Episode 4: Cleaning Out the Closet

*Theme Music*


The music begins to fade as the camera focuses on Lynn, her ready smile beaming as she begins the show.
“Welcome back to Farmer Wants! I’m your host, Lynn Genet. We’re getting ready to join the guys in Cleaning 101.” Lynn gracefully shifts her weight turning toward camera two.
“Our contestants have been such great sports as we put them through various tests of their skills and talents such as gardening, cooking, and fishing. Today’s episode will add cleaning to that list. They will be required to learn new cleaning skills and expand their minds to the various janitorial possibilities.”
Lynn’s eyes dance as she looks directly at the unseen audience, luring them in for tonight’s episode, “For a special treat, our contestants will be joining our farmer for dinner out on the town. Such splendid opportunities for a few stolen moments with our lovely farmer… lets see how our contestants fare, shall we?”


The camera sweeps across the bedrooms and come to a stop on the contestants one by one as they attempt to stir themselves from their slumber. Soft humming can be heard in the distance.


The camera pans left towards an adjoining bedroom where Brandon can be found making his bed.
A creaking bed is heard as the camera pans out. Danny sits up in his bed, his cockeyed grin slowly stretching across his handsome face as he watches him, “You’re awful chipper this morning.”
“Yup! It’s a gorgeous day. Or at least it will be. I can just feel it. Something good is going to happen. You’ll see.”


Danny shakes his head sleepily, his feet firmly planted on the floor, curling his toes in the soft carpeting. He stares across the room once more at Brandon noting the obvious pep in his step as he grabs his toiletries and heads towards the bedroom door. “Morning people…” he grumbles as he tries to muster his energy to start the day. The camera suddenly flashes on our farmer as she awakens.


Suzi stretches her arms upwards, elongating her spine with cat like grace. A small squeal of delight can be heard escaping her full lips as she glances out the window at the promise of a beautiful day. With a happy sigh, she gets up, makes her bed and meanders to her bathroom.


The camera comes back in to focus. “Hello?” Suzi’s expression changes instantly, no longer feeling carefree and happy, her brow furrows with annoyance. “Yes?” Momentarily forgetting she is on camera, she begins pacing with the phone to her ear, shaking her head in silent disagreement to the voice on the other end of the conversation. “I don’t mean to be rude, but do get to the point.” She stops her pacing as her brows rise in disbelief. “Giving her my name and phone number wasn’t enough?” She grunts and scoffs, “Oh don’t give me that, she called me. I spoke with her!” She shakes her head vehemently, “I don’t want excuses. I don’t care.”
Suzi closes her eyes as she listens, the stress still plain on her face, yet the annoyance is gone. She stands against the wall, deflated and weary, sliding to the floor she sits with the phone still against her ear, her voice soft almost pleading, “Pao, stop. Please. I told her the truth. She will either believe you or not, she will either believe me or not… it’s no longer my concern.” She softly sighs before responding, “Be happy, Pao.”
She hits the end button and stares at the phone in her hand.


Once more the screen cuts to another scene, Gilbert enters the kitchen and gives Suzi an appreciative glance. He can’t help himself, he soaks in her form making a mental picture of her, saving it to memory, “Good morning, Gorgeous.”
“Hi.”
Gilbert’s eyebrow shoots up immediately at her interestingly short response. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
Gilbert stops in his tracks, “Nothing.”


He smirks and stands beside her, leaning easily against the counter. He folds his arms and watches her methodically beat the pancake batter in to submission. “Nothing, huh… then I take it the pancake mix deserves this harsh treatment.” Playfully he wags a finger at the bowl of pancake mix, “Shame on you for stressing her out. Just for that… I’m going to have to take over.”
Suzi blinks rapidly and stares at Gilbert with a confused look, “What?”
Gilbert chuckles at his own ‘joke’, gently yet firmly takes the bowl from Suzi’s hands. He nods towards the general direction of her room, “something is eating at you. Go do whatever it is you need to do. I’ll take care of breakfast.”


Suzi stares momentarily in disbelief at her empty hands. With a resigned sigh, she gives Gilbert an awkward smile, holding his forearm for support she reaches up on her toes and kisses his cheek, “Thanks. I think I will.”
She hesitates briefly, her hand lingering on his arm, she appears to struggle with something, her eyes troubled. She gives his arm a quick squeeze and walks towards her room.


Gilbert finishes preparing the batter as Brandon enters, “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Where is Suzi?”
“Suzi’s taking the morning off. I’ve got breakfast covered.” He grabs a cast iron griddle and heads to the stove. He turns on the burners, careful fits the griddle over them and watches as it heats.
“Is she okay?”
Gilbert shrugs noncommittally, “Sure.” Brandon frowns unconvinced, he looks towards her room. Gilbert watches Brandon stare down the hall, “She just needs a private moment.”


Brandon grabs a sponge and scrubs the counters down, keeping his hands busy. “Have you seen James this morning?”
“Nope.”
“You don’t think he’s still in bed… do you?”
Gilbert glances over his shoulder at Brandon, they exchange a knowing look and laugh. “Ya, that’s what I figured, too.”


Gilbert’s strong voice rings out, “Breakfast!”
Brandon finishes cleaning up the kitchen, dries his hands on a towel just in time to join Gilbert at the table for breakfast, “Smells good… is that blueberry?” He pours the syrup over his stack and cuts in to them with gusto.
Gilbert stares at the pancakes, “I hope so…”
His fork half in his mouth as his first bite is already in his mouth, he stares wide eyed as Gilbert breaks out in laughter. “Ya its blueberry.”
Brandon shakes his head and chews slowly.


The audience suddenly find themselves upstairs once more, staring at a slumbering James. The soft snoring coming from the bed is disturbed by loud banging.
“Dude, breakfast!” Through the door you can hear Danny’s heave footsteps descend the stairs.
James rolls over and blinks a few times, he looks towards the window in momentary confusion. His eyes fly open in a panic and he jumps out of bed, his voice low in rumbling undertones of cursing as the screen fades to commercial.