"Hey... you know it's okay to take a break right?"

Brynn turns towards Ray, taking a moment to understand what Ray has told her.

The comment was rather abrupt. They've been on their date for a solid 30 minutes, and while Brynn hadn't really been present for any of it, Ray told her that it would be okay if she finished up her work while they drank their coffee.

Brynn looks up at them, sipping her coffee, "It's only our third date. I think it's a bit early to start judging my working habits."

"No, I think I get to ask why, on our third date, you've been on your laptop the entire time instead of actually talking to me. You could've just canceled."

Brynn sighs, because she swears this always happens. Her dates always end up cutting it off with her because of her work-life balance. She can't help it; her job is her entire lifeline. If she doesn't do a good job as the boss' secretary, she'll never get promoted to the job she actually wants as a journalist. Her boss promised he would give her the position as soon as it opened up, as long as she keeps up the good work.

It's not her fault that it makes her dating life difficult.

She tells Ray, "You said it was fine if I finished up my work. That's what I'm doing."

They throw their hands up, "I thought it would be a maximum of five minutes!"

"I told you on our first date that my job keeps me busy. You knew that."

Ray takes a softer tone, "I'm aware. I just... okay, feel free to throw away my advice, since we don't know each other all that well. But. It sounds like you've just got a new job, and you're putting a lot more work into it than you need to, because you're young and don't know how to balance it all."

Brynn has heard this whole speech before. She's not going to hear it again. She gets up, and tries to tell Ray that it's not going to work out, but they interrupt her, "Stop. I'm not mad. I want to help you."

They... what?

When she pauses, they continue, noticing her shock, "It is okay to take a break when you feel overwhelmed. The job will still be there when you get back. I can guarantee that your boss has employees that work three times less as you do."

Brynn feels tears come to her eyes. A new sensation. She'd long thought she'd lost the ability to cry when she entered adulthood. She thought nothing could break her down, and here Ray is, telling her that they're going to help, that her job isn't a dealbreaker.

She sits back down, taking a moment to recollect herself, before asking Ray, "Do you really mean that?"

"Yeah. Of course. Now please, for the love of God, shut the laptop. We've still got an hour before I have to go to work, we should make the best of it."

Brynn smiles, and spends the rest of the date happier than she ever has, where she doesn't feel pressured to open her laptop for one single moment.