Fire Ignites the Flame

Notes: All characters in this story are fictional, they are not based on any real person or event. Any resemblance to any real person or story is unintentional.

If you enjoy the story, let me know. I'm new at this (2nd story I've published) and will listen to your feedback before publishing other works. This is a slow build, so sit back and relax. Enjoy the story.

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Who the hell is calling me at this freakin hour of the night. I think to myself as I fumble around, my hand trying to locate my phone. The ringing of said phone blaring offensively. Finally, I locate the phone and grab it. "Hello." I mumble.

"Vicki, I need a favor." The voice on the other end greets me, sounding frightened.

"Polly, do you know what time it is? You woke me up." I grumble in response.

Polly continued on, "Vick, I need a place to crash. My place burned to the ground, there's nothing left." Her voice cracked and I could hear the tears forming as she gasped and began to cry.

"What? Oh, hell! Of course, of course. Sorry, do you need me to come get you?"

"No, my car is fine. I'll be there, 20 minutes?"

"Sure, I'll get things ready." I said, but the line was already dead. I wasn't sure she had heard me, but I rolled out of bed.

My adrenaline had kicked in as I got up. I looked at my phone - 3:17AM. Well, at least it was a Friday night, correction Saturday morning. I hurried to the guest room and got the bedroom ready. Untucking the bed, making sure the pillows were ready. Not knowing what she was bringing, I laid out some things in the bathroom - brushes, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, etc. The essentials.

It didn't take long, and my doorbell rang. Moving to the door, I unlocked it and opened it to see that Polly was standing there. She was a mess. It was obvious she had been crying. She had on a t-shirt and leggings. Besides her purse, she had nothing with her. Her hair, normally styled, was a mess - pulled back, unbrushed, you could see she had been sleeping and hadn't done anything with it. She was wearing no makeup, not that she needed any.

I moved to the side and let her in. "Polly, what the hell happened? What can I do?"

Polly moved into my place, saw the couch and dropped into its comfort. I made my way over, grabbing the blanket off the back of my side chair, opening it up and laying it over her as I took a seat next to her. I could tell she was in shock; her eyes were somewhat glazed over, and she had a slight tremble. She was fighting back the tears.

"Vick, I lost everything. Everything! I got out, but the whole thing went up in flames." She kept repeating. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and drew her into me, letting her feel that she was not alone, that someone was there for her. I let her get it out. She needed to cry, and I wasn't going to stop her.

Polly was probably my closest friend. We had met my first day at work, she was a couple of years older than me. I had been right out of college, wide eyed and ready to take on the world. She was a little more seasoned in the real world, having worked for a couple of years. I had graduated with a degree in data analytics. The department I worked for, worked very closely with the Marketing department, where Polly worked. We analyzed trends, client engagement. We scooped up all the data we could from sources both inside and outside the company and created analytics used by many areas of the company, but by Marketing in particular as they aligned our company message to our sales organization. Creating campaigns to target current and new customers with our products.

From day 1, our friendship just worked. We were somewhat opposites, both physically and in the way that we viewed life.

Polly was 5'2" and weighed a whopping 90lbs - soaking wet. She was petite, growing up she had danced. And she still had a dancer's body. Strong, yet supple legs. For her body size, she had a tiny yet lovely figure 33-22-31 with absolutely gorgeous B cups that fit her doll like body. Her golden blonde hair normally cascaded down her back in gorgeous waves with loose curls at the ends. Her eyebrows were of the same golden blonde hair and could be lost in the right light. Her blue eyes were piercing yet glittered with little sparkles in the right light. Her lips were full, like pillows on her tiny little face. Lifting off her face, ready to be licked and kissed. Her skin was usually tanned, not too deep of a tan, but enough to give her skin some definition. Guys flocked to her when she entered a room.

I on the other hand looked like a freaking giant next to my friend. I stood 5'9" and weighed 110lbs. I had also been athletic growing up, playing volleyball. My long legs were defined, feminine, but strong. I loved my figure and had been complimented by many men over the years. My 33-23-37 frame had the right curves. My only complaint about my body was my cup size, B's. I would have preferred C's or D's even, but nature had not gifted me with a big chest. I have brown hair that is normally straight, and I also wear it down to my waist. Most days, I throw it in a ponytail, but on special occasions, I'll curl it. My boyfriends have told me more than once, they prefer the loose curls that I style it in. My brown eyes match my hair and have little flecks of gold in them. My lips are not as full as Polly's' lips, but I've never had any complaints. I was also blessed with dimples on both cheeks. I was of Italian descent and had naturally dark skin that went to a much richer brown when exposed to the summer sun.

Polly was outgoing, I mean really outgoing. She would walk into a room and talk with everyone. Introducing herself if she didn't know the person. She loved a crowd, loved mixing with people and talking about herself, life and finding ways to get people to laugh. Her own laugh was infectious, a light laugh that drew people into her.

I, on the other hand, was more private. I could do crowds but preferred to sit on the edge and not dive into the middle. I also didn't feel a need to mingle. If I knew someone, I would make the effort to talk with them, but I didn't go out of my way to introduce myself to people. Polly had fun with that, as she would find ways to drag me into the crowd and introduce me to others. I think down deep she enjoyed pushing me to open up.

Right now, I just needed to be there for my friend. Her world was crashing in around her and she needed comfort.

Slowly she stopped crying and sat there, her head on my shoulder. "What am I going to do, Vick?"

"We'll talk in the morning and figure things out. My place is your place. Until you are able to move back or find a new place, you don't need to worry about it. We'll figure the rest out tomorrow. Right now, let's get you to bed."

I took her by her hand and guided her to the guest room. I got her to lay down on the bed and laid next to her until I heard her breathing shift into sleep mode. I then rolled out of her bed and quietly made my way back to my bedroom, It didn't take me long to fall back to sleep.

I woke late Saturday morning, after being woken in the middle of the night and staying up for several hours, my body had needed some slumber time. Amazingly enough, I felt pretty refreshed. Usually, if I'm woken in the middle of the night, I wake up grumpy, but for some reason I felt good today. As I rolled out of bed, I looked across the hall and could see Polly still asleep. It didn't take much of my imagination to realize that she was probably wiped out - emotionally as well as physically.

I made my way to my bathroom, I needed to pee something fierce. Taking care of my morning business. I then washed the sleep from my eyes and pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail. I then made my way to the kitchen, deciding to make some comfort food for my friend.

As I was making the stuffed crepes, Polly came into the kitchen. "Morning, Vick. Is that for me?"

"Well, it is for both of us." I laughed. "Take a seat and grab some orange juice. These will be done momentarily."

Polly began filling her plate, crepes, strawberries, powdered sugar and whip cream. "Well, best as I can figure, the condo next to mine somehow started on fire. By the time the fire department got there, it was too late. All four units were engulfed in flames. I barely had time to throw on my leggings and get out of the building. I don't think there is anything left. Luckily, I had been shuffling some things around in the garage and decided to leave my car out in the parking lot, or it would have been up in flames with the condo. I need to drive by today, but I don't think there will be anything left."

"We'll go together. Then we'll stop out at the mall and get you some clothes and all the stuff a girl needs to live."

"Vick, I'm not sure I have money for all of that. I've got some money in the bank, but not a lot. I don't get paid what you get paid. It's going to take time for the insurance to be approved and for me to get money."

"Polly don't sweat it. Besides making a good living from what I do, I've got more than enough money to get you up and going."

"I can't do that to you, I don't expect you to do that."

"If it makes you feel better, you can pay me back when you get the insurance money. But I've got a large trust fund that I've never tapped into - outside of getting this place. It's time I spent some of that money and I can't think of a better reason to spend it. My home is your home for as long as you need. And we'll get you setup with clothes and all the essentials."

"I know your family has money, but I don't expect you to do this, Vick. This is way more than you need to do, I'll figure something out. If all else fails, I can put it on my cards."

"No, and hell no. You're my best friend. If I can't spend money in a situation like this, then what the hell do I have the money for in the first place."

"Are you sure?" Polly asked, and her face had an almost embarrassed, yet relieved look on it.

"Yes, Polly, I'm sure. I'm not taking no for an answer and you are not going into debt because your place burned to the ground."

After convincing her that I would help her out, we finished breakfast. We then got ready to head out. We both showered, and I let her use my makeup. I kept my clothes low key, knowing she didn't have anything to change into and not wanting her to feel bad about the situation. I gave her a fresh top, the shirt being a little long didn't matter as it fell over her leggings.

We grabbed my SUV and drove over to her place. It was a mess. We pulled up in-front of what used to be her condo and got out. We couldn't get close to the building, but it was heartbreaking to see what remained. Or should I say, what little remained. There were a few charred studs here and there, but the building was literally burned down to the concrete pad. Polly wept again; her belongings were all gone. I wrapped my arms around her and held her as she cried.

After a while, she let up and I looked into her blue eyes, wiping away tears. "Polly, I know this is a lot to take in, but know that I'm here for you. You've got a friend to lean on and help you out."

She lifted the edges of her lips into a slight smile. "I'm not sure what I did to deserve you as a friend, but thanks, Vick, I appreciate you being here for me."

"No worries, let's go get you some clothes."

With that, we got back in the car and headed out to the mall to do some serious shopping. She was going to need everything, and we had most of the day to do it.

As we made our way from store to store, Polly's smile returned and she began to laugh a little along the way. We spent the day purchasing everything from underwear and bras, lingerie, to leisure clothes, dresses and office essentials. The shoe store took a hit as we purchased several pairs of shoes, from tennis shoes, casual, boots, dress and evening shoes. I also ended up getting a few pairs. We cleaned out the jewelry store, getting her earrings, bracelets, chains, necklaces and other items. We also purchased blow dryers, combs, brushes, curling irons and everything in between. It was a full-blown day of indulging Polly to ensure she had everything she needed and to give her some comfort after losing everything she had. I of course picked up a few things along the way. My little SUV was stuffed by the end of the day. But Polly had a huge smile on her face, and for me, that was worth it. My friend was in need and I'd been able to step in and help her out.

Needless to say, after spending all day at the mall shopping. We were both worn out. I made the executive decision to order in Italian. And Polly made no effort to argue with me. I placed an order with my favorite restaurant. Salads, fried lasagna for the appetizers, Italian meatballs and penne pasta swimming in red sauce as the entree and creme brûlée for dessert. A meal fit for tired queens! I paired it with a light Italian red rosso wine from my small stock.

We were both pretty beat that night and it didn't take long after dinner for the two of us to call it a night. Making our way to our respective beds, we both crashed. I knew I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow. I doubt Polly had much trouble finding sleep.

The next morning, I threw on some jogging shorts and a tee, sans bra, before making my way to the kitchen. I love cooking, so was going to whip up some breakfast for myself and my guest. Mentally, it was tough to cook when it was just myself. With Polly here, my talents were going to be put to good use. I threw some music on and began putzing around the kitchen, pulling ingredients and beginning to make breakfast. I had decided on a semi-healthy breakfast casserole filled with lots of veggies. I also brewed myself some coffee as I worked away in the kitchen.

About midway thru, Polly entered. She was dressed in her sleep attire - a tee and just her panties. Her hair was tossed and messy but gave her an 'oh so cute look' for just waking. She made her way to the coffee pot without saying a word, poured a cup and began to sip. I had to admit, she had a nice ass. My bet is you could bounce a quarter off of that cute little bubble butt. Once she had her hit, she turned to me. "I could get used to this! If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to sweep me off my feet - spending all that money on me, cooking for me. You do know your way to a girl's heart apparently."

The smirk on her face and the twinkle in her eye was infectious and a smile began to sweep across my face.

"You know, I don't do this for just any girl", I laughed. "But for you, I'll make an exception!"

"Oh, how sweet for you!"

"Turning to more serious matters. You need to fill out the info for the insurance claim. I know you called them yesterday, but don't put off getting on their web site and getting it done. Insurance companies are typically a pain in the ass, and I can't imagine this is going to be easy. They'll have to wait for the police report, and anything found by the fire department. They're also going to have to file their own suit against whoever is covering the losses for the unit that started the whole thing going up in smoke. I'm sure you'll get your check before they deal with the other company, but the sooner you submit the claim the better off you'll be."

"Yes, Mom", she teased. "I'll need to use your computer, if that's ok. It'd be easier than trying to do it all from my phone."

"Sure, I'm not using it for anything today. So, it's all yours."

We continued to chat while I finished making breakfast. When it was done, Polly threw on some yoga shorts and we went out onto the deck and ate with the sun rising into the sky. We continued our chat as we ate and enjoyed the warming temperatures.

After cleaning up the kitchen. We both got ready and started the day. Polly was busy documenting all the stuff she had lost, there was no way the insurance was going to cover everything. She had renter's insurance with a deductible and limits on losses paid out. I could see her getting frustrated and had her walk me thru the good, the bad and ugly of what she thought was going to play out. Bottom line, this was going to hurt her financially. While she had a decent paying job, it was enough to pay her bills and have a little fun. It didn't allow her to save a whole lot of money each month. My assistance had helped, but the small savings she had was going to be wiped out and she was probably going to go into debt getting an apartment, furnishing it and getting all the things necessary to live alone. Pots, pans, dishes, furniture - you know the stuff. She was getting overwhelmed.

"Polly, why don't you just stay with me instead of going out and looking for a new place to live?" I finally interjected after listening to her. "I have the space, we enjoy being around each other. There is no need for you to wipe out your savings just to prove you can live alone. You've already done that. The world knows that you're capable."

"I'm not sure of that Vicki, I don't want to impose on you. That's not right, me taking advantage of you and living off your generosity."

"Ok, how about this, you pay me a small rent and we figure out how to split some of the costs around here. That way you are contributing to the living situation and you end up being able to live more comfortably than when you were living alone. You'll have a little more spending money and some of my monthly expenses get cut a little. We both end up winning." She wasn't the only one that knew how to market an idea! "Besides, with you around, you can liven up my social life. You know I'm not as outgoing as you are."

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea. It would have to be fair, I don't want to feel like a mooch. This has to be a real agreement."

"Sounds like we are on the way to a deal. How about we work out the general outlines over the next couple of weeks and we can put it into place beginning next month?"

"Deal. This is not the way I envisioned living but living with you is going to take a lot of pressure off of me. As I was working thru the details of my finances, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to work everything out. Month to month I can make it but having to come up with another deposit and then having to purchase everything all over was going to put a serious crimp in my bank account. And I hate being in debt - I'm used to paying off my credit card every month, I did not want to have to start carrying a balance."

We continued to chat and began to plan on the new living arrangements we were going to abide by. What the split in various monthly bills was going to be, what the rules around the house were going to be. It was all amicable with very few things requiring any serious conversation - the biggest being rent. I was not going to charge her anything near what she'd been paying. For all intents and purposes, she was renting a room from me. Everything else was already paid for. I didn't see the need to gouge her for money that I didn't need. We agreed on a price that was a quarter of what she'd been paying. She put up quite the fight, but in the end she saw my logic and gave in. With that, she should have enough money left at the end of each month to save and build up her bank account.

Over the next several months, life was good for both Polly and me. We both dated guys, but there was nothing serious. We began driving to work together. Most days we continued to eat together for lunch. I would make our nightly meals with Polly's help. In fact, she was learning more about cooking. On the weekends, if we weren't dating, we would hit the night scene together. Polly knew all the best places and of course knew everyone. She was able to get into the most exclusive clubs and bars, with me tagging along.

Polly upped my game, by slowly changing my fashion style. While I had dressed well, she knew the latest trends and I began to put more thought into my style choices. I could still be somewhat conservative but could look incredible doing it. Polly had always had a high sense of fashion, not pushing the boundaries by using her money wisely and purchasing key items that always flattered her.