Head home, where a certain someone is waiting.

"You ready to head out, Red?" I ask while turning to Rose.

"You want to come home with me, Professor? Isn't that against the rules?" Rose asks back with a coy look. I see someone's still in a playful mood. Alright, fine. I'll keep playing along.

"I was thinking we could have a little... one-on-one tutoring time."

"Wow. A private tutoring session? I'm so lucky, getting special treatment like that. I bet I'm your favorite student. But don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

We continue our little back-and-forth the entire way to the bus stop. You know, it's funny: even though Rose can be difficult to deal with sometimes, when I do engage in whatever she's cooked up, I usually find myself having a good time. Granted, there's still a time and place for everything, and I feel like it's largely my responsibility to keep Rose's chaotic energy contained when it's not appropriate, but when it is okay for her to let loose, I can't deny that it's an enjoyable experience.

Once we're on the bus, we make it home relatively quickly. Or it at least feels quick to me. I guess having some company really does make a big difference. I might complain about Rose occasionally, but at the end of the day, she really does care about me. Because of that, she tries her absolute hardest to keep me company the entire ride home. It's honestly really sweet. It's the little moments like those that make me really happy that she's a part of my life, even if she can be a bit much at times.

As we approach the front door, Rose clings tightly to my arm as she walks with me. She doesn't even really talk after we get off the bus, instead choosing to just enjoy her time alone with me. I unlock the door and we both step inside together. When we do, we're greeted by an unexpected sight: Mom. Despite the fact that it's still pretty early in the day, she's already home. She's currently sitting on the couch, seemingly lost in thought. I don't think it's crazy to say I know what happened to her today.

I glance over at Rose, who is still holding onto my arm. For once, the redhead's attention isn't actually on me. She's staring at my mom with a concerned look, as if she's just come to the same conclusion that I have. You know something serious is going on when even Rose takes notice.

"Hey... sweetheart?" I say to get Rose's attention. "Do you mind if I...?"

"Um... no... no, it's okay. You probably should," Rose responds as she lets go of me. "I'll go ahead and head up to our room. Let me know if you need me."

And just like that, with one last kiss on the cheek, Rose walks over to the stair. However, she does pause and look at me before taking her first step.

"Oh, and I just wanted to say thank you. You know... for always being willing to go along with my little... fantasies. And for taking care of me when I forget to take care of myself. It really means a lot to me," she adds before leaving me alone with Mom.

Would you look at that? She completely dropped the whole student/teacher thing for a moment. I don't think I've ever seen Rose willingly stop indulging in one of her fetishes all on her own. I guess she really doesn't think this is the time. I have to admit, it's nice to see her still able to act like a normal person. Perhaps I owe her more credit than I thought.

But enough about Rose. I have something more important to deal with. I walk over to the living room couch and sit down next to my mother.

"Hey, Mom. You're home early. Is everything alright?" I ask, despite already knowing the answer.

"Oh... hi, honey. Um... to tell the truth: no, everything isn't alright," Mom answers as she looks at me. "I lost my job today. Apparently I caused quite the commotion at work. My boss said my behavior was totally unprofessional and that my absence caused nothing but trouble for the rest of the office."

Ouch. Even though I was pretty confident Mom would get fired today, that doesn't make it hurt any less to hear that she did.

"But you know, it's strange," Mom continued. "Everyone kept mentioning me not showing up recently, but I don't really remember missing that much work. I mean... I guess I have felt like I've spent a lot more time home lately, but... I don't know. My brain's felt kind of foggy the past few days. Or maybe it feels foggy now? I'm not sure."

There's always been a part of me that's been curious how it feels to have your mind altered by the remote. Based on my limited knowledge, it seems like it affects each person differently, but that doesn't give me a lot to go off of. I have no way of knowing how exactly Mom processes her time spend as a pet. It's too bad I can't see the world from their perspectives, even for a brief moment. That would be helpful.

"Is there anything you do remember about the past few days?" I prod.

"Well... I do feel like life has been a lot simpler. Like I didn't have to worry as much. I could just enjoy myself. It's kind of hard to explain. I also have little images stuck in my mind," Mom answers.

"What kind of images?"

"They're images of... you. A few of your sisters and Rose, but mostly you. You're taking care of me, giving me attention, and... um... making me feel good... And in these moments, you don't really feel like my son anymore. You're just so... handsome... and powerful... and perfect... more like..."

"Your owner?"

Mom is getting noticeably warmer as she sits next to me. The way she looks at me is no longer familial. Instead it looks more like she wants me to hold her down and give her a good pounding right here. I should probably be careful, otherwise she'll get too horny and start acting like a dog again before I can finish this conversation.

"Sweetie? Can I ask you something?" Mom says as she tries to collect herself.

"Of course."

"Do I seem... different to you today?" She asks.

I briefly worry a bit. There's no way she can tell that she's acting strange, can she? She's never shown any signs of awareness before.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that... I don't feel like myself right now. The more I think about those fleeting memories of not having to think about anything and you taking care of me like you're my... you-know-what, the more I start to feel like that's who I really am. It's almost as if I'm just pretending to be a person, when in reality I'm a p-" Mom cuts herself off before she finishes that last word. "You know what? Just forget it. I'm being silly. I'm probably just stressed about losing my job. I... I have no idea how we're going to be able to manage without my income..."

What was she about to say? It almost seemed like... she's starting to think of herself as Liz the dog more than Elizabeth the human. Is that possible? Either way, she's clearly conflicted about something. I just wish there was a way I could help. Unfortunately, I don't think there is right now. Well, I can at least try to put her somewhat at ease.

"Listen, Mom. I promise we'll get through this. I've actually been working on a few things that could potentially help us out financially. Just trust me. It won't be long before I really will be able to take care of you," I explain before giving her a hug.

"I don't know about all that, but I appreciate the thought. Now why don't you go spend some more time with Rose? I'm sure she misses you by now." The two of us share a short laugh that seems to lift up the mood, even if just a little bit. "If it's alright, I'd like to spend a little more time alone. I need to think about what exactly I want to do now."

"Of course, Mom. Take all the time you need."

I hate to leave her like this, but I think that's the best I'm going to be able to do for right now. Unless... I could always try the remote. Maybe she finally has her fourth attribute ready. That might be just what I need to help her. It's at least worth a try...

...

Nothing. Damn. I guess that would have been too convenient. Maybe next time.

I decide that for now, the best thing I can do is listen to Mom and give her some space. When I get to my room, Rose immediately tries her best to comfort me, which does make me feel better, honestly. The rest of the day isn't too special. Despite having the entire afternoon to do things, not much new happens. Thankfully, things do improve when Julia and Michelle get home, as both of them are able to add some much needed levity to the house. At that point, Rose feel comfortable enough to slip back into her schoolgirl roleplay.

I do my best to make sure that both of my sisters as well as Rose each get some time with me. I have to say, they all do a surprisingly good job sharing me at this point, although I doubt Julia will have such an easy time doing so once she's in a more bratty mood. For now though, it's nice to have three girls so happy to be around me all under one roof. Hopefully we can boost that number up to four soon.

And... that's basically it for Friday. I know. Pretty uneventful, all things considered. Oh well. It's bound to happen sometimes, even when you do have a magic remote. Maybe tomorrow will hold more fun. I'll have to wait and see. For now though, it's time to go to bed.