Meanwhile, on the other side of town!
The moment Diana's rideshare pulled up to her condo building, a figure came flying out of the lobby entrance.
"MOM——! You're back!"
Diana's exhausted expression instantly transformed into a warm smile, all the fatigue seeming to evaporate.
She stepped out of the car, and Ashley had already grabbed her small carry-on:
"You must be exhausted! Come on, let's get you inside!"
Ashley linked arms with her mom, practically bouncing with energy:
"How was the business trip? Everything go okay?"
"It went well, sweetie. Productive meetings, lots of running around. I'm beat,"
Diana smiled, enjoying her daughter's affection while a flash of the real itinerary flickered through her mind—things Ashley definitely didn't need to know about.
She shifted to a lighter tone:
"But! I brought you some things!"
"Ooh! Really? What'd you get me?"
Ashley's eyes lit up immediately, pure anticipation.
Diana laughed at her daughter's barely-contained excitement and led her inside.
Once in the condo, Diana opened her suitcase and pulled out several wrapped packages:
"Okay, so first—authentic New York bagels from this famous place, vacuum-sealed so they're still fresh. And there's this amazing cheesecake from Junior's that everyone raves about."
"Ooh! Carbs on carbs! Yes!"
Ashley took them happily, already peeking into the bags:
"These smell incredible! Thanks, Mom!"
Then!
Diana pulled out an elegant rectangular box with tissue paper and a ribbon, handing it to her daughter with a mysterious little smile:
"Here. This one's special."
Ashley took it curiously, carefully unwrapping the box.
Inside, nestled in tissue paper, was a stunning dress—deep emerald silk with delicate beading along the neckline and hem, the kind of piece that screamed "expensive boutique" rather than department store.
"Oh my GOD...!"
Ashley's hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide:
"Mom! This is GORGEOUS! Is this... is this from that designer you mentioned?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Diana's eyes were full of maternal pride:
"I saw it in this amazing boutique in SoHo and immediately thought of you. It's silk, hand-beaded detail. I thought, my daughter's about to start college—she needs at least one or two pieces that make a statement. Try it on! Let's see if it fits?"
"Mom! You're literally the BEST! I love you so much!"
Ashley threw her arms around Diana and planted a loud kiss on her cheek:
"I'm trying this on RIGHT NOW!"
She disappeared into her bedroom, already pulling off her t-shirt.
.....
Same afternoon, across town.
Ethan decided it was time to deliver Jack's "souvenirs" before his best friend literally exploded from impatience.
He grabbed two bags and headed over to Jack's place, pulling out his phone as he approached:
"Yo, Jack! Get your ass downstairs! Dad brought you presents!"
At least this time he wasn't yelling it loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear—Jack's mom had already threatened to ban him from the house after the last incident.
"Oh, NOW you remember I exist?!"
Jack's voice came through the phone, dripping with sarcasm:
"Ethan you DOG! You go to New York without me? Live it up solo? And I'm finding out from INSTAGRAM? Get ready, I'm coming down to kick your ass!"
The complaining got louder as Jack thundered down the stairs.
He burst out of the building wearing basketball shorts and slides, looking both pissed and excited:
"Where's my stuff? You better have brought me something good or we're fighting! What'd you get? Bagels? That fancy coffee?"
His eyes immediately locked onto the bags in Ethan's hands.
Ethan grinned and handed over an elegant box first—fancy packaging with gold lettering that said "Dylan's Candy Bar":
"Straight from Manhattan, bro. The good stuff."
Jack's eyes widened as he snatched the box:
"Dylan's? DYLAN'S?! Okay, okay, you're slightly forgiven! This is premium!"
He examined the candy selection like it was treasure, his previous anger melting away.
Ethan watched his best friend's goldfish-level attention span in action, then handed over another package with a smirk—a heavy vacuum-sealed bag with "KATZ'S DELICATESSEN" printed in bold letters, along with their famous slogan.
Jack took it automatically, glanced at the label, and his smile froze completely.
His head snapped up, eyes bugging out:
"KATZ'S... Katz's Deli?! That's in NEW YORK CITY!"
He looked at the pastrami in his hand, then at Ethan, then back at the pastrami:
"BRO! Weren't you supposed to be in... what was it, checking out NYU or some bullshit? Where the FUCK did you get New York deli meat?!"
He was holding the vacuum-sealed pastrami like it was a signed confession.
Ethan threw out a casual lie:
"Oh yeah, uh... the NYU thing wrapped up early, so I figured why not hop up to the city for a day or two. You know, see the sights."
"DUDE!!!"
Jack absolutely lost it, his face turning red:
"You went to NEW YORK! THE ACTUAL CITY! And you didn't call me?! What happened to 'bros before everything'?! What happened to 'we're doing this together'?! You just went and had your own adventure?! NYU AND New York City?! I've been sitting at home playing video games while you're out here living your BEST LIFE!"
He was practically jumping in place, his slides slapping against the pavement:
"No WONDER your phone kept going to voicemail! No wonder you were being sketchy with your texts! You were busy being a solo tourist in the Big Apple! Ethan, you DICK! This is betrayal! This is... this is... I don't even know what this is!"
He made a show of trying to shove the candy box back into Ethan's arms, but his grip on the pastrami never loosened even slightly.
Ethan was barely holding back laughter:
"Calm down! Let me explain—"
"Explain what? Your LIES?!"
"Would you LISTEN?! I wasn't alone!"
"Oh, not alone?"
Jack stared at him suspiciously:
"Who else? Did you meet some New York girl? Spill it! NOW!"
Ethan's brain scrambled for a believable cover story:
"What? No! It was... family stuff. Older family friend was going up there for business, I tagged along. Would've been super weird to invite you to a business trip with someone you don't even know!"
He mentally reframed Diana as "older family friend" which was... technically not entirely false?
"Since when do you have family friends in New York?!"
Jack was still skeptical, but his anger was clearly deflating, mainly because he couldn't stop looking at the candy and pastrami.
He snorted, clutching the candy box tighter and poking at the vacuum-sealed package:
"Fine! FINE! You get a pass because you actually remembered to bring me stuff. But this isn't over, Ethan! You owe me! BIG TIME! We're talking multiple dinners! Expensive ones!"
"Deal! Absolutely! Whatever you want!"
Ethan quickly agreed:
"Now go try that candy—it's supposed to be legendary. And that pastrami? Vacuum-sealed fresh, basically the same as getting it in the actual deli. Heat it up and make yourself a sandwich!"
Jack's expression softened, hugging his loot:
"Okay, okay. For the sake of Katz's pastrami and Dylan's candy, I'll forgive you. THIS time. But Ethan, I swear to god, next time you go anywhere cool without me..."
He paused dramatically:
"We're done. Friendship OVER. No negotiation!"
Even as he said it, he was already opening the candy box and popping something chocolate in his mouth:
"...but damn, this IS really good candy... You bastard... you absolute bastard..."
Ethan grinned, watching Jack war between being mad and being delighted by premium New York treats.
The law of "it smells/tastes too good to stay mad" strikes again.
There are 60 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439