Episode #8: “MalibuDeck Party”
Scene 1: Dr. Irina Sulemina’s Home, Malibu, California Deck Party - Exterior - Late Afternoon
At the enormous Malibu home of Dr. Irina Sulemina, a deck party is in progress honoring Irina’s weekend guest, and former lover, Dr. Grant Lawrence. While Grant’s ideal weekend would be time alone with Irina, he now realizes that this exquisite Russian lady, is far too popular for him to expect to keep her all to himself. Nashville’s Grant Lawrence does his best to “blend” with these unique California people, although he considers them to be eccentric and phony. The party guests he meets are a huge contrast to his loyal Nashville friends. Even in the midst of the festive party atmosphere, Grants reflects on how much he appreciates his simple, genuine lfestyle in Nashville. The deck party gets more and more interesting, as Grant meets each additional friend of Irina’s. While Grant physically admires the tan, perfect bodies and youthful faces of each celebrity and movie star in attendance, he wonders what - if anything is “real” about their attractive looks. He amusingly ponders the thought of how much money collectively was spent on plastic surgery by the guests. Grant entertains himself by speculating how his life would be different, had he specialized in cosmetic surgery. Then, more introspectively, Grant remembers Nashville’s Coach Foster’s situation. Grant silently wishes that even a fraction of the money the people around him must have frivolously spent on plastic surgery could have been used to help his patient, Joe Foster. Grant snaps back into reality and becomes more firm in his convictions about the need to convince Irina to perform the surgery on the Coach. Grant looks out over the deck rail at the ocean’s pounding waves and wonders if these spoiled, rich people ever take time out of their luxurious lifestyles, to consider less fortunate people, like Joe Foster. Even if they were aware of good people in bad situations, would they even lift a finger to help them?
Arrogantly, Devlin Max again prompts Grant to accept his invitation to go yachting to Catalina the next day. Annoyed, Grant repeats himself, “Sure, I said,… I’d love to go sailing!” Irina’s friend, Sophia Krainov, standing among Irina, Devlin and Grant, can’t help but react to the extremely rude, though typical behavior from Devlin. Sophia gently pats Devlin’s face, speaks Russian to him and walks away to replenish her cocktail. Not understanding the Russian language, Devlin promptly asks Irina for a translation. Irina laughs and stumbles over her words, as she responds, “She says,..that,…she,… likes you.” Devlin, not surprised, as he considers himself God’s gift to women, replies, ”I like her too.” Irina secretly knows that Sophia actually called Devlin a “fool”, in Russian. Sophia’s remark makes Irina feel somewhat validated for occasionally regarding Devlin in the same way. Irina made a mental note to herself to chat with Sophia later, in private about her true feelings towards Devlin. Perhaps Sophia could help Irina sort out the confused emotions she feels for both Devlin and Grant.
Grant Lawrence needs a break from the pressure of being around the snobbish and pushy Devlin Max. He politely excuses himself and says he’s going to get some food. Grant patiently stands in the food line and waits to get a California veggie burger, hot off the grill. Grant grins and imagines how his Nashville friends would react to this trivial Californian barbeque, superficial people and the “veggie burgers” they serve. When Grant makes his way up to the grill, he decides to ask the cook for information about the relationship between Irina Sulemina and Devlin Max. Feeling more insecure than ever, Grant nervously asks the cook, “So what’s Devlin’s story?” The cook tells Grant that the scheming and manipulative Devlin, uses his powerful movie studio position to date young starlets. The cook further explains that lately though, Devlin has been showing an inordinate amount of attention towards Irina. The cook, in disbelief and disgust, also shares his opinion that Devlin may get Irina to commit to a more serious and exclusive relationship, maybe even marriage. Grant wastes no time in asking the chef, ”How’s he’s doing?” The chef profoundly tells Grant “The human body only has so many “NO’s” in it, and it looks like Irina may be running out of them!”
With a smile as big as the Cheshire Cat, Jessica Sanchez walks up to Grant and mischievously asks him, “How’d it go with Devlin?”
As the deck party cook said,…. if the human body only has so many “NO’s” in it,…who will run out of “NO’s” first? Will Dr. Irina Sulemina say “NO” to Dr. Grant Lawrence when he asks her to come to Nashville to perform surgery on Coach Foster? Will Grant Lawrence say “NO” to the beautiful Malibu seductresses coming on to him?” Will Devlin Max say “NO” to Irina’s demand for fidelity?
Will Dr. Sulemina’s hospital say “NO” if she requests for a leave of absence to help Coach Foster?
Will Grant Lawrence say “NO” to returning to Nashville, after a taste of the glamorous Malibu lifestyle? Will Coach Joe Foster ultimately say “NO” to the risky and complicated surgery that could potentially regain him the use of his legs?” There are many “YES” and “NO” questions being asked to everyone involved with Coach Foster. Who will say “YES” and who will say “NO”? Coach Foster has a lot riding on the answers.
Stayed tuned for many more amazing episodes of “Coach Foster Fights Back”.
