Mary, Mary

"Autumn? Peter? Can I ask you a technical question?"

"Sure, shoot."

Micky made a "gun" with his thumb and index finger. Before he could open "fire," Autumn spoke up.

"Micky, just ask you 'technical question'."

"Okay. What was that point of the last scene?"

"What, 'Part Three: Where you go, I will follow'?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Well, this story and its prequel lacked any big love scene, and Peter and I felt it was past due."

"Can I ask you another technical question?"

"Shoo—go ahead."

"How in the world did you manage that dialogue last night and keep a straight face?"

"Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots—"

"—Of practice," Autumn finished, cutting Peter off.

Mike walked down the stairs and over to the table. He picked up the gavel and banged it on the table.

"What is it?" said Davy as he walked out of the downstairs bedroom.

"We need to have a meeting."

"Why?"

"What about?"

"Am I invited?"

"You're all invited."

"But what is it about?"

"Yeah, why are we 'aving a mee'in'?"

"Because it says so right here in the script—"

"—Handbook."

"No, it's definitely a script . . . unless it's a subpoena in disguise."

"Maybe . . . ."

"Why again?"

"It's in . . . this!" exclaimed Mike, producing a . . . script?

"Oh," said everyone else in unison.

"Why didn't you just say so?"

Mike sighed. "Anyway, hear ye, hear ye, and come to order!" He pounded the gavel on the table.

"Sh!"

"Sorry. The first order of business is: funding."

"Huh?"

"Finances."

"What?"

"Money."

"Oh."

"We don't have a whole lot—"

"I'd li' to tell you all something," interrupted Davy.

"What?"

"Mallori's going out of town fo' two weeks."

"When?"

"She leaves in an 'our."

"Where to?"

"'Er great aunt's 'ouse."

"Why?"

"To see 'er second cousins Luke and Ezra."

"Does she have any cousins name Claude and Leroy?"

"Not on that side of 'er fam'ly."

"What about her mother's side?"

"That is 'er mother's si—"

"Enough!" declared Mike. "Back to money. We don't have a lot, so we need to work again soon."

"We are working again soon."

"We are?"

"Yes, tonight."

"Mike looked behind him and consulted the wall calendar. "Oh. How much are they paying us?"

"One—"

"I like orange juice," Autumn interrupted.

"That's great, but we're not talking about orange juice, we—"

"We are now, I just changed the subject."

Suddenly, a calm descended over the meeting. They turned to face the camera.

"This moment of comic relief," Peter announced, "was brought to you by Kellogg's."

"K E double L O double good—Kellogg's best to you!"

Mary, Mary Part Four

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