Chapter 11 Carter's Family

After two hours of busy work at Blake Bank's office, Carter rubbed his slightly swollen temples and temporarily paused his current tasks to attend to his homework for the day.

Subjects like mathematics, natural sciences, and even English were not difficult for Carter. It was American history, American literature, and similar subjects that gave him some trouble. However, with the help of his original memories and the numerous authentic American colleagues at the bank, he managed to piece together his assignments without much difficulty.

Once he finished these tasks, it was time for the bank to close. Seizing the moment just before closing time when the clients had left, Carter gathered the staff for a brief meeting. Aside from Goodman, the bank manager, and the eight female tellers, Blake Bank also employed one vault keeper, four loan officers, and four armed security personnel, totaling 18 employees.

The number of employees was not large, but even for a rural bank, it seemed slightly bloated. At least four loan officers were often idle, as there was rarely enough work for them. The remaining two were usually assisting the tellers with accounting tasks. However, Carter hadn't yet decided on the bank's next steps, so he wasn't in a hurry to lay off any staff.

After a brief meeting, with some generic words of encouragement, Carter announced the end of the meeting and closing time. He then locked the bank's doors and drove home in his flashy Mustang GT.

"Jenny, I'm home!"

Before entering the house, Carter called out according to his habit from his previous life. After all, this was his home in this world.

"Perfect timing, dinner is almost ready. Carter, do you want to take a shower first? Melissa is still practicing yoga, so it might be a while before she finishes."

Melissa was Carter's younger sister, currently in the living room practicing yoga with a video tutorial on the TV. She didn't seem to care much about Carter's return.

"Alright, I'll go to the bathroom first. Is Anna not coming home tonight?"

Carter nodded. While most Americans preferred to shower in the morning, he had always preferred to freshen up when he got home. Glancing at his sister on the living room carpet, Carter walked into the kitchen, checking out the dinner Jenny was preparing, and asked.

Pan-fried steak, tomato soup, baked pasta, plus some fruit. Not bad at all, but also quite ordinary. Carter's appetite diminished just looking at it. Who could endure eating this every day?

"Don't mind her. She's been spending all her time with that Joey lately, hardly any room left for you or me in her eyes. Hungry? Hurry up and wash up, dinner's almost ready."

Jenny, with her hands busy, simultaneously urged Carter. She also didn't forget to shout, "Melissa, dinner's ready!" to prompt her daughter to finish up.

While dealing with Melissa, Jenny was particularly experienced. With just a few words, she silenced her daughter and made her focus on her meal. Seeing his sister sulking, Carter couldn't help but smile lightly.

This family had three women, none of whom could be called conventional. His mother Jenny, as mentioned earlier, was a full-time housewife; his sister Anna was what one might call a hopeless romantic, currently infatuated with her boyfriend Joey, spending all her time with him, heedless of family matters.

Comparatively, his 13-year-old sister Melissa seemed to have more aspirations. But in Carter's eyes, she was aiming too high, single-mindedly wanting to become a Hollywood star.

"Thank you, but I can't eat too much."

Sitting down at the table, Carter took only a couple of bites before casually bringing up the topic.

"Oh, Jenny, after school breaks, I'm planning to go on a trip."

"Sure, go ahead. You've had your driver's license for a while now, you can drive anytime. Wait, where do you mean by 'going out'?"

In most parts of the United States, one could legally obtain a driver's license at the age of 16. In some places, like Kansas, for example, one could get a license at 14. The American driver's test wasn't as complicated as in some other countries. As long as you learned to drive and felt confident, whether your dad or mom taught you, it didn't matter. Once you thought you were ready, you could apply for the test at the local police station. After passing the test, you'd get your license.

So, at first, Jenny didn't think much of Carter's "going out" statement. After all, it was legal for her 16-year-old son to drive. But as she continued, she realized that Carter's intentions might not be so simple.