oldEpisode Four-hundred-forty-eight:
The Birth of Abigail Johanna Deveraux
Part III: Jennifer Goes into Labor, and
It Is up to Jack to Deliever their Baby.

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[Air date Monday, 19 October 1992]

 

SCENE ONE: JACK IS STILL WAITING FOR THE AMBULANCE TO ARRIVE AS JENNIFER'S LABOR BECOMES MORE INTENSE.

 

JENNIFER: AAAAARGH.... EEEEEERGH.

JACK: No, DAMMIT.

JENNIFER: Jack you've got to help me. You have to help me.

 

JENNIFER IS MOVING AROUND CONTINUALLY TRYING TO FIND A RELIEF FROM THE PAIN.

 

JACK: Jennifer, just hold on. The paramedics are going to be here soon. I just....

JENNIFER: It's going to be too late. The baby's coming now.

JACK: No, it can't. This can't be happening now. This can't be happening.

JENNIFER: LISTEN TO ME! Listen to me. You're going to have to deliver our baby. Do you hear me?

JACK: No, no, I can't. (A reference to Gone with the Wind) I don't know nuthin' about birthin' no baby.

SCENE TWO: JENNIFER LETS OUT AN ALMIGHTY SCREAM AND JACK RUNS FOR THE PHONE AGAIN BUT IT IS DEAD.

 

JACK: Dammit, the phone is still dead. All right, just hang on there. I know it hurts but the cavalry's coming. Let's look for those paramedics. Oh where are they?

 

JACK CANNOT SEE ANY SIGN OF THEM WHEN HE LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW.

 

JENNIFER: Okay, okay, do you see the ambulance?

JACK: I don't see them but I swear I can hear them somewhere out there in the distance.

JENNIFER: Jack, come here.

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: Just come over here.

JACK: Ah, you're all right. You're all right, do you understand?

JENNIFER: Listen to me, listen to me. The paramedics are not coming.

JACK: Of course they're coming. That's what they do. They're paramedics.

 

SHE GRABS HIS FACE AND YELLS STRAIGHT AT HIM.

JENNIFER: YOU LISTEN TO ME. I am in labor. I am not deaf. I do not hear ambulances. I do not hear sirens. I hear thunder. When you were on the phone the dispatch said that the ambulance was on its way to an accident, all right.

JACK: Yes, but maybe they weren't hurt so they....

JENNIFER: For the last time, you are going to have to deliver this baby whether you like it or not and it's coming whether you like it or not.

 

JENNIFER GROANS WITH ANOTHER STRONG CONTRACTION SO JACK HAS A WORD WITH THE BABY.

 

JACK: All right, do you hear me in there? Now hear this. You will not come out, you will not come out until I tell you to and I don't mean maybe....

JENNIFER SCREAMS IN PAIN.

 

JACK (CONT.): All right, all right, I'll do it. We're doing it. We're doing it. (Jack rushes off to prepare for the delievering) One baby coming right up.

SCENE THREE: JACK HELPS GET INTO POSITION TO GIVE BIRTH.

 

JACK: All right, we've got boiling water; we've got sterilized scissors, string, towels, blankets. Did I forget anything?

 

JENNIFER CAN HARDLY TALK NOW.

 

JENNIFER: I don't think so.

JACK: Okay, it's time for me to check.

 

JACK LEANS DOWN TO CHECK THE POSITION OF THE BABY.

JENNIFER: Oka.... aay.

JACK: Okay, just keep breathing. I'm going to check. Keep breathing.

JENNIFER: How am I doing?

 

JACK FEELS THE BABY'S POSITION.

 

JACK: It won't be much longer.

JENNIFER: Really?

JACK: Yes. I'd say.... you've you've dilated about 10 centimeters. It won't be much longer now.

JENNIFER: NO! No I changed my mind.

 

JACK LOOKS UP FROM EXAMINING HER AND FROWNS.

JACK: You what?

JENNIFER: I don't want to do it. I want to go to the doctor and I want him to give me drugs. I don't want to do it.

 

JACK LAUGHES.

 

JACK: Heheh. I beg your pardon. We're doing this au naturale just the way you wanted it.

 

JENNIFER GETS ANGRY.

 

JENNIFER: NO, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AU NATURALE I'M GOING SHOPPING FOR THE NURSERY AND I'M GOING TO HAVE THE BABY TOMORROW OR I'M GOING TO HAVE IT THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

JACK: No, I beg your pardon, you're having the baby tonight. Now just allow me to....

JENNIFER: NO I'M NOT!

JACK: Wait a minute, I see it! Wait, I can see the head! I can see.... the baby's coming right now! It's coming right now.... it's coming right now. Okay, all right, put your knees up, put your legs up. Okay, come on, put your hands around your knees. There you go.

JENNIFER: NO!

JACK: Yes!

JENNIFER: NO!

JACK: Yes! You have to do this.

JENNIFER: NO!

JACK: Yes, you have do it. Push!

JENNIFER: NO!

JACK: Put your hands together and push!

JENNIFER: NO!

 

JACK TAKES A FIRM HAND WITH JENNIFER AND WAGS HIS FINGER IN HER FACE.

 

JACK: All right, look at me and focus. Focus, okay. Just concentrate and focus. You have to focus, all right? (Beat) Say okay.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: Say okay.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: SAY OKAY.

JENNIFER: OKAY.

JACK: Good. Let's PUSH!

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: PUUUUUUSH!

 

JENNIFER SQUEEZES HER EYES SHUT AND PUSHES HARD AND LONG AS JACK COUNTS HER THROUGH THE CONTRACTION.

 

JACK (CONT.): Two, three, four, five, six. Yes, push, two three, four, five, six. That's it. Push, two, three, four, five, six.

 

SHE LIES BACK EXHAUSTED.

 

JACK (CONT.): Okay, good, good, good.

 

JACK WIPES HER BROW WITH A COOL WASH CLOTH.

JACK (CONT.): Good, good, you're doing really good. Good, okay.

JENNIFER: I have to push again.

JACK: Okay, okay, okay.

 

JENNIFER PUSHES REALLY HARD AGAIN.

 

JACK (CONT.): Push, two, three, four, five, six. That's good. Push, two, three, four, five, six. Again, push, two, three, four, five, six.

JENNIFER: I can't do it anymore.

JACK: It's good, it's coming out. It's coming out.

JENNIFER: I can't do it anymore.

JACK: One more push will do it.

JENNIFER: I can't.

JACK: Listen, you don't have to. The baby is already here. All you have to do is one more push all right. Let's do it! Push, two, three, four, five.... six.

 

JACK LOOKS UP AS THE LIGHTS FLICKER AND DIM.

JACK: PUSH!

 

JENNIFER PUSHES AS HARD AS SHE CAN.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER IS STILL IN LABOR.

 

JACK: Just a little bit more.... just.... just....

 

JENNIFER IS PANTING AS JACK'S FACE TURNS TO AMAZEMENT.

 

JACK: I can't believe it.

JENNIFER: You can't believe what?

 

THE BABY BEGINS TO CRY.

 

JACK: I.... I did it. We had a baby. (Beat) A little baby girl.

JENNIFER: Ooooooh.

 

JENNIFER FACE MELTS INTO TEARS OF HAPPINESS.

SCENE FIVE: A SHORT TIME LATER, JENNIFER IS CLEANED UP AND SHE IS HOLDING THEIR BABY WRAPPED IN A TOWEL. JACK IS SITTING BESIDE JENNIFER.

JENNIFER: Gosh, have you ever seen anything like it?

JACK: I don't believe I have.

JENNIFER: Oh she has just ten perfect little fingers and ten perfect little toes.

JACK: She's the most perfect child in the world.

 

JACK BRUSHES HIS FINGERS OVER THE BABY.

 

JENNIFER: You're right but I think every parent thinks that, huh?

JACK: Well, too bad. I believe we have the winner right here.

JENNIFER: I love you.

JACK: I love you too.

 

JACK KISSES JENNIFER AS HE STROKES THE BABY.

JACK: So what shall we name her?

JENNIFER: Oh my gosh, we never decided, did we? You know what Jack, will you.... will you get my purse?

JACK: Purse?

JENNIFER: Yeah.

JACK: I can handle that.

 

HE GETS THE PURSE AND BRINGS IT OVER TO JENNIFER.

 

JENNIFER: Please, will you get the Bible out of it?

JACK: Get the Bible?

JENNIFER: Yeah.

JACK: Wait a minute, I beg your pardon. We are not naming this child Hezikiah or Clementine or anything like that.

JENNIFER: Jack, we'll find something we both agree on. Open to the first page.

 

JACK OPENS THE BIBLE BUT IT IS UPSIDE DOWN. HE FLIPS IT AROUND AND TO THE FRONT AND THEN OPENS IT AGAIN.

 

JENNIFER: Keep going.... okay.

JACK: Do you have something in mind already?

JENNIFER: Yeah, I do. I have a perfect name and I think that you're going to love it too Jack.

 

THE BABY WRIGGLES AND SQUIRMS AND THEY SMILE DOWN AT HER.

SCENE SIX: BACK IN SALEM, ALICE PUTS DOWN THE PHONE.

 

TOM: Well what is it Alice?

ALICE: That was Caroline Brady. (Beat) Isabella died tonight.

 

THE PHONE RINGS AGAIN.

 

ALICE: Hello.

JACK: It's a girl.

ALICE: Jack?

JACK: You heard me, it's a girl.

ALICE: Yes! Yes, it's wonderful news. Jennifer.... Jennifer had a girl.

 

TOM AND BILL RUSH TO THE PHONE.

ALICE: Is she all right?

JACK: Oh she's perfect.

ALICE: Oh no, no, no, no, no, I don't mean the baby. I'm sure she is adorable but I mean Jennifer. How's Jennifer?

JACK: Oh she's fine. She wants to talk to you.

 

JACK HOLDS THE PHONE FOR JENNIFER, AND RESTS HIS HEAD NEXT TO HERS.

 

JENNIFER: Grandma, hi.

ALICE: Oooh.

JENNIFER: We did it. We delivered our very own baby.

ALICE: Oooh.

JACK: Think about how much money we saved.

ALICE: Jack you are a wonder. Now, the ambulance, did it make it in time?

JENNIFER: Grandma, Jack just called and the ambulance is now on it's way.

ALICE: An ambulance is now on it's way.

TOM: Oh no.

BILL: Finally.

ALICE: Yes.

JENNIFER: Grandma, we named our little girl. Her name is Abigail Johanna Deveraux.

ALICE: Abigail.... ooooh my mother's name. Oh Jennifer, darling.... Jack, I....

JENNIFER: You know what grandma? We'll meet you at the hospital, all right. Tell daddy and grandpa that we love them.

ALICE: Oh I will dear. Good-bye. Now you take care of yourself, will you. All right good-bye.

 

ALICE HANGS UP AND TURNS TO BILL AND TOM.

 

ALICE: Jennifer sends you her love and you will meet.... Abigail Johanna Deveraux as soon as we get to the hospital.

BILL: Great, then I'm going to go down there and make sure everything is all set.

TOM: Good thank you Bill.

ALICE: Yes dear, you will and please drive carefully.

BILL: Oh I will.

ALICE: Good-bye.

 

BILL LEAVES.

 

ALICE: Ooooh the storm has passed. Ooooh the stars are out.

TOM: Look at that bright one over there.

ALICE: Hmmm, some things are eternal like the stars. (Beat) Death.... and life.... and love. A precious life left this earth tonight but a precious one replaced it too. (Beat) May god bless them both.