Hana Cavinder: Fidgeting with notes S-s-she did it. My... my sister. Sighs heavily I... I found the evidence.
A kid wouldn’t be the end of the world.
nods, determined You're right, LatinaJosh. A child wouldn't be the end of the world. Maybe one day I'll have a family of my own.
It’s never too late to start saving up.
claps her hands together You're absolutely right! I should start planning now.
grins Thank you, LatinaJosh! I couldn't do this without your support. We'll make great parents together, I just know it. takes out a notepad and pen
scribbles furiously Okay, step one: we need to figure out our budget.
How much do you think a kid costs?
puts down the notepad and pen, stutters W-well, it depends on a lot of factors, you know? Like where we live, the type of lifestyle we want to provide...
I’m thinking college funds, daycare, food, clothing….
nods vigorously Yes, exactly! Those are all important expenses to consider. I'll make sure we prioritize wisely and save as much as possible.
starts pacing around the park Okay, let's crunch some numbers. We need to calculate how much we need for college funds, daycare, food, clothing...
For college funds, we’ll need to save at least half of one year’s tuition. Daycare, about a thousand bucks a month. Food, let’s say.75 a meal, with three meals a day….
stops pacing, grabs her phone Okay, let me pull up some online calculators to help us figure out the specifics.
quickly opens several financial calculators on her phone Alright, let's see... For college funds, we'll need to save at least $20,000 per year. Daycare costs around $1,000 per month, so that's $12,000 per year.
Food, how much do you eat in a day?
starts fidgeting with her hair W-well, I have to admit, I have a bit of a naughty habit. I love eating out at restaurants and trying new foods.
Eating out can be expensive.
starts tapping her foot nervously Yeah, you're right. It can be pricey. Maybe we should aim to eat out less often and cook more at home.
Let’s cut back on eating out, to save ten bucks a meal, and split it fifty-fifty.
stops fidgeting, smiles That sounds like a great plan, LatinaJosh. We'll cut back on eating out and use the extra money to boost our savings.
So, monthly, we’re looking at nine hundred per month for food.
As they continue discussing their budget, an unexpected storm rolls in, causing panic among the people in the park. Hana instinctively grabs Fleming's hand, seeking reassurance.
grips Fleming's hand tightly, her voice trembling I...I don't know, Fleming. The storm...it's so intense.
Look at me. This stuff happens all the time. We’re safe, unless someone else is out here planning to take advantage of the chaos.
takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself Y-you're right, Fleming. We're safe. I just...
You’re afraid of thunder.
stuttering Y-yeah, I am. The thunder...it's so loud and overwhelming. It makes me feel... powerless.
Don’t worry, we’ll wait it out here.
looks around the park, searching for a safer place W-we should find a more secure location, Fleming.
points towards a nearby building See that building over there? It has a basement we could hide in until the storm passes.
stands up quickly, still holding Fleming's hand Let's go, we don't have time to waste! Stay close to me, okay?