To Dinner...

We resume this episode at Peyton and Aletha's house...

Aletha: Yeah, uh oh is right…who are you?


Justice: Who me? Oh, I’m just a friend of Peyton’s…a nobody.

Aletha: A nobody that calls my fiancé babycakes?

Peyton: No, he’s the same kind of nobody that your boss is.

Justice: Listen Cakes, I’ll catch you later. Think about what I said.

Justice kisses Peyton on the cheek and brushes by Aletha on his way out the door.

Justice: Uh, nice to meet you ma’am.

Aletha: Yeah, the pleasure was all yours.

Peyton: So, I’m your fiancé now? When did that happen?

Aletha: If you explain yourself out of this mess, it might happen right now.

Peyton: You know, you are so self righteous. Do you think that just because I haven’t been on you about that little tryst that you and your boss had; that I’m not hurt and annoyed by you?

Aletha: If you’re so hurt and annoyed why are you still here?

Peyton: I’m here because I love you. I’m here because both of us came into this relationship under the pretense that we wanted to be truly in love…not with just anyone but, with each other. And I’m here because I’m not a quitter.

Aletha: I, I’m sorry about Mr. Phillip. It was going on long before you and I and I just didn’t want to break it off. I didn’t know how he would react.

Peyton: What about me? First you know Greg had herpes, and you didn’t tell me. Then, I find out that you’re secretly screwing your boss? You have to understand how unscrupulous you look right now.

Aletha: First of all, I don’t have herpes, Greg does and that’s why I never told you. Second of all, I realize that I was wrong about Mr. Phillip but, I refuse to apologize on a loop. I said it more than once and I’m done.

Peyton: Okay, since we’re being so forthright, I did sleep with Justice, but, I don’t love him.

Aletha: You slept with that, that…teenager?

Peyton: He is no teenager, he’s a grown man…trust me. That isn’t the point, the point is that you’ve been so aloof, working long hours and making me feel insecure about your relationship with your boss. Justice has been here on those long, cold nights.

Aletha looks surprised.

Aletha: Okay…I deserve that. Can we just start over.

She pulls out a shinny diamond encrusted band out of her purse. She hands it to Peyton.

Peyton: You and I both know we’re not ready for this. The fact that you would even assume that this is going to solve anything makes me wonder if we’ll be ready for it anytime soon. The ink isn’t even dry on your divorce papers for God’s sake.

Aletha: Where do we go from here then?

Peyton: To dinner.

Copyright © 2010 Cravencrest. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.

One Finger Up...

We resume this episode outside of Marlon and Ashlyn's wedding reception...

Patrick: Hello.


Marlon: You married Valencia? What is going on with you Patrick?

Ashlyn: No! What is going on with YOU MARLON!?!

Marlon holds one finger up and walks away from Ashlyn. He steps on a rock and winces. Ashlyn stomps her foot and sucks her teeth.  She walks away frustrated.

Patrick: I don’t know what you’re talking about Marlon. Shouldn’t you be enjoying your wedding day?

Marlon: Enjoying my wedding day? Are you serious Patrick? First I hear that you’ve married Valencia, then, you send Gabrielle to hit me up for some money! You’ve dropped to surprising new lows.

Patrick: What I do in my personal life doesn’t concern you. I didn’t send Gabrielle to do anything. I have turned over a new leaf in my life and I don’t even associate with her. So, I suggest you pay more attention to your wife than to me.

Marlon: Maybe you should pay more attention to yours, she looks like she’s going to drop that baby any day now.  Poor child that baby has no idea what it's up against.

Patrick: What do you mean she looks like? You saw her?

Marlon: Yes fool! How do you think I found out about you two? She was bragging to Ashlyn right after the ceremony.

Patrick: Listen Marlon. Good luck. I have to go.

Marlon: NO! What you have to do is tell that girl that you don’t love her. Don’t ruin her life Patrick. Hello? Hello!

Dial tone……


Ring, ring, ring…

Valencia: Hello.

Patrick: You went to their wedding after I asked you not to?

Valencia: Yes, I did. I wanted to wish them well. What are you spying on me?

Patrick: Valencia, you are pregnant with my child and you’re due any day now. You could at least be honest with me and tell me where you’re going so I know that the two of you are alright.

Valencia: I’m sorry. I just wanted everyone to know that you and I are together now and that we’re happy.

Patrick: So, you go to my ex-wife and ex-partner’s wedding? How do you think that made you look…going there without me? You looked foolish and childish.

Valencia: Okay fine. You’re right. Did Gabrielle say that they would pay her?

Patrick: No, but they will….they will.



Copyright © 2010 Cravencrest. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.

Baby Cakes...

It’s 7pm at Aletha and Peyton’s house. Peyton’s is boiling water for pasta. She starts chopping vegetables and tosses them into the saucepan which is full of tomato sauce. She has garlic bread in the oven and wine chilling in the freezer. When the phone rings, Peyton turns to answer it and burns her hand on the pot of boiling pasta.


Peyton: Oh God damn it!

She answers the phone.

Peyton: Uh, hello.

Aletha: Hey babe, it’s me. What’s the matter? You sound like you’re in pain.

Peyton: Oh, nothing. I just burned the hell out of my hand trying to fix dinner.

Aletha: About dinner…I…

Peyton: Let me guess…you have to work late. No, no…you have a dinner appointment…that’s right a dinner appointment. Which one is it?

Aletha: Actually, I wanted to tell you that I wanted to take you out tonight. You deserve a break after the grueling summer you’ve spent working at the zoo. You shouldn’t have to work with the animals all day only to come home and have to work like an animal too.

Peyton: Well, I feel stupid. I’m sorry, I’d love to go out with you. Let me finish things up and take a shower. I’ll be ready around 9ish. Is that okay?

Aletha: Yes angel..that’s fine. See you soon.

Peyton: See you later. Bye-bye!

Peyton drains the pasta and dumps it into the tomato sauce. She takes the bread out of the oven and wraps it in foil. She turns off the eyes on the stove and washes her hands in the sink. The warm water feels like one million needles pricking her freshly burned skin.

Peyton: Ow! Crap! Shit!

Justice: Hey, hey, what’s up with all these expletives?

Justice walks up behind Peyton and wraps his arms around her waist. She leans back into his embrace and fills her lungs with the heavy musk that is lingering in the air around him.

Peyton: Hey! Oh, It’s nothing, I burned my hand cooking. But…now that you’re awake, why don’t you take a to go plate and well…go.

Justice: Oh, it’s like that huh? Use me and abuse me! I see how you do.

Peyton: Shut up boy, I was just trying to send you off to Africa properly. Couldn’t have you going on that long trip carrying the burden off all that sexual tension now could I?

She smiles a coy and mischievous smile.

Justice: Seriously girl. I want you to reconsider this situation you’re in. I think we’d make a good pair.

Peyton: Seriously Justice, I think you had better grab this food and go! Go on now!

Justice: Alright, alright…promise you’ll think about it.

Peyton: I promise now go!

Aletha walks in the kitchen.

Aletha: You promise what? Who are you talking to?

Justice walks into the room, food and keys in hand.

Justice: Thanks for the food baby cakes I’ll… uh oh.

Aletha: Yeah, uh oh is right…who are you?

Copyright © 2010 Cravencrest. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.