Loma Vista: Episode 21. Setting The Stage

   As night's fallen in Loma Vista, at Lorenzo and Nikki's Mansion, The Thomas, Duncan-Miller, and Houston families with few exceptions has gathered, as Elizabeth tells everyone "I didn't want nobody to see me suffer. I spoke to William before leaving town, and being connected to this city, well, you all know how it works so I don't need to explain anything." Ann smiles, as she looks at her Sister In Law with tears, and cries "Thank God you are alive Elizabeth. My best friend is back." Lena looks at Elizabeth, and tells her with a smile "I was wondering who was renting your suite. I thought it would be William, but now that I know it was you, things feel normal again." J.R. meanwhile arrives, as does Matt, as they head towards their Mothers, as Barbara tells Matt "She's alive. I don't believe what I'm seeing, but it's surely Elizabeth." Ann turns towards J.R., and asks "Where's Jenny?" J.R. tells his Mother "She's getting ready to head home tomorrow." Meanwhile Randi, Felicia, and Tilly stands away from everyone, as Randi shakes her head, as Felicia and Tilly asks their Mother "Are you alright Mom? You haven't even said a word." Randi walks towards her Sister, and looks at Elizabeth, and responds "Welcome home. That's all I have to say Elizabeth." Elizabeth quips "I see you haven't changed much Sis. Still jealous." Randi storms out, as Felicia asks her Aunt "So what about The Bluebird Manor? Are you going to want it back since you're alive?" Elizabeth looks at her Niece, and sighs "I am staying at the suite for now. I have had my time at Mama and Daddy's home, now it's yours, but we'll discuss the details later." Tilly hugs her Aunt, as Elizabeth looks at Sarah, and tells her Great-Niece "You will be an excellent Mommy, and keep Granny in check." Felicia and Tilly rolls their eyes, as Blake is silent, and Elizabeth warns him "Take care of my little Sarah." Upstairs, in Lorenzo's study, Lorenzo and Nikki share a blunt, as Nikki tells her Husband "I can't handle everyone under our roof." Lorenzo takes a deep toke, and responds "Only one person missing, Dad." Nikki asks "And why isn't he here?" Lorenzo answers "I called him, and no answer." Back downstairs, Barbara and Ann look at each other, as Ann asks Barbara "Where's William?" Barbara responds "I haven't seen him." Ann grows concerned, as Elizabeth notices, and walks over, and asks her Sister In Laws "Ok squealer, squeal." Ann looks at Elizabeth, and Barbara, and sighs "I have a feeling William's drinking again. I seen him with whiskey earlier." Barbara rolls her eyes, as Elizabeth yells "Ok, party's over. We'll all catch up tomorrow!" As the house empties, Lena stops and tells Elizabeth "Thank you for helping Little L." Elizabeth tells Lena "Thank you for accepting him. Now I have to work on my Son." Lena leaves, as does everyone else, as Elizabeth heads upstairs to Lorenzo's study. At William's Home, William is passed out, as an empty liquor bottle sits in the floor.
     At Jack's Apartment, Zach pulls the tape off Haley's mouth, and asks her "So does this excite you? Haley screams at her Ex-Husband "Just untie me and let me go!" Zach screams "NO! I will not let you go Haley! You are my Wife!" Outside, Jack hears his Son, and unlocks the door, as he pulls out his pistol, and yells at Zach "Let Haley go!" Zach asks his Father "Siding with the evil Thomas family also Dad?" Jack snaps "No I'm trying to save your ass from being killed! Now untie Haley!" Zach looks at his Ex-Wife, as Jack turns off the safety to his pistol, as Zach unties Haley, and Zach dropkicks his Ex-Wife out the door, as Haley runs to the elevator, with tears in her eyes, and panic inside of her. Inside Jack's apartment, Jack sees the cocaine, and yells "I thought you cleaned up?" Zach tells his Father "Well I have to have something to deal with this messed up family! Mom's disowned me." Jack looks at his Son, and tells him, with sadness in his eyes "And I do as well Zach. I have lost a lot, and I've always been there for you, chosen you over my other kids, but not anymore. Your Sisters and Brother are doing well, yet here you are, acting like a spoiled brat. I'm done." Jack heads to his bedroom, as Zach yells "And where in the hell are you going? Back with that bitch Ann?" Jack yells back "You can stay here and self-destruct, I'm finished." Zach runs into the bedroom, as he asks his Father "You aren't really disowning me Dad?" Jack, packing his suitcase, and holding his pistol, tells Zach "I can't help you. You can only help yourself, and I want my life back. You can stay here, but I'm not helping you." Jack packs his suitcase, and looks at his Son, as Zach watches on, as Jack walks out the door, as Zach screams in anger, and breaks a lamp in a fit of rage, as he walks into the kitchen, and grabs a liquor bottle, and pours it on the floor, as he holds a cigarette lighter.
    Meanwhile at The President's Room, Jenny meets with Phillip, as they share a drink, and Phillip asks Jenny "So you've decided to give the Estate back to Jack?" Jenny tells him "There's a stipulation in the deed regarding Zach, but otherwise, Mama's moved out to the Lake, and J.R. and I grew up there." Phillip sighs with sadness "Luke and I lost our childhood home in the riots years ago when Sni-Bar went up in flames." Jenny tells Phillip, changing subjects "So it looks like Mama and Luke's getting close." Phillip laughs "It's purely sex. He's never committed to a relationship before, and I don't think Ann's really interested in anything other than sex, so they have a lot in common." Jenny laughs, as does Phillip, as he tells Jenny "I hate it that you're leaving Loma Vista. I've enjoyed our dates and getting to know you." Jenny looks at Phillip, and sighs "Me too. Best to leave while everything's good, and I need to check on my Daughter, and run the Southeastern division of Thomas Auto." Phillip goes "You could do that from here, and Ann would love to have her Daughter closer." Jenny asks "And my Daughter?" Phillip responds "Didn't you tell me she's going through some things?" Jenny nods, and Phillip tells her "Why don't the two of you move back. She could benefit from family right now, and I miss Lacey, just wish she would move back to town." Jenny asks Phillip "Do you believe in love?" Phillip asks "Why would you ask me that?" Jenny sighs "I stopped believing after my Husband cheated on me." Phillip asks "Who was the mistress?" Jenny responds "I don't know who she was, and don't want to know." Jenny gets up, as she tells Phillip "Time for me to return to J.R.'s and find out what happened at Lorenzo's, and pack." Phillip stops Jenny, and tells her "Wait." Jenny turns, and Phillip looks into Jenny's eyes, as they meet, and they kiss, and Jenny backs away, and silently looks at Phillip, as she tells him "Try it again." Phillip puts his arms around Jenny, as they kiss passionately, as they've fallen for each other.
    At Randi's Mansion, Randi storms inside, and slams the door, as she shakes her head with disgust, and snarls "Damnit Elizabeth. How could you do such a thing as to fake your death." Randi walks over to the bar, and pours a shot of tequila, and the door opens, as Tilly walks inside, and Randi yells at her Daughter "So I guess you and Felicia's ecstatic my Sister's returned from the dead?" Tilly tells her Mother "Not again Mom. Aunt Elizabeth had a very good reason for doing what she did.." Randi snarks "She takes after your Grandma. And both of them were always secretive. Elizabeth was always treated like royalty. Perfect marriage, Mama's favorite. Shit, I don't believe this. AND WILLIAM KNEW!" Tilly warns her Mother, as Randi pulls out a glass, and pours another round of tequila "Don't rekindle the war the two of you had. You got what you wanted with the bar, and Aunt Elizabeth is keeping Grandma's legacy alive and intact. Felicia's running Grandpa's stores with Lorenzo, and very successful in that. You should be happy with the outcome." Randi snaps "Everything's just falling apart Tilly. Zach's self-destructing, and once Elizabeth knows, she'll never let me live it down. She just loved to see me fail. She threw a damn party when I sold my half of the casino, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised if she sells a part of it to that damn Lena Houston! If she does, I'll fight her." Tilly tells her Mother "I'm not listening to you rant, and I'm going to bed for the night, so you can sit here and drink, and argue with yourself. I love Aunt Elizabeth, and nothing will ever change that. She helped me out years ago, and I'll always be indebted to her. And yes Mom, she is exactly like Grandma!" Tilly heads to her bedroom, as Randi has a look of disgust in her eyes.
    At Barbara's Home, Barbara, Matt, Blake and Sarah return, as Barbara tells her family "I am so happy Elizabeth's alive. Something always felt off about her death." Sarah gets a text from Tilly, as she tells everyone "Apparently my Grandma's not handling it well." Barbara sighs "Well she'll get over it. Randi and Elizabeth has never been exactly close." Matt meanwhile chimes in, as Blake and Sarah heads to their bedroom, as he asks his Mother "So what did Aunt Ann tell you and Aunt Elizabeth?" Barbara sighs "William may have relapsed. If he has, heaven help him." The door opens meanwhile, as Haley returns inside, bruised, and crying, as Matt runs to his Daughter, as does Barbara, as she asks her Granddaughter frantically "What happened? Did you see Zach?" Haley cries "He kidnapped me and took me to Jack's apartment, and.." Matt's eyes fill with anger, as Barbara asks "Did he.." Haley responds in a distant tone "Attempted. Randi came by, and Jack saved my life. He was going to kill me!" Barbara pulls out her pistol, and sternly tells her Son and Granddaughter "I own that damn building, and that piece of shit's about to be carried out in a damn body bag for hurting a member of my family." Matt tells his Mother "I think Lorenzo's planning a meeting tomorrow regarding him." Barbara looks at Haley, and hugs her tightly, and tells her "I'm taking him out. I owe you." Barbara heads to her bedroom, as Matt tells his Daughter "Go take a shower, and don't leave this house without one of us with you." Haley hugs her Father, and heads upstairs, as Matt makes a phone call to his Cousin, and J.R. sitting inside his home, tells Matt after hearing what's occurred "After tomorrow his ass is finished." Matt responds "If my Mama doesn't get to him first."
    Meanwhile at Lena's Loft, Lena returns, as Tyrone sits inside, and smokes a blunt, as Lena glares at her Son, and asks him "Didn't I tell your ass not to come back here?" Tyrone laughs "I tried to take care of the family. Teach Little L how to be a man." Lena snaps "You almost had his ass killed Tyrone! Elizabeth's alive, and she's not pleased..." Tyrone shrugs "Shit, I knew she was alive because she threatened me..." Lena gasps "You knew? And you didn't tell me?" Tyrone answers "She threatened me." Lena warns her Son "You can't stay here. I worked too damn hard to get to where I am, and I sense a war about to brew between Randi and Elizabeth, and.." Tyrone yells "Lorenzo called me back to take care of some things. What about redemption?" Lena sighs "Well good luck. I'll let you stay, but you stay clear of Nicole. She has it out for you, and I don't want to bury one of my kids, because Elizabeth has a temper, and if she shot Zach Miller, she'd have no trouble putting you in the river." Lena heads to her bedroom, as Tyrone is silent, and says to himself "Well I won't have any problems with my Sister. Once she learns about what I heard, she will be grateful."
    At Ann's Mansion, Ann returns, as Luke watches TV, and Jack sits inside, as Ann asks her Ex-Husband "What are you doing here?" Jack tells Ann "I disowned Zach. He was going to rape Haley." Ann responds "Elizabeth's returned, and I'm glad you have grown brains, now get out, because I've moved on." Jack tells Ann, as he walks out the door "Well Ann, I miss you, and J.R. and Jenny will be pleased, and I'll still have our home we shared together." Ann is silent, as Jack leaves, and Luke tells Ann "He still loves you." Ann looks at Luke, and tells him "He's the least of my worries. William is drinking again. I just checked in, and he was passed out." Luke asks "So no nookie?" Ann tells Luke "Actually, that would be the perfect ending to an otherwise great day." Ann and Luke heads to her bedroom." At Sullivan's River Casino, Phillip and Jenny walks into a hotel room, as Phillip takes off Jenny's clothes, as they make love. At the Bluebird Manor, Felicia lays in her bed, as she goes "I think we may be moving soon since Aunt Elizabeth is alive." Martin Nolan, who's dating Felicia, assures her with a kiss "Well baby, I still have my place by the lake." Felicia kisses Martin, and tells him in a seductive tone "Doctor me.", as they have sex. At Randi's Mansion, Randi is passed out, as Tilly looks at her Mother, with sadness, as she turns on the TV, and gasps in horror, as the newsman reads "A fire's been reported in a Downtown Apartment Building owned by Barbara Thomas. Police are suspecting arson." At the Sunset Inn, Zach checks in, as he tells the night manager "Make the tab to Barbara Thomas." The night manager obliges, as Zach gets a room key, and heads to his motel room. At Lorenzo and Nikki's Mansion, Lorenzo and Nikki are in bed, as Lorenzo looks over at his Wife, and tells her "Mama's alive, and things are perfect." Nikki holds her Husband, and tells him with content "It is baby. I got you back, and Elizabeth's alive and well." Downstairs, Elizabeth watches the TV, as she calls her Husband to no response, as she grows concerned, and the door opens, and Elizabeth turns, as Lizzie Thomas, Lorenzo and Nikki's Daughter is in shock, as she goes "Mamaw? Am I seeing things?" Elizabeth walks up to her Granddaughter, as tears flow down Lizzie's face, as Elizabeth hugs her Granddaughter, and they have a tearful reunion, as Lizzie's returned from Medical School.