A text message was received but Isla's phone was muted. In her dim room, her phone rang from a call as the bright lights on the screen lit up her room and agitated her to check her phone.

  The caller ID read "Jazzlyn".

  "Hello? What is it? It's past midnight! What the hell?" Isla vented before she heard a serious tone.

  "SOS... Mamak* as usual. Come quick!" Jazzlyn said and the word "SOS" somehow woke Isla up.

  "Who is it?" Isla asked quickly before grabbing a sweatshirt and her car keys to rush off to their usual Mamak* hang-out place.

  "Luna." Isla sighed as Jazzlyn hung up. Isla rolled her eyes and yawned before starting to drive. It was 1 am and she wondered what her snobbish friend with an attitude problem was brewing for them to call to gather this late.

  If it were not for them to be friends since high school in their hometown, they would have not been in touch. Even then, they all lost touch for a while with Luna not till one fine day, she forced her way to fit in with the group when she saw the trio's social media updates.

  When Isla arrived everyone had gathered. It was a chilly early morning as the pouring rain had just stopped not too long ago.

  "Yo, sup?" Isla greeted as she took a seat in between Ellie and Jazzlyn while facing Luna whose face was puffy.

  "Hey... you slept?" Jazzlyn asked as Isla nodded. "It's 1.30 am, Ma'am! What do you expect me a widow to be doing?" Isla yawned as the mamak guy* came.

  "Yes, order apa*?" Isla looked around and saw no one's order arrived.

  "Hmm... teh panas kosong satu*. Besar.*" Isla finally decided on a big cup of hot tea without sugar knowing it might take them a while.

  "Wah kosong*? So healthy?" Ellie teased as Isla nodded when the mamak guy* left after noting down everyone's order mentally.

  "Fasting yo! Not my feeding time now..." Isla said as Ellie chuckled. "Don't worry. Some sugar won't kill. Our gym sessions are sufficient." Ellie teased as Isla smiled before diverting their attention back to Luna.

  "So, what's the urgency?" Isla asked while rubbing her face but Luna seemed to be emotionally unstable.

  "Oh, chill chill babe... I will explain..." Ellie comforted as she gave Luna more tissues. Isla frowned looking at Jazzlyn as she sighed.

  "She wants a divorce..." Jazzlyn said as Isla was stunned for a moment but quickly maintained her composure.

  "Why?" Isla still could not help but ask and it caused Luna to cry again. Ellie glared at Isla as she shrugged innocently.

  "It's not something she can easily open up yet. She is in need of help to know what's the procedure like." Jazzlyn updated as their orders came.

  Isla who was a little bored, she logged into one of her mobile games to claim daily rewards.

  Ellie laughed. "What? What's so funny?" Isla asked as Ellie teased her.

  "Really? No game no life?" Ellie asked as Isla chuckled.

  "Just claiming daily rewards. Won't take very long. And you? No indomie* and teh O ais limau* no life? Even at wee hours?" Isla teased back.

  "Oh come on, that's what you order in mamak* man!" Ellie said while sipping her drink.

  "Babe, don't stress eat man. Weekend already..." Isla said as Jazzlyn chuckled.

  "She needs to burn more calories in the gym later..." Jazzlyn said as Isla laughed.

  "And you? Shouldn't you be asleep? Look at those eye bags man..." Isla wanted to reach out to touch her eyes when Jazzlyn smacked her hand.

  "I just finished a late shift today. 16 hours alright... A proper meal is fine. Look balance diet..." Jazzlyn pointed to the few cucumbers and a fried egg on top of her indomie*.

  "Right..." Isla sipped her comforting tea and look at Luna who was eyeing their indomie*. Isla used her left leg and nudged Ellie while she gave Isla a look.

  Isla used her chin to point at Luna who was looking at her indomie*.

  "Do you... want some?" Ellie asked as Luna's eyes brightened. "Can I?" Luna asked hopefully.

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  "Yes please... I can always order another one." Ellie said as Luna hungrily gorged on the noodles when Ellie yelled to the mamak for another plate.

  "Are you alright, Luna? How long have you not eaten?" Isla questioned while Luna tried to swallow her mouthful of noodles before answering.

  "All the crying just makes me hungry..." Luna said as she choked and Jazzlyn quickly helped Luna with her drink. Isla practically rolled her eyes and brought her mind back to Luna's situation.

  "So... what information you have so far or anyone has about divorcing? I mean lawyers contact I don't really have one but I can help source. And online hmm... we can compile some contacts for you but what's your budget?" Isla asked since she was the only one not eating.

  "I don't know... I just need to know the procedures and cost." Luna said in a sad tone as Isla was googling a bit and finally sought out some information while Ellie's order came.

  "Oh, it's cheaper if the divorce is mutually agreed though. I think you can go court too..." Isla said as Luna began to mumble.

  "It's not mutual..." Luna said as Isla did a double take.

  "I'm sorry what?" Isla asked as Jazzlyn repeated to her. "It's not mutual."

  "Oh... Then who initiated it?" Isla questioned as Luna pointed to herself sadly.

  "Alright. I have sent Jazzlyn some information and contacts via text. It's late so will try and see if I can get more contacts who can directly liaise with you. She will send over to you then." Isla said as Jazzlyn and Ellie shared a grin knowing their plans were successful.

  Isla was always their source of legal or government related matters as she had experienced it when handling her husband's death aftermath. Isla glared at them both as she could feel it was a setup.

  "Thank you... She can share my contact with you to directly send to me." Luna said as she nearly teared up again when Jazzlyn rubbed her back to comfort her and nodded with her request as Isla was controlling herself from rolling her eyes again.

  It's obvious I don't want to have anything to do with you... Ugh... Fumed Isla in mind.

  "I'm sorry... I just felt very embarrassed and I don't know what to do. I'm so lost...." Luna said before she cried again. Jazzlyn gave her more tissues while rubbing her back.

  "Don't worry... take your time. We will help and support you alright?" Jazzlyn said but Isla and Ellie shared a look as though not agreeing entirely to her.

  Isla quickly texted Ellie.

  Isla: What's going on man? Divorcing but not telling us the reasons? Then need help? How?

  Isla vented as Ellie was trying very hard to not laugh.

  Ellie first sent Isla a shrugged emoticon.

  Ellie: No idea man... I was preparing to shower and sleep after gym earlier. I even had to do overtime later. It's beginning of the month you see. Closing of accounts.

  Isla: Let's just abandon ship now since she already had her solutions.

  Ellie: Come on, she is emotionally unstable. You can't leave someone like this alone man. Suicide, doing something stupid you never know...

  Isla sighed before finishing her drink.

  "Luna, why don't you stay with me tonight?" Ellie offered which stunned Isla. Though Luna hesitated but she did not reject either.

  "That's a good idea though I wish you to take you in but I have an early shift tomorrow in the hospital..." Jazzlyn said as Isla rubbed the temple of her head.

  "Sorry, I have kids to teach tomorrow... but we can always give you information as and when..." Isla said awkwardly.

  "Why don't you busy ladies come to my house tomorrow for dinner?" Ellie suggested as Isla was nearly pissed off when Jazzlyn put her thumb up.

  "Call! Good idea!" Jazzlyn cheered and nudged Isla on her right leg to change her face's reaction.

  "Alright... At least it's healthier than this..." Isla pointed at their empty plates.

  "Come on, once in a while secret indulgence!" Ellie said.

  "Yea... Not in the middle of the night..." Isla retaliated.

  "Now, I wonder who's the doctor here?" Jazzlyn chuckled sending everyone including Luna laughing.

  "So, shall we?" Isla asked indicating wanting to make a move.

  "Let's go... Mamak*!" Ellie said before calling the mamak guy to come over and count the bill.

  "Ok semua*, tiga puluh lapan, lapan puluh sen boss..." Said the mamak* which made Isla's heart dropped a little.

  "Yalabi*! It's so mahal* nowadays..." Isla complained as Ellie offered to pay when Jazzlyn stopped her.

  "Yo sis, don't be so boros*. Beginning of the month, but cut down your expenses. Come, I belanja* today. Later dinner, we all chip in lagi*." Jazzlyn said while handing the mamak* with a fifty note.

  "Come on, just because you're a doctor doesn't mean every time mamak* you need to belanja* right? You're not dewa kekayaan* kay." Isla teased as she gave Jazzlyn a ten-dollar note.

  "Eh, don't need don't need..." Jazzlyn wanted to reject it when Isla stuffed it into her bag.

  "I can tolong* la... Just take saja*. Nanti* dinner cost also can cover ma* right?" Isla said as Jazzlyn sighed and finally gave in to accepting the note as the mamak guy* came to return her change.

  "Alright, see you all later in the night! Have a good rest everybody!" Ellie concluded as Jazzlyn walked with Isla to their car which was parked next to each other while Ellie and Luna walked to Ellie's car nearby.

  When Luna finally settled down in the passenger seat and Ellie was about to drive, Luna sniffed and sighed.

  "Ellie, can I really do this?" Luna asked as Ellie raised an eyebrow.

  "What do you mean? Just heading to my house to have a good sleep. Of course, you can!" Ellie said before driving.

  "I mean the divorce..." Luna said solemnly as Ellie began to believe Isla that Luna might be just making some drama but she put aside her influences.

  "Think about it properly tonight. The night is still young..." Ellie concluded as she began to regret wanting to spare her house for the night.

  Glossaries:

  Mamak: a type of roadside food stall or restaurant typically run by people of Tamil Muslim descent

  Mamak guy: an honorific to respectfully address adults such as shopkeepers

  apa: what

  teh panas kosong satu: one hot tea with no sugar

  Besar: big

  indomie: an Indonesian brand of instant noodles served in Mamak's stall

  teh O ais limau: Ice lemon tea

  semua: everything

  tiga puluh lapan lapan puluh sen: 38.80

  boss: a casual term used to address people, especially strangers, or when placing an order at a restaurant

  Yalabi: An expression to express shock

  Mahal: expensive

  boros: using or spending too much; wasteful

  belanja: treat

  lagi: again

  dewa kekayaan: God of Wealth

  tolong: help

  saja: only

  Nanti: later

  ma: acts as a question particle, transforming a statement into a yes/no question