Sunlight slips through the curtains.
Brooke stands in front of her mirror, carefully fixing her hair.
She checks her outfit twice.
Then she grabs her phone.
A message from Isaiah sits at the top of the screen.
Brooke smiles.
She types a response, deletes it, then types another.
She wants to look perfect.
Her phone buzzes.
Brooke, you getting ready for that job interview?
Brooke freezes.
She looks down at her outfit.
Then at the clothes scattered across her bed.
I’m getting ready.
Bethany appears at the doorway.
She looks Brooke up and down.
For the job?
Brooke avoids eye contact.
Yes.
Mhm.
She knows exactly what is going on.
Brooke grabs her purse.
I gotta go.
She walks past Bethany.
Bethany watches her leave.
Girl, that car better not be taking you everywhere except a job!
Brooke pretends she didn’t hear her.
Larry sits on the couch with his arms folded.
His expression is serious.
Brooke walks through the room.
Larry looks at her.
Then at her outfit.
Where you going?
To put in applications.
Larry nods slowly.
Good.
He reaches toward the table and picks up Brooke’s car keys.
Brooke immediately notices.
Why you got my keys?
Larry looks directly at her.
Because tomorrow is the deadline.
Brooke sighs.
I know.
Do you?
He holds the keys in his hand.
Because from where I’m sitting, you’ve had plenty of time to find a job.
Brooke becomes defensive.
I’ve been looking!
Looking isn’t the same as applying.
Brooke rolls her eyes.
I’m going today.
Larry points toward the door.
Then go.
Brooke reaches for the keys.
Larry pulls them away.
Tomorrow, I’m taking them back if you don’t have a job or some real progress.
Brooke stares at him.
You serious?
Completely.
Brooke gets out of the car.
She checks herself in the reflection of the window.
Her hair is perfect.
Her outfit looks carefully chosen.
She takes out her phone.
She opens Isaiah’s conversation.
Brooke hesitates.
Then smiles.
Maybe he’ll be there.
She walks toward a nearby business.
But instead of immediately asking about employment, she looks around.
Her attention keeps drifting back to her phone.
She checks for messages.
Nothing.
Brooke sighs.
She finally walks inside.
Brooke approaches the counter.
An employee hands her an application.
Brooke looks at the paperwork.
Her confidence disappears.
She stares at the first question.
Okay…
She sits down.
She reads the application again.
Then she looks at her phone.
A notification appears.
Her eyes widen.
It’s Isaiah.
Brooke immediately forgets about the application.
She opens the message.
Her face lights up.
What you doing?
Brooke smiles.
She quickly responds.
The application remains untouched.
Brooke sits behind the wheel.
The application is sitting beside her.
Only a few lines have been filled out.
Her phone is in her hand.
She scrolls through Isaiah’s social media.
She studies his pictures.
She smiles at one.
Why am I still worried about him?
She shakes her head.
Then another thought crosses her mind.
She looks at the application.
I need a job.
A pause.
She looks back at Isaiah’s picture.
But I just wanna know what he’s doing.
She laughs softly.
Her priorities are obvious.
Brooke walks through the front door.
Larry is sitting in the same spot.
He looks at her.
Then at her empty hands.
How’d it go?
Fine.
Where’d you apply?
Brooke pauses.
A couple places.
Larry studies her face.
Which ones?
Brooke struggles to answer.
I don’t remember all of them.
Larry shakes his head.
That’s the problem.
Brooke becomes irritated.
I said I was looking!
And tomorrow is still coming.
He stands.
You keep acting like I’m doing this to be mean to you.
Brooke looks away.
I’m trying to teach you responsibility.
Brooke crosses her arms.
I can handle myself.
Larry nods.
Then handle it.
He puts the car keys on the table.
Tomorrow, those keys are mine if you haven’t gotten serious.
Brooke stares at them.
Brooke sits on her bed.
Her phone is in one hand.
The application is in the other.
She looks between them.
Her phone buzzes.
Isaiah again.
She immediately opens the message.
A smile appears.
She forgets about the application.
Then Larry’s voice echoes in her head.
Tomorrow, those keys are mine.
Brooke’s smile fades.
She drops the phone onto the bed.
Okay.
She grabs a pen.
For the first time all day, she focuses.
She begins filling out the application.
Larry walks into the kitchen.
Bethany is already there.
Larry looks toward the hallway.
She better have something to show me today.
Bethany shakes her head.
I don’t know.
Larry sighs.
She has to learn.
Bethany looks at him.
Maybe she just doesn’t know how.
Larry pauses.
That thought hadn’t occurred to him.
You can’t expect somebody to automatically know what to say in an interview if nobody ever showed them.
Larry nods slowly.
That’s true.
Bethany continues.
Give her a chance to struggle first.
But she’s still got to take responsibility.
Exactly.
Brooke walks in carrying several completed applications.
Larry looks surprised.
She places them on the table.
I did them.
Larry picks them up.
He looks through them.
You actually filled these out?
Brooke nods.
Yeah.
Larry looks at her.
Okay.
Brooke waits.
So I can keep the car?
Larry shakes his head.
Don’t get ahead of yourself.
Brooke’s face drops.
Getting applications in is a start.
He hands them back.
Now you have to follow up.
Brooke nods.
I will.
Brooke sits with Bethany.
The room is quiet.
Brooke has her completed applications spread across the table.
Bethany looks at her.
You finally taking this seriously?
Brooke nods.
I have to.
Bethany smiles loo