Wyatt Wright had set out early in the morning to his studio, tucked in Old Alley.
Rae Bennett had taken the afternoon off, and it took several trips by the moving company's truck to get all her stuff moved. The enthusiastic citizen, Miss Watson, helped her pack for over half an hour and invited her to go eat steak for lunch.
Rae Bennett still had some daily necessities to buy. The enthusiastic citizen, Miss Watson, offered to drive her to the department store, just as they were leaving the staircase, they ran into Kayley Price from Apt 1202.
"Miss Watson, where are you off to?"
Kayley Price's husband taught at a primary school in Ardale, and the couple, along with their two children, rented a three-bedroom apartment.
"Off to the mall to buy some things."
Miss Watson, arm in arm with Rae Bennett, looked as if they were two sisters.
Kayley Price couldn't help but take a few extra glances at the new face: "And who might this young lady be?"
Rae Bennett nodded in greeting and smiled, saying hello.
Miss Watson introduced her: "Our new neighbor who just moved in today."
When it came to Rae Bennett's job, Miss Watson didn't plan on saying much about it. Despite Rae not minding, it didn't mean the other residents wouldn't mind.
Kayley Price had a good impression of Rae Bennett: "The young girl is quite pretty," and polite, with a sweet smile to boot.
Miss Watson chuckled, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Kayley Price entered the elevator.
Miss Watson and Rae Bennett continued walking outside, when they were approached by someone.
It was Sir Smith from Apt 1502.
"Sir Smith, is your wife's due date coming up?"
Sir Smith, in his forties, was expecting his second child: "Any day now."
The enthusiastic citizen, Miss Watson, said, "If you need a car by then, just call my husband, Wyatt."
"Sure thing."
Sir Smith waved and entered building eight.
Miss Watson left building eight.
Iris Myers from Apt 1403 had just returned from dropping her child off.
Miss Watson casually asked, "Isla, have you signed Emma up for the tutoring classes yet?"
Iris Myers replied, "Not yet, there are several tutoring centers, and I haven't decided which one."
"You should ask Hannah; her uncle runs a tutoring center." Hannah was Miss Watson's card game friend.
Iris Myers took out her phone: "Really? Send me her Whatsapp as soon as you can."
Miss Watson sent it right away, and in less than ten seconds: "Sent it to you."
Iris Myers joked that she'd treat her to octopus balls next time.
Miss Watson responded with a laugh and a wave-off.
The gardener, Sir Lewis, was trimming the greenery in the Residential Area.
As Miss Watson walked by, she asked, "Sir Lewis, when did you get back?"
Sir Lewis had taken leave last week to visit his hometown.
"Just got back yesterday."
"How's your dad?"
Sir Lewis said, "Nothing serious, just a bit of high blood pressure."
"You've got to be careful with that, better take some medicine to lower it."
"Got the medicine, but I'm worried he'll forget to take it, so I have my son watching him."
Miss Watson advised to be mindful of his diet, and after some more casual conversation with Sir Lewis, they parted ways.
Rae Bennett was completely astonished and bewildered the whole time.
Don't take it personally.
What you've seen is just the daily lifestyle of someone highly social. Miss Watson knows most of the residents here at Star Delight Mansion, who's wife is having a second child, whose child is calling for their parents—she's well-informed about nearly everyone.
"Miss Constant," Sir Davis the doorman called out, "your son's come back."
Miss Constant was overjoyed, letting go of Rae Bennett's hand and dashing off, clutching at her wide-brimmed woven hat, "Wyatt, are your photos developed?"
Miss Constant wore a lace-bordered floral dress and paired it with apricot leather shoes that day, exuding a youthful charm.
Wyatt nodded, saying the photos were done. He carried his camera and walked out from the swathes of sunlight into the dappled shade of the trees, holding a black umbrella in his hand.
He had a habit of always carrying a long-handled umbrella with him whenever he went out, regardless of the weather.
Rae Bennett followed behind Miss Watson and from the moment Wyatt appeared, her gaze was fixed solely on him.
His features were pronounced, belonging to the deeply attractive type, with lips naturally red, pupil's dark and shiny, his complexion was not pale, but the most exquisite part were his eyes—lovely eyes with perfectly upturned corners, giving off a hint of intoxication but not hazy, and with a gentle gaze, exuding a quiet aura, making him seem like a meticulously touched-up photo in his stillness.
It was another day Miss Watson was struck by Wyatt's striking looks: "Do you have other things to do this afternoon?"
"I've got some photos to work on," Wyatt glanced at Rae Bennett and then looked away.
He seldom stayed in the country, spending most of his time abroad for photography. He had studios in both Osla and Ardale, but only hired two assistants. He never let anyone else handle anything from shooting to post-processing.
Miss Watson's eyes gleamed with an idea: "Is it urgent?"
"Not particularly."
Not urgent, she thought...
Miss Watson turned around, took out her phone and, raising her voice, said, "Hello?" emphasizing the query. "Play mahjong?"
"Not going, I have to go to the mall."
Several seconds passed.
"What? Short by one?" Miss Watson feigned surprise and covered the phone receiver with her hand, turning to Wyatt, "Wyatt, would you mind taking Rae shopping?"
Before Wyatt could respond, Miss Watson replied to the call, "Alright, alright, no need to rush me."
Miss Watson tapped her phone screen a couple of times and hung up, smiling as she looked up: "Then I'll just go play mahjong, shall I?" She waved her hand as if brushing off a cloud, "Goodbye Wyatt, goodbye Rae."
If only Miss Watson hadn't held her phone upside down, Kayley Price, Sir Smith, Iris Myers, Sir Lewis, and Sir Davis might have believed her.
So Miss Watson made her exit.
Rae Bennett was a considerate ray of sunshine: "You go ahead with your work, I can drive myself there."
He didn't move forward, his steps remaining under the entrance's shade, as the autumn sun peeked through the foliage, surrounding him with a playful glow.
"On your little electric car?"
Rae Bennett looked surprised: "How did you know?"
He turned and walked ahead first.
She was still dazed behind him.
He looked back: "Weren't you going to buy something?" The sun was strong, and he opened his umbrella, placing it on the ground, stepping forward, and uttered, "Keep up."
"Oh."
Rae Bennett picked up the umbrella and hurried after him. The umbrella was large, shielding her from the sun.
He slowed his pace, and she gradually caught up with him.
His car was parked in the underground parking lot, a red sports car with a long scratch on the passenger side door.
Rae Bennett walked around to inspect the license plate, then flipped the umbrella backward, poking her head out from beneath it: "It's you, the owner of the car with the last digits 1112."
1112 were the last digits on Wyatt's license plate, as well as his birthday.