Love Metamorphosis

Chapter 10

Candice was a leggy brunette with as much attitude as she was legs. Standing at 6 foot 1 inch she dwarfed Jemma's 5 feet 8 inches. Jemma was standing on the sidewalk looking out over the dark street, waiting for the taxi bearing her friend to pull up.

She could hardly contain her excitement as a taxi swung onto the street, for a moment she wasn't sure if it was Candice's. Then a window rolled down and a head and arm went out the window, waving to her enthusiastically. Instantly she sent up to her toes and waved back with her entire right arm.

"Jemma!" Candice all but yelled her voice filled with excitement.

"Candice!" She too could hardly contain her excitement as the taxi pulled up.

Pushing a roll of bills into the cabbie's money box, Candice all but sprung out of the cab and straight into a hug. Jemma hugged her friend like her life depended on it, such a relief that her best friend was finally there. Pulling back Candice held Jemma at arm's length inspecting her with a concerned eye.

"Quiet down there." Someone yelled from across the street.

Candice instantly turned back and shouted with a more distinct British accent, "Go back to bed, you old sot!"

"You haven't changed one bit," Jemma said with a genuine grin. It was good to have someone who knew her as well as Jeff as she said, "Let's get your bags and get inside."

"Course not love," she said with a smile and a kiss to her cheek before she went to the trunk, "I just about filled the boot with my luggage."

"Glad I get to be useful." Jemma said with a laugh as they pulled the entire set of luggage out and set it on the street.

"We are so using the elevator," Candice said as they walked through the front turn style door, "Exercise be damned."

"I couldn't agree more," Jemma said laughing as she pulled to rolling carry-on sized luggage along.

"So who is this Mary you were talking about?" Candice asked once they were safely in the elevator.

"I met her on a train; she is the Grandmother of Eric McManis," Jemma said pushing her hair back out of her face, "We have become fast friends."

"Wait, that Eric McManis, the diplomat to Italy?" Candice sounded astonished.

"One and the same, how did you know?" Jemma couldn't think of how Candice knew him.

"I met him a few years back on a piece I did on Italy," She all but purred, "You mean you know Mr. Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down?"

Jemma was laughing pretty hard as they stepped off the elevator. "I did earlier this evening." She confirmed.

"We are friends right?" Candice asked waiting at the door as Jemma punched in the code, "You will introduce me the next possible chance you get?"

"First think tomorrow morning," Jemma said sarcastically, "He lives in New York, you have a better chance of running into him then me introducing him any time soon."

"I might have a flat in New York but you need somewhere to stay. So I am guessing you will have just as good a chance as me." Candice said flouncing onto the couch.

Jemma frowned. "How did you know?" She wondered if she was that predictable.

"That you wouldn't want to go back to your house?" Candice said with a sad little smile, "Intuition screamed at me that you should stay somewhere a little less depressing for a while. Luckily, I am depression's arch-enemy."

Jemma smiled and told her, "It is so good to have you back."

Candice jumped up and pulled her along to the spare bedroom where Jemma was staying, abandoning the luggage in the living room. Pulling off her over shirt almost instantly she tossed it on the ground and pushed her skirt off. Jumping under the covers in only a slip Candice made a content sigh as she smuggled under the covers.

"You are such a goose," Jemma said pulling off her over sweater and wiggling out of her pants.

"Oh by the way, where did you get that sweater," Candice asked with her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around one of the pillows.

"You bought it for me." Jemma responded slowly.

"I thought so, it is terrible. We can burn it tomorrow." Candice popped one eye open as Jemma wiggled into a pair of pajama shorts.

Jumping onto the bed and quickly slipping under the covers Jemma lay down across from her on another pillow. They sat there in silence for a moment, both just listening to the other breathing and falling into a sense of calm.

"Have you had a proper cry yet? Gotten it all out?" Candice said, watching Jemma as her eyebrows pressed together.

"I have cried more than once but I haven't really talked about it." Jemma answered her eyes filling with tears, "I was really happy Dis, Jeff made me so happy and now I don't know what to do or how I am going to go on without him."

"I know Jem," Candice said her hand curling around Jemma's fist, "Tell me about him."

So she did.