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Private Notes
The Evans children and Willona are pleasantly shocked to learn that Thelma has been dating the nationally renowned football player Keith Anderson, a Heisman Trophy candidate currently negotiating a 1,000,000 dollar professional contract with the Chicago Bears. When Keith proposes it only remains for Thelma to phone her mother in Arizona to ask her blessing.
Florida arrives home after hearing the news of Thelma's engagement. However, Thelma's impending wedding may never take place, that is if she lets her pre-wedding jitters get the best of her. Meanwhile, J.J. loses his job.
After losing his job, J.J. takes out a $1,000 loan from Sweet Daddy Williams, to pay for Thelma's wedding. The wedding finally goes off without a hitch, but after the ceremony the couples' exit down the aisle ends with Keith breaking his leg.
After a joyous wedding ceremony, things are anything but happy. Thelma and Keith cannot go on a honeymoon because Keith's leg is broken and it may end his sports career. Also, the loan sharks come to visit JJ to get their money back.
Both Florida and J.J. are looking for work but neither are having any luck. One ad, in the newspaper, for part-time work as a school bus driver sparks Florida's attention, but when Alderman Fred Davis becomes involved, it appears Florida may not have a chance, because one of his relatives is also applying for the position.
Willona adamently refuses to discuss the birds and the bees with Penny especially after Willona learns a 13-year old friend of Penny's is pregnant. This leads Willona to tell Penny, that her friend has stomach mumps and not to go near her.
J.J.'s student has to deal with a violent father who ademently refuses to allow his son to take art lessons from J.J., even though J.J. offers to give them for free.
The Evan's apartment feels crowded with Thelma and Keith still living there after their marriage. In addition, things continue to fall apart. Michael decides he can help the situation by moving into his own apartment - with a white girl.
JJ's former girlfriend Vanessa is back in town, and she still has expensive taste. JJ does not want to tell her that he is out of work and cannot afford to take her out all the time. Bookman's assistant is interested in JJ.
J.J. could pay dearly for witnessing an auto accident.
A snowstorm hits Chicago and Florida gets stuck in it with her school bus. This leads her and the kids on the bus to take refuge in an abandoned building to keep warm.
When Keith's Scrooge-like boss at the taxi-cab company won't give him Christmas off, the Evans family brings their Christmas party to Keith and holds at the company. J.J. hosts the festvities and it features Michael singing, Bookman (dressed as Santa) dancing, Keith doing impersonations & the girls (Florida, Penny, Willona & Thelma) portraying ""The Pointless Sisters"" doing ""Steam Heat"".
The Evans family has found the perfect home to move into and plan on taking out a loan to pay for it. However, they quickly find, as usual, that that's easier said then done, when they run into trouble trying to perusade the banker.
A student whom Florida drives to school on her bus, becomes the center of attention when Florida discovers he has a hearing problem and his mother refuses to believe Florida's suspicions.
After a near fatal accident, Larry's mother finally realizes that Larry has a hearing problem. Unable to take him to the doctor because she has to work, Mrs. Baker allows Florida to take him to the doctor, which is where Larry makes the announcement that he plans on running away from home.
Sweet Daddy Williams sends his hoods to snatch J.J. from his home and bring him to the hospital. His reasons: J.J. is the only person they could find that match's Sweet Daddy's blood type and Sweet Daddy is in dire need of a blood transfusion.
When Willona goes out of town, she leaves Penny in Florida's care. Shortly after, Penny comes down with a virus and Florida takes her down to the free clinic to be examined. Florida quickly comes face to face with the hardnosed doctor who's out of touch with the people in the ghetto and who's also planning to leave, right in the middle of what seems to be an epidemic.
A tomboy who's been helping out Bookman, wants J.J. to ask her to a dance. However, J.J. thinks of her as just one of the guys, that is until he has an encounter with her at a seedy pick-up bar.
Florida discovers she must take and pass a physical examination to keep her bus driving job. However, the night before her physical is utter chaos ending with Michael landing in jail.
Willona's latest boyfriend, Jeffrey, has been showering her and Penny with extravagant gifts even though they've only been seeing one another for a couple months. Little does Willona know, that he is part of a plan to make Willona look like an unfit mother, a plan engineered by Penny's birth mother.
Keith's search for a job results in strange behavior that everyone plainly points out is not just frustration, but rather a bigger problem. Little does anyone know, Keith has developed a serious drinking problem.
With the art contest approaching, J.J. believes that he is shoo-in to win. However things don't go as planned after he trusts a distracted Bookman to deliver his painting to the judges.
Florida gets a surprise visit from her cousin, Raymond, who has hit it big and gives each member of the family an expensive gift. However, Florida is reluctant to accept her gift of an expensive three room apartment, when she learns just how Raymond makes his money.
This final episode brings all too good news for the Evans family. J.J. gets an offer to a comic company, Keith's bad knee is miraculously healed and is offered another football contract, and Florida is asked if she wants to move in with Keith and Thelma in the fancy apartment building across town where Willona happens to be moving and just so happens to be her future next door neighbor.
