Rebuilding Begins

 The Barbieville Business Owners Association is focusing on the members impacted worst by the flood.  Mei Chang has lost home, cafe, and husband.  Four Eaton his grandfather/business partner.  Iris Patrick her tailoring business. Whitney Darling's father owned WDLC, was lost in the flood, and she inherited.  

Rose-Grace: This may be weird, but we've never been a normal town, have we?  Sulu suggested this meeting and has offered campsites on his property to anyone lost their home.  Most of the losses were homes, some residents are being housed in motels by insurance, but many are not.  If you know of anyone in need, please send them his way. 

Dionne:  I can't pay near what you were making from the cafe, but Helena House needs kitchen staff.  Do you think you're up for supervising a bunch of kids as they learn basic cooking skills?  We can also offer room and board. 

Mei: You can board all four of us?  We would only need two rooms - one for we girls and a smaller one for Qi - until I find a house. We won't need boarding permanently.  

Dionne: Of course.  Now, let's talk about wages and benefits. 

Pocahontas:  I was discussing you and Dawn with Tierra, my entertainment head.  We could use you for wardrobe on shows.  Tierra's got a lot of ideas.

Iris: It would just be me.  Dawn's moved on.  

Pocahontas: Really?  Well, that's fine.  I really didn't know if I'd have enough work for both of you. We'll order the costumes premade and you'd just have to make alterations and mending.  Doesn't pay much, though. 

Iris: Coby makes more than enough to support us.  My shop was more of a hobby.  

Four:  I don't know if I can make it without Bapo.  I'm still so new at tattooing professionally.  

Whitney:  At least you're trained.  What do I know about running a TV station? 

Okoye: I can help you there, Miss Darling.  I'd like to buy you out.  

Whitney: Who are you?

Four:  That's Okoye, the media mogul.  You just got your butt saved, my friend.  

A man comes in while everyone is conferring. 

Tony:  I'm Anthony Lucas, Rayshawn's brother.  I'll be handling matters for his family for now.  (To Rose-Grace) My brother speaks highly of this town and of the lovely mayor.  I just stopped in to introduce myself and let anyone who might be concerned know that Marty is in good hands.  

After the meeting, Rose-Grace finds Agent Danvers in the parking lot. 

Carol: We need to talk, ASAP, in a secure location.  The sabotage at the dam is way bigger than I thought.  

Rose-Grace: Come to my office in the morning.  

Sulu notices lights on in the greenhouse shop and investigates.

Sulu:  Mattie?!  What are you doing here?!  

Mattie: I came home.  My place is here with my family. 

Sulu: Umm... okay.  Can we talk about that hair? 

Questions Asked

 The Private Investigator meets with Albus and Pern in her apartment.  He's trying to gather information on Cash Nedakh, the long absent father of Pocahontas, Nakoma, and Anakin Smith. 

Albus:  Sad to say, I was the one who introduced him to Kida. I tried to warn her that he was no good, but she wouldn't believe me until it was too late.  I saw him play his game in towns all across the country when we were working as carnies.  

PI: Kida had bought out the carnival, correct?  This was the start of the amusement park that stands today?

Albus: Yes, and she offered us both jobs.  Cash realized she was not only wealthy, but Indian.. sorry, Native American.  He zeroed in on her like I did enemy camps back in the war.   He had a real thing for "squaws" - his word, not mine.  

Pern:  My story's pretty much the same as Kida's.  He never married me, though.  I guess you needed a bankroll to get the ring. When I first met the girls, I was shocked that he'd not only married their mother, but stuck around for ten years.  He skipped out on me five minutes after I told him I was pregnant. 

PI:  You have not seen or heard from him since?  Neither of you? 

Albus: I'm a pacifist, but if I saw him again, I'd probably be in prison right now.  He broke Kida's heart and deserted two children. Weird thing is, he didn't empty the bank accounts on his way out of town.  

****

Across town, Federal agent Carol pays a call to the police chief.   

Carol: There's a detective sniffing around for Cash Nedakh.  

Lynch: I heard a rumor to that effect.  He could have been hired by another scorned mother.  Anakin already came out of the wood work and I really wouldn't be surprised if there are more out there. 

Carol: Or he could be working for the people he went into Witness Protection to avoid.  We allowed him to come here only because he refused to help in the case unless we did, and it's a major investigation.  

Lynch:  I suppose the people on your end are trying to find out who his client is? 

Carol: We are.  But I need you to keep and eye on this detective.  He's already spoken to the Smith sisters and he's got interviews set up all over town. 

*****

At Helena House, renovation work has paused while the County Oversight Committee investigates.

Lex:  Let me get this straight.  You, Dionne, are the mayor's niece.  What are your qualifications for this position?

Dionne: I'll be happy to give you a detailed resume.  Most women with my background would laugh at the idea of doing this for the agreed wages, but this has been a pet project of mine and Rose-Grace's since I was in high school.  

Maisie:  I was in and out of foster homes all my life.  Dionne talked to her aunt about the problems I was having, hoping to help me since at the time Rose-Grace was working with Children's Services. They bonded over a desire to reshape the foster care system. 

Lex:  You're a law student, correct? 

Maisie: I'll give you a copy of my resume, as well.  I'm here more as advisor than anything else.  

Zenobia: And everything is above-board with my donation of the house.  I made certain of that because I don't want to give my father a leg to stand on when he comes after me for squandering his money.  I asked Mrs. Pike if the town could use the manor for something and she accepted my offer.

*****

Later that evening, Mace sits down with the investigator.

Mace: Rosie was a teenager when she worked for Kida Nedakh.  She joined the military after graduating, to get the college fund, so she wasn't here in town when Cash vanished.  Took leave as soon as she could, though.

PI: Kida considered Rose-Grace her best friend, even though there was a sizable age difference.  

Mace:  Rosie felt the same way.  Kida was matron of honor at both Rosie's weddings, but she died before the little twins were born.  

PI: Did either you or your daughter know him well? 

Mace: No.  We traveled in different circles, as they say, and he gave Rosie the creeps. She avoided him unless Kida was in the same... 

Suddenly the entire house shakes.  They can hear glass breaking and the cries of frightened children.

******

Breaking news: The small town of Barbieville, on the south shore of Muneca Lake, was hit by an earthquake.  The upstream dam gave way and flooded the low-lying areas of town.  Rescue efforts are underway.  

(Flood photos from the Internet.) 

Touring The Mansion

 Picking up where we left off... 

Maisie:  Don't say anything that's gonna give away where we are.  She still thinks I'm in Arizona.

Dionne:  I got your back.  (Answers the phone)  Stop calling Maisie.  She can't afford to bail you out, financially or emotionally.  Grow the hell up, you lunatic!  (listens for a moment)  Oh, it's never your fault, it is?  Who's to blame this time?  Your lover of the week?  The president?  Godzilla?  Get over yourself.  (disconnects the call)

Maisie:  That bought me a couple of hours while she tells all the cops what a bad daughter she has, at least.  Or how you're brainwashed her innocent little baby.  (heavy sigh)  I wish I knew how she manages to find me.   I never even told her my married name, but she...  

Dionne: I know.  We better hurry, we're gonna be late to meet Boudica at the place.  

****

Boudica:  These last few rooms are basically attics.  They were servant's quarters back in the old days, but over the years we had fewer live-in help and more junk.  Especially considering that both my parents were historians.  

Dionne: You're leaving all this stuff?

Maisie:  Zenobia said they've removed anything of value to them.  We can use all this stuff for our foster children!  

Dionne:  I guess we don't need to worry about the place looking too institutionalized.  

Maisie: No wonder your aunt was so confident we could do this at low cost.  She knew it was coming with furniture and all!  

Dionne: I have to ask.  Why are you giving all of this away?  It must be worth millions and, as you said, it's been in the family forever. 

Boudica:  We're doing it to spite Dad, frankly.  Can't pay expensive defense lawyers if we give away the bulk of the estate, can we?  (notices Dionne's confusion)  Oh, you don't know about our dad, do you?  I thought Rose-Grace would've told you.  

Dionne: I have no idea what you're talking about.  

Boudica:  He's a murderer and one of his victims was Mom.  And no, he didn't do it here.  Anyone who died here did it a century ago and not through violence.

Maisie:  I like this room.  Very light and airy, if you know what I mean.   Way different from the rooms I had when I was a foster kid.

Boudica:  I didn't realize you'd been in the system. 

Maisie: My mother and I left my dad when I was little, and then she got into all kinds of legal trouble.  I spent most of my life going in and out of care, never knowing where or with who I'd end up.  That's why our big thing is stability - this way any Doll County foster kid will know exactly where they are going.

Dionne: There's also a level of supervision that's just not available in individual homes.  Most foster parents mean well, but there's always the abusers.  And sometimes the kids abuse each other.  

Boudica:  We do have one request.  Would you consider calling the place Helena House?  After Mom? 

Note to readers: 

Backdrops inside the mansion are from a book called Find The Cat. 

Making Plans

 Sunburst, early evening 

Whitney:  What are you guys up to tonight?  And who is this little lady? 

Peeta: We filed for an adoption, figuring we wouldn't get a kid until after the wedding.  Well, here she is!  (To Oksana)  This is our friend Whitney.  She's Tanner's girlfriend and has a little girl about your age. 

Finnick: Man, you called us down here to talk about the wedding?  Again? 

Whitney: Hey, a wedding takes a lot of planning.  You have no idea how many times we met while planning Tris's.  Probably because all Four did was show up that day.  He let her do all the work. 

Tanner:  Well, traditionally, that's how it works.  Not my fault this particular wedding has two guys! 

Whitney: Well, I certainly hope you don't think you're off the hook if we get married.  Same goes for you, Finnick.  

Oksana:  You're silly.  You can't marry both of them! 

Finnick:  My girlfriend is one of her best friends, Oksana.  (To Whitney)  Has Nakoma said something?  Because we agreed -- 

Peeta: --to wait a couple years.  For no good reason, I might add.  Nakoma is one of the wealthiest women in town and you've got a steady job.  Me and Ken are living in his mother's house! 

Finnick: Mind your own business, freeloaders.  

Ken:  Okay, we will.  I think we can make her a flower girl.  We're both coming down an aisle - side aisles instead of the center one - and this way Tommy walk with one of us as ring bearer and Oksana with the other.  You dudes of honor wait up by the altar as planned. 

Tanner: Seriously, guys, just go to Step-mom's office and have her do it there. 

Whitney:  Geez, maybe I should do all the planning if I marry you.  You're about as romantic as a kick in the shins.  

******

At another table, Dionne and Maisie go over their plans.

Dionne:  We can have girls in the north wing and boys in the south.  Center area is common ground.  

Maisie (silencing her phone): That arrangement isn't going to do much to stop gay residents from doing it.  Where do we put any non-binary or trans residents?  

Dionne: Gays don't generally get accidentally pregnant.  That's the main thing I want to prevent. 

Maisie: Dionne, I know it's a mansion, but is it really big enough to house all the foster kids in this county?  Even if you make those huge third floor spaces into wards for the preadolescents, I don't see how you can pull this off.  

Dionne:  It won't be easy.  But -- wait a minute, why aren't you taking that call?

Maisie:  It's her again.  You know if I answer, she's going to guilt me into it. 

Dionne:  Give me the phone.  I'll deal with her. 

Nepotism or Networking?

 After the very long road time, Candy parks at Windu Acres and strolls into the house.

Candy: Anybody home?!  We're gonna raid the fridge!

Rose-Grace (from the kitchen): You'll do nothing of the kind!  I've sent Tanner to pick up a couple of giant pizzas.

Maisie:  Nice place.  Oh, look, babies!  (plops onto the floor with Orlando and Samara)

Rose-Grace:  Group hug!  That way neither of you can say I'm playing favorites! 

Candy: You've seen me more recently than Dionne and Maisie.  They get dibs.

Dionne:  Maisie doesn't do hugs.  Besides, she's found those babies.  We're gonna drag her out kicking and screaming when it's time to go. 

Rose-Grace: I swear, Candy, every time you come back from an assignment, you look different.  

Candy: Well, you know us creative types,  We gotta keep you normies guessing.  (to Dionne)  I was going through a fitness and tanning phase last time I was in town. 

Dionne: All the family sends their love, Aunt Rose-Grace.  Where are Taylor and Nikki? Hell, where are any of the kids?  Besides the babies there, I can see them. 

Rose-Grace: My dad and Nikki are picking Taylor up.  She's interning with a local seamstress shop.  The boys are off with their respective girlfriends.  Pike's parents took Stacie and Fred for the night, trying not to overwhelm you.  They'll be here tomorrow. 

Taylor and Nikki run in and hug Dionne.  

Rose-Grace:  Dad! You told them! I wanted to see their faces when they saw her!

Mace:  Rosie, you know I can't keep secrets.  

Candy (laughing):  What am I, chopped liver? 

Mace: I'm Grandpa Mace.  You may have heard of me.  You're Maisie. 

Maisie: I have indeed heard of Grandpa Mace.  Nice to finally meet you. 

Mace: Can I have one of my grandbabies now?

Maisie: Oh, I don't know about that.  I'm pretty baby-crazy and I don't share well. 

Nikki:  I can't believe you've come to live in Barbieville!  I'm so excited!  Is anyone else coming? 

Dionne:  Right now, it's just me and Maisie.  Your mom's finally found a place for my group home.  

Taylor: Cool.  Where's it at?  Or is that top secret mayor stuff? 

Candy: Zenobia and Boudicca donated the manor.  

Taylor: You mean Zenobia did.  Boo don't come out of her textbooks any more than Maisie does - I bet they'll be study buddies! You are transferring here, right, Maisie?

*******

Monday morning, bright and early, at the mayor's office.  They settle at a conference table after introductions are made. 

Zenobia:  I'll send you PDFs of the floor plans.  We are keeping a few acres, which are a tad removed from the manor itself.  No problem there that a fence won't solve.  

Dionne (looking at the tablet):  This is fantastic.  How many bedrooms? 

Boudicca: Ten, officially.  But there's also two home offices that could be converted.   Each of them with a private bath.  Any of those first-floor rooms could be your office, but I suggest the one marked Library.  It's centrally located.   

Rose-Grace:  This red line?  Is that the fence you mentioned? 

Boudicca:  Yes.  The guesthouse has more than enough room for the four of us to live there, but we were not about to give up the pool.  We'll admit to being that spoiled.  

Dionne:  You could probably donate some of this land to the county parks.  A group home won't need that much acreage.  

Zenobia: Not a bad idea.  It does abut the nature preserve.  

Mrs. Moneybags Finale

 Before the filming of the finale, Rayshawn and Marty confer.

Marty: Honest, Dad, I agree with you.  You don't have to keep asking me.

Rayshawn: It's a big decision, son, and we're already going about this... well, in an unusual way.  

Marty: Well, we're a couple of weirdos anyway.  (laughs) I like them both and would be okay with either one, but I really do think she's the best one for you.  You're the one that's gonna be married to her. 

Rayshawn:  Well, ladies, this is it.  Inside this box are two envelopes, one with each of your names. One containing plane tickets for two, a bit of a getaway during which we can start our wedding plans.  The other is air fare home and a thousand dollars for each week you've lasted.  

Seven: I'm so nervous.  Are you nervous?

Doreen: Of course, I'm either getting proposed to or rejected in front of millions. 

Rayshawn:  More like thousands, but... (chuckles, a bit nervous himself)  Before I hand it over, I have a few words for you.  This was not an easy choice for me and Marty.  Both of you more than meet our needs, each in your own way.  We hope that one "rejected in front of thousands" remains a friend.  And, of course, we hope the one proposed to comes to love us as we will come to love her. 

Doreen lets Seven remove the lid and they both look into the box.  

Doreen: Well, lets get this over with.  Open our envelopes on the count of three? 

Seven: Yes, please.  

They take out the almost identical envelopes and open them in unison.  One of them shrieks in joy and they jump up in a hug.  

Rayshawn watches them jumping up and down in each other's arms, trying not to laugh.  

Rayshawn: Wow, you sure take rejection well. (To Marty)  And we were worried about hurting her feelings.... 

Doreen: I've got eyes.  Watching you two over this last week, since she gave up because she thought I had it in the bag, I would have fainted if she was sent home. 

💞Announcing the engagement of Mr. Rayshawn Lucas, real estate tycoon, to Seven Lincoln, waitress and cashier.  No wedding date has been set.  💞

*******

The next morning, plumb across the country....

Dionne: Did you see the finale of Moneybags last night?  That was insane!  

Maisie: Yeah, I thought for sure the redhead had it won.  

Dionne: Have I mentioned it's filmed in Barbieville?  Our new home? 

Maisie (chuckles): A few times.  That's why I watched, to get a peek at the town.  I also googled the place.  I wanna know what I'm getting into.  

Dionne: I bet you looked at the college, too.  Sure I can't talk you into changing your major? 

Maisie: I've spent too many years chasing a law degree to change it now.  

Candy (walks up): Dionne and Maisie, I presume?  I'm Candy, your Uber driver. 

Dionne: Wow, you've changed a lot since the wedding.  (To Maisie) Maisie Barnes, meet Candy Pike.  She's my uncle's ex-wife and the mother of my step-cousins. (To Candy) Maisie's my heterosexual life partner, to steal a line from a movie.  

Candy: Nice to meet you, Maisie.  Why did you ask me to meet you in the parking lot of a - shall we say - questionable bar?

Maisie:  I live above the bar.  Or I did until today.  (shrug)  Even working two jobs, it was all I could afford after tuition and books. 

Dionne:  Let's get these bags in the car and hit the road, shall we?  

Candy: We're either gonna be pals when this trip is over or we'll hate each other.  Let's find out. 

Generosity Abounds!

Zenobia has surprised Rose-Grace by having official business with her.  She even made an appointment at the Mayor's Office. 

Rose-Grace: I don't remember ever mentioning that to you. 

Zenobia: Not to me directly, but in my presence.  It always stuck in my head because I knew I had, or could have, exactly what you need.  Now that Dad is out of the way... 

Rose-Grace: What about your grandparents?  Are your siblings on board?

Zenobia (laughing): My grandparents are moving to Florida, as rich old people are required by law.   I've discussed it with the lawyers and been advised against it.  Lots of money to be made from a sale, blah blah blah.  Boo is a bleeding heart, so you know she's okay with it.  Leia and Draco are minors, but we checked with them anyway.  One is on board and the other is outvoted.  

Rose-Grace (trying not to get excited):  Well, I'll have to make some calls, but... it certainly looks like you've thought of everything.  

A few calls later, and they shake on it.  The deal is as good as done. 

*******

Not long after, in a decrepit mall far far away.....

Maisie: Sorry - my mother is blowing up my phone.  I turned it off.  Like I'd bail her out even if I had any freaking money.

Dionne: No big deal.  I knew you'd be here, waiting to start work at either the cantina or the store. 

Dionne: My aunt called me today.  

Maisie: Aunt Mayor?!  Seriously?! 

Dionne: Aunt Mayor.  It's on, Maze!  We got a building and the county's backing! 

Dionne:  She's even arranged transportation.  Her stepchildren's mom is coming through the area on Friday -- 

Maisie: That soon?  Oh, my god, Dee... I won't even get to give you a proper send-off.  

Dionne: What are you talking about?  You're coming with me, you promised.  Your days of working two jobs and going to law school are over, baby!  You're gonna work for me - well, Doll County - and there's a good college nearby if you want to finish getting your degree.

Maisie: Seriously?  You meant all that?  I thought -- 

Dionne: Stop thinking and start packing, girl!  (opens Maisie's laptop)  E-mail your bosses.  You won't be able to give two weeks, but short notice is better than none.  

Maisie: I'm supposed to start a shift at the cantina (checks the time) in twenty minutes.  I'll tell them when I clock in.  But if you really mean it, I will e-mail the store right this second.  (Dionne nods toward the laptop and Maisie starts typing.)  

Both women are giggling like schoolgirls.