Indira sat patiently at the café, sipping on her tea as she waited for her friend to show up. Since she'd been out of town for a few years, Indira was particularly eager to see this friend. They'd picked this spot because they always used to come to this café after school.

Now her friend just had to get there already. Indy tapped her fingernails on the table a few times, almost pouting.

Natalie strode into the cafe, her heels clicking on the floor and her purse over her shoulder as she glanced around for her friend. She took her expensive sunglasses off and slipped them into her bag as she spotted her friend and strode over to the table.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. "Traffic was a nightmare for some reason."

"No problem," Indy said with a grin. She was dressed nicely, not as expensively as Natalie though. "Fortunately for you, I'm patient." She grinned and motioned to the seat across from her.

"So how much has changed in the last few years?"

"Well, business has been booming," Natalie said as she sat down at the small table and set her bag down. She quickly flagged down a waitress and ordered a bubble tea. "It's nearly prom and wedding season again, everyone wants small enchantments for the big events. You would not believe how many pairs of glass slippers I've had to enchant this week. Dozens!"

Indira laughed. "Yeah, I can imagine." She grinned. "Although I distinctly remember you not going for the glass slippers for our prom." She snickered. "I remember you did something all your own. As usual."

"Glass slippers are cliche," Natalie replied, waving a hand. "And so were ruby slippers. Besides, I was wearing black and gold. Clearly, pyrite slippers were best. But still. Business is picking up, I had to take on a pair of talents fresh out of apprenticeship to keep up with the orders. Glass slippers, ruby slippers, fluttering butterfly jewelry, living glass flowers, glowing gemstones, the works."

"Means you're doing well. That's a good thing." Indy grinned. "Nothing wrong with that. I'm glad. Hey, you still living in the family house or did you make good on your threat to get an apartment?"

"I got an apartment," Natalie replied. "I don't need to live in my parents' house to run the business, I manage just fine from my studio loft."

Indy chuckled. "Hey, you know any good places? I've only been back a few weeks, and I don't have a place of my own yet." Natalie's ideas would likely be a bit above her price range, but it would be a starting point, at least.

Natalie studied her for a moment, taking in her appearance and cross-referencing it with her drink and her model of cell phone.

"I might have a few places you should look at," she said finally. "Most likely within your budget, I think. Maybe." Because she could admit that her idea of 'budget' was a little skewed sometimes.

Indy waved a hand dismissively. "As long as you give me a place to start, I can work from there." Because she was used to doing her own research and making her own way.

Natalie nodded and pulled out her smartphone, already going through a few listings. She would make a few calls if she had to, but it probably wouldn't come to that.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked as she sifted through information.

"Well, the family business went to my aunt when Mum died, so I had to go deal with that. That's why I left right after graduation. My aunt started me at the lowest level, so I've been working my way up. I'm now in charge of herbs and edibles." Indy grimaced a bit. She'd been expecting to just take over that branch after graduation, so to have to work her way up was... rather infuriating.

Natalie's eyebrows furrowed.

"That doesn't make sense," she said. "You were the heiress, it should have all gone to you." Where she dealt in active magics and enchantments, she knew Indy dealt more with herbals and potions.

"I know it should have, but I guess my aunt pulled some strings or found some legal loophole or something. I don't know. But I didn't have the time or money to investigate, so I got stuck." Indy made a face.

"You should have called," Natalie said. "I would have had no qualms finding out what was going on." She would not have felt bad in the least about throwing some of her money around like that. Really, there were worse ways to spend it.

"I know. Too late now." Indy shrugged. "But I've got the job I wanted now, and things will be easier soon." She paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be complaining. I mean, I haven't seen you in years, we should be talking better stuff."

"Which reminds me," Natalie said, grinning a bit, "I got that order you put in for the enchanted glass bottles. I'll have those ready for you soon."

"Oh, good. There are a few plants that I have to pick just when they're ripe, but I need to be able to store them for a while, and they're a huge pain. Those glass bottles will be a huge help." Indy grinned briefly. "Anything you need from me in return? You know I can get my hands on almost any plant."

"A couple days and I should have those for you," Natalie said. "Although I'm running a bit low on belladonna and jasmine, if you could...?" Belladonna wasn't something she used for enchanting, not like jasmine. It was a sedative, primarily; her mother was sick, and the belladonna was the only thing that kept her under enough not to be in pain.

"Not a problem. When do you want them?" Indy could easily get her hands on belladonna and jasmine by the next day, if she wanted.

She had all the greenhouse keys, after all.

"When you can," Natalie replied. "I'm almost out of both. I'll have to check and see if I need anything else."

"I can have those by tomorrow, I need to swing by the greenhouse tonight," Indy said with a shrug. "Just let me know where you want me to drop them off."

Natalie reached into her bag and pulled out a small pad of paper. She quickly wrote down the address of her loft.

"Here," she said, handing Indy the slip of paper.

Indy nodded, taking the paper and slipping it in her purse. "Great. Hey, is your brother still off in Europe or wherever?"