KEEPING UP WITH THE DEVERAUXES
By Jennifer-Lynn D'Anna
EPISODE 80
SCENE ONE: INT. HOSPITAL GARAGE
IN on JACK, leading JENNIFER out of the garage by the hand. She looks physically drained and has stains on the front of the skirt of the dress.
JENNIFER: Jack? Jack, no (weaseling her hand out from his).
JACK: (annoyed) What do you mean "Jack, no"?
JENNIFER: I mean, we can't do this.
JACK: Well, I know it is last minute, but I am in a suit and there's no sense in you letting that dress go to waste (catching her look). Why? Why can't we do this?
JENNIFER: We can't...we can't go see Bo about this.
JACK: I know I'm going to regret asking this but why? Why can't we go see Bo about this? I thought this is what he does-jump tall buildings in a single bound, rescue damsels in distress, solve world-renowned cases by whatever means necessary?
JENNIFER: Jack, stop being so flip.
JACK: (starting to joke but then growing serious) I'm not being flip. We need help, Jennifer.
JENNIFER: I...I know but he's so busy with Hope and the babies and...
JACK: And we're not? Jennifer, try juggling getting chased by nefarious creatures and attending your nine-year old daughter's ballet recital. That's where we're at right now. I think it's best if we-
JENNIFER: We don't need Bo, Jack. We can do this. If you let me help you.
JACK: Oh no...oh no you don't. You are in no way helping me.
JENNIFER: Jack, I already know what you're after and they think I know more than I do...
JACK: (pausing and mulling it over) So now I'm supposed to just drop everything and let you help me? I'm supposed to give in and do the very last thing I wanted to do-to put you in danger?
JENNIFER: I put myself in danger, Jack.
JACK: By snooping. Jennifer, why can't you listen to me?
JENNIFER: Because...
JACK: (raising his voice) Because why? I've tried everything with you. I've pleaded, I've begged, and you still won't listen. (near tears) I don't want to do this. I don't want to see you get hurt.
JENNIFER: (nodding) I know. (beat) Let me help you, Jack. We can help each other.
JACK: (after a moment) I still want to talk to Bo. We'll just give him a heads-up on what's going on.
JENNIFER: But--
JACK: No buts about it. And you are not to leave my side. I'm serious-not to go to the store, to the bathroom, to anywhere. You and I are going to be stuck to each other like-
JENNIFER: (overlapping, pretending to be annoyed) Glue.
JACK: (pretending to be annoyed as well) Yes, like glue...
SCENE 2: INT. BO & HOPE'S HOUSE
HOPE is just getting off the phone as BO puts their two boys (they now have custody of JT and ISAAC in the playpen). He is watching her curiously.
HOPE: (on the phone) No, I haven't. (beat) Yes, I'll tell them. (beat) Give me a call if they show up there first. (beat) Thanks. Bye. (hanging up)
BO: Who was that?
HOPE: (concerned) That was Jo, Jack's mom. She said there was some sort of chase down at the mall today involving Jack and Jennifer. Nobody's seen them since.
BO: That's weird. You don't think Jack's up to one of his schemes, do you?
HOPE: No, the last time Jenn and I talked, everything was okay. She was happier than ever...(stopping as if remembering) Wait a minute, now that I think about it, she did act as if she was hiding something.
BO: You think that's what this chase was about?
HOPE: I don't know. She did seem a little distracted, though. I wonder if this has anything to do with Colin.
BO: That's what I'm thinking. I tell you, Fancy Face, something's just not right where he's concerned. (beat) I just hope that Jack and Jennifer turn up soon so that we can get to the bottom of this (the doorbell rings). I'll get it. (walking to the door and opening it to find both Jack and Jennifer) Well, that was fast.
HOPE: (walking over) I'd say.
SCENE 3: INT. BO & HOPE'S HOUSE
IN PROGRESS
JACK: Looking for us?
BO: Well, now that you mention it...(looking at JENNIFER'S attire) Fancy Face, I feel left out, don't you? Jack and Jennifer plan this huge wedding and don't even think to invite us.
HOPE: (smiling) And I thought I was your favorite cousin.
JENNIFER: (annoyed) Very funny. Can we come in?
HOPE: Only if Jack can carry you across the threshold.
JENNIFER throws a look to JACK, who is also not amused.
JACK: (clutching his lower back) Well, you see, my back-
BO: (waving them in) Come in, come in. We were just talking about you.
They all walk into the living room.
JACK: Imagine that. Doesn't that always seem to be the case, at least in Salem anyway? You talk about a person and voila-they show up.
HOPE: (to JENNIFER) Jo just called, looking for the two of you.
JENNIFER: I should call her. (looking to JACK)
JACK: Good...and make sure they have Abigail. I don't want to take any chances right now.
JENNIFER nods and goes to use the phone in the kitchen and HOPE follows, leaving JACK and BO alone.
BO: What's going on, Jack? This sounds serious.
JACK: It is serious. More serious than you can ever imagine.
OUT on BO, growing increasingly more curious as to what's going on.
SCENE FOUR: INT. BO & HOPE'S LIVING ROOM
BO: What are you talking about, Jack?
JACK: (nervously rubbing his mouth) I don't...I don't know how to say this.
BO: C'mon, Jack, just spit it out.
JACK: I am...I mean I will...it's just, I know how hard it was for me to hear that somebody close to me was capable of such things and when I told Jennifer about Bill-
BO: This has something to do with Jennifer's father?
JACK: In a way, yes. But-
BO: Colin's involved, isn't he? (punching his fist into his hand) Dammit, I told Pop that he was up to no good.
JACK: Then you had a feeling too about him?
BO: Well, I never really trusted him, if that's what you're asking. I don't like the way he can't look me in the eye and Pop said that he's been asking a lot of questions.
JACK: Like what?
BO: Stuff about the family, about Kimmy and Kayla.
JACK: (curiosity piqued) About Kayla?
BO: Yeah, I know, it makes no sense. (beat) I take it you know what he's up to then?
JACK: I know one thing he's been up to. From the sound of it, though, it seems old Doctor Murphy has his hand in all kinds of baskets.
BO: Tell me what you know. (resting on the top of the sofa) And don't leave anything out, Jack. Anything.
JACK: (smiling nervously) Well, you see, back when Jennifer and I left Salem in 1993-
CUT TO:
SCENE FIVE: INT. BO & HOPE'S KITCHEN
JENNIFER is just hanging up the phone. HOPE, watching her, is pouring lemonade into glasses for her guests.
HOPE: (concerned) Everything okay?
JENNIFER: Yeah. Jo's got Abby and she and Vern and my dad are all at home.
HOPE: Jenn, are you okay?
JENNIFER: I don't know. (slumping into a kitchen chair) It's just that everything is hitting me all at once. I barely had time to deal with the miscarriage and then I threw myself into getting involved in this whole Colin mess. (beat) I should've listened to Jack.
HOPE: You would've never listened to Jack. Horton women never listen, remember?
JENNIFER: (smiling) We should work on that, you know.
HOPE: What's going on, Jenn? Tell me.
JENNIFER: Hope, it's all so confusing.
HOPE: Color me surprised. With you and Jack involved, it's always confusing. (smiling) Gram's told me stories, Jenn.
JENNIFER: (laughing a little) I guess we're an odd duo, huh? (beat, growing serious) Is this how it's always going to be, though? Are Jack and I always going to be flitting from one adventure to the next and living our entire existence in perpetual danger? I don't know if I can take this, Hope. I say I can, I want to get involved, I do, and then it hits me. I mean, we have a child now, a perfectly normal 9 year-old daughter who deserves to live a perfectly normal life. How can she have that when her Mommy and Daddy are always off putting their lives and her life in jeopardy?
HOPE: Jenn, I hate to break it to you but Abby is not a normal 9 year-old.
JENNIFER: (shocked) What? She's as normal as they come. She's a Brownie scout, at the top of her class, has lots of friends...
HOPE: Yes, she has all that (sitting down across from her) and more, but Jenn, Abby also has you and Jack as parents. Forgive me for saying this, but you two are not the most "normal" adults.
JENNIFER goes to speak, but HOPE stops her.
HOPE: Now, let me finish. Bo and I aren't exactly what you'd call normal, either, with that whole Princess Gina fiasco and Stefano constantly nipping at our heels. What I'm trying to say is that Abby is a good kid, raised by good parents. She knows that her life is not the norm, just as Shawn did and does. Abby and Shawn are both healthy kids, despite their parents' relationships and adventures. I am in constant awe of what a wonderful child she is.
JENNIFER: You are?
HOPE: I am. And I'm constantly in awe over her vocabulary. (picking up the tray of lemonade and standing up) What was her first sentence anyway?
JENNIFER: Sentence? Gosh...(getting up to help HOPE), I guess it would be "No comment". It's one of Jack's favorites.
They both laugh and head into the living room.
CUT TO: INT. BO AND HOPE'S LIVING ROOM
JACK: (finishing up his story) And so that's where we are right now. He's looking for this key that Bill and I are looking for, Oliver's missing and--
JENNIFER: (overhearing) Oliver's not missing, Jack. He called yesterday.
JACK: He did?
JENNIFER: Yes, he left a message at the house. I have no idea what he was talking about.
JACK: I knew something wasn't right when your father told me that he was missing. I recalled you saying he phoned awhile back.
JENNIFER: Who told him that?
JACK: That he called? No one. I didn't want to tell anyone until I was positive.
JENNIFER: No. Who told dad that Oliver was missing?
JACK: Nigel.
JENNIFER: So Nigel and Oliver knew each other?
JACK: Knew? No. Nigel and Oliver know each other.
Both JACK and JENNIFER begin pacing and going over the situation in their own heads.
JENNIFER: Hmmm...
JACK: I wonder...
HOPE: (leaning into talk to BO and watching the two of them) Are you as lost as I am?
BO: (nodding. Confused) Fairly. From what I understand, Colin and company are after a key that your Uncle Bill, this Oliver fellow, and Jack are all after.
HOPE: Why would Uncle Bill be after a key?
BO: Because he's a tombraider.
HOPE: (dropping the tray of lemonade) A what?!
JENNIFER and JACK both turn around in shock.
JACK: Yup, pretty much my same reaction.
OUT on HOPE, looking completely shocked.
END OF EPISODE 80
