Episode #92
A Few Days After #91

TEASER

INT: CHASE HOME (COURTNEY’S ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

COURTNEY is seated on the bed, clutching a teddy bear. Her mind has drifted back to the visit from Alex Marshall several days before, when she was suddenly informed that her father had been married before. It’s been a difficult couple of days for Courtney, as she has gone out of her way to avoid speaking with her mother any more than necessary.

COURTNEY: How could they keep something like this from me? I’ve always trusted them to be honest with me …

She trails off, returning to her silent sulking.

***

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

MOLLY is looking through a shelf full of snack foods when a voice from behind catches her attention.

BRENT: Hey!

She turns around to find BRENT standing just a few feet away.

MOLLY: Hey! What are you doing here?

BRENT: Same as every else here – buying food.

MOLLY: Sounds like a good reason.

BRENT: And apparently, we’ve got the same taste in junk food.

Molly gestures towards the assortment of snacks on the shelf beside her.

MOLLY: I’m trying to figure out which one has the least fat. I figure if I’m gonna indulge, I might as well be a little careful.

BRENT: I don’t think you’ve really gotta worry about that.

He says this with a grin, admiring her figure.

MOLLY: Is that so?

BRENT: It definitely is.

There is a short lull in the conversation, as Brent becomes aware of how suggestive his last comments were.

MOLLY: So what are you up to – besides buying food, of course?

BRENT: Actually, I’m glad I ran into you. Something big just came up – something I need your help with.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

Although this is only a temporary dwelling, the style which ANDY has grown up with is evident in the decor of the apartment he had set up for his bride-to-be. He is seated upon the lush sofa, flipping through a magazine as he waits for Danielle to return with the groceries she needs to complete dinner. Suddenly the telephone rings, and he reaches across the sofa for the phone.

ANDY: Hello?

On the other end, ROBERTA OWENS smiles with delight, thrilled that Andy has picked up.

ROBERTA: Hi. Is Danielle there?

ANDY: No, I’m sorry, she’s not.

ROBERTA: Is this her fiancé?

ANDY: Yes – yes, it is. How can I help you?

A wicked smile creeps across Roberta’s face as she switches her cell phone to the other ear.

ACT ONE

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

An intrigued MOLLY waits for BRENT to go on.

MOLLY: What is it?

BRENT: I need help making a decision.

MOLLY: A decision?

BRENT: Yeah … it’s really important.

Instinctively, Molly’s mind wanders off to a wonderful fantasy …

DAYDREAM

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

BRENT: Molly, I think I’m going to divorce Sarah.

MOLLY: Brent … that’s a big decision.

BRENT: I know. That’s why I need your help with it. The thing is, my marriage just isn’t working. Sarah and I have nothing in common.

MOLLY: If you’re unhappy, go for it.

BRENT: There’s something I need to hear from you, Molly.

MOLLY: What?

BRENT: I need to know that if I leave Sarah, you’ll be there for me.

MOLLY: What do you mean?

BRENT: I don’t wanna be with Sarah – I wanna be with you!

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

MOLLY returns from her fantasy to reality, as BRENT observes the somewhat glazed-over look in her eyes.

BRENT: Are you okay?

MOLLY: Oh … Yeah, I’m fine.

She tries to collect her bearings without giving any clues as to how distracted she just was.

MOLLY: So you needed to ask me something. What is it?

***

INT: CHASE HOME (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

Although the TV is on, HELEN is paying little attention to it. She is too distracted by her husband’s absence and her daughter’s anger to enjoy herself.

HELEN: I’ve got to talk to Courtney about this. I have to make her understand why we never told her about Don’s first marriage.

She rises from the well-sunken spot she has formed in the sofa.

HELEN: I just wish Don would call me back so we could work through this together!

She sighs deeply and heads upstairs to attempt a conversation with her daughter.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APT. (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

ANDY is interested by whomever is on the other end of the telephone line – namely, ROBERTA, although he does not know this.

ANDY: Yes, it is.

ROBERTA: I’ve heard so much about you! When do you expect Danielle back?

ANDY: Any minute, actually. Can I take a message?

ROBERTA: Oh, of course! I’m Roberta Owens – from Sonic Sound Music. I’m sure Danielle’s told you all about the offer I made her.

The mention of a record company and an offer in the same sentence as Danielle’s name truly gets Andy’s attention. Still, his voice merely rings with intrigue rather than escalating in volume as he responds calmly.

ANDY: Actually, she hasn’t.

In her office, Roberta grins deviously.

ACT TWO

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

MOLLY anxiously awaits whatever it is that BRENT has to say.

MOLLY: Go ahead, tell me!

BRENT: I got a call from the King’s Bay PD yesterday …

This information interests Molly, but her disappointment nearly overrides this. She tries to cover, however, and puts on an overly curious face.

MOLLY: Really?

BRENT: Yeah. Apparently things aren’t working out so well with the new commander, and they offered me my old job back.

MOLLY: Wow! Are you gonna take it?

BRENT: That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think I should?

MOLLY: Do you think you should?

Even in his silence, Brent’s indecisiveness is apparent in the way he shifts in place.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APT. (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

ANDY is gripped by astonishment as he holds the telephone to his ear, desperate for an explanation from ROBERTA.

ANDY: What exactly did you offer her?

ROBERTA: A recording contract, of course. I was wondering if perhaps she’d changed her mind – Could you have her give me a call when she gets in?

ANDY: Yeah – Whoa, wait. Changed her mind?

ROBERTA: She turned down my offer. I was hoping that she’d reconsidered.

ANDY: I’ll have to have her call you later.

ROBERTA: Sure. Thanks.

ANDY: No problem.

He is in such shock that he hangs up without even saying "goodbye," something quite rebellious considering his formal upbringing.

ANDY: (to himself) Danielle got a record offer? Why didn’t she tell me about it? And why did she turn it down?

Before he can wonder anymore, the door opens. DANIELLE enters, carrying a grocery bag.

DANIELLE: Hey, honey. I’ve got everything I need now. I’ll just run in there and finish dinner – it’ll be maybe fifteen minutes.

ANDY: Hold on.

She stares at him in confusion as he stands sternly across the room.

ACT THREE

INT: CHASE HOME (COURTNEY’S ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

COURTNEY is still sitting silently on the bed when there is a knock at the door. She says nothing for a moment and is almost surprised when the door doesn’t just burst open, as has been the custom over the years.

COURTNEY: Come in.

She says this mournfully, as if there is no recovering from what has happened. Slowly, the door slips open, and HELEN slides inside.

HELEN: Can we please talk, Courtney?

COURTNEY: I really don’t have anything to say to you, Mom.

HELEN: Fine, then – at least listen to me.

She pauses, trying to figure out how to start. Despite all the times she’s run through this in her head, she is suddenly drawing a blank.

HELEN: Look, Courtney, I know you’re upset that your father and I never told you that he was married before. But honestly, can’t you see our reasoning at all? How were we supposed to bring it up? We did our best to make you feel like you had a solid family – which you did. We knew our marriage would be forever, but we didn’t know how you’d react to hearing about that. Your father – he was worried that you’d lose respect for him.

COURTNEY: I understand that he made a mistake marrying that woman. I just don’t get why you couldn’t have told me about it!

HELEN: Courtney, what difference does it make?

COURTNEY: I thought I knew him!

She shouts this and then lets the intensity in her eyes drill into Helen for a few seconds.

COURTNEY: When you find out something like this about a person, it changes the way you look at them. It’s not that I don’t trust Dad now – it’s just weird.

HELEN: I know. We’re both very sorry about this, and we want you to know that. But this family cannot go on dwelling on this. It’s over and done with – why allow it to cause more trouble than it needs to?

COURTNEY: That’s where you’re wrong: It’s not over, Mom.

***

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

BRENT is quiet, in spite of MOLLY’s question.

MOLLY: It’s a simple question, Brent. Do you think you should take the job back?

BRENT: I don’t know. I mean … What about Sarah?

MOLLY: I don’t know what to tell you! I hate to keep bringing this up, but she’s the one who ran out on you!

BRENT: Calm down.

He tries to ease her by placing his hands on her shoulders.

BRENT: She didn’t "run out" on me. She went to work on the investigation with Matt. And as angry as I am about that, she’s still my wife.

This seems to dishearten Molly, as she lowers her eyes and her voice becomes softer.

MOLLY: I understand that, but you have to look at what she’s done and use it as an example. I don’t agree with the way Sarah’s going about this thing, but you have to admit, she did what she wanted. You should do the same.

BRENT: I just don’t know if I can do that, Molly.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APT. (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

DANIELLE is suddenly aware of ANDY’s coldness.

DANIELLE: What’s wrong?

ANDY: Is there something you’d care to tell me about?

DANIELLE: What are you talking about?

ANDY: Oh, I don’t know … Your career, perhaps?

Danielle attempts to conceal the way her stomach turns in response to the way Andy asks this.

DANIELLE: What about it?

ANDY: While you were out, a certain record executive called – Roberta Owens, I believe. She informed me that you turned down a recording contract she offered you.

Danielle’s jaw simply drops.

ANDY: Now would you care to tell me what the hell is going on here? What kind of games are you playing, Danielle?

She shrinks away from him, stunned by the sudden leap in the volume of his voice.

ACT FOUR

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

MOLLY eyes BRENT with skepticism.

MOLLY: How can you say that?

BRENT: I don’t know … I mean, I took the P.I. job for Sarah.

MOLLY: You shouldn’t have taken it if you didn’t want to.

BRENT: I did want it – or I thought I did. But it’s not what I expected. And regardless of the things that bug me about the PD, I miss it.

MOLLY: Then take the job!

BRENT: Maybe you’re right …

MOLLY: Of course I’m right! What’s with this sudden surge of loyalty to Sarah?

The question comes out sounding far more aggressive than she intended it to, and Molly is instantly aware of this.

BRENT: What’s that supposed to mean?

***

INT: CHASE HOME (COURTNEY’S ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

HELEN gives COURTNEY a look of confusion, trying to hold back any annoyance that is lurking below the surface.

HELEN: What?

COURTNEY: Alex showed up just the other day, and it’s obvious that something is up with his mother. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but why would he show up at the house of a man who hasn’t seen his mother in so many years?

HELEN: I don’t know … Maybe he just hasn’t had luck anywhere else.

COURTNEY: He told us he’d come to see his mom – like he expected her to be in King’s Bay. Why would he have that impression?

Helen is pensive, but does not need to respond. She has begun to put together the pieces on her own.

COURTNEY: Because Sally must have given it to him, of course! For some reason, Alex thought his mother was here in King’s Bay.

Cautiously, Helen sits down on her daughter’s bed, and settles down when there are no protests.

HELEN: Do you really think that Sally came to King’s Bay because of your father?

COURTNEY: She had to, Mom. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

She shakes her head in disbelieving worry.

COURTNEY: And if I’m right, it means that the trouble may only just be beginning.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APT. (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

Hurt by ANDY’s accusations of cruel deception, anger surges in DANIELLE as she prepares to defend herself.

DANIELLE: Game? Do you think I enjoyed this, Andy? No, I didn’t! I wanted to take that offer so badly – but I didn’t. And you know what the reason was?

She leaves him in suspense for a brief moment.

DANIELLE: You! It was you!

ANDY: What? Why?

DANIELLE: There was a stipulation attached to the offer saying that I had to tour for a year, basically as soon as possible. I couldn’t bring myself to ask you to wait for me for a full year, especially after we got engaged.

ANDY: That doesn’t make any sense, Danielle! You know how much I love you!

DANIELLE: And I love you, which is exactly why I did this!

ANDY: I would have been fine with it, Danielle. I trust you and I believe in our love. I don’t understand why you’d think otherwise.

DANIELLE: Because –

Her voice grows calmer as she begins to explain.

DANIELLE: Because I’ve seen what these separations can do to a relationship. After my mother died, my father came so close to remarrying once. But she had to take this extended business trip for a couple of months, and when she returned, the spark was just gone. They broke their engagement. And now, seeing how Sarah’s running off has hurt my brother—

ANDY: I’m sorry. I didn’t know …

The anger is now absent from his words and his motions.

ANDY: I just thought you’d have more faith in what we have together.

DANIELLE: I do – I just got nervous!

ANDY: I see.

A long pause ensues.

ANDY: Well, there’s something I need you to do now.

He says this so somberly that it practically sends chills down Danielle’s spine.

ACT FIVE

INT: GROCERY STORE
EARLY EVENING

As BRENT watches her, alarmed by her little outburst, MOLLY realizes just how bad it sounded.

MOLLY: All I meant ... I didn’t mean you shouldn’t be loyal to Sarah. I was just saying, if she’s gonna do whatever she wants with her career, why can’t you do the same?

BRENT: Yeah, I guess you’re right.

Without warning, he pulls her into a hug.

BRENT: Thank you, Molly.

MOLLY: Really, it was no problem.

He lets go of her.

BRENT: No, I appreciate that you’ve been here for me through all of this. You’re the best friend I’ve got.

Again he hugs her. Molly’s face, hidden from Brent’s view, reveals some degree of disappointment.

***

INT: DANIELLE’S APT. (LIVING ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

Though DANIELLE had expected something awful, ANDY’s sternness disappears as he points to the phone.

ANDY: I want you to get that woman on the phone and tell her you’re going to take the offer.

A smile breaks out on her face.

DANIELLE: What?

Andy pulls her into a loving embrace.

ANDY: I want you to take that offer, Danielle. You’ve worked so hard to get to this point.

This sparks another point in his mind.

ANDY: How did she find you, anyway? Unless I’m really missing something, I don’t recall you ever making a demo tape.

DANIELLE: Didn’t have to. She saw me singing at Cassie’s one night and was so impressed that she made me an offer on the phone the next day.

ANDY: Wow. This is terrific, Danielle!

He releases her.

ANDY: Now get on that telephone and call that woman!

With an ecstatic giggle, she picks up the telephone.

Andy watches her lovingly. How could she even imagine that he’d stand in the way of her dream? He had been ready to blow up at her, but now he understood why she’d done what she’d done. He smiles as he hears Danielle greet Roberta on the phone.

***

INT: CHASE HOME (COURTNEY’S ROOM)
EARLY EVENING

The distance between COURTNEY and HELEN has lessened considerably, just because of the comfortable rhythm of the ongoing conversation. Helen, however, knows that just because they’ve said a few words doesn’t mean everything is all right.

HELEN: You may be right, Court ... but if that’s the case, we need to be a family to deal with it.

Courtney halfheartedly shrugs, unwilling to admit that perhaps she needs to compromise.

HELEN: Courtney, both your father and I love you. Nothing is going to change that, especially something that’s been buried in the past for so long. We’ll just need to lean on each other to get through whatever this is.

A tender smile spreads across Courtney’s face.

COURTNEY: Do you have to get all "Full House" on me, Mom?

They share a light laugh.

HELEN: I’m sorry that we didn’t tell you about this sooner, Courtney. But I promise -- there are no more secrets like this that are just going to pop up out of nowhere.

COURTNEY: Now that is one thing I’m glad to hear.

Her demeanor suddenly becomes a little more downcast.

COURTNEY: What’s going on with Dad? I mean, where is he, Mom?

HELEN: I don’t know, Court. The last time I heard from him was when Alex was here the other day.

COURTNEY: Something really weird is going on.

HELEN: I know. And on top of all of this, your father has been acting so strange lately. I’m really worried about him.

COURTNEY: So am I ...

The two women sit on the bed, looking despondent. They both love Don so much -- but what is going on with him?

END OF EPISODE #92

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