Episode 055: THE GUIDING LIGHT

Episodes

Entry posted by Josh March 20, 2007

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The Guiding Light: Episode 055
Monday, March 19, 2007
Written By: Josh Hawkins & Dan Gobble

**********

Lucy raced back to the embankment and looked down, “Can I get some help over here! Someone…my aunt is down there…”

Almost in slow motion Lucy turned back and looked down and with in mere seconds she heard it first…then saw the car burst into flame, “Oh my God…oh my God!”

“ALEX-AN-DRA! ALEX-AN-DRA!!!!”

**********

Holly looked out her window at Hollybend and saw Ed’s car pull in the driveway, she smiled and thought how winter was sticking around much longer than it usually did.

“Come in out of that cold.” Holly rubbed her arms, shut the door and kissed Ed, “Can you believe this weather?” She took his coat and scarf, “Unbelievable if you ask me, my co-editor wants to run it as the headline in the morning, record low temperatures. Just haven’t been feeling all that well, these darn migraines just won’t leave me alone.” She chuckled.

Ed shook his head, “Well my daughter’s life is crumbling to the ground at the moment and there is not one damn thing I can do about.”

**********

And Now "The Guiding Light"

Opening

**********

Alan-Michael rubbed his forehead and looked over the massive mountain of papers on his desk. Lucy’s framed pictured stared back at him, her telegram resting nearby. The majority of the pile was manila folders and memos from board members regarding the Cedars project.

“Doesn’t look good from where I’m standing.” Phillip announced.

“Then turn around and leave.” A-M suggested, “I don’t remember asking you to stop by.”

“Believe it or not Alan-Michael, I’m not the enemy here.” Phillip replied, “I thought we actually made some headway the other day at Olivia’s.”

“And we did. We’re brothers and that will never change, but when it comes to Spaulding Enterprises we have to be nothing but business associates, family relationships aside.”

“This is a company built on family.” He reminded.

“You sound Alan. This may very well be a family company but it is only that when convenient for those involved.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know. I have butted heads with you, fought tooth and nail for one ounce of respect from him and I’ve never gotten it? Why do you think I went to Europe in the first place?”

Phillip shrugged. “I couldn’t win here…but Aunt Alex she sees something in me that Alan never has and I’m beginning to think never will.”

“You’re very paranoid Alan-Michael.” Phillip told him, “I just came in to see if you needed some assistance with the Cedars project.”

Before A-M answered his secretary buzzed, “Mr. Spaulding the driver is here to take you down to the docks. Should I tell him you’ll be a few minutes longer?”

“No Ava, that won’t be necessary, Phillip and I are done here!” He looked over the massive pile on his desk, “If you want to help out Phillip you could go and take care of the shipments that are coming right now.”

“Why would do that?” He questioned, “That is after all Aunt Alex’s division and seeing as she trusts you so much…” Phillip grinned and made his way out of the office and to the elevator.

“Mr. Spaulding the driver is waiting.” Ava buzzed again.

“Fine.” He sighed as he crammed his briefcase with the documents, “Ava have my calls forwarded to my cell phone and try to get my damn wife on the phone.”

**********

“Michelle? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing that Maureen couldn’t handle. You remember awhile back, I told you I failed her, I just had no idea how much!”

“Ed…”

“Don’t ‘Ed’ me Holly. I spent all those years off tramping through Africa and helping other people…when I should, when I should have been here in Springfield raising my daughter, maybe then she wouldn’t be in this mess.” He drew a deep breath and ran his fingers through his thinning hair, “You know I bet Maureen is spinning in her grave right now…”

“Oh well now Ed, that’s pushing it. Maureen is doing no such thing, she knows how much you love Michelle. Now sit down…I have some coffee and you’ll tell me what’s going on here.”

“No, no coffee Holly. It kept me up half the night and the other half was worrying about Michelle.”

“Ed?”

“She’s pregnant!” He finally revealed.

“Ed…that’s wonderful…” Holly said but saw the look on his face, “What’s the matter? Is the baby all right?”

“The baby is fine, but my daughter doesn’t know if Bill Lewis or Danny Santos is the father.”

“Well that does pose quite the problem.” Holly replied, “What is she going to do?”

**********

Lucy frantically looked around as the rain began to let up, “Anyone! Someone help me!” She screamed out and then started down the embankment herself.

Two EMTs rushed after her, “Ma’am…ma’am you can’t go down there.”

“My aunt is down there and damn car just exploded, so either you go down there or am I!” She yelled.

Within seconds Lucy found herself looking down at three EMTs and five firefighters running towards the car, “Alexandra!” She cried softly and jumped when a woman touched her shoulder.

“Sorry to frighten you, but we’re going to transport your sister now. Would you like to come with us?”

Lucy sat in shock for a moment, “My aunt’s car exploded…I don’t know…”

“Ma’am…” the woman squatted down beside Lucy, “What’s your name?”

“Lucy Spaulding.” She answered her eyes still on the roaring blaze, “Lucy Cooper-Spaulding.”

“Okay Mrs. Spaulding I can assure you my guys are going to do everything in their power to help your aunt. But it would help us if you went with your sister to the hospital. Okay?”

Lucy shook her head yes, “Alexandra. Her name is Alexandra and she’ll answer to Alex.” She headed towards the ambulance where Harley was waiting, “My car’s a rental.”

“Don’t worry about that. One of the officers will bring to the hospital for you and we’ve placed your personal effects in the ambulance.”

Lucy climbed into the back of the ambulance and took Harley’s hand…the doors slammed and Lucy questioned, “How, how is she?”

**********

Shayne looked around the docks, the lighthouse light circled in the dark water and in the far distance he could see the light of an approaching ship. He reached into his back pocket and quickly sent a text message to Derek.

‘Are you here?’

Within seconds of it having been sent Shayne heard the familiar voice behind, “Hey stranger!”

Shayne’s smile fell for the first time that night and he turned to see Derek before him, “Hey yourself.”

In the black Cadillac sedan A-M attempted to make something of the unfamiliar papers he had brought with him but decided he would work on them later and telephone the office. “Ava have you had any luck finding Lucy?” A-M waited for her response but cut her off, “No you can’t leave…how about you leave when you find my wife.”

“Mr. Spaulding about five more minutes and we’ll be at the docks.” The driver announced as they sped down the highway.

**********

“She wants to have an DNA test, but she’s seven months along.” Ed’s eyes showed more than his words could ever express, “If Maureen was here she would know just what to do, what to say and…oh who am I kidding, if Maureen were here I wouldn’t be in this predicament to begin with. I told Michelle we would talk with Claire and see what she thought, but now I just think that is a bad idea...”

“Let her have the damn test Ed!” Holly shouted at him stopping him mid-sentence. “I’m so sorry…” she began to apologize, “I don’t know what came over, Ed, please forgive me.” Holly pressed, “You’ve been so good to me lately and had no right to yell at you.”

Ed remained speechless for a moment, “I suppose I was carrying on a little too much.”

“No, no not at all. I had to right to raise my voice at you. Will you forgive me?”

“Of course.” Ed answered, “I just don’t know what to do with Michelle.”

“I know you don’t and I’m sorry but maybe what you need to do is let her go, unfortunately you did miss those formative years but if you let her go out and make her own mistakes and do what she wants to do, then I think you’re relationship will be so much better off.” Holly told him as she lightly stroked his cheek, “Does that make sense?”

He took her hand and kissed it, “Of course it does. You know exactly what to say to calm me down, thank you.”

Holly shook her head, “No thanks needed, it works both ways.”

“Have you had dinner?”

She shook her head, “Clarissa and I had a pizza earlier tonight, Blake said she was wanting to see grandma.”

“So the two of you are at least talking.”

“Talking, in some form yes.” Holly forced a smile, “I’m tired and I still have a few articles I need to edit, why don’t I give you a call in the morning. Maybe have breakfast at Company?”

“Sounds nice.” Ed headed towards the door, “Have you been able to keep your migraines under control?”

“Of course, I would let you know otherwise. I’ll talk to you in the morning.” Holly shut the door and locked it behind him. She walked across the room turned the lamp to dim, just enough light to fill the room. Holly wrapped herself in a blanket on the sofa and listened to the howling wind rap against the window.

**********

Lucy sat in a hospital ten times smaller than Cedars, drinking stale cold coffee with a blank wrapped around her and her cell phone. She was debating on waiting to see what the EMTs told her about Alexandra before calling Springfield.

A doctor in his late 50s came out of the emergency room, “Are you Ms. Cooper’s sister?”

She sat the coffee down and the blanket fell to an empty chair, “Lucy Cooper-Spaulding and you are?”

“Dr. Keith.” He introduced himself. “You’re sister has severe head trauma from the accident. Luckily for us though she didn’t suffer any burns from the explosion. However,”

“However?”

“Mrs. Spaulding, your sister has slipped into a coma. At this point it’s a good thing?”

Lucy shook her head, “It’s good that she’s in a coma?”

“To an extent, yes. Her body is letting her heal, it just depends on how long she remains in that state.” Dr. Keith patted Lucy’s knee in an effort to reassure her, “I’m sorry I don’t have more news.”

“How long should she stay like this? I mean in a state that you think is good?”

“A few hours, a few days. Each patient is different. Again I’m sorry that I don’t have more news.”

“Do you um, have a telephone I can borrow? I can’t get a signal and I need to call my father.”

“Of course, follow me.”

The two walked over to the nurse’s station and were about to dial the number when two uniformed officers and the EMT from earlier entered, “Mrs. Spaulding…”

**********

“I can’t believe you are really here.” Shayne gave him a little push, “Last time we talked you thought you were going to enroll at the University of Minnesota.”

“Change of plans.” Derek smiled, “You don’t seem very excited to see me.”

“Of course I am.” Shayne defended, “It just would have been I don’t know nice to know you were coming.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Derek confessed.

“Well you succeeded…” Shayne answered as Derek reached up and kissed him softly on the lips silencing Shayne.

The two pulled away without a word between them…

“And it’s all here?” Alan-Michael asked, “You sure because I was reading in the car over here that Alexandra had problems with the last shipment.”

“Everything is here Mr. Spaulding that I can assure you.”

“All right go ahead and lets get it off the boat.” Alan-Michael walked the length of the dock and tried to telephone Ava once more.

“Alan-Michael Spaulding’s office.” She answered.

“Ava it’s me.” He answered as he peered below the dock…

“What the hell was that?” Shayne asked.

“Was I wrong in assuming?” Derek retorted, “Shayne…I just thought…”

Shayne didn’t let him finish this time and moved in for another kiss…this one much longer.

“I have to go.” A-M ended the call and aimed the cell phone in the direction of Shayne and Derek, “I think you just solved all your problems Alan-Michael.” He said with a devilish grin.

**********

Lucy spun around and saw the look on their faces. She knew immediately and began to scream out, “NO! NO!!”

Tears filled her eyes and she reached for Dr. Keith, “Alexandra…”

“I’m so sorry Mrs. Spaulding but there was no way…”

Lucy could barely breath, her knees gave way without warning and she collapsed, “She’s dead? Are you sure?”

The EMT shook her head, “I’m so sorry Mrs. Spaulding, but there was no way your aunt survived that explosion.”

:Fades to Black:

**********

Next on "THE GUIDING LIGHT"
- Lucy is devestated regarding Alexandra!