SCENE ONE: ADRIENNE
GOES TO STEVE AND TELLS HIM THAT SHE KNOWS WHO JACK IS. HE HOLDS
HER AND THEY DECIDE NOT TO TELL HIM BECAUSE IT WILL DESTROY HIS
LIFE.
SCENE TWO: LATER JACK ARRIVES
AT SHENANIGAN'S TO MEET ADRIENNE.
JACK: Adrienne hi. Look maybe we can pick up our conversation
where we left off. Thanks....
ADRIENNE: Jack?
JACK: Yes.
ADRIENNE: I've been thinking and I've changed my mind.
JACK: What are you saying?
ADRIENNE: I don't want to find Billy anymore.
JACK: Wait a minute. Adrienne, what made you change your
mind?
ADRIENNE: I had a conversation with my mother and it seems
you miss understood her. She doesn't want to find Billy. In fact
the whole idea is upsetting her and I think we should just drop
it.
JACK: Ah, well sure of course. I mean I don't want to
upset your mother.
ADRIENNE: Thank you. And thanks for all your help. Hiring
a private detective and all.
JACK: Now wait a minute, wait a minute. That's no problem
at all. You just forget about the whole thing and it's over. You
want to stop the search, it's stopped.
ADRIENNE: Thanks. I knew you'd understand. I gotta go. Thank
you again and I'll see you, okay.
ADRIENNE LEAVES AND JACK REMOVES HIS BABY PICTURE
FROM HIS POCKET.
JACK: Alright Adrienne. Maybe you can give up but I'm
not going to stop until I find out the story about this Billy
Johnson. Even if I have to do it alone.
DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE TELLS HIM, JACK IS DETERMINED TO FIND
BILLY, NOT REALIZING WHAT THAT *REALLY MEANS TO HIM.
SCENE THREE: STEVE DECIDES
THAT HE WILL DESTROY THE ADOPTION PAPERS THAT MELISSA HAS AND
THAT WAY JACK WILL NEVER FIND OUT. HE GOES TO MELISSA'S AND BREAKS
IN.
SCENE FOUR: MEANWHILE AT
SHENANIGAN'S JACK IS STILL LOOKING AT THE PICTURE WHEN MELISSA
COMES TO SEE HIM.
MELISSA: Hi Jack!
JACK: Melissa. Hi. Look I'm right here just like I promised
to be. No more waiting eh?
MELISSA: Well I'm glad that you're here. I really needed
to see you tonight.
JACK: And I always need to see you, you know that.
MELISSA: Specially tonight.
JACK: Alright.
MELISSA: I have something I have to show you back at my
place.
JACK: Well it can wait until after dinner can't it?
MELISSA: No I don't think I can wait any longer Jack.
I have to show it to you right away.
JACK: We can't wait till after dinner?
MELISSA: We can eat later. I don't have an appetite right
now.
JACK: Melissa, hold on a minute here. It sounds like you're
going to blow up or something. What's wrong?
MELISSA: Nothing.
JACK: Nothing? You wanted me for dinner and then you say
we can't eat. You want to go home and then say we have to leave
immediately and you saying that's nothing!
MELISSA: It is something Jack. I can't get into it here.
JACK: Why do I get the feeling that it's got something
to do with me.
MELISSA: Look I'll explain everything to you later but
I have to show you something and it has to be right away. And
this time nothing is going to stop me.
JACK: Alright then we'll go back to your place if this
is so important.
MELISSA: You won't believe how important it is.
JACK: Alright, let me get the check and I'll be right back
for you.
SCENE ONE: MELISSA'S APARTMENT.
STEVE HAS FOUND THE ADOPTION PAPERS AND IS READING THEM WITH A
FLASHLIGHT.
JUST THEN, JACK AND MELISSA ARRIVE AT THE FRONT DOOR.
MELISSA: I'm glad you decided to come back with me Jack.
JACK: Well it certainly must be important if we had to
skip dinner.
MELISSA: You'll understand as soon as I show you.
JACK: Good. (Kiss)
AS JACK WALKS IN STEVE THROWS THE PAPERS
IN THE FIREPLACE.
|
Before Steve can burn them,
Jack finds the adoption papers;
5:20 min; 5.4 Meg |
|
JACK: Steve?
MELISSA: THE PAPERS! NO!
STEVE: You stay away from there! NO!
JACK GRABS STEVE AND PUSHES HIM ASIDE.
JACK: GET OUT OF HERE!
MELISSA: Steve!
JACK GRABS THE PAPERS FROM THE FIRE.
JACK: No, no. Stop. (He fans the papers to put out the
flames.)
STEVE: NOOOO.
STEVE LUNGES AT JACK AND JACK PUNCHES HIM AND KNOCKS
HIM BACKWARDS.
 MELISSA:
Steve!
JACK: Now, you stay there!
STEVE: DON'T OPEN THAT!
JACK: Now let's see what's so important that it's worth
destroying.
STEVE: NO! DON'T OPEN IT! NOOO!
JACK LOOKS DOWN AT THE ADOPTION PAPERS AND FREEZES.
STEVE: Jack. Now listen to me man.
JACK: (Shocked and stunned but calm) This! What is this?
(Beat) Melissa, this is it isn't it? This is that thing you've
been wanting to show me isn't it? (Voice breaking) Why haven't
you?
MELISSA: Jack I wanted to show you those papers a long time
ago. I even tried.
JACK: (Almost crying) Why didn't you?
MELISSA: Because I was afraid. I was afraid of what it
might do to you. Jack I hate seeing you so hurt. I didn't know
what to do so I waited. Too long.
JACK: No, no you didn't wait. You waited because this
is a lie. This is a fake, a forgery. It's very simple. It's a
ludicrous hoax that....(with a weak smile but crying) that....
AS JACK RAMBLES ON, OBVIOUSLY HE IS TRYING TO CONVINCE HIMSELF
IT IS NOT TRUE EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS IT IS, STEVE, RUNS HIS HANDS
THROUGH HIS HAIR, HURTING FOR JACK. MELISSA SAYS NOTHING, IT
IS OBVIOUS HER HEART IS BREAKING FOR HIM.
JACK: (CONT.) I don't know where you got this but, um,
what this....or what he's doing here but I know this is a lie.
This...
STEVE: Jack it's not a lie. This is the truth. This is
reality. You've got to face reality right now.
JACK: NO, NO, NO! No this is not reality.
STEVE: Yes it is.
JACK: This is a lie. This is a lie that you made up to
get at me! A sick lie. I know that you're trying to destroy me
but it's not going to work. And you know why. Because I'm not
going to buy into it.
STEVE: Oh come on.
JACK: Melissa, I want to thank you for finally having
the courage to show this to me today. You've really made my day.
STEVE: Jack no.
JACK RUNS TO THE DOOR HOLDING THE PAPERS. MELISSA
BREAKS DOWN, SOBBING. JUST THEN JACK NEARLY RUNS INTO KAYLA AS
KAYLA COMES IN.
JACK: Oh no! Not you too.
SCENE TWO: AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION,
JACK COMES IN THE DOOR, CRYING AND SHOUTING FOR HARPER AND ANJELCIA.
JACK: (Voce breaking) Dad, dad, Anjelica. here is everybody?
WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYBODY? (Crying) I'm not Billy Johnson. I'm
Jack Deveraux. I'm Jack Deveraux. My father's Harper Deveraux.
Senator Harper Deveraux. This is my life right here. Hey these
old slides. These old slides of my dad. My life.
JACK: (Cont., crying, he flicks through the slides on
the screen.) Right here.
JUST THEN HARPER WALKS INTO THE ROOM.
HARPER: Jack? What are you doing here in the dark? Oh
reliving old times eh?
JACK: (Tears) I thought I'd look at some slides and have
some laughs, you know.
HARPER: Yeah, I like to look at them myself from time
to time. I guess it's kinda silly, these old slides.
JACK IS IS STILL CRYING, CLINCHES HIS JAW, AT THE HYPOCRISY
OF WHAT HARPER IS SAYING.
HARPER:(CONT.) But I've got to tell you something
Jack, there never was a happier family or a happier time in my
life than watching you grow up. Ever tell you how proud I am to
be your father.
HARPER PUTS HIS ARM AROUND JACK AND HE FLINCHES.
JACK: (Tears) Yes, yes, lots of times. Yeah.
HARPER: Well it's the truth son. I've watched you grow
from an infant, to a boy with dreams, to a young man capable of
making those dreams a reality....
JACK: (Jack jumps up, and distances himself from Harper)
NO! NO! Stop it! I don't want to hear that. I don't want to here
that right now. I need the truth and I need for you to tell me.
HARPER: Jack? I'll tell you anything you need to know.
What is it?
JACK: Are you really my father? (Beat) Tell me, are you
really my father?
HARPER: (Harper has a terrified look) Jack what's gotten
into you. That's an odd question for you to be asking. Ha, ha,
don't be ridiculous.
JACK: Dad, Senator. I assure you that the last thing I
want is to be ridiculous. (He removes the adoption papers from
his pocket.) Here look at that. Look at it. Go ahead, read it.
(Beat) You go ahead. Tell me the truth.
HARPER: Fakes obviously. Where did you get these?
JACK: I got.... Melissa..... I don't know where but we
walked in on Steve Johnson and he was....he was trying to burn
them.
HARPER: Now don't let your emotions cloud your thinking
Jack. I mean it's very clear what's happening here.
JACK: It is? Tell me, what's happening here dad?
HARPER: This is Steve Johnson's way of trying to get to
you. To even the score for you causing all that trouble between
he and Kayla.
JACK: That's what I thought at first too.
HARPER: What do you mean, at first?
JACK: I'm not so sure anymore.
HARPER: Jack I can't believe that you're going to give
any credence to this nonsense.
JACK: Do you deny it?
HARPER: Of course I deny it. You've got to learn to ignore
this kind of character assassination if you're going to have a
life in politics.
JACK: This may....may not....may not be true. But you're
can be damn sure I'm not going to stop until I find out it.
JACK WALKS OUT THE DOOR.
OUTSIDE, HE PAUSES ON THE PORCH. HE BEGINS TO CRY
AS HE REALIZES THE TRUTH.
SCENE THREE: AT JO'S APARTMENT. STEVE
AND KAYLA HAVE ARRIVED. A VERY DISTRESSED JACK KNOCKS ON THE
DOOR.
JO: Jack. I was expecting you. Come in. 
JACK: (Jack chuckles and smiles, trying to pass it off
as a joke, though it is obvious he knows it is true) Um, I'm sorry
to bother you Mrs. Johnson but....it's so ridiculous, it's so
ludicrous I had to come and I had to tell you about it in person.
You see, obviously you know about this feud between your son and
myself. Well now he has done something that is so low, that is
so disgusting that I couldn't believe it. Now you're not going
to believe this. You're going to be just as shocked as I am and
you should demand an apology from him. You really should because
he is trying to make it seem like I am not a Deveraux. He's trying
to make it seem like I am his brother (Beat) of all things. And
I'm your son. (Beat) Well, I mean isn't that the most ridiculous
thing you've ever heard?
JO: (Beat) It's true.
JACK: What did you say?
JO: I'm your mother.
STEVE AND KAYLA COME OUT OF THE KITCHEN. SEEING THEM, ADDED
TO JO'S CONFIRMATION IS TOO MUCH FOR JACK.
JACK: (Running his hands through his hair) Ooooh nooo.
Oh no. This isn't  happening!
They're trying to hurt me and you're helping them. You.... thought....
you were my friend. I thought you cared about me (Crying).
JO: Oh I do care about you. I'm your mother and I love you
very very much.
JACK SOBS.
JO: It's true. I am your mother.
JACK: NO! NO! This is a sick lie. There is no way I'd
be related (Beat) to your family. I'm a Deveraux!
JO: No Jack. I wish I never had to say this but it's true.
You're a Johnson. At least you were born a Johnson.
JO SHOWS JACK A PICTURE OF HIM AS A BABY SITTING ON HER
KNEE.
JO: You're Billy. You're Billy Johnson.
JACK: This old photo of me. It doesn't prove anything. Come
on, you're holding me. So what? For all I know you were a maid working
in my family's house or maybe someone that we visited. Why are you
doing this to me? Why do you want to help them hurt me? I'm never
going to believe this. I'm never going to believe this.
JO OPENS A JEWELRY BOX AND HANDS JACK A RING. JACK
LOOKS CONFUSED, SINCE IT IS A PERFECT MATCH TO HIS MOTHER'S RING
THAT HE GAVE KAYLA.
JACK: Where did you get that? Where did you get this? This
ring belongs to my mother.
JO: Yes. It belongs to your mother. Here. Here's the rest
of the set. It's all of your mother's jewelry. I am your mother
Jack. You're Billy. You're my Billy.
JACK LOOKS OVER TOWARDS STEVE, WHO IS WATCHING, CRYING.
JACK FALSHES A HATEFUL LOOK.
JACK: Don't you ever call me that again. DON'T YOU EVER
CALL ME THAT AGAIN! I WOULD RATHER BE DEAD THAN BE BILLY JOHNSON!
JACK THROWS THE RING ON THE FLOOR. HE WALKS TOWARDS THE
DOOR.
JO: Oh!
STEVE: Jack.
JACK: Let me get out of here.
SCENE FOUR: LATER JACK WALKS DOWN THE STEPS OF THE PIER
AND SITS DOWN AND CRIES AS HE LOOKS AT THE PICTURE.
THINKS ABOUT ABOUT THE ARGUMENT HE HAD WITH STEVE IN THE
HOSPITAL OVER THE KIDNEY DONATION.
STEVE: Oh you'd be surprised buddy. YOU'D BE
SURPRISED!
JACK: (Laughing) RIGHT. I KNOW WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT IS
PLAYING GOD WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES. CONTROLLING PEOPLE'S LIVES.
STEVE: WHY DON'T YOU JUST FORGET ABOUT WHY I'M DOING
IT AND TAKE IT?
JACK: IF YOU WERE THE LAST PERSON ON EARTH I WOULDN'T
TAKE IT!
STEVE: I'm not going to beg you man.
JACK: See that door?
STEVE: Jack, come on....
JACK: USE IT!
MIKE: Right Steve.
STEVE: Jack, forget about your pride here dude. Take
the kidney man. You have your whole lifetime ahead of you TO HATE
ME.
MIKE: Steve, you're upsetting my patient. Get out.
STEVE: I'M NOT GETTING OUT!
JACK COMES OUT OF THE MEMORY, JUST AS
STEVE WALKS UP TO HIM.
STEVE: So, one thing you gotta know man. She loved us. (Beat)
That's why she gave us away. She just thought she was doing what
was right because she loved us.
 JACK:
You gave me Kayla, you gave me a kidney, you gave me my life back
even though you knew I hated you. And all the time you were carrying
around this picture of me. No matter how much I hated you, you
were always so (Beat) so good. (Crying) And now I know why.
STEVE: (Crying) It was because I never stopped loving
you. I've always loved my little brother. I always loved Billy.
And we went to the orphanage and you were so scared. You were
so scared that I made you a promise that I would stay with you,
that I would take care of you. But then they took you away from
me and I couldn't keep the promise. But I thought that one day
we could meet again and that we could be close again. That was
my dream anyway.
JACK: Dream? What the hell do you know about dreams? You
know something. It doesn't make any difference who I am, Billy,
Jack. I'll always hate you. I always will!
SCENE FIVE: AT MELISSA'S
APARTMENT. JACK IS AT THE DOOR.
MELISSA: Jack.
JACK: Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know who I am anymore.
Funny thing is I don't have any place to go now Melissa. I was
wondering if I could go here.
MELISSA: Of course. Come in. I'm happy you came back here
Jack. You know I'll always be here for you. I was afraid you'd
be angry with me.
JACK: (Laughing sarcastically) Oh, angry? I'll never be
angry with you Melissa.
JACK: (Cont.) I'm a Deveraux and we Deverauxes are used to
this kind of character assassination. I am a Deveraux. I am Jack
Deveraux and nothing can change that. |
