The Ties that Bind, Part 12

Scene 1
Setting: New York City - Mustang Sally's


The next day, Jake woke up early after sleeping on the couch.   he took Steven and they spent the day together. he left Vicky a note that she should rest her foot, so she could get better quicker and that he and Steven were going to go out  to a Yankee's game.

Vicky, on the other hand, called Donna and let her know what was going on and to keep Kirkland for a few days. After she talked with Donna she took the crutches that Jake had gotten her and went to where she thought Jake might show up and that was, of course, Mustang Sally's

Vicky: (sitting at a table knowing Jake was going to show up there sooner or later)

Sally: (walking up) Hi Vicky, how is your ankle today?

Vicky: Oh it's getting better…have you seen Jake and Steven yet?

Sally: Nope, but I have a feeling that he will show.

Vicky: I hope so.

Sally: Well, you just hang out here and I'm sure he'll come in soon.

Kris, an apprentice for the New York TImes, who is under the wings of a experienced reporter named Sam. She has heard about Anne, who has high hopes of getting a record deal, so she's visited Mustang Sally's quite a few times to see what's going on and how Anne performs.

Kris walking over to Vicky after noticing her at a table. she looks very familiar to her.

Kris: Excuse me? (looking at Vicky) Are you Vicky Carson?

Vicky: (looking at her not, remembering who she is either) Well, actually my name is now Vicky Mckinnon. I used to be Carson.

Kris: (smiling) I knew it! I knew it was you…. Vicky, it's me Kris, remember from Lassiter.

Vicky: (Trying to remember) You look a little familiar to me…

Kris: Remember, you used to baby-sit me, and you always use to call me Kris with a K.

Vicky: (realizing who it is now and remembering) oh Kris, (getting up to hug her) now I remember you!  My you have grown up so much, let me look at you…(looks her up and down) wow, have you grown into a beautiful young woman too…...how are you and what are you doing here?

Kris: Well, I just moved here about 6 months ago and I'm working for the New York Times right now.

Vicky: Wow, the New York Times, how exciting!  come sit down and join me, I want to hear all about you!

Kris: Wait, you said Vicky Mckinnon?  you're not Jake Mckinnon's wife are you??

Vicky: …. for now, I still am!

Kris: Oh no, why do I feel there is a story here?

Vicky: Come, come sit down and I'll tell you,  but I want to hear about you first!
(Kris sits down)

EXIT

Scene 2
Setting: The Herald the next day

Chris is out at his desk talking with Linda and Maria about the love lady and how she quit. Chris is trying to convince Maria to become the new love lady.

Chris: Come on, Maria, you've worked in this office long enough and seen enough to become the love lady.

Maria: But Chris my job is to keep Amanda happy.  I cannot do that and do the Love lady at the same time.  Besides that I don't have any experience.

Chris: Experience, my Eye! You give enough advice around here to beat Anne Landers hands down! All you need is the right format to do it in, and this is it!

Linda: I agree with Chris, Maria I think you would be perfect for the job.

Maria: But Jake told me that I had to help Amanda.

Chris: Jake, schmake!  He's not here right now, and I think this is a crisis.   let's go see what Derek has to say.. come on..

The 3 of them head off to Derek (Jake) and Amanda's office.

Scene 3
Setting: Derek's (Jake) and Amanda's office

Derek is in the office looking at some copy that is getting ready for print. Amanda comes rushing in, and stops short as she sees that Derek has beaten her and is already working.

Amanda: Oh…..

Derek: (looking up) Well, Good morning there, Red!

Amanda: Let's not start off the morning with Red, shall we?

Derek: Well I did beat you in…. so I thought I would at least be allowed to call you Red!

Amanda: I would have been here, but I had a few problems with Allie this morning.

Derek: Oh, I'm sorry, is she alright?

Amanda: Yes, just that she was supposed to bring Jake to her show-and-tell at school and now that Jake's not in town she was a little upset this morning. So we had to find her something else to take.

Derek: Hmmm, I can't picture Jake at a show and tell.

Amanda: Me neither, but those two are pretty close, and as the Mother I wasn't good enough to take.

Derek: (smiling) …A little jealous, are we?

Amanda: (looking at Derek and rolling her eyes) me jealous……of Mckinnon… …..not on your life!

EXIT


Scene 4
Setting: New York City,

Jake and Steven are sitting on a bench in central park,

Steven: Jake, I know why you're doing this, why you took me to a game, bought me all this stuff (he has a NY Yankee's hat on and a bunch of souvenirs), you're just trying to buy me!

Jake: Hey, that's not true!

Steven: I'm a man now, and I can handle whatever it is you're gonna tell me.

Jake: Look, Steven, I know you wish things could be the same with your mother and me, but they can't.

Steven: But why not?….. you love her and she loves you. Ever since you left, all she does at night is cry.  why are you making her cry?  if you came back then she would stop crying and so would Kirkland, now that your gone Grant is going to start coming over again!

Jake: (looking away, then at Steven) (slowly says) Sometimes…. things are just not that easy to fix.

Steven: Why not?

Jake: You remember when your friend Timmy broke his arm.

Steven: Yeah, what's that got to do with this?

Jake: Just listen to me.  You know how it took weeks for that arm to heal?  Even when he got it out of the cast it was a long while before he could really pitch those fastballs to you…….Well, it's the same with me, it's gonna take awhile for me to heal before I can come home.

Steven: But you didn't brake anything!

Jake: Well, not on the outside but…….(quietly) on the inside…. I broke, and this is something only I can fix. So you running away isn't going to fix it.

Steven: Well aren't you running away…..you're in New York aren't you???

Jake:  you got me there kid…(he puts his arms around him and puts his head on top of Steven's)….you got me there….

EXIT

Scene 5
Setting: Bay City Herald -

Nick and Patti have just come back from the protest at the dog food plant.

Patti: Wow, Nick I think I got some great pictures for the paper.

Nick: Yeah, I think so too, you're good at that.

Patti: hey, it's my job, I go where the action is.

Linda walks over.

Linda: Hi Nick.

Nick: (with a smile) Well, if it isn't my desk stealer!

Linda: yep, you snooze, you lose,  buddy!

Nick: I don't mind loosing to a beautiful woman.

Linda: Stop, you're not going to win me over with sweet talk buddy….Hey, you got a message from a Donna Hudson, she wants you to call her ASAP.

Nick: Hmm, alright, I wonder what that could be. (Nick walks off)

Linda: (to Patti) Sooooo, how was it working with handsome there?

Patti: Linda! I'm a married womAn..

Linda: It doesn't mean you cannot appreciate beauty when you see it, girl.

Patti: (laughing)….Noted…..hey, is Derek in?

Linda: Yeah, he's in with the other boss, Amanda, Maria and Chris.

Nick coming back over.

Linda: so, was it serious?

Nick: No, she just asked me if I could go to New York to pick up my nephew, so I guess I will see if Amanda will let me off for a few days to take care of that.

(Nick heads to Amanda's office.)

EXIT

Scene 6
Setting: Mustang Sally's

Kris and Vicky have caught up on old times.

Kris: You mean to tell me you have 2 little boys of your own?  Now, that is something I never thought I'd see you with Vicky.

Vicky: Yeah, well, they are the best things that have ever happened to me…and so is Jake.

Kris: Well, I always knew that you and Jake would end up together, in fact, I remember Bridget telling me that one time.

Vicky: Oh, Bridget, she always knew what was best for me. Even when I didn't, she did.

Kris: so where do you and Jake stand right now?

Vicky: We've hit a rough patch.  He seems to believe I was with someone else, when I wasn't.

Kris: And he doesn't believe you?

Vicky: It's a little more complicated than that.  I made the most horrible mistake of lying to him, now he won't believe anything I say.

Kris: I do remember Jake not being one to forgive so easily.

Vicky: The thing is, Kris, I really can't blame him. there were so many times that I put him second, so many times I told him I didn't love him, and now I see how wrong I have been and how much I love him and need him.

Sally: (walking up to Kris and Vicky).. Well, I couldn't help but overhear, but girl, you need to do something about this then …..and not just sit here and whine about it.

Vicky: You don't even know me.  how can you say I'm whining?

Sally: Listen honey, do you love him?

Vicky: (indignantly) YES

Sally: Do you want him?

Vicky: (indignantly) YES!

Sally: Then go and get him! (she walks off)

Shari bringing up the drinks.

Shari: Sorry, girls, your gonna have to forgive Sally there.

Vicky: Well, I don't see why, she doesn't even know me or Jake!

Shari: (sitting down) .. Well, let me tell you a little bit about Sally, you see Sally was once a school teacher, but she always had this secret desire to own her own night club, Where she could have whoever she wanted to work for her and have the kind of music she liked. You see Sally is a romantic and she believes that there is nothing more important than love. So when she sees two people find each other and have a little misunderstanding she feels it is her job to make sure these couples make it work.

Vicky: (cooling down a bit) …But what about her?  does she have someone special?

Shari: With Sally, it's easy for her to see from the outside.  you see that handsome man playing the guitar up there with the band, his name is Tom and she loves him with all her heart, but she just doesn't know it yet.

Vicky: and how does he feel?

Shari: Well, he'd move heaven and earth for her and is ready to take the chance, but Sally is a little hesitant. You would think with a name like Mustang Sally that she would be wild enough to take the chance, huh?

Vicky: (looking at Tom) For a man to love you like that, he's worth the chance.

Shari: Do you want my opinion, honey? I think Jake loves you like that as well, but right now he doesn't see it.

Vicky: I'd move heaven and earth for him.  I have to make him see that.

Kris: Knowing you, Vicky, you can do it.

Shari: As long as you're here for a few days, I think he will end up seeing that too.

Fade out