ANOTHER WORLD 201

Carl comes home

Written by: C. Nathaniel Richardson

Consultants: aMLCproduction, beebs, DRW50

HOSPITAL OUTSIDE OF BAY CITY

Russ Matthews

Russ: Are you okay?

Rachel: I just found out my husband is dying. As well as can be expected I guess.

Russ: I’m so sorry Rachel.

Rachel turns around and sighs nervously.

Rachel: It’s not your fault. I’m sure you did everything you could to save him.

Russ: We did. I just wanted to make him comfortable.

Rachel: These are Carl’s last days. I will make them as comfortable for him as possible. Thank you for everything.

Russ turns toward Carl.

Russ: So I’ll see you here next week.

Carl turns Russ’s attentions to something on the bed.

Russ: You removed your chemo port.

Carl: No. We won’t be returning to this facility.

Russ shakes his head in pensive agreement.

Russ: So you two are headed back home?

Carl: Yes. Did you get the invite?

Russ: Your dinner party?

Rachel: He’s gonna make the announcement there.

Russ: I’m not too sure if I should.

Rachel: We’d really like you to be there.

Russ: Bay City’s my home.

Carl: I’ve got a question for you Dr. Matthews. A friend of ours had a brain injury in an accident.

Rachel: You’re talking about Michele?

Russ: I read about that in the Herald.

Carl: Yes. Maybe you could examine her? She couldn’t read.

Russ: She may not need to.

Carl: What are you saying?

Russ: Any cognitive functions she learned before the injury that she lost should return.

Rachel: She was devastated when she learned she couldn’t read, so you’re saying that it will just...come back?

Russ: No doubt in my mind.

Rachel goes to Carl and puts her hands on Carl’s shoulders.

Rachel: Are you ready?

Carl: We have to tell the children.

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CORY MANSION

Elizabeth

Cory: You’re not feeling well. Can I bring you something? Chicken soup? What am I thinking? You’ve got maid service at the Love Mansion. Feel better.

Cory hangs up and sees Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: I can’t believe it.

Cory: What do you mean?

Elizabeth: You’re dating that scheming lying bitch Bridget.

Cory: Not now Lizzie.

Cory walks into the foyer and Elizabeth follows.

Elizabeth: After everything she did to break you and Michele up, you’re turning around and dating her. I guess she got what she wanted.

Cory plops on the couch and Elizabeth sits on the chair across from the couch.

Cory: She’s not that kind of person anymore.

Elizabeth: She will never change.

Cory: She felt bad about everything and it took her a long time to forgive herself.

Elizabeth: And let me guess, she leaned on you, and cried on your shoulder. As long as you all thought Michele was dead, she turned on the waterworks, and told you how bad she felt about what happened to her sister. Does that about sum it up?

Cory: I don’t care what you think of Bridget. I like her and I’m gonna date her whether you like it or not. I mean even Michele said she was cool with it.

Elizabeth purses her lips.

Cory: Come on Lizzie. Can we talk about something else?

Elizabeth: No we can’t. That skank has got you in her clutches. She was so jealous of her sister. Michele was headed for big things, and to have it all just taken away on prom night because of Bridget.

Cory: Michele has been through a lot.

Elizabeth: No kidding, and you think she’s gonna come back and be cool with you dating her sister.

Cory: That’s what she said.

Elizabeth: And you think she means that?

Cory: Lizzie…

Elizabeth: You really can’t be that stupid. I bet she’s mad as hell. I sure would be.

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AT THE MCKINNONS

Vicky

Michele: Mom.

Vicky: Hey honey.

Michele: Where are you headed?

Vicky: I was gonna see your Aunt Marley.

Michele: I was there the other day.

Vicky: How was she?

Michele: She’s hanging in there. I know she’s ready to deliver little Roman.

Vicky: Aren’t we all. I wanna spoil my nephew. So happy she’s having a baby.

Michele: You know she talked to me...about what happened between you and her before I was born.

Vicky sighs as if she’s recalling those events in her mind.

Vicky: When she locked me in the basement of the Love Mansion.

Michele: Yeah that, but I don’t know why everyone’s so afraid that I’m gonna do the same thing to Bridget. I’m not gonna do that.

Vicky: That was a tough time for all of us honey.

Michele: I...I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. If you don’t wanna talk about it…

Vicky puts her hands on Michele’s shoulders and looks into her eyes.

Vicky: It’s perfectly fine honey. We went through a lot, and even after that we got close again. We’re twins. We’re sisters. We will always love each other, and that’s why I know that you would never hurt your sister. Well I gotta get going so…I’ll see ya.

Vicky turns around and there’s Jake

CAMERA PAN ON JAKE...SLOW FADE TO THEME SONG

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PART 2

Vicky: Uh...hi.

Jake: Hey.

Vicky: How’s Lindsay?

Jake: She’s okay.

Vicky: Are you coming to get the rest of your things?

Jake: That and...to see our daughter.

Vicky: Hmm I wonder if I should stick around.

Michele: Oh come on you two aren’t gonna start arguing are you?

Vicky: No I just don’t want him accusing you of things that you clearly aren’t responsible for.

Jake: I didn’t come to talk about that. Vicky can you leave us alone...please?

Vicky: You call me if you need anything.

Michele: Sure mom.

Vicky leaves, and Jake shuts the door.

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Outside the door, Vicky is interrupted by a text on her phone.

Vicky (reading): You are cordially invited to a celebration...at the Corys?

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Meanwhile, back inside…

Michele: What did you come here for dad?

Jake: I don’t wanna argue with you.

Michele: No you’re just gonna accuse me wanting to hurt Bridget.

Jake: No, not at all. Come here. Let’s sit down.

Michele and Jake sit on the couch next to each other. Jake takes a deep breath as he looks into his daughter’s eyes.

Jake: You and Bridget changed my life.

Michele: Don’t most parents say that?

Jake: I used to be a two bit con artist, and a blackmailer. I used whoever I could to get what I wanted.

Michele: Blackmail?

Jake: I blackmailed Paulina.

Michele: Paulina is one of the sweetest people I know. Why did you do that to her?

Jake: You remember when we told you about Mac Cory right?

Michele: Yeah Amanda and Matt’s dad.

Jake: Paulina had just to come Bay City to claim her place in the Cory family, right after Mac died. She was due a huge inheritance, and I wanted a piece of it, so I held something over her head.

Michele: And that was?

Jake: She shot me.

Michele: And instead of going to the police you blackmailed her? That’s gross dad.

Jake: That’s the kind of guy I used to be, but when your mother and I learned she was pregnant with you and Bridget, I changed. I wasn’t going to be that person anymore. After you were born; watching you play together; dress alike; go to the prom, I will never be that guy again, because of you and Bridget.

Michele: Dad I really appreciate the history lesson but is there a point to all of this?

Jake: It pains me to see you and your sister at each other’s throats.

Michele: But you’re here talking to me instead of her.

Jake: It’s not lost on me what she did to you.

Michele: To you, Bridget can do no wrong, and that’s all does.

Jake: You’ll understand when you have kids.

Michele: Bridget started this whole damn thing with her jealousy.

Jake: She missed you when you were gone.

Michele: She used her guilt to reel in Cory.

Jake: And she’s still your sister, and you love each other. Stop this feud. If you’re angry about what she did---

Michele: Yeah yeah go see a doctor. Talk to Steven.

Jake: I love all of you. You, your sisters and your brothers. None of us want you and Bridget to be fighting.

Michele turns toward the mantle and crosses her arms.

Michele: You’re right dad...none of us do. None of us wanted Bridget to hide my college acceptance letter; none of us wanted her to steal vodka out of grandpa Reginald’s cabinet; none of us wanted her to spike Cory’s punch to get him drunk; none of us wanted Gregory’s car to hit me and cause my brain injury!

Michele turns back around and faces her father.

Jake: You talked to your Aunt Marley right?

Michele: OMG can anything stay a secret in this family?

Jake: We all went through that and we are seeing it all over again with you and Bridget.

Michele: For the last time I’m not gonna lock Bridget in a basement!

Jake: That’s not what I’m saying.

Michele: Yes I’m angry, but it happened a long time ago. Bridget is not that girl anymore, and I’m working on forgiving her. I mean you didn’t expect me to just come back and everything was gonna be great.

Jake: No, but it’s still there. You need to talk to somebody about it. Look, can you at least think about it? You can’t walk around with this anger.

Michele nods her head.

Michele: You know what I’ll...I’ll think about it.

Jake: I need all of my kids to get along.

Michele: Speaking of which, I’m gonna go see my big sister soon.

Jake: Lindsay’s gonna need all of our support.

Their phones chime about a second apart. Michele gets her phone off of the coffee table and Jake looks at his.

Jake: What this? Party at the Corys.

Michele picks up her phone.

Michele: Is that what it says? Because I…

Michele looks at her phone is able to read the text. She smiles with surprise, then quickly returns her look to regular.

Michele: Cory’s dad is throwing a dinner party. I wonder what for.

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Cory: Well I believe her when she said she was cool with me and Bridget.

Elizabeth: You all turned a blind eye to what Bridget did. All that crap that she pulled isn’t lost on Michele.

Cory: Why are you so determined to think the worst about Bridget? She’s not that kind of person anymore.

Elizabeth: Because she’s not gonna change. She wanted you, and she got you, and she’ll probably do anything she needs to do to keep you.

Suddenly, Cory and Elizabeth’s attentions are grabbed by someone at the living room doors.

(Play this song

Carl: My darling daughter.

Elizabeth: Dad!

Elizabeth runs up to Carl and hugs him, but after the embrace, she looks into his face, noticing a bit of a pale complexion.

Elizabeth: You look tired, your face...no...no not again.

Rachel enters and closes the double doors to the living room.

Elizabeth: Mom please tell me this isn’t…

Rachel: I think you two need to sit down. We have to talk to you.

As the CAMERA PANS slowly away from the living room, showing the four of them through the glass doors, Rachel and Carl tell the children that Carl’s brain tumor has returned, and that it’s inoperable this time. Elizabeth covers her face and cries. Cory shakes his in disbelief. The four gather around and hug, with Carl in the middle.

SLOW FADE OUT...END OF EPISODE 201