Thanks so much for the lovely reviews.
:angel:
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Gables Estates, house, den, 3pm
Steph: *picks up chess piece*
Scott: *stares at Steph*
Steph: *concentrates on board*
Scott: *smirks*
Steph: *places piece on square*
Scott: Nice job.
Steph: *smiles*
Lori: *walks over, sits* You're teaching her
chess? That's a little advanced, even for
me.
Scott: She needs to learn decision-making skills and the direct result that comes from them.
Lori: Couldn't you have taught her to play Monopoly or something?
Scott: We already did that last week.
Lori: Of course.
Scott: *places chess piece on board*
Steph: *staring at board*
Lori: She seems very...intense.
Scott: Shh.
Lori: *frowns*
Steph: ...*places piece on board*
Scott: *sigh* I thought we just went over this. The Rook can only move in a straight line.
Steph: Daddy, I'm tired of chess.
Scott: But you're doing so well.
Lori: *places hand on Scott's shoulder* I think she'd rather do something aimed more at her age.
Scott: *lifts finger* An early start equals success later in life.
Lori: Sure it does.
Scott: Come on Steph, let's go. Keep playing.
Steph: No.
Scott: Just a few more minutes.
Steph: *sighs, grabs piece*
Scott: *smiles*
Steph: *slams piece onto board*
Scott: *smile fades* ...That doesn't go there.
Steph: *crosses arms*
Scott: *places piece onto board* Your turn.
Steph: I wanna watch toons.
Scott: Not until we're finished.
Steph: *frowning*
Scott: Go on. Make a play.
Steph: NO.
Scott: Yes.
Steph: *shoves board off the table*
Chess pieces fall everywhere
Scott: Stephanie, pick that up.
Steph: NO!
Scott: Now.
Steph: *screeches, starts kicking table*
Scott: Stop kicking the table. Steph. Steph!
Steph: *screaming, pounding fists into floor*
Scott: *grabs at Steph*
Steph: *scratches Scott's face*
Scott: UGH! *holds face*
Steph: *smashing feet into chess board, screaming*
Scott: Stephanie!
Steph: *throws chess pieces at Scott*
Scott: *grabs Steph*
Steph: *screeching, hitting Scott*
Scott: *sits Steph on couch*
Steph: *rips at Scott's chest*
Scott: *grabs Steph's wrists* Enough.
Steph: *starts to cry* LEMME GO!
Scott: You need to calm down first.
Steph: *crying*
Scott: *stares at Steph*
Lori: *scratches forehead*
Scott: *kneels at couch* Are you finished?
Steph: *crying, nods*
Scott: *lets go*
Steph: *grabs Lori's arm, hugs her*
Lori: *lifts brows*
Steph: Daddy's a meanie.
Lori: *looks at Scott*
Scott: Stephanie, go upstairs to your room.
Steph: *pouts, jumps off couch, leaves*
Scott: *sits on couch*
Lori: Scott, children don't have the same attention span as adults. Even
I know that.
Scott: I just want her to learn. I want her to have all the opportunities.
Lori: There's plenty of time.
Scott: *nods*
Lori: *reaches over, lifts Scott's collar* She sure got you.
Biscayne Park, house, bedroom, 1am
Anni: *sighs, lies against Tom*
Tom: *wraps arm around Anni*
Anni: *closes eyes*
Tom: *kisses Anni's cheek*
Anni: *smirks*
Tom: *whispers* I love you.
Anni: *opens eyes* ...*looks back at Tom* What?
Tom: *stares at Anni*
Anni: *sits up* No you don't.
Tom: *lifts head* I don't?
Anni: This is a fling, Tom. When I'm finished, I'm going to go back to my husband and this will be a foot note in my life.
Tom: What about my life? I'm not a slab of cardboard, Anni. I'm just as much involved in this as you are and whether you want to admit it or not, this stopped being a 'fling' weeks ago.
Anni: *looks down at bed*
Tom: *sits up* Y-
Anni: I can't go back to him.
Tom: *stares at Anni*
Anni: I don't want to. *lifts eyes*
Tom: *nods*
Anni: 2 months with you has been more fufilling to me than
years with him. I thought I knew what love was. But I didn't.
Tom: *brushes hair from Anni's cheek*
Anni: *sigh*
Tom: You're an amazing woman and you don't deserve to be stuck and unhappy.
Anni: ...How am I supposed to tell him? We have a daughter.
Tom: Would you rather stay and continue to pretend everything's okay?
Anni: *stares at Tom*
Gables Estates, house, dining room, 4pm next day
Katie: This chicken's really good. What's in it?
Scott: ...Chicken.
Katie: Oh. How inventive! *gobbles chicken down*
Speed: *lifts bowl* Did you want more potatoes?
Anni: No thanks.
Speed: *places bowl on table*
Lori: So who wants good news!
Katie: I DO! *lifts hands in the air*
Lori: Scott's going to be named CEO of his company.
Katie: ...He's not the CEO?
Scott: This would be attempt number 2.
Katie: How much money do you get?
Lori: Mother.
Scott: Uh...there
is a substantial salary increase but we won't get into that here.
Speed: Doesn't this mean that your hours increase as well?
Scott: Not by much. There's been some changes in the company.
Katie: So you say what goes now. I mean, everyone's gotta listen to you.
Scott: ...It's sort of part of the job description.
Katie: *smiles* Does Lori have to do everything you say too? *brow bounce*
Scott: *stares at Katie*
Lori: Let's talk about something else, shall we?
Anni: *looks at Speed* I'm leaving you for Tom Carter.
Everyone: *looks at Anni*
Anni: And I'm taking my daughter.
Everyone: *staring at Anni*
Knife drops
Katie: ...APRIL FOOLS!
Scott: It's December.
Anni: *grabs glass, sips wine*
Speed: *staring at Anni*
Katie: OH OH! *points* I TOTALLY KNEW IT! *looks at Lori* I KNEW IT, DIDN'T I!
Lori: *shakes head*
Anni: Who wants more chicken?
Speed: *downs wine*
Katie: I love family meals.
Lori: So um...Dad, how are those anger management classes going?
Speed: *looks at Lori*
Lori: ...Well keep at it, you...trooper, you!
Speed: *stands, walks away*
Lori: Oy. Scott-
Scott: I'm not getting involved. He looks
pissed.
Katie: Why should he be? He's cheated on his
mistresses for crying out loud.
Lori: Scott, go talk to him.
Katie: Yeah Scott. You've been directly in his shoes. Lori used to sleep with Tom
all the time.
Lori: *frowns*
Katie: OH I KNOW! Let's compare notes. Anni first, then Lori. These are the days of our lives.
Lori: I'll go. *stands, walks away*
Katie: I want in on the scandals too. Hey Scotty! You, me, behind that potted plant in the foyer. 5 minutes. *stands, runs*
Scott: Maybe we should stop having these dinners.
Anni: *smirks*
Backyard, balcony
Lori: *steps over*
Speed: *staring ahead*
Lori: *leans against balcony* Hi.
Speed: *looks at Lori*
Lori: ...Interesting night.
Speed: *looks back ahead*
Lori: Do you want to talk to Scott? Because he's not Tom's biggest fan either. Y'all can form a club or something.
Speed: I knew.
Lori: *looks at Speed*
Speed: It just didn't think it would amount to anything serious.
Lori: I thought you guys were working everything out. You even had a kid.
Speed: Apparently some things can't be worked out.
Lori: So you're going to accept this? You're not going to fight for her?
Speed: *looks down at ground*
Lori: What about your child? She can't just run off and take her. You have every right to be there.
Speed: ...Maybe she's better off.
Lori: *frowns* You're her
father. She's
not better off without you.
Speed: *staring at ground*
Lori: Scott can get you a good lawyer, th-
Speed: No.
Lori: ...No?
Speed: I'm not going to put her through that. I want at least one of my children to have a stable home life and if that means it's with Anni and
Tom, so be it. I will not watch her get
ping-ponged around every week.
Lori: A lot of kids go through that and come out of it without a proverbial scratch.
Speed: You're not going to change my mind.
Lori: Yeah? You're banking on Tom and Anni actually working out. They've been together 2
months. Don't be so quick to throw away your parental rights for the sake of stability. It's not a sure thing.
Speed: *looks at Lori*
Lori: I don't understand how you can just
give your own child away, good intentions be damned.
Speed: *staring at Lori*
Lori: ...But I guess that's what you do. *walks away*
Speed: *lowers eyes*
TBC.....................................
