Old Friends Bar
"What?!"
Lily's jaw dropped, totally forgetting her plan to use this as an excuse to nix Matthew's house-buying idea.
"So, that apartment had some issues during construction—caused the whole floor to tilt," Janice said, looking sheepish. "You can't really tell with the naked eye, but the slant's pretty significant. Anyone who buys it is in for a ton of headaches down the road."
"No way…" Matthew muttered, looking like his entire world just crumbled.
This was the apartment he'd been obsessed with!
"Trust the pros," Adam said with a grin. "You're a law school guy—what do you know about building structures? And you only saw it once!"
"But I really liked that place…" Matthew whined, torn.
"No biggie," Adam reassured him. "You just like nice apartments, right? Doesn't mean it has to be that one. Let Janice show you a few more—I bet you'll find another you love just as much."
"Exactly!" Janice chimed in, smiling. "I'll take you around to see more. And if it's the decor you're into, there are other places with the same vibe."
"Alright, fine," Matthew relented. He wasn't dead-set on that one apartment anyway, and now that he knew it had structural issues, no amount of love could save it.
"Janice, you're the real estate expert here," Adam said, glancing her way. "Give us the rundown on what to watch out for when buying a place. We're totally clueless about this stuff!" 😅
Matthew scratched his head with a goofy grin.
He knew Adam said "we," but really meant him—the guy who'd jumped in headfirst without a clue.
"Of course, happy to!" Janice said. She knew cozying up to a billionaire like Adam could only mean good things for her career, so she didn't hesitate to spill all her house-buying wisdom.
"First rule of buying a place? Location, location, location! If you can swing it financially, go for the best spot you can get.
A good location pretty much guarantees you won't run into major issues—as long as you can afford it."
She shot a quick look at Adam.
"And then?" Matthew asked, picking up on the vibe and steering away from that topic with a wry smile. "What if we can't afford the fancy spots?"
He'd been to Adam's place, obviously. Loved it way more than the apartment he'd been ready to snap up.
But loving it was one thing—affording it was a whole different ballgame.
No way was he signing up for another massive loan, slaving away half his life to pay it off just for, what, a bathroom?
Sure, he and Lily loved leaving their "love marks" in their own bathroom, other people's bathrooms, even public ones—but living in just a bathroom forever? Hard pass! 😂
"Then you've gotta be extra careful," Janice said, chuckling. She knew not everyone could buy wherever they pleased like Adam. "Before you jump in, figure out a general area based on your work and lifestyle.
Don't rush it—check out a bunch of places, visit them in person.
Safety's the top priority here.
So the big question to ask is: How many Black residents are in this neighborhood?
If it's a lot, skip it.
If it's few, add it to your maybe list…"
"Uh…" Matthew's face twisted up, conflicted.
"Janice, that's kinda racist," Lily said, picking up on Matthew's unease and frowning.
"I swear it's not about racism!" Janice protested, throwing a pleading glance at Adam.
"Go ahead, keep going," Adam said, giving her a reassuring nod.
He knew this was the real deal—raw advice you wouldn't get just anywhere.
"Alright then," Janice perked up, grinning. "If we weren't all Adam's buddies, I'd never say this out loud.
Outside, I'd be all, 'Oh, everywhere's the same—happy, equal American vibes!'
But the truth? Everyone knows it: once a neighborhood gets a lot of Black residents, the safety risks shoot way up.
You cannot buy in a place like that.
If something goes wrong, you'll regret it 'til you die—either because you're six feet under or because you're stuck hating yourself forever for letting your family down."
"That's a bit much, isn't it?" Lily said, skeptical. "It's not like we're buying in Brooklyn."
"You just said Brooklyn yourself," Janice pointed out with a laugh. "If a neighborhood gets too many Black folks, what's the difference? It's just a mini-Brooklyn!"
"…"
Lily didn't have a comeback.
They weren't racist—or at least they didn't want to be—but some things were just baked into their subconscious, whether they liked it or not.
"Safety first," Adam cut in. "What's a home supposed to be? A happy haven! If you can't even feel safe, how's that gonna work? Matthew, Lily—keep this in mind, seriously."
"Got it," Matthew and Lily said, exchanging a look and nodding.
It felt a little off, sure, but they appreciated Adam looking out for them.
"Heh, go on, Janice," Adam said with a small smile.
"After safety, it's all about the details," Janice continued. "Like, if you're buying a used place, don't just go for the cheapest deal. Check its history.
Was there a murder there?
Or is it a big 'M' house?
Those are huge red flags."
"What's wrong with a big 'M' house?" Matthew, Lily, and Ted exchanged glances, smirking with nostalgia.
Back in college, they'd partied hard in apartments like that.
Even in the original timeline, decades later, they'd snuck off for one last hurrah together—without their kids knowing.
They had zero issues with it! 😏
"Not that kind of 'M'—I mean growing it, not smoking it," Janice clarified.
"Growing?" Matthew's eyes widened as it clicked. "What's the big deal?"
"Let me take this one," Adam jumped in. "This is medical territory.
Growing weed needs heat and humidity—lots of it. That kind of dampness in a house breeds mold.
Breathing that stuff in long-term can mess you up—upper respiratory infections, allergic laryngitis, you name it.
Think bronchitis, tonsillitis, rheumatic fever, asthma…
In bad cases, it can even kill you."
"Whoa, that serious?" Matthew and the gang couldn't believe it.
"There are real cases," Adam said, dead serious. "Trust me on this."
"Of course we trust you!" Lily said quickly.
Matthew and the others nodded like bobbleheads.
"And that's not all," Adam added with a grin. "Houses tied to shady stuff like that? You never know if you'll get dragged into some nasty crime mess.
What if the old owner stashed something in there?
A wall full of cash?
Or a wall full of bodies?
They might come back for it someday."
"Stop it!" Lily shrieked, freaking out.
That was way too creepy!
Sadly, it wasn't just hypotheticals—there were real stories like that.
They'd heard them before as wild news bits, but now it felt way too close for comfort.
Terrifying! 😱
(End of Chapter)