Three years later...
'Ready yet?'
Ada rolled her eyes at the exasperated brunette standing at the doorstep of her room with arms on her hips.
'I will be if you stop poking your head in here every two seconds. Now go wait in the living room, Jem!'
Jemima gave a mini grumble as she spun round and walked down the hallway back to the living area.
Ada shook her head as she caught the beginnings of Jemima's mutterings, 'Never used to take you this much time before...'
Whatever. Ada had not been out since...well that night and yes, it had been three years, but she just had not been able to go out. She had been embarrassed of her behaviour. She blushed a little as she always did whenever her mind went back to that night. She felt terrible that she had run out on him but there was no way she would have been able to face him after what happened. After the way she acted. After the way he reciprocated.
After she cried in his arms.
He would probably have sent her home with some nice words...maybe money. She covered her face with her arms as she groaned inwardly. Yes, she was right to have run away.
Anyway she had tried going back there a few months after. He had not been there. He had travelled to Dubai? Singapore? She could not remember, but he had not been there.
By the time she had gone there three times, she had been informed politely but firmly that he was not coming back anytime soon and that she should stop coming there.
And she had stopped of course. Rightly so, too.
'Ada!'
'I'm coming!' Ada replied with a scowl.
Why on earth had she agreed to go out with Jemima tonight? Okay fine, more like been coerced into it, but she could always have fobbed her off as she usually did. Fine, she could not have but still! Instead of slowly easing her back into social Uthopia like the pub down the road or something, Jemima was dragging her to some fancy do where one had to dress up properly!
It was true that she had become a little grandmother, always puttering about in her new cosy two bedroom flat...more like one bedroom, one closet but she absolutely adored it. And she had put in more hours than before into work...and had gotten a lovely promotion and increase in her salary which was definitely needed. Especially now that she was more or less estranged from her family. Her eyes watered a bit as she recalled the outrage that she had received because of her break-up with Olisa. She quickly pushed that thought out of her head.
She was a new girl. Well not as new as she had intended three years ago, but more mature. Her hair was back to black that was for sure, she thought wryly as she surveyed herself in the mirror. She was slightly thinner than before. Not that she had consciously decided to lose weight but it had just dropped off as she forgot to eat whilst at work and was too tired to do so upon arrival. With her newly fixed Brazilian weave, with a thick fringe that more or less blocked her face and drew attention solely to her big brown eyes, incredible cheekbones and full red lips, her face looked exquisite, although she thought otherwise. Which was a good thing as she had not dressed up as much as Jemima did. She simply wore a long Grecian styled ivory dress and flat thong sandals. No jewellery was added. She glanced at herself once more. Well, she was ready or as ready as she could ever be and if Jemima, who was clad in a gorgeous LBD with stunning Swarovski crystal earrings, did not like it then...she was changing back into her comfy pjs and diving back into bed!
She shut the door to her room softly and quietly padded into the next room to make sure all was well. Satisfied with her perusal, she went to the living room and stared at Jemima somewhat defiantly.
'Well?' She demanded.
Jemima stared at her speechless for a second then broke into a broad grin that threatened to crack her face in half.
'Ada...you are definitely back!'
Ada looked at her sceptically, 'You've already got me going with you, Jem. You don't have to lie to me too.'
Jemima rushed to her and cupped her face gently so as not to smudge her smooth face, 'I swear to you Ada Mordi, on my grandma's life...okay fine we both know I want her dead like yesterday but...you look absolutely stunning. And if you don't get a guy tonight slavering after you like some love-sick orang-utan, I will give you my new Louboutins.'
Ada's face brightened at that, 'Promise?'
Jemima nodded solemnly, 'Grandma Patti's life.'
Ada rolled her eyes as she linked arms with Jemima, 'Yeah, like that counts for shi...sugar.'
Jemima giggled and waved to her cousin who was staying over at Ada's for the night.
'Bye, Holly.'
Ada waved as well, 'Bye Holly and thanks again for staying over tonight. You don't know how much it means to me.'
Holly shrugged with a little blush. She was slightly in awe of Ada who she thought was the quintessential lady and who she aspired to be once she was older...well older than her sixteen year old self.
'It's cool, Ada. Have fun and shall ring if anything happens.'
Ada nodded with a grateful smile then walked out of her flat arm in arm with Jemima. The night had better be worth her time!
***
Okay. Right. She could do this.
Ada took in deep, gulping breaths as her heart thudded rapidly in her chest. She had not seen so many people and so much...wealth all crammed up in one room at a go. Well, except on the telly!
She gazed around trying to do so coolly, although her rapidly spinning eyes belied that fact.
'You didn't tell me it was going to be this...fancy!' Ada hissed at Jemima quietly.
'If I did you wouldn't have come. And anyway, since when did fancy have a category of 'this fancy'? Chin up, you ninny and smile. Guys are looking this way already.' Jemima hissed back.
Ada quickly forced a smile as they made their way through guests.
'Looking at you, more like.' She whispered.
Jemima rolled her eyes so skilfully that only the very observant would have seen the roundabout motion of her eyes, and this included the likes of Ada.
'I saw that.'
'Good.' Was the reply.
Before Ada could launch an appropriate scolding, a lady decked in a long, red, cocktail dress and blinding diamonds at her lobe and neck spotted Jemima and cooed a loud, 'Jemima darling.'
Jemima mumbled under her breath, 'Fuckwittage,' before cooing back just as loudly, 'Hyacinth, wherever have you been, darling? Absolute yonks.'
Ada hid a smile as she watched them air kiss, more than an inch between their respective cheeks.
'Darling, I don't think I've seen you since...why forever?' Hyacinth breathed, her left hand waving about her artfully coiffed hair, the large blue diamond on her fourth finger threatening to take out a few discreetly placed hair pins.
Ada immediately clocked that she was drawing attention to her ring but she did not say a word. She had been ignored like she was invisible so why make the fake blonde happy?
Jemima replied, staring straight at Hyacinth's face and acting like the hand was not a part of her body, 'It has, has it not? Been a very busy bee these past months. Flying here and there...and how was...Barbados was it? News is Pierre acquired a villa there for the both of you.'
Hyacinth laughed, batting her eyes furiously like she was trying to dislodge a trapped fly, 'You heard that? Oh dear me, and it was meant to be a secret between the both of us.'
Ada barely stifled a snort. Secret, unh-hunh.
Hyacinth continued, 'Well, Pierre surprised me with that gorgeous villa. It's by the beach you know? Anyway, was I surprised when he showed it to me, I believe I even fainted.'
'Fainted?' Ada could not resist asking.
Hyacinth glanced at her irritated then smiled quickly, 'Swooned. Yes, swooned I think. Anyway, you would never believe why he bought that villa for me?'
Jemima smiled expectantly.
'You have to guess, Jemima!'
'Was it your birthday?'
'No.' Hyacinth shook her head giggling excitedly.
'Anniversary?' Jemima guessed again.
'No.'
'Just for the fun of it? Because he could? Err...funeral?' Jemima asked.
Ada quickly turned her guffaw into a cough. This party was definitely interesting.
Hyacinth's smile had slowly faded away as Jemima threw her guesses and now Hyacinth looked near hysterical.
'No you foo...funny girl.' She quickly ended with a forced smile.
It was clear to everyone what she had been about to call Jemima.
Jemima simply arched an eyebrow, 'Then tell me. You know how awful I am at guessing games.'
Hyacinth raised both eyebrows signifying a 'Clearly'.
'It was for our engagement. We're engaged. Can you not see my ring?'
She shoved the hand she had been waving about in Jemima's face.
Jemima widened her eyes with an, 'Ohmigod I can't believe I didn't see something this...huge! It's gorgeous.'
Soothed by her response, Hyacinth smiled again, 'I know, it's simply stunning. I mean, I didn't choose it but it's something I would have chosen...which shows how much he knows and loves me.'
Retch.com, Ada thought as she turned her bored gaze and attention away from the daft gushing taking place. As she looked around, she saw something that made her heart freeze. Was that...
'So, I have to go now, but I promise to come visit you and pay that ring the exact attention it deserves. Come on, Ada. We mustn't keep Lady Amelia waiting.' Jemima said as she smiled at a blinking Hyacinth while dragging a confused Ada away.
Ada looked back again but could not see the side view of who she had just spotted. She turned back to Jemima, her heart rate slowing down to normal.
'Lady Amelia?'
