Part One: Candice’s Story

Candice looked long and hard at the display window of ‘Cheryl’s Boutique.’ Down the street from her workplace in Louvant, Texas, the small clothing and accessory shop was her favorite thrift store. From the small, independent shop she had found cute dresses, shoes, earrings, and even a stylish Louis Vuitton handbag she purchased for pennies on the dollar.

Louvant was a mid-sized city near Galveston, close enough to the coast to be considered a tourist destination if not for the industrial section of the town that produced petroleum. Cardinal street, where she worked, was the busiest street in town. Full of restaurants, all sorts of shops, and office buildings like the one she worked in, the hustle and bustle of the city was on full display most days.

“When are you gonna buy them?” Her best friend and co-worker Ava said. “You’ve been looking at them now for over a month.”

Candice regarded her friend, wild blonde hair full of curls and bright green eyes, with mild annoyance. “When I’m good and ready to,” she