SCENE TWO: The camera pans Joan's kitchen (the home she shared with Aaron) as the camera pans to show Joan walking to the counter and placing her mobile device face down on her counter. Camera pans a closeup of Joan putting on the wedding band she had placed on the counter. Entering behind Joan from the other room is a young black female, age 13 dressed in sleepwear. The young girl is Joan and Aaron's daughter named Karolyn. Karolyn enters with a Bluetooth headset on dancing around as she walks toward the refrigerator. Joan stands smiling as she observes her daughter's perfect dance moves. Karolyn did not see Joan walking toward her to give her daughter an embrace from behind which startles Karolyn who stops instantly and turns around.
Karolyn: Mommy! (Laughs) You scared me! (hugs Joan)
Joan: (hugs Karolyn tight) I did, huh? Well somebody needs to come downstairs without her hearing being impaired (taps on Karolyn's headset). Girl, stay present.
Karolyn: (chuckles) Sorry, mommy. We good. (takes the headset off and places them around her neck). Mommy, why is daddy still asleep? Normally he is down here cooking it up for breakfast. And today I want waffles and bacon, not your... (stops as Joan stares at her with attitude) ... DE-LI-CIOUS oatmeal. Mommy, you know you throw down with that oatmeal, right? (hugs Joan again).
Joan: Whatever, little girl. (laughs) And I don't think waffles and bacon are happening today. Your daddy had a rough night last night and did not sleep well.
Karolyn: (lowering voice) Mommy... I'm worried about daddy... (walks towards Joan and wraps her arms around her) Mommy, I'm worried about you... You OK?
Joan: (hugs Karolyn tight) Sweetie, I'm Ok. Please don't worry...
Karolyn: (loosens her embrace) Mommy...
Joan: (her hands on Karolyn's shoulders) Sweetie, WE are Ok. Are you OK?
Karolyn: (hugs Joan tight) I'm good. Now, can we Postmates or UberEats me some Waffles and bacon?
Joan: (looks at Karolyn wide-eyed) Girl, you better grab some cereal from that cabinet over there. We don't have time with Postmates or UberEats cause we gots to go.
Karolyn grumbles something under her breath complaining as she puts her headphones back on her ears. The Camera pans to the opening of Joan's door that comes in from her front porch. We see another young Black girl enter wearing fashionable street clothing with a purse. This girl is also 13 yrs of age and represents the daughter of Maya & Darnell Wilkes, named Shayna. Shayna runs over to Karolyn in excitement and hugs her.
Shayna: (excited) Girl, did you see the new video Taisha posted on Tiktok?? That girl be trying...
Joan: (acting like a teen) Girlllllll!!! I didn't see it, but I did see somebody come up in here and not greet her aunty Joan! (Rolls her eyes and stands with hands on her waist)
Shayna: (apologetic) I'm sorry, aunty Joan! (Runs over and hugs Joan). My bad. My bad. (loosens her hug on Joan) We cool?
Joan: (smiles) we are always cool! And what is Taisha doing in her Tiktok now? Wait a minute! When did your momma get you off Tiktok punishment, young lady?
Shayna: Pshhhh (Scoffing and coyly) Aunty Joan, you know it's easy to play my momma. I cleaned her bathroom, washed her and daddy's laundry, AND cleaned the kitchen – that parental guilt went up a few notches, and bam!
The Camera pans to Joan's open porch door with Maya Wilkes standing right in front of the door, hands on her waist, looking at her daughter in front of her after hearing her daughter's last statement.
Maya: (shaking her head) Oh, hells No! Little girl, there is no parental guilt up and through here! And listen to how NOT guilty I feel... (pause) Hmmm... how about no phone, No Nintendo switch, and no coming over here to be with your cuz-cuz, Karolyn? Huh? How is that for NO parental guilt, huh?! (outstretches her hand towards Shayna to hand over her mobile device)
The Camera pans to see Aaron entering from the other room into the kitchen in his bathrobe. Aaron seems angry and bothered. Aaron enters walking with a slight shuffle and dragging his left leg.
Aaron: (facing toward Joan in an angry tone) Is that the loudest volume you all have? Cause, please, raise the volume a bit more. The neighbors down the street did not hear you... Oh! Wait a minute! (looks at Maya) The neighbors did hear you, 'cause here she is! (shakes his head and grabs a coffee cup from the counter and walks towards the coffee machine)
Maya: (frustrated) Uhm, I do not have to stay here and be insulted... Come on, Shayna. (turns to leave and Shayna follows behind her mother)
Aaron: (turns to Maya) Then don't stay here. (points to the door) There's the door, neighbor.
Joan: (interjects apologetically) Maya, Shayna... don't leave. (turns to Aaron) Aaron, please. Please don't do this...
Aaron: (to Joan) Do what, Joan? Insist on the common courtesy of some quiet in the morning? Oh, yeah... God forbid I ask for anything, ever. (puts the coffee cup down and exits the kitchen the way he entered)
The camera pans over to Joan's face as she watches Aaron exit and leans against the kitchen counter to look at Maya and Shayna both frozen by the door looking back at Joan. Karolyn grabs a bowl some cereal and sits at the table by the window as she pours the cereal into the bowl and stares at Joan.
Joan: (apologetically) Guys, I'm sorry. (walks over to Karolyn and hugs her) You know how your daddy is in the morning...
Maya: (walking over to Joan) Girl, you don't have to...
Joan: (looks at Maya sternly – shakes her head) Listen, you guys go ahead and Karolyn and I will swing by to pick you up to head to the mall.
Shayna's mobile device in Maya's hand rings. Shayna reaches to grab it.
Maya: (to Shayna) Girl, you better... (puts the phone in her bra)
Shayna: (disgusted) Mommy! No! Ain't nobody wants boobie juices on their phone!
Joan and Karolyn laugh.
Joan: (walks over to Maya and Shayna shuffling them out toward the door) Guys, take the boobie juice conversation over to y'all's house.
The camera pans over to Maya and Shayna exiting and then over to Joan and Shayna sitting at the table. Karolyn sits sadly staring at Joan.
Joan: (grabs Karolyn's hands) Baby, it is going to be OK. WE are OK. OK?
Karolyn: (sadly) Mommy, you keep saying that... and it does not feel O-K. Nothing about this feels OK. Ok? (moves her hands back to her bowl).
The Camera pans as Joan looks out the window and her mobile device placed on the counter rings. Joan gets up to look at who is calling and frowns as she puts the phone back down. The camera goes back to Karolyn eating her dry cereal.
Karolyn: (eating cereal) Was that your friend, Toni calling you again?
Joan: (shrugs) Maybe...
Karolyn: (gets up and places the bowl in the sink) Mommy, call her.
The camera pans as we see Karolyn and Joan exit the kitchen. End scene.
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GIRLFRIENDS: NOW 1 (Reunion)
FanfictionIt's been 17 yrs since the women have been seen on TV but that does not mean that their friendships have not continued to evolve. Jump on in to see what is happening with Joan Clayton, Maya Wilkes, Lynn Searcy, and Toni Childs! William Dent and Moni...
