The Roof Caves In
"Hey! There's my beautiful blondes." Steve greeted his girls, joining them at the kitchen counter.
"Hey dad!" Pamela said while eating her breakfast
"So, listen." He began, pouring himself a bowl of cereal. "Do you want the good news or the great news?"
"What's the good news?" Kelly asked, finally sitting onto a stool.
"The good news... is I have a new writer for the Beverly Beat and that is none other than your AP English teacher." He turned to his daughter
"What? Miss Janet?" Pamela's eyes widened "So, who's going to teach her class?"
"I don't know." Steve shrugged, dismissively. "But I finally got her on board. Now for the great news..."
"Which is?" Kelly questioned, only half present this morning
"We got the San Francisco story!"
"No way!" Pamela exclaimed
"Yeah!" Steve shared his daughter's enthusiasm. "I leave in a couple of days."
"What?" Kelly demanded
"What about thanksgiving?" Pamela argued
"Well... you guys will go with David and Donna to Jackie and Mel's like you always do." Steve answered
"I told you my parents are going away this time and Donna and David are visiting her folks." Kelly divulged
"Oh well. You can always go to Nat's..."
"Fries for thanksgiving?" Pamela cringed
"Don't you stick your nose up young lady. That is a great thanksgiving meal." Steve jokingly reprimanded
"So, you're just going to be alone in San Francisco for thanksgiving?" Kelly folded her arms
"Well, no. There's me and Janet. I can't exactly do it alone..."
"Seriously?" She raised an eyebrow
"Relax, Kel. You don't have to worry... " He grinned, "Two hotel rooms."
"So when do I get to meet your cousin?" Pamela asked James once they met up in front of school that morning.
"Well, if you had come to the Peach Pit last night when my uncle Brandon went to visit Nat, you would've met them."
"Sorry... I had to study." She sighed
"It's okay..." He leaned over and kissed her cheek
"Had fun?" She asked
"Yeah, it's nice to have the family back together."
"That's nice." She smiled at him but her smile didn't last long
"You okay, Pam?" He asked, observing her
"I don't know." She murmured
"You should be excited! Thanksgiving's coming up." He adopted a light-hearted tone
"I don't have much to give thanks for..." She groaned, "My dad's going away for work... again. So, looks like it's just me and my mum."
"What you gonna do?"
"Peach Pit probably... My mum's hardly the type to slave over a stove."
"Are you kidding? That's no way to spend thanksgiving." He shook his head
"It's not the first time, won't be the last." She shrugged
"No. That's it. You're coming to mine." He insisted
"I can't leave my mum alone!"
"So, bring her." He stipulated and she beamed up at him as he grabbed her hand and and playfully dragged her into class.
"Did you hear what happened? Miss Janet quit." Delilah said as James and Pamela joined her behind their desks
"No way. She was the best!" James gushed
"Who's her replacement?" Pamela asked
"Better be someone good. This is the only class I like..." James groaned
"Morning, kids." They were interrupted as an unfamiliar man walked into class. "Settle down..." He encouraged as the kids looked up at him in bewilderment. "If you don't mind I'd like to introduce myself. I'm going to be taking over this class but don't worry... Miss Janet's done some great stuff, so let's just pick up where you left off."
"Name?" Joey Miller probed
"Oh right..." The teacher chuckled, "I'm Mr Rick."
"So, ask your mum and let me know." James beseeched
"Yeah, I will..." Pamela assured, leaning over to kiss him. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer as she deepened the kiss.
"Oh. Here he is!" James chortled once they had unlocked lips. "Come on, come meet my cousin." He dragged her over to Thomas.
"Yo Jimmy!" Thomas' arms spread wide open to hug his cousin
"Tommy!" James exclaimed before turning to Pamela. "This is my girlfriend, Pamela."
"Hi..." She held out her hand
"Hi..." Thomas smirked, getting a good look at her. "...Heard a lot about you."
"Good things I hope." She playfully hit James
"Great things." James corrected and Thomas grinned
"Okay!" Pamela chuckled nervously, "Well... I should get going."
"Don't forget about thanksgiving!" James called after her as she skipped off.
"I'll ask!" She groaned at his pestering.
"Damn..." Thomas shook his head, unable to wipe that smirk off his face. "I see what you mean."
"I know." James grinned
"So, you ready to go?" Thomas asked
"Yeah." James nodded
"Where'd you park?" Thomas looked around for James' dad's Porsche
"There." James pointed at his motorbike and grinned.
"Mum... do you mind if we invite Pam and her mother over for thanksgiving?" James asked, joining his mum in the kitchen.
"They don't have plans?" She asked
"No, they were gonna spend it alone... at the Peach Pit."
"No way. No one should spend the holidays without a thanksgiving meal! Of course they can come!" Brenda assured
"I don't know, honey. But if you wanna go, go ahead..." Kelly's arms flailed about
"Mum! Pamela pleaded, "I'm not gonna leave you alone for thanksgiving!"
"Honey, it's fine really. I don't feel like celebrating much..." Kelly felt uneasy.
"Mum!-" Pamela provoked but was interrupted by her phone ringing. "...One sec."
"My mum said yes." James beamed on the other end of the line.
"That's great! I'm working on convincing mine..." Pamela whined
"Dylan, I might need you to go to store..." Brenda began
"Again? Don't we have enough food?" Dylan crinkled his forehead
"Well... we've got 2 extra people."
"2 extra people? Any more and we're gonna have to move this thing to Brandon's. Who are these extra people?" Dylan scoffed
"Jim's girlfriend and her mother." Brenda said nonchalantly, dicing the vegetables.
"Wha- What? You can't invite them!"
"Why not?" Brenda inquired
"Bren... I don't think that's a good idea." Dylan warned
"Dylan, it's his girlfriend and I'd really like to meet her."
"Don't they have plans with their own family?"
"They don't... And honestly, their thanksgiving plans were quite depressing. No disrespect to Nat..."
"Mum..." Pamela said once she got downstairs, "You're not dressed!"
"I've been thinking... " Kelly sighed, "I'm going to stay home."
"No, mum. Come on. They're dying to meet you... and this guy is important to me. Please..."
Kelly's nerves were through the roof at this point, but she couldn't look at her daughter's pleading face and disappoint her.
"...Fine." She forced a smile.