7.25 Like Father, Like Daughter?

by

Meg
(njlundes@att.net)

Grace's Room. Grace is on the computer and appears to be thinking deeply. Fran walks in and sits on Gracie's bed.

Fran: So honey, watcha doin'?

Grace: I'm trying to figure out what to buy off Amazon.com with my allowance.

Fran: You can buy things with your allowance? Wow! I usually could only buy a piece of candy or two.

Grace: Well, Daddy's very generous.

Fran: Yeah, I know...So what are you gunna buy?

Grace: I could either get a book about Psychology or a CD.

Fran: I'd go with the CD.

Grace: Okay. (she clicks the mouse) Hey, it's not working. It must be a bad connection. Oh well, I can use the school computers.

Fran: Gracie, its 10 o'clock. Go to bed. Sweet Dreams.

Grace: You too, Fran.

Breakfast the following morning. Everyone is sitting around but Grace, who hasn't come down yet. Max is reading the paper, Brighton a film magazine and Fran is just eating.

Max: Oil prices have gone even higher up! (he shakes his head and turns the page) What?! Oh God!

Fran: What's the matter sweetie?

Max: Let me read this article... Webber... quits... Broadway... "Cats"... starting... sitcom.

Fran: Let me read that!

(Fran, Max and Brighton crowd around and read the article.)

Max: I think I'm having another stroke!

Fran: And I'm not bringing it on! Oy, this is terrible.

Brighton: Hey Dad, you know what this means right? Your sitcom... Flush! Down the toilet.

(Grace walks into the room)

Grace: What's going down the toilet?

Max: This newspaper for one thing! NILES!!

Grace: What's the matter?

Max: Andrew Lloyd Webber has quit writing musicals and has come to Hollywood to create his own sitcom! He's moved with his wife and son, Jane and Richard.

Grace: Oh. What's it about?

Fran: Well it has a synopsis and times on page 34. (she flips through a couple of pages and reads aloud:

Brighton: (sarcastically) Boy, is he creative.

Grace: When's it on?

Fran: It says here that it's on Wednesdays at 8:30 on channel 2. That's right after your sitcom, Max.

Max: (rubbing his temples) Yes, I know. Well, I'll bring up the subject at meeting I'm going to. I really must be going.

Fran: I'm really worried about Max's sitcom. Maybe if Andy had a better sitcom and Max's got kicked out of the lineup, we could move back to New York. Hey!! That wouldn't be so bad. I'm gunna go call Ma.

Grace's school. It's lunchtime and Grace is eating with a group of friends.

Jenny: Did you see the new guy in school today? He is, like, totally hot!

Grace: I have a couple of classes with him.

Denise: I think he was checkin' ya out in Algebra today.

Grace: (blushing) Really? You think so?

Denise: Oooh! Grace has the hots for Ricky Webber!

Grace: Shut up! I do not!

Ricky, the new kid, walks up to the table where Grace and her friends are sitting. He starts talking to them.

Grace: So, where'd you move from?

Ricky: New York City.

Grace: Oh! Really, wow, I moved from there at the beginning of the school year.

Ricky: Cool! (the bell rings) Well, I'll see ya around then!

Grace: See ya! Wow! We have so much in common.

Jenny: Gracie's in love, Gracie's in love!

The computer room at Grace's school. Grace is ordering the CD that she was trying to order the night before. Suddenly Ricky walks into the room.

Ricky: Hi Grace!

Grace: Oh, Hi Ricky! Why are you here?

Ricky: I have to check my email. Our house is a mess, and the computer's not set up yet. What are you doing?

Grace: I'm getting a CD at Amazon.com. I think Brighton screwed up the computer at home.

Ricky: What CD?

Grace: MTV Dance Party To Go.

Ricky: Cool! So, listen, this Friday, are you doing anything?

Grace: Nope.

Ricky: Oh, really? Do you want to go and grab a burger, then see a movie?

Grace: Ya know, I'd love to, but I can't go to the movies anymore... something happened the last time I was there.

(Ricky gave her a questioning look)

Grace: I ran into my mother and father...It was so embarrassing

Ricky: Were you making out with your boyfriend or something?

Grace: No, I don't have a boyfriend. I was just watching the movie with Jen. So we looked a couple of rows back and saw this couple going at it. It was my parents. Jen and I left the movie early.

Ricky: (nodding his head) I know exactly how you feel! So do you want to see a movie?

Grace: Well, I don't really want to go to the theaters, but I'm sure you could come over to my house and watch some movies. You can have dinner there, too!

Ricky: That sounds great! When?

Grace: Is this Friday okay? You can come around 6.

Ricky: Okay, see ya then!

Grace leaves the computer lab.

The Sheffield Home, in kitchen. Fran is attempting to feed the twins a snack.

Fran: Jonah, why can't you be more like your sister. She eats and eats, you just spit it out.

Grace runs into the kitchen from the back door, throws down her backpack and opens a bag of chips. She starts to talk to Fran.

Grace: Can I have someone over on Friday for dinner and a movie?

Fran: (absently, she's trying to shove food into Jonah's mouth) Yea, sure honey. Who?

Grace: Uhh...I met this great guy at school, and I invited him over.

Fran: Oh. What's his name? Jonah! Eat!

Grace: Ricky. Ricky Webber.

Fran: Okay. Tell Niles before Friday, otherwise he'll get mad.

Grace: Thanks Fran, I love you.

Fran: I love you too angel.

Grace: Do me a favor, tomorrow, don't tell any stupid stories about me when I was little. Thanks.

The television studio. Max is on the phone talking to some exec. about the future of his show.

Max: What do you mean? Yes, I know the show might be cancelled at the end of the season, but its not going to be cancelled because of Andy Lloyd Webber! Yes, well I have a call on the other line. Bye. Hello? Oh, Hi Fran! Yes, Oh, Friday? Yes, what about Grace? WHAT?! She's still to young to have a boyfriend! Don't you remember Tommy? Yes, well, I must go now. Love you.

He hangs up and calls CC.

Max: Hello, CC?

CC: Oh, Hello Maxwell.

Max: How's Emily?

CC: She's doing well, I should be able to return to work in about a week. I'm very worried about her.

Max: I just want to fill you in on what happened at the meeting today. First thing, we got pretty good ratings last week. It was a good plot line. Keep up the good work. Second thing, as most of you know, Andrew Lloyd Webber is starting a sitcom. The story sounds about the same as, well our sitcom. It airs right after our show. I think it will be competition for us. Our ratings might go up or down. Webber has produced...

(but he's cut off by CC)

CC: MAXWELL! How come you didn't tell me this?? God, I'm coming to work right now! NILES!

Max: No, CC stay at home. We can't stop him from producing his show. We'll just have a really exciting episode this week.

CC: Okay Maxwell, I have to go clean Emily up. She just threw up on me.

Max: Bye.

He hangs up and sighs. Max feels very tired an knows that he will have at least another 6 hours of work before he could go home. He looks at his watch. It's 4. Maybe he could finish all of his work by 6, then make it home just in time for dinner.

Grace's room after dinner that night. She has just finished her homework and is about to call Jenny, when the phone rang. Grace picked up.

Grace: Hello?

Person on the other end of the line: Hi, this is Ricky. Grace?

Grace: Oh hi!

Suddenly a click is heard.

Grace: Okay, who's listening in this time? Fran? B? Niles?

Ricky: Huh??

Grace: Somebody's listening in. I'm trying to figure out who. So can you get tickets to a Barbra Streisand Concert?

On the phone a gasp is heard and a thump is heard. Suddenly Niles comes on the line.

Niles: Don't worry, your mother's okay. She just fainted. Don't surprise her like that.

He hangs up.

Grace: (laughing) Sorry...about...that. I've got a big family.

Ricky: I wouldn't know. I just live with my father and mother.

Grace: Really? I live with my father, stepmother, my brother, my half-brother and sister, and the butler and my father's business partner live in the guest house across the way. Then there's Emily. Val and Fred practically live here. Sometimes Maggie and Michael come and visit, too!

Ricky: Wow! I have no clue about who any of those people are. I was just calling to confirm about tomorrow night.

Grace: I cleared everything with my parents. You can have someone drop you off here around 6. Okay?

Ricky: Great, I have to go do my homework. See ya tomorrow.

Grace: Bye.

She hangs up and quickly calls Jenny.

Jenny: Hello. This is Jenny.

Gracie: Hi Jen. Guess what!!! He just called me!!!

Jenny: Oh my gosh!!

Grace: Guess what else?

Jenny: He wants to go out with you?

Grace: Somewhere along those lines. He's coming over for dinner tomorrow night!

Jenny: What are you gonna wear?

Grace: I don't know. You can come over tomorrow and help me pick something out.

Jenny: Okay.

Breakfast on Friday morning

Grace: Niles, can I have some sugar puffs, please.

Fran: Grace, I'm still mad about last night. I have a bump on my head.

Max: What happened?

Fran: Well, I was eavesdropping on Gracie on the telephone, and she decided to play a trick on me. She mentioned tickets to a Barbra Concert!

Max: Why were you eavesdropping anyway?

Fran: I wanted to know what this Ricky person was like. Make sure he wasn't a criminal. Oh, honey are you gonna be home for dinner tonight?

Max: Maybe, I'll try to get out early today.

Grace: Is it okay if Jenny comes over after school today? I need to find something to wear tonight.

Fran: Sure.

Friday, at the studio. Max is talking to some people who tell him that he has to stay late today.

Max: No, I have to be home by 6.

Bruce: You wish Sheffield. Nobody gets out until at least 7 on Fridays. Tough Luck.

Max: It'll be our little secret, okay?

Max hands Bruce a 100-dollar bill and walks out the door.

Friday, Grace and Jenny are looking through piles of clothes, looking for something to wear.

Grace: None of the dresses I have are good enough for tonight. I'm going to look in Fran's closet.

Grace and Jenny walk into Fran's huge closet and start looking through all of her stuff. They find a couple of dresses that are nice, but not what Grace is looking for.

Jenny: Most of these dresses are for cold weather or they have a matching sweater.

Grace: FRAN!!!!

Fran, who is downstairs playing with Eve and Jonah, picks them up and brings them up to her room. She looks at the girls.

Fran: What's the matta?

Grace: I don't have anything to wear tonight!

Fran: What's tonight? Oh yeah, that guy is coming over, right. Why don't you go look in the attic? We have all of Maggie's old dresses up there.

Grace: Good idea! Let's go

She motions to Jenny and they head up to the attic. They look through a bunch of boxes and find some weird stuff. Grace holds up a picture of Val and Fran at the prom. Jenny finds a plastic knife with ketchup on it. Grace starts to laugh when she sees it.

Jenny: What's so funny?

Grace: That. It's from when Fran first started to work for my dad. Brighton kept on faking his own death.

Jenny starts to laugh too. Then Grace discovers a truck labeled "Maggie". She motions to Jenny and they both start looking through the box. Suddenly Grace holds up a dress.

Grace: It's perfect.

It's a black dress, short and sleeveless.

Jenny: It'll look great on you! It'll look great with that lipstick that we got earlier!

Grace checks her watch.

Grace: Jenny, its five-fifteen. He's gonna be here soon.

Jenny and Grace run downstairs. Grace puts on the dress and a pair of black sandals, while Jenny styles Grace's hair and does her make-up. Fran walks into the room just as they're finishing up.

Fran: Wow, you are so gorgeous. Lemme take a picture.

She takes a picture of Grace, one of Grace and Jenny, and one of Grace again.

Fran: I wonder where your Daddy is Grace. He promised he'd be home for this.

It's still Friday, Ricky is just arriving at the Sheffield's. Jenny is just leaving.

Grace: Jenny, why don't you go out the back door and cut through the backyards.

Jenny: Okay. Bye! Call me when he leaves, Ok?

Grace: Will do! Bye!

Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Gracie gets really nervous, so she runs upstairs and checks her make-up. Niles answers the doorbell.

Niles: Hello, you must be Master Ricky, come in, come in. Miss Grace will be down in a moment.

Fran walks in and startles Ricky with her voice and attire.

Fran: Hi hon, how are ya? I'm Fran Sheffield, Gracie's mother. You can call me Fran. I'll go get Grace. (she yells up the stairs) GRACIE!!!

Grace: I'M COMING!!! (then, under her breath) Don't have a heart attack, Fran. Barbra isn't at the front door now is she? Just calm down...(she stops suddenly, when she sees Ricky) Oh! Hi Ricky! This is Niles, the butler and Fran, my mother.

Ricky: Yes, I met them.

CC's voice is heard over the intercom.

CC: NILES!!! Get over here! Emily's made a mess on the carpet again!!

Niles: I'd love to chat, but duty calls.

Ricky: Who was that?

Grace: That's my dad's business partner. She married the butler.

Ricky: Is Emily the dog?

Grace: (laughing) No she's Niles' and CC's baby.

They walk into the kitchen to talk until dinner is ready. Brighton sneaks down the kitchen stairs.

Brighton: Hey Grace. Do you know where dad and Fran are? And who's that?

Grace: Fran is with the twins and dad is still at work. This is Ricky. Ricky, this is my brother, Brighton.

Brighton/Ricky: Hello.

Brighton: Don't tell anyone I'm leaving. Mike and I are going to an illegal party, and if Dad finds out...

The back door swings open.

Max: Dad's not at work and you're not going to an illegal party, Brighton. Hi Grace, who's your friend?

Grace: This is Ricky. Ricky, this is my dad.

Max/Ricky: Hi.

Max: Brighton, I'm watching you. Where's Fran?

Brighton: Upstairs with the twins.

Max: Well, because you don't have any plans anymore, I guess you can baby-sit them tonight.

Brighton nods and goes upstairs with Max.

Ricky: Wow, you have a big family.

Grace: Yeah, I do.

Suddenly the phone rings. Grace runs into the living room to get it. Ricky follows her and starts looking at the pictures on the coffee table.

Grace: Hello, Sheffield Residence. Oh, hi Michael! How's Maggie? That's good.. Oh sure, I'll ask Fran to send it to her. Okay. Do you want to talk to anyone? No, all right .Tell Maggie I said hi. Bye.

Ricky: Who was that?

Grace: My sister's husband. He wants Fran to send them some books.

Ricky: Oh, wow, there are a lot of wedding photos.

Grace: Yeah, here is my father and Fran's wedding, Niles and CC's wedding, Michael and Maggie's wedding, Aunt Jocelyn's Wedding, Uncle Nigel's Wedding, Grandma Yetta's wedding...

Ricky: Cool.

Niles enters and announces:

Niles: Dinner is ready.

Everyone pours into the dining room and starts to talk and eat.

After dinner. Ricky and Grace are watching the movie Beethoven.

Grace: Gosh, Ryce looks just like my sister did when she was that age.

Ricky: Hey, Grace, are you going to the dance with anyone next Wednesday?

Grace: No.

Ricky: Oh, Good. Will you go with me?

Grace: Sure.

Ricky: Okay! Great!

Monday at the breakfast table. Everyone is sitting down and Max is reading the newspaper.

Max: Oh, here are the ratings for my show. Cross your fingers that it does better than Andrew Lloyd Webber's. What was his show called, Fran?

Fran: The Butler.

Max: YES!! Our show did better than his! I've outdone Webber again!!

Brighton: Great Job, Dad.

Grace: That's so cool !

Max: I am so happy! I have been worried all weekend.

Eve and Jonah laugh, they know what their father is talking about.

Wednesday, Grace is waiting for Ricky to come, as she is impatient to go to the dance.

Grace: Come on come on come on. What's taking so long? Why isn't he here yet?

Fran: Grace, while your waiting come watch TV with your father and I. Max's show is on now.

Grace sits down and watches the end of the show.

Grace: Fran, do you remember when we did that?

Fran: Did what sweetheart?

Grace: Did what "Karen" and "Sara" just did. Were in the mother-daughter contest at the country club?

Fran: I could never forget.

She smiles at the memory.

Max: Oh , look Andrew Lloyd Webber's show is on. It looks pretty dumb. Wow! None of those actors have any talent. It's no wonder the show got bad ratings.

The doorbell rang just then, and Grace got the door. Ricky comes in and says hi to the family and notices they're watching television.

Ricky: Hey, that show your watching, my father produces it.

Max: What? Your father is Andrew Lloyd Webber? OH MY GOD!

Fran: Calm down honey. It's not that bad.

Max: Grace, did you know that he was Webber's son?

Grace: I had no idea. Honestly.

Ricky: What's the matter?

Grace: Our parents are major rivals.

Ricky: Oh. This could be a problem.

Max: You cannot go to the dance with Ricky tonight, or ever. Never see him again.

Grace: But Daddy!

Max: Grace, I am the head of household and you must abide to my rules.

Fran: Honey, I don't think that's very fair. Just because you dislike Ricky's father, you should not punish Grace. Father and son are usually very different. I think you should let Grace go to the dance.

Grace: (mouthing to Fran) Thank you. I love you.

Fran smiles.

Fran: Please Max.

Grace: Please Dad.

Ricky: Please Mr. Sheffield.

Max: Oh, all right. You can go. Just be back by 11!

Grace and Ricky leave for the dance.

Hey, this is my first attempt at a fan fiction story, so its probably not the best in the world, but that's okay. I hoped you liked it! ;-)

So wha'd ya think? Any good? Be sure
to post your two cents worth on the

7.26 The Birthday Boy by Karin Fran and C.C., two very different women with one thing in common. They both forgot Niles' birthday. Or did they?

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