NOTICE: THIS WAS NEVER AIRED. IT WAS TAPED, BUT INSTEAD, THE DAY FOLLOWING JACK's LEAVING, AUSTIN READ JACK'S GOOD BYE NOTE TO JENNIFER. THE WORDS WERE NOT JACK'S. THIS *IS* JACK'S. IT WAS MATTHEW'S CREATION, AND WHO BETTER TO PUT INTO JACK'S WORDS AND FEELINGS THAN HE. IT WAS TO BE A VIDEO GOODBYE, AND FROM WHAT I GATHER JENNIFER WOULD PLAY IT THE NEXT DAY. FOR ME WHAT AIRED WAS THE APOCRYPHA GOOD BYE, AND THIS WAS JACK'S *REAL* GOODBYE.
JACKS LOOKS AT PHOTO OF HIMSELF, JENNIFER AND ABIGAIL ON THE TABLE. HE PUTS IT DOWN, THEN MOVES TO PICK UP A PAD AND TRIES A TO WRITE NOTE.
(Jack Crumples up the paper) Damn! You've written what you thought under The Spectator headline for the last four years.... and now you.... ( he spots the video camera - same business, he sits) Jennifer.... 'Miss Horton' you know I remember the first time I saw you in The Spectator office filing I don't know, something to get you college credit.... and aspiring 'cub' reporter and me, an aspiring 'cub' publisher. You stole my heart. From the moment I say your face, you stole my heart. It's been quite an adventure hasn't it? I set out to teach you, and yet you taught me you taught me so much more that I could ever hope to learn; about being human, caring, feelings and yet with those feelings there comes a price feeling the fear of losing you of losing our child.... our Abigail. You know I could never say her name out loud for fear of getting too close and losing her . . .like.... and now I'm losing her anyway, I am and you too. "The sins of the Father are visited upon the son or daughter" I don't know, that keeps running through my head. Four years ago, before I met you, I owned many companies. In one of them I knowingly allowed toxic waste to be dumped into an area that affected a school full of children, I remember shrugging it off saying, "Kids get hot flashes and break out with red dots on their face, it's called adolescence." Still, I was caught. I cleaned it up and did my "mea culpa,", the children recovered and I went on with my life as if it were that simple. In meeting you I began to believe that it was that simple I could put this Harper/Duke madness behind me "my two dad" they were the sick ones who did horrible things, not me . I really came to think that I was above it above them. I was blinded by my ego and pride and by you.... by seeing only you. (Pauses, regains his train of thought). Actually I have Victor to thank for showing me the light today. I'm sure he'll be glad to fill you in later on the details but suffice it to say that Tract 5 was my responsibility. It belonged to me through one of Harper's companies which he let me head up while I was in college. I didn't know what I was signing, and more importantly I didn't really care to know but I am the one who authorized the dumping. I am the one who's ultimately responsible for my own child's illness. I think now that subconsciously I was afraid to go out and help you look I could research from home or the office, but looking out for sites.... I think that deep down I might have known I was connected still I was blind and I didn't connect, till it all came tumbling down. I want you to be happy Jennifer, (somehow, after all of this - hah!) I suppose if this was three, four years ago I could push you away to and Emillio or a Francoise but that was before I came to truly know you.... hold you.... love you. I can't find it in myself to push you to anyone now still I cannot have you myself. I feel that if Duke would have left earlier Steve Adrienne and myself.... we might have been a family. If Harper had left early on, I might have been totally different maybe I could've really taught you something. That's why I'm leaving.... to see to give you and Abigail that chance we'll see together. Perhaps someday I'll come back.... someday. This is the most painful thing I've ever had to do. Just know that I'll be watching you.... feeling you. I'll see you and Abigail in everything everything. I love you.... love.... no one will ever love you the way I love you.... "
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