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"YOU ARE LATE, MONTGOMERY.Again."
"You're lucky I came."
"Listen, I can't tolerate this behavior anymore. I like you, but your work ethic is horrible. Your shift started at two. It's six now."
"Okay, you listen, Frank. Do you really wanna know why I'm late? I spent hours standing in front of my closet, looking for a decent shirt to wear since your stupid store policy says to only wear shirts by your brand. But, the stuff you sell is so fucking hideous that I just couldn't bring myself to wear your shirts. Look at this, Frank. I settled on a mustard color today. Mustard is so last year!"
Carol's mouth dropped. Monty's eyes were squinted. Frank looked horrified.
Okay, short recap.
It was 1985 and Monty and Carol worked at JCPENNEY, a trendy clothing store right across from Scoops Ahoy in Starcourt Mall which opened earlier this year. Scoops Ahoy was the place Steve, Monty's boyfriend, worked which basically meant Monty could just go over there and hang out with him, which she did. A lot. She probably spent more time at Scoops than at her work place.
The reason Monty needed to work was her dad's passing. Her family didn't have as much money as before, since her mother didn't work and her father had earned all the money. And now that he was gone, her mother quickly realised that they couldn't afford their (Monty's) expensive lifestyle any longer.
So, it was either Monty stopped spending so much money, or she started earning her own and could do with it whatever she wanted. And since the summer was boring without her boyfriend, who was also working, and the kids that much rather spent time without the older ones, she had decided to go work at this place.
She dragged Carol into it, too.
Over their senior year, the two developed a great friendship. It all really started about a month after her dad died.
Monty thought she was fine and done with grieving after his funeral, but that was not the case. She started staying in the house, cancelling plans she made with Steve to be alone and do nothing in particular, maybe watch a movie or lay in bed, not really thinking about anything. The longer her dad was gone, the sadder she got, basically.
There were nights in which Monty cried herself to sleep. She missed her dad and even though they didn't spend much time together, he was still her father. It was the first time she lost a loved one. Every emotion that came with it was new to her and she needed to acknowledge and get used to them, somehow try to cope.
Her friends were great and tried to be there for her; Steve and Dustin often, and sometimes also El and Max, showed up at her house but her mother had the duty to send them away again.
