Monica told her mother, Vivienne, that she was engaged to a man named Zach. Vivienne, however, felt doubtful, especially since Zach didn’t come from a wealthy background. To satisfy her concerns, she decided to go undercover. She dressed as an impoverished woman to visit Zach, intending to find out if he genuinely loved her daughter or if he was just after her family’s wealth.

Upon arriving at Zach’s house, Vivienne was shocked by its condition. The place looked dilapidated, with an overgrown garden and clutter scattered around the yard. As she walked toward the front door, she noticed beer bottles and cigarette butts littering the ground. Vivienne thought to herself that Monica had never mentioned seeing this house before. She was convinced there was no way her daughter would fall for a man living in such squalor.

Vivienne hesitated, tempted to leave, but she knew she had to go through with it. With a deep breath, she raised her finger and rang the doorbell.

A man in his 20s answered, wearing a gray, sweat-stained shirt. This had to be Zach. He was holding a bottle of beer, and his unshaven face didn’t help his unkempt appearance.

“Yeah?” he asked, sounding uninterested.

“Hello,” Vivienne began, unsure of how to proceed.

“What do you want, lady?” Zach snapped irritably.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m a bit lost, and I was hoping you could help me,” she stammered. “Are you Zach?”

“Yeah, that’s me. What do you want?” Zach replied, then let out a burp. Vivienne felt her disgust rise, and Zach chuckled at her reaction.

Suddenly, a woman’s voice yelled from inside the house. “Zach! Where’s my lighter? You’re always misplacing things! YOU IDIOT!”

Zach turned to shout back at her. “I’m the idiot? I’M THE IDIOT? You lose everything the second it comes into the house! I don’t know where it is! Stop blaming me!”

“I can’t believe I’m still with you! I’m leaving tonight!” the woman shouted again, followed by the sound of glass breaking. Vivienne instinctively placed a hand over her chest, horrified.

“The day you leave will be the happiest day of my life, crazy woman!” Zach yelled, turning back to Vivienne. “Look, lady, what do you want? I’m busy.”

Vivienne was at a loss for words. “Is that your girlfriend?” she managed to ask, still trying to process the chaos she had just witnessed. It was the only thing that came to mind after that disturbing exchange. These people were awful.

“That’s none of your business, old woman,” Zach barked, then slammed the door in her face. Vivienne recoiled, unable to believe her daughter was actually involved with such a man.

Shaken, she started walking through the neighborhood, her eyes taking in the other houses. They were small, worn-down homes, similar to Zach’s, but some were maintained better. At least not everyone in the area was like him. The houses were dusted with snow, typical for this time of year. Just then, a woman came out of one of the houses, saw Vivienne, and waved at her.

Vivienne smiled and waved back, unsure of what to say or do next. The woman began walking toward her. She appeared to be around Vivienne’s age and had the warmest smile.

“Hey, are you lost or in need of some help?” the woman asked kindly.

Vivienne quickly responded, “Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m just trying to find a taxi to get home.” She started to move away, but the woman stopped her.

“Wait a second. I’m Georgia. It’s pretty chilly out here, and taxis are hard to catch around here sometimes. Why don’t you come inside, and I’ll call one for you?” she suggested.

“I’m Vivienne. It’s nice to meet you. I really appreciate your offer, but I’m not sure…” Vivienne hesitated.

“I insist,” Georgia said with a warm smile, gently guiding Vivienne inside.

They spent some time talking while Georgia made a call to the local cab service. Unfortunately, it turned out all the drivers were busy, and none were willing to drive all the way to Hartford.

Just then, the door opened, and a young man entered. “Hey, Mom!”

He was a striking young man in his twenties who bore a strong resemblance to Georgia, with a friendly face and an easy smile. Georgia embraced him and introduced him to Vivienne. He had brought over some fresh fish he’d caught that day.

“Oh, wait, I almost forgot,” Georgia said, turning to her son after putting the fish away. “Do you happen to know anyone heading to Hartford tonight?”

The young man stood in the living room, thinking for a moment. “I don’t, why?”