The Dining Room

Written By
James F. Webb, III
 ACT I
Ella’s Dining room (Everyone)
It is Thanksgiving day and the Churchill family is
sitting around the dinner table finishing up their
traditional meal. Everyone is happy and enjoying
one another, except for Rod. Rod is ignoring
everyone with a snarly look on his face. The
adults are sitting at one long table and off to
the left are the children and teenagers at another
table. Ella (75), the matriarch of the family, is
sitting center of the table. She knocks on the
table to get everyone’s attention. She stands to
speak.
ELLA
My family. My babies. I’m so thankful to God for all of
you. To have my sisters here with me and my children
and grandchildren is such a beautiful feeling. I pray
for you all everyday. We are a God centered family. We
know that God must come first in everything that we do.
Our father, your grandfather, taught us girls the
importance of allowing Christ to be the head our lives.
And I taught my children and now you must teach your
children to know God for themselves. Without God, your
life will not be peaceful but it will be filled with
torment and hell. So in the good times, Stay with God.
In the bad times, stay with God. No matter what
happens...STAY WITH GOD. Do you all understand what I’m
saying?
EVERYONE
Yes...Yes maam.

ELLA
Good. Now I want everyone to go around and say what you
are thankful to God for. Starting with you Evelyn.
Ella sits.

EVELYN
Why do I have to go first?
ELLA
Because I said so...now go.

Evelyn stands.
EVELYN
Alright then. I guess I’ll go. Well I’m grateful for my
life, health, and strength. As you all know I was in a
bad car accident the other week. Ran right into my
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

EVELYN (cont’d)
mailbox as I was backing out of the driveway. God
spared my life and allowed me to walk away with no
scratches! God is so good!

DERRICK
Auntie, I thought you said a BAD car accident?
EVELYN
It was bad, I don’t have a mailbox anymore.

EVERYONE
(sarcastically)
Oh okay.
Evelyn Sits.

Ernestine stands.
ERNESTINE
Hello my name is Ernestine.
ELLA
We know who you are! Just tell us what you are thankful
for and sit down.
ERNESTINE
Okay. I’m thankful for my life as well. I know you all
wondering where my son and his wife are; they decided
to go on their honeymoon for the holidays. I’m just so
thankful that God allowed my son to find such a
beautiful wife that loves him as much as I do. Amen.
Ernestine sits.

Tracy stands.
TRACY
I’m thankful for my family. My wonderful handsome
husband, Quentin and my beautiful daughter, Lexi, who’s
getting ready to go off to college next year. I’m so
proud of you and I love you baby!
Tracy sits.
Although it is Rod’s turn to stand, he stays
seated.
HEATHER
Rod
Rod ignores his Heather.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

HEATHER
(She nudges Rod)
Rod!
ROD
What?!
ELLA
Baby, it’s your turn to say why you’re thankful.
ROD
Skip me.
ELLA
Son, no, there’s so much to be thankful for. Share.
ROD
Well I dont have anything. So like I said, skip me.
YOLANDA
Ugh! I’ll go.
Yolanda stands.

YOLANDA
I’m thankful for my family, including you Rod. I’m
happy that my man is here with me...stand up Craig! Ok,
you can sit down. And I’m thankful to announce that I
just got into the Jacksonville Police Academy.

Everyone congratulates Yolanda.

YOLANDA
You can call me Officer Churchill now!

Yolanda sits.
Derrick stands.
DERRICK
Well, I’m thankful that my baby and I just paid our
house off. No mortgage for us! And I’m also thankful to
say that the family business is going well, Mom. We had
a few set backs after Rod lost a couple of our clients,
but I got us back on track. We just signed three more
contracts with major corporations around the country.
Starting this construction company was the smartest
thing daddy could’ve ever done. I hope I’m making him
proud.
ELLA
You are, baby...And me too!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

CARRIE
Yes! And Derrick just bought me an early Christmas gift
(Carrie dangles keys)
EVELYN
He bought you a new car?
CARRIE
Not just any car Ms. Evelyn, but the new black 2015
Lexus LS Luxury Sedan.

TRACY
But those cars start at $120,000!
CARRIE
Oh don’t I know.

DERRICK
Hey, what can I say? I know how to treat my lady.
YOLANDA
Child boo! You ain’t fooling nobody!

ELLA
Yolanda, not now. (Pause) Alright, Rod, your turn.
ROD
Ma, I told yall, I don’t have anything to say.

ELLA
No, you told me to skip you. We’ve skipped you and now
it’s your turn again. Come on now, we do this every
year.

ROD
Right, and every year I hate it.
ERNESTINE
Rod, stop it before you hurt your mother’s feelings.

TRACY
Rod, cut it out and stop acting like that.
ROD
Like what?

YOLANDA
Like the Scruge!
ROD
Man whatever! Just because yall are here singing
Kumbaya, doesn’t mean I have to be apart of it. I’m not
into all that God stuff.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

ELLA
God stuff?!
ROD
Yeah.

ELLA
Son, I raised you to respect the Lord. Now I don’t care
what you do out there in those streets, but in my house
you will respect my Lord!

ROD
Well maybe I don’t need to be in YOUR house then, since
I can’t say what I want.
YOLANDA
Well go then! We don’t want your mean vibes to kill our
happy family time anyway.
ELLA
Yolanda! (PAUSE) Son, I didn’t say that you have to
leave.

YOLANDA
No mama, let him go! He didn’t want to be here in the
first place.
(BEAT)
Your wife must’ve told you.

Heather looks at Yolanda surprised.

ROD
Told me what?

Heather lets out a deep sigh and flops her head

into her hands.
HEATHER
Babe, not here. I’ll tell you when we get home.

ROD
Why do we have to wait till we get home?
HEATHER
Because this is not the appropriate time to talk about
this.

ROD
You found an appropriate time to tell big mouth over
there, so you can find time now to tell me.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

HEATHER
Rod, please...
YOLANDA
Boy, she had an affair.

ELLA
YOLANDA CHURCHILL!
ROD
(Confused)
What?
HEATHER
Babe, I was going to tell you.
DERRICK
Dang Yo! You ain’t have to do it like that.
YOLANDA
What? He needed to know. He around here being mean to
us, the people who actually love him, while his dirty
wife is sleeping with another man.

HEATHER
Dirty?
YOLANDA
You heard me!

ELLA
Yolanda! (Pauses to console Rod) Son, I wish you didn’t
have to find out this way.
Rod looks up in shock at his family.

ROD
Mama, you knew about this too? And you didn’t tell me?
ELLA
Son...
DERRICK
Bro, she couldn’t say anything...
ROD
You knew too!
TRACY
We all did, Rod.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.

YOLANDA
I mean, it was quite obvious. Every time we saw you
trying to be affectionate to her, she acted like you
had Ebola or something. I told you from the start Rod,
the girl was in it for the money.

HEATHER
Would you just shut up! You don’t know what you’re
talking about!
YOLANDA
I dont know what I’m talking about?
HEATHER
No!
YOLANDA
You really want to go there?
HEATHER
Whatever!
YOLANDA
If I don’t know what I’m talking about, tell me why do
I know that you’ve been cheating on my brother for the
past year with your boss who’s also happens to be my
homegirl’s brother.
ROD
What?
TRACY
Yolanda that’s enough.

YOLANDA
Yeah my homegirl told me everything. Like when daddy
died, and she all of a sudden got called into the
office to help stuff envelopes. Envelopes weren’t the
only thing being stuffed that night.

HEATHER
I can’t believe you...
Heather jumps up out of her seat and reaches over
the table to attack Yolanda. The other siblings
hold Heather back.

ELLA
THAT IS ENOUGH!
YOLANDA
Mama, Im just saying...

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.

ELLA
Yolanda, that is enough!

YOLANDA
Fine, I’ll leave. It’s getting too tense in here
anyway. Come on Craig! I love yall, except you Heather,
I don’t like you. Talk to yall later.
Yolanda exits stage right.

Scene shifts to the kids table.

LEXI
MAN! That’s messed up. Lil Rod, did yall know?

LIL ROD
Yeah we knew.
DESTINY
Why yall didn’t say anything to Uncle Rod?

PARIS
Because he’s always so angry. He yells at us for no
reason.
LIL ROD
Something is wrong with my dad and I don’t know what it
is. I’m worried about him.
LEXI
It’ll be cool after awhile.

PARIS
I told Lil Rod that I think daddy remarried too fast.
DESTINY
Yeah, it was only like eight months after Aunt Rachel
died.

LIL ROD
And plus, the situation with Uncle Derrick and the
business too.
LEXI
Yeah that was messed up.
DESTINY
Hold up! Yall can get off my daddy.
PARIS
Naw your daddy cheated my daddy out of that position.
Everybody knew that after grandpa died, my daddy was
next in line to take over the family business.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

DESTINY
You can’t get mad because my daddy went to college and
got an education while Uncle Rod sat here and worked
for scraps.

LIL ROD
Man whatever. My daddy helped grandpa build that
business. He sacrificed going to college to stay here
and work for that business. I love Uncle Derrick, but
that wasn’t right.

DESTINY
Whatever. (Pause) Speaking of what isn’t right. Lex,
have you told your parents yet?
LEXI
Told them what?

PARIS
Oh now she wanna act dumb.
LEXI
No I haven’t.

DESTINY
So when are you?
LEXI
Don’t know.

DESTINY
Oh my god! I can’t take these family secrets.
Scene shifts back to the main table.

Derrick stands.
DERRICK
Mama, I think we are going to leave too. Destiny go get
your coat.

ELLA
But we didn’t finish saying what we are thankful for.
DERRICK
Well I’m thankful for you, mama. (He kisses her cheek)
Love you, mama. We will come by later this week.
ELLA
Ok, I love yall.
Derrick, Carrie, and Destiny exits stage right.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.

TRACY
We are going to head out too, mama.
ELLA
What? No.

TRACY
I have some work I need to finish up, Quentin has to
head out early in the morning, and Lexi needs to clean
up her room.

ELLA
(Sadden)
Ok.
TRACY
I’ll call you later. (Kisses her on the cheek)

QUENTIN
Alright Ma-Ella. (Hugs and kisses her on the cheek)
ELLA
Lexi don’t you leave without giving me some sugar.

Lexi walks over to Ella and give her a hug.

TRACY
Ok, mama. Love you.

ELLA
Love yall too.
Tracy, Quentin, and Lexi exits stage right.
ELLA
Ok, I’ll let yall talk for a moment. I’m going to take
the kids in the living room to watch some cartoons.
Come on kids, let’s go watch tv while your parents
talk.

PARIS
Granny, we don’t watch cartoons anymore.
ELLA
What do yall watch then?

LIL ROD
Naked Dating!
ELLA
Go wash your mouth out with soap five times!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.

LIL ROD
Granny?!
PARIS
That’s what you get.

Ella and the kids exit stage left.

Moments pass as Ernestine and Evelyn realizes that
they are the only ones left with Rod, Heather, and
Ella.

EVELYN
Do you suppose we should leave as well?
ERNESTINE
For what? We don’t have anything to do. I planned to be
here all day.
EVELYN
Yeah you right.
(BEAT)
Ernestine, Did you here what happened to Ella’s boy?

ERNESTINE
Which one? Lil Rodrick or Derrick?
EVELYN
Lil Rod.

ERNESTINE
You know I did. They say that his wife cheated on him
with her boss.
EVELYN
Slut.
ERNESTINE
Nasty lil heffa.
HEATHER
(Politely)
Uh excuse me, Ms. Evelyn, Ms. Ernestine...I can here
you talking about me.
ERNESTINE
Oh we know.
EVELYN
Skank.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.

ERNESTINE
Floozy.
EVELYN
But you know I’m worried about him.

ERNESTINE
Why is that Evelyn?
EVELYN
Well, you know he’s an ugly lil fella. And I’m worried
if he leaves this girl, he may not have another chance.
ERNESTINE
Yeah. And Poor Ella, she’s been deceived since his
birth. I used to tell her, "If you’re going to take
this baby out in public, he needs a face mask". That’s
the only righteous way.
EVELYN
You’re right about it.
ELLA (OFF STAGE)
Evelyn! Ernestine! Come out of there and let them kids
talk.
EVELYN/ERNESTINE
Alright. Here we come.

Evelyn and Ernestine begin to exit stage left.

EVELYN
Tramp.
ERNESTINE
Harlot.
They exit.
Rod and Heather sit in an awkward silence for a
moment. Rod is sitting with his back towards
Heather. Heather is faced forward, with random
times of looking at Rod.
Moments pass.

Heather attempts randomly to speak, but doesn’t.

Moment pass.
HEATHER
Rod.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.

Rod ignores Heather.

HEATHER
Rod.
Heather hesitantly reaches out to touch Rod.

HEATHER
Rod.
Rod quickly gets up and exits stage right leaving
Heather sitting alone.
Heather sits very briefly thinking of the
consequences to come from her actions.
Heather begins to gather her belongings.

HEATHER
Lil Rod! Paris! Time to go!
Lil Rod and Paris enters as Granny trails behind.

HEATHER
Get your things, we’re leaving.
PARIS
Where is my daddy?

HEATHER
He left. I dont know where he’s gone. Your father isn’t
talking to me right now.
Lil Rod and Paris drop their heads in sadness.

ELLA
He’s probably gone home to meet you all there. So yall
come and give me my hugs and go meet your daddy.
Lil Rod and Paris hug Ella.

Lil Rod and Paris exits stage right.

ELLA
Alright Ms. Heather, you have a good night.

HEATHER
You too Ms. Ella...and I really do apo...
ELLA
I’m not the one that seeks your apology.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.

HEATHER
I know but Rod doesn’t want to talk to me.
ELLA
Do you blame him?

HEATHER
Ms. Ella, I told him I wasn’t ready for all of this?
ELLA
So instead you go and have an affair?

HEATHER
I really didn’t want to hurt him. I do love him.
ELLA
Well you have to tell him sweetie, not me.

Ella exits stage left.

Heather exit stage right.
Yolanda, Craig, and LAura

Enters Yolanda, Craig, and Laura.

YOLANDA
Mama! (Waiting for a response) Mama! (Waiting for a
response) She’s probably still at that church.

CRAIG
Why you didn’t go to church?
YOLANDA
The same reason you didn’t because I was in bed with
you.
CRAIG
Don’t blame your sinful ways on me.
YOLANDA
Whatever. (They both laugh)
LAURA
I need to use the bathroom.
YOLANDA
You know where it is.
Laura exits.
Craig comes close to Yolanda.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.

CRAIG
Bae, I miss you.

YOLANDA
Boy, we are not about to do that here.
CRAIG
Why not?

YOLANDA
Uh, for one this is my mother’s house and that’s nasty.
CRAIG
You do know before you moved out, I was ALL up in your
room, right?

YOLANDA
That was then and this is now. And besides, Laura is
here and I dont want her to feel uncomfortable.
CRAIG
Laura knows what time it is, she has a man too.
YOLANDA
No, I dont want to do that to her.
CRAIG
Do what?
An awkward silence comes over the two.
CRAIG
Why are you always worried about how Laura feels about
what we do?
YOLANDA
What are you talking about? I don’t worry about how she
feels.

CRAIG
Yes you do and this isn’t the first time you’ve done
this. Remember for your birthday, I gave you that
bracelet and when I tried to lean in to kiss you, you
rejected me and you said it was because Laura was
sitting there.
YOLANDA
I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just not
that expressive in public.

CRAIG
And now that I think about it, Laura is always around.
We are hardly ever alone together.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.

YOLANDA
She is my best friend.
CRAIG
But yall are around each other ALL the time.

YOLANDA
I dont get the big deal. Are you jealous or something?
CRAIG
Naw, I just think it’s strange that yall are always
together. I have friends, but we are not always around
each other.
YOLANDA
Well that’s you and your friends.

Awkward silence comes over the room.

CRAIG
Do yall like each other?
YOLANDA
What? What kind of idiotic question is that to ask me?
Laura enters.
CRAIG
Hey, you can’t put anything past people nowadays. I had
to ask.
YOLANDA
That was stupid. You’re being stupid right now!
LAURA
Woa! I go to the bathroom for a minute and walk back
into Ike and Tina.
YOLANDA
He’s an idiot!

CRAIG
Whatever, I’m bout to go watch the game.
YOLANDA
Yeah, you do that.

Craig exit stage left.

Laura giggles.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 17.

YOLANDA
He gets on my nerves.
LAURA
Yall are a mess. So you never did tell me what happened
last week at Thanksgiving dinner.

YOLANDA
Girl! It was a mess! Mama had everybody to go around
and say what they were thankful for and when it gets to
Rod, he wants to act like butt! So I called him out
about it because he was making mama sad. Then he gets
slick out the mouth with me and I had to lay it on him.
LAURA
Girl, you didn’t do that.

YOLANDA
Yes I did.
LAURA
But he knew already, right?

YOLANDA
Nope, that sneaky lil jezebel hadn’t even told him.
LAURA
So is he mad?

YOLANDA
Yeah, but at everyone, because we didn’t tell sooner.
LAURA
Wow.

YOLANDA
He’s still with her, so I guess they’re working it out.
LAURA
Well that’s good. Girl, what were you and Craig in here
fussing about?

CRAIG
Chile, that dummy call himself confronting me about me
and you spending too much time together.

LAURA
Really? We are always around each other, even before he
came in the picture.
YOLANDA
Right! That’s what I’m saying! And then he had the
nerve to ask me if we were attracted to each other.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18.

Yolanda begins laughing by herself.

Laura is looking at Yolanda.
Laura comes in closer to Yolanda.

LAURA
So are you?
Yolanda shockingly looks at Laura. Laura caresses
Yolanda’s face. They move in to kiss each other,
but Craig interrupts but doesn’t notices their
attempt of intimacy. Laura and Yolanda plays off
the moment with laughter and acts as if nothing
happened.
CRAIG
What are yall in here laughing about?
YOLANDA
Oh Laura was just telling me about a movie.
CRAIG
Which one?
Yolanda and Laura look puzzled.
YOLANDA
Uh...uh...

LAURA
Annabelle
CRAIG
I thought that was a scary movie.

LAURA
Oh it is, but it has funny moments in it.
CRAIG
Oh for real? I wanna see it. Let’s go.
YOLANDA
Now?
CRAIG
Yeah.
LAURA
Ok, I guess we can. I’ll call my boyfriend and tell him
to meet us out there.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19.

CRAIG
Ok, cool.
Laura and Yolanda make eye contact as they’re
exiting stage right.

Quentin, Tracy, and Lexi Douglass

Quentin, Tracy, Lexi, and Ryan enters with place
settings.

QUENTIN
You do know we could’ve done this at our house right?
TRACY
Yeah, but I wanted Mama to relax at her own home. It’s
been two weeks since I’ve seen or talked Mama after
that fiasco at Thanksgiving. They ought to be ashamed
of themselves.
QUENTIN
Yeah that was quite ridiculous. Yolanda just kept going
and going.

TRACY
It’s not Yolanda’s fault. Heather should’ve been woman
enough to tell my brother that she doesn’t want to be
with him.

QUENTIN
I don’t think she does not want to be with him, I think
she may have some issues that she has to work through.
TRACY
Yeah you should know how that works.

QUENTIN
Was that a jab? I thought we moved pass that?
TRACY
We have.
QUENTIN
So what was that?
TRACY
Quentin I’m sorry. Seeing my brother hurt like that,
reminded me of how hurtful I felt when you cheated on
me.
QUENTIN
I know I hurt you, but Tracy, that was 16 yrs ago,
before we got married. And when I saw how bad I hurt
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20.

QUENTIN (cont’d)
you, I vowed to never hurt you like that ever again.
And I meant every word. I love you.
TRACY
I love you too. And I know we hardly see each other
now, because I’m always working at the school and
you’re always on the road. But I know you love me and I
love you too.
They begin to playfully flirt with each other.

Lexi clears her throat.

TRACY
Oh yeah, we have to finish preparing for Mama. I want
to surprise her with this dinner, because she’s been
through a lot and I want to help her relax. Come on
bae, help me get the rest of the stuff out of the
kitchen.
Tracy and Quentin exit stage right.

LEXI
They are so fake.
RYAN
Seems pretty real to me. I wish my parents were that
loving to each other.

LEXI
They dont always do that. They’re barely home to see
each other. MY dad drives trucks, so he’s never there.
And my mom is always at the college helping her
students.
RYAN
My brother is in one of your mom’s classes and he says
she’s one of his favorite professors. Says she looks
out for her students.

LEXI
Yeah it’s cool she helps other kids, but I find it
funny she’s never there for me.
RYAN
Lex that’s not true.
LEXI
Ryan, we’re seniors and not once have my parents been
to any of my performances or award ceremonies. Had I
not left my acceptance letter out, they wouldn’t have
known I was accepted into college. (Pause) It’s hard
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 21.

LEXI (cont’d)
seeing your friends with their parents while you sit
with your awards and ribbons all alone.
RYAN
But Lex, you weren’t alone. I was there with you. Every
performance who met you backstage?
LEXI
(Smiling)
You.

RYAN
And every award ceremony, who met you with flowers?
LEXI
You.

RYAN
And who was your first love? Your first....
LEXI
You.

RYAN
It’s always been me and it always will. If your parents
never show up, just look for me, I’ll be there in the
crowd.

LEXI
Thank you Ryan.
RYAN
Don’t sweat it. You’re my girl and my friend. I got
you, no matter what.
They hug.
They continue setting the table.

LEXI
Ryan, I have something to tell you.
RYAN
What?

LEXI
Well, I went to the doctor the other day with Destiny
and Paris, because I wasn’t feeling good.
RYAN
You alright?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 22.

LEXI
Yeah sorta.
RYAN
Whats wrong?

LEXI
Nothing’s wrong. I’m just pregnant.
Ryan freezes.

RYAN
You’re what?!
LEXI
Shhh...Ryan my parents don’t know.

RYAN
It can’t be mine because we used protection.
LEXI
I know, that’s what I said, but you’re the only person
I’ve had sex with.

RYAN
I can’t do this. I’m only 17.
LEXI
So am I.

RYAN
You can’t keep it.
LEXI
What?!

RYAN
It will destroy our lives. I’ve seen teenage parents.
They never do good. I can’t be like that. I have to go
to college. I have a full ride basketball scholarship.

LEXI
Ryan, I’m not killing our baby!
RYAN
Our baby?! No...no...I can’t do this.

Quentin and Tracy enters.

LEXI
Ryan...

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 23.

TRACY
Have yall finished setting the...

Tracy and Quentin sees that something is wrong

with Lexi and Ryan.
QUENTIN
What’s wrong with yall?

TRACY
Ryan, whats wrong?
RYAN
I can’t do this!

Ryan runs out stage right.

Lexi stands frozen while crying.
QUENTIN
Baby whats wrong?

TRACY
What happened, Lexi?
Lexi continues to cry.

QUENTIN
Lexi talk to us. What is wrong?
(Beat)
LEXI
Daddy, please don’t mad.
QUENTIN
No I won’t. Talk to me, please.
LEXI
I’m pregnant.
Heavy breathing and deep sighs are heard.
Quentin hugs Lexi to console her.

TRACY
Pregnant? (Pause) You’re only 17. 17 years old, Lexi!
QUENTIN
Tracy, calm down.

TRACY
Calm down? Why are you calm? How can I calm down when
my 17 year old daughter’s life is now over?!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 24.

QUENTIN
Tracy!
TRACY
I wanted so much better for you Lexi. We have worked so
hard to give you the best education, the best life so
that you wouldn’t end up another dumb black teenage
girl pregnant. And now it’s gone! Everything we worked
for is gone. I’m so ashamed and disappointed in you,
Lexi.

QUENTIN
Listen, we’re going to get through this...
TRACY
You’re right we are. First thing tomorrow morning, I’m
taking you to the clinic to terminate the pregancy.

LEXI
What? Mama, no!
TRACY
Lexi, you will not let our 17 years of investment into
your education and life go down the drain because you
can’t keep your legs closed. You have too much to look
forward to in your future and a baby is not in it.
LEXI
Daddy, you can’t let her do this!

Quentin looks at Tracy and walks out the door,

stage right.
LEXI
Daddy!

TRACY
Get your things and lets go. We’ll do the dinner
another time.

Lexi continues to cry as she exit stage right and

Tracy follows.
Derrick, Carrie, Destiny Churchill
Carrie, Ella, and Destiny enters stage right with
shopping bags.

ELLA
Thank you Carrie for taking me shopping.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 25.

CARRIE
Awe, Ma-Ella it’s no problem. I figured we could use a
few early Christmas gifts.
They laugh.

ELLA
Well I guess I’ll go put these things up and freshen up
a bit.
Derrick enters.

DERRICK
It’s about time yall came back. Mama, you had fun?
ELLA
Shopping always makes a girl feel special. (They laugh)
I’ll be back in a few.
Ella exits stage left.
DERRICK
What did yall bring me back?

CARRIE
Uhm, not a thing. This was a girls’ day out.
DERRICK
Oh I see how it is.

DESTINY
Daddy, mama didn’t buy you anything, but you know I
have to look out for you.
DERRICK
See, I knew my baby had my back.
Destiny pulls out a tie from one of the bags.
DERRICK
This will go perfect with my new suit. Thank you baby.
DESTINY
You’re welcome daddy.
DERRICK
So how was the shopping?
CARRIE
Derrick, people were everywhere.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 26.

DERRICK
It’s one week from Christmas, what did you expect?
CARRIE
I dont know. I dont normally shop this late in the
season, but I just had to spend time with Ma-Ella.
Especially since Tracy cancelled Sunday dinner last
week at the last minute. I wonder what that was about?
DERRICK
Who knows? Knowing Tracy, she probably had to work or
something.
DESTINY
I know what happened. Lexi’s pregnant.
Derrick and Carrie act surprise.

DERRICK
How do you know that?
DESTINY
I was with her when the doctor told her.

CARRIE
Awe, Lexi. I know Tracy is having a fit too. Little
perfect Tracy’s family is not so perfect now.
DERRICK
Why were you at the doctor with her? Are you?
DESTINY
Daddy no. I’m not having sex yet.
DERRICK & CARRIE
YET!
DESTINY
Because I’m not married.

CARRIE
Destiny please don’t kill your father and dont make me
kill you.
DESTINY
Naw, I’m good. I promise. Oh and speaking of family. At
Thanksgiving, Lil Rod and Paris said that you had Uncle
Rod fired from the business. Is that true?
CARRIE
Yall kids need to stay out of grown folks business.
Destiny you know better.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 27.

DESTINY
Well it wasn’t me. They started talking about daddy and
I tried to defend him but then they started talking
like they knew something that I didn’t so I stopped.
They were making me mad.

DERRICK
It’s alright baby. Everything is good between your
Uncle Rod and I.
DESTINY
Okay.
CARRIE
Destiny, go check to see if your granny needs any help
with her things.

DESTINY
Yes maam.
Destiny exits stage left.
Carrie sees that Derrick is in deep thought.

CARRIE
Derrick don’t let that get to you.
DERRICK
He’s still angry at me for something I had no control
over.
CARRIE
I know. He just needs time.
DERRICK
I tried offering him a job as the Assistant Manager but
he said that he didnt want to work for a back-stabbing
crook like me. That hurts to hear my brother say that
about me.

CARRIE
I know it is, but see it as the anger talking not him.
DERRICK
Thats hard. Once words are spoken, they’re hard to look
pass.

CARRIE
So what actually happened that caused him to get fired?
DERRICK
Rod always worked in the field with the other
construction workers, while dad did both the field and
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 28.

DERRICK (cont’d)
the administration. When dad offered Rod to learn the
ropes of the business aspect, he declined, so dad let
him stay in the field. What Rod doesn’t know is that in
my senior year of high school, Dad would bring me to
the office and teach me everything he knew concerning
the business. He then told me to go to school for
Business so that I could help him manage the office
while Rod managed the field. But Dad never told Rod
about me working in the office. So when he died...

CARRIE
Rod assumed everything went to him?
DERRICK
Exactly. But Dad wrote up a will and it said that Mama
had full legal rights to the company. So she placed Rod
as the Lead Manager of the enitre company.
CARRIE
But he doesn’t know how to work the business aspect.
DERRICK
Right. So needless to say, his lack of knowledge cost
us two clients because he double booked workers for two
job sites and didnt realize it, and they had already
paid us. So they sued us for over $100,000.
CARRIE
Wow...I would’ve fired him too.
DERRICK
And when I graduated from college, Mama saw how much
knowledge I knew about the business, she made me the
C.E.O. of the company.
CARRIE
That explains why he’s so angry because he doesn’t know
the full truth.

Rod enters at stage right.

Rod looks worn and unkept. His clothes are dirty.
DERRICK
Yeah and everytime, I try to talk to him, he avoids me
or blows up at me.
CARRIE
Well here’s your chance.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 29.

DERRICK
Bro, whats up?
Rod looks through Derrick.
CARRIE
Ok...well I’ll go check on Ma-Ella. Good to see you
again, Rod.
Carrie sees Rod is ignoring her. Carrie exits
stage right.

DERRICK
(Hesitantly)
Hey bro, it’s good to see you again. How are you
feeling? Well I’m sure you’re not feeling that great
with all that happened with you and Heather. Man, I
meant to tell you that I’m so sorry for not telling you
about her. I didn’t know how to come out and say it. I
know you hate me because you feel like I betrayed you,
but you have to believe me, I really didnt know.
ROD
Stop. Stop lying to me. I am so sick of this family
lying to me.
DERRICK
But bro, I’m not....

Rod interrupts abruptly.

ROD
I SAID STOP! Just stop. (Pause) I don’t want to hear
anything any of you have to say to me because all of
yall lied to me for a year, EVEN MY OWN KIDS! I just
came to get something and I’m gone.
Rod walks off stage left.
DERRICK
But Rod, we can talk about this. You don’t know the
truth of everything that has happened.
Rod enters.
ROD
The truth? This family couldn’t tell the truth if it
wanted to.
DERRICK
Rod please...talk to me.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 30.

ROD
I’m gone. Yall dont have to worry about seeing my face
around here again.
Rod exits stage right.

DERRICK
Rod!
Derrick, frustrated and sad, exits stage left.
Christmas Day- (Everyone)

Christmas music plays as the cast comes onto the

stage from both stage family at a time.
At the opening of the scene, Ella and her sisters
are in the middle setting the dining table.
While the music is playing each family will come
in joyful with gifts and will begin to do
different tasks in the house.

Yolanda, Craig, and Laura enters.

Derrick, Carrie, and Destiny enters.
Tracy, Quentin, and Lexi enters.

Song ends.
ELLA
Merry Christmas everybody!
EVERYONE
Merry Christmas!
ELLA
I’m so happy everyone is here.
TRACY
Where is Rod and his family?
ELLA
I don’t know. I’ve been leaving messages on his phone,
but he hasn’t returned my calls. I told him about
today, so I’m sure they’ll be here shortly.

YOLANDA
Well when he gets here, make sure somebody tell him to
come in with joy!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 31.

ELLA
Yolanda, don’t start that today. We are going to have a
beautiful joyous day.
EVELYN
Yes we are!
ERNESTINE
Because we have Egg Nog!
Everyone except Ella cheer.

ELLA
Dont yall get drunk!
YOLANDA
Oh mama we’re just turning up for Jesus’ birthday! Turn
up Jesus!
Everybody cheer.
ERNESTINE
Oh Evelyn, we almost forgot about the Christmas parade.

EVELYN
Let’s see if we can catch it before it goes off.
YOLANDA
We’ll join yall. Mama you need any help before we go?

ELLA
Naw baby, yall go and enjoy? Carrie, Tracy, and the
girls are gonna help me finish.
Evelyn, Ernestine, Yolanda, Derrick, Quentin,
Craig, and Laura exit stage right.
Scene shifts to the teenagers.
DESTINY
Lexi, you talked to Paris or Lil Rod?
LEXI
Naw, they haven’t been answering their phones.
Destiny shrugs.

DESTINY
So I’m guessing when Auntie Tracy cancelled dinner two
weeks ago, it was because of you.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 32.

LEXI
Yep.
DESTINY
Oh my god! Why you didnt tell me? What did they say?

LEXI
Because there’s nothing to tell.
DESTINY
Well they seem happy...so that means everything is
good?
LEXI
Yeah. Everything is perfect.
YOLANDA (O.S.)
Mama, come here...they have Rod’s house on the news.
Ella, Tracy, Carrie, Destiny, and Lexi exit stage
right.
Stage is empty while the News Broadcast voiceover
plays.
NEWS BROADCAST V.O.
Authorities are trying to unravel the events that led a
man to shoot his wife and two-teenage children. Police
found a pistol lying near the body of Roderick
Churchill, 43, in a bedroom at the family’s home on
Beach Blvd, at 6 o’clock a.m. this morning. Alongside
him lay his two-teenage children, sixteen-year-old,
Roderick, III and fifteen-year-old, Paris. In a back
bedroom, police found the body of his wife,
forty-five-year-old, Heather. Around 5:30am, a neighbor
called police to report the sound of multiple gun shots
fired from the home of Churchill. Police arrived
shortly after. Police say, "Motive for the
murder-suicide is unknown."