SCENE ONE: IT IS THE SAME NIGHT.

 

JENNIFER: Oh Jack I still can't believe that you you went to all of this trouble for me.

JACK: I.... I know what you mean.

JENNIFER: I mean it's incredible. You're incredible.

JACK: Oh I really wouldn't go that far, really.

JENNIFER: You know I have to admit that for a while I really thought that the romance had gone out of our relationship. But you proved me wrong. I am so sorry that I ever doubted you Jack.

JACK: No, no, please don't be sorry. Never be sorry on my account.

JENNIFER: You know what, I am never going to doubt you again because any husband who would do this for his wife has to be the most wonderful husband in the world.

 

SHE GIVES HIM A BIG KISS.

SCENE TWO: AT THAT MOMENT, JO COMES TO THE DOOR CARRYING A CAKE BOX.

 

JO: Oooh I hope I'm not to late.

 

SHE LOOKS IN AND SEES THEM KISSING.

 

JO: Ooooh now Jack hasn't any idea what I did. Well maybe it doesn't matter.

 

INSIDE THEY ARE STILL KISSING.

 

 

JENNIFER: I just have one question for you. With your busy schedule how did you ever manage to set all this up? JACK: You know that's a very good question.

JENNIFER: You know I was really beginning to think that you cared more about making money to save The Spectator than Abby and me.

JACK: No! No! Whatever I do it's always for you. You know that. Never forget that.

JENNIFER: Well I won't if you keep reminding me like this.

JACK: I didn't think you needed to be reminded like this but obviously I'm wrong.

JENNIFER: Well you know I think everyone needs this now and then Jack. And I think we have to start appreciating each other again and not taking each other for granted. And we should start expressing our love like you did in this note. I mean Jack when I read this note I was so touched.

 

AS SHE LOOKS AT IT AGAIN, JACK LEANS OVER TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS.

 

JENNIFER: "Jennifer your beauty haunts me like the scent of roses. With love Jack."

 

JACK PULLS A FACE WHEN HE HEARS THE WORDS.

 

JENNIFER: You really do understand what romance is all about, don't you?

JACK: I.... I understand how important it is at this moment, yes.

JENNIFER: I still can't understand how you set this up. I mean you were at the office all day.

JACK: Oh it.... re.... really was rather simple and easy.

JENNIFER: I know, like it was simple when you were working and taking care of Abby and the house when I started the show. You're really amazing Jack. (Beat) What is that delicious smell?

JACK: Hmmm, I, ah.... I don't know. What does it smell like to you?

JENNIFER: Well I.... hmmm, I think it smells like prime rib.

 

OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR, JO IS STILL LISTENING AND TALKING TO HERSELF.

 

JO: It's stuffed Cornish hens Jack. Stuffed Cornish hens.

 

INSIDE JACK IS STILL TRYING TO COVER HIMSELF.

 

JACK: Prime rib. Yes, it does smell like prime rib, doesn't it?

JENNIFER: Or is it lamb?

JACK: It could be lamb, yes.

JENNIFER: Well is it prime rib or is it lamb?

JACK: Um.... ah.... I think you're just going to have to wait and find out later.

JENNIFER: You are just full of surprises.

JACK: Oh I am full of.... I'm full of something, that's for sure. Oh I sure am full of something.

 

THEY SIT ON THE COUCH AND START SIPPING CHAMPAGNE.

SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER, JACK AND JENNIFER HAVE FINISHED THE BOTTLE.

 

JACK: Beat you.

JENNIFER: Yes.

JACK: Dammit.... no.

 

THEY ARE BOTH A LITTLE GIGGLY AND THEY CANNOT KEEP THEIR EYES OFF EACH OTHER.

 

JENNIFER: I just realized something.

JACK: You realized what?

JENNIFER: You're not the most wonderful man in the world.

JACK: I.... wait a minute.... ah.... I thought.... I thought you liked.... everything.

JENNIFER: No. I don't like it.

 

JACK LOOKS VERY WORRIED.

 

JENNIFER: I love it. So you are not the most wonderful man in the world. You are the most wonderful man in the universe Jack.

JACK: Oooooh.

 

THEY KISS.

 

JACK: Thank you.... thank you. I think perhaps that you've had....

JENNIFER: Uh?

JACK: .... you've had.... I think it's time to get some food in your stomach and I'll just go to the kitchen and see....

JENNIFER: No, no, no, I'll check on the food.

JACK: No.

JENNIFER: No, you have done everything.

JACK: Allow me.

JENNIFER: Here hold this.

JACK: Allow me.

JENNIFER: You hold this. I'm going to check on the food.

 

SHE HANDS JACK BOTH GLASSES AND JUMPS UP.

 

JACK: I'll.... JENNIFER: No.

 

SHE RUNS INTO THE KITCHEN AND JACK IS WORRIED. JO IS STILL OUTSIDE AND SHE TAPS ON THE GLASS. JACK RUSHES OVER TO SPEAK TO HER.

 

JACK: What the hell's going on?

JO: Look everything is under control.

JACK: Yeah?

JO: Abby is in the car with Vern so the baby is fine. Here's the cake for your dessert.

JACK: The cake? I don't even know what's for dinner. You set this whole thing up and didn't tell me a thing about it. Thank you very much.

JO: Well I didn't expect Jennifer to get home so early.

JACK: Well she did. And right now I don't know what's going on. Please tell me so I can hang up my tap shoes. JO: We don't have time for that.

JACK: Well we're going to make time. You got me into this. You're going to get me out of it. First of all, what did I make for dinner?

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER COMES OUT OF THE KITCHEN. JACK IS STILL OUTSIDE WITH JO.

 

JENNIFER: You didn't tell me we were having Cornish game hens. Jack?

 

SHE HEARS THE VOICES OUTSIDE.

 

JACK: You know what I mean. If I wasn't standing here.... I mean the position that you put me in. I don't believe it.

JO: I was only trying to help.

JACK: Trying to help? That note was help. What kind of help was that?

 

JENNIFER HIDES BEHIND THE FRONT DOOR AND LISTENS.

 

JO: Well....

JACK: That note.... that was drivel. I'd never do that.

JO: I know. That was exactly the point and Jennifer needs to hear that.

 

JENNIFER: Excuse me. What Jennifer needs to hear is the truth.

 

JACK IS NOT SURE HOW TO START.

 

JENNIFER: If you didn't write the note, I guess I can safely assume that you didn't buy the flowers and you didn't cook the dinner either Jack.

JACK: April Fools.

JENNIFER: Yeah that's exactly what you are.

JO: It's not Jack's fault. He....

JENNIFER: He didn't have to take the credit for it Jo.

JACK: Listen, it was making you feel very happy to think that I did that so why shou....

JENNIFER: If you had done it. I don't know how I could ever think that you would be capable of something so wonderful because I know now that you're not.

 

SHE RUNS INSIDE.

 

JACK: Just.... gee.

 

HE SHAKES HIS FINGER AT JO THEN RUSHES INSIDE AFTER JENNIFER.

 

JACK: Jennifer, you have to believe me when I tell you I sincerely wish I did all this.

JENNIFER: But you didn't do it. Jo did it.

JACK: I wanted....

JO: I am so sorry Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Jo, look you have nothing to be sorry about.

JACK: Jo, stay out it, stay out of it. Now, let me explain, let me....

 

THE PHONE RINGS.

 

JACK: Let me explain.

JENNIFER: I'm waiting.

 

THE PHONE IS STILL RINGING.

 

JACK: (Beat) I'm sorry. It's hard to explain something when the phone is ringing in the background.

JENNIFER: Right even now your main concern is business, Jack.

JACK:

JENNIFER: I knew it.

JACK: This will just take a minute.

JENNIFER: Take all night. Take your whole life for all I care Jack.

JACK: No.... come on now. I just.... get the phone, please.

JO: Deveraux residence.

AUSTIN: Is Jennifer there please?

JO: Who may I say is calling?

AUSTIN: Tell her it's Austin Reed and it's important.

JO: Jennifer, it's Austin Reed and he says he has to talk to you about something that's important.

JENNIFER: Tell him that I can't talk right now because unlike Jack I consider our lives more important.

JO: I'm sorry but she'll have to call you back later because she's in the middle of something really important right now.

AUSTIN: All right, well tell her that I can be reached at University Hospital.

JO: Okay, bye.

JACK: All right, let's get this out in the open. I'm sorry. I had no idea that this was all so important to you.

JENNIFER: You really don't get it do you Jack?

JACK: No. Jennifer I think you're the one who doesn't get it. I am not the romantic type. You know that. You've always known that. From the day you met me in that office, that's the way I've been and you never minded before.

JENNIFER: Yeah but at least then you were trying.

JO: Oh my gosh, the Cornish hens. They're burning.

 

JO RUSHES TO THE KITCHEN.

 

JACK: They.... don't. Listen if they're burning start cleaning the oven now. I mean last time you didn't clean the oven until the middle of the whole week later.

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: Oh forget it. Forget it.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, I think I'm just figuring out here that Jo has been the one doing everything around here.

JACK: No, no, Jo has not been doing everything.

JENNIFER: Oh, what exactly did you do?

JACK: I did a lot. I did.... I.... I took the garbage out when Jo was too busy with the baby and cleaning and the cooking and everything else.

JENNIFER: This is really amazing. All this time I am feeling guilty and inadequate because you're working, you're taking care of Abby, you're taking care of the house. How could you do this to me?

JACK: I didn't do it to you. I did it for you.

JENNIFER: For me? What, by making me feel inferior?

JACK: No, I wasn't trying to do that. I was trying to make things easier for you.

JENNIFER: Jo made things easy for me, not you. Just like tonight.

JACK: But my intentions were good. Doesn't that count for anything, anything at all?

JENNIFER: Get out of this house.

JACK: Jennifer, no.

JENNIFER: I want you to get out of this house.

JACK: No, I am not going to get out of this house.

JENNIFER: I don't want to see you.

JACK: That's not going to solve anything.

 

JENNIFER: I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW. DO YOU HEAR ME?

 

SHE PICKS UP A CHAMPAGNE GLASS AND IS ABOUT TO THROW IT AT HIM.

 

JACK: NO! NO!.... DON'T! (Beat) Don't.... I'll go. You don't have to start breaking things. I'll just go.

 

HE PICKS UP HIS COAT AND STOPS AT THE DOOR LOOKING AT HER. SHE WILL NOT FACE HIM.

HE CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING TO SAY THAT WILL HELP. HE WALKS OUT AND SLAMS THE DOOR.

SCENE FIVE: A WHILE LATER, JACK ARRIVES AT THE BRADY PUB WHERE HE'S SITTING WITH A GLASS OF WATER WHEN JO COMES IN.

 

JACK: Oh, so Jennifer finally kicked you out too, huh?

JO: No but she's pretty upset.

JACK: Well she's not the only one who's upset. I tell you right now you can make brownie points with me after getting me in all this mess tonight by telling me what she wants. And I mean what she really wants.

JO: Just a little romance. Jack is it hard for even you to figure that out?

JACK: Look, I'm not Don Juan. She's knows that. She's known that for a long time.

JO: Jennifer isn't asking for that. I mean she's right. You really don't get it, do you?

JACK: Considering the current situation I guess I don't. But I'm open to suggestions.

JO: You love Jennifer, don't you?

JACK: I most certainly do.

JO: Well then show her.

JACK: I show her everyday. Everyday when I go to the paper and try and get it back to the way it used to be. Back the way....

JACK: Let me tell you something. At this time we cannot afford to be throwing flowers and candles and music. We can't afford all that stuff right now.

JO: It's not that either. Romance, it's.... it's the little things. It's the way you look at someone. It's the time you spend with that person. It can be as simple as.... as an evening home alone, just the two of you, without the baby, with phone off the hook, just talking and relaxing together. Just being with each other as if the rest of the outside world doesn't exist.

JACK: As if the rest of the outside world doesn't exist? That's good. Mind if I use that?

 

HE PRETENDS TO WRITE IT DOWN.

 

JO: Oh Jack. It's got to come from you, from your heart.

JACK: And what if it doesn't?

JO: Well then you go home, you look Jennifer in the eyes and you feel what's in your heart for her. And it'll come to you.

JACK: You're so sure that it will?

JO: Well I hope it does before it's too late.

 

JACK GOES TO THE PHONE AND CALLS JENNIFER.

 

JACK: Hello, it's me. Don't hang up, don't hang up! Look things are a big mess right now. I know that. But I'm going to fix it. Just give me a chance. Please, just give me a chance.

JENNIFER: Jack, look I don't....

JACK: No, no, don't.... don't. Just.... give me a chance. That's all I'm asking. Please Jennifer.... please.

JENNIFER: All right, okay.

JACK: All right, all right. Good. I'm going to be right home. Just stay.... wait up.... wait.... now you can hang up. Good, good.

 

HE HANGS UP AND SMILES.

JACK: Good, good.

SCENE SIX: AT HOME, JENNIFER HANGS UP AND DAYDREAMS ABOUT HIS HOMECOMING.... JACK WALKS IN THE DOOR DRESSED IN A BLACK T-SHIRT UNDER A PLAID SHIRT AND WEARING A BLACK LEATHER JACKET OVER BLACK JEANS. HE HANDS HER A LARGE BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.

 

JENNIFER: Oh my gosh. Sonia roses Jack.

JACK: Your favorite.

JENNIFER: You remembered.

 

HE HANDS HER A PRESENT WRAPPED IN PINK TISSUE PAPER. SHE UNDOES THE RIBBON AND PULLS OUT A PINK SATIN AND LACE NEGLIGÉE.

 

JENNIFER: Oh my gosh. Oh Jack it's beautiful.

JACK: Not as beautiful as you'll look in it. (Beat) I adore you Jennifer. I'm just as sorry I did all this as....

JENNIFER: No, sssshhhh. Don't apologize. I love you Jack.

JACK: Never as much as I love you.

 

HE BEGINS TO KISS HER MOUTH, NECK AND FINGERS THEN HE PICKS HER UP AND LAUGHS QUIETLY. HE CARRIES HER TO THE LANDING ON THE STAIR AND STOPS TO KISS HER AGAIN.

THEN HE RUNS UPSTAIRS WITH HER....

SCENE SEVEN: A FEW MOMENTS LATER, JACK COMES HOME. HE RUSHES IN THE DOOR AND SHE STANDS UP TO MEET HIM.

 

JACK: Jennifer, your beauty haunts me like the scent of....

 

HE STOPS BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY FOR HIM TO ROMANCE HER. INSTEAD HE HANDS HER A SMALL BUNCH OF FLOWERS.

 

JENNIFER: Irises.

JACK: Irises.... that's right.

JENNIFER: They're.... they're really perfect. Thank you. One of my favorites.

JACK: Good, good. I'm glad I was able to get to the market before it closed. I'm glad there were some left.

SHE TURNS AWAY FROM HIM AND HE STEPS UP BEHIND HER TENTATIVELY. HE TOUCHES HER SHOULDERS GENTLY.

 

JACK: (Beat) Are you all right?

JENNIFER: Sure yeah.

 

HE KNOWS SHE IS NOT ALL RIGHT.

 

JENNIFER: You know I do love you Jack.

JACK: No, wait a minute. I'm the one that's supposed to be initiating this. I love you. I love you very much and you're going to start seeing that more. As a matter of fact, let me show you something right here. Right here in the old date book. Look Wednesday, Jennifer, Thursday what's going on with Jennifer and on Friday, let's make some time for Jennifer. What do you think of that?

 

SHE IS ABOUT TO CRY.