An Evening Of Glamour

Prom Night

The twins pose with their dates before leaving for the big dance.  

Tanner:  How long does it take you to snap a photo, Step-Mom? 

Finnick: Give her a break, man.  She isn't a pro like Mom.

Guinness and McG are chaperoning the event.  They retire to a corner, not wishing to intrude on the fun any more than needed. 

McG: You probably know the Pike twins...  they're my grandsons. 

Guinness: I'm sure you know, then, about my son and the reasons behind his absence.  He's been, shall we say, less than a gentlemen in recent months.  

McG: I've heard the stories.  I do have to say I'm surprised you've included Prom.  

Guinness (slyly):  I assumed he wouldn't want to attend.  Why, at any minute a gang fight or a war dance might break out. Perhaps even a Food Stamp exchange.  

McG:  I don't know if I'm shocked or amused.

Guinness: Why not both?

Finnick: Wow.  Most of us don't even look like us any more.  

Nakoma: I think that's the idea.  We aren't us tonight, we're aristocrats or something.

Finnick:  Excuse me, ma'am, are you implying that my girlfriend is anything less than a lady?

Tris: But the photo package is so expensive.

Four: Mom insisted we get it.  You can argue with her.

Whitney: I can't believe I'm dancing with you like this.  It's like a dream come true.

Tanner: And all it took was a mad arsonist damn near killing me.

Whitney: Are all the Pike boys too dense to see that a girl likes him? 

Tanner: Fred and Orlando are a little young yet. 

Raven: I can't believe Mom wanted us to come together. 

Peeta: We did come together.

Raven: I mean together together.  Sorry, but my stepbrother is not gonna be my Prom date.

Peeta: Oh, yeah.  That was weird.  I guess she just figured it was better than not having a date.

Raven: As if.

Prom Royalty: Mariko Nakano and Frodo Dean.

Everybody dance now!

Dance the night away!

Shake your groove thing!

Frodo likes to watch.

Spring Has Sprung

The last nine weeks of school begins with a new student coming to Barbieville Middle School.

Claudia and Moana wait for the bus outside Lake Shore Townhomes.

Claudia: I guess it's kind of like any public school.  Some good teachers, some bad ones.  Same with the kids.  

Moana: Thanks for offering to help me out.  Jason promised me we won't move.  Well, I won't have to change schools.  Obviously, when he gets a job, we might have to move out of this complex. 

Claudia: Ben wouldn't qualify to live here if it wasn't for me.  Kids are expensive. 

Ron: Watch out for Draco, though.  He don't like you poor folk and those of us who slum with you.

Moana: Us poor folk?  Dude, you live here, too. 

Ginny: We're independently wealthy, or will be when we're old enough to get our trust funds.  I guess we are technically poor right now...

Ron: Our cousin is the manager here and she's got custody of us.  We picked her because she was the only one who cared more about us than the money.

Ginny: Took a while to convince the courts, though. 

*****

At the high school, McG begins a long-term substitute position in the Language Arts classroom.  

Raven: That's the twins' grandma?  

Tris: Four says she's really strict but otherwise cool.  Hey, did I tell you Zenobia and I decided to find a bigger apartment?  Where should we look?

Raven: How would I know?

Tris: Aren't you and your mom looking for a place?

Raven: Oh, that.  She's been seeing Dean, like, forever.  They decided to get married.  Just a mayor's office thing, though, since Mom isn't Jewish.  I get to share a room with his thirteen year old. 

McG:  Miss Prior, Miss Baxter.  Would you like to share with the class, since your subject matter is clearly more important than mine?  (waits a moment)  As I was saying, Miss Jones left me with instructions regarding your course of study.  It appears that the final exam is to be a stage production of one of the books reviewed this term.  

Raven (whispering):  Please let it be Gone With The Wind.

McG: Given the subject matter, some things have to be changed for a school production, but Miss Jones had a script nearly finished at the time of her accident.  Please consider what roles you'd like to audition for on Friday.

  

Raven (whispering):  Gone With The Wind  please please please

McG: I'm sorry, Miss Baxter, but it will be Jane Eyre.  

*****

After school, at the hospital. 

Tanner:  You aren't Whitney, but you're a lot prettier than Frodo.

Nakoma: Thanks, I think.  The Language Arts play this year is Jane Eyre.  Want me to put you down for any roles? 

Tanner: There's only one guy in that whole book!

Nakoma: You must not have been paying much attention when we read it. And you should be out of the hospital in plenty of time.

Rose-Grace: Marcus was just here.  Tanner is going home tomorrow.

Nakoma:  That's great!  I can't wait to tell the gang! 

Rose-Grace: And I think you should put him down to play Mason.  

****

That evening, KAP (Kin As Parents) welcomes a new member to the support group.

Becky: Guys, this is Jason Fly.  He just moved here, has custody of a seventh-grader, and is looking for work.  

Jason: Anything will do.  I hate being unemployed but don't have much by way of qualifications.

Nova: You're in good company, then.  Both Ben and I work at places that are almost always hiring and Pocahontas owns the amusement park.  We'll see what we can do for you.  

Ben: Jason has quite a story about his charge.  He doesn't even know how she's kin.

Jason: It's kind of a long one, but here goes.  I was DNA matched with Moana.  I have several brothers and uncles who might be the father.  So Moana is either my cousin or my niece. 

Pocahontas: Wow. 

Jason: Moana's mom died in a car accident and the foster care system has just implemented a system of DNA matching.  They contacted all of us and I was the only one willing to take in the child.

Pocahontas: Can't they tell how closely related you are?  Or is cousin and niece the same degree of relation?  

Jason: I'm not sure.  All I know is, she's my blood and she needed me.  

Ben: Maybe Pocahontas should do that.  See how many more Anakins are out there. 

Pocahontas: I wouldn't dare.  Anakin already thinks I don't believe he's really my brother.  

Valentine's Day

Nakoma and Anakin stop in at Pocahontas's office, as usual, on the way home from school.

Nakoma:  Look at this insane box of chocolate!  I told Finnick I'm going to gain back all the weight I just lost and he said he doesn't care as long as I'm happy.

Anakin:  I volunteered us to help her eat them.

Pocahontas: Take these home with you and put them in Mom's blue vase.  

Anakin:  Wait, what?  You don't have a boyfriend or anything.  And Roxy's dad promised to back off.

Pocahontas: John swears it wasn't him.  There was no card.

Nakoma (teasing): Looks like you have a secret admirer, Sis.  He even knows your favorite flower. 

Pocahontas (laughs):  It's hardly a secret.  Just put them in the vase when you get home, please.  Do your homework if you have any and, Anakin, your room is trashed.  I want it clean by the time I get home.

Anakin (groans): Do I have to? 

******

At a nearby Asian buffet, Midna waits with the Baxters for a table.

Midna: With the planned changes, I'm going to have to hire more staff. 

Violet (eyes on laptop): I see that.  The logistics of all this...

Detective: I hope you ladies aren't discussing the case.  

Midna: Not at all.  I invited Violet to dinner so I could offer her a position as my office person.  I really hate paperwork and she's a qualified candidate for the job.  It's a win-win.

Raven (laughing): Office person?  That is a prestigious job title, Mom, you better jump right on that.

Violet: I think I'll include a title change as an employment clause.  

******

Doll County Sheriff's office.

Detective: Thank you for your time, Mr Kishi.  I am satisfied there's no need to talk to Claudia, but thank you for the offer.

Ben: Well, I know you spoke to her friends.

Detective: And that's why I don't need to talk to her.  She was with the Montez girls at the time of the fire. I've seen video footage of the three of them wandering around the mall.

 

Clara is in the waiting area outside the detective's office.  

Clara: Seriously?  They think you torched the place?

Ben: I was recently fired, so yeah, I'm a suspect.  (Keeps walking.)

*****

Tanner runs into Whitney at the day care.

Wilma: Hi, one of the twins.  A bad person burned Mommy's work down. 

Tanner: I saw you walking.  If I'd known you were coming here, I would have given you a lift.

Whitney: I won't mind if you give us a lift home.  Wilma's too big to carry that far and her little legs take forever to get anywhere. 

Whitney: Thanks for the ride.  Do you need gas money?

Tanner: Nah, it's not that far out of the way.  You go and get ready for your hot date tonight.

Whitney: Hot date?  What are you talking about?

Tanner: You had all those Valentine cards in your locker.  I figured... No?

Whitney: Those were indecent proposals, Tanner.  I get a locker full every year.

Tanner: Are you serious?  Why would you get dozens of -- (Looks at Wilma playing in the snow.)  Oh, yeah.  Who was it?  Tell me who it was, every one of them.  

Whitney: I'm not gonna tell you.  I know what people think. 

Tanner: Stupid people.  I know you ain't like that.  So you don't have a hot date tonight? 

Saturday In Barbieville

Rose-Grace hurries to the store after getting a call from Pike. 

Rose-Grace:  What is it?  You sounded like you were crying.  And why did you...  (looks in the big box on his desk)  Oh.  It was your allergies.  

Pike:  Garbageman found these two in the dumpster.  Batgirl cleaned them up and fed them.  

Rose-Grace:  We can't have a cat, honey.  You're allergic. 

Pike:  Didn't you make Ash and Soot a temporary home in the horse trailer at some point?   We can get them checked by a vet and go from there.

Rose-Grace:  I suppose we could use a barn cat.  If she's well.

Mariko works the early shift at the diner.

Mariko: Sorry about the wait.  Our fryers weren't quite ready when you ordered.

PJ:  No problem.  Mariko, this is my daughter Emma.  We're house hunting today. 

Mariko: I didn't know you had a daughter.  Nice to meet you, Emma. 

Emma: She has two.  Me and my sister. Do you have any sisters?

Mariko's reply is drowned out by shouting from the next table.

Clara:  You said you wouldn't give my information out!

Violet: Those kids didn't have a court order.  The police did.

Raven: Hey!  Don't be jumping on my mom! 

Clara: Mind your own business, Hoops!  

Violet: Raven, keep out of this.  (to Clara)  Can we discuss this like adults?

Mariko, recognizing Clara from the previous incident, hurries into the back.  Midna bursts out of the kitchen and confronts Clara. 

Midna:  This is the second time you're created a disturbance in my diner.  Get out and stay out.

Clara:  This is a public place, Red.  

Midna: This is a privately owned business.  I have a legal right to protect it, and to protect my customers.  

Clara: You're gonna call the cops over a little yelling?

Midna: I already have.

Back home, Finnick and Fred join the animals in checking out the new arrivals.

Finnick:  If they couldn't keep the pets for some reason, why do something so cruel?  

Rose-Grace:  You'd think taking them to a shelter would be obvious.  Your dad said the security camera got a good look at the woman who did it.  

Fred: Kin we call them Brownie and Whitey? 

Finnick (laughs): I can see it now - the black mayor in her yard yelling Whitey.  

Rose-Grace (wistfully): To be four again and have no clue about the political climate.  (to Fred)  We aren't going to worry about naming them just yet, sweetheart.  But you can be in charge of collecting suggestions.

Kin As Parents holds its first official meeting at The Overlook.

Ben: Nova's our only other official member, so we've got a 75% turnout.  Not bad for the first meeting.

Pocahontas: Growth takes time.  Anyone got any news?

Becky:  I have news!  I got custody of my cousins, a job, and a place to live.  

Ben: Wow.  You've been busy. 

Becky: Well, the home and job are connected.  I'm going to be the residential manager for those new townhouse apartments on the Beach Highway.  

Ben: What about school? 

Becky: It'll be tricky, but I can stay in school.  Might have to do some classes on line.

Ben:  Aren't those income based?  Can you get me an application?