Episode Eleven
SCENE ONE - EXT. - HORTON HOUSE - NIGHT
JACK and JENNIFER are rushing up the walkway. When they reach the house JENNIFER rings the doorbell.
JACK: (Loosening his tie) I can't believe we're running late for a family meeting we called.
JENNIFER: (Facing him and fixing his tie) It'll be okay. Less time for us to worry.
The door opens and SHAWN is there.
SHAWN: Are you two ever on time for anything?
JACK: (smirks) Well we try but inevitably Miss Horton has to find a misplaced pair of shoes or change handbags.
JENNIFER: (indignant) You were rewriting that editorial for the millionth time Jack.
They walk in the house and SHAWN closes the door. They follow him into the living room.
JACK: Tempermental
JENNIFER: Perfectionist
SHAWN: Jack and Jen are here, in case you hadn't noticed.
They grin sheepishly at their assembled guests, ALICE, MAGGIE, MICKEY, HOPE, BO, SHAWN, JULIE and DOUG are all there.
JACK: So sorry to keep you waiting.
JENNIFER: Would you believe the sitter was running late?
OUT on JACK and JENNIFER
SCENE TWO - INT. - HORTON HOUSE - IN PROGRESS.
DOUG: The sitter Jen?
JACK: Yes, well everyone please have a seat.
Everyone takes a seat
JENNIFER: You're probably all wondering why we've called you here.
MICKEY: We'd be lying if we were to say we're not curious.
JULIE: Yes, Horton family meetings aren't an everyday occurance and it's even more rare to have one initiated by you Jack.
JACK: (chuckling) True. I'm not known for my enjoyment of large family gatherings. But this is rather important and so we're all here ... together ... ready to discuss ... this --
BO: You're rambling Jack.
JACK: (smiling) Indeed I am. Jennifer?
JENNIFER: (gnawing nervously on her nail) Uh sure. So we're all gathered here at Gramma's house --
MAGGIE: Jennifer, we know that.
JACK: (taking JENNIFER by the arm) You know what, if everyone will just hold that thought, we'll be right back.
JACK and JENNIFER walk out of the room
MICKEY: I haven't seen Jack this speechless since before the wedding.
SHAWN, JULIE, ALICE, BO and MAGGIE all laugh.
HOPE: Well, they're obviously nervous about something.
JULIE: Poor darlings, maybe we should help them out a bit. Does anyone know what this could be about?
All eyes turn to ALICE
OUT on ALICE smiling
SCENE THREE - INT. - KITCHEN
JACK is downing a glass of water.
JENNIFER: This isn't going well.
JACK: (Rummaging through a couple of cabinets) Doesn't your grandmother have anything stronger for me to drink?
JENNIFER: (Grabbing his hand) Jack! Okay we had a plan.
JACK: Yes, yes we did. What was it?
JENNIFER: I can't remember it.
JACK: Okay, we were sitting at my desk, eating sandwiches.
JENNIFER: And you mentioned my hair looked nice today.
JACK: (fingers it) Well it does. (BEAT) And then as I recall we got a bit distracted.
JENNIFER: (clears her throat) Uh huh and after that we made a plan.
JACK: Plan, plan (snaps his fingers) Ah ha!
JENNIFER: Ah ha Jack?
JACK: Everyone was supposed to sit.
JENNIFER: They did.
JACK: And then we were going to say we were sorry about this but we had something important to tell them.
JENNIFER: We said that Jack.
JACK: We did?
JENNIFER: Yeah, but it became a little more difficult once we were facing them.
JACK: It doesn't even sound vaguely familiar to me.
JENNIFER: Okay so let's just stick to the plan (Grabs his hand) Come on Jack.
JACK: What plan Jennifer? And I (turns head back) I never got anything stronger --
OUT on JACK walking through the door
SCENE FOUR - IN PROGRESS
HOPE: Gram, you must know.
ALICE: Know what?
JACK and JENNIFER walk in
JACK: Mrs. Horton have you been taking lessons from Jennifer?
JENNIFER: Funny Jack. (Turns to the family) There's no need to badger Gramma. If you will all take your seats again I think Jack and I are prepared to tell you everything.
JULIE: (tossing out ideas) You're moving out of the house?
JENNIFER: Uh no.
BO: Selling the Spectator?
JACK: Now why would I go -- (JENNIFER nudges him) Uh no.
MAGGIE: You're getting remarried?
JENNIFER: Umm ... well, we'll get to all of that in a minute.
JACK: Yes, I think it's best if we start at the beginning.
JENNIFER: (pacing around the room) As all of you know Jack and I went to Africa to get a new start. We thought if we got away from Salem, it would help. We also wanted to help dad.
JACK: So we decided the only thing we could do to help him would be doing what we do best - reporting.
HOPE: We know this Jack. Jennifer used to send us all copies, remember?
JENNIFER: Yes. But there was one story we never published. We discovered that not everyone involved with dad's group was there to help the refugees.
JACK: As a result of this investigation our lives were in danger.
SHAWN: What sort of danger?
JACK: The usual sort - obvious, contemptible, exaggerated.
JENNIFER looks sadly at JACK then continues the story.
JENNIFER: We decided things were too dangerous for Abby.
JACK: So Jennifer went to Ireland with Abigail.
BO: (Figuring it out) And Jack stayed behind to deflect attention. Why didn't you tell me that Jen? We could have gone and helped Jack.
JENNIFER: I didn't know what to do. We had a plan going in, but it didn't work the way we planned it.
JACK: She did the best she could. We didn't know who to trust Bo.
JULIE: Surely darlings you must have known you could trust us -- your family.
JACK: We (Pauses to think) We wanted to, but no, we couldn't.
DOUG: Well how exactly did you end up where you are now?
OUT on JACK and JENNIFER looking at each other
SCENE FIVE - HORTON LIVING ROOM - A SHORT TIME LATER
JACK and JENNIFER have finished telling the story
HOPE: Unbelievable. (She gets up and hugs JENNIFER) No wonder you were so out of it when you were here.
JENNIFER: Was I really that out of it?
HOPE: You were pretty bad (turns to JACK and hugs him too) And you, you must have been worried sick away from them.
JULIE: (comes over to JACK and hugs him too) How did you ever survive it darling?
JACK: (visibly uncomfortable with all of the attention) Well you know, I kept busy.
MAGGIE: I believe somewhere in there you all mentioned a wedding.
HOPE: Oh yes they did. I didn't miss out on another wedding, did I?
JACK: Wait a second, you're not angry with us?
MICKEY: Should we be?
JENNIFER: We've lied to you all for months.
DOUG: Well, yes but Alice told us to have faith in you two and it would all work out fine.
JENNIFER: Right okay, but we lied. I mean not just a little, we lied about everything.
JULIE: Darling, are you trying to make us angry with you?
JENNIFER: Well no.
JULIE: You had your reasons. You needed to protect yourselves and Abby and I daresay (looks at JACK) you probably were even thinking about all of us.
JACK: Well yes.
HOPE: Now didn't I tell you Brady. I knew there was something strange in Paris.
BO: (Putting his arm around her) Yes, you did. And I seem to recall someone else telling us a few things. (Looks to SHAWN)
SHAWN: (grins) I don't know why you're looking to me for answers.
BO: (to JACK and JENNIFER) He knew? You told our son?
JACK: Well, it sort of just tumbled out of Jennifer's mouth --
JENNIFER: Or rather, part of it did. Shawn's really bright and he figured some of it out on his own.
HOPE: But he could have been -- (Covers her mouth)
JENNIFER: Oh no! No, no, no! Hope, we would never endanger Shawn. He knew we were in some danger and that's why we were saying we were split up, but he didn't know anything more. (Grabs HOPE and hugs her) Believe me, we would have told you everything if we thought Shawn would be in trouble.
HOPE nods. ALICE decides to change the subject.
ALICE: Now I believe this subject has been brought up a couple of times, but still no answer.
JENNIFER: What subject is that Gramma?
ALICE: When is the wedding?
OUT on JENNIFER looking to JACK
SCENE SIX -- IN PROGRESS
JENNIFER: We ... uh ... Jack.
JACK: We haven't ... that is to say ... there's an implied --
Everyone is looking at them, coaxing the words out.
JENNIFER: What we're saying is, we're going to get married, but we're in no rush to do it.
JACK: Yes. But as soon as there's a date, you'll all be the first to know.
JULIE: Well we had better be. There is no way I want to see another rush wedding for you two.
JENNIFER: It was beautiful.
ALICE: It was darling, but a wedding for 4,000 on a week's notice. (ALICE gives JENNIFER a look)
SHAWN: 4,000?
JENNIFER: Alright it was a bit much, but everyone was a great help ... well almost everyone. (JENNIFER looks at JACK)
JACK: Wha -- I couldn't talk! Am I going to have to endure this every time weddings are mentioned? (To BO) This is why I don't call family meetings.
OUT on BO and JACK laughing
SCENE SEVEN - INT. - HORTON HOUSE - A SHORT TIME LATER
JACK is talking with ALICE and JULIE. BO, SHAWN and MAGGIE are also talking. MICKEY and DOUG are in the kitchen getting drinks.
HOPE: I'm so happy for you Jen.
JENNIFER: Me too. You know I was scared when we moved to Africa that not only would Jack and I not be able to get back what we had, but that we would never be able to move forward. And I was so wrong.
HOPE: (Looking at JACK) He's grown up alot over the years, thanks to you.
JENNIFER: (lovingly) No, thanks to him. I encourage him Hope, but he has to do it on his own. And you know he's helped me grow up too. When I think of how young I was, not just in age, but in every sense ...
HOPE: I remember.
JENNIFER: Yeah and it was a struggle at first to rebuild everything, but it was worth it and I think we're stronger this time.
HOPE: (smiles) I hope so honey. (Hugs her) You know the second time around can have its share of difficulties, but if you try hard it's worth it. (Looks to BO)
JENNIFER: (takes HOPE'S hand) I know I've been busy with moving and the newspaper, but I want you to know that if there's anything you need, a friendly shoulder or a shopping trip or even a babysitter, you can come to me and I'll be here for you Hope.
HOPE: (sadly) Thanks Jen. I'll keep that in mind.
JENNIFER: (wanting her to open up) I mean it.
HOPE: Jen, I'm fine.
JENNIFER: (not believing her) Uh huh. (JENNIFER looks up and sees BO and JACK coming their way) I'll let this go since I see two gorgeous men heading our way, but I'm not doing it permanantly.
HOPE looks at her and smirks
BO: (wrapping his arms around HOPE) Are you ready to go? Shawn has school in the morning.
HOPE: (kissing him lightly) Of course.
JACK: Uh wait a moment. I actually have a favor to ask you Bo.
BO: A favor?
JACK: (looks at JENNIFER and she nods) Yes, it's nothing major, but well I was wondering if you might be able to look into someone for me?
HOPE: New story Jack?
JACK: More like the old one.
BO: You're still investigating these doctors?
JENNIFER: Uh ... not exactly. They're still sending threats.
HOPE and BO: What? (Noticing looks from the others they step closer to JACK and JENNIFER)
HOPE: Are you serious?
JACK: Very. It's convinced us that this may be some sort of personal vendetta.
BO: Who? Not Larry?
JACK: No. Last we heard he and Carly were still sailing the world in wedded bliss.
HOPE: So what's the name Jack?
JACK: Dr. Colin Murphy.
BO: (stunned) Colin Murphy?
JENNIFER: Have you met him? He's here in Salem.
BO: Met him? (BEAT) He's my cousin.
JACK and JENNIFER are shocked. They turn and look at each other and then back to BO.
OUT on BO'S face
END EPISODE ELEVEN
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