Miss Fine sat in a chair opposite Richard and Susan McMillan. Ada, the family maid, brought her a cup of tea and then retreated to the kitchen. "I'm here to help," she told them. And they, oddly enough, believed the young woman. "Now, you were telling me that your relationship is not what it once was."
Susan, a somewhat disconnected look in her eyes, nodded. "We barely spend any time together, except at public events..."
Richard seemed to agree, equally disconnected. "Sometimes, it is as if we just happen to share a house."
It was not something they'd normally admit, but this woman had that effect on others. "Well," she told them, "I think, perhaps you've grown bored with each other. You need to change things...try something completely different. You can't just do the same thing and expect a different result. That isn't how things work."
She spoke to them for several more minutes, making some suggestions. "I think you need me here at least three days a week...at least until you are on a new track. Does that sound fine?"
"Yes...thank you Miss Fine," they both said.
"No, thank you," she said, getting up and heading to speak to the other inhabitants of the house. The McMillans just sat there for an unknown period of time.
Susan blinked as her daughter entered the room. She had a bottle of water and was heading upstairs with her schoolbag. "What is it, Sarah?" She asked.
"I just wanted to tell you I have a lot of homework to do," she said. "And I'm going to get started on it now."
Richard looked at her. "You are going to go do your homework?"
"Don't look so surprised, Daddy," she said. "I want to get my Spanish grade up."
"I'm not, but..." Richard had been a jock in high school...although he'd studied as well, unlike his daughter's boyfriend who seemed to think he'd get by on looks. He'd done well enough for himself.
"Okay. Love you," she said, heading upstairs.
The two of them exchanged glances. "She's taking Spanish?" Richard said.
"How should I know?" Susan asked. "I thought she talked to you about her schoolwork. She talks to me about other things."
"I thought..." Richard said...
Neither of them had paid much attention to Sarah's education. In fact, neither of them had even asked about her grades recently. The maid took care of the house, and ensured Sarah was fed. Richard's finance people paid the credit card bills..Both parents were in and out of town often, sometimes with her sometimes not, and out of the house many nights...Sarah was rather...free range.
