A/N: Data here, with my latest chapter. I hope everyone's been enjoying the story... and a big round of applause for my talented co-writer, Miss V! :)
CHAPTER NINE
Clive Gerada stared at his younger sister Martina for a long moment, noticing the conflicting emotions in her expression. Then he reached out and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Something's bothering you," he said. It wasn't a question. Martina nodded slowly.
"Y-yes," she managed. "You have to promise not to tell mum and dad, though! They'd never understand!" Clive frowned a little.
"Why wouldn't they understand, Tine?" he asked her carefully. Martina looked away.
"Do you remember my friend Vicky?" she asked quietly.
"I think I remember you mentioning her before," Clive replied. "What about her?" Martina swallowed.
"Clive, I… I think I have… feelings for her," Martina replied, her voice barely above a whisper. At first, Clive said nothing. Then he smiled.
"Does she feel the same way about you?" he asked simply.
"I don't know," Martina replied sadly. She finally found the courage to look at her older brother again. "You're not… upset?"
"Why would I be?" Clive replied warmly. "Martina, I don't pretend to understand exactly what you're going through, but… you're my sister. I just want you to be happy." He looked closely at his sister and smiled again.
"Do you think she'll make you happy?" he asked.
"She always has," Martina replied with a smile of her own. Then her smile faded. "Vicky doesn't even know how I feel about her, though. I… I've been too afraid to tell her."
"So that's why you've been so down lately," Clive reasoned. "You're afraid she won't feel the same." Martina nodded miserably.
"What if she doesn't like me the way I like her, Clive?" Martina asked her brother. "What if she freaks out, and doesn't ever want to talk to me again?!"
"I doubt she'd do that," Clive told her calmly. "If she's really your friend, she's not going to abandon you just because of how you feel."
"I hope you're right," Martina said sadly, "and you'd be okay if me and Vicky, y'know… were together?" she asked her older brother hesitantly.
"Would she put a smile back on your face?" he asked her in return. In her heart, Martina already knew the answer; just thinking about Vicky put a smile on her face.
"Yes," Martina answered with a grin. Clive smiled back.
"Then that's all I need to know."
Back in Malibu, Miley, Lilly and Vicky decided to take it easy and enjoy a peaceful day together. Lilly suggested they spend it at the beach – her favorite place – and Miley and Vicky happily agreed.
The three girls chose a small stretch of beach behind Miley's house to lay out and get a tan together, and just relax. Fortunately, Vicky had brought her bathing suit with her. As she walked timidly out of the Stewart house and onto the beach, Lilly gave a loud wolf whistle.
"Vicky, looking good!" she called out. Vicky blushed politely.
"Girl, if Martina could see you in that bikini, she'd be droolin' all over you!" Miley added.
"Stop that!" Vicky laughed. She was sure she had to be red from head to toe by now.
"You know we're only teasing," Miley said with a grin.
"You do look pretty hot though," Lilly said with a wink.
"All right, Lilly, leave her alone," Miley quipped playfully. "If Vicky gets any redder, she's not gonna have to worry about sunburn!"
"You two are bad!" Vicky laughed again. She laid out her beach towel and carefully stretched out on it.
"It's a good thing I love you two," Vicky continued. "I don't let just anyone tease me like that!" Miley and Lilly laughed as well.
"We love you too, Vicky," Miley said happily, reaching out to gently squeeze Vicky's hand.
"So Vicky, why did you want to know if Oliver was coming on our trip to the Alps?" Lilly asked.
"Well, he seemed to think some of my friends were pretty cute," Vicky answered with a smile. "I just wondered if I was gonna have to make him behave!"
"I don't think you'll have to worry," Miley said with a laugh. "He has a girlfriend now, and I doubt she'd let him out of her sight."
"Especially not to the other side of the world," Lilly agreed, grinning. "I'm pretty sure it's just gonna be the three of us… and your friends from Malta."
"You never tell us much about them," Miley remarked. "What are you friends like, Vicky?"
"Oh, they're wild and crazy, just like me!" Vicky replied, giggling. "Seriously though, they're all really great. I can't wait for you guys to meet them!"
"Hey, if they're your friends, I already know we'll like them," Miley said earnestly.
"Are you all really close?" Lilly asked. Vicky nodded.
"Yeah," she replied. "They're the best friends I've ever had. They've always been there for me when I needed them the most. Especially when my mom…" She stopped then, a lump growing in her throat.
"Hey, are you okay?" Miley asked, noticing the suddenly serious expression on Vicky's face.
"Oh, I'm fine," Vicky responded. "I was just thinking about my mom." When she saw the uncomfortable expressions on Miley and Lilly's faces, she decided she'd better explain further.
"It's okay, really," Vicky insisted. "You see, when I was about ten years old, my mom was… diagnosed with cancer.' She swallowed. "She beat it eventually, but for a while there it was really scary. I don't know what I would have done if my friends hadn't been there for me."
"I'm glad," Miley said quietly. Vicky frowned.
"Did I say something wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"Um…" Lilly stammered. She looked over at the woman she loved, who gently took her hand and nodded.
"It's all right, Lilly Bear. You can tell her."
"Tell me what?" Vicky asked, not understanding. Lilly took a deep breath.
"Vicky... Miley knows just how you feel. Her mom… died… when she was younger. That's part of the reason she and her family moved out here to California." Vicky's eyes grew wide.
"Oh my god! Miley, I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" she gasped. She threw her arms around Miley in a hug.
"It's all right, Vicky," Miley whispered, hugging Vicky back. "You didn't know."
"You must miss her so much," Vicky said softly, gently pulling away from the hug. Miley nodded.
"Yes I do," she admitted. "More than I could even put into words. I'm lucky, though; I have a great family, and a great friends, who remind me that every day is a gift." She looked over at Lilly and smiled.
"Not to mention a beautiful girl I love more and more every day," she said happily. Vicky smiled.
"Your mom would want you to be happy, Miley."
"I know she would, Vicky. Just like I know she's still here with me. Here," she pointed at the side of her head, "and here." She tapped her chest over her heart. She grinned as she felt Lilly hug her from behind.
"You want to add something to the conversation, Lils?" she asked jokingly.
"Just that I love you," Lilly said with a smile, "and I know your mom would be proud of you."
"Thanks, Lilly-Bear… I love you too." She turned around in Lilly's grasp and kissed her gently.
"So, how would my two favorite ladies like to join me for a swim?" Miley suggested with a smile.
"Thought you'd never ask!" Lilly quipped. "Come on, Vicky…last one to the water is a rotten egg!"
