Tuesday, May 20, 2008

If I was Head Writer For Days of Our Lives--Part Eleven

INT: BRADY PUB: MID DAY
The pub is active with the late lunch crowd. Marty Vitali and Angelo are sitting at a table, eating lunch and talking. A waitress refills their coffee cups and moves on to the next table. EJ walks in and looks around. Seeing the two men, he walks toward them.

ANGELO
I still don't understand why you ask the him to represent Eva. He doesn't have enough experience.

MARTY
Damage control. It'll get her mind off Patch.

ANGELO
And back on the old days.

MARTY
Don't worry so much Angelo. You're like an old woman. I can handle it. Besides, it'll be good to have a new DiMera alliance. Besides the verdict is already taken care of. Stephano was right back then.

EJ
(Walking up)
Father was right about what.

MARTY
EJ, so good to see you again. Have you had a chance to talk to Eva? Do you think you can help Eva?

ANGELO
EJ.

EJ
Angelo.

MARTY
Sit down. Have some lunch.

EJ
I'm not staying.

MARTY
At least sit down. Looking up at you is giving me a crick in my neck.

EJ
Why did you tell Eva I didn't want to see her any more?

MARTY
Sit down and lower you voice.

Marty stares him down and EJ sit in the chair opposite to him.

It wasn't my idea. I like you. You made Eva happy.

EJ
Then why?

MARTY
Stephano had plans for you. He said that he needed to unattached and the two of you were getting to close for his comfort. That's why he sent you away to law school. But hey, it worked out. If it wasn't for Stephano, you won't have the education to help Eva now.

EJ
If it wasn't for you and father, she wouldn't need legal help. We'd still be happily together. She would have never know Patch.

MARTY
Don't put this on me and mine. Stephano made it clear that you were his son. I wasn't willing to go to war over puppy love. Eva cried. Then she got over it.

ANGELO
You were just kids.

EJ
What was he plan?

MARTY
You're living it.

EJ
The vendetta? Sami? My son?

MARTY
He planned it out years ago. There were no accidents. He needed you to draw her out.

EJ
Colleen?

MARTY
(Standing)
He almost had her too. Maybe next time.

Marty tosses money on the table and walks out. EJ starts to follow. Angelo stops him.

ANGELO
Don't do it. It's not worth it.

EJ
It is to me.

ANGELO
Is it? Eva's here. So are you.

EJ
I'm stuck.

ANGELO
Are you? Stephano's out of it. There is nothing he can say or do any more.

EJ
I have a wife and child.

ANGELO
Is she the right wife? Or is she just another Patch?

Angelo pats his shoulder and follows Marty out of the Pub.
CUT

INT: HOSPITAL: EARLY AFTERNOON
Sami is leaving with the twins. Maggie is walking into the lobby.

SAMI
(Calling to her)
Maggie.
(She pushes the stroller to meet her at the elevator)
I’ve been leaving messages for Mickey. But he hasn’t called me back.

MAGGIE
I just talked to him. They’ll be back soon.

SAMI
Is he bringing Lucas to the mansion or do they want me to meet them somewhere?

MAGGIE
Is there something wrong with the twins?

SAMI
They’re fine. What’s wrong?

MAGGIE
What makes you think there’s something wrong?

SAMI
The way your acting. What’s wrong with Lucas?

MAGGIE
Sami. Mickey got your messages. Lucas doesn’t want to see you right now. He’ll be staying with Mickey and me.

SAMI
He can’t mean that.

Roman walks in the front door: seeing Sami and Maggie, he walks toward them.

I have to see him. He has to see the twins.

ROMAN
Hi Maggie. Sami what are you doing here? Are the twins okay?

SAMI
Their fine. Why are you here? Why are you both here?

ROMAN
Calm down.

SAMI
Right after you tell me what's going on.
(One of the babies starts to cry: Sami kneels down to comfort)
Maggie just told me that Lucas doesn't want to see me.

ROMAN
I don't know about that. But if he said it, I'm sure he has a reason.

MAGGIE
Why don't you take the twins home. I'll have him call you.

SAMI
I don't understand. Why doesn't he want to see me or the twins?

ROMAN
Sami, there has to be a reason. I just don't know it.
SAMI
We have to talk.

ROMAN
You will. Just not here and now.
(Seeing Mickey and Lucas walking up to the doors)
Why don't you up and talk to your mother?

MAGGIE
(Seeing Mickey and Lucas)
That's a good idea. I'll go upstairs with you.

SAMI
(Suspicious)
Mom, already left for the day. Why do you want me to go upstairs all sudden?
(Turning around, she sees Lucas)
Lucas. Lucas!

Mickey and Lucas approach; seeing Sami, Lucas stops short.

LUCAS
Sami, what are you doing here?

SAMI
Why don’t you want to see me--or the twins.

LUCAS
Not now.

Sami tries to embrace him. Lucas cries out in pain and backs away.

SAMI
You’re hurt!

MICKEY
(Stepping between them)
Sami, go home.

Mickey takes Lucas to the elevator. Roman follows more slowly, preventing Sami from following.

ROMAN
Go home Samantha Jean. I’ll call you later.

MAGGIE
I promise he’ll call you.

All four disappear into the elevator and the doors close. Sami stands in the lobby, silently crying.
CUT

EXT: CITY STREET: MID DAY
Philip is leaning up against his car when Abe drives up. Abe gets out of his car and walks to Philip.

ABE
You must have broken the speed limit to get here so fast.

PHILIP
Onstar.

ABE
Kidding.

PHILIP
I'm not finding much funny right now.

ABE
They're expecting us.

They walk towards the house.

PHILIP
What are you going to tell them?

ABE
The truth. They deserve it.

PHILIP
I guess they do. It just won't be easy for them to hear.

The door opens as they step on the porch. Jim Merkle steps out and closes the door behind him.

ABE
Mr. Merkle?

JIM
Good to see you Philip. Jamie always had good things to say about you.

PHILIP
He was a good man and an honorable soldier.

JIM
I know. It's still good to hear.
(To Abe)
You're here to tell me that my son committed suicide.

ABE
How did you know?

JIM
We found his note this morning. My wife had to be sedated.

PHILIP
I don't understand. Jamie wasn’t the type.

JIM
He wasn’t when he enlisted. He was discharged on a medical. Closed head injury along with severe PTSD. The Army had to take his weapons. He had become self destructive--he was a danger to himself and to his unit.

ABE
Why did the VA get him help?

JIM
(Angrily)
There is a six month waiting list.

ABE
That’s not right!

JIM
Not everyone can afford intensive private medical care.

ABE
The VA--

JIM
(Bitter)
Doesn’t have the resources or the inclination. They handed Jamie is walking papers and brushed him under the rug. Those that care, don’t have the resources. Those that have the resources, don’t care.

PHILIP
If I had known--

JIM
Not even your father has enough money to fix this. There are so many vets and too few trained to deal with their injuries. The survival rate is higher than they expected.

ABE
They didn’t expect survivors.

PHILIP
In the field, medical care has brought up the survival rate. Head injuries that had always been fatal aren’t any more.

JIM
The medics can save their lives, but they can’t save them. Jamie wasn’t the same. His personality had completely changed. The worse part was that he could remember who he was. But he couldn’t be him any more. He said so many times that he missed himself. The man he used to be. He’d look in he mirror and see the same face. But he looked into his own eyes, all he could see was death.

PHILIP
The living dead. I heard it from so many in the hospital. I felt that way for a long time.

JIM
You had someone with the resources to catch you. Most don’t. They system can’t.

ABE
The reporters have been calling for an update.

JIM
Tell them the truth. My son died in the war. His heart just stopped beating when his car hit the tree.

PHILIP
I’m going to make some calls.

JIM
(Walking backwards the house)
You do that.
(Going inside and closing the door)

ABE
I had no idea.

PHILIP
Would you advertise it?

ABE
Not if I wanted recruits.
CUT

INT: STEPHANO'S HOSPITAL ROOM: EARLY AFTERNOON
EJ stands in the doorway. Angrily, he watches Stephano is lying in his bed. Slowly he walks into the room and stands at the food of the bed. But even as he walks in the perspective from above follows him into the room.

Zooming into Stephano’s eyes, you see him standing on a stage, wearing a full tux and singing Ave Maria with a full orchestra. He is enjoying himself immensely.

EJ
(Off screen)
Father.

STEPHANO
(In his mind)
Go away! I’m busy.

Stephano tries to continue the song, but the stage has vanished and he sees EJ standing at the foot of his bed. He can see and hear, yet he still doesn’t have access to the outer world.

You traitor. What do you want from me now. My forgiveness? That will never happen.

EJ
Driving over here. I planned to put a pillow over your face and smoother the life out of you.

STEPHANO
You don’t have the guts.

EJ
But that would be too merciful. Do you remember Eva Vitali. She remembers you. So does her father. Was I ever just your son? Or was I just another one of you pawns that you moved around the chest board?

STEPHANO
A true son wouldn’t have turned his back on me. He would have torn apart heaven and earth to find a cure. You turned your back on me! You left me here.

EJ
I loved her and she loved me.

STEPHANO
Is that why you are here, whining at my bedside? A woman?

EJ
We could have been happy together. But you took that future from me. For what? To bring me here. To get your revenge. But I’m confused. Was the vendetta for Santo or for you? You couldn’t force Marlena to submit to you, so you had me take her daughter.

STEPHANO
I didn’t force you to rape her. It was you who wasn’t man enough to make her want you.

EJ
My whole life is a lie.

STEPHANO
If you had done what you were told, you and my grandson would be living happily at the villa. But you were too stupid to listen. You let that woman control you.

EJ
I don’t know how to fix it. Every time I look at Samantha, I see the monster I’ve become. I didn’t used to be that way. I was a good person. I just wanted you to love me as your son. You never thought of me other than a means to an end.

(Picking up a pillow)

I could kill you. It would be so easy. No one would care to ask question. They would just be grateful that you were gone. Father, I hope you can see and hear me. See how close you are to dying.

(Dropping the pillow on Stephano’s chest)

But I won’t. It would be too kind. I want you to live a long time knowing that everything you’ve done was for nothing. My son will never know you.

STEPHANO
(Laughing)
Your son?

From above, the perspective focuses in on Stephano

WOMAN’S VOICE
(Southern Accent)
It has been a long time.

STEPHANO
Who--I know that voice.

WOMAN’S VOICE
Of course you do. You stole my daughter and my life.

STEPHANO
You’re dead.

WOMAN’S VOICE
This is the in between place. Life. Death. It has no meaning here. You locked me away in a room until I begged for death to take me. Now you are locked in this in between? Not free from life. Kept from death.

STEPHANO
You betrayed me..

WOMAN’S VOICE
He is his father’s son. Do you remember what I told you.

STEPHANO
You were mad!

WOMAN’S VOICE
You made me that way. I curse you and all those of your blood. None


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