Alice pulled her car up to the curb and parked, cutting the engine. “Well, here we are!” She said excitedly, turning to face her very disgruntled passenger, who skulked like a four-year-old. “You ready?”

“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t want to do this?” Helena pouted, even as far as to push her bottom lip out. She looked over at Alice, sending her a resistant glare that would have normally made her back off, if it wasn’t for the sunglasses blocking her gaze.

Alice opened the door and put one leg out before turning back to her friend. “Will you stop being a sourpuss and come on?”

Helena crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head, frowning as she looked at the shop in front of her. It wasn’t large, quite puny in proportion, but it had a certain charm that most of Los Angeles lacked nowadays. It was a small building, stuck between a corner café and an overbearing chain-clothing store, with a dark red awning that had seen better days. The front was merely two large display windows with an old gold-painted door in between. One display window held a large breed of puppy, perhaps a rottweiler, while the other held several smaller breeds, miniature poodles, pugs, and whatnot. Helena looked at it in dismay, while Alice fully exited the car.

Alice walked behind the car to the other side and knocked on the window. “Are you getting out or am I gonna have to drag you out?” She heard a loud huff before the door opened, and Helena stepped out. “There we go. Just a few more steps and we’ll be inside.” She turned and started to walk toward the door, hoping Helena would follow suit.

“Alice…I really don’t want to do this.” Helena whined, standing her ground.

Alice turned, putting her hands on her hips. “Hey, do you want to show Peggy how successful you can be on your own or what?”

“I hardly think getting a pet is going to show her–”

Alice cut her off. “How responsible you’ve become? Yes, it will. She’ll have to come to the conclusion that you can handle the money, since you can take care of yourself AND a pet. You’ll be back in the financial loop faster than you can say cha-ching.”