Brooke

PARENT: PEGGY (59)

ADULT CHILDREN: BROOKE (26) & MICHAEL (fiancé) (26)

LOCATION: MIDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY

Meet Brooke: a 26-year-old New Jersey princess who has never had a real job or really lived on her own. Not because she’s isn’t capable, but because life is simpler and happier if everyone else does the hard work and daily challenges of life for her. Her outlook is that the world owes her a living and she’s entirely clueless as to the reality of the world, shielded by her enabling mom and her just-as-entitled fiancé, Michael, who also lives with them. Brooke is still living at home only having left for college for one year. She couldn’t stand the demand of life on her own and quickly settled back into the comfort of the nest. Unfortunately, during this time Brooke’s parents ended their 25-year marriage and went their separate ways, dissolving Brooke’s picture-perfect vision of family and home life.

Due to the divorce mom and dad decided to sell the childhood home which significantly impacted and hurt Brooke’s feelings. According to mom, Brooke doesn’t do well to major changes and has a hard time coping to new situations. Therefore, not much is new or has changed for Brooke in her 26 years of life. Her happy place is at home surrounded by the familiar and comfortable. It’s no secret that Brooke has had it easy living at home with a doting and clearly enabling mother. Mom takes care of everything including chores, groceries, cooking, and helping with Brooke’s finances and of course the bills at home. Although Brooke has a part time job as a nanny, it’s not a career or substantially lucrative. Brooke doesn’t contribute a dime to the rent or overhead of the house. That instead falls on her fiancé, Michael, and
Peggy. What does she do instead?

Brooke is a shopper, and an expensive shopper to boot. Instead of saving her money for an apartment, or in an IRA, Brooke spends what little money she does earn on frivolous and superficial things such as designer clothing, handbags and luxury goods. Mike can spend too. When Mike and Brooke came home with over $500 worth of weights and workout equipment, Peggy nearly flipped her lid. When Brooke comes home from the stores with new wallets, designer purses and $300 sunglasses, Peggy gets mad, and a fight ensues.

Michael and Brooke are long-time sweethearts who have been together for six years. Michael is an electrician who does help pay some rent and utilities to Peggy, but Brooke doesn’t pay a dime, because she believes that “she doesn’t have to.” In her opinion, why should she contribute when her mom and fiancé have money? Brooke’s mantra might as well be, “I deserve it,” admitting that she feels entitled to the creature comforts afforded to her by her mom and fiancé.