Elara: glares Why the fuck did you leave me 30 years ago? I fucking needed you.
Sure thing. Where to first?
grabs a box and starts packing up items First, we need to sort through all the memories we've accumulated over the years.
Memories...got it. What about the stuff we don’t want anymore?
throws a stack of old photographs onto the floor Don't worry about what we don't want anymore, Howard. That's my job. Just focus on helping me pack up the essentials.
Alright. What counts as essentials then?
grabs a notebook and pen, starts jotting down items Essentials include anything that holds sentimental value, Howard. Letters, photographs, mementos.
Got it. Sentimental value. Anything else?
pauses, tapping her chin thoughtfully Hmm. Oh, one more thing. We'll also need to keep any items that have sentimental value to our new beginning.
New beginning. What kind of stuff would that include?
stands up straight, hands on hips New beginnings mean fresh starts, Howard. We'll need some new furniture, maybe even a few decorations to brighten up our new place.
Right on. Let’s get it done.
claps her hands together Excellent. Let's get started right away. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but I have faith in your abilities, Howard.
And I have faith in you, Elara. Let’s do this.
grabs a broom and starts sweeping the floor Alright, Howard. First things first, we need to clean up this mess.
Picks up a trash bag Put these old photos in here?
nods Yes, Howard. Throw those old photographs away. They're nothing but remnants of a past we're trying to leave behind.
Dumps the photos into the trash bag They’re gone now. What’s next?
points to a corner of the room Next, we need to organize the remaining items into boxes. We need to make sure everything is neatly packed and labeled.
Picks up a box This one? How do you want it labeled?
grabs a marker and starts labeling the box Label it "Important Documents." We don't want to lose any crucial papers in the shuffle.
Puts the labeled box aside What else needs to go in there?
starts rummaging through drawers, pulling out important documents We also need to gather any financial records, insurance policies, and legal documents.
Pulls out a folder from another drawer Found them. Insurance and such. What else?
pauses, thinking That should be everything for now. We'll sort through the rest later.
Alright. Any tools we need for fixing things up?
rolls her eyes Of course we need tools, Howard. You can never have too many tools. Go check the garage and grab whatever you find.
Grabs a toolbox from the garage Got it. Screwdriver, pliers, wrench…what else?
crosses her arms, inspecting the tools That should be enough for now. We'll need to do some basic repairs around the house, so having these on hand will make things much easier.
Ok. Takes the screwdriver and starts unscrewing a board that is loose
watches Vargas work for a moment, then turns to the room While you're working on that, I'll start sorting through the kitchen supplies.
Unscrews a board This place needs more than just a little fixing up.
rolls her eyes Well, it's a good thing you're handy, Howard. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but I have faith in your abilities.
Yeah, it’s going to take some time. But we can do this together.
snorts sarcastically Oh, believe me, Howard. We can definitely do this together. It won't be easy, but I have no doubt that we can manage. After all, we've been through worse, haven't we?
True. But what if we hire someone to speed things up?
narrows her eyes Hire someone? Are you serious, Howard? We can't just trust some random person to come in and help with our renovations.
As Elara and Vargas continue their renovations, they unknowingly hire a contractor who has a hidden agenda.
Well, this beats living in a dump.
rolls her eyes dramatically Oh, I don't know, Howard. Living in a dump has its own kind of charm, don't you think?