Home Sweet Home (Original)

1x08 - Cahoots

OPENING SCENE

Jamie, Stella, Avery and Paige lay crisscross on a blanket placed on saturated grass. Avery's phone buzzes and she picks it up.

STELLA: Is that Steven?

AVERY: Yeah, he's on his way. Says he should be here by 2.

Paige scrolls through Instagram photos of her and Ben. She comes across one from their wedding day. Jamie peeps her screen and watches slyly.

STELLA: Jamie, have you heard from Vinny since...

JAMIE: No. I texted his brother, Leo, but... He gave me a dry response. He said "Yeah he can't answer his phone right now." Like... That doesn't help, at all.

AVERY: I still think you should tell Detective Baxter about the knife. Let them handle this from now on.

STELLA: Avery's right, this is all too dangerous.

Paige lifts her head.

PAIGE: Focus on staying safe... That's one of the last things he said to me.

Jamie scoots over and wraps her arms around Paige.

JAMIE: We're gonna catch this fucker.

Steven walks silently from behind. He places his index finger on his lips to make a shh. Jamie sees him and smiles, keeping quiet. He places his palms in front of Avery's eyes. She flinches slightly.

STEVEN: Surprise!

Avery lifts his hands off her face and turns around. She jumps up and hugs him. Stella stares uncomfortable while Avery squeezes her little brother.

AVERY: You're such a liar! You said you wouldn't be here til 2.

STEVEN: Yeah, well... Normal doorstep reunions are boring.

Steven pauses and smiles at Stella, causing her to look down.

STEVEN: Speaking of... What happened?

The girls exchange awkward looks

AVERY: It's been... Crazy... Around here.

STEVEN: And they haven't caught him yet?

JAMIE: Nope.

STEVEN: And you guys have absolutely no idea who it could be?

The girls once again exchange awkward looks, centering Jamie. Avery opens her mouth but Jamie intercepts

JAMIE: No. No idea.

Steven looks at Avery and Stella with their heads down.

STEVEN: ... Home sweet home.

END SCENE

Jamie taps her starch white acrylic nails against the rusty park fence. Stella and Steven walk along the pond while Avery and Paige sit on the blanket. Jamie presses Vinny's contact name in her call log. She puts her phone on speaker and waits for a response.

--

Stella walks beside Steven with her hands in her white skinny jean pockets.

STELLA: So... How's Kenya been?

STEVEN: Productive! We built 2 houses so far this summer.

STELLA: Wow! How many people are on this... Thing with you?

STEVEN: About a hundred! It's not that many but everyone's really motivated.

STELLA: That's great!

There's an awkward silence between the two of them, as they don't know what to say.

STEVEN & STELLA: So–