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Water swished around her feet as she danced. Rain drops dragged her clothes down as she twirled and dipped. Her smile was growing ever so slightly.
Marley loved when it rained. It gave her a sense of freedom, as if all her troubles were melting away, carried by the flow of water into the ground. She enjoyed the feel of the water between her toes that had settled on the pavement.
There was no music but the rain came with it's own rhythm. She panted breathless as her piece came to an end, heart beating fast in her chest. The sound of a faint clapping was heard alerting her of a spectator.
Blushing she looked around. She had chosen the most secluded part of the garden to express herself. Her eyes landed on a familiar older man.
"Hello Mr. Norman." Marley said, her smile shy. Embarrassment painted her features for an unknown reason. She had known the man most of her life. The older man was a guest of her father's and also his best friend.
He was more approachable then her own father. Smiling at her, laugh lines crinkled in his face he was the kindest person she knew, that was the main thing that brought persons to him.
At seventy five the man seemed younger. His black hair only faintly dusted with grays and his broad shoulders setting him out to look maybe forty. "I would offer an umbrella but you have no use for it." He said.
"I suppose you are right." She said with a shrug. The rain was drizzling now. Wiping wet hairs from her face she went to sit on the bench in the middle of the maze.
"Dad sent you?" She asked. Her father wasn't much for socializing. He would always leave important conversations up to her mom. The social butterfly her mother was.
Marley didn't see how they had ended up together. They were polar opposites, her mother outgoing and craving excitement while her father dark and brooding.
"I believe his words were 'give her an umbrella." Mr Norman said taking a seat next to her. "Is the entire gang in there?" She was familiar with his family.
His children were practically raised with her and her brother. Being the best friends their parents were most activities involved persons of both families mingling.
Jacob was Mr. Norman's son and Marley's first enemy. He was a real pain in the ass when they were growing up. Regardless of that fact they had grown up close. He was a year older than her.
"Yes, everyone's here and waiting for you to come in." Mr Norman said thinking of just how much his son claimed to hate Marley and vice versa. A smile warmed his features as he made a gesture of going back to the house.
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Marley took a warm shower and dried her hair. She dressed in a navy blue skirt paired with a crisp white blouse. Heels were a no go for her so she went with flats.
Looking herself over in the mirror she was somewhat satisfied. Pulling her hair into a bun she left for downstairs where dinner was just about ready.
It was tradition for her family and the Normans to have dinner every Sunday. Walking into the dining room she took a seat next to Clara, Jacob's younger sister and looked around the room.
Mrs. Norman was there, Jacob, Clara, Susan the eldest Norman sibling as well as her husband Mark. Her parents had taken a liking to the blond fellow quicker than Susan had initially expected.
It was like he was already family. Ian, Marley's brother sat indulging in his plate. He was much like their father, very closed off but thankfully very sweet to his younger sister.
Marley's mother was already chatting up Mr Norman about a fundraiser she was hoping to have. At the head of the table and uninterested in the talks was Gary Smith.
Marley's father was a strong looking man. His black hair trimmed around strong looking jaws. His eyes were set as if he was squinting to see something microscopic.
Dinner was served and Marley made sure to keep her eyes on her plate and her ears out of the conversations. That was until the devil opened his trap to speak.
"So tell us Marley still no man in your life?" Jacob teased. Raising her eyes to meet his across the table she contemplated answering. She could lie and watch it all blow up in his face but it was really too much work.
"No." She said and ran her eyes over him. He looked like his father. Same dark hair, hazel eyes, broad shoulders. He had bulging muscles however and a sexy grin that would make weaker women weep.
Just the way the man carried himself was sexy. But then he would open his mouth. Marley thought of the other things his mouth could do besides annoy her.
"Why not dear?" Her mother joined in on the conversation and Marley sighed redirecting her attention to her food. "Mom I assure you when I find the man I want to marry and have a netball court of children with you will be the first to know."
She heard as Jacob choked, serves him right. Irritated, she attacked her food and was lucky enough not to be asked anymore questions for the rest of the night.
Stuffing clothes into her bag she got ready to leave her parent's house. It was 7pm and she was tired. She had to get home and sleep for her day tomorrow.
A knock came from the door and she turned to see Carla walk in. She was twenty years old and stunningly beautiful. There was no denying that her family had all good genes.
"Sup?" Carla asked as she plopped down on Marley's bed. This was Marley's room for when she stayed over at her parent's place. "Oh not much girlfriend just living the dream." Marley answered sarcastically.
A yawn escaped Carla's mouth before she could cover it. She tossed her curly hair back and smiled up at her friend. "I bet." She whispered looking at all the clothes Marley was packing.
"So a couple of my friends and I" Carla started to say but was cut off by Marley. "Not interested." She deadpanned. She didn't have to know what it was, when Carla's sentences started with those words she knew better than to entertain her.
"Oh come on it will be fun." Carla pleaded and Marley snorted. "Like the time you guys thought it was a good idea to paint fight with buckets of paint?" She asked "I had orange hair for two weeks." She said residual anger resurfacing, she was not over it regardless of the fact that it happened three months ago.
"You have to admit that was funny." Carla said laughing a little at the memory. She didn't miss the small smile on Marley's face either. "Right." Marley said zipping her bag closed.
"What about the time you thought it was cool to go skinny dipping in a random strangers pool? If I remember correctly we were arrested in various states of undress." Marley said putting her bag over her shoulder.
"I admit we have gone through some stuff." Carla said following Marley out the room and down the stairs. "But I promise we are only going to get drinks at this new club and chill, it will be fun." She said her lip pouted out and she clasped her hands together in a plead. Marley shook her head.
"I will think about it." Before Marley could get to the front door a voice stopped her. "Just leave her be Carla she wouldn't know fun if it slapped her in the face." Jacob said coming out of a hallway.
"I wish I could slap you in the face." Marley said and opened the front door. Turning back she smiled at Carla "Call me." She said and watched as Carla eagerly nodded.
The drive back to Marley's apartment was short. She flicked her lights on closing the door behind her. Dropping her bag by the door she turned to enter the kitchen but something caught her eye.
There in her living room was someone she hadn't seen in all of six months. "Scarlet?"
