Pleasantview Makeovers: Part Two
Broke: The Brokes of Pleasantview have always been the topic of gossip. Unpaid bills. Shady business associates. A pregnancy long after Mr Broke was six feet under. But Brandi Broke is resilient, friendly and a sunny disposition. When her husband plunged the family further into debt pursuing his dream of running a business, Brandi encouraged him. She believed in the power of a loving home. She still believes in her own power as the backbone of her family. When Skip died in the swimming pool he'd recently built, locals turned their eyes in Brandi's direction. Anyone else might have fallen apart but Brandi knew she had two boys to raise alone. And more than that, she knew she had nothing to do with the accident not matter how much emphasis was placed upon the word accident by gossipy locals. When Gordon King came by with his family's offer for Skip's half of the Diner, Brandi accepted. Bills needed to be paid and the death trap of a pool needed to be filled in. Brandi was not immune to these increased stresses, she sought comfort in a brief fling with a fellow widower. She wasn't terribly surprised when her morning sickness struck but she's taken it in stride. Like his mother, Dustin is very family oriented though he lacks her temperance in judgment and anger. When he has free time he spends it with his little brother. Free time for Dustin generally requires giving up something, usually homework because work and Angela are definitely more important than school. Dustin had worked at the diner prior to his dad's death, a couple nights a week the Kings offered him some extra cash to run extra errands. The money has gotten better since the Kings bought his dad's share of the business and Dustin has grown more suspicious of his "good friend" Gordon. Beau has his mother's cheerful disposition, his father's cleverness and his brother's serious nature. He's also already aware of how much his brother and mother want him to succeed in life.
Dreamer: When he was in school, Darren Dreamer doodled instead of taking notes but despite this, his teachers thought he was their brightest pupil. "Overflowing with potential" was the phrase most commonly associated with Darren. With one small problem--overwhelming insecurity. Darren took up work as a house painter until he met his with Darleen. He continued his work as a house painter but his wife encouraged him to use his free time developing his skill as an artist so over the years he painted hundreds of canvases. When they had Dirk, Darleen encouraged Darren to quit his job so she could return to her job after her maternity leave was over because she made more than he did. Once Dirk was in school, Darren's work evolved as he devoted hours to sketching and painting. Then Darleen died suddenly. Life at home changed very little--except that bills began to stack up. Darren poured his emotions into his work. Dirk wasn't sure how to process his mother's death, she'd been a stranger in his life. He knew there were feelings somewhere in there but where they were was inaccessible. Mostly Dirk can't wait to finish school, go to college and start his internship at Landgraab Corporation. Dirk is also looking forward to dating girls who aren't so obsessed with death and the meaning of life. He doesn't understand his father's impractical nature, always painting pictures and then putting them up in the attic where no one will ever see them. Sometimes he has nightmares about the Repoman taking his mother's things and breaking her tombstone in two.
Oldie: Herb and Coral are quiet, simple folks. In his younger years, Herb was a businessman who worked hard to sock away money for the future family he and Coral expected to have. After some difficulty, they adopted Mary-Sue. When she married Daniel Pleasant her parents were skeptical and even dismissive of the choice. After the twins were born, Coral wanted to move to be closer to her grandkids but Herb was still working and not interested in moving to Pleasantview. Mary-Sue's difficulties early in her marriage lead to decreased contact with her parents until eventually they were lucky to get a call or a card around the holidays. One day Lilith phoned them up out of the blue. After a long chat Coral decided that the time had come. The couple moved into an affordable home in Pleasantview to be closer to the girls who, Coral worries, are more than their parents can handle. While Coral tends to worry about everything Herb is fairly easygoing. He has always had a bit of a roving eye but his heart belongs entirely to Coral. Now that he's retired he spends his time "bird-watching" and planning out an extended island vacation with his wife.
