"Well, there's plenty of work," Allison said when Frank vowed to earn his keep through labor. She began gathering the leftovers, which he thought would be heading back inside with her. Instead, she put them on the ground for the dogs and commanded, "[i]Eat![/i]"

Again, Frank cringed a bit as the working dogs surged his direction. He laughed, though, relieved when he saw they devouring the scraps without contemplating devouring him instead. One day, maybe soon, he might get over his fear of canines. 

Allison took him into the house through a small changing room in the back and commanded, "Strip."

Frank laughed, surprised. For a moment there, he thought maybe Allison's loneliness was about to show itself in a dramatic way. Then, she explained that she needed him to dispose of his clothes which were possibly carrying life viruses and thoroughly clean his body to eliminate the little bugs on him as well.

She apologized for likely not having a change of clothes for Robert, to which Frank said, "Luckily the little guy isn't a Primadonna regarding his wardrobe. Anything warm and soft will do, I'm sure."

Allison left him standing in the hall, closing the door between the mud room and the kitchen. Wanting to keep the bathroom I-55 free, he stripped to his skin right there, then did the same with Robert; the infant, who had always enjoyed baths, laughed joyfully as his clothes were stripped away. Frank put the clothes in the bag his hostess had pointed out; he included his shoes, hoping Allison's father wore something close to a ten-and-a-half. 

The bathroom was of an old style, as Frank presumed the rest of the old country house was. Tile walls and floors and copper pipes greeted him beyond the shower curtain. It took a couple of minutes for the hot water to reach him, possibly due to poorly insulated pipes and a basement-located water heater. 

Stepping into the hot stream was like stepping into a dream. Frank couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a hot shower or bath. Jennifer cleaned up daily with Robert, of course, and once in a while Frank had been invited to get naked with the pair, which was often nice.

He sang to the infant as they twisted and bounced in the showering water. Washing with just one free hand was a challenge, but Frank managed. Allison had been correct about the hot water heater, with the temperature of the stream eventually beginning to chill. He turned the water off, found a towel, and dried them both. He donned the robe his hostess had left him and wrapped Robert in one of the large, thick, cotton towels. He found a pair of slippers in a corner and slipped into them, then headed for the kitchen.

"I feel like a new man," Frank told Allison with a wide smile. "How long for the water to heat up so I can go again. Do I need a special ticket, like they have a Disneyland?"

Allison escorted Frank to a bedroom in the back of the house where her grandparents had slept for decades. She'd been right about the fit of the clothes; her grandfather had been just a single size larger than Frank, so picking out something that fit was a snap. He chose a cotton tee, a long-sleeved flannel shirt, and overalls; they had a bit of a [i]high water[/i] aspect to them, something Frank learned was the result of his being a few inches taller than the McGee patriarch.  

In contrast to Allison's grandfather being shorter than him, the man's feet had been a half size larger. Frank found a pair of comfortable work boots, as well as other shoes that would suit him for other situations. Once downstairs, he held his arms out wide and turned around for Allison, asking, "Do I look like a farmer? Cuz [i]honestly[/i], I don't know what I'm supposed to look like to work outside. But, I [i]am[/i] ready to begin earning my keep. Just point me in the right direction." 

(OOC: It can be assumed that Frank will more often than not be packing Robert around in his chest pack or some kind of carrier that Allison provides, unless he is left inside to sleep or whatever. We can make this simple.)