Linda was completely taken aback when Melissa, and her mother walked in.
"Mom?" Gregory said. "This is Lisa's mom. She is going to stay with us for a bit until things get figured out."
"I'm so sorry for the intrusion. I'm Heather. I promise I'll be out of your hair in a couple days. I just..." Heather stifled tears and Linda knew she couldn't turn her away.
"It's no bother Heather. You can take the couch. It's a futon." Linda said.
"Thank you very much." Heather said.
"Come here mom. I'll show you where you can put your stuff." Lisa said and they walked to her room leaving Linda and Gregory alone.
"What happened?" Linda asked.
"Her father was a drunken abuser. Her mom couldn't get away and Lisa didn't have anyone to turn to." Greg replied.
Linda sighed and nodded.
"You did the right thing. I'm proud of you. But we can't live our lives like we want to with other people around."
"I know. I'm sorry mom."
"Don't be sorry. Just...lets take a little break from things. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I think...let's see what happens with Lisa's mom. Okay?" Linda asked.
Gregory nodded and watched his mom walk up the stairs and disappear out of sight. A few moments later Lisa and Heather returned and both looked relieved and a little less sad.
"I can't stay here long." Heather said. "Jack has friends who he might call to try and find me. I won't put that burden on your family. I just need a few days to get an apartment settled so I can move in."
Gregory didn't say anything for a long while and Lisa met his spaced out gaze and she realized that he was hiding something.
"What is it?" She asked.
Gregory shook his head and walked over and kissed her on the lips. It wasn't a possessive kiss or even a dominating kiss. It was a compassionate kiss between lovers. Gregory walked across the room and out the door leaving Lisa feeling a little aroused and very confused.
"I don't think Jack ever kissed me like that." Heather said. "He seems like he really cares for you."
Lisa touched her lips and she really thought about it. "Yeah...he really does."
Valarie was finishing up paperwork when she jumped at the sound of a knock at her door.
"It's open" she said and the door opened and Gregory walked in. "Hey what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you about a couple things." Greg said, a serious tone in his voice.
Valarie dropped her smile and faced him directly.
"What's on your mind?" She asked.
"How long have I been working with you Val?" He asked.
"About three years I suppose. Why?"
"You have a background in financing and payroll right?"
"Yes." Valarie replied hesitantly.
"If I ask you for some financial advice could you help me?" He asked.
"What kind?"
"I want to buy something...something big. I need a little help."
"I can do that Greg. What are you looking at buying?" She asked.
Gregory jumped on her computer and opened up a real-estate website for houses on the east side of the valley which was a good thirty minutes away. There were five houses he had saved on the list and all of them were between two hundred and two hundred and twenty thousand.
Most had four rooms and three baths. With about an acre of land. She looked at him and coughed.
"Gregory. These are houses that even I can't afford to pay. You'd have to have saved up a lot of money. The monthly payments alone would be around two thousand a month."
"What about if you paid the entire thing off?" He asked.
Valarie laughed and then when he didn't smile she realized he was being serious.
"Is your mom planning on buying the house with you?"
"No, just me."
"Greg, you have no credit history or even rental history. Even if you paid it all off at once you would have to get someone to-" Valarie paused and she understood what he was really saying asking for.
"Clever boy." She smirked. "Gregory. I will sign for you but I want to see your bank account. Show me how much you plan on paying then I'll give you my help."
"I'll show you but you have to promise you won't tell anyone." Gregory said.
"I promise." She said as she placed her hand on her heart.
Gregory opened a new tab on the computer and logged into his bank. What Valarie saw made her jaw drop. He had a diamond membership to the green valley corporate account. Diamond members had to have a constant amount of at least five thousand dollars flowing into the account and a total amount of at least ten thousand in the account at all times.