A New Beginning and a Mysterious Encounter

Johnson was already waiting for Odette and Alice when they arrived at the house where the three of them would live. He had said goodbye to his parents earlier that morning, making him the first to move into the house.

Odette stepped out of her car first and grabbed her suitcase from the trunk. “It’s good to have a very rich friend! Now we don’t have to pay rent!” she said loudly to Alice.

“Hey, who said you’re not going to chip in?” Johnson interjected. “Since I’m providing the house rent-free, you two should handle the food, utilities, and other bills. Haha!”

“No problem, we’ll take care of everything else,” Alice replied. She didn’t have a credit card yet but had plenty of money in her savings account linked to a debit card. She had no plans to get a credit card since she could always use her debit card.

Among the three friends, none of them lacked money. Although Odette’s family was large, her parents were financially well-off, running a successful real estate business with projects all over the city and nearby states.

Johnson’s family had what people call "old money," meaning their wealth was inherited through generations. His father had taken over several companies from his grandfather and was now managing them with his uncles and aunts.

Odette feigned shock. “Why are you being so stingy, John? It’s only natural that you take care of us since we’re like your little sisters!”

“What? Call you my little sister when you’re a few months older than me? I’m like your little brother, if you go by age! Shouldn’t you be taking care of Alice and me?” he smirked.

“Hey, you look more like a big brother!” Odette teased.

“Oh right, because you’re only five feet tall, you look like our little sister!” Johnson teased back, and they all laughed.

“I don’t think we have time to buy groceries today. Maybe we can do it tomorrow. Why don’t we just order food for delivery? I’m in the mood for Italian,” Alice suggested.

“Pizza and pasta!” Johnson said excitedly.

“I want tacos and burritos!” Odette added.

“Alright, we’ll order both. I’ll take care of it this time,” Alice said, pulling out her phone to place the order.

“Yay! Don’t forget the sodas too!” Johnson clapped his hands.

“Tomorrow, we’ll go shopping and do the groceries,” Odette chimed in, equally excited.

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Alice had to start shooting a movie the day after tomorrow, and it was an important project for her. She had landed a supporting actress role, and acting—whether on stage, in movies, or in front of a camera—was her passion. She also loved to sing and dance, being naturally inclined toward the arts. After lunch, they decided to head out using Johnson’s car.

Once they parked and entered the shopping mall, Johnson walked between the two girls and put an arm around each of their shoulders. Several men glanced enviously, assuming he was lucky to be with two beautiful girls. As usual, some people recognized Alice and gave her admiring looks.

“Mom, look! It’s the girl from the magazine you were reading. Can I go talk to her, please?” a boy, about eight or nine years old, pointed at Alice, tugging at his mother's sleeve.

“Shhh, don’t be so loud! You’re embarrassing me,” his mother scolded in a low voice.

“But Mom, she’s so beautiful! I just want a picture with her,” the boy said, looking disappointed.

Alice overheard the conversation and approached them. “It’s okay, ma'am, no need to be upset with this cute little guy.” She then smiled at the boy. “Hi there, handsome. Want to take a picture? What’s your name?”

The boy, blushing, replied, “Adam.”

His mother smiled sheepishly at Alice. “I’m sorry to bother you, Miss…”

Alice waved it off. “It’s no bother at all. Come on, Adam, let’s take that picture.” She took the boy’s hand and posed as his mother snapped a few photos. Both mother and son thanked her happily.

“I didn’t know you were so good with kids,” Odette whispered to her.

Alice smiled. “Hey, you know I’ve always wanted little sisters or brothers.”

“We can swap anytime. You’ll be singing a different tune after spending a day with my little brothers and sisters. They’re a bunch of brats,” Odette replied.

“Or maybe you’re the brat in their lives,” Johnson chimed in. Odette slapped him playfully on the arm.

“You foul-mouthed baboon! Are you even my friend?” she scolded.

“Alright, let’s get to shopping before you two start acting like an old married couple again,” Alice intervened.

They wandered into a home and furniture shop where Odette picked out a few things she needed. Alice, content with her room’s design, only bought some sticky notes and a pen holder for her study table.

“Aren’t you going to buy anything?” Johnson asked Alice as they headed toward the grocery section.

“I haven’t seen anything I fancy. Maybe we can check out an antique store later,” Alice replied.

“For someone your age, you have the tastes of an old lady,” Odette teased.

Alice laughed. “You know I’ve always been like this.”

“I’m not complaining, except when you kick my butt in our sparring sessions,” Odette grinned, recalling their shared love of mixed martial arts.

“With your height, you’ll never beat us!” Johnson laughed.

“Have you ever won against Alice? You’re over six feet tall, but you’ve never beaten her!” Odette shot back.

“I let her win because she’s my friend!” Johnson declared.

“Yeah, right!” Odette scoffed. The three continued their banter as they picked up groceries.

“Johnson? Johnson Taylor?” A girl’s voice called out.

They turned to see a pretty Asian-American girl approaching.

“Kimmy? Is that really you?” Johnson asked, surprised.

“Yes! I’ve been in Los Angeles for a few weeks now, enrolled at the university,” she beamed.

Johnson introduced Kimmy Sato to Alice and Odette. Kimmy was the daughter of one of his father’s business associates from Japan, where he had met her. Her mother, who was American, had passed away when she was young.

After exchanging numbers with Kimmy, the three friends continued grocery shopping. Once in the car, Alice turned to Johnson. “I found an antique store nearby. Follow these directions.” She handed him her phone for navigation.

They arrived at what seemed more like an antique market than a shop, with several stalls. People were calling out to passersby, advertising their wares.

“We have an antique Indian pot for sale, over a hundred years old!” an old man shouted.

“Antique vases from China!” yelled another vendor.

Alice noticed an elderly woman sitting quietly beside a small stall, her wares displayed on a modest table. The old lady’s eyes sparkled when she saw Alice, as if she had been waiting for her.

“Young lady, you’re finally here. I know you want this, but you can take the other items as well,” the woman whispered mysteriously.

“Grandma, how much for these?” Alice asked, pointing to an old, large pair of earrings, a clay square bowl she could use for sticky notes and a small jar for pens. The old woman carefully packed the items into a paper bag and handed them to Alice without asking for payment. When Alice turned to ask again, the old woman had disappeared.

“Excuse me, did you see the old lady beside your stall?” Alice asked a nearby vendor.

“What old lady? No one’s been there,” the man replied.

Alice realized the old lady wasn’t a regular vendor. She called for Johnson and Odette, who were listening to another vendor’s tale of an ancient Indian pot. “Are you going to buy anything?” she asked.

“No, we’re just browsing,” they replied in unison.

Back at the house, Alice went to her room and arranged her study desk, placing the items she had bought on top, except for the earrings, which she put in her purse. She stared at them for a long time, planning to clean them the next day. They were heavy, old, and intriguing. She decided to research their history before going to bed.