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.
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.
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.
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....(Crying) that....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 AS KAYLA COMES IN.
JACK: Oh no! Not you too.
SCENE TWO: AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION, JACK COMES IN THE DOOR.
JACK: (Voice breaking) Dad, dad, Anjelica. Where 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. (Crying, he flicks through the slides on the screen.) Right here.
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. 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: 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: 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 AND PAUSES ON THE STOOP. 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: 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.
JACK: 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: 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: 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 AND THINKS ABOUT ABOUT THE ARGUMENT HE HAD WITH STEVE IN THE HOSPITAL OVER THE KIDNEY DONATION. STEVE COMES 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. I'm a Deveraux and we Deverauxs are used to this kind of character assassination. I am a Deveraux. I am Jack Deveraux and nothing can change that.
SCENE ONE: THE NEXT MORNING AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION, JACK COMES IN TO SEE HARPER AND ANJELICA WAITING.
HARPER: Well I'm a bit concerned that he didn't come home last night.
ANJELICA: Well here he is, safe and sound. You can cancel your call to the Kremlin.
HARPER: Jack I'm glad you're home. I was worried about you son.
JACK: That's a joke isn't it? I can't be your son.
HARPER: Of course I'm your father Jack. You know that.
JACK: Do I?
HARPER: Look I've always been your father. If anyone is filling your head with ideas to the contrary....
JACK: Gosh dad, why would anybody do something like that?
HARPER: I have no idea. Maybe to try and hurt you. There are some very cruel people out there Jack. People who wouldn't think twice about fabricating ludicrous rumors at the expense of others. It's all a lie of course.
JACK: Of course. Of course. It's funny though how defensive these ludicrous rumors seem to have made you.
HARPER: Well how do you expect me to react? You come in here spouting accusations, making outrageous statements after being god knows where all night.
JACK: Save it Senator. Save it for your constituents. Remember I'm a little more astute than your average audience. I can spot the Deveraux press persona as soon as you snap it on.
HARPER: I assure you Jack that my feelings for you have always been sincere. I should think you'd know that by now, that you'd believe me when I tell....
JACK: God don't! You're not going to keep trying to deny this are you? I've seen with my own eyes who I really am.
HARPER: If you're referring to those pitiful forgeries of adoption papers, I've already told you that they're fakes.
JACK: Fakes! So I suppose that the photograph of Jo Johnson holding that baby who bears more than a passing resemblance to me is a fake. Little trick photography perhaps. What about Jo Johnson's jewelry? The necklace and the earrings which are a perfect match for my mother's ring. Fakes? I don't think so. And tell me did Steve give me his kidney because he hates my guts? Now there's a very interesting paradox for you and an amazing coincidence. How we were such a perfect medical match. Maybe the medical records were faked as well.
HARPER: I have no idea why Steve Johnson did what he did. I'm only glad that he did it. As low as my tolerance is for that man, he did save your life. Now as for Mrs. Johnson....
JACK: No don't! I can't take anymore of your lies. That's all my life has been. Don't you see that? One lie after another piled on and on ad infinitum. That's just a little snatch of Latin I picked up from one of the many prep schools I got for my Deveraux name. So many benefits from my Deveraux heritage. My great Deveraux stature. Fine and noble Deveraux breeding. Not to mention fine oft touted Deveraux blood causing through my veins. It's all....When all that I really am, Senator Deveraux, is your ex-maid's son. Something truly to be proud of.
ANJELICA: Harper is this true? Have you been keeping this from me all these years?
HARPER: Anjelica leave us alone. This is strictly between my son and me. Your presence is not required here.
ANJELICA: Why don't I leave you alone?
HARPER: Do that. Now Jack....
JACK: Jack? Jack? Who's Jack? Let's drop the pretense here for a minute shall we? Why don't we try on that other name for size? Go ahead, call me Billy! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SAY IT! Or would you prefer William? Or Willy? Or Bill? William Earl Johnson. Oh I like it!
HARPER: Son....
JACK: Don't, don't call me that. After all these years of mendacity, I want the truth. I think that's the least I deserve. Mendacity. Now there's a word that I bet William, Billy, Bill, Johnson never would have used.
HARPER: Son....
JACK: I told you not to call me your son.
HARPER: But you are my son. I've always thought of you that way and I always will. Now when your mother....
JACK: Jo?
HARPER: Camille, the woman who raised you, the only mother you've ever known. Well when we discovered that Camille was unable to conceive we were devastated. We both wanted a child so desperately. We had so much love to give not to mention everything else we had to offer so we adopted you.
JACK: From Jo?
HARPER: From the orphanage. I had no idea Mrs Johnson was your natural mother. From the moment Camille and I saw you we loved you so much. We couldn't have loved you anymore if you'd been our own flesh and blood. I understand that you feel hurt by all this. It's almost inevitable. That's why I never wanted you to know the whole truth. I never wanted you to have to go through this kind of pain.
JACK: Maybe if you'd told the truth it would have saved a lot of people pain.
HARPER: Maybe. Maybe you're right. Maybe I made a mistake. God knows I'm not the perfect Senator I'd have the world believe. You have every right to be furious with me just as long as you realize that I love you and you love me. The bond we share is just as strong as that between any father and son, natural or otherwise. And you know it's not going to end because of this. The feelings we have go too deep for us to just toss them aside like this. You do believe that my love is genuine don't you?
JACK: I don't know what to believe anymore.
SCENE TWO: LATER ON THE PIER, ADRIENNE FINDS JACK BROODING ALONE.
ADRIENNE: Jack, Jack.
JACK: I guess you heard the news?
SHE NODS.
JACK: I guess we better drop the search for your missing brother eh?
ADRIENNE: Jack, I'm sorry I ever got you involved in all that.
JACK: Don't. Don't try and take the blame on it. I'm at much at fault as anybody. I wanted to find Billy as a way to get revenge on your brother. (Laugh) What a beautiful plan that turned out to be?
ADRIENNE: You really hate Steve, don't you? Jack why don't you try to make up with him. For the two of you to just forget what happened in the past, bury the past.
JACK: I really....I really don't see that happening.
SCENE THREE: A BIT LATER MELISSA FINDS JACK ON THE PIER.
MELISSA: Jack I was looking all over for you. I was worried about you.
JACK: There's no need to worry about me. I'm fine. I'm on top of the world.
MELISSA: Jack I'm sorry if I hurt you. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I know you're angry. It's only natural that you would be. I only hope that one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. To at least listen to my side. Dammit Jack, don't you even care about me enough to look at me?
JACK: I don't even know how I feel about you anymore. I remember how I used to feel. I trusted you more than anybody in the world. And you have destroyed that trust.
MELISSA: Jack I did it for you. I did it because I love you.
JACK: Don't! EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY SAYS THAT TO ME! Everybody. My father, my wife, my mother. Oh we love you Jackie, we do, but gee sorry, sorry we had to lie to you for your entire life. (Crying) I don't even know who I am anymore. My whole life's nothing but deceit, a pretense. But it's okay because everybody who lied to me did it because they loved me. I did.... Melissa, tell me something. Why didn't anybody love me enough to tell me the truth?
SCENE FOUR: LATER AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION, STEVE IS ARGUING WITH HARPER WHEN JACK ARRIVES HOME.
JACK: Oh no. I don't believe this! What are you doing here?
HARPER: Don't worry Jack I was just about to throw this piece of trash back out into the street where he belongs.
JACK: Thank you da....thank you Harper. I think I can fight my own battles. Thank you. I know how to handle Mr Johnson.
HARPER LEAVES.
JACK: So. You have something you want to say to me?
STEVE: Yeah. I um, I thought there'd been enough bad blood between us and you know we've been pretty good at figuring out how to hurt each other. I just thought maybe we could put all that behind us and try to figure out maybe how to help each other. You know, start from scratch.
JACK: Hmm. And why would I want to do that?
STEVE: Cause we're brothers. Does that mean anything to you?
JACK: Well I think it means that I will probably be getting one more birthday card next year. That's June 14th if you want to mark it on your calendar. Think you just missed it. But you already know that don't you?
STEVE: What's the matter with you man? How did you end up like this, huh?
JACK: Like this? I don't know. How'd you end up like that? Maybe I like the way I am. Now if you have nothing else to say to me I'd appreciate your leaving.
STEVE: You know it's just like you to turn jerk on me when I'm trying to come here to try and fix things isn't it?
JACK: (Angry) JUST LIKE ME!
STEVE: YEAH!
JACK: JUST LIKE ME!
STEVE: Just like....that's right.
JACK: Look you're the one whose really following true to form here you know that. Why do you think you always have the power to always fix things? Here you go again, one more time trying to play god. And I'm screwing up your little fantasy because I won't dance around like a little puppet when you want to pull on my strings. (Snubs his nose at Steve.)
STEVE: Jack just listen to me man because this is important and you got to understand where I'm coming from here man. All my life I loved you and I worried about you and I didn't know where you were. I didn't know whether you were dead or alive man. And then you get adopted. They take you away from me and you end up here and you turn into a selfish little spoiled brat. That's what you are. (Thumps Jack on the back.) That's what you are. You're selfish Jack. But (BEAT) you're still, you're still my brother see and I'm ready to....I can just put all that aside and I can forget everything. I'm here man. I just want to start again.
JACK: Get out of my house!
STEVE: Oh man. You want me to get out of your house, I'll get out of your house. But I'm not about to get out of your life. And sooner or later you're going to have to face the fact that you are Billy Johnson dude and all your Deveraux money and your connections and all this crap here is not going to change that!
STEVE GRABS JACK AND HOLDS HIM TIGHT AS JACK STRUGGLES TO GET FREE.
STEVE: (Taking Jack's face in his hands.) You're still my brother!
STEVE WALKS OUT THE DOOR AND STOPS CRYING.
STEVE: Oh god you're still my baby brother!
SCENE FIVE: THE SHOW ENDS WITH A MUSICAL MONTAGE OF MELISSA IN HER APARTMENT HOLDING A PICTURE OF HER AND JACK; THEN JACK, ALONE, PICKS UP A FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF HIM AND HARPER. HE THROWS IT TO THE FLOOR AND TREADS ON IT TO BREAK THE GLASS. HE STANDS ALONE CRYING AS THE SONG PLAYS.Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today.
Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles
With frozen smiles to chase love away.
Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today.
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