Episode 38

BRANDON comes into his room and tosses his backpack on the floor.

BRANDON - Bren, you here?

(silence)

BRANDON - I can't believe that fool left the door unlocked and aint here! What the hell?

(He walks to BRENDON's bedroom and peaks in. BRENDON is passed out on the bed.)

BRANDON thinks - Oh!

(BRANDON laughs as he goes to the bathroom.)

BRANDON thinks - I was about to say!

(He comes out of the bathroom and picks up his books. He starts to open his books to do some studying when his phone rings.)

BRANDON - Wassup Blue.

AHMAD - Hey man, what's happening. Where you at?

BRANDON - My room.

AHMAD - Oh, nevermind then.

BRANDON - What's up?

AHMAD - I was trying to see if you around campus to hook up with you.

BRANDON - Oh naw, I'm back at Ahpla.

AHMAD - Cool.

BRANDON - You need something?

AHMAD - Naw B, I'm cool. I'll catch up with you later.

BRANDON - Okay man.

(They hang up as BRANDON's phone rings again. Its BREANNA calling.)

BRANDON - Hey!

BREANNA - Hey Brandy wandy!

(BRANDON laughs.)

BRANDON - Hey boo bear. What's up?

BREANNA - Nothing. I'm waiting for my soror Stacie. We have a meeting today.

BRANDON - Oh okay. How's the campaign trail?

BREANNA - Its cool. Working with sorors can be a mess though.

BRANDON - I could've told you that? Stacie trippin'?

BREANNA - Oh no, not her. I mean my undergrad sorors. When I was at Amgis to see you, I was with sorors and we find out that Gwen is mad sick.

BRANDON - Oh yeah, Cal told me she was ill. Is she okay?

BREANNA - Uh no. She's bad. Like, she's moving back home!

BRANDON- Really?

BREANNA - Yeah, so she tells all of us and sorors flip out and go off on her. I was in shock.

BRANDON - Damn, are you serious?

BREANNA - I mean, I wanted to cry too but gosh, why go off on her like she got sick on purpose?

BRANDON - Yeah, that's messed up.

BREANNA - Oh honey here's Stacie. I gotta go.

BRANDON - Okay, call me later.

BREANNA - Love you.

BRANDON - Love you too.

(They hang up. BRANDON hears BRENDON in his room talking.)

BRANDON thinks - Guess sleeping beauty is up!

(He gets up and walks to BRENDON's room and looks in. BRENDON is passed out on the bed but talking in his sleep.)

BRANDON thinks - What did he say...

(BRANDON slowly pushes the door open and tip toes into the room.)

BRENDON - ... K... K...

BRANDON thinks - KKPsi?

BRENDON - K... Kai...

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DR. COLIN MWATSUMI is sitting with THERESA and going over election strategies.

THERESA - How you feeling sir?

DR. MWATSUMI - A lot better thank you. Some chicken soup did the trick!

THERESA - Good. Well I'm ready to begin whenever you are.

DR. MWATSUMI - Good. Okay, one of the main aspects that I want to focus on in my speech is direct access to the students.

(THERESA is writing.)

DR. MWATSUMI - Because I feel that as an administration and as a campus executive, we get lost in the red tape of running a university and never remember who the university is from the ground level. The students.

THERESA - Good point sir.

DR. MWATSUMI - That is why I want to create that new position over Greek life with my fraternity brother Sean.

THERESA - New position?

DR. MWATSUMI - Yes. It would kind of be like an overseer. All Greek activities would have to go through us... well I mean him of course.

THERESA - All activities?

DR. MWATSUMI - Yes. If someone wanted to do a program, he would have to approve it first. He would be a watch dog over everything that goes on so we could monitor what everyone is doing.

THERESA - Wow, that's cool. I would love to be able to help him along with that.

DR. MWATSUMI - Oh yeah? Are you in a sorority?

THERESA - No.

DR. MWATSUMI - Oh okay. Maybe we could consider that. You working with Sean. Hmmmm, very interesting.

(THERESA smiles.)

(MONA smiles.)

MELINDA FERGUSON - You ready honey?

MONA - Yep.

(MONA begins writing as her mother speaks.)

MELINDA FERGUSON - Okay. My campaign centers around two things. The students and the fact that I was a student here once.

MONA - Okay.

MELINDA FERGUSON - That will be helpful. I think as good of a president as President Bryce is, he didn't connect with the every day student the way that I will.

MONA - Well President Bryce went to a lot of functions.

MELINDA FERGUSON - Life on campus is more than just functions sweetie. I mean, really getting into the mix of the students. I mean, eating in the caf, hanging out on the yard, the whole thing.

MONA - Ewww, I don't even eat in there!

MELINDA FERGUSON - Well you'd better start. How else are you gonna connect too?

MONA - Why I gotta connect with... them?

MELINDA FERGUSON - Because dear, remember, I'm putting you in charge of student campus directives and activities. You are gonna decide what happens for everyone on every level.

MONA - Oh yeah.

MELINDA FERGUSON - So you call the shots and whatever you say... goes.

(MONA grins.)

MONA - So if I say suspend the AKAs, they get suspended?

MELINDA FERGUSON - Mona!

MONA - Just kidding Mom.

(silence)

MELINDA FERGUSON - But if you said the Deltas...

(They both laugh.)

STACIE - Ready soror?

BREANNA - Ready!

STACIE - Okay. My campaign is centered around the students. Seems like behind the walls of administration, students are the forgotten factor.

BREANNA - You got that right!

STACIE - Being that I graduated from Ahpla and was very much involved with mentoring students and sorors for a long time will be helpful.

BREANNA - Yeah!

STACIE - And I want to bring more opportunity to the students. In all areas.

BREANNA - That sounds great!

STACIE - But you know Bree, to be honest with you, I feel like my campaign may be lacking some things.

BREANNA - Like what?

(STACIE pauses.)

STACIE - I don't know... maybe experience. Dr. Mwatsumi and Mrs. Ferguson have worked with the board for a long time. I'm kinda like a newcomer.

BREANNA - But Stacie, look at your resume. I mean, education background, worked on every level of education. Its all here on paper.

STACIE - Yeah... but... I don't know.

BREANNA - What are you worried about?

(silence)

(silence)

STACIE - The fact that I...

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BRANDON thinks - Kai?

BRENDON - Kai... hates Br...

BRANDON thinks - What?

BRENDON - ...Brendon... K...

(BRENDON starts to snore. BRANDON shakes him.)

BRANDON - Hey Bren.

(BRENDON is still sleeping.)

BRANDON - Brendon!

(BRENDON is still sleeping.)

BRANDON - Yo Bren!

(BRANDON pushes him real hard. BRENDON starts to scream at the top of his lungs.)

BRENDON - Ahhhhhhhhh help me! Get off me! Get off me! I'm sorry!

BRANDON - Whoa whoa whoa man, it's me!

BRENDON - Huh? Huh!

BRANDON - Its me! Brandon! You must've been having a nightmare!

(BRENDON looks around his room then rubs his head.)

BRENDON - God. Oh my God.

BRANDON - What were you dreaming about man? You were talking in your sleep.

BRENDON - God, the big brothers. What time is it?

BRANDON - One o'clock.

(BRENDON jumps out of the bed and almost knocks BRANDON over.)

BRENDON - One o' clock! Oh my God I over slept! God help me!

(He starts to run around the room like crazy.)

BRANDON - What are you doing?

BRENDON - Oh God! Oh God!

(He is throwing off his clothes to put on new ones.)

BRANDON - Hey man, what happened to your leg!\

BRENDON - Oh my God I'm gonna die!

(BRENDON is speaking like he is crying.)

BRANDON - Hold on man, are you okay? What's going on? What are those guys doing to you?

BRENDON - I'm pledging Brandon! Shit!

BRANDON - Yeah but you're pledging KKPsi... it aint like you're pledging Sigma or Alpha or something.

BRENDON - Shut the hell up and get out of my way!

(BRENDON runs past his brother barely with his leg in his pants. He is hopping toward the front door grabbing at all his things. His papers and books are tumbling out of his bag but he runs out the door.)

BRANDON - Hey! You dropped all your...

(silence)

BRANDON thinks - What the heck?

(silence)

BRANDON walks back out to where he was sitting and picks up his cell phone and dials.)

KAI - Hello?

BRANDON - Hey man, this is Brandon. What are you guys doing to my brother?

KAI - What?

BRANDON - What are you guys doing to my brother?

KAI - What! How dare you call me and ask me that? You aren't even on the drum line anymore. Let alone in the band.

BRANDON - Did you forget who you're talking to?

KAI - Nigga what!

(silence)

BRANDON - It's no secret Kai that you've wanted to be a Sigma for a long time. You think you're discreet but your girl is a talker.

(silence)

BRANDON - Now tell me... what are you guys doing to my brother!

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MIRI and GINA are sitting in the lobby of VALERIE EDWARDS' office.

MIRI - Let's just see what she has to say Gina.

GINA - Miri, I'm tired. We're running an uphill battle and we're not gonna win.

MIRI - Don't say that! Don't you know you can speak things into existence? You're putting out a bunch of negative energy.

GINA - No what's negative is...

(GINA realizes how loud she is talking.)

GINA - ... what's negative is this mess you got us in! I fell in love with that little boy and now...

(She gets emotional.)

MIRI - Look baby, don't worry. We are gonna be a family again. I promise.

GINA - He's in foster care Miri. I mean, what are they doing to him. I know he misses his mommy. He's probably screaming right now.

MIRI - That's why we're here to see Mrs. Edwards. To see what she can do and how we can get him back fast.

(MRS. EDWARDS opens her office door.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - You can come in now.

(MIRI and GINA get up and hold hands as they walk in.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - How are you doing? Miri? Gina?

MIRI - Well not too good. Just trying to see what we can do and what our options are.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Yes. I remember speaking on the phone to you and you mentioning some things about this situation.

MIRI - Yes.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Okay. Now tell me what all happened. Do you mind if I tape record this conversation?

GINA - No, go ahead.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Okay. Now what happened?

MIRI - Basically, we were in Africa and we wanted to get married. We also wanted to adopt because some of the villages that we went to for festivals had so many children.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Uh huh.

MIRI - So we find an agency and they set everything up. They actually got us a beautiful baby boy and helped us get all the necessary paperwork done for us to adopt as well as bring him back home and be able to be a US citizen.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Okay.

MIRI - So we get back here and we get visited by a King who says that our son is his son and is supposed to be prince.

(VALERIE EDWARDS writes something down.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Continue.

MIRI - And we feel like there is either some mistake with this king, or with the adoption agency, or some paperwork. But everything that we signed should've protected us from something like this.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Yeah, it should've. Do you have all the paperwork that you signed off on?

GINA - Uh yes. We have it right here.

(She pulls a folder out of her back and places it on MRS. EDWARDS' desk.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Okay good.

MIRI - Yeah good, except for one thing.

VALERIE EDWARDS - What's that?

(MIRI reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out an envelope. He opens it and pulls out a folded piece of paper.)

MIRI - On top of all that stuff, I signed this too. And this seems to be the critical piece to this ridiculous puzzle.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Let me see that... what is it?

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STACIE - The fact that I... left my husband.

MELINDA FERGUSON - Now how did you do on your research? Get any good leads?

MONA - Oh yeah! I almost forgot to tell you! Wait til you hear all this!

MELINDA FERGUSON - Let me have it.

(MELINDA leans back in her chair and looks up at the ceiling.)

MONA - Okay... well you know Stacie Jefferson used to me married to Alex Jefferson who was on staff here.

MELINDA FERGUSON - Right.

MONA - And you know they divorced.

MELINDA FERGUSON - Yeah yeah... go on.

MONA - Well did you know that Stacie actually pulled a gun on her husband when she found out that he was cheating?

MELINDA FERGUSON - What!

THERESA - What!

DR. MWATSUMI - That's right. Brown and gold.

THERESA - You would seriously change the colors of the university?

DR. MWATSUMI - Most certainly. How do you feel about that?

(silence)

THERESA - It probably would be a welcomed change. Maybe you shouldn't say that in your speeches though. You don't want that to get out.

DR. MWATSUMI - Good thinking. Keep that one under wraps.

THERESA - Exactly. What else?

DR. MWATSUMI - Well... there's the matter of our new candidate.

THERESA - Soror Jefferson.

DR. MWATSUMI - What did you call her?

(THERESA looks up from her notes.)

THERESA - I mean... Stacie Jefferson.

DR. MWATSUMI - Right. I can't figure out her agenda. Her purpose for pursuing this.

THERESA - Well if you want, I can get inside and find out.

DR. MWATSUMI - You can? How?

THERESA - I have a good friend who may be able to tell me some things about the campaign. Let me just contact her and see how much I can get out of her.

DR. MWATSUMI - Fantastic. I'm extremely curious to know the direction she wants to move and her agenda.

THERESA - Gotcha!

STACIE - Gotcha!

(BREANNA is looking surprised.)

STACIE - I was joking.

BREANNA - Oh... oh!

(BREANNA laughs.)

STACIE - I think leaving Alex was probaby the best thing I could've ever done. The fact that President Bryce fired Alex at the court case was good pub for me.

BREANNA - Wow, I so thought you were serious!

MELINDA FERGUSON - Are you serious!

MONA - Very! She shot right at him in the shower!

MELINDA FERGUSON - Wow! Talk about new you can use!

(MELINDA immediately picks up her phone and dials.)

MONA - Who you callin'?

(BREANNA's phone rings.)

BREANNA - Oh hold on Stacie.

STACIE - No problem.

BREANNA - Hello?

THERESA - Hey!

BREANNA - T?

THERESA - Yep! What's up Bree Bree?

BREANNA - Uh... nothing... I'm in a meeting right now. What's goin' on though?

THERESA - Oh my bad, sorry to interrupt. I just need to holla at you about a few questions that I have. But you know what line sister, I'll just call you back in a little while. Okay?

(ALEX JEFFERSON's phone rings.)

ALEX - Excuse me a second. This is my personal line. This is Dr. Jefferson?

MELINDA FERGUSON - Why didn't you tell me that your ex wife tried to kill you?

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MIRI hands the document to MRS. EDWARDS.

VALERIE EDWARDS - Let me take a look at this.

(She starts to read it as MIRI turns to GINA.)

MIRI whispers - This is all gonna work out. I love you.

GINA - I pray that it does. I love you too.

(They take each other's hand.)

(silence)

(silence)

GINA - What do you think Mrs. Edwards?

VALERIE EDWARDS - Well...

(She turns the tape recorder off.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Here's the bottom line. I would like to go through all of this other paper work first to see what it is you can do. Maybe I can find some loop holes somewhere. But Miri...

(She pauses before she continues.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - You should never have signed this statement. You're obligated under your hand written signature to return the baby to his birth parents. You didn't know that when you signed this?

GINA - Why did you do this Miri!

(GINA starts to cry.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Wait wait, calm down Gina.

GINA - No you calm down! This isn't your baby boy we're talking about!

VALERIE EDWARDS - Screaming won't help. Let me understand this.

(GINA lets go of MIRI's hand and stands up.)

MIRI - Gina wait...

GINA - I can't sit with you right now. I just need some fresh air.

(VALERIE stands up from behind her desk.)

MIRI - Gina...

VALERIE EDWARDS - Let's take a break right here. .Miri, let her go out and get some air. That's not a bad idea.

GINA - I know my way out.

(GINA walks toward the door, opens it and leaves.)

(silence)

VALERIE EDWARDS - We need to talk.

(MIRI doesn't answer. She sits back down behind her desk. She picks thepaper back up.)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Miri, you knew what you were doing when you signed this document.

(silence)

VALERIE EDWARDS - Miri...

MIRI - Can you give me a minute too?

VALERIE EDWARDS - Um... sure.

(He gets up and walks out without looking at her.)

MIRI thinks - This is some bull!

(He takes his phone off his hip as he walks outside the office and down the hall toward the elevator. He dials.)

RECEPTIONIST - You've reached the office of King Fasakala Swingali, how may I direct your...

MIRI - I need to speak to Fasa... right now!

RECEPTIONIST - Um sir, the king doesn't accep...

MIRI - Put him on the phone now! He'll take my call!

RECEPTIONIST - But sir...

MIRI - Tell him its his nephew Miri!