The Honor Roll: Episode 9. Investments

  It's the next morning and at Thomas' farm, he walks downstairs, as Eliza's cooked breakfast, and Eliza looks at her Son, and asks "How did you sleep last night baby?" Thomas responds "I was knocked out after that meal you cooked." Eliza laughs "Well today's a big day." Thomas, sitting at the kitchen table, as he and his Mother has caught up on things, asks "What's going on in your head Mama?" Eliza tells her Son "Caswellton looks pretty dead, and I want to put my money to good use." Thomas asks "And exactly how much did you get from Pedro in the divorce?" Eliza whispers "I'm not saying anything about it Thomas, and just trust me when I say that I'm the richest woman in Caswell County, and I plan to do some things." Thomas eats his breakfast quickly, as he tells his Mother "Time for me to head down to the school." Eliza hugs her Son, and smiles with pride "You make an excellent principal. I'm glad you're there, and have Alice, Pat, Dwight, and everyone except that bitch Maura watching over you." Thomas looks at his Mother, as he walks out, and tells her "Don't get into trouble, and if you see Dad.." Eliza quips "I'll lay in the floor and play dead, it was easy when it came to..." Thomas throws up his hands, as he walks out, and Eliza walks out on the back porch, with her briefcase, as she lights a cigarette, and quips "Caswell County Bank won't know how to handle this kind of cash."
   At Waters Elementary, Dwight walks into the Secretary's office, as Bill sits inside, and asks "Got my coffee?" Dwight tells Bill "It's in the lounge." Mary quips "So Bill, aren't you excited Eliza's returned to Caswellton? You will have something else to do besides pester me all day." Bill looks at Mary, and goes "And we divorced, and karma got her. But I'd rather be with you." Mary sighs "And exactly how would Eliza feel about that Bill? I'd hate to get on her bad side." Bill quips "Who cares what she'd think! If she could move on, so can I!" Meanwhile Missy storms inside, and yells "Where's Thomas?" Dwight asks "There a problem?" Missy yells "Yes there is and I want to speak to him about it!" Bill asks Missy "Did Eliza beat up your Mama? Eliza does have a temper." Missy snaps at Bill "Why don't you find a job?" Bill looks at Mary, and tells her "Excuse me, but I'm off to the Media Center to read. I don't want to be in the same room as Snitchy Missy!" Missy yells at Bill "You have no room calling me that!" Bill turns around, and tells Missy "You should make your Mother proud. And if you gain around 100 pounds you'd look like her." Bill walks out, as Missy looks at Dwight and Mary and asks again "Since we see the first part of Thomas' problem, where is the asshole?" Dwight sternly warns Missy "You have already created a bad name for yourself after yesterday with Mrs.Pat, and she's said that if you approach her today, she has a cane waiting, and Didi said some kind of warning in Albanian, but I couldn't decipher half of it." Missy asks "What happened to this school besides my Mother?" Mary smiles "We have a wonderful Principal now in Thomas." Missy snaps "I'm heading to my class now, and when Thomas walks inside, page me!" Missy walks out, as Mary tells Dwight "I think I know what happened?" Dwight goes "Maura had a visitor?" Mary sighs 'I think Eliza let her frustrations out on her."
   Meanwhile Thomas arrives, as he walks into his office, as Mary tells him "Missy came in here wanting to talk to you." Thomas sighs "Looks like the spawn of Maura's angry her Mama got slapped by my Mama yesterday." Mary asks "So what's Eliza's plans to do today. It is a short day?" Thomas tells Mary "Call her and find out. She's out and about." Thomas heads to his office, as he checks some messages, and rolls his eyes, and Dwight walks inside, and tells Thomas "Missy wants to speak to you about Eliza's visit to Maura." Thomas quips "Well I don't control my Mother, especially when she gets pissed, and face it, Maura had it coming." Dwight responds "That's right Thomas." Dwight changes subjects, as he tells him "We have a short day today, school will end at noon. Bill's in the media center." Thomas sighs of relief "That's good. He has taken up reading lately." In the Media Center, Bill walks up to the check-out, as he tells Didi "I want to rent a few of these books." Didi asks "Are you a student?" Bill responds "I'm a bus driver, and I don't like the city library!" Didi smiles "Only students and faculty can borrow books from the library Mr.Bill." Bill tells Didi "Put it on Thomas' account, and I am faculty. I drive the damn bus!" Didi yells "OK! Take the damn books, but they better be back in two weeks." Bill goes "Whatever you say..." Didi hears Bill mumble, and asks "Was that an insult?" Bill looks at Didi, and responds "Can't understand English?" Didi yells in Albanian to Bill, as he shakes his head, and says to himself "She's crazy." Bill heads outside to his bus, as he responds "It will be a nice day, as long as I don't see Eliza."
    As Noon arrives, and the day ends, most of the staff has left, as Thomas sits inside his office, as Missy walks inside, and asks Thomas "So what in the hell is Eliza's problems with my Mom? I personally got a thrill from it, but still, it's wrong, and she has no room paying my Mom a visit and slapping her twice with full force!" Thomas reminds Missy "Well she did deserve it, and while we're in here, let's talk about you and Pat. I heard the two of you aren't quite getting along." Missy sternly tells him "I think she needs to retire if she can't respect the fact that no faculty can't smoke on school property, and she called me a bitch." Thomas sighs "Well Mrs.Pat does tell the truth, and you should ease down some, this isn't The Graveyard Missy." Missy looks at Thomas, and tells him "I know. I've been through a lot. With The Graveyard, Mom, my fiancee cheating on me." Thomas looks on, as Missy sees Valerie's picture, and asks "Is this your Wife?" Thomas responds "She was, but died five months ago, along with my Son, and the Daughter we were expecting." Missy's eyes show sadness, as she asks "What happened?" Thomas tells her "I'd rather not discuss it." Meanwhile Thomas gets a page from Winnie, as she yells "She's here!" Thomas looks at Missy, and tells her "Don't ask me about my past again. It hurts too much, and if you use it against me, I'll have you fired and I mean that!" Missy looks at Thomas, and tells him "I'm not "Snitchy Missy" Thomas, we do grow up and mature. It's safe to say neither of us have had it easy." Thomas nods in agreement, as they head to Maura's classroom, as Winnie yells "You're not supposed to be here Maura!" Maura yells back "I came to make sure you were running my class the way I do!" Winnie snaps back "Look warden, I don't have time to deal with your BS today! I'm going to a luncheon at The Seafood House Eliza's throwing." Maura snarls "Oh god that bitch is staying." Winnie quips "Oh hell yes she is. She hates you from what I heard, and I see that red mark on your face. She must have one powerful backhand." Thomas and Missy arrives, as Thomas sternly orders Maura "You are suspended, and get the hell out of this building NOW before I call Anna!" Missy stands next to Thomas, as Winnie tells Missy, as she walks out "By the way, preach to me about smoking, and I'll burn your face and you'll be a dalmatian!" Winnie leaves as Maura snaps "Let Melissa and I speak privately Thomas!" Thomas responds boldly "Not here, maybe somewhere else. But get out of my damn school! I'll be heading back to my office, and be watching." Thomas walks out, as Maura looks at her Daughter, as Missy goes "You heard Thomas." Maura asks Missy "I don't like that look in your eye Melissa. You crushed on him as a kid, you better not have the hots for that psycho." Missy tells her Mother "We have nothing to discuss, and as Thomas said, get out of here if you want to save your job." Maura sighs with disgust "You disappoint me Melissa. Family sticks together." Missy coldly responds "Should have thought about that before my Dad committed suicide after finding out about you and that crazed bitch in Milledgeville." Missy walks out, as Maura heads out, as she yells at a tow truck "MY SUV!" Thomas walks outside, and tells Maura "Enjoy the exercise, now leave!" Maura walks down the hill, as Thomas yells "Run before I call the cops!" Maura walks down the road, as Missy walks out, and looks at her Mother, and has sadness in her eyes, as Thomas asks "What's wrong with you?" Missy sighs "I'd rather not talk about it. I'm going home Thomas. See you tomorrow." Missy heads to her car, as she leaves, and Thomas locks the doors to the school, as he returns to his farm.
    Meanwhile at The Seafood House, Eliza greets Alice, Pat, Effie, Mary, Dwight, Winnie, and Anna, as she tells them "I seen they were still open only twice a week, and I paid the Skipper, and rented it out for this nice luncheon." Anna welcomes Eliza back, and asks "Have you seen Mama yet? She would love to see you Eliza." Eliza tells Anna "I plan to visit soon, but right now I'm making investments since I have money to burn, and no chance of losing any of it. Alimony for life!" Eliza laughs, as does everyone else, as the waitress tells everyone "The buffet's open!" Eliza calls Thomas, as his phone goes to voicemail, and sighs "He must be busy." Winnie tells Eliza "Maura showed up at the school when I was leaving." Eliza fumes, and asks Anna "How much would I have to pay to have her fired?" Anna tells Eliza "She's on probation once she returns." Eliza warns everyone "She best steer clear of my Son or that visit will be some fist throwing." Pat quips "If you think she's bad, Missy has really...." Alice sighs "Pat, let that go. I think Thomas spoke to her about it." Dwight responds "We both did, and I really don't think she's a bad person." Eliza sighs "A tortured soul like Thomas, but her Mother, I'd like to kill her!, but back to business." Didi arrives, as she tells everyone "Sorry I was late, didn't think I'd be invited." Eliza goes "Of course you were sweetie. Help yourself." Eliza turns to Alice and Effie, and asks "I know Effie's always kept up with things, so what's hot in real estate in Caswellton?" Effie looks at her Sister, as she tells Eliza "Alice is planning a book on the history of Caswell County Schools, and the history of Waters Elementary." Eliza pulls out a checkbook, as she goes "Well Alice, here's a check to get started, and I joined the platinum club at Caswell County Bank, and don't offer to pay me back." Alice tells Eliza "You don't have to do this Eliza." Eliza tells Alice "You've always watched out for Thomas, so this is my way of thanking you, and all of you in fact." Eliza gets up, as she tells everyone "Since I was informed of the new school being planned, I want to make a donation, and name it after Thomas. I'll fully fund the project, and also I am looking for something else." Pat asks Eliza "What might that be?" Eliza tells everyone "I noticed the old diner off the square's closed." Dwight sighs "Mrs.Nell died last year, and it's been empty since then." Eliza tells her friends "I think I'd like to buy it and reopen it as a diner." Alice tells Eliza "That'd be a great idea! You were always known as an exceptional cook." Eliza sighs "Well, not the greatest, but Thomas would agree with you. I'll name it the "The Courthouse Inn"." Everyone goes "A nice nod to history." Meanwhile, an exhausted Maura walks inside, as everyone turns their heads, and Maura looks at Eliza, as she goes "So what are you planning old woman?" Eliza asks "Did Ken and Trish take your SUV? Poor thing had to walk. Too bad I was here. I'd picked you up. And by the way, this is private, so get lost!" As Alice, Effie, Pat, Winnie, Mary, and Dwight laugh to themselves, as Anna warns Maura "If you step back on school property again, I'll have you suspended for the rest of the year!" Maura snaps "Don't worry! I won't be back on the damn property again!" Maura turns to Eliza, and smiles "Looks like Melissa has the hots for your crazy Son." Eliza gets up, as she goes "Did you just call Thomas crazy?" Everyone roll their eyes, as Maura yells "Damn right I did!" Eliza warns Maura "Step out, and go home, before I kick your ass." Maura laughs "He gets it from you and Bill!" Eliza punches Maura in the face, as they begin to fight, and Alice, Effie, Mary, Anna, and Dwight breaks them up, as Eliza warns Maura "You just crossed the line!" Maura is escorted out, as Pat, Winnie, and Didi quips "That was exciting!" Eliza asks everyone "What did that bitch mean that Snitchy Missy has the hots for Thomas?" Dwight tells her "She wanted to meet with him this morning, and they spoke yesterday also." Pat tells Eliza "Judy told me that she noticed a look in Missy's eyes when she seen Thomas." Eliza shakes her head, as she tells everyone "Looks like Maura won't be the only one around here I'll have to have a chat with." Meanwhile Missy returns to her home in Bankhead, as she pulls out a yearbook, and looks at Thomas' photo, and holds it to her chest, as she tells him "Wasn't for Mommy Dearest, we could have been married." Missy has a flashback (4th Grade,a young Missy and Thomas share a kiss in the hall, and Missy tells him "Don't tell Mom." Thomas responds "I won't.") Meanwhile at Thomas' Farm, Thomas sits outside, as he thinks of Missy, and says with a smile "I believe Mrs.Gore is right about her after all."