SCENE 1:

RAELYN

Member of Greater Commission Church of Dolandale City. Wonderful singer

and wants to pursue a singing career. Led to sing gospel but pursues R&B

more often.

DAVID

One of the new converts to Christianity and newest members at Greater

Commission Church of Dolandale City. Becoming very involved in

church activity. Got saved from a life of street hustling and drug dealing.

DAVID has come to visit RAELYN to talk about his relationship issues with

LAKEESHA. While there, he receives an unexpected phone call.

--------------------------

(DAVID’s  phone rings and he looks at the phone display.)

DAVID thinks: “Dang!”

DAVID: “Oh shoot, it’s Keesh. Um…”

RAELYN: “You wanna step into the other room to answer it?”

DAVID: “Yeah! Is that cool?”

RAELYN: “Sure, go right ahead. I’ll be here when you’re done.”

DAVID: “Thanks Rae.”

(He quickly gets up and steps away.

Once he enters the other room, he answers the phone.)

DAVID: “Hey.”

LAKEESHA: “Hey.”

DAVID: “What’s goin’ on?”

LAKEESHA: “Nothing much. Tariq just came by and picked up Trey.

What you doin’?”

DAVID: “Uh, nothin’ much. Thinkin’ bout you.”

(LAKEESHA laughs.)

LAKEESHA: “Yeah right.”

DAVID: “Seriously! I was thinking about you.”

LAKEESHA: “You better be!”

(DAVID laughs to himself.)

LAKEESHA: “So did you eat already?”

DAVID: “Naw.”

LAKEESHA: “I was gonna order something. You wanna come over?”

DAVID: “Uh, sure. That’s cool.”

LAKEESHA: “You gonna leave now?”

DAVID: “Yeah, I’m on my way.”

LAKEESHA: “Okay, I’ll be ready.”

(DAVID laughs.)

DAVID: “Be ready huh?”

LAKEESHA: “I’ll be ready!”

DAVID: “Okay then, see ya in a few.”

LAKEESHA: “Bye.”

(They hang up. DAVID puts his phone away and walks back to where

RAELYN is sitting.)

RAELYN: “Speak of the devil huh? Everything okay?”

DAVID: “Yeah. She’s cool. She’s about to order some food. So I gotta head

over there.”

RAELYN thinks: “Dang!”

DAVID: “Hey, did you eat already today?”

SCENE 2:

EVAN

Son of Professor Mckinney. Devastated by the recent separation of his parents.

Interns at Dupree & Grant and is a graduating senior at Dolandale High.

Is considering college applications and is being persuaded to join his

mother and attend college where she has moved to.

PRECIOUS and EVAN are coming out of the movie theater together.

--------------------------

EVAN: “Now that was a good movie!”

PRECIOUS: “You think so? I mean, I think it was okay.”

EVAN: “Okay? Are you kidding me? That was the best! We gotta go see that

again!”

PRECIOUS: “See it again? You trying to make the Dark Knight make 500

million at the box office or something?”

(EVAN laughs.)

EVAN: “That’s funny.”

PRECIOUS: “I can think of a million better ways for us to spend our time.”

(PRECIOUS takes EVAN’s hand.)

EVAN: “Really? Like how?”

PRECIOUS: “Like… right there!”

(PRECIOUS points to the Ruth Chris steak house on the corner.)

PRECIOUS: “Take me to eat!”

EVAN: “What? There?”

PRECIOUS: “Yeah! Come on!”

EVAN: “Are you crazy or something?”

PRECIOUS: “Why not?”

EVAN: “Hello? That’s the most expensive restaurant in Dolandale.

I don’t have that kind of money. Stop playin’.”

PRECIOUS: “Who said anything about you paying for it.”

EVAN: “What? Okay now I know you crazy! We don’t have that kind of money if

you put my money and your money together!”

PRECIOUS: “Stop worrying! Come on!”

(She starts to pull him by his hand across the street.)

EVAN: “Precious! We can’t go up in there! Are you out of your mind!

We aren’t even dressed right to go there!”

PRECIOUS: “Stop worrying! Trust me!”

(EVAN reluctantly follows PRECIOUS to the front door of the restaurant.)

EVAN whispers: “Precious! Precious!”

(She goes in. He follows. She confidently walks up to the hostess.)

HOSTESS: “Uhhh… hello. May I help you?”

PRECIOUS: “Yes table for two please.”

HOSTESS: “Maam, we have a dress code here and we don’t allow jean…”

PRECIOUS: “I said table for two!”

(Everyone in the lobby turns around as PRECIOUS raises her voice.)

EVAN whispers: “Precious, come on! Let’s just go okay?”

PRECIOUS: “No… I said I wanted a table for two and we are gonna get a

table! For! Two!

SCENE 1:Continued

RAELYN thinks: “I just ate before you got here… I had leftovers from Boston

Market. I can’t eat another bite!”

RAELYN: “No, I didn’t eat yet. Why?”

DAVID: “Well why don’t you walk with me over to Keesh’s house.

We can keep talking on the way and then we can hang out all together and eat.”

RAELYN: “Oh no, I don’t want to impose. You go head.”

DAVID: “Girl stop trippin’. It’s all good, come on.”

RAELYN: “You don’t think Keesha will mind?”

DAVID: “Uh hello, you’re her best friend. Come on.”

RAELYN: “Okay cool. Let’s go.”

(She grabs her keys and purse and they leave to walk toward

LAKEESHA’s apartment complex.)

DAVID: “So what were we talking about before my phone rang?”

RAELYN: “Women saying that they want a good man.”

DAVID: “Oh yeah! That’s right! So as I was saying, women say it but they really

don’t mean it. Like I said, there are plenty of good men out here, trying to make

an honest earned living. But sisters pass them by and wouldn’t give them the

time of day.”

RAELYN: “I just think you’re giving all the ladies out here a bad rap.

Now I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, I say I want a good man.

I don’t have to have an executive or somebody with 5 different degrees.

I just want a man who loves and respects God and loves and respects me.

Is that too hard to ask?”

DAVID: “So no matter what his occupation was, that’s all you want?”

RAELYN: “I mean, can he be cute?”

(DAVID laughs.)

DAVID: “Sure, he can be fine.”

RAELYN: “Well then we have a winner.”

DAVID: “I don’t know Rae. What you’re sayin’ is real hard to believe.”

RAELYN: “I’m dead serious. Like, take you for example.

You’re not a doctor or a lawyer. You don’t even drive a car…”

DAVID: “Hey, I don’t drive cuz I sold my car to buy Lakeesha hers’!”

(DAVID says laughing.)

RAELYN: “I know I know but hear me out. So if you were single…”

DAVID: “I am single.”

RAELYN: “No you aint… will you stop cutting me off so I can finish?”

(DAVID smiles and acts like he is zipping his lips.)

RAELYN: “Thank you! As I was saying… if… you were single,

I would be very much interested in dating you. You’re a good guy,

handsome, trying to get more involved in the church, I mean, those are some

great qualities.”

DAVID: “Yeah but let’s keep it real. On Valentine’s Day, I can’t afford to take

you nowhere but Wendy’s. On your birthday, I might bring a blockbuster video

over cuz that’s all I can do. You really gonna be with me like that?”

RAELYN: “Yeah. I would.”

(DAVID smiles.)

DAVID: “If that’s the case, then you are the strangest woman on the face of the

earth!”

(She playfully slaps his arm.)

DAVID: “Ouch! But you gotta see my point.”

RAELYN: “I just think you’re lumping a lot of women in a category that only a

small number really belong to. And I’m a case in point.”

DAVID: “Your homework assignment. Talk to ten of your girlfriends and ask

them. Ask them if they wouldn’t mind goin’ to Burger King on Valentine’s Day.

Let me know what they say.”

(They both laugh as they get to LAKEESHA's apartment complex.

DAVID buzzes her bell.)

LAKEESHA: “Come on up.”

(She buzzes him in.)

RAELYN: “I can get to ask my first test person right now.”

DAVID: “I can tell you right now what Keesh is gonna say.

If it’s one thing I know, I know that woman.”

(RAELYN laughs as he knocks on the door.)

LAKEESHA: “It’s open babe.”

DAVID: “Laugh if you want to but if it’s one thing I know… I know Lakee…”

(DAVID and RAELYN enter the apartment… LAKEESHA is standing in her

lingerie.)

ZORA WILLIAMSON

Wife of Pastor Williamson and instructor at Dolandale City Community College.

Wants to launch her own ministry catered toward women and children but

personal issues are holding her back. Mother to twins Charles and Kendall.

KENDALL

Would like to follow in parent’s footsteps in ministry. Junior at Dolandale High.

Not athletic at all and in the sports shadow of twin brother Charles.

FIRST LADY ZORA has just ended the meeting with the deacons of Greater

Commission Church. As the deacons exit the room, her daughter KENDALL

comes in.

--------------------------

ZORA: “Hi sweetie, what brings you by the church?”

(silence)

ZORA: “Is everything okay?”

(KENDALL bursts into tears and grabs her mother.)

ZORA: “Baby what’s the matter!”

(KENDALL is wailing and crying uncontrollably into her mother’s chest.)

ZORA: “Baby what’s wrong! What’s the matter!”

KENDALL: “I know Daddy left because of me! I know he did!”

ZORA: “What?”

KENDALL: “Daddy hates me… because… because of what I did!”

ZORA: “What! Kendall honey your father doesn’t hate you! He loves you!

We both love you very much!”

(KENDALL is clinging tightly to her mother.)

ZORA: “Listen to me! You and Charles mean the world to me and your father!

We love you both very much! I can’t say we have always loved the choices you

two have made but that will never stop us from loving you!”

KENDALL: “How can you say that?”

(She lets go of her mother’s waist and looks her in the face with tear filled

eyes.)

KENDALL: “How can you say that after what happened!”

ZORA: “Come here… sit down.”

(KENDALL begins to wipe her face as she sits in one of the conference

chairs.)

ZORA: “Kendall…”

ZORA thinks: “Help me Holy Spirit!”

ZORA: “As a parent, you always want the best for your children. You want them

to have the best and choose the best in life. But sometimes it’s the wrong

choices that help us grow. If you never fall down, you won’t know how to protect

yourself from falling next time.”

(silence)

ZORA: “It’s the same way with God. God is like a parent. He is a Father.

And He wants what’s best for us too. But most of the time, we choose to do

things outside of what He wants… or His will. And when we do that, we

disappoint Him. We sometimes even break His heart. But does that mean that

He stops loving us?”

(silence)

ZORA: “The only reason He still loves us even though we let Him down is

because His love is unconditional. Look… let me show you something.”

(ZORA gets up and grabs a bible off Pastor’s desk. She sits back down.)

ZORA: “Uhhhh… oh yeah, here it is. Genesis chapter 15. Okay, this chapter

starts off by saying “After these things, the word of the LORD came unto Abram

in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great

reward.” Now, the problem with most people reading this chapter is that they

don’t ask the right question to understand what God is saying to us. Do you

know what the question is?”

(KENDALL shakes her head.)

ZORA: “Don’t worry, most people don’t. If I asked everyone in the church on

Sunday they probably don’t. The question is, after what things? The chapter

opens up by saying “After these things.” But that is verse 1. There are no things

before verse 1, unless you go back to chapter 14. So to get a full understanding,

you have to go back a chapter. Does that make sense?”

KENDALL: “Yeah… I guess. But what does this have to do with me and

Daddy?”

SCENE 2:Continued

PRECIOUS and EVAN have walked into a very expensive restaurant.

Although EVAN resisted coming in, PRECIOUS is causing quite a

commotion in her attempt to secure a table.

--------------------------

PRECIOUS: “I said I want a table! For! Two!”

(The Ruth Chris manager quickly approaches.)

MANAGER: “Excuse me, can I help you?”

PRECIOUS: “Yes you can help me. We need a table for two and this…

hostess… seems to have an issue with that!”

HOSTESS: “Like I said, we have a dress code and you…”

PRECIOUS: “Well does your… dress code apply to the District Attorney’s

daughter?”

EVAN thinks: “What!”

(EVAN gives PRECIOUS a strange look.)

MANAGER: “You’re Adrienne? Al’s daughter?”

PRECIOUS: “What you wanna see ID now?”

MANAGER: “No Maam, I’m um sure we can find a table for you.”

PRECIOUS: “Well you know maybe we don’t wanna eat here no more.

Maybe I’ll call Daddy and tell him how…”

MANAGER: “Oh no, we have a table right here. Right this way.”

(PRECIOUS smiles sarcastically at the hostess as her and EVAN are led into

the restaurant.)

EVAN thinks: “I cannot believe…:

MANAGER: “Is this table okay Adrienne?”

PRECIOUS: “Yes, this will be fine.”

MANAGER: “I apologize for the inconvenience. Our hostess is new and still

training. Will the DA be joining you for dinner?”

PRECIOUS: “I hope so. I had planned on calling Daddy and having him meet

me here.”

MANAGER: “Great. Well if you need anything, anything at all don’t hesitate to

ask.”

PRECIOUS: “Glad you mentioned that, let me simply ask right now.

Can we just go ahead and order your special for two? Medium well porter house

steaks, the soup of the day, broccoli and au gratin potatoes and two Cokes.”

MANAGER: “No problem Adrienne, I will get that started for you right away.”

(PRECIOUS smiles.)

PRECIOUS: “Thank you! I’ll wave you over if Daddy decides to come.

We can pull a chair up for him.”

MANAGER: “I’m sure we can accommodate him. He is a regular.”

(The manager smiles as he walks away.)

EVAN whispers: “I can’t believe you!”

PRECIOUS: “What?”

EVAN: “The best steaks? You told those people that you’re the District

Attorney’s daughter! What if they call him to check?”

PRECIOUS: “Oh stop worrying!”

EVAN: “You lied! How you plan to pay for all this? You see these prices?”

PRECIOUS: “Pay for it? Don’t you know these fancy smancy restaurants let

local celebs have tabs and stuff? My mother always told me that. So we aint

gotta pay for this, I’ll just put it on Al’s tab.”

EVAN: “What! Are you crazy!”

PRECIOUS: “Will you lower your voice!”

EVAN whispers: “You gonna put it on Al’s tab? We can’t do that! That’s

wrong!”

PRECIOUS: “Oh stop being such a baby! Al doesn’t pay for this stuff out of his

pocket. He got an expense account with the city. He won’t even notice.”

(EVAN is staring at PRECIOUS in shock.)

PRECIOUS: “You know Evan, I’m really happy we been hangin’ out lately.

I’ve been having a lot of fun. How about you?”

(silence)

PRECIOUS: “How about you?”

EVAN: “Uh yeah. Yeah. Sure.”

PRECIOUS: “You’ve really helped me take a lot of the pressure off. A lot of

stress from home.”

EVAN: “Stress from home? What are you talking about?”

PRECIOUS: “Oh… nothing.”

EVAN: “What? You can tell me.”

PRECIOUS: “Well I didn’t wanna bother you with my problems.”

EVAN: “Please! I’ve told you mine.”

PRECIOUS: “Yeah, that’s true. You have shared a lot with me.”

(silence)

EVAN: “Come on, tell me.”

PRECIOUS: “Well… okay. See, my dad has been really on my case about my

grades. He’s been rough because I haven’t done well in my honors journalism

class.”

EVAN: “Journalism? That’s my middle name! You know I intern at Dupree and

Grant and I work on articles with their journalism department!”

PRECIOUS: “You do? Wow! I had no idea!”

EVAN: “Yep! I sure do!”

PRECIOUS: “Well maybe you can help me out Evan baby! See, we have the

term paper coming up and if I don’t get at least a B, I can kiss my good grade

point average goodbye… and Daddy is going to kill me! Literally!”

EVAN: “So, you need some help with it?”

PRECIOUS: “No… I need you to write it.”

EVAN: “What? I can’t write your paper for you! You should already have it

started anyway, it’s due in a week and a half.”

PRECIOUS: “I haven’t started yet.”

EVAN: “Haven’t started yet? We got the assignment in April!”

PRECIOUS: “Stop yelling at me!”

EVAN: “I’m not yelling, I’m just…”

PRECIOUS: “You’re just like my father!”

EVAN: “No! No I’m not… but you want me to cheat… and write your paper?

Precious I can’t do that.”

PRECIOUS: “Not even for me… baby?”

EVAN: “Why don’t you let me help you? I can sit with you every night and help.

If we work hard, I know you can do it.”

(silence)

PRECIOUS: “Write it for me sweetie.”

EVAN: “I can’t do that. That’s dishonest.”

PRECIOUS: “Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?”

(EVAN smiles.)

EVAN: “Precious… I can’t.”

(silence)

PRECIOUS: “Fine… then I tell you what…”

(PRECIOUS starts to get up as a waiter shows up with the Cokes and two

soups.)

PRECIOUS: “You go ahead and pay for all this yourself Mr. Honesty!

Go ahead and tell them who you are and that you can’t afford any of this!

Good luck! I’m leaving!”

SCENE 3:Continued

ZORA: “Does that make sense?”

KENDALL: “Yeah… I guess. But what does this have to do with me and

Daddy?”

ZORA: “I’m glad you asked that question. If you read chapter 14 in Genesis, it’s

about Abraham. In that chapter, Abraham pays tithes to the high priest.

So what chapter 15 is referring to is Abraham paying his tithes.

And after he paid his tithes, God became his shield and exceeding great

reward. So it’s like, if you do this, God does that. If you do that, God does this.

That is what is called a condition. And I can show you lots of places in the bible

where spiritual things are conditional. But one of the areas that is unconditional

is God’s love. You don’t have to do anything to earn it, you don’t have to do

anything to keep it. And no matter what you do, it’s still there.

God loves you with an unconditional love. God loves me with an unconditional

love. No matter what you ever do, God will always love you. And that is because

God is a parent.”

(KENDALL starts to silently cry again.)

ZORA: “That is exactly how we see you Kendall. No matter what you ever do,

we will always love you. Now with love comes discipline, rules, punishment,

reward, the same way God sets it up. But none of that touches the unconditional

love part. Ever. You understand.”

KENDALL: “Yes.”

(ZORA closes the bible.)

ZORA: “So understand honey, your father did not leave because he is mad at

you or hates you. He’s been needing a vacation for the past two years.

He hasn’t had one and nobody works harder than your father. Right?”

KENDALL: “Yeah.”

ZORA: “We will get through this honey… as a family. With God’s help and love.

Understand?”

KENDALL: “Yes maam.”

ZORA: “Now come on, let’s go home.”

(They both get up. KENDALL fixes her face in her father’s personal bathroom.

ZORA turns off the computer and the lights. They lock the church, walk to the

parking lot and get into ZORA’s car.)

ZORA: “Have you eaten? You want to pick something up?”

KENDALL: “I haven’t been hungry lately.”

ZORA: “Well you need to eat.”

KENDALL: “Can we make something at home? I just want to go home.”

(ZORA looks at KENDALL with care in her eyes.)

ZORA: “Sure honey. We can go home.”

(KENDALL closes her eyes and puts her head back. ZORA looks at her,

then focuses on the road.)

ZORA prays: “Father, I ask you that a Spirit of comfort would fall and rest on

my daughter in the name of Jesus. I pray Lord that you would bind us back

together as a family and give us unusual wisdom as parents. Let her feel the

love of a mother and father and the love of a Savior. Lord, I ask that you protect

her mind, her spirit and her heart from the attack of the enemy. In Jesus

name…”

(ZORA looks at KENDALL again.)

ZORA prays: “And satan, I am officially putting you on notice! Your plans have

been cancelled by the power of the blood of Jesus! You have no authority in this

family! I bind your hand and cast you out in Jesus name! Don’t let me see you

coming around my family again!”

(ZORA smiles to herself.)

ZORA prays: “In Jesus name… amen.”

ZORA: “You okay sweetie?”

KENDALL: “Yeah. I’m okay. Thank you… for talking to me.”

(ZORA takes KENDALL’s hand.)

ZORA: “I love you honey.”

KENDALL: “Love you too Mom.”

(KENDALL wipes away a few new tears. ZORA gets teary eyed as well.)

ZORA thinks: “Thank you Lord for the words you gave me to say.”

(They pull up in the driveway.)

ZORA: “Oh, Steve is here.”

(They walk past STEVE’s car and to the house.)

ZORA: “I’m glad he’s here. I didn’t see him in church last Sunday!

I can see what his excuse is this time!”

(KENDALL cracks a smile. ZORA smiles at her as they enter the house.)

ZORA: “Steve! Just the young man I wan… Charles! What happened to your

face!”

STAY TUNED FOR EPISODE 12...