Garrett Grayson

**Garrett Grayson** is the ex-husband of Chelsea Grayson and the father of Levi Grayson. His first appearance is in Disorder in the Court.

He is played by **Johnno Wilson**.

## Biography

He was first mentioned in Baxter's Back! as Chelsea states, Chelsea and he parted ways in a friendly divorce. Chelsea had married Garrett and got one child, Levi. But then Garrett later got arrested for financial fraud, leading to separation with Chelsea. To help support each other raise their kids, Chelsea has moved in to live in Raven's apartment.

It's implied his son Levi looked up to him as shown in Vending the Rules.

In Vending the Rules, after noticing that Chelsea still likes to make Garrett look good in front of Levi, Raven confronts her and urges her to tell Levi the truth about Garrett. Chelsea tells Raven that she wants to protect Levi. So, she's not comfortable telling him that his dad is a thief, arrested for financial fraud. While the kids are at school, Raven takes the time to train Chelsea into confronting Garrett. She does a prison-visit scenario hoping Chelsea would learn to face Garrett. It doesn't help.

But it gets to the point that Chelsea faces the reality that she needs to tell Levi the truth about his dad. That he was not the good dad she painted him to be. That he's a thief who ruined their lives before getting arrested for financial fraud.

### Disorder in the Court

After spending two additional years incarcerated, Garrett Grayson is finally released from prison. He immediately begins implementing plans to market the "Schbroom" a broom with an adjustable handle completely unlike (in Garrett's personal opinion) that of the "Schmop" invented by his ex-wife Chelsea. He renews contact with his son, Levi, and promises to see him soon. Upon arriving in Chicago, Garrett schedules meetings with several prospective investors, and films a DSN commercial for the Schbroom. Despite his full day of appointments, Garrett realizes he also needs to see his son, and convinces himself that he can attend to all his business commitments, while still spending time with Levi. The next afternoon, in his rental car, Garrett arrives at 352 Hauser Avenue to reunite with his son. Levi is ecstatic to see his dad, and greets him warmly. Chelsea's greeting is cordial (and hints that she still finds him attractive) but out of earshot of their son, she and her longtime best friend, Raven Baxter, reveal that they have seen his Schbroom commercial. Garrett states that the ad was supposed to be released the following week, but sees nothing wrong in marketing his invention. The women disagree but drop the subject once Levi, returns to leave with his father. Although Levi has a list of activities for them to do, Garrett manages to avoid actually doing any of them, as he attends his various appointments around Chicago, while periodically leaving Levi alone in the car. After eating a lunch of take out burgers, the pair talk, and Levi claims to be enjoying himself. They eventually return to the apartment to watch the music video Levi directed for The Chi-Lective, however, Garrett receives a call from his business associate, Max, and has to leave right away to deal with it. As he leaves, Garrett promises to do everything on Levi's list--the next time they see each other. Shortly thereafter, Garrett is contacted by the production staff of *Judge Giovonni**,*** a Chicago-based court TV show, and is informed of Chelsea's intent to take him to televised court. Knowing that he was under no legal obligation to take part in the proceedings, Garrett, supremely confident in his own ability to mentally outmaneuver Chelsea (and likely eager to avoid paying for an actual lawyer) agrees to participate and to abide by Judge Giovonni's ultimate decision. The next day, garbed in his best suit, Garrett reports to the location where the show is scheduled to be taped. As the plaintiff, Chelsea, along with the ever present Raven, appears first. As the doors reset, Garrett prepares for his entrance as the defendant, by placing his most brilliant and inviting smile on his face, when he is introduced to the court. However, Garrett fails to impress Judge Giovonni, as his suggestion of the proceedings being declared a mistrial is summarily shot down. When the judge asks if Garrett is a lawyer, Raven is quick to quip that he is really a conman. While that does make Raven the target of the judge's attention, Chelsea immediately follows up on the slanderous statement by claiming Garrett also stole her "money, heart, and twenties." Judge Giovonni asks if Raven is her witness, which Chelsea affirms, adding that Raven is also her best friend. However, Raven reveals she is not the only witness, announcing that there is also an additional expert witness present. The judge requests the identity of the witness, and Raven supplies the answer, none other than the couples' only child, Levi Grayson. Garrett can only repeat his own son's name in a puzzled fashion, after the doors part to reveal a well-dressed Levi striding into the courtroom. Standing between his parents, Levi respectfully asks to approach the bench, and Judge Giovonni beckons him forward. As Garrett watches his son converse with the judge, he pointedly avoids glancing in the direction of his ex-wife, Chelsea. It soon becomes evident that Levi has requested, and been granted, the opportunity to ask questions of the defendant--his very own father--while under oath. Confused, Garrett steps away from his podium to move closer to his son, stating that he thought matters between them were fine. Levi affirms that, but confesses that there remains questions that he has always wanted to ask his father. Garrett asks why Levi did not ask them the day before, but Judge Giovonni tells him to listen to Levi, reminding everyone exactly where they all are, by asking "Who's wearing the robe?" Levi finally asks Garrett the questions he has waited three years to ask; "Why'd you do it, Dad? Why'd you take everything Mom worked so long and hard for?" Garrett tries to mitigate the questions by pointing out that Chelsea still had Levi, claiming that his son is his "most precious jewel." This causes Chelsea to observe that Garrett "pawned all the rest." Solemnly, Judge Giovonni clearly instructs Garrett to answer the question. Garrett finally admits that "There is absolutely no good reason for what I did, there never could be." Chelsea notes that both she and Levi believed in him, with Levi proclaiming that his actions "broke our hearts." Garrett claims that hurting his family was the last thing he ever wanted to do, but his business was collapsing and he didn't want them to consider him a failure, and he has spent the last three years thinking about what he did. Chelsea interrupts, mocking him by questioning that it took him three years to think up the "broom version of the Schmop." After the court-sanctioned laughter has quieted down, Garrett confesses that the truth was, that he just couldn't help himself from doing what he did. But Garrett declares that from that point on, he will try in order to someday earn back Levi's trust and love. Levi explains that he never stopped loving his father, but does hope (as he also often tells his mother) that he makes good choices in life. Garrett's first choice is to promise to spend the next day doing all the activities on Levi's list. Imploring his dad to not let him down, Levi gives him a hug. With the questioning concluded, Judge Giovonni renders his verdict: He rules in favor of the plaintiff, Chelsea Grayson. Garrett is not happy, and steels himself for the worst. The judge orders him to cease all production and marketing of the Schbroom, and surrender all profits from the "Sch" products to Chelsea Grayson. With the case over, Garrett walks over to Chelsea to express his sincere gratitude that she has raised Levi to be such a remarkable young man. Eyeing Raven, Garrett asks permission to hug Chelsea. The request granted, the couple share a lingering embrace, which Raven cuts short. As Garrett backs off, he muses to himself, that while he has suffered a financial setback, he has also taken the first tentative steps in perhaps someday regaining his family.

### Sorry to Father You

Wherever his various business interests take him, Garrett makes certain to video chat with Levi at least once on a daily basis. He also sends his son several gifts from his travels. When Raven and Chelsea's annual "Friend-iversary" weekend, nears, Levi convinces his mother to allow his dad to watch over him during her trip, as the twins' dad, Devon Carter, always spends with them. Happy, yet a bit anxious to act as a sole parent for the first time in years, Garrett contacts Devon, to coordinate their flights into Chicago, and to gather some fatherly advice. Upon their mutual arrivals in Chicago, the pair share a ride to 352 Hauser Avenue. Renewing their acquaintance, Devon bets five dollars that their exes will not wait a single minute before taking digs at Garrett when he steps through their door. Expecting at least a modicum of decorum from the ladies, Garrett accepts the wager. However, he loses the bet, as the women immediately mock his status as an ex-convict, and swipe the five dollars for "gas money" before departing the apartment for their trip, leaving the children in their fathers' care without any further ado, despite the men asking for more detailed instructions. In the morning, Garrett prepares Marmite on toast, and Bubble and Squeak, traditional British breakfast fare that Levi enjoyed when he was younger. During breakfast, the pair decide to try to fit all the holidays, birthdays, and movie premieres they missed spending together, while Garrett was incarcerated, (although he actually prefers the term "away" ) in a "rapid-fire mash-up" during the rest of the weekend. Telling Levi to forgo breakfast for the moment and get changed, Garrett prepares to take his son to the nearest party store. Sometime later, the pair set up a portion of their purchases on the rooftop to celebrate "Halloween-Arbor-giving," by carving a Jack-o-Lantern, constructing an environmental diorama, and preparing a turkey. This is followed by Garrett changing into a green suit with a jacket festooned with white clover shapes, as the pair combine birthdays, St. Patrick's Day and National Banana Split Day. However, as Garrett supplies a cupcake with a lit birthday candle for Levi to blow out, that was not obvious to Booker. Pulling out his phone, Garrett starts playing music suitable for Irish jigging, and begins performing the dance across the roof. Additionally, he volunteers to watch the grilling burgers when Devon and Booker leave the roof. After they return, the Graysons head back down to the apartment to change to their normal attire. However, by the time Levi returns to the roof, his father has brought up a mysterious object covered with a purple tarp.

### Bah Humbugged

Garrett wants to make up to Levi for all the Christmases he had spent away from him in prison. He and Devon come over to celebrate Christmas at 352 Hauser. Chelsea convinced Raven to let Garrett assist her in baking cookies so they can bond. However, Garrett accidentally dropped Raven's grandmother's cookie recipe in the blender ruining it and infuriating Raven. He makes it up to Raven by buying her a scrapbook to fill in all the memories she is going to have with Levi and Chelsea. He also helped Devon in buying a game system for Booker, but Levi and Tess open the gift early and accidentally break it. They concoct a scheme to put the game system back in the box and make it look like it came broken, but when Booker opens the gift Garrett reveals that he had bought the game system broken and went with it anyway because the store wouldn't sell another game system until after Christmas.

## Appearances

* Baxter's Back! (first mentioned)
* The Baxters Get Bounced (mentioned)
* Adventures in Mommy-Sitting (mentioned)
* Vending the Rules (mentioned)
* Disorder in the Court (first appearance)
* Friday Night Tights (mentioned)
* Sorry to Father You
* Bah Humbugged
* The Foreign Identity (mentioned)
* Slammed (mentioned)
* The Story So-Fa (mentioned)
* Baking Bad (mentioned)
* Mad About Yuletide
* Wheel of Misfortune (mentioned)
* Diff'rent Strikes (mentioned)
* Plays of Our Lives (mentioned)
* The Slumber Years (mentioned)
* American Torah Story
* So You Think You Can Drive (mentioned)

## Trivia

* Garrett also stole all of Chelsea's money, which she made by selling her invention, the "Schmop," as stated in *Baxter's Back!*
* His last gift to Levi before going to jail was a drone.
* For undisclosed reasons, Garrett served two additional years in prison.
* Garrett claimed to have gained twenty pounds of muscle while incarcerated.
* In prison, he worked in and organized the library.
* He sent Booker a metallic golden goblet as a gift.
* In a deleted line, Garrett claimed his mother was from the Sussexes of Manchester.
* Garrett claimed his "Schbroom" had no connection whatsoever to Chelsea's "Schmop," but lost his case on *Judge Giovonni*, ultimately paying an award of $132,000 to his ex-wife.
* He sent Levi some money to buy a new couch in The Story So-Fa.
* His parents live in London.
* He and Chelsea first met in London.
* In real life, Johnno Wilson and Anneliese van der Pol have become an engaged couple.