oldEpisode Four-hundred-fifty five:
The Day of Abby's Christening Jack
Discovers Something Inside One of
the Boxes. Later, Carly Is Late for the
Christianing — She Is with Lawrence.

---

[Air date mid-November 1992]

 

SCENE ONE: THE MORNING OF THE CHRISTENING. JACK IS AT WORK ON HIS COMPUTER AND JENNIFER IS IN A ROBE SIPPING COFFEE.

 

JENNIFER: When did you do all of this Jack? It looks absolutely incredible.

JACK: Ah, I set it all up last night after you went to sleep.

JENNIFER: You did this after I went to sleep?

JACK: Ah, yes, why?

JENNIFER: No reason. You are just so good at all of this. You know if it weren't for you I wouldn't even have my career going right now.

JACK: Well thank you. Always nice to be appreciated. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get my morning paper.

JENNIFER: Okay. Abby, hi sweeties. Ready for your big day, huh? We have a beautiful dress for you and your daddy's going to wear his blue....

 

JACK GOES TO THE DOOR AND COLLECTS THE PAPER.

 

JENNIFER: Oh my gosh, I forgot to pick up daddy's suit at the cleaners.

 

SHE TURNS TO JACK.

 

JENNIFER: Ah, Jack....

 

HE IS STARING AT THE HEADLINE.

SCENE TWO: JACK IS STARING AT THE HEAD LINE WHEN JENNIFER RETURNS.

 

JENNIFER: Jack! (Beat) What's wrong? Did they forget to put something in your column?

JACK: No, no, no. It's the headline.

 

HE SHOWS HER THE PAPER. IT READS: "CAPTAIN ROMAN BRADY SHOT BY SISTER."

 

JENNIFER: "Captain Roman Brady Shot by Sister." Oh my god, what happened?

JACK: I don't know. Who knows what happens in this crazy town. The police aren't giving any particulars. It just says that he went through four hours of surgery after being shot in the head and he's in critical condition.

JENNIFER: That's it. We're going to.... we're going to just postpone the christening.

JACK: But wait....

JENNIFER: No, we're just going to postpone it. I mean Bo and Carly, they need to be there for Roman right now.

 

JENNIFER CALLS THE HOSPITAL AND SPEAKS TO CARLY.

 

JENNIFER: Well Carly thinks that we should just go ahead with it.

JACK: Really? What about Roman?

JENNIFER: She said that the worst part was over and she thinks he's going to be okay.

JACK: Let's get on it then.

JENNIFER: Well were you able to contact a photographer?

JACK: There's no need for a photographer. I'm going to take the photos myself.

JENNIFER: Well wait, I wanted pictures of Abby getting baptized and I wanted you in the pictures Jack.

JACK: At that point, your cousin Julie can take the photos.

JENNIFER: Oh that's a good idea and you know Jo will probably take a lot of pictures too.

 

JACK IS UNPACKING MORE BOXES.

 

JACK: Who knows, she might be recording history even as she does it.

JENNIFER: What do you mean? What kind of history?

JACK: Presidential history. For all we know we have the future first woman President right over there.

 

JENNIFER SMILES.

 

JACK: Well we could. (Beat) What's wrong?

JENNIFER: Nothing. I've just never seen you do anything with such finesse.

JACK: I do plenty of things with finesse, thank you. I just happen to have a certain amount of talent at this point, for this.

 

JENNIFER GRINS AT HIM.

 

JACK: Now I think it's about time you served up a little bit of brunch right now. I'd hate to think of her having to go through a christening on an empty stomach.

 

JENNIFER PICKS UP ABBY.

 

JENNIFER: Oh here we go. There she is. There's the big girl. Yeah. We have a big afternoon ahead of us, don't we sweetie? Yeah we do. Okay, say bye daddy.

JACK: Yes.

JENNIFER: Here we go. (Beat) Oh Jack, you know what? I forgot to pick up your blue suit at the cleaners.

JACK: Don't worry. I'll just wear what I've got on. While you serve brunch upstairs, I'll just.... I'll just clear off the rest of these boxes just to make sure there's room for all those wonderful christening gifts that she's bound to receive.

 

JENNIFER GOES UPSTAIRS. JACK CONTINUES TO UNPACK BOXES HE EVENTUALLY GETS TO THE BOX MARKED CONFIDENTIAL. HE IS JUST ABOUT TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PAPERS INSIDE IT WHEN JENNIFER CALLS HIM..

SCENE THREE: JACK ISAND EVENTUALLY GETS TO THE BOX MARKED CONFIDENTIAL. HE IS JUST ABOUT TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PAPERS INSIDE IT WHEN JENNIFER CALLS HIM.

 

JENNIFER: Jack you better get dressed.

 

JACK PULLS OUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MANUSCRIPT AND BEGINS TO FLIP THROUGH IT.

 

JACK: Ah.... yes.... yes, yes, yes.

JENNIFER: We have to leave soon.

 

JACK READS A FEW LINES THEN LOOKS AT THE TITLE. IT IS ENTITLED STOLEN MOMENTS.

 

JACK: I've had a couple of stolen moments myself.

JENNIFER: Jack Deveraux we cannot be late for Abigail's christening.

JACK: Oh yes, yes of course.

 

HE PUTS THE MANUSCRIPT BACK IN THE BOX.

 

JACK: I'd hate to be late to the christening.

 

HE PUTS THE BOX UNDER HIS DESK.

 

JACK: I'm coming, I'm coming.... I'm coming.

SCENE FOUR: TOM, ALICE, BILL, JULIE AND JO ARRIVE AT THE CHURCH AND ARE DISCUSSING ROMAN BEING SHOT BY KIM. BO ARRIVES NEXT WITH SHAWN DOUGLAS. BO AND CARLY ARE THE GODPARENTS. BO IS SURPRISED THAT CARLY IS NOT THERE ALREADY.

SCENE FIVE: MEANWHILE, CARELY IS OFF WITH LAWRENCE TRYING TO STOP VIVIEN TAKING NICKY ON A TRIP. THEY CATCH THEM AT THE AIRPORT AND VIVIEN FAINTS TO DISTRACT EVERYBODY.

SCENE SIX: JENNIFER WALKS IN CARRYING ABBY WITH JACK FOLLOWING.

 

BILL: Mom, dad, have you ever seen a prettier baby?

TOM: Hate to tell you but she's a lot better looking than you were at that age.

JENNIFER: Hey.

ALICE: And better behaved.

JO: Oh don't brag too soon. The party's not over yet.

JACK: Party, indeed. I thought this was supposed to be some kind of a ceremony.

JENNIFER: (To Jack) Do you have the diaper bag?

JACK: Aaaah.

JO: I have it.

JENNIFER: Oh great, okay. I think we need a diaper change.

JO: Well let grandma do the honors.

JACK: Yes please, just go ahead. One thing, don't.... don't drop....

JO: I won't drop her. Listen, you've got guests to greet. Go on.

JACK: Okay, just don't drop.

JO: Okay daddy!

JACK: Yes.

JULIE: (To Jennifer) Isn't it amazing where an infant's concerned, what you consider to be an honor?

JENNIFER: Well I've hardly had time. I'm telling you. I guess you've noticed that.

JULIE: Speaking of your lack of time, how is the new show coming along.

JENNIFER: I have a zillion more things to do.

JACK: But she'll do them all.

JULIE: I want to get a lot of pictures. I want to have them for The Spectator. I want this to be a big promotion. Everybody to get excited about the next Oprah Winfrey.

JENNIFER: Oh Julie.

JULIE: Do you have a press kit?

JACK: Ah, I already set that up with the PR people.

JENNIFER: You have?

JACK: Yes.

JULIE: Aren't you the lucky girl?

JENNIFER: To have someone handling everything, yes I am very lucky.

 

IN THE BACKGROUND ALICE AND JO ARE FUSSING OVER ABBY.

 

JACK: They're handing her around like a piece of day old cake. If you'll excuse me, I just need to make sure she's fine.

JULIE: Did you remember to bring a pacifier?

JACK: I....

JENNIFER: What do you think.

JACK: I.... I've got.... yes. Excuse me.

JENNIFER: Yes, he's ready.

 

JACK WALKS OVER TO GET ABBY.

 

JACK: Please, just hold onto her.

BILL: Yes Jack.

JULIE: If he gets anymore efficient you can rent him out.

JENNIFER: You think so? Maybe I will.

MINISTER: Well if everyone's ready.

JACK: Ah.

ALICE: Yes.

JENNIFER: Unfortunately, the godmother isn't here yet.

BO: She'll be here anytime now. She should.

JULIE: So maybe in the meantime we could all take lots of family pictures.

JENNIFER: Oh that's a good idea. Let's take some pictures.

JULIE: I've got the camera Bo. Would you do the honors?

BO: Sure.

JULIE: Let's all group up.

 

SCENE SEVEN: AT THE AIRPORT, CARLY DECIDES TO CHECK VIVIEN INTO THE HOSPITAL. LAWRENCE THEN TELLS CARLY THAT NICKY IS THEIR CHILD.

SCENE EIGHT: AT THE CHURCH THE MINISTER WANTS TO GET ON WITH THE CEREMONY.

 

MINISTER: I really hate to pressure you all but there is another christening scheduled. So if you would to postpone, I can look at my schedule and we'll see when we can do it.

JENNIFER: You know what, my father has to leave town.

MINISTER: Well perhaps another godmother? With all these lovely ladies here, I'm sure that one of them would be able to do something.

JENNIFER: You know Carly is my best friend. I need her here.

MINISTER: Oh I see.

BO: I tell you what, why don't we wait a couple more minutes and then if Carly doesn't show up, we'll figure something out, okay.

JACK: Perhaps there's a way of calling her wherever she is.

BO: She couldn't leave Jack. If it's a medical emergency, she couldn't leave, not even for Jennifer.

JO: You know Bo is right. I mean we keep forgetting that Carly is a doctor.

 

BO WALKS OUTSIDE AND IS PRETTY SURE THAT CARLY IS WITH LAWRENCE.

SCENE NINE: AT THE AIRPORT, CARLY TELLS LAWRENCE THAT SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE NICKY IS THEIR SON BUT PART OF HER BELIEVES HIM.