SOMERSET EPISODE 37

Original airdate: 09/04/07

Written by: Steve Ungrey

SCENE ONE

FADE IN – We see an overhead shot of the Washington D.C. skyline at night, with the word “Washington” at the bottom.

CUT TO – A high-rise condominium that is the home of Donna’s mother, Eleanor Morgan. Eleanor is looking at herself in the mirror when the doorbell rings. Eleanor goes over to the door, opens it and sees Donna.

ELEANOR: Oh, my precious… come on in.

DONNA: (Sheepish grin) Hi, Mom. (Hugs Eleanor tightly)

ELEANOR: How was the traffic?

DONNA: I got back about 4:30… I was able to go back to my place and crash for a couple hours before I pulled myself together to come here.

ELEANOR: Well, let me take a step back and admire my… (eyes Donna from top to bottom) smartly-dressed daughter. Let me guess. Paisley’s?

DONNA: Yup. I went on a spending spree there yesterday.

ELEANOR: Well, at least you have a good job lined up. I know Paisley’s isn’t that expensive, but…

DONNA: Good for an up and coming lawyer to be, right?

ELEANOR: Precisely. (Goes to the counter and grabs a glass) Figured you’d want this.

DONNA: Mother! Isn’t that what we’re going out for?

ELEANOR: Relax! It’s not alcoholic. Not yet, anyway. It’s club soda.

DONNA: You figured out club soda gives me a pick me up. Nice. No, Mom, I feel fine. I was used to less sleep working those long hours at the law office.

ELEANOR: And what about your new job?

DONNA: Well, let’s go someplace and grab a bite to eat and I’ll fill you in on everything.

ELEANOR: How about dinner at Maxfield’s?

DONNA: (Gets big smile on her face) Oh, wow… you knew I had a hankering for their orange chicken, didn’t you?

ELEANOR: Either that or a big, juicy steak. (Grabs her purse) I drive because you’ve had a long trip today. If you want to relax here tonight, too…

DONNA: Good trade. And I was way ahead of you. (Smiles) Brought an overnight bag.

ELEANOR: Then what say a mother and daughter go have a nice celebration dinner?

DONNA: I am sooooo game.

The music plays as Eleanor shuts out the condo lights and she and Donna exit.

CUT TO -- We see an overhead shot of the Somerset skyline at night and the camera zeroes in on the hospital.

CUT TO – Inside, where Alana is resting comfortably as Mike tiptoes in and sits by her bedside.

Mike sits down and looks at Alana, sleeping in the darkened room.

MIKE: You look like an angel lying there, you know that. (Pauses) I’m not used to being all sentimental, you know. I’m supposed to be this reporter with a nose for news and an eye for a story… not an eye for the ladies.

We see Alana lying there asleep.

MIKE: Something about you changed all that. I don’t know what it was, but I find myself unable to leave your side. (Pauses) You must be captivating.

As Mike bows his head and looks away from Alana, the camera shows Alana opening her eyes and squeezing Mike’s hand.

MIKE: (Turns back to look) Hey there.

ALANA: (Smiles) You are so busted, Wagner.

As Mike feigns innocence, we hear the Somerset theme.

We see an overhead shot of downtown, with the camera slowly pulling away from the buildings. The Somerset logo pops on the screen and goes into position at the center.

BILL WOLFF: This… is Somerset. This portion of Somerset is brought to you today by Pampers. Doesn’t your baby deserve Pampers dryness?

SCENE TWO

FADE IN – Somerset Hospital

The scene continues with Mike at Alana’s bedside.

MIKE: Heard every word, didn’t you?

ALANA: Every syllable, every change in the tone of your voice. (Smiles) And I liked it.

MIKE: Did this… meningitis give you a personality transplant?

ALANA: (Points) There’s the door. Out.

MIKE: Really?

ALANA: (Smiles and laughs) I can’t even give you a hard time. I’m in too weak a condition to do it.

MIKE: Feeling any better than this morning?

ALANA: Yes, actually. (Sits up a bit and grimaces)

MIKE: (Reaches out) Hey, hey, don’t exhaust yourself…

ALANA: No, it’s all right. I have to give myself a little chance to move around. Patrick’s talking about having me walk around the corridors tomorrow.

MIKE: Ooo. A few baby steps here, a few steps there…

ALANA: Yeah. But I am feeling a bit better as time goes on, so that’s good.

MIKE: Let me ask you something. (Sits back down) If you were supposedly asleep when I walked in here, why didn’t you wake up or open your eyes?

ALANA: I wanted to see what you’d say.

MIKE: I see. And did I pass the test?

ALANA: (Takes Mike’s hand and squeezes it tightly) What do you think?

Mike looks down and sees his hand linked with Alana’s and smiles at her. The music plays as we transition scenes.

CUT TO – a cemetery in Somerset

We see a car pull up and someone get out in the shadows. After a bit we see it is Scott. Light music plays as he heads over to a grave.

On the grave we see “Julia Garfield 1962-2001”. Scott lays a bunch of flowers on Julia’s grave and kneels.

SCOTT: Hey there. (Makes himself comfortable) It’s been a long time since I stopped by. I just felt like I needed someone to talk to, that’s all.

Scott looks up at the late-summer sky and sees the sun setting on the horizon.

SCOTT: You always loved this time of year. The first leaves falling off the trees, the changing colors… Somerset’s beautiful this time of year. And you said that every year. (Laughs) Every year. And I didn’t mind.

He pauses and begins talking about work.

SCOTT: You’d have been proud of the police force, Julia. Crime was down in Somerset once again. One of these days they’re going to throw a parade and make me mayor, but I have a feeling Nick’s being groomed for that spot. (Laughing) Here I am rambling on about nothing.

He then touches the grave.

SCOTT: But then I’m rambling on because I miss you. I miss your smile. I miss hearing you laugh at night when I get home from work and tell you how dumb some criminals can be.

Scott doesn’t see it, but Annabella is laying flowers at someone else’s grave and sees him. She wipes a tear away from her eye and waits for him to finish talking. A soft music melody plays into the commercial.

We’ll return to Somerset in just a moment.

BILL WOLFF: This portion of Somerset was brought to you by Extra Action Tide. The extra action in Tide cannot hide from your tough stains. We’ll continue with the second half of Somerset following station identification.

ANNOUNCER: Find your light… with Finding the Light, part of the SONBC lineup, seen every weekday on most of these stations.

Music plays over a still picture of the Somerset logo.

SCENE THREE

FADE IN – Maxfield’s

The camera slowly approaches a table where Donna and Eleanor are laughing over a vodka tonic. A waiter approaches.

WAITER: How are you on drinks?

ELEANOR: Refills when you get a chance? No hurry.

WAITER: Right away. (He leaves the table)

DONNA: (Looking at glass) Some people probably wonder if I’m permanently off the wagon.

ELEANOR: I see. Was this your drink of choice that night at the bar?

DONNA: It was. I sat at the bar and was watching the Marlins play and he was there. It was a fun night.

ELEANOR: Bet you never thought you’d see him again, right?

DONNA: Mom, it was funny. I’m talking to Jack and I see his picture on a table right behind him. I about fainted when I saw that.

ELEANOR: I want to know about this Nick guy, but first – your job.

DONNA: Legal associate. Jack’s been in need of help for the legal department so he’s been hiring a few new people. He hired Susannah Lucas a few weeks ago…

Eleanor’s eyes widen as she drinks.

DONNA: Something wrong with the vodka? Not enough tonic?

ELEANOR: No, it’s perfect. Susannah? Sam’s daughter?

DONNA: Yes. (Gets a quizzical look) Mom, you know Sam Lucas? Her dad works in Oklahoma City.

ELEANOR: And he has quite a good reputation there. I’ve heard of Lahoma’s charity work.

DONNA: I see. Anyway, it’s mostly a 9 to 5 type gig, but Jack has said he’s flexible on the hours as long as he knows we’re doing the work. Susannah said some days she comes in at 10 and stays until 6… or even 11 to 7…

ELEANOR: Jack sounds like a good, honest man.

DONNA: He is. He hates being branded as the corporate type. I tried calling him Mr. Martin and he about bit my head off laughing.

ELEANOR: Sounds like… Jack has a fun atmosphere.

DONNA: It is. It’s certainly a change from the stuffy atmosphere of my previous employer. And I won’t miss the 70-hour weeks on a regular basis. I’ll just be hitting 50 or 55 every so often.

ELEANOR: Good to hear. It sounds like Somerset agrees with you.

DONNA: It does. The people are so friendly.

ELEANOR: One in particular?

Donna blushes slightly as Eleanor asks the question.

DONNA: You’re just dying to know about Nick, aren’t you?

Eleanor smiles as she sips her vodka tonic. The music plays to change scenes as we head back to Somerset.

CUT TO – Somerset Hospital

Alana is drinking from a sanitary water glass as she talks with Mike.

ALANA: Did you get yourself checked out?

MIKE: Yes. Patrick warned me that since I’d been in contact with you that I might be capable of developing meningitis. Luckily the tests turned out negative.

ALANA: Good. That way (takes Mike’s hand) I can do this without fear of you ending up in the next room.

MIKE: Would that be such a bad thing?

ALANA: Not at all. (Pauses)

MIKE: Something… on your mind?

ALANA: I guess you could say that. I have given you a hard time over the last several months, haven’t I?

MIKE: Aw, it’s all in fun. I know that.

ALANA: Well, part of me was trying to keep you – and other guys – at arm’s length while I sorted out some personal and professional stuff.

MIKE: Breaking up with Nick hurt a lot, didn’t it?

ALANA: It did. But Nick and I got to a peaceful place. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my personal life. (squeezes Mike’s hand) I am now.

MIKE: Well then. Spill it.

ALANA: It’s going to take me some time to recover from this… Patrick’s saying I won’t be at 100 percent for about two weeks… but when I get back to the hospital and to a normal routine I want us to go on a date.

Mike’s eyes widen in surprise.

ALANA: I left a reporter speechless. I can’t believe it.

Mike and Alana smile at each other as the music plays into commercial.

We’ll return to Somerset in just a moment.

SCENE FOUR

FADE IN – At the cemetery

Annabella has approached Scott at Julia’s grave.

SCOTT: (Looks up and sees Annabella) Well there! How are you? (He hugs her)

ANNABELLA: I didn’t follow you, if that’s what you were wondering.

SCOTT: Not at all. Were you here…

ANNABELLA: Visiting my friend Raelyn’s grave. I can’t believe she died a decade ago.

SCOTT: Nor what happened to her.

ANNABELLA: I know. (Fights back a few tears) She’d dropped so much weight at the end of her life. No one knew she had an eating disorder until it was way too late.

SCOTT: That’s when you threw caution to the wind, right?

ANNABELLA: Oh Scott… I never had an eating problem. But that was the day I swore I’d never turn down a double cheeseburger if it was offered to me. If I gain a few pounds, well… I guess you’ll see me in the plus-size catalog.

SCOTT: (Looking at Annabella) I don’t think we’ll see that anytime soon.

ANNABELLA: I’ve talked in a few classrooms. Tori wanted me to get the message across that it wasn’t cool to starve yourself or binge and purge.

SCOTT: Just like we used to get the don’t talk to strangers message across.

ANNABELLA: I miss those days. (Looks down) I miss Julia, too.

SCOTT: She adored you, you know.

ANNABELLA: I know. (Wipes tears from her eyes) You up for a friendly game of pool?

SCOTT: I could work some stress off, yes.

ANNABELLA: Pool and a pitcher. My treat.

SCOTT: I can’t turn that down.

Annabella and Scott turn to head to their respective cars as the camera pulls back and the music bridges to the next scene.

CUT TO – Maxfield’s

Donna is drinking her vodka tonic as she hems and haws a bit about describing Nick.

DONNA: Mom… he’s such a dreamboat. He’s an old-fashioned gentleman. I can’t describe how many times he held the door open for me… how many times he took my hand and kissed it when we were out last night.

ELEANOR: Sounds like a man I once knew.

DONNA: Who?

ELEANOR: Your dad, silly. Your dad was a romantic at heart.

DONNA: I really miss him. (She starts to cry a bit) He’d be so happy to hear how I got this job.

ELEANOR: Quentin’s so happy for you, too. He’s happy to see you get away from that law firm.

DONNA: Anyway… I told him that I really wasn’t in a position yet to leap into another relationship, so we’re going the friends with benefits route.

ELEANOR: Does he know about Clarke?

DONNA: Yes. I told him. I told him I’d just broken the engagement with Clarke a few weeks ago.

ELEANOR: I see. (Finishes drink) And does he know that you’re still a bit torn over Clarke?

DONNA: How am I a bit torn over Clarke?

ELEANOR: You told him that if he changed his spots and obsessed a little less about politics, then you might change your mind.

DONNA: Not going to happen. He’ll never change.

ELEANOR: Just for the sake of arguments…

Donna is getting visibly upset.

DONNA: Mother! Are you happy for me or not?

ELEANOR: (Takes Donna’s arm) Calm down, honey. Calm down. Of course I am insanely happy for you! I’m just being realistic.

DONNA: Okay. Just checking.

As Donna finishes her vodka tonic, she looks at Eleanor as if her mother senses something’s not quite right. Music plays into the commercial break, followed by the closing credits.

Credits rolling

BILL WOLFF: Men’s shirts by Alfani. Watches by Wittnauer.

Join us each weekday afternoon at this time for the continuing story of Somerset. And stay tuned for Salem Lives, coming up next over most of these SONBC stations.

This program was recorded.