IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

WORTH 7

Niki was the one that moved out. The house was in Lou's name, and she had paid in full for it. Niki had argued with her to pay for half, but with the sort of wealth that Lou's family had, she had easily lost that argument. She stayed by Melina's, since she wasn't entirely sure what Rachel's plan was, and she didn't want to sign a contract for a new flat, only to need to move back in.

It was... exceptionally freeing, to be away from Louise and that house. The first few nights had been difficult, because Niki had grown so used to sleeping next to Louise even when they hadn't even touched. It was a little sombre to slide into her own bed and lay there, soaking in the silence.

Melina and Kiara were very happy that they were doing this, so they weren't bothered about letting Niki stay with them for however long she needed. Niki just missed the dogs.

Work was the usual, but Niki found that she put in less overtime and actually wanted to leave earlier. Mel was an amazing cook, and the banter between the three of them meant that dinner was quite fun, almost every night. Even when they had take-out. Niki was waking up in better moods and going through her days with a genuine smile on her face.

She missed Louise. She missed the permanence and the familiarity. But, she knew, she was glad to be away from her.

"What are you thinking so hard about? You look like you're taking a shit."

Niki turned to Rachel, who was standing beside her and grinning. "Are you stalking me?"

Rachel chuckled and plopped down on the seat beside her. "I most definitely am. You've come here almost every morning now. Is their food good?"

Niki nodded. "A friend of mine opened this place. Food was always a passion of hers."

Rachel's smile had something hidden behind it. "So, how is the single life treating you?"

Were visits like these part of the program? Niki looked away and focused on finishing her omelette. It was a rare off day, and with Mel's assurance that the shop wouldn't burn down, Niki had gone to her favourite restaurant. She was seated outside, enjoying the sun and the breeze. She sucked in a soft breath. "Wonderfully," she said.

Rachel hummed. "That's good. What have you been doing with yourself these past three weeks?"

Niki swallowed the last of her omelette. "Well, I've been focusing on work, but also on myself. Been working out again, eating better. My nights are filled with laughter, because the people I live with are hilarious. I never realized how miserable I was before." She paused. "I don't know if I ever want to go back to her."

"We'll see about that." Rachel stood, grinning. She held a piece of paper out. "An invitation for you."

Niki furrowed her brows and took the paper. Rachel turned and left then, striding confidently down the sidewalk until she disappeared. Niki stared after her, puzzled. She almost forgot about the paper in her confusion. She opened it cautiously, unsure what to find.

‘Niki, you are invited to dinner at the Grand Park at exactly 19:00 on the 31st. Dress semi-formal. Be dashing. We'll be waiting - RL.’

nIKI's stomach did a flip, but of course, the 'RL' stood for Rachel Lee so the invitation must have came from her. For some twisted reason, she was kind of hoping it was from Louise instead.

***

Louise hated going home. Her only consolation were the dogs, but even they seemed sad and unsure. Niki had always been their favourite, and since she couldn't take them with, they'd had to stay. The house felt almost too empty with all of Niki's stuff gone. Whatever remained just reminded Lou of her parents' money, and that was enough to sour her mood immediately. Niki took up so much presence. Without her there, the house felt way bigger and vacant than it was.

Lou was in her study. It was almost ten at night, and she was pouring over staff forms and CVs. Since her father didn't want to do this, it was up to her. As much as she usually hated it, it was at least something to take her mind off of the blaring silence and emptiness around her.

The dogs started to bark. Lou heard the sound of their nails scraping on the wooden floor as they all ran towards the front door. They were not barking in joy, though, so she stood in alarm and cautiously made her way to the door. In one of the dog's mouth was an envelope, and Lou quickly retrieved it before it could be swallowed. Was it shoved under the door?

"What is this?" she asked out loud, crouched low and scratching the dogs behind their ears. She managed to open the envelope one handed, and read the contents within.

'You have been eagerly invited to a lovely dinner at Grand Pink, 19:00 sharp. Wear a lovely dress, not too formal, but not too sexy either. We'll be waiting - RL.'

Louise furrowed her brows. The date was for the 31st, and there were no other instructions. Why the hell had this been delivered so late, though? The dogs had been sleeping a moment ago. She sighed in resignation and stood to head into the lounge. She had made a fire at the fireplace and settled the dogs' beds nearby for warmth. The room was dim, but there was enough light to easily see where she was walking. All three dogs immediately settled back on their bed, and then they stared up at her, innocent eyes wide and expectant.

"What?" she asked them. They didn't respond, of course, but Scar's tail started to lazily thump. Spot released a soft whine. "Oh, fine."

She grabbed her lounge blanket and curled up in the carpet beside them. All three wiggled over to her, licking her neck and hands and whining softly in joy. When they finally relaxed, they were all cuddled together on top of Lou's chest. The blanket was wrapped around them. They fell asleep almost immediately.

Louise stared up at the ceiling. The soft crackling from the fire, the dim light and the sensation of warmth and affection from the dogs made her anxiety and unease completely melt away. She gently stroked Fluffy's soft fur, realizing that like this, the emptiness didn't bother her that much.

God, their names are awful, she thought to herself, laughing out loud. Niki should have never been in charge of naming the dogs.