KEEPING UP WITH THE DEVERAUXES
By Jennifer-Lynn D'Anna
EPISODE 40
IN PROGRESS
JENNIFER: (IN SHOCK) Jack!
JACK: (TRYING TO REMAIN CALM) Jennifer.
GRETA: (TAKING IN THE SITUATION) So, you're Colin?
COLIN: (SMILING A LITTLE) And you, if I recall, are the Princess Von Amburg (EXTENDING HIS HAND TO TAKE HERS) We meet again. (KISSES HER HAND)
GRETA blushes as JACK and JENNIFER continue to stare at each other.
JACK: (NOTICING THE OLIVE OIL ON THE GROUND) Oh no. Oh no no no. (BENDING DOWN TO CLEAN IT UP)
JENNIFER: (RUSHING OVER AND KNEELING DOWN TO HELP) Let me help you with that. (SHE GRABS A PIECE OF GLASS FROM JACK)
In the background, COLIN, GRETA, and ABBY speak. JACK and JENNIFER speak in whispers through clenched teeth.
JACK: (GRABBING THE GLASS BACK FROM HER) No, I've got it.
JENNIFER: (KNOWING HE'S MAD ABOUT COLIN) Jack, I want to help (GRABBING THE GLASS BACK).
JACK: (STEALING THE GLASS BACK AGAIN) No. How many times do I have to tell you? I can take care of this. I can take care of my own messes...whether they be with my marriage or with..with..cooking oil. Why don't...why don't you go back to entertaining your guest?
JENNIFER: Jack, I was not "entertaining" Colin. I was giving him a gift.
JACK: (NOT MEETING HER EYES) Is that what you call it nowadays? He sure looked entertained.
JENNIFER: (LIVID) You know what? I give up. I knew you wouldn't understand. (SHE GETS UP WITH SOME OF THE BROKEN BOTTLE AND GOES INTO THE KITCHEN)
OUT on JACK, looking towards the kitchen, upset that he accused her of doing something with Colin.
SCENE 2: J & J'S KITCHEN
JENNIFER has walked in and is putting the broken pieces of glass in the sink. JO comes down the stairs in the kitchen and sees JENNIFER banging around in the kitchen.
JO: Jennifer, are you okay?
JENNIFER: (TURNING TO SEE JO AND TRYING TO SMILE) Yeah, Jo, I am. (NOTICING JO'S DISHES) Are you done with those?
JO: (LOST) Yes. (HANDING THEM TO JENNIFER)
JENNIFER: (REFUSING TO LOOK AT JO, LOOKING OUT THE KITCHEN WINDOW) You know, I was thinking, maybe we should plant a few flowers in the backyard or some fruit. Make our own little garden. What do you think?
JO: I think...I think that something or somebody made you mad and you are trying to forget it.
SCENE 3: J & J'S LIVING ROOM
IN PROGRESS
GRETA: (ENAMORED BY COLIN) I didn't know you knew Jack and Jennifer.
COLIN: I didn't know you knew them either. Actually, Jack, Jennifer, and I-
ABBY: (FROM THE FLOOR WHERE SHE IS DIGGING THROUGH HER BACKPACK)-and me!
COLIN: (SMILING) And the wee one here worked quite closely in Africa.
GRETA: (FROWNING. SHE JUST REALIZED WHO COLIN IS) Oh.
COLIN: (SEEING JACK, WHO HAS BEEN TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE MESS WHILE WATCHING THIS INTERACTION) Jack, do you need any help? I feel so bad just standing here not helping you, chum. (HE WALKS OVER TO HELP)
JACK: (SNATCHING THE PIECES OF THE BOTTLE BACK) No, I have it, chum. Abigail, why don't you run upstairs and change into your play-clothes and then you and I can help Mommy with dinner?
ABBY: Okay. (SHE RUNS UPSTAIRS)
JACK: (TO COLIN AND GRETA) If you'll excuse me, I have another mess to clean up in the kitchen. (HE SMILES NERVOUSLY, PICKS UP THE BAGS, AND WALKS TENTATIVELY TOWARDS THE KITCHEN)
CUT TO
SCENE 4: J & J'S KITCHEN
IN PROGRESS
JENNIFER: (TURNING TO LOOK AT JO) Jo, I am not mad. Okay, I am a little, but...
JACK enters, with a shopping bag clenched in his teeth and two on one arm. In the other hand, he is holding the remainder of the olive oil bottle.
JO: Here's the somebody. (GRABBING THE BAG FROM JACK'S MOUTH) Jack, why ever didn't you call someone?
JENNIFER: (LOOKING STRAIGHT AT JACK) Because, Jo, Jack doesn't need any help.
JACK: (WINCING) Touché. Turning my words around to hurt me, I see. Reminds me of our Spectator days.
JO: (CONFUSED AT WHAT'S GOING ON) Well, I'll leave you two kids alone. Is Abby home?
JACK: (NOT TAKING HIS EYES OFF JENNIFER) She went upstairs to change. Be careful, though, I dropped and broke this (HOLDING UP THE BROKEN PIECES) out there. (SARCASTICALLY) Must've been surprised when I walked through the door.
JO: (WANTING TO LEAVE) I'll clean that up.
JACK: (FINALLY BREAKING HIS GAZE OFF JENNIFER. TO JO) You don't have to. I can get it.
JO: (GRABBING THE MOP AND SOME CLEANING AGENTS OUT OF THE CLOSET) No, don't be silly, I was a maid, after all. If there is anything I know about, it's cleaning. (SHE GLANCES AND SMILES NERVOUSLY TO JENNIFER, THEN SQUEEZES JACK'S ARM AND EXITS TO THE LIVING ROOM)
JENNIFER: (TURNING AROUND TO DO DISHES) Way to go, Jack. You've managed to convince your mother that we're fighting.
JACK: (LOOKING AT HER BACK) We are, aren't we? (THROWING AWAY THE GLASS) Fighting, that is.
JENNIFER: (STILL NOT LOOKING AT HIM) I'd say.
JACK: (WALKING OVER) Can I...can I at least wash my hands?
JENNIFER steps out of the way for a moment as he washes his hands. JACK, seeing how upset she is, decides to make her laugh. Scooping some soapsuds out of the dishpan, he blows them on her and smiles.
OUT on JENNIFER, wiping the soap from her face and angry.
SCENE 5: J & J'S KITCHEN
IN PROGRESS
JACK: (LAUGHING AT HER EXPRESSION) Jennifer, you seem to have gotten something on your face.
JENNIFER: (FAKE SMILING) You think you're funny, don't you?
JACK: Humorous at times, yes.
JENNIFER: Well, I don't. (SCOOPING SOME SUDS OUT AND BLOWING THEM ON HIM) Oh, Jack, you seem to have gotten something on your face. (SHE BREAKS INTO A REAL SMILE)
JACK: (SMILING DESPITE THE BUBBLES ON HIS CHIN) Now there's a smile, wait, wait, stop the presses, Jennifer Horton is smiling! (MOCK SHOUTING) Extra, extra, read all about it, Jennifer Horton has found her smile!
JENNIFER: (TRYING NOT TO SMILE) I shouldn't be smiling, Jack. You really hurt me out there. (SHE TURNS AWAY FROM HIM)
JACK: I...I know. Jennif-(TURNING HER AROUND) Jennifer, will you look at me? We have to come to an understanding about Lucky Charms Boy out there. Seeing him doesn't make me...well, it doesn't make me happy.
JENNIFER: Jack, he was my friend in Africa. He helped me through a lot.
JACK: (HURT) But I'm here now. I want to help you. Jennifer, can't you see that being around him makes me feel..me feel...inferior? (SHUDDERING) All I can think about is him kissing you and touching you and whispering sweet nothings in your ear.
JENNIFER: Jack, it wasn't like that. Colin helped me. I did all the-
JACK: (HURT) You did all the kissing, and touching and whispering of the aforementioned sweet nothings in his ear?
OUT on JENNIFER'S hurt.
SCENE 6: J & J'S KITCHEN
IN PROGRESS
JACK: (HURT. TRYING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT) You know what? Forget I asked that. Let's just have a nice dinner with our daughter. (GOES TO UNPACK THE GROCERIES)
JENNIFER knows he is hurt. SHE walks over and touches his shoulder.
JENNIFER: Jack, I'm sorry.
JACK: For what? For making me go to the market on double coupon day? Don't worry about it, although I did have to fight a rather large woman who cut me in line. Really, you'd think that they'd have more registers open. For business, you know-
JENNIFER: No, Jack, I'm sorry for having Colin over.
JACK: (STOPPING WHAT HE IS DOING) And I'm...I'm sorry for...for making you feel like you should be guilty for being friends with him. I mean, he's not going to be here forever, is he? Pretty soon he'll be skipping the light fantastic back to Ireland or Africa or wherever.
JENNIFER: Actually Jack, he's staying in Salem. He just got the job at University Hospital.
OUT on JACK, dropping a loaf of bread.
SCENE 7: J & J'S KITCHEN
IN PROGRESS
JACK: (IN SHOCK) Oh, so he got the job at the hospital? Cheerio. Good for him. (HE PICKS UP THE LOAF OF BREAD) It's a good thing that this (HOLDING THE BREAD UP) wasn't breakable, huh? Two for two today.
JENNIFER: Jack, that's not all. He's in town with his fiancée.
JACK: (RELIEVED, BUT KNOWING JENNIFER MUST BE HURT) Oh? I'm sure she's a lovely woman. (TRYING NOT TO MEET HER EYES) Not as lovely as you, of course.
JENNIFER: (WEAKLY SMILING) Thank you.
JACK: (LOOKING AT HER) Well, it's true. Not only are you attractive, but intelligent, funny...
JENNIFER: (WRAPPING HER ARMS AROUND HIM) Everything that you are to me.
JACK: (PUTTING DOWN THE GROCERIES AND RELUCTANTLY LETTING HER HUG HIM) This is going to be hard, isn't it?
JENNIFER: Making eggplant or being in the same town as Colin Murphy?
JACK: (SMILING) Well, both. I mean, I know I've told you time and again that we can do this, but...
JENNIFER: But you've had your moments of wavering faith.
JACK: Moments that seemed like hours. I know that you love me and you know that, well, how I feel about you...
JENNIFER: And that's all we've got right now, Jack. All we've got. I need you as much as you need me. (BEAT) If you want, I'll try and stay away from Colin.
JACK: I don't want to tell you what to do or not to do. You're your own person, Jennifer. (SMILING) A stubborn, feisty person, but your own person, nonetheless.
JENNIFER: (SMILING) I love you, Jack Deveraux.
JACK: (SMILING BACK, PLAYING WITH HER HAIR) I know.
JENNIFER: I'm also offering to stay away from Colin, Jack. At least until we're ready.
JACK: (PUTTING HIS ARMS OUT) It's your decision.
JENNIFER: Then it's decided. No more Colin Murphy. In fact, I'm going to say goodbye to him right now. (SHE WALKS TO THE DOOR)
ABBY runs in, almost hitting JENNIFER.
ABBY: Sorry, Mommy. Mommy, Daddy, is it okay if Colin stays for dinner? He said he'd buy me a kite and we'd fly it after dinner. Please...Please...
OUT on JENNIFER looking nervously at JACK.
END OF EPISODE 40
