New Years Eve

[Eve]

Grace practically folded into her, and Eve held her gently. Her friend had always been tactile, and yet she immediately felt something was amiss. When Grace let go, Eve continued to grasp her hands in warmth and solidarity. Concern pinched the edges of her eyes, but she listened patiently as the quandary rushed out. With some relief she realised that, despite Grace’s clear desperation, this was a problem which could be solved easily. Eve’s privilege of birth was often courted by others, and she was quite aware of it – in some respects she was completely her father’s daughter, both shrewd and ruthless in necessity. But this was not that, even though Grace seemed quite miserable to ask – as though she might be thinking she was a burden and not a valued friendship. Friends helped friends even when there was nothing to gain. It wasn’t something Eve even paused to think about.

“Of course,” she said, simply and with a small touch of surprise. A private jet was little different than a chauffeured car to her, and while she would need to make some phonecalls on route to Teterboro (in light of the border closure) it was hardly an imposition. She turned, let go of Grace’s hands, and slipped her arm through hers instead. A brief moment of eye-contact with the driver let him know to come and collect Grace’s suitcase. Eve might have spent longer on the moment, in reassurance and curiosity at Grace’s close-held plans for her future, but they were cutting it fine as it was, and they had plenty of time for such things during the nine hour flight.

“Just so you know I’m travelling with a dear friend, her name is Daphne,” she said softly as they walked back to the car. “She has had some unfortunate news of a private nature, so please do not take it personally if she is quiet. She may need some space and time.” She squeezed Grace’s arm companionably. Truthfully, Daphne was so good at shielding her inner self that she imagined she would be perfectly composed, but many took unkindly to her aloof manner at the best of times. Grace was generally intuitive as a person, though, so she was sure there would be no friction.

Soon, they would all be in Moscow.

[[Feel free to use this post as a tie-up if you wish to move on ]]