chapter
xii: tommy causes problems
with justus;
christmas tom narrates the nativity
story. |
At the
Outback Tony Jones and Mac Scorpio are talking about their relationships.
Tony says he and Bobbie are "striving for normalcy," just
as Tom and Kevin walk in for the lunch they left for after Tom's
therapy session. Mac tells Tony, "Speaking of normal, here
comes two guys who fly in the face of that concept." Tom tells
Tony that he and Kevin have been talking about Dorman. Mac is surprised
that they have a doorman at the hospital, the three others just
look at each othe. They correct Mac and tell him how Dorman reacted
towards Stone. Mac cannot believe it.They say that Dorman's behavior
was unethical; Tom adds that Steve sees it differently. Tony tells
them that he wants Dorman off his staff, but Steve is against it.
Kevin adds that some, Allen and Steve, believe that it is compassionate
to give Dorman another chance, and that he might realize and change
his wrong attitude. Bobbie comes over and right away knows whom
they are discussing. Tom thinks his father is making a mistake,
and brings up Dorman's article in the hospital paper, about humane
euthenasia. Just then Katherine Bell comes over to see Mac. Kevin
has to leave to see Lucy at Luke's and is concerned as to what she
is up to. As he leaves, Tom tells him, "I'll have a burger
for you here, my treat." Katherine wonders why everyone
is "so glum"; Tony replies that they are just contemplating
"a palace revolt."
Meanwhile, Sonny has has sold his share of Luke's to Lucy and has
planned a grand party that evening, Tony and Bobbie are talking
and are joined by Simone, Felicia, and Tom all dressed up for the
gala. Tom wonders if the kids are under control, as if Felicia replies.
Justus arrives and he and Simone greet each other, Tom snarks, "Hello
ex-husband"; Felicia flashes him a look. For a change Tom apologizes
and Justus does not react. Tommy had run out of class earlier and
Tom, Simone and Justus talk about it. Tom tells them that he lectured
Tommy that it was "unacceptable." Everyone is about to
leave as Tommy comes down, "Daddy?" He adds, "Mommy
you go with Daddy, not Justus!" Tom tells him that they
are all going together. Tom wants Justus to go with them. He continues
to protest. Justus tells him he thought they were friends. Tommy
tells them that his father needs him. Justus wants to know if that
means tonight or always; Tommy wimpers and puts his arms around
his mother. Simone thinks Justus should go on, and she and Tom will
talk to Tommy. Tom sits Tommy down, and wonders what is wrong. He
reminds him that he likes Justus and that his mother is going to
marry him. Tom adds that that will not change their relationship.
Tom tells him that Tommy is lucky he will have his own room in Justus'
firehouse. Tommy tells his father that he [Tom] said he needed them
to stay in the Brownstone to be there. Tom looks over at Simone,
and then takes Tommy on his knee. Tom tells him that he said he
just needs them "to love me. And I know that you do."
He tells Tommy that that will not change no matter where he lives.
"Knowing that just makes everything alright." Simone watches
on. Tom looks over at Simone, his expression is hard to read, is
he being sincere or is he back to plotting.
Felicia, Justus, Tony and Bobbie are at Luke's talking about Tommy.
Justus knows Tom is behind it. Bobbie asks if Simone told him
what happened the other night; Felicia adds, "You may be right
about Tom, but not in the way you mean." Before she can elaborate,
Simone and Tom arrive. Simone wants to talk with Justus. Tom thinks
it will take more time to fix things with Tommy. Bobbie reminds
him that his attack affected Tommy. "Don't think I'm not carrying
the weight of that particular guilt." Felicia tries to comfort
him, "He loves you Tom." Tom,"And he's terrified."
Simone assures Justus that she was there when Tom talked with Tommy,
and that Tom was supportive and generous of him. He wonders if Tommy
heard. She thinks he did but not sure if Tommy wants to listen.
She tells him that Tommy had a trauma and then goes on to tell Justus
about Tom's massive panic attack, and that it was not the first.
She says how Tom's experiences in Africa made him feel that he lost
his humanity, and that Tom sees her and Tommy "as a way to
get it back." She says that Tom was close to a break-down and
that was why he acted as he did. Justus does not think it excuses
some of the things he did. She agrees but says it explains them.
Tommy seeing the attack has made him scared and worried about his
father, and that is why he acted the way he did earlier in the evening.
Lucy arrives to everyone's applause. Later Sonny is arrested for
his criminal activities, Simone Tony, Boobie, Felicia and Tom are
discussing the rest. Tom says that was probably why Sonny so quickly
sold out to Lucy. Katherine comes over. Felicia and Tony are
not happy to see her; Tom stands and asks her to sit, and asks her
opinions about Sonny's arrest. Katherine and Boobie talk about
Damian Smith, who is watching them. Justus is with Sonny, Tony says
lawyers are like doctors they have to do their "jobs without
making personal judgements." Tom says, "Unless your name
is Dorman." Everyone gets up to leave. Tom wants to bet that
Lucy is planning on redecorating Luke's.
Back in Felicia's apartment, Tom is looking at her Christmas tree
as she hands him a cup of coffee. They talk about how it affected
Robin seeing Sonny arrested. Robin understands that everyone has
good and bad in them, everyone she knows had had a dark secret/side.
"Not you," Tom tells her. "Something wild" drew
me to Frisco. Just to go out and not care about the consequences;
she still waits for that ability to do so. "Nothing wrong with
wanting more, Felicia. It's when you get what you want. I think
back over the last two years, and the risk, the thrill, the danger,
the sense of no tomorrow.... sometimes I miss that." Felicia,
"I understand, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night
and I...." Tom leans over, intrigued, "You what?"
He wonders what she "does in the middle of the night?"
She reads mysteries it's "a substitute for...." stopping
herself, then says "for whatever." Tom wonders
"does it work?" "Almost always." He says he
will have to try. He brags that he always solves the crime half-way;
he has never not been able to solve a mystery. She cannot believe
that. "I gave up lying for Christmas." She just read a
very tricky mystery, she tears out the last pages and wants him
to "prove it to me." He takes up the challenge, "Goodnight,
Felicia," tapping the book, "I'll be thinking of you....
in the middle of the night." She chuckles, as he leaves.
Felicia is talking to Justus, she noticed the tension earlier between
him and Tommy. He says Tommy is freezing him out, he thinks it is
something "insidious, manipulative." She knows he means
Tom. She informs him that Tom is not always the bad guy. He says
Simone was not there for the attack, so he is skeptical. He
asks if the attack was real. "As real as it gets," she
says it as scary and not faked. She adds that it affected Tommy.
Justus has to admit that Tom handled Tommy running away and the
night before very well. She tells him Tom needed time, now Tom wants
to move on. Maxie runs in wanting eggs, Tommy is throwing them at
Justus' car. As Tommy is about to throw another egg, Justus stops
him. Justus wants him to clean his car. Tommy stubbornly refuses.
Tom returns and Tommy runs towards him, "Justus is being mean
to me." Tom glares at Jusuts, who glares back. Justus tells
Tom he was not disciplining Tom since it is not his right, but he
just wanted Tommy to clean the car. Tom questions Tommy; Tommy finally
admits Justus is telling the turth. Tom tells him to clean the car,
no buts. Tom and Justus agree they have "the makings of a problem.
It is Christmas, Tom and Allen Quartermaine are arguing over who
should tell the Christmas Story since Steve cannot [At this time
John Beradino is either dying or has died]. Allen thinks as
senior staff he should. Tom says that it is a Hardy tradition and
since he is his Steve's that he should do it, and "he specifically
asked for me!" Tony, half-dressed as Santa is frustrated by
their behavior, "I think think he," pointing to Tom, "should
sit in your lap and both tell the story together," in disgust
he storms off. "I'm doing it, Allen, I need to
do it." Realizing how important it is, Allen agrees, if it
is that important. "It is," Tom replies.
The kids and hospital staff march in singing, "Jingle Bells";
Edward pushes Lila, in her wheelchair, in the lead. Tom quiets
the crowd, and begins to narrate his version of the Nativity Story:
Tom: (Clearing his throat) Alright everybody, just
uh .... get comfortable and uh we're going to tell a story here.
Um.... (neverous chuckle) This is a story about the first Christmas
ever. Almost 2000 years ago. It's also the story of a special
little baby. See it was a very dark, cold, windy night. Very
bitter and chilly. And this young couple were traveling to
Bethleham. The man was a carpenter, and his name was Joseph. Hos
wife's name was Mary. And Mary was gonna have a baby. They
were very poor. But they had a donkey, so Mary was able to
ride on the donkey and Joseph walked along, beside her. Still they
had to travel a long, long, long way. Suddenly in the distance
Jospeh saw a dim light. It was an inn. And he knew everything was
going to be alright so he said, "Mary, there's nothing to worry
about." He knew that if he could get Mary out of the cold and
into a nice, warm bed she was going to be able to get up the next
morning and travel the rest of the way and she wouldn't be sick.
So, they got off the donkey, went to the front door of the inn and
knocked on the door. Innkeeper came to the door, he took one look
at them and he could see that they didn't have any money. So he
said, "No room at the inn," (gesturing) and
he slammed the door in their face. Well, Jospeh was really
upset because Mary was his wife, and he loved her and wanted to
protect her. Mary was just.... well she was just so tried, she didn't
have any tears left. (Gesturing) And Joseph got an idea. He said,
"I'm going to take her to the stable. That place is warm, I'm
sure if I can get her in there, get her out of the cold, she's going
to be alright." (Smiling at his mother) And that's what he
did. And it was warm, alright. But it was warm because it was full
of animals. Fact there was so many animals in there they weren't
even sure they were going to be able to fit in. But that's
when an amazing thing happened. All the animals moved to
one side. And made room for Mary. It was amazing. And Joseph was
happy, because (gesturing) Joseph was able to get down and get some
fresh hay, and make an nice fresh bed for Mary. And as soon as Mary
lay down. A Huussh fell over the whole stable. The donkeys
didn't bray; the cows didn't moo; the sheep didn't baa; nothing,
total silence. [
video 43A
(1
min; 2.5 Meg) ]. And
in that sacred silence, the baby was born. And that baby's name
was Jesus. When Jesus grew up, and he started teaching, he taught
(gesturing) far and wide across the world. You know what he taught?
He said that God loves all of us, any way we are, he also said we
have a potential inside us, for good. And we could take action,
to bring that good out of our lives. We could all do it.
No matter where we come from; no matter what color our skin is;
no matter what happened in our lives. The most important thing he
said to remember, was we have to love each other; understand
each other; and forgive each other. That's the real story about
the spirit of Christmas.
Santa
Tony and his elves Simone, Robin and and Amy Vining come in with
the gifts.[
video 43B
(1
min; 2.5 Meg) ] Tommy
gets on his father's lap, "Granpa usually tells it." Tom
tells him that his grandfather is not feeling well; Tom wonders
what Tommy thought about his tellin of the story. "It's good
to hear, 'cause we forget." "Forget what?" "That
Christmas is about other stuff not just presents and eating too
much spinach. Pointing to him, "You know, if you remember that
every Christmas.... for the rest of your life, you're going
to turn out alright!" Tommy promises to remember. Tom
says, "Okay!" They hug.
It is after Christmas, and Tom and Kevin are at the hospital, Tom
is reading a broucher "Isla patito, `Little Duck Island?"
"Yes, there's a duck-life motif running through my relationship
with Lucy." Tom wonders, "Some kind of Freudian sub-text?"
Kevin says, "I hope not!" He and Lucy just could
not pass up the coincidence. He tells Tom that he will be away for
a week, though his service has the number, he also wanted him to
have it if there was a problem. Kevin hints to only call if it is
really necessary; Tom understands. Kevin does the Sign of
the Cross, "Bless you!" Tom asks if the hospital is getting
to him. Kevin does not want to deal with the hospital, Port Charles
or New York state. "A whole week, well that should
give me time to move into your office." Kevin looks at him.
Tom pats him on the shoulder, "Kidding." He repeats it,
"kidding, and walks off. Though Kevin is not so sure.
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