The Ties that
Bind, Part 20
Scene 1
Patti comes into the Herald she sees that Chris is working at his desk..
Patti: Hi Chris, where's Derek?
Chris: (typing away on his computer not looking up) Amanda . . .
he's with Amanda.
Patti: Amanda… he's with Amanda?
Chris: Is there an echo in here? Yes he's with her.
Maria: (coming up to Patti) I tried to tell him, Patti, but he
wasn't listening to me.
Patti: (taking Maria by the arm and escorting her over to her desk, she
whispers) Do you know where they went?
Maria: No, I don't, Patti, they were just going to go to dinner, I really
tried to tell him.
Patti: Oh, Maria, that's all right, I guess he will just be in for a
shock. I have a feeling that Amanda is going to ambush him and I just wanted him to be
warned, so has that no good witch Katia shown her face again?
Maria: No, I haven't seen her..
Patti: Good! There's nothing I can do to help Derek now. Hey,
I'm starving let's go for a pizza again, you game?
Maria: Only this time, no Onions!
Patti: Chicken!……. come on, let's go..
Maria: No chicken either…
Patti (laughing): Come on, you fool (she grabs her around the shoulders
and they walk out of the office)
Scene 2
The Harbor Club
Derek and Amanda are having a working dinner, discussing the interview with Grant; Derek
has to repeat several items to Amanda because she is lost in thought.
Derek: Amanda? Did you hear me?
Amanda: (who's not paying attention) Hmmm? What were you saying?
Derek: Well, I know I've been known to go on and on and sometimes put
people to sleep but really now, I've had to bring you back to planet earth three times
already, what's going on?
Amanda: I'm sorry, what were you saying?
Derek: (searching her face he senses that something is bothering her)
What's going on? What's bothering you?
Amanda: Do you really wanna know?
Derek: (showing her that he cared about what was on her mind, he smiles
softly and says) I wouldn't ask if I didn't..
Amanda: (feeling uncomfortable, she takes a sip of water) Well, I had an
interesting visitor at the office today…
Derek: Hmmm . . . sounds interesting…go on….
Amanda: Well . . . hmmm . . . she . . . uhmmm . . .
well, she came to see me about……. You.
Derek: (anxiously) What??……. who??
We cut to Paulina and Joe coming into the Harbor club for a fancy night out on the town.
Paulina: Hey, there's Amanda over there, lets go say Hi.
Joe: (grabbing Paulina by the arm) Whoa, now, blue eyes let's not….
tonight it's just you and me.
We cut back to Amanda and Derek
Amanda: She said her name was Katia?
Derek: (getting angry) HER!! What is she doing here?!
Amanda: Apparently you know her??
Derek: YES (under his breath… angry that she Katia has followed him
once again) What did she say?
Amanda: Well, it was quite disturbing…
Derek: (trying to remain calm) Go on, I'm sure I have a pretty good
idea what she said…but go ahead maybe she came up with something new…
Amanda: (uncomfortable about saying what Katia had said, but Derek seems
so insistent on knowing) She said you…..you murdered your wife
Derek: (slamming his hand on the table angry that Amanda had to
experience the likes of Katia) She just wont give up, will she? But she's not
going to find her, I won't let it happen!
Amanda: Find who?
Derek: (not realizing what he said, ignoring her question) What else did
she say?
Amanda: (getting angry) Look, I don't need someone working for the
paper who has been accused of Murder….does Jake know about all this??
Derek: What do you think? Do I look like a murderer to you?
Amanda: I've only known you for a few days…
Derek: (interrupting her) Oh, you know . . . you just don't
what to say…what are you afraid of me?
Amanda: (getting her back up) I'm NOT afraid of anyone!!
Derek: (a little smile) Oh, don't I know it
Amanda: I don't know the whole story. I tried to find out from
Patti, but she was tight lipped…you must have some loyal friends there…
Derek: Yes I do… I have friends who support me and know me very
well… they brought me back to life after I lost my wife….it took me a long time
to put my life back together after what happened and Katia just wont let it go, not until
she gets what she wants. She isn't going to give up.
Amanda: But who is she? ….and what happened that makes her want to
hurt you so?
Derek: (looking down at the table and slowly bringing his eyes up to meet
Amanda's) She was my wife's sister…she believes it was all my fault and she was
right, I caused my wife's death…
Amanda: What???
Derek: Yes, I blame myself for it all. I met Kerry when
we were both young and just starting our first jobs at the London Times. You see, I
was a beginning journalist and she was the staff photographer. We started
working on assignments together, fell in love and got married..…(his voice trails
off, he takes a sip of his drink and continues on..) Things were great, we both
loved what we were doing but yet I wanted something more. I wanted to make
"my mark" on the world and so I started doing assignments in war-torn Europe. It
was fresh and exciting but she didn't want me to go, but I went anyway. I told her I
was doing it for us. She tried to tell me that we didn't need the money she
just needed me to be there with her. I would come home and stay for a while,
but I would always go back, even when she was pregnant it still wouldn't bring me home.
That just made me more determined to build our future and that was the only way I thought
I could do it…(Derek stops all of a sudden, he felt tired, weary, he rubs his eyes
and runs his hand through his hair and takes a deep breath and looks at Amanda her eyes
look so warm and inviting)
Waiter: Can I get you guys anything else?
Derek: (looking up) Yes, Bourbon, straight up….
Amanda: No, thank you…
(She listened intently as Derek is trying to get his story out.. she looks at him and is
thinking this Man who seemed so self confident was deeply hurt by those incidents, he
looked tired and worn as he was telling her this, quietly she says) Go on, Derek.
Derek: (taking another deep breath, he continues) Well…I had
been in Europe for longer than usual. I kept telling her I'd be home soon but something or
another would come up… so just to show me she went an took an assignment to take some
photos of some camps just so she could see me, I remember her telling me "if Mohammed
won't come to the Mountain, the Mountain would come to Mohammed" (Smiling as he
remembers her saying that to him, Amanda smiles as well)…but I told her it was too
dangerous for her to be there, she needed to be back home. Well, she told me
that nobody owned her and if I could be here then she could be here. Well, there was
no use in arguing with her… So I told her she won. We would finish this
assignment and then we would go home, ……..It was the last day we heard that
there was some shooting happening in the square so we decided to head there and see what
was happening. I tried to make her stay but she wouldn't, she wanted to get those
shots (angry as he remembers her not listening to him) we got to the scene and it was
havoc everywhere, we ended right in the middle of a cross
fire…she……she…. was right next to me taking pictures……. when
I hear her camera drop and realize that she was hit by a bullet……she died in my
arms.
He takes the Bourbon and proceeds to drink until the glass is empty.
Amanda: (who is taken aback by all that she has heard doesn't know what
to say at first, she puts her hand over Derek's that is on the table and gives it a gentle
squeeze) I'm sorry, Derek…it wasn't your fault, you couldn't have known.
Derek: (squeezing her hand back) But don't you see? Had I
gone home when she wanted me to, it wouldn't have happened…
Amanda: Is that why Katia blames you??
Derek: Yes, she believes I killed her sister and thinks I should pay in
some way or another for what happened and she wont rest until she gets what she wants.
Well, let me tell you, she is not getting Jessica!!
Paulina: (interrupting them because she couldn't help herself) Hi guys!
Amanda, it's nice to see you out for a change..
Amanda: (staring at Derek at what he said about Jessica, who was Jessica
she thought, she realizes that Paulina is talking to her) Oh, oh, hi there, what are
you doing here?
Paulina: Joe decided to take me out for a night on the town. He had
to take a phone call so I'd thought I would stop by and say Hi…..Derek, how do you
like Bay City so far?
Amanda: (composing himself after talking so much, he's looking at Amanda)
I've never seen so many beautiful things
Paulina: Well, Chris tells us you go way back with Jake …you and I
will have to talk for certain..
Derek: Yes, Jake has talked about you a great deal, he says you're the
best!
Paulina: Ah, that guy…
Derek: (getting up to leave) if you two will excuse me, I need to get
going. Amanda, I will see you in the morning…Goodnight and Goodnight to you
too, Paulina….
Amanda: But Derek, we're not finished yet….
Derek: (looking at Amanda) it can wait, I'm not going anywhere
soon.
Paulina: (taking a seat) Okay, come on, you two looked broiled in
some deep conversation, what's going on?
Amanda: (looking after Derek) What?
Paulina: Come on, dish…I saw you hold his hand, you can tell me
Amanda: (finally hearing Paulina) What?? ….Oh that, he was
just telling me something, there's nothing going on, you can relax.
Paulina: Girl, it's all over your face, you're falling and you're
going fast, now come on.
Amanda: Don't be ridiculous. We are only working together and
besides, what would he want with me and a daughter?
Paulina: Don't go selling yourself short. You have a lot to offer,
and besides I can tell he's got it bad for you too!
Amanda: (sarcastically) … Oh, really now, what? You can read
people from across the room now?
Paulina: Well, if it weren't true you wouldn't be getting so edgy about
it now would you? Plus the fact I haven't seen you in such a good mood in a long time!
Scene 3
Mustang Sally's
Jake is sitting at the bar with Robin, Vicky is sitting at a table with Kris, trying to
ignore Vicky the best he can he is engaging himself in conversation with Robin.
Robin: Jake, you're right, this is a nice place. I wish I
found it sooner.
Jake: huh? Oh yeah, not too bad, is it?
Robin: Excuse me Jake, but why do you keep looking at the Blonde at that
table in the corner?
Jake: (getting defensive) I'm NOT looking at her…
Robin: Hey there, it was only a question…
Jake: I'm sorry….. that blonde just happens to be the cause of all
my problems. She followed me to New York and wants me to come home with her.
Robin: (looking over at Vicky and Kris. Vicky, who is steaming by
now and trying to control herself about wanting to come up to her and Jake) Well, by
the look on her face, she seems pretty determined.
Jake: So am I…
Shari: Howdy, Jake, How you doing tonight? Getting enough to
dr…..(looking at Jake's face) Don't tell me you've been drinking someplace else and
not here?
Jake: Well, now, if it isn't our own little miss nosey? Yes as a matter
of fact I was, but to make you feel better, I brought another patron with me who will
certainly make up for any lost business…Robin this is Shari, Shari…Robin
Robin: Somehow, I'm going to try and take that as a compliment
Jake, in the spirit that it was meant…Hi Shari..
Shari: (shaking her head) Oh, Jake, if I weren't already married,
that Vicky of yours would be having a run for her money…Oh, and by the way, it's Mrs.
Nosey to you!
We cut to Vicky and Kris..
Vicky: What is he doing? Trying to make as many new
girlfriends as he can?!
Kris: Vicky, calm down. Getting mad isn't going to get you
anywhere.
Vicky: (looking at Kris and then to the scene happening at the bar)
Well, maybe it should! (she starts to get up and Kris grabs her)
Kris: Oh, no, you don't..
Vicky: What? I'm not going to do anything that you wouldn't do!
Kris: I doubt that…sit back down, you're only going to make things
worse. Now, we've seen Jake, I think it's time to go back to the apartment.
Vicky: what?? Go back to the Apartment, what am I going to do there??
Kris: You're going to wait for Jake to come back? That's what
you're going to do?
Vicky: Look now…. there's that Emily, that cheap hu…
Kris: Vicky. (giving her a look).
Vicky: (continuing on) Sidling up to him like he's a free meal.
Well, he isn't I tell you, he isn't….look at him. Where are they
going?
Kris: I know Vicky, I know, but right now you've got to let Jake get this
out of his system.
We cut back to the bar..
Emily: (giving Jake a Kiss) Hey, Bunny, it's about time, and
thanks for giving me great directions….
Jake: It's Jake, Em…it's Jake now.
Emily: Yeah, yeah whatever… so have you figured a way to get me out
of this mess?
Jake: Impatient as always. Maybe if you slowed down a bit you
wouldn't have gotten yourself into this mess in the first place. Come on, let's go sit at
a quiet table and see what we're… I mean you're going to do….. (he gets off the
stool and heads to a table in the back)
We pan to the entrance of Sally's, a man enters the bar stands there for a moment drinking
in the familiar room he gazes around, the crowded tables filled with customers who are
enjoying the music, he looks to the stage and sees Anne belting out another love song. He
glances over to the bar and there's Shari serving up drinks to the customers…
anxiously he looks to see if she is still here then he spots her, sitting at a table
talking to a guy and girl…he breathes a sigh of relief, as beautiful as she looked 5
years ago, young, vibrant, full of life….he steps to the end of the bar and orders a
Malt beer from the bartender. Its been a long time since I've been in this place, lost in
thought he goes back to that day, that day when it all changed when he lost it all and
hurt her so bad, does she remember he wonders, or has she forgotten it, forgotten him and
moved on… .
Why of all the low creatures I've seen come into this joint, you are the one person I'd
never thought I'd see again..Hey, didn't you read the sign? No scum allowed!
JT: (broken from his thought) Why Shari, it's so good to see you
again
Shari: What are you doing here?
JT: What? A guy can't come in, get a drink, and listen to some
blues?
Shari: Not your kinda guy..
JT: (quietly he asks) How is she?
Shari: Nicole, you mean? Fantastic, wonderful. You know, after
picking her up off the floor after you left her, she got her act together.
Look at her? Doesn't she look great and that guy with
her…..uh…. Jake…yeah, Jake, he takes care of her needs so there's no need
for you to come back into her life.
JT: You never liked me much, did you, Shari?
Shari: Oh, JT, I did like you, you were family until that day when you
broke her heart.
JT: You don't know the whole story..
Shari: Of course, I don't know, you idiot. You never stayed
around long enough to tell us or her, did you?
JT: Well I'm back does that say something?
Shari: Yeah, it says trouble all over it.
JT: I'm not here for trouble. I'm here for one thing only and
I'm not leaving until I get it!
Shari: She wont talk to, you know.
Nicole: (walking up behind JT, she says to Shari) Hey Shari, could you
send over a bottle of Champagne to J…..what's wrong? (She then realizes its JT
sitting there..she freezes a total look of surprise on her face and steps back.)
JT: Hi …
Nicole: (barely able to get the words out) It's you…
JT: Yes, it's me…
Nicole: What the Hell are you doing here?
