The next hour was a blur of accusations, tears, and one truly surreal moment where Maya tried to blame the dog. (We don’t have a dog.) Chloe demanded her underwear back. Maya produced the shoebox. Chloe counted them, then held up the rose-gold pair.

“I stole them.”

That’s when she told me about the Great Pumpkin Spice Incident of 2023.

“A… friend.”

I walked outside. I sat on the porch steps. I called my best friend, Derek.

But 2024 had other plans.

She nodded. Then, after a pause: “Does that include mail fraud? Because I may have redirected her Sephora package last month.”

Maya turned white. Then green. Then a shade of red that matched the thong behind the dryer.

“That’s wine,” Maya said.