Part Two
Scene 7: The camera pans to Joan and Aaron in their PJs sitting in their kitchen nook having breakfast. As they both sit eating muffins and drinking coffee, Karolyn enters from the bedroom area into the kitchen wearing PJs and rubbing her eyes.
Joan: (looking over at Karolyn) Good morning, sleepy head. Somebody was up late last night... (looks over again suspiciously) talking on the phone. Giggling. Knowing we are supposed to end all phone communication by 10 pm, young lady.
Aaron: (sips his coffee and looks over his coffee mug) Uhm... hm. (puts the mug down) Somebody looking to lose their phone privileges.
Karolyn: (trying to come up with an excuse) Well... I was talking to Shayna, my cousin. She's fam. And it was Friday night. I thought I could stay up as long as you two were still up. Ain't that the deal?
Joan: (a bit embarrassed) How'd you know we were still up?
Karolyn: (rolling her eyes) Mommy, you and daddy are loud. (opens the fridge and takes out a small juice box)
Aaron: (a bit upset and firm) Little girl, you are cruising!
Joan: (upset looking at Karolyn) Yes! She is! First of all, young lady, the arrangement is 10 pm and it does not matter if we (points to herself and Aaron) are up or not. Do you understand?
Karolyn: (trying to contain her upset) Yes, ma'am. (turns to walk away towards bedroom)
Aaron: (firmly) And Karolyn... (Karolyn turns around to face her father) Don't be drinking my juice boxes. Pshhhh.
Karolyn turns around sulking and tries to smile.
Karolyn: (slight disdain) Fine, daddy.
Karolyn exits the kitchen with a slight grumble.
Aaron: (yells after Karolyn) And while you are at it, leave my cookies alone too!
Karolyn yells from the exterior part of the kitchen on her way to her bedroom.
Karolyn: (from the other room) Whatever, daddy!! I don't eat your cookies, sir, look at the woman sitting in front of you!!
Joan sips her coffee and looks at Aaron above her mug.
Joan: (puts her coffee mug down) Uhm, don't be looking at me! I don't eat those stall Oreo cookies you buy. I like the vanilla ones.
Aaron: (puts his coffee mug down) I beg to differ, ma'am.
Both Joan and Aaron look at each other and laugh.
Joan: (to Aaron) That girl needs to stop listening to us get our freak on.
Karolyn: (yells from the other room) Then tone it down a notch, ma'am!
Joan: (yells back to Karolyn) Girl, stay out of my business!!
Karolyn: (from the other room) Yes, ma'am!
Karolyn is heard running to the kitchen with loud thumps.
Karolyn: (a little out of breath) Mommy, all I ask is that you close the door. Or maybe y'all should pad your room (looks at iPhone in her hand). And contact auntie Lynn and auntie Toni. They both messaged me. (runs back upstairs) Take your phone off silence, mommy!!
Aaron: (looks at Joan) Baby girl is right. You should at least wear your iWatch.
Joan: (walking over to her purse sitting on the counter) Oh shoot! I forgot to put my phone on the charger. I have like five percent battery.
Aaron: (sarcasm) That's a shocker.
Joan rolls her eyes and continues to scroll through her messages. Stops to read her messages and then reacts.
Joan: (reading) Toni is panicking as she has her last checkup with her oncologist and is worried and concerned. Wants me to go with her. Lynn says to give her a call as she is considering hiring a second... (stops suddenly as she reads on) hiring a second surrogate!
Aaron: (puts his mug down) Wait, what?!
Joan: (scrolls through her messages again) You heard me. She wants to know what I think about two surrogates. This woman has loads of money!
Aaron: (surprised) and that is where your mind went first?
Joan: (putting her phone down) Uh, yeah!! The price of US surrogacy ranges from $110,000 to $170,000 for most families. The cost includes agency fees, surrogate compensation and expenses, legal fees, and medical costs at a fertility clinic. Well, give or take certain fees because she is skipping the agency... but we are talking close to half a million dollars here if she chooses to do two surrogates at once.
Aaron: (whistles) Damn! That is a lot of money!
Joan: (sits down stunned) Hell, I didn't know that Lynn had that much money. Well, I kinda did and didn't. I mean, she has worked with multiple artists and had some hits... wait, what am I talking about. That girl is loaded! (pause) Damn! She got money!
Joan sits in disbelief and looks stunned and disappointed all at once.
Aaron: (looks at Joan) Bae, you OK?
Joan: (sits down and drinks coffee - pensive) Yeah. I'm good.
Aaron: (suspicious) Hmmm. I think somebody is feeling some kinda way cause her friend has more money than she does.
Joan: (puts her mug down) I am not! I am good. I make good money myself, so I am not feeling any kinda way.
Aaron: (trying to make Joan feel better) Yeah, babe. You make seriously good money. Heck, I retired early and you have been holding it down, taking care of me and baby girl. I mean, my pension ain't so bad, but it ain't "Joan kinda money." (raises his mug to Joan)
Joan: (smirks) Aaron, you hush! And stop with the jokes. I'm good.
Aaron: (getting up and walking over to Joan - kisses Joan on the forehead) Baby, you are all that and a bag of chips. Call your friends back. I'll be upstairs binging on White Lotus.
Aaron exits the kitchen and walks towards the bedroom.
Joan: (talking to Aaron as he exits) You better not be watching no White Lotus without me!
Aaron: (from the other room) Hurry up, woman!
The camera pans to Joan smiling after Aaron's comment and sitting down to look at her phone.
Joan: (yelling to Aaron in the other room) Babe, I'm coming! (speaking to herself) I can't call anybody right now. Four percent battery. (yelling over to Aaron) Fire up the HBO max! I'm coming!
Joan puts down her phone, takes a charger out of the kitchen counter draw, plugs her phone up, and exits the kitchen toward the bedroom.
End Scene
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GIRLFRIENDS: NOW 5 "Surrogate Mother"
FanfictionLynn sets out to try and convince Joan to be her surrogate and Maya and Darnell try and offer some assistance by considering another candidate. Joan also receives an unexpected visit.
