<i>Little Vicky. </i>The name elicited a small grin across her lips and thousands of memories pooled into her mind. The three of them being stuffed into the backseat of the car on beach trips with her mother in the driver's seat, when he was invited on their family camping trip down at the lagoon, tagging along with her parents to watch sporting games when they'd just so happened to be on the same team. Thomas and Victor truly were childhood best friends -- they were inseparable.<br/><br/>Although the nickname Thomas re-introduced his friend with amused her, Layla connected an elbow to her brother's ribs, noting Victor's slight discomfort. Her brother always liked to torment others -- her parents, herself, his friends, his colleagues -- even his fiancee. It was his way of showing his love.<br/><br/>"Hey Vic, it's great to see you again... although it has been some time," blue eyes flickered over to the tall man once again, "You certainly have changed a lot since I last saw you."<br/><br/>Once again, Layla couldn't help but keep her eyes from wandering over his frame, studying him, almost. He had become taller, filled out and had a rough edge to him -- he was no longer the lanky teen she remembered. His pale green eyes remained familiar, unchanged with that same sense of mystery and allure.<br/><br/>The woman reached in for a quick hug, planting a greeting kiss on his left cheek. Warmth radiated from her, before she stepped aside to allow the men to enter her home. "I'm great, thanks for asking. I definitely don't mind at all, I always make extra for a reason." A cheeky smile curved at her lips as she glanced at Thomas to deliver a wink. Her brother wouldn't be getting any leftovers today, that was for sure.<br/><br/>Bubbles of excitement drifted through her as she welcomed Thomas and Victor into her home, quietly closing the door behind them. Beyond the foyer was the open plan kitchen dining room, with a simple, linen table cloth splayed over the heavy wooden table. Two sets of cutlery, napkins and placemats decorated the table. "Have a seat, I'll grab some more," Layla ordered, quickly gathering another set of items. She continued to set the table with coffee mugs, a pot of brewed coffee, sugar and milk before placing each plate of breakfast in front of her awaiting guests.<br/><br/>Thomas always sat at the head of the table -- it had become a running joke. Layla decided to sit directly across from Victor, delivering a genuine smile to the both of them. "Thanks for coming Vic, it's a nice surprise," she murmured, "You're welcome anytime."<br/><br/>She enjoyed company, enjoyed being around people who radiated positivity and people who were far from the world of work she often delved into. Just as much as she loved company, she loved hosting, cooking for people and showing her love through food.<br/><br/>"So, my dear brother, when is Tiffany coming home? She won't be away for too much longer will she?" Layla queried, pouring herself a cup of coffee, sprinkling in a single sugar. The fork connected with one of the boiled eggs sitting prettily on her plate, garnished with sesame seeds, before hooking it into her mouth. As much as she loved Tiffany and wanted her to come home, it was great to see Thomas on a more frequent basis. Layla was almost anticipating missing her brother if they were to go back to fortnightly visits.<br/><br/>"And Vic, what's been happening with you all these years?" she grinned, "I'm sure there's a<i>lot </i>to catch up on. Do you live around here?" The woman had never bumped into him locally or through work -- she'd be surprised if he lived locally. Then again, she was often working, her judgement wasn't to be the most reliable. Although, if he did live locally, she would have been surprised that Thomas never mentioned it.<br/><br/>Soft blue eyes lifted to meet Victor's as she fed herself another mouthful of the delicious food. Another memory drifted through her mind -- one of when they were significantly younger, on their camp trip at the lagoon. Playing hide and seek at night with Thomas, Victor and a mass of other kids from camp. On her way back to base, she'd tripped and grazed her knee and elbow. Victor must've seen and had asked some of the closest campers for a couple of bandaids from their first aid kit, quickly patching her up. It was innocent and extremely sweet, an act of kindness she didn't expect, nor for see. After all, he was Thomas's best friend -- they didn't have much to do with each other aside from association.<br/><br/>Fondly smiling, Layla glanced between Thomas and Victor, awaiting their responses to her question, or comments of approval of the food she had made them. She knew Thomas would have probably preferred a stack of pancakes, drowned in maple syrup, but the man needed some vitamins in his diet.