports bag that Trisha had brought along.
"Not fucking sad to be leaving this shithole!" Cathy said when they emerged back onto the street.
Ten minutes after that, a confident Cathy walked into the food wholesalers from where Sharma ran his dodgy empire from. Without speaking, Cathy walked up to him, handed him the key then turned around and walked away, leaving him staring at her in bewilderment.
Cathy didn't care. She knew he would have some other poor individual waiting to take it over.
"Now what?" Trisha asked.
"I really need to put some credit on my phone and go to the bank to change my address and pay in some of this money. Don't want to be carrying around too much." Cathy replied.
"Don't you have an app?"
"I do. But it costs a fortune to use the data."
"Well, we have wi-fi at the flat so that should make things easier for you." Trisha stated.
"Really can't thank you enough Trisha." Cathy said with genuine feeling.
Just under an hour later, Cathy and Trisha were sat in a coffee house. Cathy had paid and she was happy that she could now afford to do so. She also had credit on her phone now and she'd put some of what she had earned yesterday into her bank while giving them her new address.
Sipping her favourite, Cappuccino with a shot of vanilla, she watched as Trisha texted Aunt May.
"About time!" Trisha exclaimed as she read Aunt May's reply. "All the Baltics are in today so there's no rush for us. We can just chill and give our 'Little Ladies' a well deserved rest!"