Holden and Lily are together at a bar.

Holden takes a swig of beer while Lily messes with the straw to her drink.

HOLDEN: Is your drink okay?

LILY: Yeah it is good.

HOLDEN: Then what is wrong? Hard first day of work?

LILY: It wasn’t bad, actually. Stressful, of course, but I think it was a success for Marah and I.

HOLDEN: Do you know how soon production will be?

LILY: Probably in a couple of weeks.

HOLDEN: That long?

LILY: Going to take some time at the start.

Lily takes a sip of her drinks.

LILY: So tell me about that government offer? Did you go to the interview?

HOLDEN: I did and it went good, but it was a surprise.

LILY: What is it all about?

HOLDEN: They want me to help come up with and manage funds for the city. The surprising part is, the mayor handpicked me.

LILY: I didn’t know that you knew the mayor.

HOLDEN: That’s the thing, I don’t know him.

Blair plops down at the bar next to them.

BLAIR: Well if it isn’t my neighbors.

She smiles at Holden and Lily

--

Sam and Trinity are together at Sam’s house.

They are working on their laptops on their first articles for the newspaper.

TRINITY: How is yours coming?

SAM: I am practically done!

TRINITY: You did something on sports?

SAM: Yeah, I figured I live in Colorado now, why not do something blasting the Denver Broncos?

TRINITY: That’s cool...

SAM: It is about how their star is falling and time may have ran out for a run. I guess it is a bit of a fluff piece, but it’s fun. We should read them to each other.

TRINITY: I don’t think you want to hear mine.

SAM: of course I do. Go ahead.

She looks down at her computer. She seems uneasy.

--

Jack is eating dinner with Reva and

Josh

JACK: You do not have to keep preparing me food like this.

JOSH: We both like to cook.

REVA: Speak for yourself!

JOSH: Okay. I like to cook.

JACK: I’m here just taking up space and taking up your food. Not feeling good for anything right now.

REVA: It is alright, really.

JOSH: As long as you think…or at least lie that the food is good, we are happy to cook for you.

JACK: It is really good.

JOSH: I hope that wasn’t a lie.

JACK: Not a lie. It really is.

--

Morris and Eartha are at the hospital.

EARTHA: You okay today? I hope you didn’t come here hungover.

MORRIS: I am fine Eartha. Don’t I hear you yap enough at home?

EARTHA: No you are the one who yaps and yaps.

MORRIS: I have no patients right now. I’ll be eating if you need me.

He walks to the cafeteria and sits down.

He sighs and then has a flashback:

A young Morris is in med school.

He is walking through the halls and runs into a young Eartha.

YOUNG MORRIS: Sorry. I didn’t mean to get in your way.

YOUNG EARTHA: You are not. I am just lost.

YOUNG MORRIS: I could be your guide.

YOUNG EARTHA: Be still my heart! Someone actually not in a hurry around here to help?

YOUNG MORRIS: I can’t still your heart as I am not trying to be a heart surgeon (chuckles) But I will help you with whatever you need.

YOUNG EARTHA: Well thank you so much.

YOUNG MORRIS: This way.

He points towards a hallway and she starts walking ahead of him.

Young Morris surely likes what he sees in front of him.

BACK IN THE PRESENT:

MORRIS: I wonder if we should have even ever met…

He looks on lost in thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTGQmywSIgk&feature=youtu.be

At the bar:

BLAIR: Sorry didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation with each other.

HOLDEN: It is okay.

LILY: I would like to know how and why the mayor handpicked you…

HOLDEN: I would too. I guess I will have to ask him when I meet him.

LILY: That is strange Holden. This whole job offer is just weird…

HOLDEN: I don’t want to worry about it right now.

Lily looks at Blair.

LILY: Sorry, you don’t have to go quiet.

BLAIR: I should probably introduce myself. We have been neighbors for awhile now. I am Blair Manning.

LILY: Nice to meet you. We are the Snyders.

HOLDEN: Holden and Lily.

BLAIR: I would like to apologize on behalf of my family when we first moved in. I know we made a scene and the wrong first impression.

LILY: I would say we didn’t notice, but I would be lying.

BLAIR: Let me buy you both a drink and make a better impression!

--

Cut to Sam and Trinity

SAM: There I read my article. Your turn…

TRINITY: Are you sure you want to hear it?

SAM: Yes, why wouldn’t I?

TRINITY: I don’t want it to be awkward…The title is “Do you want your country like you want your coffee?”

SAM: I don’t get it…

TRINITY: Fine, I’ll read it to you since many will read it when your dad publishes it.

She takes a deep breath.

TRINITY: (Reading)

The United States of America. If the states are so united then why aren’t the people? I do not speak of politics. I speak of people as people. This country loves a variety. They want it all. Why not just respect and enjoy a variety of people?

Everyone wants a new flavor of ice cream. Even more so they want a new kind of Frappuccino. Sometimes I wonder if the white people in this country want the country like they want their coffee. Anything but black.

As a young black American girl, it is scary seeing what goes on. Even in 2015, citizens and even cops still seem to treat us like second class citizens. Crimes that white citizens would get a slap on the wrist for, we seem to get the penalty of getting killed by police. More times than not it is a black man that this happens to. However, just this past week a black woman, Sandra Bland, died after being in a routine traffic stop.

That is right, A black woman had to die in jail for a traffic stop. It was ruled a suicide, but why would a woman who just moved to a new place for a new job and about to get out on bond hang herself with a trash bag? Video showed that she did not get physical with the officers, like police stated. They had slammed her head hard into the ground for nothing. Was it really a suicide?

Feel that doubt inside of you right now as you read that question? That is the scary part. That is the doubt and fear we young black Americans have to grow up with. What is this country truly doing to make us not feel this way? You can put your political correctness on it, but that doesn’t help. Shocking right? Once called colored, or African Americans, we are black. We belong too.

Sam is taken aback by all of this...

TRINITY: …say something, please.

SAM: Wow. That was powerful.

--

At the Lewis Ranch:

Jack, Reva and Josh are finishing up dinner.

JACK: I do want you both to know that I am hoping to get a job.

REVA: That is great! Where at?

JACK: The local news. When I was rushed to the hospital thanks to you guys, they found a torn up press pass in my jeans.

JOSH: That’s right, they did.

REVA: Do you think you will get the job?

JACK: I let them do a story on me. That is good enough right?

JOSH: The owner of the paper, is well, uh…

REVA: A dumbass for marrying the woman he married.

JACK: I sense bad blood.

JOSH: Can you tell?

JACK: Hopefully he will at least give me the job out of pity.

REVA: If you do get it, watch out for his crazy wife, Blair.

--

Meanwhile at the hospital cafeteria, Morris is still flashing back:

A young Morris and Eartha are sitting together on a couch.

“If I ever fall in love” by Shai is playing in the back ground

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJ-eEgrf1c

YOUNG EARTHA: You are a perfect tutor. You have been able to show me so much. If you were not trying to become a doctor I would say you should become a teacher.

YOUNG MORRIS: Thank you. Happy to help, but yeah the money is not in teaching.

YOUNG EARTHA: This may sound over dramatic, but getting to know you these last few months has changed my life.

YOUNG MORRIS: I’ve felt it too.

YOUNG EARTHA: You’ve convinced me to try and become the best doctor I can be. I just feel like a better person altogether.

YOUNG MORRIS: I don’t know if you should go that far.

YOUNG EARTHA: No, really.

She places her hand on his leg.

YOUNG EARTHA: This all feels so right to me.

YOUNG MORRIS: We must be on the same wave length then.

She shuts her book and puts it on the floor.

The two look into each other’s eyes…

YOUNG MORRIS: What about your boyfriend back home?

YOUNG EARTHA: I broke up with Elijah. I had to. I am falling for you.

YOUNG MORRIS: Let’s fall.

The two embrace and start to kiss and make out…

THE SONG STOPS.

BACK IN THE PRESENT:

Eartha has interrupted his thoughts.

EARTHA: You alright?

MORRIS: Yeah…

EARTHA: You are needed in room 10

MORRIS: Be right there.

Eartha walks off and Morris watches her do so…

--

Back at the bar, Blair has bought herself, Holden and Lily some shots!

BLAIR: On the count of three this tequila goes down.

HOLDEN: One…two…three!

The three take the shots.

LILY: I think that is enough celebrating for me!

BLAIR: Don’t stop now.

LILY: I am a lightweight.

BLAIR: I haven’t had this much fun since…well since I owned my own nightclub. I feel like I made some new friends tonight.

LILY: Us too.

HOLDEN: We should get going. Lily has another big day tomorrow.

BLAIR: Oh yeah you have a new fashion company…With the Reva hounds daughter right?

LILY: ...Yeah, Marah.

HOLDEN: They are good people.

Blair gives them a doubtful look.

LILY: Maybe I can be a bridge between you and Reva.

Blair busts out laughing.

BLAIR: Don’t waste your time, honey. (to the bartender) Ill take one more shot for the road.

HOLDEN: Be careful getting home.

BLAIR: You guys too.

Blair takes her shot and follows them out.

--

Back to Sam and Trinity…

They both seem to be quiet.

TRINITY: I’d like to think that you are not uncomfortable after I read that. I just left everything I felt on the page.

SAM: I’m a little bit uncomfortable.

TRINITY: Why? You shouldn’t be?

SAM: I am a white person in America, you know.

TRINITY: I don’t feel like you are some racist for the record.

SAM: I would hope not. It’s just. People don’t like to talk about these things with each other. Especially us teenagers. I'm not use to it.

TRINITY: Is your dad going to be okay with this article. It is hella intense for a teen write up.

SAM: My dad better be okay with it. It was great.

TRINITY: Thank you Sam.

SAM: You blew me away…high five!

The teens high 5.

--

At the Lewis ranch

Jack is doing dishes.

JACK: This is the least I can do…and the best part is, I remember how to do it!

REVA: You really don’t have to do the dishes every night.

JACK: It’s just soap and water.

REVA: We should probably get a dishwasher but we are still country folk at heart.

JOSH: Are you heading back to the chronicle tomorrow to try and get that job?

JACK: I probably should. Truth is I feel uneasy about leaving the house and going out there into the world.

REVA: It is hard, isn’t it? Not knowing who you are.

JACK: You say that like you have experience.

REVA: That is a different story for a different time.

JACK: It is not even that though. I just still can’t help but feel like I am being watched.

JOSH: Has be hard feeling that way.

Jack, Josh and Reva start to put the dishes away.

Meanwhile, someone does turn out to be outside again!

The person is watching the house…

FADE TO BLACK

Credits roll

*I do not own any non original characters nor any pics

Written by: Nick M

Consultant: T.W.