Melrose Avenue.

"What about Melrose Avenue?" Iris suggested. "There are many high-end boutiques and pastry shops!"

Natalie saw Zoe rolling her eyes. "You don't have to buy anything, Zoe," she chided. "We're just hanging out as a group! I'm sure Jon isn't excited about shopping at women's clothing stores either!"

"Hey, I'm just along for the ride and to carry the bags!" Jonathan said, putting his hands up as a sign he was not taking sides.

"Fine," Zoe grumbled.

"I will buy you a nice dress!" Iris smiled. "Everyone else is wearing dress!"

"I don't like wearing a dress!" Zoe whined.

"Aiya! What do you like?" Iris huffed.

"T-shirts, hoodie, and sweat pants," Zoe replied.

"We all do!" Allison rolled her eyes and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Zoe sighed. "As long as I get to go shopping at a computer store!"

"Good!" Iris smiled. "Mr. Bruce please take us to Melrose Avenue, please!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the chauffeur responded before pulling out of the hotel porte-cochère. The limo headed northwards up North San Vicente Boulevard before turning right at Sunset Boulevard.

"Oooh, there's The Viper Room!" Eva squealed. "I wish we could go!"

The limo turned right at Holloway Drive and drove through the residential neighborhood until reaching La Cienega Boulevard.

"Do you miss L.A.?" Cindy asked Jonathan as the limo turn eastwards at Melrose Avenue.

"No," he shook his head. "It's flat and too many fake people."

"What about you girls?" she asked the triplets.

"I miss the sun!" Jade replied.

Her sisters nodded in agreement.

"I miss the shopping!" Crystal added.

Her sisters nodded in agreement.

"I missed the hot, ripped guys!" Amber giggled, pointing out a blond guy who looked like he was either going to or coming from a gym.

All of the women, including Zoe and Iris, nodded in agreement.

"Um, hello..." Jonathan waved at the girls while pointing to himself.

"Hey, let us enjoy the scenery before we're stuck with each other for the next two years!" Kaylee giggled.

"Okay, I'll drop you ladies... and gentleman... off here," Bruce announced. "Give me a call when you're done and I'll pick you up, okay?"

"We have to walk?!" Zoe whined as the chauffeur opened the door.

"Can we leave her in the limo with you?" Allison asked as she took Bruce's hand and stepped out of the limo.

"Sorry," he shrugged with a chuckle.

"Do you want me to carry you on my back?" Jonathan asked.

"You will?" Zoe gasped.

"I was joking..." Jonathan began only to be interrupted when the petite Chinese girl leapt on his back.

"Can you piggyback her for twelve blocks?" Lauren asked with concern.

"It's okay, I've had rucksacks in Afghanistan that weighed more than her," he replied as he scooped his forearms under her thighs for better support.

"If you're going to carry her over a such a long distance you should fireman carry since it'll be better for your core," Crystal suggested.

"You're right," he chuckled and put Zoe down momentarily before throwing her over his shoulders.

"Put me down, Jon!" Zoe squealed in protest while flailing her legs. "Please!"

"You said you didn't want to walk," Jonathan smiled. "Lead the way, ladies."

After walking a block Jonathan eventually let Zoe down before the group entered the first store of the endless number of clothing boutiques, bakeries, and restaurants along Melrose Avenue. He watched the women and the store like a vigilant bodyguard, not unlike his stint protecting American embassy officials in Kabul.

"How about this one?" Natalie asked, showing a pink lattice tall waist pleated skirt.

"Oh my God! I'd look like Sailor Chibi Moon!" Zoe gasped.

"You would look very cute and get to show off your legs!" Allison added.

"I will pay," Iris offered with a motherly smile after noticing Zoe's hesitation.

"Fine!" Zoe exasperated with a heavy sigh and grabbed the skirt.

"She's just like my little sister," Eva noted as she watched her walk to the change room.

"I know!" Amber giggled, glancing at her sisters.

"Hey!" the other two triplets exclaimed.

"You're only older than me by two minutes!" Crystal complained.

"Five minutes!" Jade noted.

It did not take Zoe long to slip out of her short shorts and put on the pink pleaded skirt. "Happy?"

Jonathan nodded. He was glad he was wearing his aviator sunglasses as his eyes lingered on Zoe's legs -- despite being petite they were long and slender in proportion to her torso.

"Ration yourselves, ladies," Jonathan reminded the group as they brought up their clothes to the clerk ring up, "we still have several more blocks to go!"

"It's okay, Jonathan," Iris replied, smiling at the twelve young women. "I'm paying!"

"No, it's okay, auntie," Cindy countered. "We can pay for our own clothes!"

"Thank you, auntie," Lauren said as she tried to hand her credit card to the clerk, "but we can pay."

"No, you girls will be stuck with my son for two years wearing the same clothes!" Iris stated pushing aside Lauren's hand to give the clerk her American Express. "This is the least I can do!"

"Don't bother fighting her, ladies," Jonathan sighed. "I've tried for thirty years..."

"Thank you, auntie!" the girls cheered.

"You said you can carry a lot, no?" Allison smirked, handing him her boutique shopping bag.

"Yeah..." he replied as the triplets handed over their bags. "Where to next, ladies?"