When Amelia told me that it was time to leave, she told me that my phone and other belongings had been confiscated for "research" reasons, meaning that I would probably never see them again.

  Her attitude towards me is no longer formal and instead she has shown me another side of herself. She's actually very nice, and I think that she might have been asked to act that way earlier.

  I was about to leave the meeting room when the nurse from earlier, Millie, surprised me with a nice flower bouquet and an attached card. I already noticed the huge "CNN" logo on it, so the flowers were definitely not hers. "Awww.....you shouldn't have," I said, pretending to think that she gave me a goodbye present.

  She immediately gave me that 'I'm not asking you out'-look... and said "Diane...just read the card."

  "Heheheh, okay, I will, but ter. Here, these nice flowers are for you, Millie."

  She looked surprised and smiled. "You sure?"

  "Millie...they are just flowers, okay? I don't exactly have a vase or anything like that."

  "Thanks!" She sniffed at a blue flower and then left us, only to return with a smile. "They are lovely. Until we meet again."

  Millie then left and I saw Amelia grinning.

  "What?" I said, not entirely sure if I had just committed a crime against humanity.

  "Nothing.....just smooth.....very smooth."

  "C'mon, it's not like I'm asking her out or anything? Em....okay, yes....she was cute, okay?"

  "Hahahaha! I'm only teasing you! You'll learn that I do that a lot. Even prank people occasionally."

  "You prank people?!!!!"

  "Why not? Do you think that I'm too old for that?"

  "No....just..... em......please don't prank me, okay?"

  "No promises, Diane. C'mon, don't give me that look! I would never hurt you! A good prank is something you can ugh about. Just...trust me, okay?"

  "Alright, and for the record.....I like this particur smile of yours much better."

  "Smooth." She winked again.

  "No! I meant that you had a creepy smile earlier! You scared me!"

  "Hahaha.... Why don't we get out of this depressing pce?"

  "Hear hear."

  A soldier drove us to the airport in an Army jeep and the further we traveled from the danger zone, the more normal the cities started to look. Life looks just like back home...no monsters....just normal.

  While enjoying the ride, I read the card that came with flowers. "Diane, thank you very much for your interview. We, the staff and our viewers, have received word that you are doing well. We wish you all the best! Should you ever wish to finish your interview, give us a call. Yours....CNN. -Lindsey Bennet." She drew a smiley emoji underneath the text.

  I guess their TV ratings and viewers went through the roof. Yeah...not my problem.

  We boarded Amelia's company's private jet, yes seriously, and didn't even have to set foot in the airport. The jet then took us to the Washington National Airport in no time. Amelia's home is located in Washington DC, 'close to where the action is', or so she said.

  After arriving at the Washington Airport, we had to walk towards the terminal, where Amelia's very own personal attendant, Rachel Mullins, was waiting for us. She had managed to find us a golf cart, or whatever you call those things, and intended to drive us towards the parking area. We introduced ourselves, but we didn't get very far after that because people recognized me from TV.

  It didn't take long for a crowd to form around us."Diane! Heeeey it's Diane! You okay?"

  Amelia shakes her head. "Shit...sorry, I shouldn't curse. But the timing is bad. Smile, Diane, I need the publicity. Follow me and py along, this won't take long."

  "Yes, ma'am." I replied. She told me onboard the aircraft that many are also bming her company for the ck of progress in exterminating monsters.

  While walking towards the gathering crowd, I try to smile while feeling very nervous. My nervousness changes into astonishment when I see another CNN camera crew heading for us. This time not in uniform, but a more standard camera and a dy who's dressed for prime time.

  "CNN is here already? How?" Is all I managed to say.

  She whispered "they're everywhere. Just py along."

  "Diane!" Another dy from CNN shouted.

  "Okay, go talk to her and then follow my lead." Amelia said.

  "Hi there!" I said while waving at the CNN dy. Airport security staff are keeping people from approaching us, but let the CNN crew pass. "Can you please thank your lovely miss Lindsey for the flowers? They were amazing!" I actually meant to say 'thanks for the lovely flowers' and not 'lovely miss Lindsey' but I messed up.

  "Of course, and you're welcome! Do you have time to finish the interview? The whole world wants to know what happened to you!"

  I look at Amelia and see her nodding."Sure!" I replied.

  The dy nods and taps her ear piece, then speaks in a loud voice, probably to make everyone else around her shut up.

  "I'm Karen Stewart and we are currently reporting live from the Washington national airport, where Diane Nicholson just arrived. Diane... can you tell us what happened after the interview?"

  Surprisingly Amelia replies. "Allow me to answer the question. I'm Amelia Finley, representing Oakhive Enterprises. Diane is under my company's care now. She apparently managed to touch a bug stone, so we're eager to find out how she managed to do that. With any luck we will be able to devise some way to disable those and end the bug threat for good."

  "Miss Finley, what incredible news! And what about the iphone she showed us? Our viewers are asking if we can see a demonstration of it?" Karen asked.

  Amelia replies again. "Yes, it's a patented phone but it's still under development, just a misunderstanding. The demonstration will have to wait a while."

  Karen then looks at me. "I see, Diane, where did you obtain it?"

  Crap...I have to py along!"Eh...from Oakhive Enterprises, of course. I work for her company and was performing a field test when I got caught up in a monster mess. I didn't know that I had entered a red zone and was scared when I saw those big spiders. I'm sorry, but I was quite confused during the interview. The medics said that I was in a state of acute shock, so sorry for babbling. It's quite embarrassing, but I'm fine now."

  "I see, good to hear that you are well again. And I think that everyone would be scared to see those monsters from up close. As for the bug stone, you apparently managed to touch one. Can you tell us how it felt? Was there anything special or unusual you noticed?"

  "Yes, it felt warm to the touch and smelled like sulphur. There was also some static electricity, and the thing zapped me. It felt like I was being electrocuted, but that's about it. It didn't injure me or anything, otherwise it was just a boring rock resembling pumice. Maybe that thing caused me to feel confused, I'm not sure."

  "Amazing. Miss Finley? It's good to see that Oakhive Enterprises is still working under the assumption that humanity has a future. A telephone with a revolutionary touchscreen and important progress on a bug stone too. Very good news indeed. But is there still a future? Can you really devise a way to kill those bugs for good?"

  Amelia nods. "Absolutely. We made lots of progress today, thanks to Diane. She has a knack for science and we will nurture that skill of hers to the best of our abilities. That and her ability to touch the bug stones......makes her one heck of a valuable employee. So are we going to kill the bugs? Hell, yes we are!!"

  "Yeaaaaah!" And the crowd goes wild!

  Amelia then shouts "I'm sorry, but that's all the time we have!"

  I wave at Karen and judging by her smile, she's quite happy too.

  Rachel pulls me towards the golf cart and puts the pedal to the metal while Security keeps everyone away from us.

  When we finally stepped into Amelia's very spacious dark blue SUV, Rachel whispered something to her and then drove us "home."

  "Diane, I have to admit...I'm impressed." Amelia said while I kept staring outside the car's window.

  "About what?"

  "You handled that interview in a very professional way."

  "Oh that? Well...I remembered how the tour guide talked to us, just before the accident. I simply tried the same thing."

  "Still, your actions greatly benefited my company. Rachel just told me that my stocks went up over 80%."

  "Wow...but why?"

  "You don't know? Then let me expin. You basically earned me a few billion dolrs by telling the whole wide world that my company invented that phone of yours. And since you pretended to be my employee, they expect that everything you told during your first interview is being developed in my company as well. And as the icing on the cake....the whole world now knows that my employee, and she only, is able to touch a bug stone. The world needs this kind of positive news, Diane. But you also put my company on the map again. You can look forward to a nice reward."

  "Wow,... thanks! Like what?"

  "Patience, my dear. At least the government can't cim ownership of any of those topics now. It means that we're going to be producing that touchscreen or at least be involved in a joint venture somehow. Either way we'll benefit from it. In any case...I guess that I'll simply have to put you on my payroll from now on then."

  "Seriously?"

  "Of course, I'll need your help anyway."

  "But...what can I do? I mean, I'm still in school."

  "I know. We have a research division right here in Washington, so it actually works out perfectly. You could expin those concepts of yours in my meetings and assist me and my staff where possible. We also desperately need you to show the world that you can actually touch the bug stone. Hearing it from us is nice, but seeing the evidence is even better.

  I'll help you with school and such, but my priority is to find new ways to deal with the monster popution, and thus save humanity."

  "Of course."

  "And we'll see how things progress from there, sounds good?"

  "Yup, I understand. And I promise to help you in any way I can."

  "See? I think that we're going to get along just fine. Do you mind using the guest room for a while? Most of my mansion is an extension of my office. Trust me, you won't like the mess you see. There are storage boxes and reports everywhere."

  "Hahaha.....I think that's normal for a scientist. Someone once said that 'an empty desk is the product of an empty mind.' Your mind must be pretty filled with science stuff, I guess."

  "I like that expression. I'll use that when I see my CFO next time. We're friends, but he's always compining about the mess in my office. Auditors and the like don't fancy seeing that."

  "Hahaha.....maybe I can clean that stuff for you? I've got nothing else to do?"

  "You, my dear Diane, will have to go to school first."

  "Do I really have to? I mean....shouldn't I be going home instead?"

  "Let me be blunt. I have no idea how to send you home, so you'll have to make due with this world. And you can't see your parents in this world either, because....you are not their child."

  "Yeah.....okay. I still can't believe that this is happening."

  "That makes two of us."

  Finally we arrived home. Well...'home'....is a word that hardly does it justice. Her home is actually a magnificent mansion in the best pce of town. There are nothing but vils wherever I look. It's like I'm touring Beverly Hills!

  An insanely huge two storey building awaits and calling it a small pace wouldn't be far from the truth. It has white stones all over and the metallic fence is tall with stone pilrs every 10 or so feet. Everything I see looks insanely expensive.

  The front gate doors open and Rachel stops near the mansion's front door. My oh my....a perfectly trimmed green wn, but not a single flower to be seen. Just nice and clean, no unnecessary decorations. Not even a fountain or a pond. Just a really spartan but still nice pce to live. Something tells me that I'm gonna like her style very much.

  Rachel opens the passenger doors and helps us exit the car.

  "Thank you, Rachel." Amelia said, and then motions me to follow her into her home.

  She then whispered to me "Rachel is not only my attendant. She can handle anything...anytime. If you need anything, you can always ask her."

  "Okay, thanks." What does she mean by...'anything?' Is she a soldier in civilian clothes? Her bodyguard perhaps? Oh dear....

  Amelia gave me a tour of the mansion and showed me my new bedroom. It's a guest room, but still plenty of space for me to comfortably stay in.

  We made ourselves comfortable and chatted for a long while. Rachel joined us ter as well and I think that she's basically family to Amelia. I can already tell that she heavily relies on her for many things. There's a mutual respect, something you wouldn't expect to see in a mere master-servant retionship. But I wonder what else she does for her. I bet that she's armed at all times, so I had better not scare her.

  It can tell that these nice people are coffee lovers, as confirmed by the impressive looking coffee machine in the kitchen. It has way too many buttons on it, but the end result is truly delicious.

  "Diane? Why don't you follow me? I'll show you your bath and shower area. Our housekeeper will clean those regurly, so don't be armed if you see someone else working in the house." Rachel said, while gesturing to follow her.

  "Sure, and good to know. Wait...do you mean to say that I actually have my very own shower?"

  "You sure do!" Rachel snickered. "The previous owner designed this pce to accommodate his guests. It's a shame not to use all the facilities, don't you think?"

  Amelia nods. "Yup, that's typical Diane. Just a normal working css kind of girl. Spartan, focused, smart and friendly. And above all else, she appreciates a good cup of coffee, just the type of people I like."

  "Ehehe..." I scratched my head out of embarrassment. So liking coffee is my most appreciated quality? Can't say I've heard that one before, especially since I don't drink too much of it. Maybe Amelia is just trying to make me feel at home, so let's go with the flow and be nice to them.

  Around 7 pm Rachel showed me which shower and bath were reserved for myself. I can't even begin to understand the logic behind this luxury, it's just insane. But who am I to judge?

  I didn't really feel "clean" after the shower earlier today, so I gdly accepted the opportunity to indulge myself in a really nice long hot shower.

  The shower area is basically the same size as the guest room....lots of space. It looks modern and even the white tiles seem brand new.

  I was about to take a shower when Rachel told me that I wasn't supposed to wear the same clothes again. She however waited until I finished undressing in the shower, behind the privacy gss, before collecting my clothes as if they were a biohazard. Perhaps they really are, since the military provided them, who knows?

  "Em....Rachel? I still need those?"

  "No, you don't. Your PJs and underwear are underneath the towels there. And before you ask, I did a little shopping while you and Amelia were chatting. Just grabbed a bunch, so don't shoot me if you don't like it."

  "Hahaha, I promise. But how could you possibly know my sizes?"

  "Simple, you got a physical today, remember? Trust me... don't you ever forget that Amelia knows ...everything." She pronounced that st word in the most evil way possible, causing us both to ugh. "Just take your time and enjoy. You can wear the bathrobe when you're done and you can find a hairdryer in the cabinet. When you're ready, join us. No need to change into clothes this te. Consider yourself a part of the family."

  "Wow....thank you. See you ter." I wonder why they are so nice to me? Is it because Amelia needs me to expin the phone and such? Or maybe she's simply really nice?

  I took my time rexing in the shower and felt the warm water removing every ounce of weirdness. Everything was just perfect and even the shampoo had a nice fragrance.

  When I step out of the shower, ready to take my towel, I'm surprised to see what lies underneath it. Cute pink PJs and pink underwear. The color is basically forbidden by my mom, so maybe that's why I am drawn to it so much? And let's be honest....why on Earth shouldn't I be allowed to wear what I want? It's not like I'm still in kindergarten, right?

  I got dressed and put on the white bathrobe to keep myself nice and warm. Purple socks and pink fluffy slippers are provided as well, making me unsure whether I should feel happy or embarrassed.

  When I finally join both Amelia and Rachel in the living room, Amelia says "Diane, you're just in time for snacks. Rachel made us some popcorn. It's the only thing she can cook that's actually edible. Hahaha."

  "Very funny, Amelia. Very funny." Rachel is shaking her head.

  "I know, right? C'mon, Diane, don't just stand there! Take a seat!"

  I sit down with a smile on my face and really feel like I'm part of the family...so strange. I only met them today!

  Rachel then asks me "how was the shower?" She has this mischievous smile and Amelia has it too.

  "It was absolutely rexing. I guess that I really needed it. But....I'm kinda wearing the most girly underwear I have ever seen. My mom hates that.....just so you know."

  Amelia nods. "I already know, you told me a few things already, so I explicitly asked Rachel to surprise you. Do you want me to send Rachel into town and find something more appropriate for older women like myself?"

  I look at Rachel, and let Amelia's reply sink in for a moment. "No....this is fine."

  Amelia nods. "Thank heavens for that. We both want you to be comfortable here. Besides, nobody will know and you have nothing to be ashamed of, since it's not as girly or unusual as you think it is."

  "So....you don't mind what I wear?"

  Amelia then says "why would we? At least....within reasonable limits. No nudity and such, okay?" She raised her eyebrows a few times and that looked really weird for someone who is supposed to be a scientist above all else. She really has a great sense of humor.

  "Ha ha ha, I promise."

  Amelia grins. "It seems that I have two girly girls in this house now."

  "Amelia!" I replied...feeling even more embarrassed, but I think that we're friends already.

  "Hahahahahaha." Both of them ughed, enjoying seeing me suffer.

  Amelia walked over to me, gave me a pat on my shoulder and then returned to her recliner, just to show me her support. "Diane, it's perfectly fine. Some women like pink and ribbons and such details, others, like myself, couldn't care any less. I just put them on and be done with it. But you're young...and so is Rachel. If you like that style, go for it."

  I look at Rachel while barely containing a ugh. "She said that you're young, Rachel. Maybe I should call you 'big sister'?" Teasing seems to be a thing here, so I can't help myself joining them.

  Now it's Rachel's time to feel embarrassed. "Ahem....can we please stop this line of thought? And no, Diane, that would be inappropriate for me. Besides, that implies that Amelia is our mom to make this work." She gnced at Amelia, who is grinning, but doesn't comment.

  "Awww.. that's true, but we're friends now, right?" I asked, hoping that I didn't hurt her feelings.

  Rachel gave me a hug out of the blue, startling me. "Yes, that we are. Friends."

  Did I say something wrong? Nah, she's just trying to help me rex."Nice, I appreciate that!" Incredible...how can they be so kind to me? It's so unreal. Not even my parents are this nice! I don't know how, but this friendship of ours is quickly evolving into what looks like a little family. Both of them have what it takes to become a "mom," but I can't call them that of course. I was already happy that Amelia took me in, never even expecting this level of friendship to happen on the same day!

  Amelia nods vigorously. "Rachel is a great judge of character. It's only one of her many talents. And now.....less talking, more popcorn!"

  "Amelia? Do you think that I can talk to my friends?" I asked, after finishing my bowl of popcorn.

  "No.....sorry, you can't. Those people don't know Diane. It would only confuse them and make everyone's life more complicated."

  "Guess so. I mostly miss Ky. She always supported me."

  "I'm sorry, but you might unintentionally hurt someone. Just....let it go. Please?"

  "Alright....I promise."

  She leaves her chair, pats my shoulder and then walks into the kitchen.

  Around 9pm I make my way upstairs and go to bed. What a day this has been. Suffice to say....I fell asleep very quickly. Oh...and Rachel can most definitely cook more than just popcorn!