Episode Fifty: Jennifer Throws
a Surprise Birthday Party for Jack. 

Scene One: Abigail and Chelsea are in the Deveraux kitchen frosting a chocolate cake. Jennifer comes in and tells Abigail to hurry up because her father was almost done putting away the camping supplies. Just then Bo and Hope come into the kitchen. Hope asks Jennifer about the trip to the cabin. Jennifer tells her that they were almost to the cabin, but they heard that the weather reports were forecasting rain, and since Jack, Jr. had the sniffles, Jack was a little concerned, so they all returned home. Jennifer continues to say that that was why they could not go to Alice's for the welcome home party for the guys -- Philip, Rex, Lucas, Shawn and Rex. She asks about the guys, and Bo and Hope tell her the sad news, that Philip went back into combat and in a landmine accident lost his part of his leg.  Bo and Hope go on to tell her that Philip is in a military hospital in Germany, and that Belle, Kate and John are going to be with him. Just then Billie walks into the kitchen. Abigail tells her mother that the cake is done, but she thinks that the party now will be called off. Hope, Bo and Billie say that they still have a great deal to celebrate, and that they are not calling off Jack's Birthday. Abigail says, "I guess you're right." Billie and Bo comment on how delicious  the cake looks. As she is about go out the kitchen door, Jack opens it.

JACK: All right, I--

The cake goes crashing to the floor.

BILLIE: OOOHH! Ohhh, Jack!

JENNIFER: (Making a face) Uh, Oh.

BO: Nice!

HOPE: That looked delicious!

JACK: (With an embarrassed, sheepish grin) Uhppps!

Scene Two: Jack is bent over on the floor looking at the cake.

JACK: (Picking up a piece) Abigail, this wouldn't be my birthday cake, would it?

ABIGAIL: (Bending down next to him) It would!

JACK:  (Sighs) Haaa.... (Looks at remnants of the cake on his finger) With raspberry filling?

ABIGAIL: Yep!

Jennifer laughs. Abigail stands up and smiles. Jack stands up as well, and looks crestfallen.

JACK: Abigail, I-I.... I'm so sorry, (looking at his hand) I-I.... I am so! I....

Jennifer grabs his hand, and Jack eats the frosting off the fingers of his other.

JACK: (Cont.) Mm mm, (puts out his hand) I can't tell you how sorry I am.

Abigail and Jennifer laughs. Jack looks down at the floor and the ruined cake.

JACK: (Cont.) I'm really sorry!

ABIGAIL: No, it's okay, Dad.

JENNIFER: (Still holding on to Jack's hand and lead him away from the cake) No, it is okay, because, you know what, (putting out her other hand for emphasis) we can make another cake. We can make another cake....

JACK: (Still looking at the floor) No, we can eat it off the floor. Give me a fork....

JENNIFER: (Cont.) ....very quickly.

JACK: (Cont.) ....it's no trouble at all....

JENNIFER: (Laughs, and takes hold of his arm and upper arm) No, you can't eat off the floor!

JACK: I-I.... I'll eat it, oohh....

JENNIFER: Hold on!

Jennifer is at the table, she has lead Jack there, and Abigail has followed them. Meanwhile, the rest of the guests have been listening in, laughing.

ABIGAIL: Dad, you know, I'm so happy you're home, I'd back a hundred cakes for you.

JACK: (Looking at her) You would?

Abigail widens her eyes, and nods.

CHELSEA: Come on, Abs, I'll help you clean this up.

JACK: (Putting out his hand in protest) No, no, no....

JENNIFER: (Reaching to stop Jack) Yes--

JACK: (Cont.) ....leave it to me. I said, le-le.... it's my responsibility. (Motions) Come on.

JENNIFER:  No, I have the trash, hold on (reaching for the trash). Hold on!

JACK: Oh, come on, (takes off before Jennifer can get the trash bag) let me do it. Just give me a fork and I-I.... I'll get right to it.

JENNIFER: Okay here (giving Chelsea a roll of trash bags and she brings the garbage basket).

Jennifer, Abigail and Chelsea go over towards the mess.

JENNIFER: (Cont.) Here, y  ou guys do that.

ABIGAIL: All right, let's [???].

JACK: Oh, my gosh.

ABIGAIL: [???] it's a mess.

JACK: It's an upside down cake.

They laugh at the silly joke. Just then Bo gets a phone call, he goes out of the room to answer it, leaving Billie and Hope alone [That is the main focus of the scene and the stuff with Jack, Jennifer, Abigail and Chelsea is in the background so it is hard to get all they say, but Jack appears to still be trying to eat the cake off the floor and Jennifer and Abigail are trying to clean it up and prevent him from doing so].

ABIGAIL: Oh, gosh!

JENNIFER: It's your favorite topping.

JACK: It's an upside down cake.

JENNIFER: Stop it, Jack, don't even eat it.

ABIGAIL: You can't eat it!

JACK: You kn.... I just don't even need a fork. Look it's good

Jennifer continues to laugh.

JACK: Look i-i.... it's good, [sounds like] come and eat it.

ABIGAIL: No this is....

JENNIFER: It's on the floor, Jack!

Billie and Hope talk about Philip. Billie is glad Belle is going to be with him, Hope thinks it is the worst thing possible.

JENNIFER: That is good!

Their dialogue becomes more indistinct, but apparently they are continuing to joke around.

Scene Three: It is a little later, a small table in the kitchen is filled with bowls, pans and ingredients for back another cake. Jennifer, Jack, Abigail and Chelsea are all involved in the process

JENNIFER: (Talking to Abigail, point to a pan) Now, you just grease that pan. Right, I'll just stir the icing (she walks over to the bowl filled with icing which is on the counter). See, (starting to stir it) I knew we could do this. I knew we could get this done quickly.

JACK: (Walking over to her, gesturing) You know, I'm kinda glad the trip was a bust, after all. Because I can't think of anything better than watching a homemade cake being made in my honor by my two favorite girls (smiles). And (points) favorite best little girl friend.

Jennifer stops stirring and offers Jack a big lump of frosting.

JACK: Oh, for me?

JENNIFER: Go on, there you go.

Jack takes some in his finger, shows it to her, and the eats it.

JACK: Mmmm.

JENNIFER: All right, Icing Boy! (Watching to see his reaction) How is it?

JACK: Mmmm! (Squints and cocks his head back and forth in contemplation) Mmm..... (Nods) Needs a little something.

JENNIFER: (Disappointed, thinking he does not like it) What? What does it need?

JACK: (Looking at it then her) More sugar (reaches over for a kiss)!

JENNIFER: Oh, it needs a little sugah!

JACK: Mmm, yeah....

They kiss and giggle.

JACK: Sugah!

Abigail and Chelsea are watching, Abigail apologizes. Jack and Jennifer are still giggling and kissing.

JENNIFER: A little sugah!

JACK: Sugah! Needs sugah!

Abigail walks over towards them.

JENNIFER: Oh!

JACK: There's your sugar right herah!

They have stopped kissing, but Jennifer still is giggling. The grin at each other, Jack is about to say something more, but looks over and sees Abigail staring at them. She smiles at them. Jack keeps his arms around her.

JACK: Ah.... Yes, anyway.

JENNIFER: (She goes back to stirring the icing, but can't stop giggling) Stop!

JACK: (Cont.) The sugar....

JENNIFER:Yeah.

JACK: Okay, let's put our heads together....

JENNIFER: (Still stirring) All right.

JACK:  (Cont.) ....and, uh, come up with what (puts his other arm around Abigail) we're gonna write on this puppy.

JENNIFER: Oh!

JACK: I mean, on this cake.

Abigail giggles.

JENNIFER: What about, "Happy Birthday Jack"?

Abigail looks up at her father, and he tilts his head thinking it through.

JACK: That's good, how about "Happy Birthday Mr. Jack" "Happy Birthday Big Daddy"

JENNIFER: "Happy Jack"

JACK: "Captain Dad"

They all laugh. Meanwhile, Chelsea watches, sadly, thinking about her lost family. She eventually leaves the room, unnoticed.

JACK: "Super Dad"

ABIGAIL: You know, while you guys are deciding this, Chelsea and I can start mixing some colors, emm....

JACK: Okay.

ABIGAIL: (Cont.) I think we should go with red, or something, you know.

JACK:Okay.

Abigail, rolls her eyes at her parents' silliness, and turns to see Chelsea gone. Jack continues being silly about what he wants written on his cake.

JACK: (Cont.) "Happy Birthday Big Red Daddy"

Abigail shrikes with laughter.

JENNIFER: "Big Red Daddy"?

Scene Four: The three are still in the kitchen. Abigail takes it over to carries something over to oven, as Jack and Jennifer watch. Jennifer has her hands together.

JENNIFER: You know what, I'm kinda glad we ruined this one because this was nice, we got to do it as a family, together....

JACK: Right!

JENNIFER: (Cont.) ....this was great.

ABIGAIL: (Kidding her father) And we couldn't have done it without you, Dad!

Abigail is having a hard time opening the oven door so Jack helps her. Jennifer giggles.

JACK: Well, thank you, Miss Sarcasm. Need I remind you, you're talking to one of the top pastry judges that the (puts his arms around Jennifer's shoulders) Salem County Fair three years running--

JENNIFER:(Taking his wrist in one hand and his arm in another) That's right! You were!

JACK: Yes!

JENNIFER: Okay, so now we have to do is let this cool, (gestures) and then you and Chelsea can ice them. (Realizing something) Wait a minute, where is Chelsea?

Jack looks over, realizing too Chelsea is no longer there. Abigail shrugs.

Scene Five: It is some time later, the cake is decorated and Jennifer has lit the two candles on the cake. Jennifer, Abigail, Bo and Hope are with Jack, surrounding the cake. The big to sing. Jack sings along.

ALL: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY TO YOU!

JACK: TO ME!

ALL: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HOPE: (Emphasizing it) YOU!

JACK: TO ME! Cha-cha-cha!

ALL: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JACK!

ALL: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

JACK: TO ME. And many more!

HOPE AND JENNIFER: Many, many more!

BO: (In a baritone voice) Many more!

ABIGAIL: Okay, make a wish, Dad!

JACK: (Jack has his hand on Jennifer's arm) Ah, okay, ah, oh, you're all here. Good!

Everyone laughs at the joke.

JACK: (Cont.) No, no, no, I've already got my wish....

Jennifer, laughing, looks up at him. Abigail is smiling at her father.

JACK: (Cont.) ....I'm home with my family. But if I had another chance at another wish it would be for.... it be for Philip Kiriakis, that he comes home soon.

BO: (Nod in agreement) Yeah....

HOPE: (Smiles) Yeah!

JACK: In fact, (spreads out his arms) why don't we all make that wish and then we (gestures) all can blow out the candles.

HOPE: Perfect!

JACK: Okay (slaps his hands together)!

JENIFER: Everyone ready?

JACK: (Hums) Hmmm!

JENNIFER: (Relighting the cake) One! Two!

JACK: Hmmm!

JENNIFER: THREE!

Everyone gets closer to the cake, and the all blow at the same time, blowing out the couple candles.

HOPE: Yeeeaaahh!

Hope claps, and the others join her in cheering and clapping.

JACK: Too much saliva on that cake! [???] finish.

Bo and Hope laugh.

JENNIFER: All right, so, look, here we go, let's, ah, cut this cake....

She points the large knife towards Jack and he leans back.

BO: Whooaa!

Jack takes the knife and grins.

JENNIFER: (Cont.) ....before we ruin it. Come on!

HOPE: Wooo!

JACK: (Bends down to begin slicing the pieces) Okay, good.... good idea. I'll get....

HOPE: Should we take the candles out?

JENNIFER: Oh, yeah, yeah, all right.

JACK: Going in.

Abigail asks about Chelsea and Hope tells her that Chelsea is outside with Billie.

JENNIFER: Uuhh, that looks good!

A little later, everyone is eating the cake.

JACK: I'm not kidding....

JENNIFER: I'm stuffed!

JACK: (Cont.) ....if you blind-folded me, and (gestures) put Alice's cake right next to right next to yours, Abigail, and gave me a fork (gestures) I wouldn't be able to tell the difference!

Abigail and Jennifer look at him, and then Jennifer looks over at Abigail! Abigail, laughs, embarrassed from the praise.

JENNIFER: Heeeyy!

JACK: (Cont.) I mean it! I mean it!

Bo and Hope are busy eating.

BO: No licking the plate!

HOPE: Hmmm. Oohhh! Abby, (shows her the empty plate) it was delicious!

JACK: (Busy eating) Hm hm.

ABIGAIL: Thanks!

HOPE: It was so good! Oh, you did a good job, Honey!

BO: Yes!

Billie comes into the kitchen. Abigail asks about Chelsea, and Billie tells her that she just needs a little time alone. Hope says she feels "awful about that poor girl!" Jennifer she does too.

Jack does not look well, and steps aside. They do not notice this. Something is definitely wrong with Jack, he rubs his side, and looks very concerned. Everyone is too busy eating and enjoying Abigail's cake to notice.