Episode Fifty-six: Jack Wants to
Uncover Diana's Secret; Jack, Still
Fighting the Idea of the Johnsons as
his Family, Wants to Get Close to
his Step-brother, Baby Alexander.

SCENE ONE: ANJELICA AND HER NEW BABY SON, ALEXANDER, ARE COMING HOME FROM HOSPITAL. JACK HAS COME TO VISIT. ADRIENNE OPENS THE DOOR.

 

ADRIENNE: Jack.

JACK: Adrienne, Sis! (He kisses her cheek.) Where is he? Where is that little guy? Hey, come here....where is....boy I'm early aren't I?

ADRIENNE: Yeah.

JACK: Well, I guess I couldn't wait. I mean this is my first chance to see my bouncing baby brother.

ADRIENNE: Baby brother?

JACK: Oh yeah. And you can bet I'm going to spoil him too and when Anjelica makes me the godfather, no excuse but to take him out to every ball game there is, buy him anything he wants....

ADRIENNE: You're excited about the baby aren't you?

JACK: Oh yeah. Alexander is exactly what I need in my life right now.

ADRIENNE: What do you mean?

JACK: Well I finally get a chance to be a brother to somebody.

ADRIENNE: Jack, you have a brother, Steve.

JACK: Um....look Steve isn't exactly the ideal....brother, you know.

ADRIENNE: He could be.

JACK: Look, the ideal brother is somebody who will accept you just the way you are and I know that Steve can't do that. Now Alexander....Alexander is going to accept me just as I am. He's going to be good for me and I'm going to be good for him. He's exactly what I need in my life right now.

JO: Jack.

JACK: Mrs. Johnson. I didn't know you were here.

JO: Would it have made a difference?

JACK: If you're talking about Alexander, I meant what I said.

JO: Adrienne's right you know. You do have a brother.

JACK: You mean Steve.

JO: That's exactly who I mean. You know you two were so close when you were little.

JACK: Huh, uh. Alexander and I are going to stay close. Nothing's going to separate us. I'll see to that.

ANJELICA: Jack, what a nice surprise.

JACK: What do you mean surprise? I've been waiting for you.

ANJELICA: I bet this is who you've really been waiting to see.

JACK: Oh you bet you're right. Hey, hey, I'm your big brother. Hi. He's beautiful Anjelica.

ANJELICA: I think so.

JACK: Ooooh.

ANJELICA: Mrs. Johnson, is everything ready for us?

JO: Yes, everything's all ready.

ANJELICA: Good.

NEIL: Hello Adrienne.

JO: Oh no, no, doctor, let me take this for you.

NEIL: Thank you Jo.

ADRIENNE: (To Justin) Hi. Anjelica may I see him?

ANJELICA: Sure.

 

JACK WATCHES AS ANJELICA SHOWS ADRIENNE THE BABY.

 

ANJELICA: Well I bet I know who wants to hold him first?

 

JACK GETS A BIG GRIN ON HIS FACE.

 

ANJELICA: Justin.

JUSTIN: Me?

ANJELICA: Yes of course you. You did help deliver him didn't you?

JUSTIN: Yes I sure did. Hello there little Alexander.

 

JACK'S FACE DROPS AS SHE HANDS THE BABY OVER TO JUSTIN. JO NOTICES HIS PAIN.

 

ANJELICA: I wasn't going to ask you this till later but I don't see any reason to put it off. Justin would you do me the honor of being Alexander's godfather?

 

JACK TURNS AWAY WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES. HE STANDS THERE AS ANJELICA INSISTS THAT SHE WANTS JUSTIN TO BE THE GODFATHER. EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM NOTICES JACK'S PAIN.

 

JACK: Hey Justin congratulations. You're going to make a great godfather.

JUSTIN: Thank you.

JACK: You really are.

 

ANJELICA DECIDES TO TAKE THE BABY UP TO THE NURSERY AND NEIL GOES WITH HER. ADRIENNE LEAVES AND JACK IS LEFT ALONE WITH JO WATCHING HIM. ANJELICA IS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE NURSERY AND REST BUT NEIL WANTS TO DISCUSS SOMETHING WITH HER.

 

NEIL: It's about your choice for godfather for Alexander.

ANJELICA: What about it?

NEIL: Well in the first place I was kind of surprised that you made the choice without talking to me first.

ANJELICA: Are you upset because I chose Justin as Alexander's godfather?

NEIL: No, but I think Jack might be.

ANJELICA: Jack....oh no. I didn't mean to slight Jack.

NEIL: Well from the look on his face I think he was counting on it.

ANJELICA: I'll talk to him.

NEIL: Good.

ANJELICA: I'm sure I can make him understand. Neil thanks for mentioning it to me.

SCENE TWO: JACK IS DOWNSTAIRS POURING HIMSELF A CUP OF COFFEE.

 

JO: Jack....

ANJELICA: Mrs. Johnson.

JO: Mrs. Curtis.

ANJELICA: Would you please bring us some tea?

JO: Regular or herbal?

ANJELICA: Jack, which would you prefer?

JACK: Ah....either.

ANJELICA: Well I'm sick of herbal tea so why don't you brew us a nice big strong pot of English Breakfast?

JO: Fine. Ja.....

ANJELICA: And while you're at it why don't you make us a few finger sandwiches too?

JO: Of course.

 

JO LEAVES.

 

ANJELICA: I'm glad you're still here.

JACK: Actually I was just leaving.

ANJELICA: Jack please don't.

JACK: You don't have....

ANJELICA: I want to talk to you.

JACK: You don't have to make any kind of explanation to me.

ANJELICA: Maybe not but I'd like to give you one. (Beat) I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you.

JACK: Anjelica, I know you didn't mean.....

ANJELICA: And I'm even sorrier that I didn't ask you now that I know how much it meant to you. But I had my reasons.

JACK: Anjelica this is not necessary. Really it's not.

ANJELICA: Oh sweetheart, look I know you're feeling hurt and left out but I want you to think of Alexander as your brother. I mean that.

JACK: Oh wait a minute. Anjelica you've got a whole new life going on here. You've got Neil and now you've got little Alexander. I really don't fit into any of this.

ANJELICA: But you can. I want you to fit into it. We both do.

JACK: Are you sure about that?

ANJELICA: Yes....yes. (Hug) How could you not be part of my life? When I think of all those ice cream parties you made me throw for you when you were growing up. My hands still get sticky just thinking about it. And all the Christmases and the times I would drive up to your private boarding school for no other reason than to sneak you out so I could take you shopping with me. Jack, we've always been close and we'll always be close nothing will ever change that.

JACK: Anjelica you know how much you mean to me. That little guy up there, he means a lot to me now too. But we are really kidding ourselves if we think that things are the same, that things haven't changed.

ANJELICA: They haven't changed that much.

JACK: Oh well....er....if you don't mind I'd like to go up and take a peak at him.

ANJELICA: Sure....yes.

JACK: I'll tell you one thing, if you're half as good to him as....you've been to me, he's going to be one lucky little guy.

 

ANJELICA LEAVES.

JACK GOES UP TO SEE ALEXANDER. HE KNEELS BY THE CRIB HOLDING A TEDDY BEAR.

 

JACK: Hey there, hey. Hi. Alexander. I want to introduce myself. My name is Jack and we're now going to be seeing a lot more of each other. We're going to be close. We're going to be as close as two brothers can be.

 

JACK GETS UP WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES AND BACKS AWAY FROM THE CRIB AS JO WATCHES FROM THE DOOR.

JACK: You something, even if we're not blood relations, we're going to be family. And if you ever have a problem I want you to come to me and talk to me. Because we're going to talk. Are we ever going to talk? Just like real brothers. Cause we're going to be a real family, you and me.

JO: Jack, you're fooling yourself. I hope you know that.

JACK: Mrs. Johnson.

JO: We didn't get a chance to finish our talk earlier.

JACK: Well I really don't have time to chat. I have to go.

JO: I meant what I said. You're kidding yourself if you think that this baby is going to make up for your real family.

JACK: It's really none of your business.

JO: Oh yes it is much my business. I'm your mother and I've made it my business. Jack I know how you're feeling right now.

JACK: You don't have the slightest idea how I'm feeling.

JO: Yes. Yes I do. You're feeling very left out and lonely and you're very angry at me. I know that.

JACK: Mrs. Johnson, I'm not angry with you.

JO: And I know....I know....that you hate calling me Mrs. Johnson. I know that it's just a habit. So why don't you stop it? Why don't you....why don't....why don't you just call me mama, please?

 

JACK WALKS AWAY FROM HER.

 

JO: Alright but it doesn't change things. You miss your family so much that you are willing to reach out for some family....a baby that doesn't even belong to you.

JACK: You stop it. You stop it right now. If I want my stepmother's baby to be my family, it's totally up to me.

JO: When are you going to admit the fact that you already have a brother?

JACK: Yeah....a brother who challenges me and tests me everytime I try to open up to him.

JO: Can you blame him?

JACK: When this baby grows up he's not going to challenge me or test me. He will accept me for who I am.

JO: I accept you for who you are. But you've got to stop this fantasy about this baby being a part of you. This baby is a part of another family. You are a part of us. The Johnsons are the only real family that you are ever going to have. You and Steve are brothers and you're going to have to accept that and learn what that means. Now you think about it.

 

JO WALKS OUT.

JACK IS LEFT HOLDING A SMALL WHITE TEDDY BEAR WHILE A SONG PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND.

SCENE ONE: STEVE AND KAYLA ARRIVE AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER AND KAYLA FINDS AN ENVELOPE UNDER THE DOOR.

 

STEVE: Donation to the Riverfront Emergency Center, $10,000, signed Jack Deveraux. (Beat) I smell a rat and his name is Happy Jack, Billy Jack Johnson.

KAYLA: Well it's hard to say.

STEVE: Come on Kayla. Jack doesn't give money to good causes especially not causes that we're behind.

KAYLA: Well it looks like he did this time.

STEVE: No he's up to something. I want to know what it is.

 

JACK WALKS IN THE DOOR.

 

JACK: Hey you've got to learn to trust, you know that. You think everything's a plot and everybody's got an ulterior motive.

STEVE: No. Not everyone dude!

JACK: How are you today Kayla? Beautiful day out there.

KAYLA: Terrific.

JACK: You can smell the spring in the breeze.

STEVE: Well now that we've shot the breeze and got the weather report, I want to know what you're up to.

JACK: What makes you think I'm up to anything?

STEVE: This. What is this? And why have you been hanging around us so much lately?

JACK: Now you have a knack of making mountains out or mole hills.

STEVE: Ten thousand dollars is no mole hill dude.

JACK: Well that's the difference between us. Maybe it's a lot to you but it's not a lot to me. In my bracket I can use every deduction I can get.

STEVE: Right.

KAYLA: What are you trying to buy with this money Jack?

JACK: I'm not trying to buy anything. Actually it's a bill I owe to this place.

KAYLA: We didn't bill you for anything.

JACK: Well you should have. You had to patch me up....no pun intended....when I got knifed. I mean if you hadn't been here I would have been in big trouble.

KAYLA: Well that's what we're here for.

JACK: Look. Maybe the other people around here can't pay their bills but I can.

KAYLA: Well....ten thousand dollars.

JACK: Well it's a little bit much but think of it as a contribution in honor of my new baby brother, Alexander. It's not every day you get a baby brother and you want to celebrate. Oh come on. Everytime I'm at a hospital board meeting they're talking about this place needing money. If you don't want it I can think of some charity that does. Take it or leave it.

KAYLA: Alright we'll take it. The Emergency Center can use the funds.

JACK: Good. Good. Buy some bandages on me. I'll see you guys later.

 

JACK LEAVES BUT STEVE IS STILL CONVINCED THAT JACK HAS ANOTHER REASON OTHER THAN THE BIRTH OF A BABY TO GIVE AWAY SO MUCH MONEY.

SCENE TWO: LATER THAT DAY JACK LISTENS WHILE ROMAN AND DIANA ARE PLANNING THEIR EVENING. AS SOON AS THEY LEAVE HE BEGINS SEARCHING HER OFFICE. JACK IS READING A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE HE FINDS IN HER DRAWER WHEN SHE COMES BACK INTO THE OFFICE.

 

JACK: Fascinating!

DIANA: What the hell do you think you're doing in my desk?

JACK: What do you think Diana? Do we have a story in this? (Beat) I'm not sure. You see on one hand we have this fascinating story....this man who's been missing for years who suddenly turns up.

DIANA: Well I thought it interesting. That's why I saved it.

JACK: Six years in the jungle. Imagine that. But then again, no real connection to Salem, is there?

DIANA: Well we don't only print stories about Salem do we?

JACK: Absolutely. And that's why you called the Pentagon the other day. Now tell me, do you think we should do this story?

DIANA: I don't know. I haven't decided yet.

JACK: I've decided. I think this is a great story. I'm going to get a reporter on it today.

DIANA: No you won't. No it's my story. And I will decide who's going to report on it.

JACK: Suit yourself. Do whatever you like as long as I see the story before it goes into print. And....um....put somebody good on it.

 

JACK LEAVES DIANA'S OFFICE.

 

DIANA: I'll put somebody very good on it. (Picks up the phone.) Hi Pat. Will you please book me a seat on the last flight to Washington. Yes tonight. Okay, thank you.

SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER, JACK COMES INTO DIANA'S OFFICE WHERE PAT, THE SECRETARY, IS TIDYING UP.

 

JACK: Oh Pat, has Diana gone for the day?

PAT: I don't think so. She'd have to come back. Her plane ticket is here.

JACK: Oh plane ticket eh? To Washington DC? Thank you very much. Ah....one more thing. Do you know if she assigned someone to the missing in action story in Washington DC?

PAT: No as far as I know she hasn't assigned anybody to do a story about that.

JACK: Good. Thank you very much. (Beat) Hasn't assigned anybody huh? Alright Diana, what's the real story?

SCENE FOUR: A SHORT TIME LATER, DIANA SAYS GOODBYE TO ROMAN AS JACK WALKS IN THE OFFICE.

 

JACK: Hi Diana, where are you headed?

DIANA: I'm going to New York for a couple of days to do a bit shopping before the wedding. Do I have your permission?

JACK: Oh absolutely. Give those credit cards a work out. By all means.(Beat) By the way I was wondering. Did you assign somebody to the MIA story in Washington?

DIANA: Yes I did.

JACK: Good, good. Well have a great trip.

SCENE FIVE: LATER THAT NIGHT DIANA IS SITTING IN HER PLANE SEAT AND TWO ROWS BACK IS JACK, FOLLOWING HER TO WASHINGTON.