Good Neighbor Ch. 05

The next morning, Jack was treated to an odd sight. Maddy was dressed and helping some of the girls make breakfast. There was a lot more clothing and a lot less laughter than usual, but overall it was normal enough that it allowed Jack to relax a bit.

"Good morning, Mr. Allen" Maddy said, setting plates of pancakes and sides in front of some of the other girls.

"You too, Mrs. Murphy. That looks great, but you are our guest, you don't need to do this."

"I wanted to. I could not just sit in that room all day and I really don't have anywhere else to go. And don't worry. I am not going to go to the police or other authorities... at least not yet. I cannot say as I am happy with everything going on here, but we will talk about that later. For now, eat up."

Mrs. Murphy spent most of the day puttering in the small garden that she/Angel had started shortly after they moved into the Mad House. Her daughter and some of the others often were working alongside her as the garden took shape. She was clean and ready by the time the evening meeting was starting.

"Mrs. Murphy, we usually use this time to discuss the business operations, cash flow, personal needs and thoughts, and set the next day's agenda but I believe you deserve the floor if you want it." Jack sat down.

Mrs. Murphy remained seated as she addressed the group while looking straight at Jack. "Let me preface this by saying that I think I understand the pressures you are under, and that you think you did and are doing the right thing for these poor girls. I also realize that while I find much of what you do as a business abhorrent, none of it is technically illegal.

"As a good Christian woman, however, I cannot tolerate or abide this situation. Nor can I just turn a blind eye, especially when my own flesh and blood is involved." When Penny started to say something, Madelyn held up a hand. "I know you are an adult, even with the changes, but you are still my daughter. Mr. Allen, I don't have much of anything left, and I know you don't have much, if any, available money, but I would very much appreciate it if you could find a way to help me find a place of my own and a job. We meant something to each other, and I can see that you are a good person at heart, so I ask for this one last favor."

This sparked a discussion between the women who used to own homes in the old neighborhood, discussing which apartments or rooms to let might work. They had a couple promising ideas until Jack spoke up.

He had been sitting, withdrawn, off to one side before he added his two cents worth. "That won't work. That is Mrs. Murphy's old neighborhood. Most of them will recognize the name immediately and may even recognize Mrs. Murphy and wonder what happened. What the hell can we tell them?" That cast a wet blanket over the proceedings. Further discussion resolved nothing, but the Fan Club ('minus one', as Jack bitterly thought) got mother and daughter a private room, and added Mrs. Murphy to the work schedule at her insistence while they worked on a better solution.

Jack took to sleeping alone most nights.