Maverick: Tell me.What are you reading?
Belle: These two dated in high school and then broke up.Now the heroine is back in their hometown and keeps running into her ex.
Maverick: What do you like about it?
Belle: The old feelings it stirs up, the memories from when they dated before.Plus, her grandmother is pushing them together, and everyone in town is gossiping about them.I love meddling family members.
She wanted a family.One that she was close to.She didn't have that growing up.My family was large and tight-knit.Maybe they'd adopt her like they had Penny, Angela, and Natasha.But it was too soon to think like that.
Belle: But it doesn't have to be a real family that's close.It could be found family.
Maverick: What's that?
Belle: When a group of friends are so close, they're like family.Kind of like how you adopted Cooper.
Maverick: He's one of us.
Belle: The Sterlings are his found family.
Maverick: You want that.
Belle: I'm making friends with the other shop owners.We get together and support each other.It's nice, but I'm not sure they're my found family.Not yet.
I wondered if she was lonely.She lived near her family, but they weren't at her grand-opening party, and I hadn't seen them around.I thought they'd be interested in her opening a store.
Maverick: Your parents must be proud of you.
It took her a few seconds to respond, and I wondered if I'd overstepped.
Belle: I've given up on that ever happening.
Maverick: You just opened a business, and you're in the midst of a huge renovation.
Belle: They wanted me to continue my education.Get my PhD and teach.They want to brag about their successful child.
Maverick: I guess their definition of success is different from mine.
Belle: I'm a bit of a disappointment to them.
I hated that for her.
Maverick: You're the perfect daughter.
She was sweet, kind, and smart.She thought of others.
Belle: Too bad my parents don't think that.
My parents were proud of me, even though I hadn't gone to med school, like Lincoln, or even college.They gave us the space to be ourselves, and it sucked that Belle didn't have that.
If I had a daughter like Belle, I'd be proud of her.
Maverick: Then they're idiots.
Belle: Thanks for making me laugh.
Maverick: I wasn't trying to.
Belle: You tell it like it is.
