GREGG and CANDACE walk into the lobby and see their friends waiting.
(SHAREESA immediately walks up and hugs CANDACE and they begin to cry together.)
SHAREESA crying - Are you ok Candace?
CANDACE crying - Yes...I saw my baby. He was laid on a table and he was...still warm. His spirit...Nino’s spirit is still with me.
(They hug each other again.)
CANDACE crying - I am going to call Mr. and Mrs. Daniels. Dr. Ranier said that he would call with me.
GREGG - Candace, I need to go.
CANDACE - Are you alright Gregg?
GREGG - Yeah. I just need to go home. I need to clear my head. I need to...see what to do about Nino’s things.
CANDACE - Ok.
GREGG - Will you be ok here?
CANDACE - Yeah, I’ll be fine.
LARRY - I will make sure Candace gets home ok.
GREGG - Thanks Larry. Hey you guys, I will see you all. I guess tomorrow.
(GREGG hugs CANDACE. The embrace makes him cry again.)
CANDACE whispers - Be strong Gregg.
GREGG crying - I will. We need to be strong for each other.
(GREGG lets CANDACE go and turns to leave.)
SHAREESA - Uh Gregg, do you need someone to walk with?
(silence)
GREGG - Sure.
(SHAREESA hugs CANDACE and turns to leave with GREGG.)
GREGG - I appreciate you walking with me.
SHAREESA - No problem.
(GREGG and SHAREESA walk through the exit door and outside. They both stop.)
GREGG - This seems like the longest walk home I ever made.
SHAREESA - Yeah...it does.
(They stand there.)
SHAREESA - We better get going.
GREGG - Yeah.
(They begin to walk.)
GREGG - I really don’t understand this situation. Ya know? How could this happen to a guy like Nino? The nicest guy in the entire world?
SHAREESA - I don’t understand either. It doesn’t ever make any sense.
(GREGG is trying to hold back his tears and be strong.)
GREGG - I don’t want to even begin to imagine what Mr. and Mrs. Daniels are gonna feel.
SHAREESA - Oh God. This is every parent’s worst nightmare.
GREGG - But more than that. It is hard enough to have to bury a parent. But even in that, that is the natural progression of things. But when a parent has to bury a child, it is that much harder. Its that much more difficult. It must kill the heart of a parent to have to do that.
SHAREESA - Yeah.
(Silence as they walk.)
GREGG - Nino is my brother. I never met a more giving person. He would give you the damn shirt right off his back. He was so real.
SHAREESA - Yeah, he was an angel.
(GREGG drops his head but does not cry. SHAREESA puts her hand on his back for comfort.)
GREGG - I know he is looking down on me right now. Probably cracking up laughing.
(GREGG giggles.)
GREGG - But he was never afraid to show his emotion. Never scared to say how he felt about stuff. I remember when he was trying to pledge. And how scared he was. But he was a man about it. Ya know?
SHAREESA - Yeah, I know.
GREGG - I feel like...
(GREGG chokes up.)
GREGG - I honestly feel like... a piece of me is...gone.
(GREGG can’t hold it any longer.)
GREGG crying - My brother is gone.
(Seeing GREGG like this makes SHAREESA cry. She grabs his hand as they continue to walk.)
SHAREESA crying - Like you said, he is smiling on you now. And he will forever. He is in a better place now. He is with Jesus. And he is no longer in pain.
(GREGG stops walking.)
GREGG crying - Yeah. Yeah...you’re right. He is happy now.
SHAREESA crying - I know he is.
(GREGG and SHAREESA hug each other and continue to walk hand in hand.)
GREGG - I bet I know what Nino is doing right now.
SHAREESA - What?
GREGG - That negro is teaching the angels how to step!
(GREGG and SHAREESA laugh together.)
SHAREESA - Ha ha ha ha, he sure is! I bet he is doing that right now!
GREGG - Yeah. Ha ha ha ha.
(They reach Tandy Hall.)
GREGG - I don’t know if I am going to be able to sleep at all tonight.
SHAREESA - You will. You’re more tired than you think.
GREGG - Maybe.
(They get to the floor and are walking down the hall.)
GREGG - Who would have ever thought that when we left to go to the step show that Nino would never come back here to the room. Damn.
(They get to the door. They are still holding hands as they go inside.)
GREGG - Come in here with me.
SHAREESA - Ok Gregg.
(They walk into NINO’s room. As they enter, they both stand there and just look around. They see pictures of CANDACE by herself and in pictures with NINO. There is a picutre of NINO and REGGIE from the day that they crossed. There is a paddle hanging with the letters A Phi A. There is a paddle donated from the two thousand line given to Big Brother Bout It Bout It from the Bayou.)
GREGG - Damn.
SHAREESA - This is real hard.
GREGG - I know. I can’t do this now Reesse.
(They turn to leave and GREGG slowly closes NINO’s door.)
(silence)
GREGG - Reese, I know things are not the way that they should be between us.
(SHAREESA looks at GREGG. They are still holding hands.)
GREGG - So I think I will just take the couch. You can sleep in my bed. I’ll be ok.
(silence)
SHAREESA - Are you sure you will be ok?
GREGG - Yes.
(silence)
GREGG - And...I want to...do some praying.
SHAREESA - Ok.
(The time seems awkward.)
GREGG - I’ll talk to you in the morning ok?
SHAREESA - Ok.
(They hug. SHAREESA slowly walks into the room. GREGG hears the door close.)
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OCTAVIA and DONTE have been sitting by themselves in the waiting room. OCTAVIA approaches CANDACE as she walks toward the pay phone.
OCTAVIA - Candace, here is my phone number. Call me if you need anything. Anything at all ok?
CANDACE - Ok. Thank you.
DONTE - We will be here for you Candace.
CANDACE - Thank you Donte.
(DONTE hugs CANDACE. Then OCTAVIA does.)
OCTAVIA - Are you ready Donte?
DONTE - Uh yeah. Let me just say a few words to the brothers ok?
OCTAVIA - Sure. I will just wait in the car.
DONTE - Ok. Thank you.
(DONTE approaches the neos.)
DONTE - You guys ok?
JASON - It hasn’t hit me yet, I just don’t want to accept that fact that he is gone...forever.
DONTE - But he isn’t. He will always be with us. Always.
QUINTON - Yeah, he will.
DONTE - You brothers take care. We will get through this.
JASON - Thanks Donte.
(DONTE approaches REGGIE.)
DONTE - Man, you ok?
(REGGIE just looks up with tears in his eyes.)
REGGIE - My line brother is gone. My best friend in the whole world is gone.
(DONTE helps REGGIE up from his seat and gives him a hug. REGGIE cries onto DONTE.)
DONTE - It’s gonna be ok dog. It’s gonna be alright.
(They let go of each other.)
DONTE - You gonna be alright?
REGGIE crying - Yeah...I want to wait here a little longer. For Candace.
DONTE - Ok cool. Call me if you need to.
REGGIE - I will.
(DONTE walks out to the car. OCTAVIA is already sitting inside. DONTE gets in.)
OCTAVIA - You alright?
DONTE - Yeah. I think so.
(DONTE starts the car and leaves.)
OCTAVIA - This is so shocking. It is so ubelievable.
DONTE - Yeah. And to a guy like Nino. I mean, he was the best of the best.
OCTAVIA - Really? I really didn’t know him all that well. We pledged the same year, but you know that I am always up in the library. I don’t know a lot about him besides the way that he stepped.
DONTE - Well let me tell you. That was the nicest most giving brother I have ever come across. I remember when he was on line, Reggie used to always get mad at him because he would work so hard and do so many things as a pledge, and Reggie had to keep up.
(OCTAVIA giggles.)
OCTAVIA - Oh yeah?
DONTE - Yeah. It’s like, he raised the bar in everything. You couldn’t be around Nino and be mediocre. Because then he would far out shine you. So cats always wanted to be on point when he was around.
OCTAVIA - I see.
DONTE - But he was never arrogant either.
(silence)
(DONTE turns the radio off.)
DONTE - I had a conversation with Nino once. Just him and I. And I shared something with him that I never told any other bro. Not even any of my line brothers or my dean.
OCTAVIA - Really?
DONTE - Yeah. It was one of those times when brothers were just bonding. Just him and I. I felt such a calm spirit around him, that I was able to open up. This was right before he was getting up the nerve to ask Candace to marry him.
(silence)
OCTAVIA thinks - Should I ask what the conversation was about?
DONTE - We were talking over at the house. Watching the game, just chillin. And he was telling me how much he loved Candace and that he wanted to ask but in his heart he was a little scared. He really opened up to a brother. So I told him that a spirit of fear had no place in such a beautiful act that he was getting prepared to partake in. Just asking his girl to be his bride. He need not fear.
OCTAVIA - Wow.
DONTE - And then I realized, that there are things about my life that I am afraid of. Things that I am very afraid of, and the advice that I was giving to him...actually applied to me. And then out of nowhere...
(silence)
DONTE - ...out of nowhere, he asked me why I was at Ahpla for so long.
OCTAVIA thinks - Oh shit.
DONTE - It caught me off guard because that is what was on my mind. My own personal fear. And he knew to just ask. Out of the blue.
(silence)
(DONTE’s voice begins to shake.)
DONTE choking - He just knew what...was on my mind. He...knew. I had to face my...my...my own fears...right there...
OCTAVIA thinks - Oh my God!
(A tear falls from DONTE’s eyes.)
DONTE - It has been so hard on me. So hard. And nobody understands me...
OCTAVIA - I will try...if you want me to.
(DONTE looks at OCTAVIA with tears in his eyes. She is looking back very sincerely.)
OCTAVIA - I will.
(silence)
DONTE - I...I am dyslexic.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUINTON looks down at his pager as it vibrates.
QUINTON’s PAGER - Call me at home. Lexi.
(QUINTON pulls out his cell phone.)
ALEXIS - Hello.
QUINTON - Hey.
ALEXIS - Hi boo. Where you been? You haven’t called.
QUINTON - I am actually on my way to your place now. Just give me a few minutes.
ALEXIS - Ok cool. How was the step show?
(silence)
QUINTON - It came off...ok. I’ll be right there ok?
ALEXIS - Ok. Quinton?
QUINTON - Uh huh?
ALEXIS - Is something wrong?
(silence)
QUINTON - I’ll be right there.
ALEXIS - Uh ok. Bye.
QUINTON - Bye bye.
(QUINTON closes his phone. He turns to his line brothers.)
QUINTON - I gotta go guys.
JASON - Ok man.
QUINTON - Larry, you are taking care of Candace right?
LARRY - Yeah, I am going to drive her home.
QUINTON - Ok. Um...let’s meet up tomorrow. I am sure we have a lot to talk about.
JASON - Yeah...yeah man.
Meanwhile at ALEXIS’ house.
ALEXIS thinks - Oh my goodness, what is wrong with Quinton?
(ALEXIS turns the radio on.)
ALEXIS thinks - Maybe they lost the step show or something. I know he didn’t step though.
(ALEXIS changes the radio station.)
ALEXIS thinks - Or maybe...maybe he got into a confrontation with Bobby! Oh my gosh!
(ALEXIS turns the radio off.)
ALEXIS thinks - I bet Bobby said something to him! I bet Quinton doesn’t want to be with me anymore!
(ALEXIS’ heart starts to beat faster.)
ALEXIS thinks - I bet that is exactly what it is. He is coming here to break up with me.
QUINTON - Alexis, I was thinking.
ALEXIS thinks - Oh gosh!
QUINTON - Maybe this wasn’t too good of an idea from the beginning you know?
ALEXIS - It seemed alright to me. It seemed alright to you too.
QUINTON - Yeah, but now...I am not so sure.
ALEXIS - So what are you saying?
QUINTON - Maybe we should stop seeing each other.
QUINTON - Maybe we should stop seeing each other.
QUINTON - Maybe we should stop seeing each other.
(ALEXIS starts to feel really bad.)
ALEXIS thinks - I hope he doesn’t feel that way. Maybe I can persuade him that Bobby is truly out of my system and I don’t feel for him anymore like that. Maybe.
(ALEXIS looks at the clock.)
ALEXIS thinks - I really like Quinton. Really. I really don’t want him to come here and end this. I wonder how long it will take him to...
(There is a knock at the door. ALEXIS jumps up.)
ALEXIS thinks - Ok, this is it.
(She opens the door and QUINTON is standing there.)
ALEXIS - Hi, come on in.
(QUINTON comes in. ALEXIS looks at his face.)
ALEXIS - Are you ok?
(QUINTON grabs ALEXIS and just holds her. She holds him back.)
ALEXIS thinks - What is going on?
(ALEXIS strokes the back of QUINTON’s head. QUINTON starts to cry.)
ALEXIS - Oh my gosh Quinton. What is wrong? What happened? Did you guys lose the step show?
(QUINTON lets her go and backs up. He holds her hands.)
QUINTON crying - Nino...Nino had a heart attack and died after the show.
ALEXIS - What!
QUINTON crying - Nino passed out on stage and I sped him to...to the hospital...but it was too late.
ALEXIS - Oh my God!
(ALEXIS begins to pull QUINTON closer. QUINTON falls to his knees. He holds ALEXIS close as he cries against her.)
ALEXIS - Oh my God! Oh my God! Nino died?
QUINTON crying - Yes...he is gone.
(ALEXIS wipes QUINTON’s face as she starts to cry.)
ALEXIS crying - Come here baby. Come sit down.
(QUINTON gets up and walks to the couch. They sit together.)
ALEXIS crying - I can’t believe this!
QUINTON crying - Me neither.
ALEXIS crying - I had...I had no idea that is what you wanted to tell me.
QUINTO crying - I didn’t want to tell you over the phone. I wanted to be here in person to tell you.
ALEXIS crying - Thank you...Quinton.
(They look at each other.)
QUINTON crying - I just needed to be here. To tell you. To see you.
ALEXIS crying - Are you gonna be alright?
QUINTON crying - I will...if you stay with me.
ALEXIS crying - I will. Of course I will...I love you Quinton.
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