So she told them the plan.
"It was the man I met," Brooke said softly, her voice just above a whisper, like she was letting them in on a sacred secret. "He's Mr. Dominic Krapper. He introduced himself as the owner of a food company in the Philippines. Big deal. Multi-award-winning. He wants me to help him with some cold acquisition work over there."
Shelly and Carolyn blinked at her like she'd just said she was going to the moon.
"Cold acquisition?" Carolyn repeated, frowning like she was tasting the words on her tongue and finding them too fancy to swallow.
"Yeah," Brooke continued, "It's basically this global business event—companies compete for international recognition and a shot at distribution deals. It's huge. Like, Forbes-level huge. If he wins the bid, he gets to sell internationally. He says I've got the charm and the strategy he needs to seal the deal."
Silence sat between the three of them like a fourth friend, rude and stunned. Carolyn blinked. Shelly's mouth hung open, waiting for a punchline.
"No freaky favors? No bikini business? Nothing raunchy?" Shelly finally asked, half-joking.
Brooke laughed. "No. He's legit. Weird, right?"
The girls exchanged glances, part relieved, part dazed. They were expecting scandal, not a corporate Cinderella moment.
"Well," Carolyn said, her lips curving into a slow grin. "Shit."
"But… my parents," Brooke added, her voice suddenly cracking, soft as silk tearing. Tears welled in her eyes before either of them could ask.
"What about them?" both girls asked in unison.
"You know how my mom's been sick," she whispered. "And my dad… he's too old. Too weak to care for her. I can't just leave."
The mood shifted. The buzz of excitement folded into worry, and for a moment, dreams looked like distant stars again.
Shelly was the first to speak. "Then I'll stay," she said. Just like that. No pause. No drama. "I'll stay with your parents, Phella. You go. You fight for your dreams. For us."
Brooke's face crumbled. Gratitude bloomed across her features, a tear slipping down her cheek. She reached across the table and grabbed Shelly's hand, squeezing it like she was anchoring herself to the promise.
A week passed.
One breezy Tuesday afternoon, with clouds heavy like they were holding back applause, Brooke walked into the eatery. It was their day off, and the restaurant felt unfamiliar without the clang of dishes or the hum of hungry mouths.
She stood in front of the girls like a vision. Hair pinned up, lips glossed, a faint smile tugging at her face.
"Well, don't just stand there like a damn billboard," Carolyn teased. "Spill."
Brooke grinned. "Mr. Krapper booked my flight. I leave in a month."
Shelly gasped. "Girl! So you came to resign? You finally putting this dusty job behind you?"
Brooke nodded. Then hesitated. "Yes. But not just me…"
Carolyn tilted her head. "What?"
"With both of you," Brooke said, barely containing her grin.
"What?!" The two girls exclaimed in unison, louder than a plate crashing.
Brooke held up her hand. "Let me explain—he asked if I had any strong, hardworking friends who'd be open to training under his company. I told him everything. How we held this place down, how we dreamed beyond fryers and mop buckets. He wants both of you to join the program. It's a trial. But it's real."
They didn't let her finish.
Shelly grabbed her apron, Carolyn kicked off her non-slip shoes, and the two marched—no, stormed—into the manager's office like war goddesses with one final act.
"Go to hell, you letterman!" Shelly barked, slapping the apron onto the desk. "We're done with you!"
Carolyn tossed hers like it was a napkin in a bar fight. "Keep your minimum wage! We've got plane tickets now!"
The manager blinked, stunned, as the girls spun around on their heels and walked out like the main characters they were always meant to be.
Outside, the sky had broken open into golden light. Brooke joined them, their arms linked, laughter echoing down the street like the theme song of a new beginning.
They didn't know what awaited in the Philippines.
But for the first time in forever, they weren't scared.
They were free.
They were ready.
"And bitch, what if I was pranking y'all " Brooke broke .
" you better don't " Carolyn threatened, and they all walked home.