KEEPING UP WITH THE DEVERAUXES
By Jennifer-Lynn D'Anna
EPISODE 28
SCENE 1: INT. HOTEL LOBBY
IN on JACK clutching the wall to steady himself. He has just seen JENNIFER and COLIN in an embrace and was not prepared for what it would do to him. He reluctantly looks back their way to see if it was for real.
CUT TO JENNIFER and COLIN still locked in an embrace. COLIN avoids JACK'S eyes and rubs JENNIFER'S back.
CUT TO JACK who can't take it anymore. After a few moments he turns around and walks out angrily.
CUT TO JENNIFER who is feeling very uncomfortable. She breaks the embrace and looks at COLIN.
JENNIFER: What do you think you're doing? Do you think that you can come in here and hug me and expect me to forgive you? You used me, Colin. You used Jack, Colin. You used us, your so-called friends.
COLIN: Jennifer, I-I wanted to tell you, I just couldn't. You weren't part of this plan. I didn't even know you knew me family.
JENNIFER: That's because you never said anything, Colin. You could have, I don't know, mentioned that your mother was a Brady or your father was a DiMera at anytime. Or when I said Salem, you could've said, "me family lives there."
COLIN: I couldn't then. I didn't want to get you involved.
JENNIFER: So leading me on and letting me follow you to Ireland wasn't involved?
COLIN: Jennifer, I did not lead you on. That was real. (STEPPING TOWARDS HER AND BRUSHING HER HAIR WITH HIS HAND) You do believe me, don't you?
OUT on JENNIFER'S confused face.
SCENE 2: IN PROGRESS
JENNIFER: (SLAPPING COLIN'S HAND AWAY) Don't touch me. I don't believe you, Colin. You told me we were-what was the word you used--"chums"?
COLIN: (PLEADINGLY) Can't you see? I couldn't let you get too close.
JENNIFER: (LOWERING HER VOICE) To let me take my daughter and leave Jack wasn't "too close"?
COLIN: (LOWERING HIS VOICE TO MATCH HERS) That was your decision, Jennifer Rose. I didn't push or prod that one. You came to me.
JENNIFER: (RAISING HER VOICE) I thought you were a friend!
COLIN: (YELLING) I was a friend!
OUT on the whole room looking at them.
SCENE 3: EXT. HOTEL GARDEN
IN on JACK walking out into the blaring sun and alone in the garden. He is walking solemnly with his hands in his pockets and wanting to cry. He checks to make sure he is alone and then speaks.
JACK: (LOOKING UP AT THE SKY) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH! (CATCHING HIS BREATH) You just couldn't give me a sign could you? Could you?! (HE LOOKS AROUND AND SEES AN OLD COUPLE WALKING IN THE CORNER OF THE GARDEN LOOKING AT HIM AND SMILES NERVOUSLY AS THEY RUN AWAY AND THEN CONTINUES SPEAKING LOUDLY AND LOOKING TO THE SKY) Okay, fair enough, you gave me a sign. It wasn't what I was looking for but...who the hell am I kidding? What do you owe me? That's right-what do you owe me? Happy Jack, Billy Jack, Deveraux, what do you owe me? (LOWLY) Nothing. (LOUDLY AGAIN) Nothing! (HE TURNS TOWARDS THE HOTEL AND BREATHS HEAVILY)
Behind him, the ghosts of his two fathers, HARPER AND DUKE appear. They are dressed like leprechauns and are drinking ale.
HARPER: (TO DUKE) Looks like somebody's having a bad day.
DUKE: (NODDING TO JACK) I'd say.
CUT to Jack's face which is in shock over the voices. He turns around and looks curiously at them.
DUKE: What's the matter, Billy? Cat got your tongue? (HE POKES HARPER IN THE RIBS AND THEY BOTH LAUGH)
OUT on JACK looking nervous at the sight of these two.
SCENE 4: INT. HOTEL LOBBY
IN PROGRESS
COLIN: (NOTICING EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THEM, LOWERING HIS VOICE) I...I was your friend, Jennifer Rose. I am your friend. You just have to believe me.
JENNIFER: (LOWERING HER VOICE AS WELL. CALMLY) I can't do this, Colin. I can't. I have to go find Jack (SHE GOES TO TURN AND HE GRABS HER ELBOW) What?
COLIN: Are you and Jack together?
JENNIFER: Yes. No. I don't know. All I know is that I've got to tell him what went on before he thinks the worst.
COLIN: What does it matter to you what he thinks?
JENNIFER: It does. It just does, Colin. You say you're my friend... Well, Jack...Jack is my friend too. We've been through so much together...(TRAILING OFF)
COLIN: Do you think he's going to understand? Do you think he's going to forgive you?
JENNIFER: All I know is that he has to. If there's any chance for us, he has to.
OUT on JENNIFER'S doubtful face.
SCENE 5: EXT. HOTEL GARDEN
IN PROGRESS
JACK: (TO HARPER AND DUKE) Oh no. This can't be happening. I'm just going to close my eyes and you'll be gone (CLOSING HIS EYES, PAUSING, AND THEN REOPENING THEM).
HARPER: Boo! What's the matter, son, are you not happy to see your dear old dads?
JACK: (NERVOUSLY SMILING) Hehehe.
DUKE: It's been awhile hasn't it, Billy? Hey, Harp, when was the last time we visited Jackson here? Gosh, it's got to be a good, a good,
HARPER: (FINISHING HIS SENTENCE) Eight years. (TO JACK) Not that we haven't been around. Yup, this boy's done mighty fine for himself, Duke. Not a dime in the bank but a cute little daughter who adores him. She doesn't pay the bills but--
JACK: You just...you just leave Abigail out of this.
DUKE: (TO DUKE) Testy, ain't he? (TO JACK) You should really watch yourself there, Billy-boy. It's because of that little girl that me and Harp are here.
JACK looks bewildered.
HARPER: Don't look so confused, son. Somebody has to come and tell you where you went wrong. And who better than your loving fathers? After all father knows best...or in your case fathers know best...
OUT on JACK smiling nervously and HARPER and DUKE laughing.
SCENE 6: EXT. HOTEL LOBBY
IN on JACK who is nervously joining HARPER and DUKE in their laughing. They both stop and look at him.
HARPER: What's so funny, son?
DUKE: (LOOKING AT DUKE AND THEN TO JACK) Yeah, what's so funny?
JACK: Why, you, of course. Making me believe that nonsense that Abigail sent you here. For my good, that's funny. This from two people probably burning in-
HARPER: (WAVING HIS HAND TO STOP HIM) Shhh. Lucie doesn't like it when you say things like that-
JACK: (NARROWING HIS EYES IN CONFUSION) Lucie?
DUKE: Lucie, Lucifer, Satan, the Devil? Any of this coming to you, Billy?
JACK: (NERVOUSLY SMILING) Right. How could I forget?
HARPER: (TO DUKE) Never mind that, Duke. Let's tell the boy why we're here. (TO JACK) You do want to know why we're here, don't you?
JACK: (CONTINUING TO SMILE NERVOUSLY) Well, to say I wasn't curious would be lying.
HARPER: We're here to show you the error of your ways--where you went wrong with Jennifer.
JACK: Where I went--? I think I can do that just fine on my own, thank you very much.
HARPER: Oh, can you now? You can tell how you drove her into that lad's arms in there (NODDING TOWARDS THE HOTEL)? (TO DUKE) What was his name again? Carl? Colon?
DUKE: (JABBING HARPER IN THE RIBS WITH HIS ELBOW) Colonic, that's it. Colonic. (HE LAUGHS AND JACK GRIMACES)
HARPER: Colonic? I like the sound of that. (TESTING OUT THE WORD) Colonic Murphy. Doctor Colonic Murphy. (NOTICING JACK'S UNAMUSED EXPRESSION) Back to the subject at hand, do you, Jack Deveraux, want to know how you and the darling-
DUKE: (CHIMING IN) Darling-
HARPER: How you and the darling Jennifer Horton got here? Or rather how you got here (POINTING AROUND TO THE GARDEN) and she got there (HE NODS TOWARDS THE HOTEL)? You must be curious.
OUT on JACK'S curiosity.
SCENE 6: INT. HOTEL LOBBY
IN PROGRESS
JENNIFER turns to go and COLIN grabs her elbow again. She pushes his hand off her.
JENNIFER: (ANGRILY) What?
COLIN: Let me at least go with you.
JENNIFER: No, Colin. This is something I have to do. It's time to tell Jack everything.
COLIN: I can help.
JENNIFER: You've helped enough. (SHE TURNS TO WALK AWAY)
COLIN: Please...I meant what I said...about me being your friend...about me wanting to help. Listen, I owe it to Jack.
JENNIFER stops and thinks about it for a moment.
JENNIFER: Okay, but Colin-
COLIN: (STOPPING HER) I know. You lead the way.
OUT on JENNIFER sighing and COLIN following her.
SCENE 7: EXT. HOTEL GARDEN
IN PROGRESS
IN on HARPER and DUKE looking at JACK in anticipation.
DUKE: Well, whaddya say, Billy Boy? You want to know, don't you? You want to know what did you in, don't you? Not that we ever thought it would last, did we, Harp? You, a greasy, law-bending, politician-wannabe who wouldn't know the meaning of love if it hit you in the face and the virginal-
CUT to JACK's face in pain over these words.
HARPER: (CHIMING IN) Virginal--
DUKE: Sweet, caring, Jennifer-
JACK: (THINKING IT OVER FOR A SECOND AND THEN SHAKING HIS HEAD) No. No, no. I don't need your help with this. It's not like that. I was never that way-not with Jennifer--
HARPER: Really now? As I recall, you weren't exactly the most open and honest person now were you?
JACK: (THINKING IT OVER) It doesn't matter. (ANGRILY. TO PROVE A POING.) It doesn't matter. Jennifer knows better. She knows I didn't mean those things--
HARPER: Oh, does she now? Is that why she's inside getting all hot and bothered over some young Irish lad? It matters, doesn't it? It matters to you and it matters to that little girl of yours. To see where her Papa screwed up. Hey, I think Jennifer even called you that once-a screw up. (TO DUKE) You have seen little Abby, haven't you? She's about yay high now (HE HOLDS HIS HAND UP TO INDICATE A HEIGHT)
JACK: (NOT LIKING THE IDEA OF THEM KNOWING ABBY) Stop it. Just stop it. Show me. I don't know why I'm doing this, but show me. Show me where I went wrong.
DUKE: I knew you'd come around. After all you are my flesh and blood, aren't ya, Billy?
JACK: Unfortunately so. Now where is this little viewing going to take place, after all? (LOOKING AROUND) It's not really big enough for a drive-in.
HARPER: Right here, son. Just look right here. (HE POINTS TO THE STREAM RIGHT BEHIND HIM)
JACK, HARPER, AND DUKE lean over and look into the stream. HARPER and DUKE put on 3D glasses.
DUKE: Jack Harcourt Deveraux, Billy Earl Johnson, this is your life or rather the downfall of your life.
OUT on all three looking intently into the stream. JACK is looking very pained over what the past might make him remember.
SCENE 8: INT. HOTEL ROOM
JENNIFER and COLIN enter the hotel room.
JENNIFER: Jack! (SHE LOOKS AROUND FOR HIM AND OPENS THE BATHROOM) Jack, I've got to tell you something! Jack? (SIGHING. TO COLIN) He's not here.
COLIN: Where could he be?
JENNIFER: (NERVOUS) Your guess is as good as mine.
OUT on JENNIFER'S nervous face.
END OF EPISODE 28
