RP: Big Changes Coming
Date: March 6, 2011
Characters: Brianna Davidson, Ma and Pa Davidson (npc), Allison Rose
Location: Brianna’s house
Status: Private
Summary: It’s been quite the 72 hours in the life of one Brianna Davidson.
Completion: Incomplete
Brianna kicked off her shoes Sunday afternoon, tugging the small carryon bag in the door behind her. She was tired and still a bit teary-eyed from the conversation that weekend. She hadn’t planned on going to Austin to visit her parents, but after Friday….
”Mom?” She opened the back door and called out, the familiar sight and smell of home making the 3 hour drive worth it, exhausting though it was. She kicked off her shoes, as was her custom, and set her bag on the laundry machine as she went to see what her parents were up to. Reading together in the family room, she suspected.
Her mother was just coming around the corner as Brianna walked through the kitchen. “Well, isn’t this a nice surprise! Frank, Brianna’s come for a visit. Can I get you something to eat? Drink?”
Brianna waved her mother off. “Nah, just going to put on the kettle for some tea. Think Dad will want some?”
“He’s been drinking Sleepytime before bed, and I’ll have some chamomile.” Her mother shuffled in to get mugs down while Brianna filled the kettle. A few minutes later, she was settled on the couch with a steaming hot mug of mint tea.
“Mom, Dad, I have something I need to tell you.” She saw the way they looked at each other, alarmed. “I came to visit because I missed you guys, but also…. I quit my job today.”
She held her breath, uncertain what sort of reaction she’d get. They’d always supported her, no matter what she’d done, though she rather thought they were relieved when she’d gone into the business realm, and was stable in her income and life as a whole.
Frank and Becky looked at each other for a long moment, then Becky said, “Well, it’s about time!”
Brianna stared at her. “Huh? What?” Dumbfounded didn’t even begin to touch it. Gobsmacked, maybe.
“You hated that job, sweetie. You might have been making money and getting promoted here and there, but you weren’t happy.” Her mother reached over and brushed Brianna’s hair back from her face. “I know you wanted to succeed and make us proud of you, but we’ve always been proud of you, no matter what you’ve done. It’s more important to us you be happy with whatever you’re doing.”
Brianna felt her eyes start to burn and blinked hard, willing the tears back. “I know you didn’t want me to go into the family business cause you wanted better for me. I thought you wanted me to do what you couldn’t.” Her parents hadn’t ever graduated college, though they’d both taken classes in business as needed to keep the place open and afloat.
“We didn’t want you to feel trapped by it. Not many people would chose to work with chemicals that ruin your hair and skin, and you’re so lovely.” Her mother smiled at her, wrinkles and all. “You deserved a chance to get out, see more of the world, find something you’re passionate about.”
Brianna leaned in, curling her head on her mother’s shoulder. “I liked helping people make smart decisions for their finances.” She said, subdued.
“I just hated the politics, and being treated like I was less because I’m a woman, not an American Stick Insect.” It was one of her favorite insults to use.
Frank chuckled, and both Brianna and Becky looked at him. “Baby girl, they couldn’t handle you, so they had to put you down.” He shook his head. “You can keep helping people, Bri, but I bet if you thought about it, you’d remember that one of the things that makes you happiest helps people too.”
She’d spent the weekend with them, taking some long walks with her mom, cooking with her dad, and now that it was late afternoon on Sunday, she was ready to make some changes. Some plans.
Brianna texted Alli Can you come over? and put her stuff away while she awaited a response. She needed someone to bounce some ideas off, and really, Alli should hear from her that Brianna was no longer a corporate ladder-climber, but a genuine freelancer.
She pulled out a brownie mix, and soon the kitchen smelled of chocolate baking. She’d indulge this one time, and tomorrow, it’d be back to watching what she ate.
Characters: Brianna Davidson, Ma and Pa Davidson (npc), Allison Rose
Location: Brianna’s house
Status: Private
Summary: It’s been quite the 72 hours in the life of one Brianna Davidson.
Completion: Incomplete
Brianna kicked off her shoes Sunday afternoon, tugging the small carryon bag in the door behind her. She was tired and still a bit teary-eyed from the conversation that weekend. She hadn’t planned on going to Austin to visit her parents, but after Friday….
”Mom?” She opened the back door and called out, the familiar sight and smell of home making the 3 hour drive worth it, exhausting though it was. She kicked off her shoes, as was her custom, and set her bag on the laundry machine as she went to see what her parents were up to. Reading together in the family room, she suspected.
Her mother was just coming around the corner as Brianna walked through the kitchen. “Well, isn’t this a nice surprise! Frank, Brianna’s come for a visit. Can I get you something to eat? Drink?”
Brianna waved her mother off. “Nah, just going to put on the kettle for some tea. Think Dad will want some?”
“He’s been drinking Sleepytime before bed, and I’ll have some chamomile.” Her mother shuffled in to get mugs down while Brianna filled the kettle. A few minutes later, she was settled on the couch with a steaming hot mug of mint tea.
“Mom, Dad, I have something I need to tell you.” She saw the way they looked at each other, alarmed. “I came to visit because I missed you guys, but also…. I quit my job today.”
She held her breath, uncertain what sort of reaction she’d get. They’d always supported her, no matter what she’d done, though she rather thought they were relieved when she’d gone into the business realm, and was stable in her income and life as a whole.
Frank and Becky looked at each other for a long moment, then Becky said, “Well, it’s about time!”
Brianna stared at her. “Huh? What?” Dumbfounded didn’t even begin to touch it. Gobsmacked, maybe.
“You hated that job, sweetie. You might have been making money and getting promoted here and there, but you weren’t happy.” Her mother reached over and brushed Brianna’s hair back from her face. “I know you wanted to succeed and make us proud of you, but we’ve always been proud of you, no matter what you’ve done. It’s more important to us you be happy with whatever you’re doing.”
Brianna felt her eyes start to burn and blinked hard, willing the tears back. “I know you didn’t want me to go into the family business cause you wanted better for me. I thought you wanted me to do what you couldn’t.” Her parents hadn’t ever graduated college, though they’d both taken classes in business as needed to keep the place open and afloat.
“We didn’t want you to feel trapped by it. Not many people would chose to work with chemicals that ruin your hair and skin, and you’re so lovely.” Her mother smiled at her, wrinkles and all. “You deserved a chance to get out, see more of the world, find something you’re passionate about.”
Brianna leaned in, curling her head on her mother’s shoulder. “I liked helping people make smart decisions for their finances.” She said, subdued.
“I just hated the politics, and being treated like I was less because I’m a woman, not an American Stick Insect.” It was one of her favorite insults to use.
Frank chuckled, and both Brianna and Becky looked at him. “Baby girl, they couldn’t handle you, so they had to put you down.” He shook his head. “You can keep helping people, Bri, but I bet if you thought about it, you’d remember that one of the things that makes you happiest helps people too.”
She’d spent the weekend with them, taking some long walks with her mom, cooking with her dad, and now that it was late afternoon on Sunday, she was ready to make some changes. Some plans.
Brianna texted Alli Can you come over? and put her stuff away while she awaited a response. She needed someone to bounce some ideas off, and really, Alli should hear from her that Brianna was no longer a corporate ladder-climber, but a genuine freelancer.
She pulled out a brownie mix, and soon the kitchen smelled of chocolate baking. She’d indulge this one time, and tomorrow, it’d be back to watching what she ate.