"Here's to six thousand dollars worth of commission from one single sale this month!!" Andrea lifted her tequila shot and bumped it to Sandy's. They both licked the salt, took the shot, and sucked on their limes.
"Here's to a five-year rental in one sale!!" Sandy took another shot, her face grimaced from the taste but beaming with relief.
"This is the best sale I have ever made!" Andrea shouted in victory.
"Hey! We haven't got the deal yet, so don't over celebrate ... I'm kind of nervous for some of the requirements they asked for," Sandy said.
"What do you mean?"
"Well ... I kinda ticked on everything 'cause I really need this, Andrea." Andrea almost choked on her lime.
"No?? What?? Are you serious?"
Sandy suddenly felt stiff, her heart raced.
"Which part of the requirements?" Andrea asked, she didn't read through all of it herself.
"You know what ... nevermind, I can handle it, just seal the deal for us, okay?"
"Are you sure?"
Sandy nodded as she sipped her Long Island Iced Tea. It's a girl's night out and she doesn't want to ruin it with work.
They danced and drank the night away, after passing the age of 25, they enjoyed a girls night out even more than before. They've matured enough to care for themselves when they drank too much, they didn't go out to impress anymore but rather to enjoy each other's company. To enjoy the moment and celebrate life as ordinary and as beautiful as it really is.
They've been friends for over ten years, they're practically sisters. They crash at each other's place every other week after a night out. They're both single and not looking. They were women who were fed up with disappointments and found themselves in their independence and loved it. Once in a while they stumble upon a guy, went out on dates, and realized infatuations and small talks are a waste of time and energy. Men their age are more compatible with their teenage self than they are now.
"In less than two months, John Brady would be living right next door to you ... do you realize that?" Andrea said while peering out the window from Sandy's kitchen, looking at the main cottage that they will rent out.
"I hope so ... you know how much I need the money, right?"
Andrea shrugged, "You know I can always lend you some money if you really need it."
Sandy waved a dismissive hand, she never accepted her offer on that.
"But John Brady, though!! God, I have wet dreams about that guy thousands of times! Or wait ... maybe I was masturbating over him thousands of times."
Sandy was pouring her coffee, "Ewww," she added brown sugar.
Andrea laughed, she was very open with her sexuality, she admitted that even though she wasn't in a relationship, she needed casual sex every now and then.
Sandy took a sip of her latte and exhaled, "I really hope we make the sale, Andrea ... my rent is due next week."
Andrea sat in front of her and touched her shoulders, "Hey ... I told you, I can lend you some money for ..."
Sandy shook her head, "No ... no charities, okay, we'll make the sale, if we don't ... I'm gonna take that Public Relations post that Lucas offered, he's been chasing me for it actually and I'm having a hard time delaying my answer."
Andrea chuckled, "Tell me about it ... you know that post is open for you forever, right? He's been on my ass for your address and asked me if you're seeing anyone."
Sandy never shared her address with anyone except Andrea, it was mostly because she lived in a compound that she rented out to celebrity guests that required total privacy, but it was also partly because she was hiding from her past. Andrea knew better to respect her best friend's wishes, even though Lucas had always tried to get intimate details from her.
"Lucas is a nice guy, he's obviously crazy 'bout you ... I know it's making you uncomfortable sometimes, I just don't want you to feel like you need to do it, so if you ever need the money ..." she didn't have to finish her sentence.
Sandy cupped her best friend's hands in hers, "Thanks babe, I really appreciate it, we'll see about the deal, okay? I'm not making any decisions yet."
Bhorma sunsets are probably one of the most breathtaking scenery anyone could ever experience. She could sit by the beach and stare at the ocean, listening to the waves and the sound of seagulls while the winds blew her hair as she sat upon the sandy beach until the sun would go down all the way.
She texted Lucas that night to tell him that she won't be taking the job after all. He was disappointed of course, but he was still hopeful. He told her that the position will always be open for her. Lucas was a divorcee who started his business in Bhorma five years earlier. They knew each other through Andrea who introduced them at a party one night, not long after he moved to the island. They were friends ever since, even though Lucas wanted the relationship to grow into something more, Sandy always had him at arm's length.
John Brady was not young anymore. He was a heart-throb, as they call it, back in his younger days, but never really lost his charms and even gained more charisma as he got older. At the age of 45, he did most of his stunts himself, which can be dangerous at times. He played characters much younger than his age because he didn't look a day older than 30. He loved what he did for a living, never spent more than three to six months at a time without work.
Tall, dark, and handsome. Sandy had to look up to talk to him. His skin was pinkish after a short exposure to the Bhorma sunlight. He was sweating underneath his motorbike apparel. He took off his helmet and his shades, he greeted her politely with a firm handshake. She noticed his black, unruly hair, his thick beard had a few gray hairs sticking out. He looked exactly the way he did in the movies, only much real.
The handle of her bedroom door was rattling, she remembered to have locked it before she went to sleep. It was rattling rather noisily, followed by a bang, then stopped. Her heart was pulsing, she curled up on her bed and waited in silence. The door smashed open and a dark figure stormed into her room. She jolted out of bed, gasping for air. It was just a dream. She was trembling, overcome with fear. She had to calm herself down before cautiously walking out to the kitchen for some water.
"Why can't I stay with you. mommy? I miss you," Kevin pleaded.She hugged him tighter, "Oh I miss you too, baby, it's just that ... I have work to do ... I'll be back tomorrow, okay? We'll go to the playground and we'll have some ice cream." She was holdin
"You're kidding, right?!" Andrea couldn't believe her ears as she licked through her ice cream. Sandy told her about her late-night conversation with John Brady, and Andrea just flipped like a burger. "Oh my God, I envy you so much right now, I could kill you!"
The only thing that was weighing on her mind about her newfound friendship was ... she hadn't told him about her son. Their conversations never went there. It's not so much that she was worried he didn't want young children to be on the premises, it was more of the follow-up questions that she's reluctant to answer.