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Chapter 970  GEL Club

"No phones allowed, Amy. Girls' time is girls' time," Andy announced when she caught Amy on her phone chatting with Lucas.

"Sorry," Amy said, flashing them an apologetic smile as she put away her phone.

"So, I've been thinking about something for a while now. Why don't we make this like a club?" Jade suggested, and all eyes turned to her.

"A club?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you mean our hangouts?" Candace, Amy, and Sonia asked at the same time.

"Yeah. I mean, this thing here," Jade said, gesturing at them all with her hand.

"Funny that the thought crossed my mind earlier," Aurora chipped in.

"It's more like a sisterhood thingy. Or should we call it a cult?" Andy asked with a grin, and they all laughed.

"I think it sounds like a brilliant idea…"

"Yes!" Andy clapped.

"Not the cult, Andy. I mean the club," Lucy corrected with a giggle.

"What kind of a club will it be?" Sonia asked excitedly, liking the idea of a club.

Jade shrugged, "A club for successful career-driven ladies. Every one of us here is successful in our various careers. We have a lawyer, a beautician, a yoga instructor, a fashionista, a writer, a Secretary, a lawyer in the making, and a musician. I think it would be fun to make this into something more."

"You mean, like an official girls' club?" Sonia asked, and Jade nodded.

"Yes. I'm talking about a proper, scheduled thing. No excuses."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You mean, like monthly?"

Jade nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly!"

"You seem to forget that we all don't live in Ludus," Candace said dryly.

"We don't always have to meet in Ludus. We could rotate locations and even travel together sometimes. But most importantly, it'd be our time, no matter what's going on in our lives," Jade said excitedly.

The idea seemed to settle over the group like a soft glow. Amy, who had been relatively quiet until now, looked around and nodded. "I like that idea. Life gets hectic, and it's easy to get caught up in everything and forget to take time for yourself. A set time for this... for us... sounds amazing."

"It does sound nice, but I don't think a monthly hangout will be feasible," Candace said, and Lucy nodded in agreement.

"What if it's quarterly?" Sharon suggested.

"I'm in," Aurora said, sipping her wine.

"Same here," Sonia added with a grin. "I need this."

"Sony, considering your state, I don't think you'd exactly be able to participate for a while after the baby comes," Lucy pointed out.

"That's true," Candace said, and Sonia scowled.

"You'll just have to make sure this whole club thing is baby-friendly. You shouldn't forget that my baby is going to be the leader of the baby club," Sonia said, and they all laughed.

"But I think we can make it more than just that too. We can also give back to society. We can educate and empower younger girls. Become role models and mentors to them," Lucy said, and Candace nodded.

"I'll like that. Especially the girls at the orphanage," Candace said, and Andy nodded, thinking about the younger ones they had left there.

Jade clapped her hands together, clearly excited by the prospect. "So, it's settled! We'll be the—" she paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully before lighting up. "The GEMS Club! Gorgeous, Empowered, Modern Sisters."

"Sounds like germs to me."

"That's cheesy!" Amy and Candace said simultaneously, and laughter rippled through the room.

"Why don't you come up with something better?" Jade fired back, and they all thought about it.

"What about GEL Club? Gorgeous Empowered Ladies?" Amy suggested.

"I think I like that," Jade said with a nod, and everyone agreed they preferred it.

Lucy raised her glass. "To the GEL Club. May we stick together, always. And may we be a light on the path of those coming after us."

Everyone raised their glasses in unison, toasting the new idea. The mood was light, yet an unspoken bond formed— a shared understanding that this had become more than just a casual hangout.

After agreeing to think more about it and all they planned to do to make it work, the conversation shifted to lighthearted gossip and then to deeper, more personal topics.

The wine had done its job, loosening tongues and encouraging laughter.

The group of friends laughed and shared stories— some humorous, others more heartfelt— about their lives, relationships, and dreams. At some point, Sharon pulled out a box of chocolates, and they all indulged without guilt.

"So, what would you girls say is your life-defining moment?" Sharon asked curiously. "I'll go first. Mine was losing my Mom."

Jade pursed her lips, "Mine would be attending my ex's funeral only to find out my scum ex had been cheating on me. Men are scum."

"Men are scum. Therefore, Harry is scum," Candace drawled.

"He's exempted. All our men are exempted. The others are scum," Jade said with a wink, and they all laughed.

"For me, it would be meeting Matt. I think that's the point at which things began to change slowly," Candace said with a small smile.

Lucy shrugged, "I suppose it can be more than one, right?" She asked, reflecting on how much her life had shifted. She had been more of a reserved person since her abduction, content in her routine, but Tom had brought out a side of her she hadn't realized existed, and she had gained sisters.

"The first for me would be my abduction. The second would be meeting Tom. Those are the two moments that have most defined my life."

Sonia nodded, "Mine would be the moment I chose to stick with Lucy instead of leaving with my Mom and stepfather."

Andy sighed, "I think mine would be the moment Jero decided to make money off me by giving me to the highest bidders." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Candace winced, and so did all the others. Andy laughed, "Loosen up, ladies. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"What about you two?" Sharon asked Amy and Aurora, who were yet to speak.

Amy shrugged, "I've been thinking. I can't exactly think about any particular moment," Amy admitted.

"Me too. Maybe it will be my wedding," Aurora said with a grin.

"Or the day I introduced you to Harry," Jade said dryly, making Aurora laugh.

The night continued with more banter and laughter, and more snacks went around. Soon, most of them curled up in front of Andy's massive TV, a trashy reality show playing in the background, though none of them were really watching. The real entertainment was the easy banter between them.

The atmosphere was easy and light, and when a classical rom-com started showing, Sonia turned to Lucy, "This guy reminds me of Tom. How's Tom?" Sonia asked with a teasing smile, glancing at Lucy over the rim of her juice glass.

Lucy grinned, shaking her head. "He's sweet, as always." She pulled out her phone and swiped to the pictures of Tom from earlier, dressed in her scarf and sunglasses. "Look what he did when I was getting ready to leave."

The girls crowded around the phone, bursts of laughter filling the room as they took in the sight of Tom's over-the-top 'Thomasina' performance.

"Oh my God, he really went all out," Candace said, tears of laughter in her eyes. "You should've brought him along. He would've been a hit!"

Andy nodded. "I can just picture it— Tom, sitting here with us, doing facemasks and gossiping. Honestly, I kind of like the idea."

"Right? He was so insistent," Lucy said, still chuckling. "He even tried to put on my makeup."

"He's a keeper," Aurora said with a smile. "Silly but sweet."

Lucy nodded, her heart warming at the thought of him. "Yeah, he is. I'm lucky to have him."

As the night deepened, the ladies moved on to facemasks, applying different colors and textures to their skin as they lounged in their pajamas.

"Okay, real talk now," Aurora suddenly said, her voice taking on a serious tone as she pulled her legs up under her. "What's the one thing you've learned about love that you wish you'd known earlier?"

Jade sighed deeply, "Aura, you are always talking about love," Jade said, making everyone laugh.

"What else do you expect her to talk about when she's getting married in less than forty-eight hours?" Sharon asked with amusement.

"It's my weekend. Humor me," Aurora said with a grin, and the question hung in the air for a moment, causing everyone to pause and think.

Sonia was the first to speak, leaning back with a sigh. "I think... for me, it's realizing that love isn't just about the butterflies. You can love someone and not feel that spark every day. It's about choosing them, even on the hard days," Sonia said, thinking about the earlier days of her pregnancy when she couldn't stand Bryan.

There were murmurs of agreement around the room, and Lucy nodded. Tom's playful antics and their constant closeness flashed in her mind. It was easy to get lost in the fun, but she knew their relationship had layers— deep ones.

Jade took a deep breath. "I used to think love was about grand gestures and passion, but lately, I've learned it's mostly in the little things. The way someone listens to you or makes you coffee the way you like it in the morning without being asked. It's the consistency."

Lucy smiled at that. Tom had a way of showing his love in small, thoughtful ways. He was always making sure she had everything she needed, even when she didn't realize she needed him to.

Amy smiled softly, thinking about Miley. "I learned that love doesn't mean you fix each other's problems. You just... hold space for each other. I used to think that if I couldn't solve someone's issues, I wasn't doing enough. But now, I realize that sometimes just being there is what counts."

Sharon, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke, "For me, I'd say I learned that you don't have to be in a romantic relationship with everyone you love. You need to first understand if what you feel is romantic or platonic love," she said with a shrug, thinking of her relationship with her baby daddy.

Candace sighed, "I learned that love isn't supposed to make you feel small. If you're with someone who diminishes you, that's not love." Her voice was soft, but there was a strength behind her words.

The room fell silent, each of them processing the weight of Candace's words. Lucy knew Candace's past wasn't something she discussed often, but her tone made it clear that she had experienced something painful. Lucy reached out and squeezed her hand, offering silent support.

Andy broke the silence with a sigh. "For me, I learned that we can't always choose who we love. Love just happens with or without our approval."

"What about you?" Aurora asked Lucy.

Lucy laughed softly, "Well, I've learned that love is more than just a word or a feeling. It's the reward of the hard work two people put into a relationship. It entails commitment, compromise, loyalty, respect, and all of that."

"That's my girl spitting some deep lines," Sonia said, and everyone laughed.

As the wine flowed and the conversation continued, the women felt a deeper sense of connection—like they were building something lasting.

Eventually, the night wound down. The wine glasses were empty, the snacks were reduced to crumbs, and the room was filled with a warm, comfortable silence. One by one, they began to drift off into sleep.

Lucy, her skin glowing from the mask and her body pleasantly tired from the wine and laughter, pulled out her phone one last time.

It was late—or rather, early. She smiled to herself when she saw a missed message from Tom. It was just a simple "Goodnight. Miss you," but it brought a smile to her face. She quickly typed a reply, "Miss you too. See you soon," before tucking her phone away with a contented sigh and settling into the couch.

As she closed her eyes, her mind drifted between the warmth of the evening with her friends and the thought of Tom waiting for her at home.

Lucy felt a deep sense of contentment. With a soft smile on her lips, Lucy closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.