By the time Greg and Ruby finished the cleaning, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the now-spotless laundry room.
Exhausted but relieved, they sat down to a delicious dinner Valerie had prepared. After the meal, Ruby's eyes began to droop, and Valerie swept her off to bath and bedtime.
As Ruby snuggled into bed, Valerie's soothing massage melted away any remaining tension on her bones. With a contented sigh, Ruby drifted off to sleep.
Greg, however, was wide awake, his mind still reeling from the day's events. He felt wronged and aggrieved. He and his daughter only wanted to help Valerie with the laundry and in the end, they not only cleaned the laundry room and washing machine, but also the hallway.
As he lay beside Valerie, he turned on his side to face her, his voice low with playful accusation. "You enjoyed every minute of that, didn't you?"
