The Date That Wasn't
Constance Harbor is home with family but feeling very disconnected...
transcript
transcript
It’s Christmas Eve night, and Constance is sulking...
CONSTANCE.:
(lying on bed, sighs) Tomorrow is Christmas. Dang. This is really nostalgic, coming back here. I mean, it’s not my childhood home, but it’s still in New York where I grew up...and the family I grew up with. It’s nice, but it’s also stressful. There’s only so much I can tell them. But if I don’t tell them enough, they’ll have questions. (sigh) And if I tell them too much, they’ll have even more questions. Ever since I graduated so-called college, I’ve been them I was an influencer traveling the world, but a lot of them really don’t believe me. Maybe it’s because I got a psychology degree and decided to ‘throw it away’. I mean, I told them I still put my skills to use, but they don’t get it. It’s mainly because half of them are old-fashioned and they don’t think being an influencer is a real job. They’re surprised I am able to travel the world and have nice things on that kind of income. They’re convinced I do..other stuff. They don’t suspect me of being a spy...at least I don’t think they do. But they form their own theories in their heads about what I must be doing and why I have to lie about it...or not tell the full truth. The truth is, I really am a brand ambassador. I work for a company and I travel for them and take photos all around the world. I make deals with people in the business scene and sometimes I even model. None of that is a lie. It’s just...(sigh) they want me to be at a certain point in my life by this time. I’m like, what? Thirty years old? They expect me to have a family by now. Be married with kids and a house with a picket fence. And they think there’s a reason why I’m not. Well, boy is there. It’s just not the reason they all think. I feel like I’m being looked down upon. I mean, they’re guess isn’t altogether wrong. But I have my own reasons and limits. They just don’t understand.
My mom really wants grandchildren. Dad probably wants them too, but mom’s wayy more vocal about it. She has grand nieces and nephews from my cousins, but it’s just not the same.
...how can I even tell her that her wish is...practically impossible? (sigh) I remember when I first arrived at WILLOWISP. I had no idea what I was doing. I was worried and scared. But then I met Sarah and we became so close. We declared right then and there that we were in it together. We’d talk about this stuff. About family and kids. How we would have some and let them go on playdates together and all that. And then...we couldn’t. But we thought about how we could adopt and still follow through with our plans. And then...we couldn’t. Because, now, Sarah’s gone.
Everyone’s asking me if I’m seeing anyone because they never see a guy in my pictures. “Tina, are you dating? Tina who was that in the background on the picture you took in Hawaii? Tina, are you seeing Someone?” I mean...how can I even begin to explain... This is all such a mess, and I can’t tell them the half of it. At least my uncle pulled me to the side and said not to let them get to me and make me feel pressured. “Just do just do what makes me happy, Tina.” I...don’t think that’s what I should be doing. But am I even doing what I think I should be doing right now? Am I even happy with where I am? Everything is so complicated. And it’s about to be Christmas and I...we’re... (picks up phone) Should I, call him? Maybe, text him at least...? No. Forget it. It’s...unimportant. I wanted to ask him, maybe, just so he could take actually take a holiday off, if he wanted to come meet my family. We could pretend like we’re dating, like we used to do on missions...we don’t have to tell them everything. Just so he can relax for a weekend. And maybe so they can get off my back. But before I could even ask, he told me he was already scheduled for Operation Silo. He’s just so happy that he doesn’t need a partner anymore. I think he works more than he did when I was assigned to him, if that’s even possible. He probably lives in that little glass office. I know he’d hate meeting more people. Everyone would fawn over him anyway because, oh wow. Tina actually finally decided to grow up and settle down or something. Doesn’t help that he’s British, but he could put on an accent or something, right?
AGH why am I even entertaining this idea!? He’d never go for it. (yells into pillow) Jesus, help me.
CONSTANCE.:
(lying on bed, sighs) Tomorrow is Christmas. Dang. This is really nostalgic, coming back here. I mean, it’s not my childhood home, but it’s still in New York where I grew up...and the family I grew up with. It’s nice, but it’s also stressful. There’s only so much I can tell them. But if I don’t tell them enough, they’ll have questions. (sigh) And if I tell them too much, they’ll have even more questions. Ever since I graduated so-called college, I’ve been them I was an influencer traveling the world, but a lot of them really don’t believe me. Maybe it’s because I got a psychology degree and decided to ‘throw it away’. I mean, I told them I still put my skills to use, but they don’t get it. It’s mainly because half of them are old-fashioned and they don’t think being an influencer is a real job. They’re surprised I am able to travel the world and have nice things on that kind of income. They’re convinced I do..other stuff. They don’t suspect me of being a spy...at least I don’t think they do. But they form their own theories in their heads about what I must be doing and why I have to lie about it...or not tell the full truth. The truth is, I really am a brand ambassador. I work for a company and I travel for them and take photos all around the world. I make deals with people in the business scene and sometimes I even model. None of that is a lie. It’s just...(sigh) they want me to be at a certain point in my life by this time. I’m like, what? Thirty years old? They expect me to have a family by now. Be married with kids and a house with a picket fence. And they think there’s a reason why I’m not. Well, boy is there. It’s just not the reason they all think. I feel like I’m being looked down upon. I mean, they’re guess isn’t altogether wrong. But I have my own reasons and limits. They just don’t understand.
My mom really wants grandchildren. Dad probably wants them too, but mom’s wayy more vocal about it. She has grand nieces and nephews from my cousins, but it’s just not the same.
...how can I even tell her that her wish is...practically impossible? (sigh) I remember when I first arrived at WILLOWISP. I had no idea what I was doing. I was worried and scared. But then I met Sarah and we became so close. We declared right then and there that we were in it together. We’d talk about this stuff. About family and kids. How we would have some and let them go on playdates together and all that. And then...we couldn’t. But we thought about how we could adopt and still follow through with our plans. And then...we couldn’t. Because, now, Sarah’s gone.
Everyone’s asking me if I’m seeing anyone because they never see a guy in my pictures. “Tina, are you dating? Tina who was that in the background on the picture you took in Hawaii? Tina, are you seeing Someone?” I mean...how can I even begin to explain... This is all such a mess, and I can’t tell them the half of it. At least my uncle pulled me to the side and said not to let them get to me and make me feel pressured. “Just do just do what makes me happy, Tina.” I...don’t think that’s what I should be doing. But am I even doing what I think I should be doing right now? Am I even happy with where I am? Everything is so complicated. And it’s about to be Christmas and I...we’re... (picks up phone) Should I, call him? Maybe, text him at least...? No. Forget it. It’s...unimportant. I wanted to ask him, maybe, just so he could take actually take a holiday off, if he wanted to come meet my family. We could pretend like we’re dating, like we used to do on missions...we don’t have to tell them everything. Just so he can relax for a weekend. And maybe so they can get off my back. But before I could even ask, he told me he was already scheduled for Operation Silo. He’s just so happy that he doesn’t need a partner anymore. I think he works more than he did when I was assigned to him, if that’s even possible. He probably lives in that little glass office. I know he’d hate meeting more people. Everyone would fawn over him anyway because, oh wow. Tina actually finally decided to grow up and settle down or something. Doesn’t help that he’s British, but he could put on an accent or something, right?
AGH why am I even entertaining this idea!? He’d never go for it. (yells into pillow) Jesus, help me.
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