Everyone in the Belcher household was assigned to a specific task and focused on their individual responsibilities. The subtle creaks of an old house settling echoed through an empty hall. Bob and Linda sat quietly in the kitchen, wine glasses sweaty and half empty. Bob stares at the phone, in complete shock and disbelief.  

“Lyn. We did it.” Still unable to move a muscle.  

“Just picture it, Bob. We’ll be set for a long time, maybe even start putting money aside for retirement.”  

“Oh, really? I thought we were going to use Gene’s college fund.” Bob blurted, as he slowly came back to his senses.  

“Well, we were, but now we can just give it to him when he turns 18- like an inheritance.  

“Let’s hope this goes well, and Louise could have one too.”  

“Oh my god, what should I buy when the first check comes?” she bounces with excitement in her seat.  

“Let’s keep our expectations grounded, Lyn. I don’t want to get my hopes up.”  

“Oh, Bob.” She scoffs while folding her arms. A drop of dew rapidly traces the side of Lyn’s glass until it reaches the bottom, almost appearing to hold on for dear life before silently  

Plashing to the table below. A drop that shared the same slow drip as the faucet in Sylvester’s kitchen. Rudy stood by watching its drop make an impact with the sink surface.  

“Hey Kiddo, what cha doin’?”  

“Oh, I’m just thinking.” he slowly turns his head to meet his father’s eyes.  

“What cha thinking about?”  

“Stuff.” Silently exhaling as he turns back to the inconstant drip of the leaky faucet.  

“Well, I don’t want to assume what ‘stuff’ you might be pondering, but I would like to say that your old man is here if you ever need some reassurance about that… ‘stuff’. If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”  

“I know, Dad.” His hands slowly fidget- rubbing the tips of his fingers on his thumbs. “Dad, do you ever plan on moving? To like, a bigger house?”  

Sylvester’s breath escaped him, “Uh, I haven’t recently, but I did think about it when you started middle school. Is that something you want?” He pulls back a seat from the breakfast bar and sits.  

“I just think that it would be better if you had something bigger... so you could have room, and I could have room when I visit.”  

“Oh.” His mouth dried up, forcing him into silence. His mind must be made up on the topic, he thought to himself.  

“Well, maybe I’ll start looking again. Shouldn’t be too hard in this economy.” He chuckles. Rudy joins in with a confused chuckle.  

“Yeah?” he asked.  

“Yeah.”  

They shared a moment of silence; it was warm and sweet. A phone rang, breaking up the loving moment.  

“Oh, it’s your mom. Be right back, buddy.” He placed a hand on Rudy's head and took the phone call in another room. Rudy, now alone, reached for his phone and sent a text to Louise. 

Meanwhile, Louise has put her phone on silent because she is on a hunt. Across from a small retail store. Two young adults bearing the same face paced back and forth, stocking and cleaning. They were alone, and there weren't many customers either, so Louise decided it would be a good opportunity to confront, but not before telling the rest of the gang.