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Season 1 - Episode 28
The year is 1990. It’s homecoming time at Ahpla University. The campus is buzzing with the excitement of all the alums who have returned to visit. In their yearly tradition, the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha are hosting a welcome back reception for the Greek Letter Organization alums who have returned. Over at the table, Melinda Ferguson is helping the younger sorors to set the refreshments out.
Melinda: So you see, sorors…you always want to make things as beautiful as possible. Remember you represent Alpha Kappa Alpha…..
Joseph: You always did have an eye for that kind of thing.
Melinda stands straight up, startled by a voice that she hasn’t heard in over a decade. She composes herself and slowly turns around to find her first love, Joseph Davenport III standing in front of her.
Melinda: Joseph…
Joseph: Melinda…
Melinda: Wow. I didn’t really expect to see you here.
Joseph: How long has it been?
Melinda: Oh, I’m sure you remember.
Silence
Joseph: Well, give me a hug, girl! You look great!
Melinda leans in to give Joseph an uncomfortable and platonic hug.
Melinda: Well you look great, as well.
Joseph: Wow. Back at Ahpla after all this time. Can you believe it?
Melinda: I come back to Ahpla all the time, Joseph. I’m a member of the Alumnae Council.
Joseph: I know. I saw your name on the newsletter. That’s why I came back this year. I have to admit, I was hoping you’d be here. I was hoping I would see you.
Melinda: Ahh, I see. Well… you were right. I’m here. And now you’ve seen me…..I’ve seen you and we can be on our way. Enjoy your weekend, Joseph.
Melinda walks away from Joseph and leaves him standing by the table alone.
Joseph follows Melinda across the room.
Joseph: Hey Linda………what was that all about?
Melinda: I actually go by Melinda, now.
Joseph: Okay……..Melinda……..what was that all about? I traveled all this way hoping to see you and you can’t talk to me for more than 2 minutes?
Melinda: Talk to you about what, Joseph? Let’s not play this game, please. You know how things with us ended. Let’s just not pretend. I came here to have a great time this weekend and to get caught up with old friends and sorors.
Joseph: Melinda…….look, I didn’t come here to ruin your weekend. I honestly was hoping we could just get caught up. Is there any way I could talk you into meeting me later for coffee?
Silence
Joseph: Please, Melinda? Just for 30 minutes?
Melinda: I don’t know. I’ll think about it.
Joseph: Okay listen, I’ll be at the diner at 10:00. I’ll get us a table and wait for you. If you aren’t there by 10:30, I’ll know you decided not to come and I’ll leave and I won’t bother you ever again. Agreed?
Melinda: We’ll see.
Melinda walks away again without saying goodbye.
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We resume in present day Ahpla University. A week has passed and Natalie will be coming home from the hospital today. The sisters of Delta Sigma Theta have planned a small welcome home reception. They are at Natalie and Sheena’s apartment preparing for the party.
Sheena: Um….Laci…could you hand me some balloons to hang by the door?
Laci: Sure!
Laci walks over and hands some balloons to Sheena.
Laci: Here ya go. What time is it?
Sheena (looking at her watch): Um, 6:00.
Laci: What time is Nat getting’ here?
Sheena: Well Nate was supposed to be going over to pick her up around 5:30, so they should be here pretty soon.
Laci: Great! And it’s a surprise right?
Sheena: Oh definitely! She doesn’t suspect a thing!
Laci: I’m so happy that she’s doin’ so much better. I was really worried about her those first few days.
Sheena: Yeah, I know. It was kinda scary when she couldn’t remember stuff at first. I men even though my dad warned us, it was still really weird.
Laci: Yeah. I’m just glad she got everything back.
Sheena: Yeah, me too.
Laci: Speaking of which…….did you tell Taylor about the party?
Sheena: No….I didn’t. You think I should have?
Laci: Um, I don’t know. I was just asking.
Sheena: Well anyway, I wanted to keep it small. Just the sorors and her brother. Oh.....and Demetrius. But he said he would be late.
Laci: Taylor is a soror….
Sheena: You know what I mean, Laci.
A knock on the door surprises them. Laci looks over at Sheena.
Laci: Is that them already?
Sheena (whispering): I don’t know! Shhh…..let me cut off all the lights.
The person knocks again and then louder.
Sheena: Just a second!
Taylor: Sheena! It's me! Taylor! Open the door!
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Scene 1 Continued...
Later that evening, Joseph arrives at the diner and grabs a table to wait for Melinda. At 10:25, he is just about to get up to leave when he sees her slowly walking through the door. Looking uncertain, Melinda spots Joseph and walks over to the table.
Joseph (standing up): I see you decided to meet me. Thanks, Melinda. It really means a lot.
Melinda: I don't know if this was a good idea or not.
Joseph: If you feel uncomfortable at any point, you can just leave.
Melinda: I can't stay here long. I'm meetin' up with some of the young sorors. We're going to teach them some of our line songs from back in the day.
Joseph: That's fine. Please.......will you sit?
Melinda sits and orders a cup of coffee.
Joseph(smiling): Line songs from back in the day huh?
Melinda: Yeah, what's so funny about that?
Joseph: Oh nothin'. It's just hard to believe that you and I are old enough to be considered the old heads.
A slow smile creeps across Melinda's face.
Melinda: Yeah, I know....we said we'd never get old. Remember?
Joseph: Girl! You are not old! Remember, you are only as old as you feel.
Melinda: Well in that case, I feel 100 after this weekend! The sorors have worked me!
Joseph: You're so great at all that stuff, though. You always were. You really do look great, Melinda.
Silence
Joseph: So um.......I finished medical school.
Melinda: I heard. Congratulations.
Joseph: Thanks.
Melinda: So where's your wife this weekend?
Joseph: Carsen. She had this big Delta conference going on this weekend so she didn't come.
Melinda: How's your son?
Joseph: Oh he's great. Growing up so fast, though.
Melinda: Oh yeah, I know. My little Mona has grown up so fast.
Joseph: Melinda.....you have a daughter?
Melinda: Yep.....two actually. Mona and Miya. I met a man...Clyde Ferguson in graduate school. We got married shortly afterwards and we had Mona within the first year.
Joseph: Yeah....we have a younger daughter named Sheena.
Melinda: Oh really?
Joseph: Yeah! That's daddy's girl right there. She keeps us busy.
Melinda: I would imagine.
Silence
Joseph: Listen, Melinda, about what happened with us......
Melinda (cutting Joseph off): You know, I really don't want to talk about that, Joseph. I just...I can't. I'm sorry but.....that was a long time ago and I don't think about that stuff anymore. It took me a long time not to think about it. I don't want to start again.
Joseph: I understand.
Melinda: No, you don't. See that's the thing, Joe. You never really did...
Silence
Melinda: Hey...I have to go. I'm already late for our sisterly relations activity with the neo's.
Joseph: Okay. Hey.......it was great seeing you, Melinda. Really, it was. Thank you so much for meeting me.
Melinda: It was nice to see you too, Joseph.
Joseph: Hopefully it won't be the last......
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Across campus, LaShonda and Denitra are in Denitra’s room.
Denitra: We need to start meetin’ outside of our sessions. We really got to start learnin’ our AKA history.
LaShonda: You’re right, Nitra. We need to know all the information we can.
Denitra: Big Sister Paper Weight said she was gonna get us some information.
LaShonda: Yeah but we can’t wait on her. We need to be prepared. Maybe we should just go online and print out the basic history so at least we know somethin’.
Denitra: Yeah, that’s a good idea.
LaShonda: Where’s everybody else?
Denitra: I don’t know. I called them and asked them to meet us over here but everyone had some excuse. I think everybody is tired.
LaShonda: I know the feelin’. We been meetin’ every night this week. I need a break!
Denitra: Well from what I heard, it only gets worse from here.
LaShonda: What you mean?
Denitra: When Joriah was tryin’ to become a Kappa, I hardly ever used to see him. So I know the lil time we have now is about to be gone!
LaShonda: Oh Joriah……..one of the new Kappas?
Denitra: Yeah.
LaShonda: That’s your man?
Denitra: No. Well not anymore, anyway.
LaShonda: Oh girl! Cause I was about to say!
Denitra: You were about to say what?
LaShonda: Oh…….nothin’.
Denitra: No, what were you about to say?
LaShonda: Nothin’. I’m sorry I opened my big mouth. It’s just that I have seen him around campus with some girls, that’s all.
Denitra: Oh. Well yeah….we broke up.
LaShonda: I understand, girl. My man is a Alpha and sometimes I feel like I come second to his frat brothers!
Denitra: I’ll never change and act like that when we’re AKA’s.
LaShonda: You really think we’re gonna make it?
Denitra: We better! I mean why wouldn’t we?
LaShonda: I don’t know. It just seems kinda weird that we’re 3 weeks into the process and none of the actual sorors…..I mean members of the chapter have come to anything. I mean I ran into Camille in the caf today and she looked right past me like she had no idea who I was!
Denitra: It’s all a part of the game, Shonda. Trust me, she knew who you were.
LaShonda: Okay…….if you say so. I mean, I kinda wanna ask my mom about it but she doesn’t know that I don’t want to be a Delta yet……
Denitra: Well you won’t be anything if we don’t hurry up and get to Big Sister’s apartment! It’s almost time! Grab your sweatshirt and let’s go!
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Scene 2 Continued...
Taylor: Sheena! It’s me! Taylor! Open the door!
Sheena looks over at Laci and shrugs her shoulders. She walks over to the door and turns on the light. She opens the door to find Taylor standing on the other side with a red and white gift bag.
Sheena: Taylor…….hi……
Taylor: Oh hi soror!
Sheena : I wasn’t expectin’ you….
Taylor: Really? Cause I ran into Nate earlier and he told me how excited he was that the sorors were gettin’ together to welcome Natalie home. Of course, I knew nothin’ about it. I’m sure it was all an oversight, though.
Sheena: Oh um, yeah. I thought Laci was gonna call you…
Taylor: I figured that was the case. So are you gonna invite me in or not?
Sheena: Oh sure……I’m sorry……come in, Taylor.
As Taylor is walking into the apartment, Nathaniel and Natalie walk up behind her.
Sheena: Oh no! Nate! You were supposed to text me from the car so I knew you were on your way up!
Nathaniel: I’m sorry, Sheena. Natalie was moving faster than I thought!
Natalie: What is going on? What is all this?
Laci and Taylor: Surprise Soror! Welcome home!
Natalie (smiling): Oh sorors! This is all so beautiful. You did all this for me?
Sheena: Of course, soror! We love you! We’re just glad you’re home!
Laci: Natalie come sit over here! Let me take your stuff to your room!
Nathaniel: Oh I have it!
Laci: Oh okay. Well then, Nat, can I fix you a plate?
Natalie: There’s food, too?
Laci: Of course!
Natalie: Wow, Sorors. You really went all out.
Laci: I’ll take that as a yes.
Taylor: And I’ll get you somethin’ to drink.
Natalie: Thanks, sorors.
Sheena: Nate, why don’t I help you take that stuff back to Natalie’s room?
Nathaniel: Um, okay.
Nathaniel starts towards the back of the apartment and Sheena follows behind him. Once they get into the room, Sheena closes the door behind her.
Sheena: Nate........I need to talk to you about somethin'. I got a call today...........from Laray.
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Scene 3 Continued...
Off campus at the apartment of Mona Ferguson, 5 girls have arrived and are standing outside her door.
Mona (opening the door): Get in here, ivies!
The girls all file in together.
In Unison: Hello Big Sister Paper Weight!
Mona: Mmm Hmm. Well Ivies, you’ve been on line now for 3 weeks so I think it’s time to finally give you line numbers. Ivy Denitra, do you understand the significance of line numbers and how they are given?
Denitra: No I do not Big Sister Paper Weight!
Mona: Line Numbers are given by the order you are lined up. I am going to line you all up tonight and then you will know your number. But first I need to know all of your birthday’s.
LaShonda: Our Birthday’s?
Mona: Ivy LaShonda, were you spoken to?
LaShonda: No ma’am, big sister paper weight!
Mona: I didn’t think so. Speak only when spoken to. But to answer your question…..yes, your birthday’s. People who are seeking to become members of any Greek letter organization are lined up according to the order of their birthday.
Mona then proceeds to line up the girls according to their birthday order.
Mona: Now that you all have your line numbers, you will stay in that order each time we meet. Understood?
In Unison: Yes, Big Sister Paper Weight!
Mona: Very good.
LaShonda: Big Sister Paper Weight, I would like to request permission to speak.
Mona: Go on.
LaShonda: What was your line number, Big Sister Paper Weight?
Mona: Oh….um…….I was a….um…..12. My Birthday is in December so I was a 12.
LaShonda: There were 12 people on your line?
Mona: No. That was just my number. Now….I want you all to really take your time to enjoy goin’ through this process together. It will make you closer to each other than you could ever imagine. Why, my own line sister, PJ, she’s still on campus. She’s a graduate student and you know we don’t really hang out or talk very much but that is the special part of a line sister…….you don’t really have to talk to know you are connected. Do you understand, girls?
In Unison: Yes Big Sister, Paper Weight.
Mona: Very good. Now, your assignment for this evening is to go to the cemetery across the street from the chapel and collect 15 ivies and bring them back to me. You have one hour to complete your task.
The girls file out of Mona’s apartment and hurries over the cemetery to collect as much ivy as they can find. As they are leaving Mona’s apartment, P.J. is downstairs in the parking lot, getting into her car. She looks up and sees the girls leaving and sees Mona standing in the doorway to watch them. As Mona turns to go back into her apartment, she sees PJ and makes eye contact with her. She gives her a slight smile right before turning and slamming the door.
P.J. (thinking): What are you up to, Mona? I don’t know what it is…..but you better believe I’m gonna find out….