Three Weeks Later

Three weeks, and still no job. No call back, no interview.

Now, what does a silly housewife like you think she's doing applying for jobs, she thought, as she washed the mornings dishes. Richard might have high hopes for me, but this might be all I'm good for.

Though that didn't help with their current predicament. Richard had been made redundant, and finding other roles at his level was proving impossible. Of course, once he did find a role at his level, his salary would blow anything she could make part time out of the water -- so it didn't make any sense for him to look for jobs below his pay-grade.

That meant that, other than the occasional call with a recruiter, Richard spent most of his time in the study, reading the newspaper, or books. Otherwise he'd be at the bar with his friends until late.

At first Rebecca hadn't worried about finances at all. Richard had always provided for them, that was never in question -- but now, it was nearly a month since he had lost his job and there still seemed no end in sight. He had even snapped at her for buying brand bread just the other day, and she was certain he'd have snapped if it had been cheap bread that she made his toast with.

She just hoped this whole debacle would be over soon, especially with college looming for their children in a few years...

Ring, ring.

The phone made her jump, dropping a plate into the sink. She checked it wasn't broken before turning on her heel and half-running to answer it, drying her hands on her skirt as she went.

"Hello, Ashford residence," she said politely down the line. "Richard is out at the moment, so--"

"Is this Mrs. Ashford I'm speaking to?" A gruff voice came down the line.

"Why yes, it is. Who is this?"

"My name is Mike Grayson, I work with Real Reality TV. Have you heard of us?"

She made a thoughtful noise, although she knew right away that she hadn't.

"No, I don't think I have. We don't watch much TV."

"I see." He paused for a moment. "We are known for cutting-edge reality TV show, prized for... well, how real it is. You met with one of my talent scouts recently."

"Was that the nice man in town? He had just the loveliest suit on."

"That's the guy. You made a real impression on him, said you'd be just the person for a new show we're trialing."

Rebecca gasped. "I did? Surely you mean my husband, or, you must be mistaken. He really said me, Rebecca Ashford?"

"The very same -- he said to me, Mikey, we need this dame. She's exactly what we're looking for."

"Oh my." Rebecca played with the phone cord nervously. "What exactly is the show?"

"The title is Breaking, and then the name of the star. So in your case, it would be Breaking Mrs. Ashford."

She couldn't help but gasp again. "That sounds violent."

"It's not violent at all, Mrs. I can assure you of that. The concept is that we take you and whatever makes you, you, and we challenge it. We change what it means to be Mrs. Ashford."

"But, I like who I am." She giggled. "This all sounds very silly."

"It is very silly, I know. The best part about it all is, you don't need to commit to the full show to get paid. You come to my studio next weekend, shoot an interview, and we'll give you two grand just like that. Then, you find out what the show is all about, and you can make a decision to commit."

"Two thousand dollars!?" she exclaimed. "My, my. And I get the full amount just for the interview?"

"Darling, that ain't the full amount. Two grand for the interview, up to a million for completing the full show."

She dropped the phone and stared blankly at the wall. A million!? Richard wouldn't have to work for a long time... they could take that cruise... pay off their kids colleges and then some...

"Mrs? Mrs. Ashford?" Mike's voice came from below. She quickly scooped the phone up. "I can take that as a yes?"

"I'll have to ask my husband, Mr. Grayson."

"Of course, take all the time you need. Just remember, you have until next weekend to decide."

"That's very generous of you. Thank you for the offer. Should I call you back here when I have an answer for you?"

"Darling, if you don't call me, I'll call you."

Click.

Just like that, Rebecca was left alone again, the dial tone fading into a silence that suddenly felt too loud. The number lingered in her mind, dazzling and dangerous all at once, even as a knot formed in her stomach.

Rebecca decided she would turn down the money.

Something about it all didn't seem right. She looked into this Real Reality TV and found that they were most famous for shows about attractive single people being put in confined spaces to see if 'love' might blossom. The whole idea seemed alien to her -- love? On a TV show? That was like looking for chickens in a pig sty!

She distracted herself by finishing her house chores. By the time she was making dinner with the kids, she was nervously glancing at the clock.

Richard hated it when they had dinner without him, but it was getting close to bath and bedtime. She made a simple meal, meat and two veg, and ate dinner with the kids, then put them to bed.

She had just finished cleaning the dishes when the front door slammed open, and heavy footsteps entered the hall.

He'll wake the kids, she thought.

"Richard, honey," she called out. "I'm in here. I'll put your dinner on."

She took the plate out of the fridge and began to peel off the cling, when she heard his footsteps behind her.

"Couldn't wait?" he asked, his voice slightly slurred. "Again?"

"I'm sorry honey, the kids were tired." She turned to face him. "How was your day?"

"Don't change the subject," he spat. "I told you, we have dinner as a family in this house."

She nodded. "Okay, honey. It won't happen again."

"You said that last time." He looked at the plate in her hands and shook his head. "And how much did that plate cost? Good beef, fresh vegetables. You're going to bankrupt us."

"I'm sorry honey," she whispered. "I'll try to budget better."

"You'd better. Car broke down, gonna need to pull 500 bucks out of my butt." He laughed mockingly. "Maybe if mama spent less time on her outfits and more time getting a job, daddy wouldn't have all of this stress on his shoulders, hmm?"

Rebecca looked at her husband. He was sitting at the table, facing away from her. Elbows against it, fists pressed into his jawline. Even from this side angle, she could see the worry in his eyes. The way his neck was tensed and his shoulders balled.

Whatever this little blip is doing to me, she thought. It's ten times worse for him.

"I know, honey. I know." She put the food in the microwave and turned it on. "I called the grocery again today. They said they gave the job to somebody more experienced."

Somebody half my age and twice as pretty, more like.

"Right. The grocery." He rolled his eyes at her. "You need to think bigger, Rebecca. You know that? You always aim as low as possible then act like it's not your fault when you miss the target. There's got to be something you're good at."

She bit her lip, the phone call arriving at the back of her mind. "Well, I did... get one offer today. But I think I'll turn it down?"

Silence. She felt her husband staring at the back of her head, whilst she stared at the juice she was pouring for him.

"Yeah?" he said at last. "You're going to turn down money?"

She nodded her head. "Do you remember that man in town, the one with the clipboard a couple weeks back?"

He stood, knocking the table as he did. "He came here?!"

"No! I got a phone call from his boss!"

"Right, what? They gonna pay you to go asking people about their business?"

She shook her head. Turned to face him. "They want to interview me for a show."

He turned to face the table as she placed the plate in front of him, alongside the juice. Sitting beside him as he ate.

"What kind of show?" he asked, as he dug into the beef.

"I don't know, they didn't say. I don't think I'd like to do the show itself, but the man said they'd pay me $2000 just for an interview."

"That's how they get you."

She didn't know who they were, or what getting her meant, but the thought unnerved her.

"That's what I thought," she said. "So I'm going to turn it down."

"Two grands a lot of money. That would give us a few more weeks, plus the car."

Rebecca looked at him. "Do you think I should go, honey?"

Richard chewed thoughtfully.

"It's just an interview, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir. That's what the gentleman said."

"Well, I don't see the harm in an interview."

She nodded. "Okay, honey. If you think I should do it, then I'll do it."

Richard returned to his dinner, and Rebecca felt a little of the tension leave her shoulders.

At least she'd made him happy.

Though she couldn't quite understand why that hadn't made her feel any better.