SCENE ONE: THE NEXT MORNING AND JENNIFER COMES DOWNSTAIRS IN HER PAJAMAS AND IS SURPRISED TO FIND THE COFFEE TABLE ALL SET UP FOR BREAKFAST.

 

JENNIFER: What on earth? JACK!

JACK: Yes, yes, you called.

 

HE COMES OUT OF THE KITCHEN CARRYING A SMALL BUNCH OF FLOWERS.

 

JENNIFER: What have you done here?

JACK: Done? Ah, well I just put breakfast together. Actually it's breakfast reminiscent of our days BF.

 

JENNIFER LOOKS AT HIM.

 

JACK: Before furniture.

 

SHE LAUGHS.

 

JACK: Flowers are compliments of the neighbor's yard. Hope they don't miss them. And everything else is compliments of the local deli.

JENNIFER: It's beautiful Jack. Everything is just beautiful.

JACK: Well I just wanted this breakfast to be successful and not a disaster like the last one. You'll notice of course that the phone machine is on. The newspaper is outside for the duration so we will have no interruptions or distractions.

JENNIFER: You are so wonderful. You know that?

 

SHE GIVES HIM A BIG HUG.

 

JACK: Well I.... of course.... but.... it's nice to hear you say it. (Beat) I just want to say to you that nothing and no one is going to disturb us.

JENNIFER: You've really thought of everything, haven't you?

JACK: Of course.

 

HE LEANS DOWN TO KISS HER AND JUST AS THEIR LIPS ARE ABOUT TO MEET, ABBY CRIES.

 

JACK: Well not quite everything.

 

SHE LAUGHS.

SCENE TWO: JACK HAS JUST SURPRISED JENNIFER WITH A ROMANTIC BREAKFAST, HE GETS ABBY WHILE JENNIFER GETS HER A BOTTLE.

 

JENNIFER: All right, here you are Sweetie.

JACK: I figured it would be best if she just ate with us. You don't mind do you?

JENNIFER: No, no, I don't mind at all. In fact I think it's very sweet, all three of us having breakfast like this together.

JACK: Yes.

JENNIFER: You know sometimes I think it's moments like these that are more important than her first smile or her first tooth.... or her first step.

JACK: Wait a minute, what's the matter?

JENNIFER: Nothing. I just can't stop thinking about Wendy and her baby. I really appreciate you doing a story on her in The Spectator Jack.

JACK: All right, let the record show. You're the first one to bring up work this morning.

JENNIFER: I know, I know. You've been very good. I just wanted to remind you. I didn't want you to forget.

JACK: What's that?

 

HE LOOKS AT ABBY'S NECK.

 

JENNIFER: What's what?

JACK: That.... right there. Right there. That.

JENNIFER: What's that? Is something wrong?

JACK: Right there, on her shoulder, it's torn.

JENNIFER: Oh.

JACK: Not her neck, the neckline. It's torn.

JENNIFER: I see.

JACK: Well let the record show, we need more baby clothes.

JENNIFER: Well Jack I wanted to wait for her to grow a little bit. If I buy her something now she won't be able to wear it in a few weeks.

JACK: Well then we'll just get her something new in a few weeks.

JENNIFER: Jack, that's a waste of money.

JACK: You know something, when I was growing up, when I was a child, I got whatever I wanted, when I wanted it. It didn't matter if I needed the clothes or not, it was provided for me. Now that I've grown, I can't provide for me or mine if I wanted to.

JENNIFER: Jack, it's not that you can't provide for her. I mean it's just not practical to buy her clothes right now because she's not going to be able to wear them.

JACK: I tell you something, when I get The Spectator back the two of you are going to get whatever you want whenever you want it. I just wish I could have gotten a little more information off Kate Roberts last night. I mean it is seven or eight days until I either get The Spectator or I lose it. I just needed a little more ammo from Kate and I was hoping to get it.

JENNIFER: You know what Jack, I've been thinking about it. Maybe you should accept Victor's offer to be the editor.

JACK: Oh, be an editor under Victor Kiriakis? No thank you. I'd rather die.

JENNIFER: But you'd still be running the newspaper Jack and you'd have a job.

JACK: But I wouldn't own it. The Spectator is mine! And I'm determined to have it, no matter what.

 

JENNIFER PUTS ABBY IN HER CRIB.

 

JACK: There's one interesting thing that came out of last night's discussion. Kate said that I went to work for Victor, actually I'd be working for her.... against Victor.

JENNIFER: She actually told you that Jack.

JACK: Yeeees. She said that and more. She said she needed an ally in Salem, working at Titan Publishing and she wanted it to be me.

JENNIFER: Why would Kate need an ally?

JACK: I don't know but if she's looking for an ally at this early date, there must be a power struggle going on.

JENNIFER: But he hired Kate to take care of the company because she's the best in the business Jack.

JACK: What can I say? Trouble in paradise.

JENNIFER: So she's lining up the big guns in case there's a war and she wants you on her side?

JACK: Hmmm, this may be exactly the chink in the armor I've been looking for.

JENNIFER: I'd watch her Jack. You know when I wanted to get her on the show I did a lot of research on Kate Roberts.

JACK: Yes you did. And you were very impressed with her. As a matter of fact you were doing cartwheels as I recall, the night you found out that she was going to come have dinner with us.

JENNIFER: She's an impressive woman. She's also very ambitious. And she seems very power hungry to me.

JACK: Of course she's power hungry. One has to be power hungry these days if one is to get ahead. Especially if one is a woman. Now if Kate wants me to help her take down Victor, I'll help her succeed but I'll only do it as the owner and publisher of The Spectator, not as some flunky or lackey working next to Vern under Victor. But all that aside, I appreciate everything you did last night. You were a tremendous help. I'm just sorry I had to stick you with Lucas.

JENNIFER: He's very charming.

JACK: Yes, yes, yes, yes. Kate did quite the job on him. Turned out quite a nice product.

JENNIFER: Well she tried anyway. You know there's something about Lucas. You know he tries to make everyone believe that he has everything altogether but I think there's more going on with Lucas Roberts than meets the eye.

SCENE THREE: THEY HAVE JUST FINISHED BREAKFAST, JENNIFER PUTS ABBY TO SLEEP.

 

JENNIFER: Okay, Abby's down for her morning nap.

JACK: Good, good, good. Wait, what are you doing?

 

SHE IS CLEARING UP THE BREAKFAST DISHES.

 

JENNIFER: Well I'm just cleaning up.

JACK: No, no, this breakfast was my treat. The cleaning up will be my treat also. I just need to get this done first.

JENNIFER: Well I just want to clean up the mess before Austin gets here.

JACK: Huh, uh.

JENNIFER: Remember we're going to work on that appeal to Wendy, remember?

JACK: Oh right, right, right. Appeal to Wendy.

JENNIFER: Jack you're not going to forget to put the article in The Spectator about her, right?

JACK: No, no.

 

HE IS REALLY NOT LISTENING.

 

JACK: I'm going to do a human interest story, this afternoon.

JENNIFER: Human interest? You mean in the Lifestyle section?

JACK: Yeah, what else?

JENNIFER: What else? Well I was hoping for the front page Jack.

JACK: The front page! Jennifer the front page is for big stories. You know big stories that bring in readership and sponsorship. I'm sorry but her story just doesn't cut it. Of course if the woman, you know, was to join some fanatical cult or drop the baby down a well, that would be....

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, I can't believe how cynical you've gotten.

JACK: I'm not cynical. We're talking about a newspaper here. Front page stories. We're building an empire here. JENNIFER: Well people's lives are more important than an empire Jack.

JACK: I'm not saying Wendy and her child aren't important but this is our empire we're talking about here. This empire is our life.

 

JACK GOES TO THE KITCHEN.

 

JENNIFER: It's not going to be my life.

SCENE FOUR: AUSTIN ARRIVES AND BECAUSE JENNIFER HAD TOLD HIM THAT JACK IS GOING TO PUT WENDY'S STORY ON THE FRONT PAGE HE THANKS JACK. JACK IS MORE THAN SURPRISED.

 

AUSTIN: Jack I really appreciate that. I mean most newspapers put bad news, try to scare people, but I think it really takes a special person to put a human interest story on the front page. That's great.

JENNIFER: That's exactly what I told him.

JACK: Ah, yes.... of course. Let.... let me just get these things put away, yeah.

 

HE GOES TO THE KITCHEN. AUSTIN AND JENNIFER BEGIN WORK ON THE SHOW WHILE JACK GETS READY FOR WORK.

 

JACK: All right, I'm going to be late to work if I don't get going right now.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: Okay, I wish you best of luck....

 

HE KISSES HER.

 

JACK: .... with Wanda and her baby.

JENNIFER: Oh Jack, her name is Wendy.

AUSTIN: Wendy.

JACK: Wendy, right, right, right.

JENNIFER: Don't forget.

JACK: No, no, no. I'll see ya later.

AUSTIN: Bye Jack.

 

JACK RUSHES OUT.

SCENE FIVE: MEANWHILE DOWN AT THE POLICE STATION, VICTOR GETS AN OFFICER TO RESEARCH THE SPECTATOR STORY HE HAS FOUND ABOUT A WOMAN IN SALEM SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO.

SCENE SIX: LATER THAT DAY, JENNIFER AND AUSTIN ARE ON THE PIER TAPING A SEGMENT ABOUT THE HOMELESS WHEN JACK TURNS UP.

 

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK: Hello, hello, hello.

JENNIFER: What's going on? Where are you going in such a hurry?

JACK: Wish me luck! My accountant turned me on to yet another possible investor. I'm on my way to meet him right now.

JENNIFER: Well who is he? I mean do you know anything about him?

JACK: My accountant, everything. This man, nothing. Except for the fact that he's involved in the field of communications and he wants to get further involved. Let's hope it includes The Spectator.

 

SHE GIVES JACK A HUGE HUG.

 

JENNIFER: Oh Jack, that's wonderful. Here....

 

SHE KISSES HIM.

 

JENNIFER: That is for good luck.

JACK: Well thank you, thank you.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: I'll let you know more about it when I....

 

HE RUSHES OFF.

 

JENNIFER: Oh wait, I wanted to ask you about the article on Wendy. Did you put it in The....

 

HE DISAPPEARS.

 

JENNIFER: Well I don't think he heard me but I know he won't forget.

SCENE SEVEN: JENNIFER AND AUSTIN ARE AT THE STUDIO. THEY DO DO A SHOW BASED ON THE HOMELESS IN SALEM.

SCENE EIGHT: LATER ON JACK WANDERS INTO THE BRADY PUB AND IS OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED. CARLY IS THERE AND SHE CALLS HIM OVER.

 

CARLY: Hi Jack, why don't you join me?

 

JACK IS A BIT SURPRISED.

 

JACK: What the hell, why not.

CARLY: You look like you just lost your best friend.

JACK: Oh no, something far worse than that.

CARLY: What's wrong?

JACK: It's nothing that a couple of million dollars couldn't fix.

 

CARLY RAISES HER EYEBROWS AND JACK GIVES HER A CYNICAL SMILE.

 

CARLY: So what's going on?

JACK: I was going to meet an investor. Somebody who finally seemed serious about putting money in The Spectator so I could finally get serious about running The Spectator.

CARLY: And.... what did he say?

JACK: He turned me down. Victor's behind it of course. Victor's gone all over town making sure that everyone knows that he wants The Spectator. Now everyone's afraid to go up against him to get it.

CARLY: I'm sorry Jack, I really am. Isn't there someone else you can turn to?

JACK: Well.... there's one other person who seems to be throwing a lot of money around these days. Um.... Vivien Alamain.

CARLY: No way. You can't be serious. You can't Jack.

JACK: No I suppose I can't.

CARLY: Yeah. You know what, someone reminded me of something today and it applies to you too. They said we've led charmed lives, you know. We've had everything handed to us on a silver platter. And because of that, we're supposed to be very happy.

JACK: Are you happy?

CARLY: Heheh. Yeah, I'm happy but not because I grew up with money. Look I know how much you want the paper and how important it is and everything but.... why don't you think about what you already have. I mean you've got a beautiful wife and a baby. Isn't that enough?

JACK: Well I mean on an emotional level, of course. But.... I do have to feed them. I do have to put a roof over their heads.

CARLY: Jack, that's an excuse. You know you could feed them very well on a reporter's salary. But that's not enough for you, is it?

 

JACK JUST LOOKS AT HER.

 

CARLY: You know it wasn't enough for my father either. He was this world class business tycoon and.... I don't know. I guess it made him happy but it sure didn't do anything for me. He was a very driven man Jack and he drove me right away from home. (Beat) You know when Jennifer and I were in boarding school we used to sit around and talk about marriage and.... being in love and all that and never once did she mention wanting to marry a millionaire.

JACK: No I.... I'm sure we can agree. Jennifer does not care about money or power. Unfortunately she cares about someone who does. (Beat) It's in the blood, my father used to say. I would feel like the prime fool and failure unless I was able to give the sun, the moon and the.... and the stars to boot.

CARLY: Well this has really got you down. Why don't you take a night off? You know, why don't you come by Shawn Douglas' birthday party?

JACK: A children's party? I don't know. I....

CARLY: Yes.... no, it's going to be a great party Jack. Bring Jennifer. Come on, it's probably the best thing you can do for each other right now.

JACK: The best.... the best thing I can do. Dammit.

CARLY: Huh?

JACK: I just remembered the best thing I can do for Jennifer is something I should have done already. Something I forgot.

CARLY: What?

JACK: If you'll excuse me, I need to take care of business. I will.... I'll let you know about this party. Thank you for inviting me.

CARLY: You got it.

 

JACK RUSHES OUT AND CARLY FEELS SORRY FOR HIM.

SCENE NINE: LATER THAT DAY, JACK ARRIVES AT THE STUDIO.

 

JACK: Jennifer, I saw your show. It was very good.

 

HE HOLDS UP A SMALL BUNCH OF IRISES FOR HER BUT SHE IGNORES THEM AND HIM.

 

JENNIFER: Thank you.

 

SHE WALKS AWAY.

 

JACK: You know these are for you?

JENNIFER: Why, because you forgot to put the article about Wendy in the paper?

JACK: Well I figured it would make up for you being so upset about it. And you have every right to be upset if.... that was what happened. But it didn't happen.

 

SHE CONTINUES TO IGNORE HIM AND LOOK THE OTHER WAY.

 

JACK: It didn't happen. You see I just came from The Spectator. Just finished holding the presses and ah.... making sure your article got in on time.

 

SHE TURNS TO HIM.

 

JENNIFER: You stopped the presses?

JACK: Hmmm, that's the only way to make sure an article makes it to the press.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, it costs a fortune to stop those presses in the middle of printing. I can't believe you did that.

JACK: Well if can't believe me I'll just have to show you the mockup.

 

HE HOLDS UP THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEXT EDITION.

 

JACK: It goes in the late late edition.

 

THE ARTICLE IS TITLED "CITY SHOWS HEART TO GIRL NAMED WENDY."

 

JENNIFER: This is so beautiful Jack.

JACK: I know. You're welcome.

JENNIFER: No, I mean it, I mean it. This is wonderful. This is.... oh I adore you. I adore you so much. This is wonderful.

 

SHE HUGS HIM AROUND THE NECK.

 

JACK: I get that feeling.

JENNIFER: Oh this is so great. Let me see it again.

JACK: Well it was fairly easy to write based on the information....

 

CARRIE COMES INTO THE STUDIO.

 

CARRIE: Hi Jennifer, hi Jack.

JENNIFER: Hi.

JACK: Hello.

CARRIE: I brought some things for the homeless drive.

JENNIFER: Oh Carrie, thank you very much. You must have seen the show.

CARRIE: Oh yeah, it was really good.

JENNIFER: Good, I'm glad you liked it. Um, if you're looking for Austin, he just stepped out but he'll be back any minute and I know he'll be very happy to see you.

CARRIE: Oh no, I can't stay. I'll see you guys later. Bye.

 

CARRIE LEAVES AND JACK GETS BACK TO JENNIFER.

 

JACK: All right. Well perhaps now you'll accept these flowers and my apologies for being such an ogre sometimes. You're quite the wonderful woman to put up with me.

 

CARRIE IS WATCHING THEM FROM BEHIND THE SET AS THEY KISS EACH OTHER AGAIN AND AGAIN.