"Oh, Jack, you don't have to pretend with me!" Janet smiled coyly. "I know you've had kind of a thing for me for awhile now!"
"Ha! In your imagination!"
Janet chuckled to herself. She knew better.
Leslie came by to check on her the following morning. "I still can't walk on this foot," she told him.
"Would you like for me to take you to the hospital?" he asked.
"Could you, please? I'll pay for the cab..."
"You'll do no such thing. I'll pay for it."
"But I wouldn't feel right about that..."
"Please, Janet. I insist."
After much persuasion, Janet agreed to let Leslie pay for the cab, and they were on their way. "Nothing's broken, thank goodness, but you do have a severe sprain," the doctor told Janet after an X-ray of her foot. "You're going to have to use an ankle brace for six weeks."
"Oh, no!" Janet exclaimed. "How am I ever gonna get to the bus stop and back every day?"
Leslie looked thoughtful. "I've a friend who owns a car," he said after awhile. "Perhaps I could borrow it."
"Oh, could you? Really? That would be so much easier than having to hobble to the bus stop on an ankle brace!" She thought of something. "You do realize that we drive on the right hand side of the road over here, right? And the steering wheel is on the left hand side of the car..."
Leslie laughed. "I lived in New York City for a couple of years when I was younger. Believe me, I know all about driving in the United States."
"New York City?" Janet gasped in surprise. "What did you do there?"
"I drove a cab."
Janet burst out laughing. "I guess you really do know all about driving in the United States, then. But how did you end up in New York City?"
Leslie winked at her. "It's a long story. I'll tell you some day. Right now, I'm guessing you're as hungry as I am."
"As matter of fact, I'm starved!"
"I thought as much." He took her to an upscale restaurant in Cheviot Hills for lunch. As they were walking in, Janet instantly recognized a familiar couple seated at one of the tables.
"It's the Ropers!" she exclaimed. At the sound of her voice, Helen turned around and smiled.
"Look, Stanley! It's Janet!" Helen motioned Leslie and Janet over. "Please, have a seat." The two joined the Ropers in their booth.
"This is Leslie Bennington," said Janet. "Leslie, this is our former landlords, Stanley and Helen Roper."
"It's lovely to meet you." Leslie smiled warmly.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Helen replied. "I love your accent!"
"Thank you."
"So for how long are you in the U.S.?" asked Helen.
"Hopefully for good, if my career takes off. I'm a ventriloquist."
"Oh, is that right? Where do you work?"
"It's...a small place not far from the apartments," Janet said quickly. Leslie shot her a grateful look. "Wow, it sure is stuffy in here, isn't it?"
"I feel fine," said Helen.
"Are you sure, darling?" Stanley sounded very concerned. Janet gasped in shock. She'd certainly never seen this side of her former landlord before; in fact, she'd had no idea it even existed.
"I'm fine, Stanley." Helen smiled and patted her husband's hand. "I was diagnosed with breast cancer several months ago," she explained to Janet. "Ever since then, there's been a complete transformation in Stanley. He's been so loving, kind and attentive! Ever since I got sick, he's gone back to being like he was when we were young."
"It took the threat of losing her to make me realize how much I really do love her," Stanley added. "I took her for granted and neglected her for so long. Now I treasure every day that I have with her."
"So how are you doing now?" Janet asked Helen.
"A lot better," Helen replied. "The chemotherapy was rough, but it seems to have worked really well. The doctor says I'm in remission now."
"I'm sure glad to hear that!" said Janet. "Boy, and here I was feeling sorry for myself over a sprained ankle!"
"Oh, you poor dear!" Helen exclaimed. "How did that happen?"
"I twisted it stepping off the bus yesterday," Janet replied. "Leslie was kind enough to help me back home and to go with me to the hospital this morning. I don't know what I would have done if it weren't for him."
Leslie blushed slightly. "I only did what any concerned neighbor would have done."
"Looks like Janet might have finally met the man of her dreams," Helen said to her husband after Leslie and Janet had left.
"I think you may just be right," Stanley agreed.
For several days, everything was fine. Leslie picked Janet up for work every morning and then dropped her off every evening. Then came the morning Leslie didn't show up, and in his place stood a flimsily-clad, heavily made up young woman.
Janet knew right away that she was one of the strippers at Sammy's.
