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Bedtime in the Jackson household is easily the most dreaded part of their day.
Sally Jackson has always known that she can see things for how they truly are. When her young son cries as soon as she pulls out the pajamas and complains of the monsters outside his window, she knows he's not just making up stories. She's seen the way other people walk past those beastly things in the street as if nothing is wrong - and the way those things leer at her son. Honestly, she can't blame Percy for his tantrums, and won't soothe his terrors away with harmless lies - there's no such thing as monsters - the way other parents might.
She meets Gabe, who has a nice smile and an easy charm about him. Sally sees him for what he is within fifteen minutes of their first date, when he gives that nice smile to the busty waitress taking their orders and picks Sally's dinner for her. She blushes like she's grateful, and wishes the old quote about first impressions being their truest could be proven.
He asks for a second date, and by the end of the third she resolves that she'll cut it off, change her phone number and even move if she has to. His presence is almost repulsive.
That night as she gets Percy into bed she realizes that he's gone down peacefully - her son is practically snoring and she hasn't even flipped the light off yet. She sits on the bed next to him and smooths his messy hair away from his forehead and tries to remember the last time Percy threw a fit before bed.
There's only one thing that has changed in that time, one new factor in their lives.
Sally Jackson can see things for how they truly are. She leans over and kisses her sleeping son goodnight, then leaves his room to call Gabe and see what he's doing this weekend.