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Twenty-Three

VERA

Hi Millie, this is Vera Wong from Vera Wang’s World-Famous Teahouse. How are you doing? Please call me back when you have chance. Kind Regards, Vera. —3:30 p.m.

Hi Millie, this is Vera Wong again. I’m not sure if you remember me, but I have a nice little teahouse in Chinatown and you been there a few times. Well you probably remember me. You must be busy, young people nowadays always so busy, but if you have chance, please call me. Kind Regards, Vera. —3:42 p.m.

Hi Millie, this is Vera again. I forgot that young people really don’t like to make the phone call, so please ignore my last message. You can just send message back, no need to make the phone call. Kind Regards, Vera. —3:57 p.m.

Hi Millie, this is Vera. Seems like you have very busy day, but Tilly tells me if the ticks on the messages turn blue is mean the messages are read. I can see the ticks have turn from gray to blue, so I know you read my messages, which is good. I hope you having a nice day. I just have a question to ask you about Thomas, so let me know when we can meet up. Kind Regards, Vera. —5:18 p.m.

Hi Vera, what was the question you wanted to ask about Thomas? —5:18 p.m.

Hi Millie, this is Vera. So good to see your reply! Your day is going well? Very busy? Kind Regards, Vera. —5:23 p.m.

Yeah, busy. So what was the question you wanted to ask? —5:24 p.m.

Hi Millie, Vera again. I think is better if we meet in person to talk about Thomas. I have learn quite a bit about him, is very hard to explain over WhatsApp. I am so old, my thumbs move very slowly on phone screen. I know Julia always say to me, ‘Vera, you are not old. Sixty is the new forty.’ But I think sixty is venerable old age, you agree right? Anyway, when you can come to tea shop? Kind Regards, Vera. —5:31 p.m.

I don’t think I’ll be able to for a while, so you need to tell me over text. If it’s hard for you to type, then maybe you can send a voice note. —5:32 p.m.

What is voice note? Kind Regards, Vera. —5:35 p.m.

Oh, sorry I forget to say above, this is Vera. In case you don’t know. —5:37 p.m.

What have you learned about Thomas? —5:38 p.m.

Sorry Millie, my arthritis acting up, I cannot play on phone too long. Will figure out this voice note thing and get back to you. —5:42 p.m.

Vera, please tell me what you found out about Thomas. —5:42 p.m.

Vera? —5:43 p.m.