Answer the phone

Feeling a little frustrated by the phone, you decide you'd better answer it. After all, it could be George calling to check up on you. "Hello?" You wait for the party on the other end to respond.

"Hello, mother?" says a voice you recognize as being Penelope's. "I'm in a bit of a bind, and I need you to come and get me. Please! You have to help me! I've got no one else to turn to, and I'll do anything you ask. Just please come and get me."

"Penelope, what seems to be the problem?" you ask. For some reason she looks up to you, unlike her brother. She was the first one, and the only one of the two to call you mom. You've been shopping with her, and you've even gone to a few local clubs together. She does, however, have a knack of getting herself in over her head, and getting into trouble.

"I ended up somewhere I shouldn't be. I need to keep it as quiet as possible. Daddy will throw a fit if hew finds out about it."

You can only imagine what she's gotten herself into now. She left alone last night in her 2014 Camaro, and went out clubbing somewhere more than likely. So why she needs you to come and pick her up is a bit of a mystery. "Can you tell me what happened? Where's your car?"

"Let's just say I lost my car, and my clothes in a game I was playing last night. I also lost a lot of money, and I need you to come and bail me out." Penelope silently waits for your reply.

All you can do is smile and shake your head. "Clothes I can bring you, but how much money are we talking about? Can we get your car back from whoever has it?"

"I don't think we can get the car back. That is unless you can come up with about fifty thousand pounds." You know she's probably wincing on the other end of the phone as she's telling you this. You can imagine her cringing, waiting for you to yell at her.

"How much do they want if they keep the car?" you ask, knowing she's probably quite surprised and relieved at the way you responded to her.

Penelope breaths an audible sigh of relief. "They want twenty thousand in cash. It's either that or they're going to sell my ass out on the street. I can pay you back with no problem once I'm out of here. I know I can get the money from Stephen. Then Daddy will never be the wiser, except for the car, of course. Please, Mom, I need you."

"All right. I can get that much money from my own account. I won't have to get into the joint account, so your Dad won't even know it. You can pay me back when you get the money." You grab a pen and a note pad. "Okay, tell me where you're at, and I'll come and get you."