Aida’s heart surged with love. She had mentioned this same idea to Graham when she lost her job, but he understood that her fear wasn’t about the money, but about him not wanting to marry her because she couldn’t pull her own weight. Then, as now, he was adamant that they would find some way to make the wedding work. She wasn’t sure she believed him, but she loved him for having such unwavering faith when she did not.
“We would lose too much money on all our deposits if we canceled now,” Aida tried to explain.
“We’re keeping the wedding,” Graham said, his tone clear that the decision was final.
Brennan gave a snort and raised his glass with an air of forced cheer. “Well then, to the future.”
Aida clinked her glass with the others, but the last vestiges of her holiday spirit dissolved as she drained the wine.
The following day, Aida showed her friends Yumi and Erin the mysterious envelope. Yumi was Aida’s bestie, a petite Japanese woman with striking features and dark expressive eyes that always seemed to be analyzing everything around her. Erin was her oldest friend, with fair skin and rich auburn hair that fell in soft waves around her face.
Aida and Erin had been inseparable as children. Their summers were spent racing bikes through the neighborhood, building forts in the woods, and whispering secrets late into the night during sleepovers. Erin had always been the one Aida could rely on—the friend who knew every little detail about her life, the one she could turn to without hesitation. Even after Erin moved away ten years ago, they’d managed to stay in touch, though mostly through social media. Their connection had become something of a shadow of what it once was—likes on posts, the occasional comment, but nothing compared to the tight-knit bond they’d shared growing up.
After Erin left, Aida met Yumi at a friend’s party. At first, Aida had been intimidated by Yumi’s sharp, analytical mind. But as the night went on, they bonded over a shared sense of humor and a mutual love for reality television and indie music. Despite their different paths, the two women clicked. Over time, Yumi became the person Aida turned to for advice, the one who grounded her when life felt overwhelming. Yumi’s pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to the world balanced out Aida’s more creative tendencies, and their friendship had only deepened over the years.
And now, Erin was back in Boston. When she called three weeks ago to let Aida know she had moved back, Aida’s heart had leaped. The joy of reconnecting with her childhood best friend had been immediate. She was grateful to have Erin back and excited to introduce her to Yumi, who had quickly taken to her.
The three were sipping drinks at a bar a few blocks from Aida’s house on a tab that Yumi had declared she was picking up. Yumi had a high-profile role at one of the big cybersecurity companies in Cambridge, a job she had snagged after showing off her amateur hacking skills.
“This interview sounds a little dangerous—and exciting.” Erin twiddled the straw of her mai tai. “What does Graham think?”
Aida sighed, conflicted. “We talked about it last night. Apparently, there is a trial period before they offer the contract,which pays well. He isn’t thrilled about my being away from him, but he thinks it could be good for connections and help me find a fresh perspective.”
Yumi’s eyes widened. “Wait, are you seriously thinking of going?”
“Maybe,” Aida admitted. “It might be the only way right now to have the wedding. Without some form of cash infusion, I think we’ll have to call it off and have a small civil ceremony.” She picked up the envelope and waved it around. “Plus, all ofthisis so weird. I want to know what the story is.”
Erin was more enthusiastic. “I think it would be worth checking out. It sounds like it might be a cool job.”
“Hmm.” Yumi considered this for a moment. “If it’s only for three months, maybe Erin’s right—it will be worth it. God knows you need the money. It’ll be an adventure. But if you really want to do this, you shouldn’t go to the meeting alone. You are taking Graham, right?”
“It’s a job interview! Wouldn’t that be weird?”
Yumi rolled her eyes. “They sent you a freaky hand-delivered note on Christmas Eve that said a mysterious car would pick you up. No phone number, no website, no nothing. If it weren’t for Felix, you’d think it was a scam and a half. Wouldn’t you say that’s weirder? They could hardly blame you for wanting to be safe in this Hashtag-Me-Too world. Which means you need to take him with you.”
Aida flipped on her phone, scanning the calendar. She shook her head. “I can’t. Dang it. He’s helping one of his buddies move that day.”
Yumi patted Aida’s arm. “You know what, I’ll go with you.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine going alone. It can’t be bad if Felix suggested it,” Erin said.
Yumi shook her head. “That’s not the point. I don’t care if Felix trusts them—I don’t trust mysterious notes with no contact info.”
Aida bit her lip, torn. “But you don’t have to—”
“Ido,” Yumi interrupted, her tone firm. “I’m not letting you walk into whatever this is by yourself. This is the kind of sketchy situation that sets off alarm bells. I’m going with you, end of discussion.”
“Thanks, Yumi. It’s probably nothing, but... I’ll feel better with you there.”
Yumi grinned. “Besides, if it turns out to be totally normal, we can grab lunch afterward and laugh about how paranoid we were.”
Aida nodded, the knot in her chest loosening. Whatever this strange opportunity was, at least she wouldn’t face it alone.
2
December 2018
In the days leading up to December 30, Yumi spearheaded efforts to uncover the mysterious Lady Ozie’s identity. Despite combing through social media profiles, public records, and business filings, they came up empty-handed. Even narrowing the search to Boston didn’t help; all their attempts led them down a rabbit hole of Ozzy Osbourne fan pages.
