Chapter 2 IMPROMPTU TRIP

She stared back at green eyes that were way too wise for their age. The lips beneath it lay straight, set in an unimpressed line. Giselle was something else these days. The more Maria stared back at her little sister, the more she realized that the fourteen-year-old was growing fast and would no longer be a little child in a few years. With her auburn hair packed in a messy bun and hands folded on her chest, Giselle almost looked intimidating. Maria however stared her down from her height of 5'6. It wasn't much but at least this was the one sibling she still had the advantage of height over.

"So you really won't bring home a man any time soon?" Giselle asked again as if the first time didn't do enough emotional damage to Maria.

"It's not that easy. When you're my age you'll understand" Maria said choosing to ignore the knot in her chest. A fourteen-year-old couldn't make her feel this way.

"A lot of boys ask me to prom, it's the most tedious time of the year honestly. Trying to decide who to go with, what dress to wear, and if any of my expensive clothes get to be seen with the male I end up choosing" Giselle sighed, picking at the bacon on her plate.

Maria's eyes shot to their brother warily. Boys?

"When I was your age-"

"When you were my age your nose was dug up in books and you barely went for parties. I can tell, you're like the biggest introvert I know." Giselle finished with a snicker.

"When the time is right, there'll be a man. Now stop concerning yourself with my love life and go up to your room before I tell mom to reduce your allowance."

"I'll just tell aunt, Athina. She'll be glad to help."

"Go up to your room and stop bullying your sister Giselle," Their mother's voice came like a savior to Maria and she almost cried for joy when Giselle took up her plate and went up the stairs not before giving a mischievous wink.

"Thanks, Mom, she is something else these days." Maria sighed to Josephine

"It's just Giselle being Giselle. She's always enjoyed teasing people you know that. You don't exactly make it difficult to tease you either."

It was the weekend and just as she promised, she came home to spend time with her family. As soon as she stepped into the house, Ruffy ran to lick her feet and snuggle his fur against her knees. Even the dog misses her so much. The next person to come at her was her father.

"That's my girl," his deep voice boomed with pride as he hoisted her up and threw her on the sofa. He was...quite different from the usual dads.

"Don't be so careless with my daughter!" Josephine scolded before running to where Maria lay chuckling. She missed this love.

After the whole drama with her parents, Giselle ran downstairs and out the door before coming back in with an unimpressed look.

"Back without a man again?" She had asked in the most Giselle way possible the rest was history.

Maria went up to her room for the first time in a long time. It was just as she left it. Pictures of her teenage years lined the beige walls, Athina was present in most of them. The last picture that was added to the collection was the very one she took with Athina on her wedding day. They looked so happy holding hands and whispering things to each other.

Athina wore a big smile and her blue eyes spoke of overwhelming joy. She was happy to get married to the man of her dreams and Maria shared that happiness with her.

She glanced at her phone, still contemplating whether or not to ask Athina for help. She didn't have the boldness to tell her about the state of the business but she owed it to her to tell her the truth. Athina's husband was a business mogul, maybe he could invest or help her out in some way. Of course, she would repay him but she had to think up a business plan first.

Just as Maria was considering drawing up a contract, her ringtone broke her train of thoughts. It was Athina. She gingerly reached for the phone and accepted the call.

"Hello there Minnie mouse. My best friend's been getting a little too comfortable with not talking to me all the time." Athina's bubbly voice reached her ears and Maria chuckled at what she said. Athina really had a way of lifting spirits even without knowing.

"Stop calling me that please, I may just have to murder you someday." Maria playfully said while rolling her eyes. The nickname had set in right from when they were younger and Maria went through a phase where she was obsessed with bows and glitters.

"I still have your embarrassing photos. Try me." Athina let out a peal of evil laughter and Maria had to close her eyes in shame. This was the beast they had married off to a responsible man. Be most be putting up with a lot.

"Athina, I have to tell you something." Maria's voice suddenly became serious and she could hear Athina's breath hitch from the other side of the call

"Is everything okay?" Athina asked sounding worried

"Relax, everyone's a fine bit the business isn't. Our business isn't doing well." Maria choked on her sob and the dam came loose. All the pent-up frustration came pouring out as she narrated everything to her best friend.

"Oh, Maria. Don't take it too hard on yourself." Athina sympathized knowing how her best friend could be. "This all falls within my plan," Athina added.

"What plan?"

"So I wanted you to come to visit me next week and spend some time here since I missed you so much and I also have some good news to share," Athina shrieked excitedly

"Really? I can come to stay with you for some time? And what's the good news? Please tell me Gordon died."

Athina laughed so hard at this and Maria couldn't help joining in. Gordon was a kid from high school who just loved to bully her and make her do his assignments. That was before she stood up for herself anyway, but the hatred remained.

"Of course, it's okay for you to come here and as for the good news, you'll just have to wait, darling."

The call ended with Maria feeling happier than ever. She had thought that since her best friend was so far, she wouldn't care too much about the business but time and time again, Athina proved to be a good friend.

Maria went down to spend some time with her family and they all played a game of scrabble. A notification tone from her phone in the middle of the night had her furrowing her eyebrows and squinting in confusion at the picture and Instagram handle Athina had sent.

"Remember him?" The text read with an attached photo of the make she had met at Athina's wedding looking all sweaty and shirtless. Below the picture was an Instagram handle and winking emojis.

Maria facepalmed.

Oh, Athina.