commerce

noun

1. the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale

2. (dated) social dealings between people

Dressed in a pair of charcoal collot pants with a bodysuit under a creamy crochet knitted crop top, I managed to make it into the car before nine thirty. I was alone today, no assistants, no drivers. I was driving myself. I have my license, and as you've probably figured out from being run over by my own car in my past 'timeline', I have driven myself around a lot. I can drive and I can drive well. But I hate it. It was something that I noticed that I avoided a lot lately, either from laziness or from fear of hurting or getting hurt in possible accidents or something, I wasn't sure. Probably all of the above. So that is why I am now forcing myself to get used to driving again.

Because, you never know when horrible bad habits become life threatening.

I arrived safely at Posh Mall just as Teresa's text arrived asking where I was situated. I found a park, got out and locked the Jeap up, then made my way into the mall.

"I need coffee, a bagel, then pumpkin pie with spiced cream and a blueberry biscuit." Teresa took a hold of my arm, almost scared the bejeezes out of me. I patted my chest to calm my beating heart down as Carlie took a hold of my other arm.

"Coffee and mocha cake, should be somewhere in this big old mall that serves pumpkin pie at this time of the year." Carlie followed Teresa's habit of including me in their conversation half way through without any greetings or salutations. I gave myself a mental shrug, smiled and joined in.

"Random fact. Did you know that neenish tarts were first made in Australia in the early 1900s? Will your coffee and pumpkin pie shop sell neenish tarts?" I asked with a wide smile, holding onto both the twins arms as I directed them to an escalator in the middle of the mall. We rose on the moving stairs as I explained what neenish tarts were.

"No, seriously? How come I've never heard of these neenish tarts? I love lemon flavoured cream and chocolate." Carlie took a hold of the arm-train and began pulling us up moving stairs. "Quickly, I want to see these tarts."

The coffee shop that the twins were originally wanted to go to didn't sell pumpkin pies, nor neenish tarts so we diverted our hunt for lemoney and spiced goodies towards a little used cafe in the corner of a block of sports goods shops and footwear. It sold coffee, lemon honey tea, mocha, pies, tarts and much more. It served all of our various needs.

I loved spending time with Teresa and Carlie. We chatted while we ate and drank. They updated me on their plans to move to Australia in the new school year to be with their father. Their mum had just started a new relationship and it sounded like it was becoming awkward for everyone involved. The twins were keen for a fresh start with their father. Both the twins bragged about what their father had managed to build for himself since their parent's divorce many years ago. I think they were looking forward to the new beginnings in a new place with their father's power and influence.

Thinking back to my own rebirth, I could totally understand exactly how they felt.

"So, how's university? How is your apartment and your new, ah... cafe?" Teresa moved the conversation towards me and my happenings.

"Tea house, and yes, I'm super busy." I replied, as I finished up my lemon honey tea.

"Yeah, just a little!" Carlie rolled her eyes at me.

"Hey, no fair. I've been planning on taking over the world since kindergarten. This is just the next step in my plans for world domination." I remarked with exaggeration.

"No reverse harem plans, I hope." Teresa murmured.

"What? No!" I giggled. "I don't even have a boyfriend, let alone multiple. That's just gross."

"What about that guy, Grant? I've seen you with him many times."

"He swings for the other team, remember." I commented as they both nodded remembering him at my birthday party.

"Why are all the handsome ones always turn out either jerks or gay." Carlie sighed.

"Not every gorgeous guy out there is a jerk or gay." Teresa defended the more masculine gender.

"Oh, really?" Carlie remarked, glaring at her twin sister and I could tell that there was a story in that comment.

"OK, he was a jerk, but he was a nice jerk." Teresa defended this unknown jerk.

"Yes, he was a nice jerk." Carlie agreed with her, nodding.

"Who was it? Do I know him? Was he from school?" I asked rapid point questions, demanded answers.

"Don't gossip, Lily. It doesn't become you," Teresa replied with a gentle slap to my arm.

"Her last boyfriend treated her so incredibly well but was two timing her with another girl from his youth group." Carlie clarified.

"Oh, that sucks." I nodded, and rubbed her arm in sympathy.

"Met any hot jerks lately, Lily?" Carlie's question caught me off guard and I blushed as I remembered the "hot jerk" that I'd literally fallen upon last Monday.

"Oh my goodness, she blushed? Who is it? Who are you crushing on?" Carlie sang in a sing-song voice and clapped her hands. Her excitement drew in the attention of almost everyone in the cafe.

"Hey, keep it down, Action Barbie." Teresa shushed her twin. Action Barbie? Yeah, I could totally see Carlie as the Action Barbie type. That would make Teresa a Dora the Explorer. I giggled as I realised that. It fitted them both so perfectly.

"Don't laugh, Lily." Carlie complained. "Stop calling me that. You know I hate it." She groused at her sister.

"Don't worry, you should totally be calling Teresa, Dora the Explorer. Either that or Nancy Drew." I smiled.

"Who is Nancy Drew?" "Who is Nancy Drew?" They both asked at the same time and I cracked up giggling all over again. After I explained who the fictional sleuth character was, they both started arguing over which name best suited Teresa with her penchant for journalism trouble making.

"So, you never explained who the hot jerk was." We'd finished eating and drinking and had left the cafe ten minute ago. I thought I had got out of explaining what or who had made me blush when they asked about hot jerks.

"Nobody. Just an inspector for my building that ended up getting the wrong idea. He is one of those super studious practical business types who comes across as a jerk because he is all timetable schedule and no friendliness. I accidentally bumped into him and fell on the ground. It's fine."

"Oh, accidentally bumped into him, aye?" Carlie giggled as she placed emphasis on my words.

"No, nothing like that. I am a client of his, or rather my building is. His sister is studying at the same university as I and I had an accident with a cafe waiting staff and glass went everywhere. I bumped into his table..." I did bump into his table, but I wasn't going to be telling them that I landed in his lap. "He overreacted and knocked me over and it was a bit messy. I think he thought I was trying to hit on him or chase him or something." I sighed as I remembered the whole event. It was awkward and embarrassing and I don't want to rehash it any more.

We spent two hours shopping and I bought a few gifts for my family and assistants. Then I asked Teresa and Carlie to follow me into a dress shop where we tried on cocktail dresses. I needed something for the show. These two are fraternal twins and don't look exactly alike. You can tell they are sisters, and by the way Carlie presents herself, you'd think Teresa was older. But the funny thing was that they both tried on exactly the same types of dresses and ended up with the same single shoulder dress with a wide waist band that ended at the knees. Teresa suited a deep plum with a slight shimmer in the material, whereas Carlie found the same dress in turquoise shot through with silver.

When they both came out to show off together, in the exact same dress, I giggled at their reactions as they got frustrated at their obvious twin moment. When they changed, I snuck away to the counter and asked the serving staff to wrap up the two plum and turquoise dresses and paid for them.

For myself, I found a little delicately pleated halter dress in a baby blue. The colour matched the colour of my eyes almost exactly. It wasn't the most beautiful dress I've ever come across, but it would be perfectly fine for the fashion show next weekend.

Tired, I huffed out a breath and parked my butt in a changing room seat as I watched the twin try on a few more dresses. It was Teresa that noticed my flagging energy and encouraged Carlie to finish up.

"Oh Baby! You look really tired." Carlie had changed back into her casual clothes and pulled Teresa and I out of the store.

"Yeah, I am about done." I said as I held out the many bags I managed to collect along the way. Teresa took a handle of a few of them for me and offered to help me carry them out to my car in the car park.

We loaded the new purchases into the back of my Jeap and closed them in. I turned to the twins, my friends and held out two boutique bags from the cocktail dress shop.

"This is for you, Teresa. And you, Carlie. Thank you for both being my friends and for being so amazing. I really appreciate you both. This is a little something that I hope you'll wear for me at my show next Saturday." I then pulled out two invitations to my show and handed them to each of them.

"Oh my goodness! I heard about this show, and really wanted to go, but it was booked or full or something." Carlie jumped a little on the tips of her toes in joy.

"Invitation only," Teresa clarified, then looked at me, with an eyebrow raised. "How did you get us an invitation, Lily?" She asked, her curious investigator journalist hat on.

"Its my show." I said plainly. "Crystal Pear lounge wear - it's my clothing line and if you'll check the location for the event, you'll notice it is at the Overmeyer Estate, Wallace and Mum's place."

"Holy crap, Lily!" Carlie shouted as Teresa's eyes widened. You could see she was thinking the exact thing, like Carlie was interpreting her inner thoughts. I laughed again, their twin moments coming in a lot more than they would have thought.

"You started a clothing line? Like, high end, dresses or something?"

"This is amazing! My friend is a fashion designer and she's only just turned eighteen!"

Both the girls were talking over each other, speaking at the same time. I held out my hands asking for a time out. Carlie pulled on my arm, demanded to know the details and Teresa looked like she wanted to pull out her phone to record the interview as I explained my silk loungewear.

It took another twenty minutes of explaining everything to them while we stood out in the open in the car park. When I wrapped it up, I had already begun to shiver, the cold wind having seeped through the delicate holes of my knitted crop top.

"Wow, that is just amazing, Lily. I am so proud to be your friend." Carlie beamed her megawatt smile.

"It is really admirable that you've managed so much with your life so far. You're only eighteen and you've already started on your first business." Teresa smiled.

"Nope - second business. Remember, her app?" Carlie reminded her sister. They both turned back to gawk at me again, their admiration bordering on stanning.

"OK, OK. It's time for me to head home. I'm cold standing out here and I still have to go sort out my assignments for next week." I air-kissed each of their cheeks and waved them goodbye, driving home in a happy mood. Spending time with my good friends was always a pick-me-up, but I was so glad to be spending time by myself for the rest of the afternoon.