Chapter 17: Introductions and Explanations

When Jared got back to the lounge room, he plonked hard down onto an easy chair and just stared at the two lovely creatures now inhabiting his home. He also looked all around the room, still in disbelief at the total transformation that had taken place there.

Very slowly, Jared looked back to his two guests and slowly asked, “So ... did you ... did you two ... did you two do all this? Did you two girls tidy up all my mess and make it smell all so fresh again?”

The mother and daughter looked at each other, then turned to Jared and just smiled before the mother said, “Yes, yes, we did! But look, before we go any further, let me introduce ourselves. I am Gloria Benson, and this is my sixteen-year-old daughter, Vanessa. And ... and ... and thank you very, very much for what ... whatever it was you did yesterday. We both owe you a huge debt of gratitude - probably even our lives!”

Jared just stared quietly back then asked, “So just what the hell is going on!? And oh ... I am Jared Reznik, by the way - a currently out-of-work math teacher and newly separated from my girlfriend of two years. But that’s another story. Right now, I want to hear yours.”

“Well,” began Gloria Benson, “I am 36 years old, and I am a district health nurse and, until recently, happily married to Blake Benson ... the man that was chasing us yesterday. We were a happy little family until two years ago when I discovered my husband had a gambling problem and had racked up thousands of dollars of debt on a secret credit card he had obtained. Rather than get any help, he just became abusive and started hitting the bottle every night when he came home from work. You probably heard some of our rows spilling out onto the street.”