It looks like the toughest of life's challenges are finally behind her, but now Scarlett has to deal with the aftermath. Her childhood trauma is still weighing her down, and she's beginning to feel like she'll never be free of it.
Relationships are...
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"Hey, thanks for coming in before school today, Scarlett." Mr. Matthews says as she works on what she's straightening up in the back of the store.
"Yeah, of course." The brunette says as she turns to him. "I don't have a first period anyway, so it really isn't a big deal."
"And you're sure that you and Eric can handle working at the same time?" He asks, and she nods.
"I'm only here for an hour, then Alec's picking me up to take me to school. Eric shouldn't be here much longer after I get back, and even if he is — I'm good at keepin' busy." She tells him, and he nods. "Besides, with him dating, he should move on soon enough."
"Right." He hesitates for a second and then turns around to walk away.
Letty's working behind the cash register half an hour later when a woman walks over. "Do you have any recommendations for someone like me?" Mrs. Hunter asks.
"Mhm." Letty nods, not looking up from her current task. "Snow suit — Winter's coming, it gets cold on the road."
"Scarlett, please. Your other boss won't tell me when you're working at the bookstore, Shawn won't give me your new address, and you never come to the trailer park anymore."
"Yeah, it makes avoiding your oldest son that much easier. How is Eddie, anyway? Was he happy to see you?" She shakes her head as she looks at Mrs. Hunter. "No, I bet he had a similar reaction to this. He and I were always similar when it came to our expectations of our parents."
"Will you just let me explain?" She begs as the teenager walks around the counter.
"You wanna explain?" The brunette nods. "Okay, explain this. You were gone more than twelve months, and in that time, Shawn got letters from you saying how much you love him, how you hope that someday he'll understand. Me? I didn't get any letter, I got your responsibilities. You took our tin roof, and I found Shawn a place to sleep that wasn't some dingy motel room in the worst part of town. I gave Turner money to go toward groceries while Shawn was living there, I kept up on his grades, I gave him lunch money. And that's only what I did for Shawn."
"I'm sorry, Scarlett." Mrs. Hunter says, and she nods.
"Yeah, me too. But being sorry doesn't make up for anything. I've already got one deadbeat mother, I don't need two." Letty says. "You got two sons, be their mother. And leave me the hell alone." She turns around, and goes to where Mr. Matthews asked her to check the prices on some of the items that are going out of season.
