"Aiyoo, Josephine, you still are not winning," a woman snickered as she dropped her card down with a triumphant click.
"Come on, I will definitely win this time. Amelia will be here soon," Josephine, a beautiful older woman with spotless black hair answered. She placed a card down and stared at the game with narrowed eyes, as if sheer willpower could change her luck.
The three women sat around a beautifully carved mahjong table in the sunlit private room of an upscale country club. The tiles occasionally sound as they hit the table.
Soft music filtered through the large windows, and the faint scent of jasmine tea and expensive perfume filled the air. This weekly gathering had been their tradition for years — a chance to gossip, complain about their husbands, and most importantly, discuss their grown children.
Josephine (Richard's mother) sighed dramatically as she lost another round. "These tiles are against me today."
