KEEPING UP WITH THE DEVERAUXES
By Jennifer-Lynn D’Anna
EPISODE 91
SCENE ONE: GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
There is a replay of the last scene of episode 90, finding Jack, shocked to the core to find his “late” brother standing before him. The two of them spend a few uncomfortable moments trying to place one another. Finally, GUARD speaks:
GUARD: Well, ain’t you two gonna say something?
JACK: Um…well…I…I’m at a loss for words. (to himself) I thought that would never happen.
Instinctively, JACK rushes across the room to hug STEVE, surprising both himself and GIDEON in the process.
GIDEON/STEVE: (putting up his hands in defense) Whoa, buddy, I think you better step back there-
JACK: Um…yeah…right. (beat) You really have no idea who I am, do you?
GIDEON/STEVE: Should I?
JACK doesn’t know how to answer. He is hurt that his own brother doesn’t recognize him.
GUARD: So, you do know him?
JACK: Yeah. (looking at STEVE lovingly; thick with emotion) Yeah, I do.
OUT on GIDEON/STEVE, wondering how this stranger knows him.
SCENE TWO: GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
GUARD: Okay, I did what I was supposed to, so let’s go.
JACK: No! I mean, not yet. Please. Can we…can we have a moment alone?
GUARD: Look, Jack, I did what I could-
GIDEON/STEVE: (with familiarity) Jack?
JACK: (turning from the GUARD to STEVE) Yes….yes, Jack…Jackson…Happy Jack Billy Jack Deveraux? Anything? Do you…listen, I’m sure if you think really hard-
GIDEON/STEVE: Jack.
JACK: Yes, Jack. Or Billy. Or…brother…(pointing to himself) Brother.
GIDEON/STEVE: Brother? Look, I have no brothers.
JACK: (growing frustrated) Yes…yes, you do. Look, I know that it’s hard to believe, but…I’m Billy. Well, I was Billy, then I was Jack and then there was this whole convoluted mess involving my parentage and…Adrienne. Do you remember Adrienne? Jo?….Kayla?
GIDEON/STEVE: Kayla?
GUARD: C’mon, it’s time to go.
JACK: Look, I know you’ve been really nice, genial, really, in letting me even come here, but….but could you just give…could you just give me a minute alone-
OLIVER and NIGEL enter suddenly.
NIGEL: (with a thick English accent) We don’t think so.
Both JACK and GIDEON/STEVE jump back in shock.
SCENE THREE: GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
IN PROGRESS
JACK: Oh look, Hanz and Franz.
NIGEL: No time for jokes, Deveraux. (to GUARD) I suppose you’re responsible for allowing this to happen?
GUARD: (flashing a look to JACK for help) Well, I…
JACK: Look, he didn’t do anything I didn’t ask him to. I can be very persuasive when I want to be, remember?
NIGEL: How could we forget? You did talk us into letting us keep you and Bill alive.
JACK: (worried) He is still alive, isn’t he?
NIGEL: Alive and thinking you have jetted back to the States to be with your lovely Miss Horton. She is lovely, isn’t she, Oliver?
OLIVER: Quite. Too bad I don’t have Colin’s job. I’d be-
JACK: (angry) What do you know about Jennifer? Tell me what you know!
OLIVER: Now, now, Jack, I’d say you need to calm down. Jennifer is safe, far from harm, and in the best hands we know. Pun so intended.
NIGEL: Enough with this idle chatter. (walking over to GIDEON) Gideon, do you know who this man is?
GIDEON/STEVE: If I did, why would I tell you?
NIGEL: Not you, too, Gideon. Really, are all Johnson males blessed with such silver tongues? (to JACK, who’s started to answer) Don’t answer that.
OLIVER: It doesn’t matter really, does it, Nigel? These two won’t have much longer to interact, will they? They won’t do us much good after they help us with the task at hand.
JACK: Which brings us to the looming question, what is the task at hand?
NIGEL: In due time, Jack. In due time.
OLIVER: What are we going to do now with the two of them, now that they’ve seen one another (looking at GUARD accusingly)?
NIGEL: Oh, I don’t know. Let them “hang out” together, let them bond. I don’t see the harm in it. In fact, it’s quite kind if you ask me. It won’t be much longer now, will it?
OLIVER: Yes, I suppose it won’t do any harm. Shall we?
NIGEL: We shall. (to GUARD) Come with us. We shall bid the Johnson brothers adieu…for now.
NIGEL, GUARD, and OLIVER exit, leaving an uncomfortable JACK and STEVE alone together.
Outside the door, they pause:
NIGEL: We’ve got them exactly where we want them.
OLIVER: Don’t you mean need them?
NIGEL: Pish-posh, Oliver, can you remain calm for a moment?
OLIVER: But, what if-
NIGEL: No what-ifs. (to GUARD) Thank you kindly for your services. You’ve done an excellent job and will be rewarded accordingly. I trust you’ll keep an eye on the two of them?
GUARD: Will do, sir.
NIGEL: Come Oliver, we have work to do.
NIGEL and OLIVER exit as GUARD looks nervously at the door.
GUARD: I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them-for different reasons. (he picks up his cell phone and dials) Donovan here. We have progress.
SCENE FOUR: INT. GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
A little while after NIGEL and OLIVER leave. GIDEON/STEVE has resumed his position on the window seat, playing his harmonica. An awe-inspired JACK remains lying on the bed, staring at his brother.
GIDEON/STEVE: (growing uncomfortable with JACK’S staring) Take a picture. It’ll last longer.
JACK: (caught off guard) What?
GIDEON/STEVE: Last longer? You’re staring.
JACK: No…I meant…well, I guess I was in shock. You actually spoke to me.
GIDEON/STEVE: I do have vocal cords, you know.
JACK: Of…of course you do. You just haven’t used them in the last thirty minutes, that’s all. (nodding towards the harmonica) You really like that thing, don’t you?
GIDEON/STEVE: (shrugging) Yeah, I guess. I’ve been playing it forever.
JACK: (nodding) The guard said that your grandfather taught you how to play?
GIDEON/STEVE: He did. We used to sit on the docks and play together, watching the ships come in.
JACK: (sitting up, curious) So you lived in a town that had docks?
GIDEON/STEVE: Yeah. What’s it to you?
JACK: (waving it off) Nothing. Nothing.
GIDEON/STEVE: (sitting up and leaning in closer to the bed, watching JACK’S frustration) Are you….are you really my brother?
JACK: (touched by STEVE’S softening) Right down to the DNA.
GIDEON/STEVE: Then how come I don’t remember you?
JACK: I don’t know. You tell me. (sighing, searching for the right words) Look, do you remember anything from your past, other than your time with those guys (nodding towards the door)? You remember your grandfather, don’t you?
GIDEON/STEVE: In bits and pieces. I…I remember an explosion and a woman, a very pretty woman.
JACK: Nothing else?
GIDEON/STEVE: No. Nothing. Should I? Do you know that woman?
JACK: Does she….(finding his wallet and thumbing through some pictures to find one of KAYLA and STEPHANIE) does she happen to look like this?
He gets up and hands GIDEON the picture, hoping he sees something.
GIDEON/STEVE: She’s very pretty.
JACK: Is that…is that the woman?
GIDEON/STEVE: I…I don’t know. (getting up angrily) Dammit, it’s all so muddy.
JACK: (confused) What? What’s so muddy?
GIDEON/STEVE: The memories. Everytime I think I’m making headway. Something…something gets in the way.
JACK: Like…like what?
GIDEON/STEVE: I don’t know. I just can’t remember (touching his head). It’s like it won’t work.
JACK: I’m sure there’s a way-
GIDEON/STEVE: I’ve tried everything. I see her above me, pleading with me. It’s like we’re in some sort of hospital room and then…then everything goes…it goes muddy.
JACK: You…you see Kayla?
GIDEON/STEVE: (with emotion) Kayla?
OUT on JACK, knowing that he’s struck some chord with STEVE.
SCENE FIVE: INT. GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
GIDEON/STEVE: There’s that name again. Is that her name? Kayla?
JACK: Kayla Brady Johnson. She’s your….well, she was your….she was your wife.
GIDEON/STEVE: (overwhelmed by the news, he sits on the bed to let in sink in) My wife? (looking at the picture) And the girl?
JACK: (walking over and sitting beside him) Your daughter. Stephanie. She’s a little bit older than my Abigail. Stevie, that’s what we call her, is a real spitfire, actually. Award winning goalie for her soccer team, on the honor roll. She even won her class spelling bee championship last year.
GIDEON/STEVE: I…I have a daughter?
JACK: Yes…yes, you do. She’s even named after you and Kayla. Stephanie Kay, making you Steve.
GIDEON/STEVE: Was…was I a good father?
JACK: (emotionally) The best. (beat) Listen, I can help you. Maybe I can, maybe I can clear up the mud in your head…boy that sounded weird.
GIDEON/STEVE: (standing up, frustrated) What if I don’t want your help?
JACK: But that makes no sense. I’m the only one who can-
GIDEON/STEVE: What if I don’t want to know? Did you think about that? What if…what if it’s too late?
OUT on JACK, not knowing how to respond to that.
SCENE SIX: INT. GIDEON’S ROOM/AFRICA
IN PROGRESS
JACK: Is that what you’re worried about? Not being able to…not being able to reconnect?
GIDEON/STEVE: Look, man, it’s a definite possibility. There’s gotta be some reason why I’ve lost the past twelve years.
JACK: And there has to be a reason why I found you-why we found each other. I’m not a man who believes in many things, Lord knows I’ve had that tested in my lifetime, but I know that some things just happen, good or bad. This is good. The loss of twelve years is bad. But now you’re here and we have a chance to do something about those missing years. (beat) And how do you know it’s been twelve years exactly?
GIDEON/STEVE: (thinking about what he just said) Lucky guess, I gather. I didn’t like you very much in the past, did I?
JACK: Not at first. I’d like to think I’m an acquired taste, actually. (beat) Look, I’m just saying that I can help you.
GIDEON/STEVE: And what can I do for you?
JACK: You can…you can help me learn…learn how to play the harmonica. And maybe tell me what you’ve been up to. Maybe it all fits together somehow?
GIDEON/STEVE: (mulling it over) Maybe. (beat) You really want to learn how to play the harmonica?
JACK: Well, it beats the accordion. We have a deal, then, Gideon? (extending his hand)
GIDEON/STEVE: (placing his hand in JACK’S and shaking) Deal. And you can call me Steve. It is my name, after all, isn’t it?
JACK: (moved) Yes, it is. Welcome back, Steve. Welcome back.
END OF EPISODE 91
