The Billionaires Too (#2)

Friends Again

She knew she would not hear the end of it from her neighbours and Mr Brown tomorrow morning, because her apartment had become a source of noise and disturbance in the entire building. People were going in and out, and some even banged on the door late at night, disturbing the people's sleep.

Thankfully, she would be leaving for New Zealand in two days, bringing the people back their sense of peace. She sighed loudly as she pulled the door wide open and stared at the woman in front of her door with a confused expression.

"Can I come in?" Lola asked.

Sonya lifted her chin, looking defiant. "Why should I let you in?"

"I had no one else to go to." She sighed and stepped aside. Lola walked in barefoot, her face stained with dry tears.

Sonya closed the door and stood against it with her arms crossed. "Do you need some alcohol to numb the pain?" She asked dryly, her lips set into a tight smile. "Or should I call your husband to pick you up?" She mocked.

Lola stared at her in panic and shook her head. "Please, no!" She said softly, and Sonya shook her head in disappointment.

"Still scared to raise your voice? Your heart is not going to give way, you know?" She rolled her eyes. "So that's a bottle of cheap wine to soothe the pain. I had something strong stashed away, but it appears that my guests found it and finished it; that bottle had cost me six months of savings." She muttered as she moved to the fridge, and then retrieved a bottle of red wine.

She took two glasses and joined her friend on the couch. Lola drew her knees to her chest and swung from side to side, tears trickling the corners of her eyes. "I messed up, Sonya." She croaked out.

Sonya snorted in response. "You slept with him again?"  She brought the glass of wine to her lips.

They were both silent before Lola spoke up. "I almost did." She barked an empty laughter. "But he rejected me."

"Well, can't say I'm surprised. Did he say why?"

"MJ." It was only one word, but it said many things at once. "And now David wants a divorce." She choked, trying to hold herself together.

"That's funny, Jorge was just here; and he wants me to think hard about our relationship. He wants to know why I went to Durban, and you know I can't tell him." She stared at the glimmering ring on her finger. The ring was supposed to fill her with joy, and yet all she felt was dread with a promise of more and more hurdles.

"Jorge proposed?" Lola asked in surprise, and Sonya blushed furiously.

"Hardly." Memories of his visit lingered in her head as she stared at the huge diamond; it felt as if he had just tossed it at her without care. She had imagined her first proposal to be romantic; perhaps at a fancy restaurant or under the stars, but he had just placed the ring on the table. He did not even get down on one knee or actually pop the question.

"Well, I guess the fact that you are wearing it means you accept. Congratulations." Lola said with no actual meaning to her words.

"Jorge het nie vir my gevra om hom te trou, Lola, hy het net eintlik gevra om vir hom die waarheid vertel. En jy weet ek kon nie." Sonya shrugged. (Jorge did not ask me to marry him, Lola; he only asked that I tell him the truth. And you know I can’t)

Lola sat up, perplexed. "Watter waarheid praat jy? The miscarriage? You know he can't find out, right?" She prompted. (What truth are you speaking about?)

"Yes, I know. But he wanted me to tell him the truth about MJ, and I couldn't. I had to lie to him in Durban in order to get him off my back. Lola, this will not be the first or last time I lie to him; I know most of MJ's secrets that could get me killed some day." Sonya said in barely a whisper.

"You mean the newspaper article, 'The Street Kids of London'? MJ might or might not have told me about that." Lola muttered.

"It is bigger than that. Lola, do you think I went all the way to dig dirt on MJ?" As if I have nothing better to do with my time...

Lola raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Well, did you?"

Sonya gasped in offense. "Why would I do that?"

Lola narrowed her eyes at her as if analysing a puzzle pieces for clues. "To gain leverage on her. We both know you have never liked the girl." She paused and then added, "Not to mention how vindictive you can be."

"It doesn't matter anymore. No matter how many times you ignore or judge me; today, me and you are the same." Sonya said coolly. "We are about to lose the men we love, because of the secrets we hide."

"Who would have actually thought, huh?"

Sonya stood up while covering an obvious yawn, and then stared down at the person who used to be her friend. "You know, I've said this many times before, and I will say it for the last time; fix things with David." She smiled sadly and shrugged. "Who knows, you could actually be happy."

Lola did not meet her gaze; if anything, she stared long and hard at her empty ring finger before she reached for her purse and replaced the plain space on her finger with a gold wedding ring, a hopeful smile gracing her tear-streaken face.

She lifted her hand, and Sonya did the same thing. "Famous last words." She muttered, and Sonya chorused before pulling each other into one last hug they would share as friends; with no hope of seeing the next person ever again in the near future.