THE DOMINO EFFECT

Friends

"It's true and something has been off with mum lately".

"You need to have a talk with her but don't tell her about the content of Emma's letters".

"Why not?"

"Can you honestly say you trust her one hundred percent?"

"No I can't", she turns to him. "George I don't trust my mother and she bought Emma into our home for a reason yet as far as I knew she was a stranger to all of us".

"It would seem your dear old mum has secrets".

Meghan's phone pings she reaches for it and sees she has a message from Sarah inviting her to the fashion show.

"Sarah wants me to go with her to the fashion show on Friday".

"Are you going to go with her?"

"Of course that way I can introduce her to some of my friends".

George walk into his office at work to see Marco on his mobile phone, "Hi did we have an appointment I forgot about?"

"No I just came to say thank you for what you did for Sarah. Wanda told us the truth and now my Sarah has a mother. Seeing a women who thought she had no link to her biological family discover she has a mother  is something I will never forget".

"I'm glad she has Wanda as well as your family who care about her. We both know growing up in care wouldn't have been easy for her".

"Thank you for having us over to stay at your place in the Hamptons it was very enjoyable".

"It was my pleasure", he stands and put his hand out to George who shakes it.

George watches as Marco leaves his office.  When he was alone he rubs his temple and get on with his day.

It was Wednesday and Meghan was outside the free clinic waiting for Sarah to arrive. A town car pulls up beside her and Sarah's tall tan legs can be seen as she exits it.

She sees Meghan and becomes overwhelmed with emotions. "Can I give you a hug?"

"Okay", answers Meghan nonchalantly. She hears the quiet sobbing coming from Sarah and felt the tears on her neck.

"What's going on Sarah you're scaring me, is something wrong. You're crying, are you in pain or overwhelmed to see the clinic is completed?"

Sarah wipes her eyes with a white handkerchief, "It's none of those things It's just pregnancy hormones and I'm happy to see you".

"Are you sure that's all?"

"You know Meghan I'm", Sarah takes the keys to the clinic out of her bag and opens the front door.

She and Meghan walk into the building straight into a waiting area with a glass petition reception desk facing the room. Meghan saw leaflets on everything from healthy eating, diabetes and pregnancy on one wall.

"Let me show you the rest of the clinic", she takes Meghan's hand, "As well as traditional doctors I've a psychiatrist on staff and someone to help the clients fill out forms for Medicare, housing and free food".

"That is some joined up thinking but isn't that a bit much for a free clinic to do all at once?"

"The clinic is actually two buildings one deals with the body the other the mind, real life doesn't get better after you've been patched up. Oh if you ever want to volunteer here you can".

"Doing what?"

"You can transfer some of your skills like delegating, advertising, filing and heck I've even cleaned the toilets here".

"Really?"

"Yes".

After showing Meghan around the building Sarah make them a cup of ginger and peppermint tea in the staff canteen.

"You've really done an amazing thing here Sarah".

"Thank you Meghan,  your check is paying the salary of several of the staff members who will be working here. I'm lucky I don't need to draw a salary that's what happens when your husband is a billionaire and you're a saver".

"I know we've not known each other long but I'm proud of you Sarah and despite what other people say about you. Let me repeat myself I know you didn't sleep with all those men who contributed to the making of this clinic".

"Thank you", she turns to Meghan. "What was your childhood like?"

Meghan was taken back but answers anyway, "It was okay I went to the best private schools money can buy and I was very lucky to have lot of friends".

"What was your relationship with your parents like?" She sees the shock on Meghan's face at her question, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have ask that".

"It's okay mum was a great mum but about ten years ago I noticed she wasn't the mum who was always hugging me anymore. I mean she still hugs me but when she says I love you sometimes god forgive me for saying this. I think she's just going through the motions and lately I've realised she has been lying to me".

"What do you mean?"

"Like the day I met you she went back to the shop to buy some more brownies but didn't come back with any. Where you still in the coffee shop when she went back there?"

"Yes I was but I saw Marco there and we were busy catching up".

"Oh so that's how you ended up married to each other I guess seeing each other again made you both realise you wanted forever".

"I've always loved him and he me.  You see the problem with being a genius is sometimes it doesn't include knowing affairs of the heart".

"Someday you must tell me the full love story between you and Marco".

"I will.  I would love to show you my home that's if you've time.  Would you like to see it?"

"I would love to see it.  You guys live in a penthouse right?"

"Yes and no we still have the penthouse but Marco paid cash for a house that's close to yours so escrow was very quick".

"I can't wait to see it".

"Great I'll lead the way".

They arrive at Sarah and Marco's home where Sarah shows Meghan into to a large foyer with two marble staircases on each side of it.  Meghan goes through all four floors of the home it was just as exquisite as hers it just needed Marco and Sarah to put their own particular stamp on it. She especially loved the tables with flowers she saw as you exited the lift for each floor.

They were in the kitchen, "This place is lovely Sarah I bet you can't wait to put your stamp on this place".

"I've been doing my best to find a good interior designer but the clinic and my duties as a wife as been taking up most of my time".

Meghan takes the offered pastry and take a bite before putting it on her plate."This is really good where did you buy this I must get some for George?"

"I made it growing up in care I had to learn to cook or I wouldn't eat. I was lucky to be fostered long term by a wonderful family. Mum said Emma wasn't so lucky but she didn't experience any sexual abuse which we're all grateful for".

Meghan felt foolish that she temporarily forgot this was her best friend's sister. She was having such a good time with Sarah that it never crossed her mind.

"Thank god she was spared from that horror and of having to relive the nightmare of it. It's weird how you both ended up modelling, you're what twenty-two. I know she was older than you but were you guys friendly towards each other?"

"I'm 23 not twenty-two and yes I knew her. In her last year of modelling she really made an effort  to get to know me. She really took me under her wings and steered me cleared of the vultures. Mum said she knew I was her sister and that's why she took such good care of me".

"It must be nice for you to have such wonderful memories of a love one".

Sarah smiles sadly, "She was a loved one wasn't she. It's ironic I thought of her as a big sister only for it to turn out she really was my big sister".