oldEpisode One-hundred-thirty-one:
Their Hearts Breaking, Jack and
Jennifer Share One Last Dance.

SCENE ONE: EMILIO TELLS JENNIFER THAT HE CAN WAIT FOR AN ANSWER BUT SHE SAYS SHE CAN GIVE HIM AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW.

JACK MOVES UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TV SET TO LISTEN.

 

JENNIFER: (In tears) I want you to put this on my finger.

EMILIO: You mean you're going to.

JENNIFER: Yes, yes. I'll marry you.

 

JACK'S MOUTH IS WIDE OPEN IN SHOCK AS HE HEARS EMILIO TELL JENNIFER THAT HE LOVES HER. JACK TURNS THE TV OFF AND RUNS OUT THE DOOR.

 

JACK: DAMN!

SCENE TWO: AT WINGS, MELISSA IS EXCITED FOR THEM AND DECIDES TO DEDICATE A SONG TO THEM. JENNIFER AND EMILIO DANCE AS MELISSA SINGS. JACK RUSHES IN WHILE THEY ARE DANCING AND IS DEVASTATED TO SEE THEM TOGETHER. JACK'S HAIR IS DISHEVELED. HE IS WEARING A NAVY RAIN COAT WHICH IS UNBUTTONED; HIS TIE IS UNDONE; HIS SHIRT IS HANGING LOOSELY.

JENNIFER LOOKS AT THE RING ON HER FINGER, AND TWISTS IT. BY HER EXPRESSION SHE APPEARS TO REGRET HER ANSWER ALREADY, AND WISHES THAT IT WERE JACK'S RING.

It seems like I've been waiting my whole life
For you to walk right through my door and make it right.
I try my very best to forget all the times when love was just a heartbeat away
All the nights spent dreaming of you.
Only this time, I can see this love is real
Only this time, I'm not afraid to let you near.
I have always been the last to know
If love is really true.
Only this time, only this time, only this time.
I know it's you.

SCENE THREE: JENNIFER'S EYES ARE FILLED WITH TEARS.

JACK IS STANDING AT THE BAR WITHA MARTINI.

JENNIFER GOES WITH MELISSA WHILE SHE CHANGES HER CLOTHES.

MEANWHILE NICK CORELLI AND APRIL, EMILIO'S SISTER, ARE TALKING OVER THE ENGAGEMENT. APRIL IS NOT AT ALL HAPPY, SHE KNOWS THAT JENNIFER IS NOT IN LOVE WITH EMILIO.

ISABELLA SEES JACK AT THE BAR.

 

ISABELLA: Oh Roman, look it's Jack.

ROMAN: Yeah, what am I lookin' at?

ISABELLA: I think he's getting his heart broken.

ROMAN: Excuse me!

ISABELLA: He's in love with Jennifer.

ROMAN: That's....nice.

ISABELLA: Yeah well she's in love with him too. I think she must have just got tired of waiting around for him to tell her how he feels. He's not very good at that.

ROMAN: It's not much of an excuse.

ISABELLA: Yeah well I wouldn't be too hard on him. It's probably killing him to see her with another man. It's a terrible thing when circumstances keep two people apart who should be together.

 

ISABELLA AND ROMAN LEAVE AND WINGS IS CLOSING.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER IS ALONE WHEN JACK COMES UP AND GRABS HER ARM.

JACK: (Pleading) You can't marry him!

JENNIFER: WHAT?

JACK: I said you can't marry him. You're going to do something that you'll regret the rest of your life so you have to call the whole thing off right now.

JENNIFER: Stop it Jack!

JACK: Look, I'm trying to help you here.

JENNIFER: STOP IT JACK ALRIGHT! You have no right to tell me what to do with my life, okay.

JACK: I'm trying to help you. Don't you....

JENNIFER: No you're not. You're trying to ruin everything. Isn't it bad enough that you throw me out like garbage, you have to come round here and put down a man who's appreciative and caring.

 

JACK IS DESPERATE. BUT HE CANNOT QUITE OPEN UP COMPLETELY ABOUT HIS FEELINGS FOR HER. THIS IS MAKING JENNIFER MORE ANGRY AND IN GREATER PAIN.

 

JACK: We're not talking about Emilio. We're talking about what's best for your life.

JENNIFER: Look don't talk to me about that now, alright. You had your chance. I came to your house. I threw myself at you like I was some pathetic desperate fool and what did I get Jack? What did I get? I got a note. I got a note that said I'm not coming forget the whole thing. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to forget I ever met you Jack.

JACK: I never knew that you were going to go out and get engaged tonight!

JENNIFER: Why not? Why shouldn't I marry Emilio? He's kind and he's considerate and he loves me. You on the other hand, you don't even have the decency to reject me to my face!

JACK: WILL YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT THE DAMN NOTE! WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFE. THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT!

JENNIFER: I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU ABOUT MY LIFE. I MADE A DECISION AND I'M MARRYING EMILIO AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT JACK!

 

JACK IS IN AS MUCH PAIN AS JENNIFER.

 

JACK: Okay. Alright, alright! Okay. Let's take a breath here. Just give me a chance to get out of this as gracefully as possible, alright. But before I do, I'd like to ask one small favor. As your ex-boss....ah....would you do me the honor of maybe a....farewell dance?

JENNIFER: There's no music Jack.

JACK: Well we'll....let's do what we always do. Let's make it up as we go along.

 

HE MOVES TO THE CENTER OF THE DANCE FLOOR AND EXTENDS HIS ARMS, AND ATTEMPTS A HALF-HEARTED SMILE.

JENNIFER HESITATES FOR A FEW MOMENTS. BUT LOOKING INTO EACH OTHER'S EYES SHE IS UNABLE TO RESIST; SHE WALKS TOWARDS HIM AND TAKES HIS HANDS.

HE WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HER, AND RESTS HIS CHIN NEXT TO HER HEAD; SHE IS UNABLE TO SHE THE LOVE IN HIS EYES, AND THE PAIN HE IS FEELING, AS HE IS TRYING TO HOLD BACK HIS TEARS. SHE BURIES HER HEAD IN HIS CHEST, ALSO ON THE VERGE OF CRYING. AN INSTRUMENTAL OF THE SONG WHEN WE FALL IN LOVE BEGINS TO PLAY.

JENNIFER: You shouldn't have come here Jack.

JACK: (With deep love) I had to.

JENNIFER: Why?

JACK: (A faint laugh) I.... ah.... guess hearing you say I do to Emilio did something to me. It made me realize that I had to come down here and stop you from going through with it.

JENNIFER: (Pleading, hoping that Jack will finally open up.) Why? Why don't you want me to marry him?

JACK: You ask too many questions.

JENNIFER: That's because you keep evading me. Tell me Jack.

JACK: Oooh Emilio is just not the right guy for you.

 

JENNIFER STEPS BACK. SHE CAN NO LONGER BEAR THE CLOSENESS, AND IS STILL HOPING THAT JACK WILL TELL HER HOW HE FEELS. HER EYES ARE FILLED WITH TEARS. THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER.

 

JENNIFER: (Pleading) Then who is? Come on Jack. I've asked you this question before and you've still haven't given me an answer.

JACK: (With deep love in his voice) Jennifer, the point is that you are a very special person. Very talented and you're very beautiful. And you deserve....you deserve somebody that's going to appreciate that. (Beat) You don't deserve Emilio. You deserve a whole lot more.

 

JACK GOES TO WALK OUT.

 

JENNIFER: (Crying) Jack why can't you just say it?

JACK: (Turning to look at her, not doing a good job pretending he knows what she means.) Say what?

JENNIFER: You know what! That you think you're the man who can appreciate me. That you think you're the right man for me. I know you do.

JACK: No I don't.

JENNIFER: Damn it Jack! I'm giving you another chance. I swore that I wouldn't but I am. (Crying) I don't know why. I should have some pride but I don't. All I have is what I feel.

JACK: Look Jennifer you....

JENNIFER: (Practically sobbing) Alright, just let me talk! If you can't or won't admit what you feel for me then it's over. I don't want to fight with you anymore. It hurts too much. It's like losing something that you never get back. And I've lost enough already. If I lose anymore I won't have anything else to give to you or anybody else. So you just have to tell me, do you want me or not Jack?

JACK LOOKS AT HER WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES BUT SAYS NOTHING. HE WANTS TO TELL HER, AND HE HATES HURTING HER, BUT HE CANNOT BECAUSE HE BELIEVES HE WILL HURT HER. SHE BEGINS TO CRY.

 

JENNIFER: Just leave okay. Just get out of here. Just leave me alone and get out of my life Jack.

 

EMILIO COMES IN.

 

EMILIO: Hey what's going on? What the hell's going on?

JACK: Apparently not enough.

EMILIO: You're lyin' Deveraux and you know what, you're finally going to get what you deserve! YOU ROTTEN PUNK!

 

EMILIO PUNCHES JACK IN THE JAW AND KNOCKS HIM BACKWARDS ACROSS THE FLOOR. JACK KNOCKS OVER A TABLE KNOCKING GLASSES AND DISHES ONTO THE FLOOR. HE ENDS UP WITH A BLOODIED JAW.

HE STAGGERS TO HIS FEET HOLDING HIS MOUTH.

 

JENNIFER: Jack are you alright.

JACK: I'll live.

EMILIO: Yeah that's too bad. Let's get the hell out of here. Come on.

 

EMILIO TAKES JENNIFER'S ARM AND STARTS TO LEAD HER OUT OF WINGS.

 

JACK: Jennifer! Wait a minute, wait a minute!

 

JENNIFER STOPS AND TURNS BACK TO LOOK AT JACK. HIS LIP IS BLEEDING AND HE IS FIGHTING THE PAIN HE FEELS IN LOSING HER. SHE STEPS TOWARD HIM, BELIEVING THAT HE IS ABOUT TO ADMIT HIS TRUE FEELINGS.

JACK: Did you think about what I said? Do you want to spend the rest of your life being dragged around like this, huh?

EMILIO: What! Do you want me to rip your face off? Are you out of your mind?

 

EMILIO GRABS JACK AND SHAKES HIM. JENNIFER STOPS HIM.

 

JENNIFER: Emilio stop! I can handle this. I don't need Emilio to drag me anywhere. I can walk out of here all by myself. Gladly Jack!

 

JENNIFER WALKS OUT.

 

EMILIO: Next time, you know what? I'm not going to be so kind.

 

JACK IS ALONE WITH A BLEEDING LIP AND PAIN IN HIS HEART. HE RUNS HIS HAND THROUGH HIS HAIR AND SIGHS.

SCENE FIVE: MONTAGE ENDING: LATER EMILIO BRINGS JENNIFER HOME TO THE LOFT AS JULIA FORDHAM'S SONG TOWER OF LUCK PLAYS. SHE IS NOT ACTING AT ALL LIKE SOMEONE ENGAGED, SHE IS IN TEARS. EMILIO SEEMS OBVLIOUS TO HOW SHE FEELS, AND FOR WHOM SHE FEELS. HE KISSES HER, BUT SHE DOES NOT RETURN THE KISS. EMILIO LEAVES. SHE COMES INSIDE AND PICKS UP A PICTURE OF JACK FROM THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE WHEN HE WON THE FERRARO AWARD. CRYING, SHE HOLDS IT TO HER CHEST AND CRADDLES IT.

JACK COMES INTO HIS BEDROOM AND SEES THE BROKEN BED FROMHER EARLIER VISIT. HE THROWS HIS COAT OVER THE TV; TAKES OUT A PICTURE OF JENNIFER AND EMILIO THATHE HAD HIDDEN UNDER THE MATTRESS, AND PUTS IT UP NEXT TO THE TV; THEN TAKES A BOOK, AND WITH A RESIGNED SMILE, HE USES IT TO FIX THE BED'S BROKEN LEG, AND THEN LIES DOWNON THE BED AND SIGHS.

You make me feel vulnerable and totally exposed
You make me feel like a teenager dressed in a woman's clothes
And I ask you
And I ask you
Where do we go from here?

All my life
I've been the one who's big strong for everyone
Then you come along
A tower of luck for me to lean on
And I ask you
Where do we go from here?

You got me so I'm curlin' like a kitten in your hand
You got me so I'm clawin' like a tiger caged and bound
And I ask you
And I ask you
Where do we go from here

All my life
I've been the one who's big strong for everyone
Then you come along
A tower of luck for me to lean on
And I ask you
Where do we go from here?

You make me feel vulnerable and totally exposed
You make me feel like a teenager dressed in a woman's clothes
And I ask you
And I ask you
Where do we go from here

All my life
I've been the one who's big strong for everyone
Then you come along
A tower of luck for me to lean on
And I ask you
Where do we go from here?

All my life
I've been the one who's always there for everyone
And now
And now
I have let me down
Will it always be
That I'm the only towerblock for me?