oldEpisode Four-hundred-forty-seven: The
Birth of Abigail Johanna Deveraux Part II:
Jack and Jennifer Are Miles from Anywhere
When She Starts Having Contractions.

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[Air date Friday, 16 October 1992]

 

SCENE ONE: JACK AND JENNIFER ARE IN THE CAR ON THE WAY TO MAGGIE'S.

 

JENNIFER: All right, maybe we should talk about carpet for the nursery. Shall we get something with a pattern in it, do you think?

 

JACK IS NOT LISTENING.

 

JACK: Rain why don't you?

JENNIFER: Who are you talking to Jack?

JACK: Deluge Man, keeper of the floodgates.

JENNIFER: You know that reminds me, we should really call the plumber and have.... HUH!

 

JENNIFER PULLS A FACE.

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: OUCH!

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: OUCH!

JACK: That's a contraction. You're in labor aren't you?

JENNIFER: No I don't think so.

JACK: You are in labor.

JENNIFER: I don't think so.

JACK: You are in labor. Now tell me, you're in labor and here we are a hundred miles from the middle of nowhere in the middle of a rainstorm.

JENNIFER: It's gone.

JACK: It is?

JENNIFER: Yeah, I think it was just the baby resting on a nerve or something. Why don't we just get to the farmhouse, get the cradle and get back. Don't worry, I have no intention of having this baby anywhere except University Hospital's labor room.

 

JACK GIVES A FAINT SMILE.

SCENE TWO: A SHORT TIME LATER, THEY ARE STILL DRIVING, JENNIFER LOOKS UP BABY NAMES IN AN OLD FAMILY BIBLE.

 

JENNIFER: Jedidiah, Ebinezer. I had a great uncle Ebinezer. Can you believe that?

JACK: Yes I can. I wish I'd stopped and got these wretched wipers fixed before this storm.

JENNIFER: Now let me read you some more names out of this family bible.

JACK: There isn't a gas station anywhere to be seen.

JENNIFER: My goodness listen to this. Jedidiah married Theodora. They had nine kids.

JACK: They had no TV.

JENNIFER: They had Hezikiah, Clementine, Frederika....

 

JENNIFER PULLS ANOTHER FACE AND LOOKS DOWN INTO HER LAP.

 

JENNIFER: Oh my, my, oh my!

JACK: Oh my, my, oh my. What kind of a.... that's another one of those family names. Is that a real name or what?

JENNIFER: Oh yes.

JACK: Oh yes?

 

JACK GLANCES ACROSS AT JENNIFER WHO IS PULLING A FACE.

 

JACK: Oh no!

JENNIFER: Oh yes.

JACK: Oh ye.... yes, what? Contraction?

JENNIFER: No.... no.

JACK: No, no, what, what? Then what Jennifer?

JENNIFER: I don't know but it's very strange what I'm feeling but.... I'm becoming more and more convinced that what I think I'm feeling is really what I'm feeling because I don't think anything else could feel this.... this wet.

JACK: Wet?

JENNIFER: Wet.

JACK: As in water.... rainwater?

JENNIFER: No as in my water. As in just broke Jack. Oh no!

 

JACK PULLS A FACE AS HE LOOKS ACROSS AT JENNIFER.

SCENE THREE:THEY CONTINUE DRIVING WITH HER TRYING TO EXPLAIN.

 

JENNIFER: You know what Jack, you're driving too fast.

JACK: Of course I'm driving too fast. You just broke your water.

JENNIFER: That's not how you say it. You say my wife's water broke.

JACK: Exactly! You broke your water.

JENNIFER: No I didn't do it.I had nothing to do with it. it broke. It's a passive verb, right. I had nothing to do with wha.... OH!

JACK: Oh? What is this oh?

JENNIFER: Oh here we go again.

JACK: What, what, you're having a contraction?

JENNIFER: How long has it been?

JACK: Since what?

JENNIFER: Since the last one.

JACK: It's been.... ah....

JENNIFER: OH!

JACK: Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes. All right, okay, as a coach what am I supposed to say? I'm supposed to say....

JENNIFER: OH!

JACK: No, no, "oh" is what you're saying. I'm saying, ah.... ah, push, push, of course, start pushing. Push in, push out.

JENNIFER: No. No that's not what you're supposed to say.

JACK: What do you mean? What?

JENNIFER: Pushing is the last thing I'm supposed to do.

JACK: Of course.

JENNIFER: What's the first thing I'm supposed to do?

JACK: That's what I am saying. It's the last thing that you should do. Don't.... don't, don't push. You're supposed to....

JENNIFER: Breathing.

JACK: Breathe.

JENNIFER: Okay we're supposed to breathe right now.

JACK: Absolutely. You're supposed to breathe.

JENNIFER: Breathe with me Jack. Breathe with me.

JACK: Right. Don't push at all. Think breathing. breathe in, breathe out. Yes. breathe in. Remember a deep cleansing breathe.

JENNIFER: Ooooooh!

JACK: Aaaaaaaah.

 

JENNIFER BEGINS TO COUGH.

 

JACK: Good, good, good, good. Get it out, yeah.

JENNIFER: All right.

JACK: In.

JENNIFER: All right, okay, we did it.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: It's less and less.

JACK: All right. Good, good. Now just remember, just be calm. Then for the next one you can be more focused. Remember, calm and focused. Focused and calm. Calm then focused....

JENNIFER: Right.

JACK: Focused and then calm.

JENNIFER: Please don't say it again.

JACK: What, "calm" or "focused"?

JENNIFER: Neither.

JACK: Listen I just want to make sure that you're calm and foc....

JENNIFER: I know. I have to be calm and focused. I know.

JACK: It's important that when you get to the hospital they need to know that you can be calm and focused so that they can work with you because they have to be able to get that baby out all right and then take that umbilical cord and just.... cut it and make sure that.... everything's just....

JENNIFER: Jack, you have to shut up, okay.

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: Please you have to shut up right now.

JACK: You know something, that's the best idea I've heard all night. If we get a little peace and quiet in this car for just five minutes we'll both be able to be calm and focused. Because you know the next thing we're going to get to that Off Ramp again on that freeway and then in a hop skip and a jump we'll be at the hospital with a delivery room just full of doctors and nurses who are going to know what the hell they're doing.

 

JACK SWALLOWS DEEPLY.

 

JENNIFER: What did you say?

JACK: Nothing.

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: I just said nothing, nothing.... NO.... OH CAREFUL, CAREFUL, IT'S JUST.

 

THE CAR SLIDES TO A STOP.

 

JACK: DAMN!

JENNIFER: What happened? What?

JACK: Come on girl, come on.

 

JACK TRIES TO RESTART THE CAR.

 

JACK (CONY.): There you go, come on, don't do this to me now. Don't do this to me now. Come on.

JENNIFER: We're not stuck, we're not stuck.

JACK: No! No, no, no, no, we're not stuck. We're not stuck at all. We're just.... you know we're just on the side of this road. It's a little mucky perhaps but.... but we're.... we're.... stuck.

JENNIFER: Oh my god, oh god.

JACK: But it's all right.

JENNIFER: Oh God!

JACK: It's all right because I'm feeling very calm and focused.

JENNIFER: Oh God!

JACK: Focused and calm. As a matter of fact right now I feel like taking a deep cleansing breath. Why don't you join me? Hmmmm, aaaaaah. That didn't hurt anything did it?

 

JENNIFER BREATHES TOO.

 

JACK: Yes, and now.... with great poise and presence of mind I think I'll just step out of this car and go round behind and give us a push.

JENNIFER: All right, I'm going to help you push.

JACK: NO, NO. You're not going to push anything with the exception of that baby and not until you finish your breathing exercises, you understand? Now you stay right here. I'll be right back.

JENNIFER: Jack be careful.

 

HE OPENS THE DOOR AND STEPS GINGERLY OUT OF THE CAR AND ALMOST SLIPS RIGHT OVER IN THE MUD.

 

JACK: WHOA! JENNIFER: JACK!

JACK: I'm fine. I'm fine.

 

HE WALKS AROUND THE BACK AND TRIES TO PUSH THE CAR BUT IT WILL NOT BUDGE. AS HE WALKS AROUND TO HER WINDOW HE SLIPS AGAIN.

 

JACK: Jennifer.... WHOA!

JENNIFER: JACK! Jack get up here. Are you all right?

JACK: Yeah, I was just saying that there was a cabin up there. The lights are on and I think we can get up there. I'm going to go and try and make a phone call and I hope....

JACK SLIPS AGAIN.

 

JACK: Jennifer....

JENNIFER:No.... No.... Jack? Jack you can't leave me here. You can't leave me here by myself.

HIS FACE IS COVERED IN MUD.

 

JACK: Jennifer, why don't you just.... oh what the heck, we're both wet anyway. Why don't you just come with me?

JENNIFER: Okay, okay, I'm going to come with you, okay. Here we go.

 

HE HELPS HER OUT OF THE CAR.

 

JACK: Okay, just watch your step. Just watch, the first one's a lulu. Okay, all right. Oh there's water everywhere.

 

JACK PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND HER AND SUPPORTS HER AS THEY WALK.

JACK: Oh take it easy now. Aaaah.... aaaah.

SCENE FOUR: JACK AND JENNIFER HAVE MADE IT TO THE CABIN AND JENNIFER IS LYING ON THE COUCH IN FULL LABOR. JACK IS SITTING AT THE END OF THE COUCH HOLDING HER KNEES AND BREATHING WITH HER.

.JENNIFER: I thought you said the ambulance was on it's way.

JACK: Hmmmm, aaaaah, I thought it was.

JENNIFER: Okay.... ooooooooh, it's a big one. It's a big one.

JACK: It sure seems like it. (Beat) Just keep breathing. I'm going to call and make sure they are on their way, all right.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: But don't forget to breathe. You understand me, just.... ooooooh. Just keep breathing. Remember you breathe and I phone.

 

JACK HURRIES OVER TO THE PHONE.

 

JACK: Hello, this is Jack Deveraux. I called you ten.... ten minutes ago and I.... yes.... YES. Where the hell are you guys? (Beat) Look, no just a minute I have to breathe.

 

JENNIFER HAS CLIMBED ONTO THE MIDDLE OF THE COUCH IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE.

 

JACK: Jennifer, Jennifer, oooooh, aaaaaah. (Returns to the phone.) What do you mean, why? Listen my contractions are

JACK: ....coming five minutes apart. No not me, my wife.... YES! (Beat) Listen I'm telling you something. If you don't get over here quick it's going happen right here in this cabin. You understand? I know there are accidents out there tonight but this doesn't mean this isn't important. (Beat) Well I will not calm down. I will not calm down. I'm going to get more and more tense until somebody gets here to help.

 

HE SLAMS DOWN THE PHONE AND GOES BACK TO HELP JENNIFER WHO IS KNOW KNEELING ON THE COUCH WITH HER HEAD LOWERED.

 

JENNIFER: Okay Jack, why are you yelling?

JACK: I'm not yelling. I'm not yelling. I'm not.... they were telling me just to speak up. It's a bad connection, okay.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: All right, just keep breathing. Just keep breathing and relax. Relax.

JENNIFER: All right. Here we go, here we go again.

JACK: What do you mean, here we go? It hasn't been five minutes yet.

 

JENNIFER BEGINS A VERY STRONG CONTRACTION.

 

JENNIFER: I know but they're going closer and faster.

JACK: No it can't be. It's only been two minutes.

JENNIFER: It's a big one. There's another big one.... OOOOOOH.

JACK: Jennifer, Jennifer, just breathe. I mean just whoooooooo. Think about relaxing and holding onto that baby.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: For as long as you can. If you could just wait.

JENNIFER: Okay, I can wait.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: I don't know if the baby's going to wait.

JACK: No, no, no.

JENNIFER: Yes.

SCENE FIVE: JACK IS AT THE WINDOW. HE WIPES OFF THE CONDENSATION.

 

JENNIFER: Where are they?

JACK: Ah, they're going to be here. That ambulance is going to be here any minute. I can see them now. I just know it.

 

HE RUNS BACK TO HER.

 

JACK (CONT.): Jennifer it's going to be all right. Just keep breathing, all right. It's going to be all right.

JENNIFER: Jack, I'm not going to make it to the hospital.

JACK: Don't say it, don't even think it.

JENNIFER: I'm not. The contractions are too close. There's no time to breathe.

JACK: I.... if you could just.... if you could just think about relaxing for a minute, we're going to make it.

JENNIFER: I don't want to have the baby here. I don't want to have the baby here.

JACK: Ah, you know, we're going to wait for that ambulance but to be on the safe side, I'm think I'm going to call your house. I'm sure there's a bunch of doctors over there by the name of Horton.

 

JACK CALLS THE HORTONS.

 

JACK: Hello, who am I talking to? Is this Bill?

 

ALICE COMES TO THE PHONE AND STANDS BY LISTENING TO BILL

 

BILL: Yeah, Jack, hi. Listen are you still out at Maggie's farmhouse? Mom's been trying to call you out there.

JACK: Look we are not out there. We are at a cabin somewhere between the farm and Salem. I'm not sure where. We had to break into this cabin because.... look Jennifer's water broke and she's having these contractions one after another, every couple of minutes.

BILL: Ah, okay. Jack listen, don't panic. That's the most important thing.

JACK: I know, I know. Calm and focused.

 

JENNIFER CRIES OUT IN PAIN AND BILL HEARS HER.

 

BILL: Is that Jennifer?

JACK: Yeah, it sure as hell ain't the paramedics. Um, Jennifer, calm, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right. All right. Listen.... hello.... hello?

BILL: I'm here.

JACK: Just.... just tell me what to do.

BILL: Now listen Jack, listen to me. I will talk you through the procedure, okay. Step by step. All right Jack?

JACK: All right, listen I'm fine. It's her. Yes.

BILL: Okay step one.... Jack.... Jack are you there?

 

THE PHONE GOES STATIC AND BILL CANNOT HEAR.

 

JACK: Hello.... what's step one. Hello.... Dr. Bill.... Hello.

SCENE SIX: AT THE HORTONS, BILL REALIZES THEY HAVE BEEN DISCOUNTED.

 

BILL: The storm must have blown the lines out.

ALICE: And Jennifer's having her baby?

BILL: In a cabin, god knows where. Jack has no idea where they are.

ALICE: And she isn't going to make it to the hospital?

BILL: No, it's all up to Jack now. He's going to have to deliver the baby.

ALICE: Oh my lord.

SCENE SEVEN: MEANWHILE IN ITALY, ISABELLA DIES IN JOHN'S ARMS.

SCENE EIGHT: JACK IN THE CABIN, JACK DOES THE THING HE THINKS IS RIGHT. HE BOILS A BIG KETTLE OF WATER.

 

JACK: Okay, it's boiling.

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: The water, it's boiling.

JENNIFER: Jack, look, I know that that works in the movies but....

JACK: No, no, no. It's going to work here, just fine. And another thing it's going to make me feel better.

JENNIFER: Here we go, here we go. Can you get something to make me feel better?

JACK: Don't worry about a thing. You know something, as soon as that baby comes out you're going to feel just great.

JENNIFER: I really doubt that.

JACK: Well believe me, you will.

 

JACK GRABS A PILE OF TOWELS FROM THE CLOSET.

 

JACK: Now, I got some great towels here. I'm just going to spread them out here and everything is going to be just fine.

JENNIFER: NO!

JACK: What do you mean no? I mean they're clean. I got them right out of the cupboard over there.

JENNIFER: No I can't.

JACK: What do you mean, Jennifer.... Jennifer? Now, just remember, nice and easy.... nice and easy.

JENNIFER: Jack, Jack.

JACK: Okay. All right, let me help you and we'll get to the table.

JENNIFER: No I can't go to the table.

JACK: What do you mean you can't go to the table?

JENNIFER: I can't go to the table because it's time that I'm meant to push.... I have to push. The baby's coming. JACK!

JACK: NO!

JENNIFER: YES!

 

JACK STANDS, IN SHOCK. HE REALIZES IT IS UP TO HIM TO DELIEVER THE BABY.