True Gossip

"Corey!" Anh called.

The woman looked at her and smiled. "Welcome back, love." She approached them and placed a kiss on Anh's cheek. "Sorry, it took me a while to iron out things at the bargain hall. Hello, Marnthe! And this must be..?"

"Geale," Anh answered, grinning playfully at Marnthe. "He's staying and working at the beach house."

"How nice! I'm happy for you, Marnthe."

"Thank you?"

"Welcome to the island, Geale. It's your first time here, isn't it? Are you also from Marnthe's mother's hometown? " Corey asked.

"Yes, we're from the same world," Geale answered. He felt Marnthe's elbow nudge his side. "I mean neighborhood."

"That makes sense," muttered someone in the group of workers behind them.

"You think they've been in touch all this time?"

"It would be weird if they just met and decided to shack up."

Geale turned around, catching three men whispering to each other behind them.