Zora POV

I was in the Banks Kitchen waiting on Carlton so we can do our homework together

"Yo, Zee, peek this, babe. I got that magic joint down now." Will told me walking in with a box

"Please, Will, the last time you showed me a magic trick it took two months for my hair to grow back." I told him

,Yeah, I know. Well, that was then and this is now. Behold, the great Willdini! Unh!" Will said dancing as Mr. Banks walked in

"Alright, now, here. Give me your watch." He said as I took off my watch

♪ Boom shaka-laka-laka ♪ ♪ Boom shaka-laka-laka boom ♪♪ he said as I looked confused

"What happened to Abracadabra?" I asked

"No, no, this black magic, Zee."he told me as he put my watch in a bag

"Boom!" He yelled as he shook the bag and dust cans out

"That was impressive but Carlton got me that last Christmas" I told him

"Alright, hold up. Hold up. Hold up. I ain't finished yet. Now, here we go. Behold, a bottle, just as any other." Will said as he put the bottle a bag

"Chaka Khan! Chaka Khan! Chaka, Chaka, Chaka, Chaka." He said as he slammed his hand down and the bag flattened completely

"Alright. Now, for my next trick I'll need a dollar bill." Will said as I checked my bag

"I don't have a dollar." I told him

'I have a 20." Mr. Banks

"Oh, that'll do. Alright. Here we go. Notice the intricate folds. Now for the magic words." He said folding bill

"Going..Going..Gone!" He said as he ran out the kitchen and I laughed

"'Will!'" Mr. Banks yelled

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The next morning I walked into the Banks' Kitchen. Today I was bringing everyone to school.

"Zora breakfast" Mrs. Banks said handing me a bowl

"No thanks I'm not hungry" I told her

"I wasn't really asking" she told me

"Yeow" I said as I sat down at the table

"Wow. It looks great." Hilary said as I grabbed a spoonful but it stuck to the bowl

"How about some of that delicious soy milk to go on top?" Will asked

"Oh, okay." She said turning around as Carlton grabbed a bag and we all throw our stuff in the bag before she can turn around

"Mm. Boy, that was better than the batch you made yesterday." Carlton said

"Well, good. That's why I made twice as much today." She told us

"Well, you keep dishing it up, Aunt Viv and we'll keep finding some place to put it." Will said as Carlton and I gave him a look

"Well, you kids go ahead and serve yourselves. I have to go help Ashley with her hair." She told us as she left

"Look, I know mom's a lousy cook, but all the same.I'm really glad that she quit her job". Hilary said

"Yeah, I mean, I mean, having her home all the time is great. I mean, you know, she picks
our clothes out for us and checks our homework, and, you know cuts the crust off the end of our bread." Will said

"Hey, look, that woman must be stopped, y'all." He told us as we nodded as Mr. Banks walked in

"That, uh, diet and exercise regimen
your mother put me on.has really changed my life. I never felt better. It's so nice having her home all the time." He told us as he sat down

"She wakes up cheerful in the morning leaves little love notes in my briefcase calls me up at work just to chat." He said

"That woman must be stopped." He told us as Mrs. Banks walked back in

"Hi, baby, how was your walk?" She asked

"Wonderful." She said as Geoffrey walked in with a cream suit, purple undershirt, and gold chain

"Madam, I have taken the liberty.of polishing
your grandmother's silver for tonight's dinner party." Geoffrey said

"Whoa! Is that G or Philip Michael Thomas?" Will asked as we laughed

"I take it you're referring to this charming ensemble which your aunt insisted I wear." He said walking over to us

"It is only my humble opinion but that woman must be stopped!" He whispered to us

"Ciao." He said as he walked out

"Now, I want everyone home at 7:30 sharp. Yes? We're having a get-together with the neighbors and I have invited Sonya Lamor." She told us

"Word? Sonya Lamor? Hey, I've seen all her movies on the late show." Will said as we stood up

"Yeah, she did a lot of those historical dramas. Zora and I watched every one of them. But our personal favorite was." Carlton said

"George Washington And The Hussy." Carlton and I said

"That's our movie. We watched literally watched it more times than I can remember" I told her as Ashley walked in with two pigtail braids and stomped angrily

"Oh honey" I said looking at her

"Whoa! Ladies and gentleman, give it up for the star of "Heidi Comes To Harlem." Will said pointing at her

"Mom, if you make me go to school like this
I'm going to write a book when I grow up." Ashley told her as the phone rang

"You kids don't know how lucky you are'
now that she's home all the time." Mr. Banks told us

"Oh! Thank you, Philip." Mrs. Banks said as Will went go answer the phone

"Well, I've never felt better since I've been on this diet of exercise and healthy food." He said

"Uh, Uncle Phil, that was for you, they said
you left your wallet at the Donut Depot." Will told him as Mrs. Banks gave him a look

I looked at the time grabbed the keys

"Well we should head out" I said as Mrs. Banks walked up to me with a black bag

"Zora dear I have something for you to wear tonight" she told me

"Oh that's okay I have plenty of dresses in my closet" I told her

"I spent all day looking for it" she cried as I started to fell bad

"Okay I'll wear it" I told her as she smiled and kissed my cheek

.

I walked into the party with my plaid dress and Mrs. Banks braided my hair into a crown. My grandfather looked a me and his eyes widened

"Oh honey no" my grandfather said as Mrs. Banks walked in with a plaid dress too as I faked smiled

"Mrs. Banks picked it out don't you just love it" I said as Mrs. Banks smiled and pinched my cheeks and left

"That women must be stopped" I told him

"Well I think you look beautiful" he said as trying to make me feel better

"So now I'm ugly" I asked

"I didn't-" he said

"Save it" I told him

"I don't know what you want me to say" he yelled as I walked away 

I walked over to Will as his eyes widened at my outfit

"I'm sorry I don't have your sheep" he told me as I rolled my eyes

"I feel like if Cinderella was raised with Hillbillies except I don't get a prince charming at the end" I told him when Ashley walked in wearing a plaid dress too with space buns

"Whoa! Pretty fly earmuffs you got there, Ash.
Um, a little calamine lotion'd probably take care of that rash." Will told her as shs groaned

"Very funny, Will. Can you believe mom made me and Zora wear these hideous dresses?" Ashley asked as I nodded in agreement

"If this is what it takes for me to be seen as a daughter in this family. I don't want to be one" I said

"Come on, Ash, Zee now not many women
can carry off plaid. And here comes one now." He said as Mrs. Banks walked in

"Oh, Ashley, Zora you both look so adorable!
And don't stray too far, baby, it'll ruin the effect." She told us

"Um, don't worry about this, Ash, Zee. One day you're gonna be cracking up laughing about this with your therapist." Will told us

"Okay, I'm here." Hilary said walking in with a trench coat

"Mom, it's not fair. Hilary doesn't have to dress like you." Ashley told her

"Guess again." Hilary said taking off her coat to reveal a plaid dress

"Oh! I wanna play! I wanna play!" Will yelled excitedly as we all looked annoyed

I was eating some crackers and cheese when Geoffrey walked in

"Ms. Sonya Lamor." Geoffrey said as Geoffrey started clapping as we slowly joined in

"That is so kind of you. Please, no pictures." She said

"Hey, Ms. Lamor, I've been your biggest fan
ever since I seen you in "Mutiny On The Hussy." Yo, you look dope in 3-D!" Will said

"It wasn't in 3-D." She told him

"Whoa! Back up." Will said backing up

"Sonya!"

"Sonya, let me introduce you to my daughters Hilary, Ashley, Zora. My son, Carlton. And my nephew, Will." She said as we all smiled

Wait did she just call me one of her daughters.

"Gorgeous." She said

"There is something that I am just dying to know." Hilary asked

"Yes, I did it. And he deserved to be slapped." She said

"Sonya, let me introduce you to my husband, Philip. 'And his legal partner, Henry Firth. And a friend James Allen" Mrs. Banks said

"Hello. You know, I'm looking for a lawyer.
I just wrote my memoirs and I can't put it down, it's so exciting." She said giving Mr. Banks some papers

"Phil is one of the toughest negotiators
in our profession. When Jacoby sued Meyers..
Who do you think he called?" My grandfather said patting his back

"Very impressive Let's talk sometime." She said

"Sonya, there are some people I'd love for you to meet." Mrs. Banks said as they walked away

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The next day Will, Carlton, and I walked in the kitchen. We were gonna go get some CDs from Tower Records

"Will, Zora and I are going to Tower Records to pick up a few CDs." Carlton told his parents

"Yeah. Zee and I gonna teach Carlton how to tap his foot on beat." Will said as Carlton rolled his eyes

"Well, great, you can stop and drop this cake off at Sonya's." She told us as we nodded when Geoffrey walked in

"Madam, I have some distressing news. Your heirloom silverware is missing! And someone's stolen my new uniform!" Geoffrey said

"What?" She yelled

"Well..It's probably just misplaced. Let's split up and look for it." Mr. Banks suggested.

"Oh, no, no, no! Don't trouble yourself, sir.
I'll just go back to wearing my old uniform." Geoffrey said smiling

"I was talking about the silverware. Okay. Let's split up and search the house." Mr. Banks said

"Alright, I'll check the pool." Will said as I grabbed the back of his shirt pulling him back

"Will, don't even try it. There's no need to check the pool, the Jacuzzi the tennis court
or the basketball net." Mr. Banks told him as we split up

After a while we all decided to meet back up in the kitchen

"It wasn't upstairs" I said walking back into the kitchen

"It wasn't in the basement, either. But I did find Geoffrey's new uniform crammed behind
the hot-water heater." Carlton said

"The scoundrels must have ditched
it in their haste to escape!" Geoffrey said as he left

'Well, the silver's obviously not in the house.
It must have been stolen." Mr. Banks said

"Oh, I would hate to think that a neighbor took it." Mrs. Banks said

"We need that little white lady from "Murder, She Wrote." Will said

"Kids, we'll keep looking but go ahead and-and-and drop this cake off at Sonya's." Mrs. Banks told us as we nodded

"If you all happen to be digging around under my bed those, um, videotapes are for
my report on Clarence Thomas." Will said as we left

We made it to Ms. Lamor house and rung the doorbell as we waited for her to answer the door

"Oh! So kind of you. No pictures." She said answering the door

"Well that's gonna get old" Will whispered

"Gonna" I asked

"Hi, Ms. Lamor. My mom baked you this cake." Carlton said

"How sweet of her. Come on, guys, please come in." She said as we walked in

"Oh, this house is no joke! Hey, oh! Hey, isn't this the cane that you used in "An Officer And A Hussy?" Will asked

"I played opposite Olivier." She said

"Laurence Olivier was in "An Officer And A Hussy?" I asked

"No it was his brother, Wendall." She said

"Oh, check this out. Hold up. "Lamor And Gable? You got top billing over Clark Gable?" Will asked pointing to a painting

"It was Schlomo Gable, his half-brother." She said

"Then I guess this Reagan isn't really Ronald." Carlton asked

"Oh, no, that is really Ronald. You see, we couldn't get his brother." She said as the phone rang

"Oh, I'm so sorry, kids. Go in there, but don't eat up the whole cake, please." She said as we went into the dining room

Carlton and I sat down as he began cutting the cake

"I'm a big star! Get me a job or you're
fired!" Her parrot said

"Yo, what's up, man? I'm Will. Polly want a cracker?" Wilk asked

"Will is a cracker." The parrot said

"Yeah, man, your mother poops on papers" Will said as licked chocolate his fingers.

"Will, use a fork." I told him

"Oh, come on, man, I ain't using this wimpy
fork." He said as Carlton scoffed

"This is not a wimpy fork. This is a hand-engraved silver dessert..Jumping Jehoshaphat!" Carlton yelled

"Alright, man. Alright, I'll use the fork." Will said

"Will, Zora I'm telling you, this is mom's! Ms. Lamor must have taken it. Quick! Dial 911!" Carlton said

"Yeah. Come on, man, look, you don't
wanna send her to jail. Remember what happened to her in "A Hussy Behind Bars?" Will said

"We must confront her!" Carlton said

"Wait. Wait. Wait. Come on, man. What, are you tripping? You gonna jeopardize Uncle Phil's chances of getting a book contract." Will said

"And what do you suggest we do?" Carlton asked

"I-I say we do what's fair and just for both parties. Steal it back and run like hell." Will said putting the silverware in his pockets

"Whoa! Calm down Shaggy and Scooby. We can't accuse people of stealing without actual proof" I told him

"It's right here what more proof do you need" Carlton asked as Ms. Lamor walked in

"I am so sorry, guys." She told us

"Oh, ahem, Carlton, Zora weren't you just saying how much you would enjoy a tour of Ms. Lamor's house?" Will asked

"No" I told him

"time like the present."  Carlton cut me off

"Come on, darlings." She said as Carlton dragged me out the room

"You've had a lot of dumb ides but the has to be the dumbest" I whispered before we left

We walked back into the dining room

"Would you like to see my jewelry collection?" She asked

"Do you have any tiaras?" I asked

"Of course I do." She said

"Um, hey-hey, Carlton, Zora it's, uh, time to go, man." Will told us

"Um, I guess, then we'll come back another time." I told her

"I'm so sorry, guys, you're leaving. When you come back, bring me another cake." She told us

"We promise. We promise." Will told her as we walked to the door

"Is the silver in your pockets?" Carlton asked

"No, I'm just extremely happy to see you." Will said sarcastically as we left

We made it back to the house as we walked through the living room

"We did it! God, I was fantastic! The adrenaline was flowin' the nerves of steel
were calm and steady." Carlton said

"Carlton, please, we lifted some silverware from a neighbor and Zee had to slap you twice to keep you from driving us to Mexico." Will told him

"Well, uh, I just thought we should lay low
until the heat was off." Carlton said as Mrs. Banks walked in

"Yo, Aunt Viv, good news!" Will said

"You said it. I got my silverware back." She told us

"How'd you know?" Carlton asked

"The caterers brought it back." She said as she left

"Uh, um, Carlton why do I have service for eight in my drawers?" Will asked

"Now let me sing a little song for you written by me" I said as I cleared my throat

"I knew it. I knew it. I knew it all along. You fools just wouldn't listen. I was right and you were wrong" I sang dancing around the living room

"We get it you were right we shouldn't just jump to conclusions" Carlton told me

"When are you guys gonna learn just listen to Zora. Life would be less complicated."  I told them

"This is all your fault!" Carlton yelled

" What? My fault?  You're the one that said
it was Aunt Viv's silverware." Will said

"Well, since when do you listen to me?" Carlton asked

"Children. It's both your faults. So let's just stop arguing, We.. Let's think of a plan." I said

"We'll get caught. We'll go to jail. Kid 'n Play will portray us in a movie." Carlton said

"Look here, Carlton, Zee All we have to do
is break into Sonya Lamor's and put the silverware back." Will said

"Well, how do we do that?" I asked

'Alright, but we're gonna need somebody to help us, though. Somebody that can't figure out what we're doing, though. Some simple-minded soul." Will said as we heard humming and turned to see Hilary walking down the stairs

We decided to go to Ms. Lamor house and try to sneak the silverware back before she noticed

I don't understand how I end up in these situations sometimes

Carlton grabbed a crowbar as Will was trying to help him open it as I just walked through the door

"Guys come on. Come on." i whispered to them

"Zora, can't we're see I'm busy?" Carlton asked as Will walked in

"Guys, there's a big black guy in the house.
Guys? Guys?" Carlton yelled

"Carlton, would you get in here? Come on!" Will told him as he walked

"I brought these gloves so we don't leave prints.  Yellow or blue?" Carlton asked

"Yellow." Will told him

"Blue please" I told him as Will and I smacked him with the gloves

"Come on, curly, mo let's get this over with." I said

" Oh, no, someone's coming!" Carlton said as the boys grabbed onto me .

" Oh, get off me. Get off me!" I yelled as the three of us hid

"I know they're in here somewhere." Hilary said

"I'm sure, darling, you're going to find your car keys." Ms. Lamor told her as Will sneezed

"Bless you." They both said to each other as Will mouthed to Carlton to drop the keys 

"Well, I'm gonna check in the dining room.
I'm sure it's on the dining-room table." Ms. Lamor said as they left

We came of our hiding spots but Ms. Lamor and Hilary came back as we hid again

"Well, they're not in the dining room." Hikary said

"I've showed you all my quarters'? which means every room in the house, except the garage. I'll start with the powder room." She said as Will jumped behind the couch as they both turned around then left 

We got up from our hiding spots and was about to sneak in the dining room when the doorbell rang as hurried and ran under the table in the dining room

"Oh, how kind of you, darling. No pictures." Ms. Lamor said

"Well, I'm finished with the proposal. I thought you might like to see a copy." Mr. Banks told her

"Thank you, darling. Well, let's give it a
preview.  Come in." She said

"Certainly, if you wish.'" Mr. Banks said as he walked into the house

"Now please come into my dining room.I have some wonderful old sherry from Spain. One of my ex-husbands brought it." She told him aas they walked into the dining room

"Ah. Allow me." He told her as he held out her chair and pushed it in as she thanked him

"I'm more than happy to pour, if you wish." Mr. Banks told her

"Oh, yes, please do." She told him as he pour the liquor

"And now about the film version of my book.
If Meryl Streep is going to play it she must have her nose fixed." Ms. Lamor said

"Absolutely. Page three. The, uh, schnoz clause." Mr. Banks told her

"Darling, you're magnificent!" She yelled smiling

"Yes, that's what my wife always says. You remember my wife? Vivian, mother of my children?" He asked 

"That lovely lady in the plaid. How could I forget her?" She asked

"Philip, uh, may I ask you, are you happily married?" She asked

"Uh, oh, yes. Very happy. Extremely happily." He told her

"You know, when we walk down the street
deer eat from our hand. Which reminds me,
I don't work with animals." She told him

"Sonya, you're a very attractive woman
but I think we should keep this strictly business. So if you don't mind, no hanky-panky." He told her

"I agree, Philip. So please cool the footsie-wootsies!" She told him

"Sonya, with all due respect you're the one
who's playing footsie-wootsie." He said as he put his hand down and grabbed Will's face then looked under the table and saw us

"What the hell is this?" He asked

"Please, darlings, you are too kind. No pictures." Ms. Lamor said

"What are you guys doing here?" Hilary asked us

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Banks asked

"I'm looking for my car keys." She said

"Oh, you know what? I-I know where they are,
Hil. I'll go get 'em. I'll start the car for you." Will said

"I-I'll check the oil." Carlton said as we were about to leave

"Nobody move." Mr. Banks yelled as we stopped walking

"Look, U-Uncle Phil, I-I know what you're thinking and, uh, there's no cake left." Will told him

"Will made me do it. He held a fork to my head." Carlton told him

"Look, alright. Look, it's like this, Uncle Phil.
We-we was coming in here to put back the silverware that we lifted because we thought
that she stole it from Aunt Viv. And, you know, then we found out that she ain't lift nothing." Will said

"That's right, darling. I'm the last real woman
in this zip code." She said

"Sonya, rest assured these two young men will be strongly disciplined." Mr. Banks said

"Haha" I laughed pointing

"You too Zora" he told me

"Why am I in trouble" I asked

"Your in trouble by association" he told me as I groaned

"Oh man. I need better friends" I said

"Alright, everybody, just stay right where you are. We got a report of a break-in." The officer said

"Put your hands down." Will and I whispered to him

"I didn't want to steal the silver. And I didn't wanna break back in to return it. A-and I didn't wanna hide under the furniture, uh
like a bad old episode of "Laverne & Shirley."
Now I'm gonna be sent off to rot in jail! This is all your fault!" Carlton rambled as he tried to hit Will with the gloves but ended up hitting the officer instead

"I have witnesses. It wasn't me." Ms. Lamor said