F I V E

My ears were screaming for help with the way Brianna wouldn’t stop talking but still, I did pay attention to her when we arrived at Louisa’s Mansion where we as wives of this estate were all to gather, I could feel the freedom in stepping out of the Car with having to listen to something else different from Brianna’s voice.

We were almost a foot into the door of Louisa’s house when Brianna said in a hushed tone, “I forgot to say but driver… whoosh… he is very hot,”

I looked behind me to see Seth about to open his side of the car door to sit and wait for me. I stared at him for a brief second, unable to see what Brianna was talking about. I brushed it off and walked.

“If he is single, well I don’t mind…”

“My goodness Brianna, that boy or man is at least 23 years old, he should be doing something meaningful with his life, I wonder why he chose to work as a driver,” I said, I couldn’t believe Brianna was having such wild thoughts to the point it irked me in my tummy.

“I am only kidding. Don’t blame a single woman like me who has been starved for so many years,” Brianna chuckled beside me and I looked at her knowing fully well she was lying about that.

“Oh please shut up, wasn’t it just a week ago you told me Miles came visiting and Christian wasn’t around?” I stated, clearly implying that they did do something that day and with a smile on Brianna’s I know I wasn’t lying. “So it is true then,”

“Scarlett please, there was no way I could refuse,” Brianna laughed feeling a bit embarrassed at herself, “It was so brief…”

I nodded.

“You shouldn’t have to lie,” I say, we took our seats on one of the couches that was there in the living room, some women were already there before we came, no surprises there but Melissa was no were to be seen, I already know she was going to be extra as always.

Louisa finally came to meet every one of us, first starting with me.

“I am sorry I couldn’t come to Leo’s congratulatory party, I was busy… I hope you got my gift for him,” Louisa said with a weak smile, she was looking tired but was hiding it under that heavy pounds of makeup.

“Oh there was no problem, and yes I did receive the gift,” I said to her, the gift she had offered was the same one I had given to her son, Liam during his acceptance into the university but I wasn’t going to spill everything to her.

She greeted Brianna and then walked away.

Brianna wasted no time even as Louisa was very close to us, Brianna said as she glanced at Louisa, “Louisa is suffering,”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked like I didn’t know already, I just wanted Brianna to tell me, that it is bliss when one acts extremely clueless to things like this.

Brianna began, “Well, while I was shopping recently…”

Shopping? What does she mean by she went shopping? Didn’t she say she was broke?

I didn’t interrupt her even though I needed answers to these questions.

“I saw her at one of the luxury stores you always shop at, apparently, they were doing this thing where you can sell off your clothing items back to them and they would pay back according to how the quality of the cloth is and how long you have had it, anyways, one of the workers told me that Louisa has been visiting with numerous clothing items to sell,” Brianna revealed.

“Really?” I was initially surprised, I didn’t expect that as that would be a better option for Brianna as well rather than going around begging others when she has so many dresses that deserve to be sold.

“Yes, what crazy is that the store could no longer accept any more from her and so she started begging, but I missed thought but one of the workers said that she did. I think she is in this way because her husband borrowed money from the Levines recently,” Brianna said.

“The Levine?” My radar turned on, if you know how much I have been trying to reach them, it is quite hard for us all women even though Patricia Levine is also part of the women’s association, she never attended once.

The Levines are extremely wealthy and I know my family is as well but it isn’t as that of the Levines.

“Scarlett, are you listening?” Brianna asked me when it seemed like I was out of touch, I replied to her before she continued, “Well the Levines aren’t the problem here because they don’t seem to be bothered as Louisa and Patricia are quite close friends, just like the both of us are,”

“Hmm…” I thinned my lips as I didn’t fully agree with her that much, you would think Brianna caught on to that but as always, she didn’t.

“The problem here is her son, Liam. He has gone rogue in school, I don’t fully know the exact details, but I do know Louisa is very desperate to cover that up, from what I hear, she has used up all of the money the Levine has borrowed from her family, now they are B-R-O-K-E… all of this that she is doing is just a cover-up,” Brianna concluded with a nod.

“Well that was unexpected,” I looked at Louisa’s side, she was still smiling at everyone. “I wonder how she must be feeling,” I said silently.

“That shouldn’t be any of your business, it is her bed so let her lie on it. It is her fault you didn’t win the presidency for the women’s chair,” Brianna spoke blatantly, and now I am reminded how I lost the president position with just two votes.

The meeting commenced as Melissa finally joined us. I knew how much she enjoyed the attention, and there she got it. After a long talk, it was almost time to start seeking donations for the project we planned on doing very soon. The treasurer, who was Brianna, had read out the amount needed for the donation.

“Isn’t that a lot?” Louisa had pointed out and everyone turned their attention to her. The amount was quite affordable for everyone and I saw no problem with it but I wasn’t one to speak up. “I-I mean, the budget is alright,” Louisa spoke nervously.

Melissa pet her dog pie as she spoke, “Oh honey, if you can’t afford it then there is no need to be silent about it, of course, we all have what to use our money for rather than give it out to… sorry, I am saying if you don’t have then it is fine, my family will foot the bill for everyone,”

“Oh no,” Louisa said as she tried to speak up. “That is not it—”

“Alright… I am out of here, I think I have stayed here for too long, I can’t be in the same air as someone…” Melissa looked at me before leaving the room.

The moment she left, Louisa excused herself from the meeting as well, and I had to leave too. It was clear Louisa was out in the open.

Seth dropped Brianna off at her place as I also returned home. I made sure dinner was prepared for the kids when they returned from school after their lessons and did all of my motherly duties, which included calling Michael to be sure what time he would return before I went to bed.

I woke up the following morning to see a text message from a strange line that wasn’t saved in my phone, the header of the text message read, “YOU MUST READ,”