Change Of Season: Episode 1. Pilot

   In the growing city of Sullivan, founded in the late 19th Century upon the oil boom, a change of guard has taken place as the Patriarch of the Hall Family, James G. Hall has passed away from a sudden heart attack and his Wife, Natalie Hall sits inside the Hall Manor, situated in Downtown Sullivan as her best friend and confidant, Caroline Broward, widow of Forrest Broward sits inside the den, as Natalie looks at a portrait of her late Husband, and takes a puff from her cigarette, as Caroline warns her friend "You know you should give them things up." Natalie sighs with sadness, as she turns to her "My everything. He is gone, and my favorite child is gone Caroline. The only child I relate to is Anna, and the others, well.." Caroline asks Natalie "You seem to be hiding something from me Natalie. I've known you since school and know when you are keeping a secret." Natalie tells Caroline "I found him, after all these years. Once he arrives, he gets the keys to Hall Enterprises." Caroline asks "Who have you found Natalie?" Natalie goes "Our Grandson." Caroline gasps, as she asks "And how will your Daughters take your news? Need I remind you since James died you have stayed locked in this manor and only spoken to me and that maid of yours." Elsie Smallwood, Natalie's personal maid and friend, walks in, as she snaps at Caroline "I have a damn name you bitch." Caroline gets up, and tells Natalie "Well I need to visit Paul and.." Natalie warns her "Caroline keep that mouth shut! I have a dinner planned tonight and the announcement will come then." Caroline warns "This won't go well you know." Natalie responds "I have played my part for James all these years as the sweet wife. Now that he's gone, time to let my Daughters know once and for all who is running the damn show." Caroline leaves, as she glares at Elsie, as Elsie glares back, as the doorbell rings, and Elsie answers, as Bo Jennings, a private detective walks inside, and looks at Natalie and Elsie, and looks at his Mother In Law, as she goes "Time for a beer." Elsie heads to the kitchen, as Bo hands a large envelope to Natalie, as he tells her "Here is everything on him and more. You might want to sit or join Elsie in the kitchen." Natalie tells him "I'll call you tomorrow for your payment. Thank you." Bo walks out, as Natalie walks into James' former office, and opens the envelope, as she starts to read his findings.

    At Hall Enterprises, in Downtown Sullivan in Hall Tower, Ed Banks walks into his office, as his Wife, Ella and their Son Jake follow. Ed tells his Wife and Son "Well since I am now the head honcho around this place, time we consider making changes." Ella reminds her Husband "Right now Mama is in charge.." Ed snaps "And where is she Ella? I've been calling all the shots since your Father died in that office across from me!" Ella gets a text, and sighs "I'm heading downstairs and meet up with Trisha. I will leave the two of you to do business." Jake tells his Father "Ok Mom's gone." Ed smiles, as he goes "James told me years ago he wanted me to run this if anything happened to him. And since you are an attorney for Hall Enterprises, how about a favor for your Dad?" Jake takes a deep breath, and warns him "Look I done one and saved you, this is something you and Grandma will need to discuss." Ed goes "Yeah and so you owe me." Jake gets up, and tells his Father "I'm headed to my office. And I know how Grandma works, and she at least calls me, so I want to keep my relationship good with her. You may want to think about that as well." Jake leaves, as Ed walks over, and pours himself a drink, and has a flashback, and sighs with worry "If she knew.."

     At Sullivan International Airport, an airplane lands, as a man sits inside and takes a deep breath, as the pilot tells him "Limo is waiting for you. Welcome to Sullivan." The man grabs his suitcase, and walks out and gets into the limousine. At Broward Inc, Paul Broward sits inside his office, and takes a drink of coffee as he reads the sales reports, as the secretary walks in and tells him "Your Mother's here." Paul gets up from his desk as he greets her with a hug as Caroline sits down and Paul asks "So you've not heeded my warning Son?" Paul asks his Mother "What's the problem with a young lady working here? We already have her Aunt and I can't stand that bitch." Caroline sighs "Well Paul, Janet Morris has done great work, can't help she married poor people and you keep that tramp in a desk I once sat at and helped your Father build this company." Paul grows frustrated and asks "What did Lacey Jennings ever do to you?" Caroline snaps "Her Mother was who did it to me Paul. I demanded Fancy to be fired, and you better fire Lacey before she tries to break up your loveless marriage." Paul sighs and asks "Where are you going Mother? I don't like this cryptic Smallwood bashing spree you seem to be going on to discussing Sarah." Caroline is silent, as she goes "Well Paul, you call the shots here. Maybe I need a hobby and not meddle in your affairs." Caroline walks out, as Lacey Jennings sits at her desk, and Caroline quips "You make one mistake and I will destroy your career before it starts!" Caroline leaves, as Lacey sends a text to her Mother, and Fancy replies "Meet me at The Mansion."

     Back at Hall Manor, Natalie is silent, as her jaw has dropped in disbelief, as Elsie walks into James' former office and asks "Are you alright?" Natalie stutters, and answers "I don't believe it. That girl..." Elsie goes "What girl?" Natalie tells Elsie "You know Elizabeth Travis isn't Danny's Daughter." Elsie nods, and adds "But I consider her one of my own." Natalie hands a piece of the report over to Elsie, as she reads, and goes "I'll be damn Natalie. You have a huge mess on your hands I can't clean for ya." Natalie sarcastically answers back "And does Elizabeth know about this?" Elsie answers, as she takes a drink from her beer "No she doesn't. Karen hasn't mentioned him before. She met Danny and they got together when she was pregnant." Natalie opens the desk, and pulls out two glasses, and tells Elsie "Well this will be our secret, and I need a drink myself.", pouring herself and Elsie a glass of liquor, as Elsie quips "Now I know hell's about to break loose!" At The Crown, a bar and social spot in Hall Tower, Ella meets with her youngest Sister, Trisha Broward, as they hug and Trisha tells her Oldest Sister "Anna should be here shortly." Ella grows upset and snaps "Why in the hell did you invite her? You know damn well whatever we discuss, she'll go back and tell her and then she will likely cut us completely off." Trisha smiles, and assures Ella "We have Husbands who are powerful men, and I have a successful nephew who can help us take over Daddy's Estate." Ella warns her "Trisha, I know what you are after, and I'm not getting Jake into this." Trisha snaps back "Mama has been M.I.A. since Daddy died! She told me to leave her alone." Ella responds "Same here for me." Trisha adds "Anna is the only one she has allowed in our family home and you have even said you think she might be taking up boozing with Elsie! Caroline goes over there, but we know how she is." Ella quips "I love Aunt Caroline." Trisha murmurs "Auntie my ass. She is Mama's best friend and has hated me ever since I got together with her Son." Ella and Trisha both gets a text, as Anna Evans walks in and asks her Sisters "Did y'all get.." Ella and Trisha nod, and Ella cuts to the point and asks Anna "So what is our Mama planning? Hell she talks to you." Anna looks at the text, and tells her Sister "I'm sworn to secrecy. And I want no part in this plot the two of you are involved in." Trisha goes "We are only concerned.." Anna yells "Yeah, with Daddy's company and Ella is bidding for her precious Ed and we know you would kill to get everything! I am out of here. See the two of you tonight! And so you know, Mama isn't in the mood for any shit!" Anna storms out, as Ella looks at Trisha, as Ella goes "Mama's been plotting." Trisha nods in agreement, as they order drinks.

     Meanwhile the limousine pulls up to the Crepe Myrtle Hotel, Sullivan's top and most exclusive  hotel, the man gets out and the limo driver tells him "I will be waiting as told." The man nods, and walks inside, and tells the lady at the desk "I have a suite waiting upstairs." The man shows his I.D., as the lady goes "Oh yes sir, everything has been taken care of." The man gets his keycard and heads to his suite. Back at Hall Enterprises, Ed sits at his desk, as he reads his text, pouring himself a drink and grinning, as he says "Tonight this will be mine." At The Mansion, a local gathering spot in Sullivan, Lacey arrives as her Mother, Fancy Jennings, the youngest child of Elsie Smallwood and owner of The Mansion, awaits her Daughter, and tells her "I ordered us both a strong drink. So she's still gunning for you?" Lacey asks her Mother "What in the hell is Caroline's problem with you? Because she seems to.." Fancy looks at her and answers "She is a high society bitch sweetheart. She has a big problem with the entire family. One of your Granny's reasons for drinking working for Natalie, who at least treats us decent." Bo walks up, as he goes "So my two favorite girls are at my favorite spot and having a drink? Mind if I join y'all?" Fancy hugs her Husband, with a kiss, and smiles "Certainly not baby." Lacey asks her Father "So are you finished with that mission Ms. Hall sent you on?" Bo looks at his Wife and Daughter, and answers "I am done with my part. And Fancy, your may just want to go pick up Elsie from the manor." Fancy asks "What did you find Bo?" Bo responds "Since Natalie made me sign a disclosure from discussing it, well all I can say is right now I bet Natalie's done pulled out the hard liquor and knowing your Mama.." Fancy rolls her eyes, as Bo assures his Wife ''Caroline didn't take part. All Natalie." Fancy sighs with relief, as Lacey looks at her parents with a thought crossing her mind.

     At Broward Inc, Paul is inside his office, as Janet sits at his desk and in a snooty tone goes "It's time we conquer Hall Enterprises in a merger.." Paul stands up and snaps angrily "Look you crazy bitch! My Mama and Natalie are best friends and tonight Trisha and I are going over to Natalie's for dinner. My Mother wouldn't go for that idea but you should call her and tell her your bright idea. I wish your Husband was still working here. Hell, he's at least got some sense and down to earth." Janet snarks "Ricky can stay at home and wasn't for me he'd be as sorry as the rest of his family!" Paul gets up, as he heads to the door, and boldly tells her "Janet, there's a gentleman's agreement that Hall and Broward both co-exist, as my Mother and my Mother In Law are best friends, and if you try anything, then I intend to fire your ass whether my Mama likes it or not, and if she heard this, she'd do the honors herself! I'm meeting with my Wife now and you can go and do some work besides keeping up with damn gossip and stirring up a fight!" Paul leaves, as Janet heads to her office, and pulls out her phone. At the Broward Mansion, Caroline sits in the living room, as she has a flashback, and glares at a portrait on the wall of her and Forrest, as she walks up to it and snarls "You son of a bitch. Well dear, Natalie and I now officially are connected, and time that I return down there and fix your mistake." At Hall Manor, Elsie sits in the office, as she makes a phone call to her Husband, as Tom Smallwood answers and asks his Wife "Do you just drink with that woman?" Elsie snaps "Tell Karen to cook supper tonight and I will be home later. I'll make up for it asshole." Tom replies in a smug tone "I know you will. And I'll like that part." Elsie hangs up, as she pours another drink from the liquor bottle and goes "What a night this is gonna be!" In the living room, Natalie looks at herself in the mirror, as she grows nervous, and has a flashback and a tear rolls from her eye, as the doorbell rings, and she takes a deep breath and opens as she is silent, fighting her emotions.