usm ) Even after Larry gives Brooke a two-day warning, she still doesn’t change. So Larry drops Brooke off at a pizza shop to get a job and keep her busy.

Larry Gives Brooke a Reality Check
Larry Gives Brooke a Reality Check
Larry had already given Brooke two days to get her life together, but when the deadline arrived, he quickly realized that nothing had changed.
Brooke was still spending most of her time in her room, distracted by everything happening in her personal life. She continued thinking about Isaiah, checking her phone, and putting off the responsibilities Larry had been trying to make her understand.
Larry stood outside her bedroom for a moment before knocking.
Larry: “Brooke, you got a minute?”
Brooke: “What?”
Larry stepped inside and looked around the room.
Larry: “I gave you two days. I told you that you needed to start making better decisions and figuring out what you were going to do with yourself.”
Brooke: “Dad, I know what you said.”
Larry: “No, I don’t think you do. Because if you did, I would have seen some kind of change.”
Brooke finally put her phone down and looked at Larry.
Brooke: “What do you want me to do?”
Larry: “I want you to take responsibility for your life.”
Brooke: “I’m trying.”
Larry: “Trying isn’t enough when nothing changes. You can’t spend every day worrying about Isaiah, sitting around, and expecting everybody else to figure things out for you.”
Brooke: “You don’t understand what I’m going through.”
Larry: “Maybe I don’t understand everything you’re feeling, but I understand that you’re getting older. At some point, you have to start making decisions for yourself.”
Larry’s Message:
“You have two choices. You can keep sitting around waiting for things to fix themselves, or you can get up and start doing something productive.”
Brooke: “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do.”
Larry: “That’s exactly why I’m going to help you.”
Larry picked up his keys.
Larry: “Get dressed.”
Brooke: “Why?”
Larry: “Because you’re coming with me.”
Brooke: “Where?”
Larry: “You’ll find out when we get there.”
Brooke reluctantly got ready and followed Larry to the car. During the drive, she repeatedly asked where they were going, but Larry kept the answer to himself.
The Surprise:
After several minutes, Larry pulled into the parking lot of a local pizza shop.
Brooke: “A pizza shop?”
Larry: “Yep.”
Brooke: “Why are we here?”
Larry: “Because you’re getting a job.”
Brooke: “What?”
Larry: “You heard me.”
Brooke: “Dad, you can’t just bring me somewhere and tell them I need a job.”
Larry: “I can bring you somewhere and give you an opportunity. What you do with that opportunity is up to you.”
Brooke shook her head and looked toward the pizza shop.
Brooke: “I don’t want to work at a pizza shop.”
Larry: “You don’t have to love the job. You need to learn what it means to show up, work hard, and be responsible.”
Brooke: “Then why are you doing this?”
Larry: “Because I love you. And because I refuse to watch you waste your time when you have so much potential.”
Brooke became quiet. Larry’s words made her think about how much time she had been wasting.
Larry: “You’re going to meet people, learn something new, and keep yourself busy. Maybe you’ll discover that you’re capable of more than you think.”
Brooke: “I guess I’ll try.”
Larry: “That’s all I’m asking.”
Inside the pizza shop, Larry spoke with the manager and explained that Brooke was looking for work.
Manager: “Have you ever worked in a restaurant before?”
Brooke: “No.”
Manager: “That’s okay. We can train you.”
Manager: “We need someone who can help with different tasks, keep things organized, and work with customers. If you’re willing to learn, we can give you a chance.”
Brooke: “What if I don’t know how to do something?”
Manager: “You ask. Everyone starts somewhere.”
Larry: “See? That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
Brooke: “Fine. I’ll try.”
Before leaving, Larry pulled Brooke aside and spoke to her one more time.
Larry: “I want you to understand something. This isn’t punishment.”
Brooke: “Then what is it?”
Larry: “It’s a wake-up call. You can’t control what Isaiah does. You can’t control what other people decide. But you can control what you do next.”
Brooke: “I understand.”
Larry: “Do you?”
Brooke: “Yes.”
Larry: “Then prove it.”
Brooke looked toward the kitchen, where the employees were already working.
Brooke: “I guess I should get started.”
Larry: “Now you’re talking.”
Larry started walking toward the door.
Brooke: “Dad?”
Larry: “What?”
Brooke: “Are you really leaving me here?”
Larry: “That’s what jobs are for. You work while I’m gone.”
Brooke: “Okay, okay.”
Larry: “Listen to them, do your best, and stay focused.”
Brooke: “I will.”
Larry walked out of the pizza shop, leaving Brooke behind.
For the first time in days, Brooke wasn’t sitting in her room thinking about Isaiah or waiting for someone else to solve her problems. She was standing in a workplace, surrounded by people who expected her to contribute.
The first few minutes were uncomfortable. She didn’t know where anything was, wasn’t sure what to say to customers, and even made a small mistake while helping organize an order.
But instead of giving up, Brooke asked for help. The manager showed her what to do, and slowly, she began to understand.
Manager: “See? You’re learning already.”
Brooke: “Maybe this isn’t as bad as I thought.”
The Lesson:

Meanwhile, Larry drove home knowing that Brooke might not appreciate what he had done immediately. But he wasn’t trying to make her happy for one afternoon. He was trying to teach her something that would stay with her for years.

Sometimes, being a parent meant making difficult decisions. Sometimes, love meant refusing to make life easy when someone needed to learn how to stand on their own.

Larry knew Brooke had reached that point.

Her two-day warning was over. Now, her next chapter was beginning.