"We're fine!"

"So I've heard! Well done on your business project!"
"Thank you! Who did you hear about it from?"
"Everybody! You sure are on everybody's lips at the moment!"
"...I hope that's a good thing!" *laughter*

She had build herself a name. Finally. She was recognised.
No more scrambling around and being underestimated, undermined.
She had done well. It was such a new concept to her. Refreshing.

So this is the new life? This is what success tastes like?

When she had finally revoked her control freak vice-like grips on her family, friends and business, it all seemed to be taking a turn for the better. Her shoulders knotted up a great deal less and she could afford smiles at passing glances to the strange people on her street.

Life could be a dream, shaboom!

-And such was the superficial incident on passing she had with most of the people she didn't know (and didn't care to) in her neighbourhood. They were nearly all the same, as shallow and unsatisfying as the paddling end of the baby's pool. Plus she had learnt and now knew better than to squander her moments of victory on the unempathetic leeches of strange people on her street.