The Price Family (part 9): Twin Brook

NOTZO GETS READY FOR WORK THE NEXT MORNING; PROUD TO DON HIS NEW OFFICER’S UNIFORM.

LEXUS IS STRESSED BECAUSE SHE’S SLEPT IN. SHE QUICKLY WALKS DOWN THE STAIRS, SHE HAS A BIOLOGY TEST THIS MORNING AND CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS IT.

SHE RUSHES TO THE REFRIGERATOR TO GRAB A QUICK BREAKFAST.

LEXUS SCARFS DOWN LEFTOVER PANCAKES.

EATING SO QUICKLY UPSETS HER STOMACH , BUT SHE DOESN’T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH.

LEXUS IS OVER AN HOUR LATE FOR SCHOOL AND FOR HER TEST.

LEXUS HOPS IN HER CAR. HER HEART IS POUNDING FROM RUNNING, BUT SHE FOCUSES ON GETTING TO

SCHOOL.

MOST DAYS, LEXUS LOVES HER TINY FUEL EFFICIENT CAR, BUT TODAY SHE WISHES SHE WOULD HAVE

TAKEN HER MOTHER’S CAR.

AS HER CAR SLOWLY PUTTERS ACROSS THE BRIDGE, LEXUS PRAYS THAT HER BIOLOGY TEACHER ALLOWS

HER TO TAKE A MAKEUP EXAM.

STILL ON A MISSION, LEXUS RUNS TO CLASS FULL SPEED.

MERCEDES FEELS AS IF SHE CAN SLEEP ALL DAY, BUT SHE HEARS BABY TAYE CRYING SO SHE GETS OUT OF

BED.

MERCEDES RUBS TAYE’S BACK UNTIL HE IS CALM.

SHE THEN GIVES HIM HIS BOTTLE AND HE BEGINS TO DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP.

IT’S AFTER SCHOOL AND LEXUS ONCE AGAIN TAKES OFF RUNNING. SHE HAS LUCKED UP, HER BIOLOGY TEACHER WAS SICK TODAY, SO

THEY HAD A SUB. THE TEST HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT WEEK. SHE SHRUGS THIS LUCKY BREAK OFF BECAUSE SHE HAS MORE

IMPORTANT MATTERS TO TEND TO RIGHT NOW.

SHE RUNS RIGHT PAST HER HALF- BROTHER CLARK’S HOUSE. THIS IS NOT HER DESTINATION.

LEXUS FINALLY STOPS RUNNING WHEN SHE REACHES THE FIREHOUSE. SHE SPOTS HER FATHER, KAMAL,

TALKING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND SOPHIA.

LEXUS’ FATHER DOES THE STRANGEST THING, HE GREETS HER AS IF SHE’S A STRANGER BY SHAKING HER HAND. LEXUS IS NOT SURE HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS. THEN IT DAWNS ON HER WHY KAMAL SHOOK HER HAND. HIS GIRLFRIEND SOPHIA DOESN’T KNOW THAT HE HAS A

DAUGHTER.

LEXUS LOOKS AT THE MAN WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE HER FATHER. “ON MY BIRTHDAY, WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I THOUGHT THAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO GET TO KNOW

ME…

…BUT YOU JUST CONTINUE TO HURT ME. YOU’VE HURT ME MORE THAN ANY PHYSICAL PAIN COULD AND I

RESENT YOU FOR IT.”

KAMAL EXCUSES HIMSELF TO GO TO THE RESTROOM. ONCE AGAIN, HE TRIES TO TAKE THE COWARD WAY OUT, BUT LEXUS IS NOT WILLING TO BACK DOWN.

LEXUS TAKES A SEAT AT THE FIRE STATION LUNCH TABLE. SHE WANTS TO GET THIS OVER WITH AND

MOVE ON FROM THIS PHASE OF HER LIFE.

KAMAL LEAVES THE RESTROOM. LEXUS KNOWS THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN FRONT OF HIS PRECIOUS GIRLFRIEND, BUT SHE HAS TO GET

THIS OFF HER CHEST.

“I’M SO SORRY THAT I’M SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE TO YOU, BUT IT’S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I AM HERE!”

“LEXUS, LET’S DISCUSS THIS AT ANOTHER TIME.” KAMAL PLEADS.“NO! WE WILL DISCUSS THIS NOW!” LEXUS SAYS IN AN ELEVATED

VOICE, “YOU CAN’T CONTINUE TO PUT ME ON HOLD!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY LEXUS? THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR ALL OF US. I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.” KAMAL TRIES TO

DEFEND HIMSELF.

“A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR ALL OF US? HA – NO IT’S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME AND MOM. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT...YOUR

PRECIOUS GIRLFRIEND, YOU’RE THE TOWN HERO IN YOUR CAREER AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO FACE RESPONSIBILITY IN RAISING YOUR CHILDREN!”

LEXUS RESPONDS.

“WHAT DO I WANT FROM YOU? I USED TO WANT YOU TO BE MY FATHER, BUT NOW I DON’T WANT A DAMN

THING BUT TO NEVER SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN.”

“YOU ARE LIKE A STRANGER IN THE STREET TO ME NOW! I AM OVER IT AND I AM OVER YOU!’’ LEXUS

SCREAMS.

“YOU ARE DEAD TO ME.”

“BUT LEXUS I –” KAMAL BEGINS. LEXUS INTERRUPTS, “I AM EMBARRASSED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY

FATHER.”

SHE LOOKS HIM OVER WITH DISGUST. KAMAL SLUMPS HIS SHOULDERS IN SHAME.

THERE IS REALLY NOTHING LEFT TO SAY. LEXUS FEELS A HEAVY BURDEN BEING LIFTED FROM HER AS SHE STARES AT KAMAL. SHE WILL NEVER LET THE THOUGHT OF HIM HURT HER AGAIN. SHE HAS JUST ONE MORE THING TO DO BEFORE SHE LEAVES…

LEXUS WALKS INTO THE OFFICE AT THE FIRE STATION, WHERE SHE FIND KAMAL’S GIRLFRIEND SOPHIA SITTING.

“I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.” LEXUS RUDELY DEMANDS.

SOPHIA OVERHEARD SOME OF THE YELLING, BUT THE OFFICE IS PRETTY SOUNDPROOF SO SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. “WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH?”

SOPHIA ASKS CONFUSED.

“OH I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS TIME YOU WERE INTRODUCED TO YOUR BOYFRIEND’S DAUGHTER.” LEXUS

ANSWERS WITH A SMIRK. “DAUGHTER?” SOPHIA QUESTIONS SOFTLY.

“OH YES. I’M HIS DAUGHTER. APPARENTLY HE CHEATED ON YOU ABOUT, LET’S SEE…16 YEARS AGO AND I WAS THE RESULT. I GUESS HE’S BEEN

KEEPING THAT A SECRET FROM YOU.” SOPHIA IS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED. SHE KNEW ABOUT HIS SON CLARK, BUT HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING

ABOUT A DAUGHTER FROM KAMAL.

“SORRY TO HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO BREAK IT TO YOU – DIDN’T MEAN TO HURT YOUR PRECIOUS FEELINGS.

APPARENTLY HE LIKES TO HURT PEOPLE AND CAUSE THEM PAIN, SO I GUESS I GET IT FROM HIM – YOU KNOW, GENETICS.”

“THAT’S ENOUGH, I’M SORRY THAT HE…I, UM JUST… SORRY,” SOPHIA RESPONDS DEFEATED.

LEXUS ALMOST FEELS BAD FOR BEING SO NASTY TO SOPHIA. IT’S NOT SOPHIA’S FAULT THAT KAMAL IS A

LYING CHEAT AND A TERRIBLE FATHER.

LEXUS ALMOST WANTS TO GO BACK AND APOLOGIZE TO SOPHIA, BUT SHE KNOWS SOPHIA WILL GET OVER IT. SOPHIA’S PAIN IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PAIN

THAT SHE HAS SUFFERED OVER THE YEARS.

LEXUS LEAVES THE FIRE STATION ALMOST RELIEVED TO SEE HER FATHER FOR WHO HE REALLY IS. SHE NOW KNOWS NOT TO EXPECT

MUCH MORE FROM HIM THAN LIES AND COWARDLY BEHAVIOR. ALL SHE NEEDS IS HER MOTHER, CLARK AND TAYE NOW…MAYBE EVEN NOTZO.

THAT IS WERE SHE WILL DIRECT HER LOVE.