SCENE 1 — PURNELL’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — EVENING

The evening is quiet.

Purnell sits on the couch, looking through his phone.

Suddenly, he receives a message.

His expression changes.

He quickly reads it again.

The message says that Brooke has returned home.

Purnell stands up immediately.

He grabs his keys and heads toward the door.

PURNELL

“Brooke is back?”

He shakes his head, frustrated.

PURNELL

“After everything that happened, she really came back?”

Purnell walks out of the house and gets into his car.

He starts the engine and quickly drives away.

SCENE 2 — BROOKE’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — EVENING

Brooke sits quietly on the couch.

Her eyes look tired.

She keeps her phone in her hand but doesn’t look at it.

She seems emotionally drained.

Suddenly, the front door opens loudly.

Purnell walks inside.

His face is filled with anger and frustration.

Brooke looks up.

She immediately knows this isn’t going to be a peaceful conversation.

PURNELL

“Brooke!”

Brooke stays silent.

Purnell walks closer.

PURNELL

“What are you doing back here?”

Brooke looks away.

PURNELL

“You just disappear, and now you come walking back into this house like nothing happened?”

Brooke takes a deep breath.

BROOKE

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Purnell becomes even more frustrated.

PURNELL

“Then where were you?”

Brooke doesn’t answer.

Purnell waits.

The silence makes him angrier.

PURNELL

“I’m asking you a question, Brooke.”

Brooke looks down at the floor.

BROOKE

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Purnell shakes his head.

PURNELL

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

He takes another step toward her.

PURNELL

“Everybody has been worried about you. You leave without telling anybody where you’re going, and then you come back without explaining anything.”

Brooke remains quiet.

Her eyes begin to water.

SCENE 3 — LARRY HEARS THE ARGUMENT

Across the house, Larry hears Purnell’s raised voice.

He pauses.

He looks toward the hallway.

LARRY

“What’s going on?”

Larry walks toward the living room.

As soon as he enters, he sees Purnell standing in front of Brooke.

Brooke looks uncomfortable.

Larry immediately becomes serious.

LARRY

“What’s happening?”

Purnell turns toward him.

PURNELL

“Ask her where she’s been.”

Larry looks at Brooke.

LARRY

“Brooke, where did you go?”

Brooke doesn’t answer.

LARRY

“We’ve been trying to figure out where you were.”

Brooke slowly looks at him.

BROOKE

“I’m fine.”

LARRY

“That’s not what I asked.”

Brooke looks down again.

LARRY

“Where were you?”

She remains silent.

Purnell crosses his arms.

PURNELL

“That’s exactly what I’m asking her.”

Larry looks frustrated.

LARRY

“Brooke, nobody is trying to attack you. We just need to know what happened.”

Brooke finally looks up.

Her expression is hurt.

BROOKE

“You both keep saying that, but it doesn’t feel like you’re trying to understand me.”

Larry becomes quiet.

Purnell looks away for a moment.

SCENE 4 — BROOKE REFUSES TO EXPLAIN

The room becomes completely silent.

Larry sits down across from Brooke.

Purnell remains standing.

LARRY

“Just tell us the truth.”

Brooke wipes her eyes.

BROOKE

“I don’t owe anybody an explanation right now.”

Purnell looks shocked.

PURNELL

“You don’t owe us an explanation?”

Brooke stands.

Her voice becomes stronger.

BROOKE

“No.”

She takes a deep breath.

BROOKE

“I needed space.”

Larry watches her carefully.

LARRY

“You could have told somebody.”

BROOKE

“Would you have listened?”

Larry doesn’t respond.

Brooke looks between the two men.

BROOKE

“Every time I try to explain how I feel, somebody gets angry.”

Purnell’s expression softens slightly.

PURNELL

“We’re angry because we’re worried about you.”

Brooke shakes her head.

BROOKE

“Sometimes your anger makes me feel even worse.”

Larry looks down.

LARRY

“We’re just trying to protect you.”

BROOKE

“I know.”

A pause.

BROOKE

“But protecting me doesn’t mean controlling me.”

SCENE 5 — THE QUESTION THEY CAN’T ANSWER

Purnell takes a deep breath.

He tries to calm himself.

PURNELL

“Fine.”

He looks directly at Brooke.

PURNELL

“Just tell me one thing.”

Brooke waits.

PURNELL

“Were you safe?”

Brooke pauses.

Then she nods.

BROOKE

“Yes.”

Purnell slowly nods.

Larry looks relieved for a moment.

LARRY

“Then why didn’t you call?”

Brooke looks at him.

BROOKE

“Because I didn’t want anyone finding me.”

Larry’s face changes.

LARRY

“Why?”

Brooke looks toward the window.

BROOKE

“Because I needed to think.”

Purnell looks at Larry.

Neither man knows what to say.

SCENE 6 — BROOKE’S FINAL WARNING

Brooke walks toward the center of the room.

She looks at Purnell first.

Then she looks at Larry.

Her voice is calm, but there is pain behind every word.

BROOKE

“Listen to me.”

Both men stay quiet.

BROOKE

“I came back because I wanted to come home.”

She takes a breath.

BROOKE

“But don’t mistake that for me being okay with everything.”

Larry nods slowly.

LARRY

“Okay.”

Brooke shakes her head.

BROOKE

“No. You need to really hear me.”

Larry looks at her.

BROOKE

“If I ever leave again…”

She pauses.

Her eyes fill with tears.

BROOKE

“I’m not coming back.”

The room goes silent.

Purnell’s anger disappears from his face.

Larry looks stunned.

LARRY

“Brooke…”

She raises her hand, stopping him.

BROOKE

“I’m serious.”

Purnell looks down.

PURNELL

“You don’t mean that.”

Brooke looks directly at him.

BROOKE

“I do.”

Larry slowly stands.

LARRY

“We don’t want you to feel like you have to leave.”

BROOKE

“Then stop making me feel like I can’t breathe when I’m here.”

Larry has no response.

SCENE 7 — A MOMENT OF REALIZATION

Purnell sits down.

His voice is much quieter now.

PURNELL

“Maybe we handled this wrong.”

Larry looks at him.

Brooke remains standing.

PURNELL

“We were so focused on finding out where you went that we forgot to ask why you needed to leave.”

Brooke’s expression softens.

Larry nods.

LARRY

“You’re right.”

Brooke looks surprised.

LARRY

“I should have asked if you were okay before demanding answers.”

Brooke slowly sits back down.

The tension in the room begins to fade.

BROOKE

“That’s all I wanted.”

Larry sits across from her.

Purnell watches quietly.

LARRY

“You don’t have to tell us everything tonight.”

Brooke looks at him.

LARRY

“But promise us you’ll talk when you’re ready.”

Brooke thinks for a moment.

BROOKE

“I’ll talk when I feel safe enough to.”

Purnell nods.

PURNELL

“That’s fair.”

A long silence follows.

For the first time that evening, nobody is yelling.

SCENE 8 — THE NIGHT ENDS

Brooke looks toward the window.

The sky outside is getting darker.

She takes a slow breath.

Larry looks at Purnell.

Purnell gives him a quiet nod.

Both men finally understand that forcing Brooke to talk will only push her farther away.

Brooke stands.

BROOKE

“I’m going upstairs.”

Larry nods.

LARRY

“Okay.”

Brooke walks toward the stairs.

She stops for a moment and looks back.

BROOKE

“I’m glad I came home.”

Purnell looks at her.

PURNELL

“We’re glad you’re here.”

Brooke gives a small nod.

Then she walks upstairs.

Larry and Purnell remain in the living room.

Neither says anything for several seconds.

Finally, Larry speaks quietly.

LARRY

“We almost pushed her away for good.”

Purnell looks toward the stairs.

PURNELL

“Then we better make sure we don’t do it again.”

The camera slowly pulls back.

Upstairs, Brooke closes her bedroom door.

She leans against it and takes a deep breath.

For the first time since returning home, she allows herself to cry.