Something Better

Have You Ever Seen the Lights?

"Hi, Lauren?" Martha asked into the silence of her phone.
Silence.
"Ok, if you're still mad and not ready to talk that's fine, just call me when you are ready. I'm hanging up now..." Martha hung on for a few seconds more, knowing her friend would cave at the last moment.
"Ok, ok! I'm here, I'm here!" Lauren let out a big sigh, but Martha knew the worst was over.
"I'm sorry I was a total bitch to you before. I just worry about you, after everything that's happened and you're so far away and you know I miss you and it's not the same here without you."
Lauren said all at once and then was silent.
"I know." Martha said gently.
"I miss you too, you know?!"
"It's different for you, away on your American adventure!" Lauren whined.
Martha was starting to realise why her friend was so touchy all the time.
"You could always come out here and join me on this adventure?" Martha ventured cautiously, but she knew the answer.
"I can't leave Greg behind." Lauren sighed impatiently.
"He's pretty stressed at work right now and we're saving hard for a deposit for a bigger house, so it would be the worst time to leave him, even for a holiday. You know what he's like." Her words hung in the air.
"Yeah, he's a controlling fucker!" Martha thought...
"So... You're not coming over at all? Even for the holiday we planned ages ago, before I left?!" Martha was trying to stay calm, she didn't want another argument with Lauren.

"It's just bad timing, that's all. But listen I've got some good news. The line up for T in the park has been released and The Killers are headlining." Lauren gushed trying to paper over the cracks of her previous confession.
"Eh, I'm in Vegas, home of The Killers." Martha said smugly, still stinging a little.
"I know, but they're on tour, so you won't see them strutting down the strip." Lauren giggled. "Anyway, we could go for the day, just the two of us?"
"Will Greg be ok with that?" Martha knew he hated her and Lauren going out together and she didn't want him to ruin any plans.
"Yeah, he thinks it's a good idea..." Lauren said.
"So you've ran it past him? Is this your consolation prize, because you're not coming over to Vegas?" Martha could feel the venom in her voice, but she didn't really care, how could Lauren let Greg control her?
"Come on, don't be like that." Lauren pleaded. " He said he would drop us off early and pick us up at the end of the night. Come on, do it for Brandon!"

Martha smiled, Lauren knew how to push her buttons. "Ok," she laughed "I'll do it for Brandon."

"Ha ha, you're so easy!" Lauren laughed. "I'll get the tickets and you get your flight sorted."

"It's ages till July, calm down!" Martha laughed.

"Stop pretending! I know you're already planning your outfit in case Brandon spots you in the crowd and asks you to marry him!" Lauren teased.

Martha laughed along, but secretly, she was already doing exactly what her friend joked about - you never know...
Martha smiled to herself.