From: wesley Here's my November Rotsoap. I'm sending it as an attachment because I think it's too long to go in the note. Let me know if you get it okay. TTYL. :-) Pat C. email: patricia@epix.net homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/4017/ *************************************** "... only he is an emancipated thinker who is not afraid to write foolish things." -- Anton Chekhov *************************************** Roger's Revenge (Doing Dirt) Parts 4, 5 and 6 - 11/15/96 - By Pat C., patricia@epix.net - [SUMMARY: Roger and Bridget are out for revenge against Hart and Dinah, and have entered into a platonic marriage to further their scheme; they left Petey in the hospital with Van and lured Hart to the Riviera by faking a kidnapping; Holly is outraged at what Dinah did to Roger and angry that she got sucked into Fletcher's anti-Roger propaganda for the past year; she's fed up with playing dutiful wife, kicked Fletcher out and left Meg with Blake to go off to the Riviera in search of dirt on Dinah and a little fun.] IN THE LAST EPISODE: Hart (now played by Lenny Staab) arrived in Cannes in the middle of the night and Roger left him and Bridget alone in the hotel room to discuss Petey's kidnapping. Holly had acquired a videotape meant for Dinah but was unable to play it without a VCR. She was on her way to stash it in the hotel safe for the night. ROGER'S REVENGE - PART 4 SCENE: Cannes, Hotel Martinez.. 3 a.m. Day 6. Slight rollback to the previous episode... Holly slips the tape under her sweater and walks to the elevator. As she waits for the doors to open, she's grabbed from behind and pulled into a dark alcove. Suddenly the arms around her loosen, she hears a struggle the sounds of fist against flesh, then the sounds of feet running away. She sees the silhouette of a man in the entrance to the alcove, the hall light shines from behind his head, leaving his face in darkness. He holds up the videotape, "Is this yours?" Holly is too tired to be frightened . . . so she just gets mad. HOLLY: No! Keep it . . . keep the damn tape . . . (she walks toward him) . . . enjoy it . . . hey, have a party . . . invite your two friends over and you can all watch it together . . .I'm going back to bed . . The man moves back out of the entrance as Holly emerges into the brightly lit hallway . . . OFF CAMERA: Holly? She turns to see Roger standing there holding the tape out to her. She faints. SCENE: Roger's hotel Room. Hart and Bridget are sitting on the bed. He's been holding her in his arms for the last ten minutes, as he tried to comfort her about Peter's kidnapping. When she finally calms down and lifts her head off his shoulder, he stares into her eyes, trying to decide what's different about her. Gradually, he becomes aware of the softness of her skin under his hands, and he abruptly pulls away from her and stands up, pacing the room nervously. Bridget goes into the bathroom to wash her face, comb her hair and apply a little make-up. As she walks out carrying a glass of water, Hart wonders if she realizes that her nightgown is transparent. HART: So, what happened Bridget? Were you and the old man too busy in bed to keep an eye on Peter? Bridget adds some ice to her glass and takes a long drink, noticing with pleasure that Hart can't seem to keep his eyes off of her body. Then she walks toward him and faces him with calm self-assurance. BRIDGET: I don't need this from you right now, Hart. In fact, I don't need you at all. So if this is the best dialogue you can come up with, maybe you should just go back to Paris. HART: (sighs) Okay, Bridget. Just tell me what happened. . . Bridget walks to the window and stares out at the sea. HART: . . .and cover yourself up! I can see through that thing! Bridget raises her eyebrows and shrugs, then walks to the closet slowly, allowing one thin strap of her nightgown to slip off her shoulder. She slowly runs her hands over the clothes hanging in the closet, and smiles to herself before turning to him. BRIDGET: (innocently) I guess my robes are all still packed. I haven't really needed to wear one on this trip. Hart's eyes flash with anger at the image of Bridget and his father in a round-the-clock orgy. Bridget picks up a room-service menu and begins to fan herself. BRIDGET: They keep these rooms so warm . . . The fanning action causes the strap of her nightgown to slip even further down her arm. Hart throws his hands up in the air and stomps to the window. HART: Okay, I get the point, Bridget. You're hot! You and gramps have been having one hot time for yourselves. So let me help you cool off. (He throws the window open wide, then he takes off his jacket and puts it around her shoulders) Now . . . can we talk about Peter? SCENE: Holly's room Holly is passed out on the bed and Roger is sitting beside her, holding a wet towel to her forehead. She opens her eyes and he picks up a glass from the table. ROGER: (supports her so she can sit up) Here, drink this . . . She takes a swallow and then spits the liquid out in surprise. It lands on Roger's shirt. HOLLY: (disoriented) What is this? I was expecting water! ROGER: It's wine. (takes the towel and wipes off his shirt) I thought you needed something to get your blood flowing . . . come on . . .just take a couple of swallows . . . HOLLY: (hesitates, looking at the glass and then at Roger with suspicion) Roger, you DO know that I had nothing to do with that electroshock . . . ROGER: (smiles) Don't worry, Holly . . . I have no plans to drug you . . . I only drug my wives . . . not my exes . . . Roger holds the glass up to her lips and she takes some of the wine. Then she remembers the tape and looks around for it. ROGER: (picking up the tape from the night stand) Is this what you're looking for? (He looks it over carefully) What is this, anyway? Must be something special if those guys. . . HOLLY: (grabs the tape) Nothing . . .it's . . . for a story I'm working on. (Tries to change the subject) And what are you doing in Cannes? Roger gets up and walks to the glass doors leading out to the balcony. ROGER: Honeymoon, of course. HOLLY: (stares at his back) Of course. This is a beautiful spot for a honeymoon. (She wonders if this is where she and Roger would have come for their honeymoon two years ago.) ROGER: (turns and looks at Holly) No. HOLLY: (startled) What? ROGER: Acapulco. We were going to go to Acapulco. Their eyes lock for a moment and then Roger looks away. ROGER: Why don't you get some sleep now. (Covers her up) And tomorrow you can tell me all about this story you're doing. He turns out the bedside light and walks to the door, looks back at Holly and sees that she's closed her eyes. Then he removes a videotape from the planter by the door, sticks it under his shirt, and leaves. Out in the hall, he walks to another room a few doors down and enters. He goes to the briefcase on the dresser, opens it and puts in the videotape. Then he begins to search the room. He looks in the closets, behind pictures, in the lamps . . . opens all the drawers . . . finally, he goes to the phone and dials. ROGER: Very good work. I couldn't spot it, so I'm sure Hart won't. Where is it? (He looks across the room at the draperies covering the sliding glass doors onto the balcony) . . . good . . . great view of the bed. And it's motion-activated? (He picks up the tape he got from Holly's room) Oh . . . you better bring me a few more blank tapes tomorrow . . . I had to . . . lend one to a friend. SCENE: Roger's room. HART: Are you going to tell me about Peter? Bridget can see that Hart is angry at the thought of her and Roger together, but she just gives him a puzzled frown and walks over to the window again. BRIDGET: That's what I was about to do . . . (turns and motions for him to join her) . . .you can see the spot where . . .(gets a catch in her voice) . . . it happened. Hart stands beside her at the window. BRIDGET: Petey and I were walking along that pier . . .(sniffs) . . . he was feeding the seagulls . . . Hart, he was so. . . so sweet . . . he kept giggling every time . . . (wipes her eyes with a tissue) . . .when one of the gulls would take some food . . . after a while he must have had twenty seagulls around him. I decided to take a picture . . . and I . . . just turned my back for a minute to . . . you know. . . get far enough away so I could get a wide shot . . . and when I turned around . . . (starts gulping to swallow her tears) . . .when I turned . . . turned . . . HART: Bridget! What if he fell off the pier? (Grabs her hand and pulls her toward the closet) Get dressed . . . I want you to take me to the exact spot where . . . BRIDGET: (blows her nose) No . . . that's what I thought at first . . . until I saw . . . the note . . . Bridget walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, letting Hart's jacket fall off her shoulders, as she opens the drawer in the night table. She pulls out a piece of paper and holds it out to Hart. He sits down beside her and reads the note. "We have the boy. Don't tell the police if you want to see him again. We will contact you." Hart raises his eyes from the note and stares at Bridget. The reality has finally hit him, and he takes Bridget's hand. HART: What are we gonna do, Bridget? What will we do if Peter never comes back? They are staring into each other's identically, tear-filled eyes when Roger walks in. He pauses at the door for a moment to enjoy the sight. Hart is obviously completely taken in by Bridget's performance. Roger gives her a silent cheer as he crosses the room and stands in front of them. ROGER: (holding out a key to Hart) I got you a room. (Hart takes the key and Roger holds out his hand to Bridget, helping her up from the bed) There's nothing more we can do tonight. My contacts had nothing to report. He puts his arm around Bridget and they walk toward the door, hinting to Hart that he should leave. Hart looks at Roger with resentment, and Roger can't resist fanning the flames by bending down to kiss Bridget. Hart's eyes flash with anger as he watches Bridget throw her arms around Roger's shoulders and return his kiss. He stomps toward the door, fumbling to open it and then slamming it behind him. When they hear the door close, Roger and Bridget separate. Roger puts his hands on her shoulders and looks into her eyes, then shifts his eyes down to her body and back up to her face. ROGER: (shakes his head with a smile) You, Bridget Reardon, are a very bad little girl. (Kisses her on the forehead) Now. . . go wash your face, put on some decent clothes and lets get some sleep. Because tonight was just the teaser . . . tomorrow is the beginning of the main event! PART 5 DAY SEVEN . . . SCENE: Cannes. Hotel Martinez. Holly's room. The following day. Holly picks up the video tape and stares at it thoughtfully, then she calls the concierge and asks him to arrange a VCR rental for her that afternoon. Next she makes a long distance call. CUT to the Carriage House in Springfield, where Ross is sitting at his desk angrily rifling through piles of credit card bills. The phone rings and he picks it up. ROSS: Cancel the damn card! Cancel them all! HOLLY: Ross? ROSS: Oh. . . it's you, Holly. HOLLY: I wanted to speak to Blake, but as long as I have you on the line, Ross, there's something you can do for me. ROSS: Anything . . . as long as it's not going to cost me any money. HOLLY: (laughs) No, in fact . . . I'll pay you . . . if you're willing to handle my divorce. SCENE: Paris. Dinah's hotel room. Dinah is laying on the bed reading Bridal magazines and smoking. The room is filled with stale smoke and the ashtrays are overflowing with cigarette butts. The phone rings. DINAH: Yes? (Listens) What do you mean my fitting was canceled? Why? (Listens) Oh, well. . .(shrugs) I have other credit cards. I'm a very rich woman, dear, so I'm sure Rodriguez will want to keep me happy. RECEPTIONIST: Yes. If your credit checks out, we'll be happy to squeeze you in next Monday at 6 in the evening. DINAH: (jumps out of bed) Next week? But . . . I can't wait that long! My wedding is less than a month away! And my fiance is waiting for me . . . (Dinah pauses, deciding she might as well go down to Cannes and check up on Hart and Bridget) RECEPTIONIST: Would you like us to call you if there's a cancellation before then? DINAH: Oh, yes! Yes! RECEPTIONIST: Of course you would have to be able to get here within the hour. Are you planning to stay in Paris all week? DINAH: (pouting) Yeah... I guess . . . SCENE: Cannes. Hotel Martinez. Roger's room. Roger is buttoning his shirt and putting on his tie when the phone rings. ROGER: (on the phone) Good work, Ms. Armitage. And you told her you might be able to fit her in if you get a cancellation? (Listens) Excellent! Your reward will be delivered within the hour. (Listens) Oh, I shall. . . I shall definitely keep you in mind if I need any further assistance. As he hangs up, Bridget comes out of the bathroom. BRIDGET: (twirls around to show off her new string bikini) Am I gorgeous, or what? ROGER: (smiles) You're gorgeous, as always . . . and . . .I doubt you'll need it, but you now have a whole week to work your magic on Hart. BRIDGET: So Dinah's going to hang out in Paris waiting for her designer wedding dress? Wouldn't you know she'd care more about her wardrobe than her fiance's son! ROGER: She does tend to be somewhat predictable. (stares out the window at Hart, waiting across the street) You better get out there . . . our boy is getting restless. BRIDGET: (joins him at the window) Our boy . . . (grins) . . . that's right, I guess I'm his step-mother now. SCENE: Holly's room. She's still on the phone with Ross, and she cringes as he starts to shout. ROSS: What? Is the whole world going crazy? Why in hell are you getting a divorce? HOLLY: (rolls her eyes) The usual reasons. ROSS: Well, I don't know what the usual reasons are . . . but for Meg's sake you've got to try and work things out. HOLLY: I have tried, Ross. But you can't force yourself to love someone. ROSS: Love? You're confusing love with that sick relationship you have with Roger. You'll never recognize the real thing . . . HOLLY: Is love supposed to make you feel boring and bored . . . invisible . . . smothered . . . unhappy . . . restless . . . stifled . . . ready to explode? ROSS: No . . . but Holly, it sounds like you're depressed! Maybe you have that . . . you know, post-partum depression? HOLLY: (grimaces) I'll pay you to handle my divorce, Ross . . . but don't even think about billing me for your psychiatric evaluation. SCENE: Cannes. Roger's room. Roger and Bridget continue to look out the window at Hart, sitting on a bench across the street, his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands. He looks up and Bridget can see the pain and anguish on his face. ROGER: (watches Bridget watching Hart) Starting to feel sorry for him? BRIDGET: No . . . (slowly turns her head to Roger) I was just thinking that . . . now maybe he knows how I felt when he threatened to take custody of Petey away from me. How about you? ROGER: (smiles sardonically) You should know by now, little girl . . . the big bad wolf doesn't have any feelings. (looks out the window again) But Hart does . . . yes, our young hero has feelings by the bucketful. . . and in a few short days . . . (runs his finger lightly along Bridget's cheek) . . . all of those feelings are going to be focused on you, my sweet. And what are you going to do with them once you have them? BRIDGET: (grabs a beach coat and a canvas bag and heads for the door) I'm going to stomp on them . . . (grins) . . . and I'm going to love every minute of it. Roger watches her leave and then goes to the closet, taking out the briefcase. He opens the top and takes out Holly's videotape. Then he slides the front of the brief case forward, and inside is a VCR. He takes out a cable and connects it to the television, then hits the play button. The scene is a group of people playing volleyball on the beach. Then he notices that the players are all young girls - probably age ten to fourteen. They're all wearing bathing suits, and three middle-aged men are sitting on the sidelines watching them. ROGER: What the hell? All this intrigue for a family reunion? He glances out the window and sees Bridget talking to Hart. As they walk toward the beach, another figure on the street catches his eye. It's a woman, her hair is covered with a scarf and she's wearing sunglasses . . . but something about the walk looks familiar. ROGER: (smiles) Having a bad hair day, Holly? (He turns off the VCR, closes and locks the briefcase, grabs his coat and leaves.) CUT to Holly in the street, watching Bridget and Hart walk to the beach. HOLLY: Now, what is Hart doing tagging along on Roger's honeymoon? And where is Roger? (She glances nervously back at the hotel, then walks quickly down the street.) SCENE: Carriage House. Blake and Ross are standing at the door. He's getting ready to leave. ROSS: I can't do it Blake. I can't help your mother take a step that's going to lead her back to Roger. I'm going to tell her I won't handle her divorce. BLAKE: Sure, I understand Ross. Maybe I'll ask Leo to . . . ROSS: Leo Flynn? Blake . . . I'm begging you . . . don't suggest that to Holly! Aren't there any lawyers in this town but me and Leo Flynn? BLAKE: Of course, dear . . . don't worry about it. You just have a wonderful day. (Gives him a kiss) And don't worry about Dinah's wedding either. I've figured out a way to make it cost . . .(smiles) . . . almost nothing. ROSS: (skeptical) If you can manage that, you will have my blind devotion for all eternity. BLAKE: (to herself as she watches him leave) And that's just what I'm going to need, after these twins are born . . . (looks down at her stomach). . . in fact, if your Daddy were blind, this whole situation would be a lot easier, boys. Blake sits down at the desk, pulls out a folder and begins going through the bills. BLAKE: (separating them into piles as she talks) Dinah's trousseau . . . the ceremony . . . the reception . . . the band . . . the flowers (she looks at this bill more closely) . . . bridesmaid's bouquets? She's having bridesmaids? I can't wait to see who she digs up for that job . . . SCENE: Paris. Dinah's hotel room. Dinah's laying on the bed, smoking and watching a French soap opera. There's a knock on her door and she reluctantly gets up to open it, her eyes still riveted to the love scene on the TV screen. In the hall is a woman about Dinah's age, with bright orange curly hair and thick make-up, wearing spike heels, a brightly printed tight skirt that barely covers her butt and doesn't cover the black garters that are holding up her black mesh stockings, and a black bra under a transparent black blouse. Dinah just stares at her blankly. WOMAN: Hi, Deedee . . . (cracks her gum) . . . Wow, Marcus said you made it big, but . . . (pushes past Dinah and walks into the room) . . . this is what I call really swank! SCENE: Beach in Cannes. Bridget and Hart are winding their way through the crowds of sunbathers, dodging the volleyballs and trying to avoid stepping on sand castles. Bridget looks intently at each group that they pass, until a man wearing a black t-shirt and an earring, makes eye contact with her. Suddenly she stops. BRIDGET: Here's a good spot. Put the blanket down here. HART: (Doesn't stop) Just keep moving . . . we're not here to get a tan, Bridget. BRIDGET: (rolls her eyes and grabs the blanket angrily) Just cut the sarcasm Hart . . . I know you're worried about Petey but I am too . . . so don't take it out on me because I'm not your doormat anymore. (Throws the blanket down on the sand and stares him in the eye, her hands on her hips) Got it? HART: (continues staring then looks away) Yeah...(sulking)...I just don't see why we have to waste our time... Bridget sits down on the blanket and Hart reluctantly joins her. BRIDGET: Look . . . if we just start showing this picture of Peter to everyone on the beach . . . either the kidnappers are going to notice us, or the police will . . . HART: Maybe we *should* bring the police into this . . . BRIDGET: (panics) No! That could put Peter in danger. . . Roger has his agency contacts working on this, and I trust them a lot more than any local police . . . HART: (reluctantly ) Okay . . . but you know, whoever we show the picture to is going to want to know why we're looking for him. What'll we say? Bridget takes off her jacket, and begins rubbing tanning lotion over her body. She pretends to look around at the other sunbathers, but is very aware that Hart's eyes are following her hands. BRIDGET: (thinks about it) Maybe . . . we could say we're scouting for a movie and we saw him yesterday and wanted to ask his mother if he could test for a part . . . HART: (stands) Okay. . . give me the photo, I'll give it a shot. SCENE: Cannes. Art Gallery. Holly still hasn't seen the videotape. While she's waiting for the hotel to get her a VCR, she decided to return to the art gallery and see if the owner can tell her who sent the tape. She finds the front door to the gallery open, but no one's around. The walls are covered with the paintings for the upcoming exhibit, and Holly is impressed by the work. As she strolls through the maze, a man (played by Anthony Herrera) appears, pushing a large canvas on a dolly. HOLLY: Hello. Is the owner around? MAN: No, but he should be back soon . . . if you care to wait. Holly looks toward the back room with curiosity and wonders if she'll get an opportunity to snoop around back there before the owner gets back. HOLLY: I'd love to. . . I could look at these paintings forever . . . (she walks over to look at the one on the dolly and stands entranced) . . . this is . . . it's breathtaking! (The painting has all of the colors of the Mediterranean, put together in an abstract, impressionistic style. Holly continues to stare at it for several minutes.) If I had this painting I could take this lovely place with me when I leave. (Looks at the man) Oh, I'm sorry . . . I'm keeping you from your work. I guess you're trying to get ready for the exhibit? MAN: That's okay. I was just wondering where to hang this. What do you think? HOLLY: Well, it should probably be someplace where people don't see it when they first come in. . . because once they see this . . .they won't be able to appreciate the beauty of the other work. She begins walking around the labyrinth of walls and partitions that make-up the main room of the gallery. The man follows her. HOLLY: (pointing to an inner wall) This would be my choice. Of course, I'm sure the artist has ideas of his own. MAN: Well, if he doesn't like it . . . he can always move it later. HOLLY: (watching him hang the painting) I wonder what that will sell for? MAN: I believe there's a price list in the back room. Shall we look? Holly smiles with satisfaction as she follows him into the back room, thinking this is just too easy. CUT to Roger, standing outside the gallery. He watches through the door for a moment, frowns thoughtfully, then walks away. SCENE: Jessup Farm. Blake and Leo get out of the car and walk to the house. Leo hesitates at the door. LEO: (looking nervous) Blake . . . I don't know about this . . . I'm an officer of the court . . . I could be disbarred . . . BLAKE: (rolls her eyes as she puts the key in the door) It's perfectly legal, Leo. Dinah asked me to handle her wedding while she's away. And Ross paid for all this stuff . . . (pats her protruding stomach) . . . and I'm gonna need your help getting it out of here . . . Leo: (follows her inside) Just promise me you won't go into labor while we're here. BLAKE: (ignores his comment) Now, I'll tag the loot with these yellow sticky things and you can start piling everything by the door. LEO: I hope you have the receipts for this. BLAKE: (smiles cynically) Ah, Leo . . . it's so comforting to know Dad has you around to keep him on the straight and narrow. But don't worry, I have the bills . . . (walks to the desk) . . . I'm sure the receipts are here someplace. (Begins looking through the drawers) SCENE: Paris. Dinah's hotel room. Dinah stands at the open door, staring coldly at the orange haired woman who has invaded her hotel room. DINAH: I don't know who you are, but if you don't leave right now I'm calling hotel security. WOMAN: (sits on the bed and bounces to test the mattress) Aw, come on Deedee . . . I know it's been a few years, but I haven't changed that much . . . have I? (Walks toward Dinah to give her a closer look) It's Frances! Don't tell me you forgot your old buddy Frances! (Fluffs her hair) Course, I was doin my hair different then . . . yeah, I think I had one a them Mohawks the last time you saw me . . . we were working the Rue Saint-Denis, wasn't it? DINAH: So . . . you claim you know me? And Marcus told you where to find me? (Goes to the phone) Well, why don't we just call Marcus and ask him? FRANCES: Sure, doll, I'd love to talk to Marky (lays down on the bed) . . . hey, can I bum a cigarette? (Takes one from the pack on the night table and lights it) Yeah, I bet Marcus'll be glad to hear from you . . . says he hasn't seen much of you in the last year. Guess you two don't travel in the same circles any more? DINAH: Wait a minute! (Smirks) I know who sent you here! It was Roger . . . Roger Thorpe put you up to this, didn't he? (drags her off the bed) FRANCES: Roger? Who's he? One of your Johns? As Dinah drags Frances to the door, pushes her out and slams the door, we can still hear Frances out in the hall. FRANCES: I'm not givin up on ya, Deedee. I don't have many old friends left and I'm stickin by ya, doll. I know it gets lonely at the top. Life has its ups and downs (giggles) and who knows that better than us, eh, Deedee? Dinah grabs a bottle of pills from the dresser, pours several out in her hand and swallows them. SCENE: Cannes. Art Gallery. Holly and the workman are in the back room. As he searches for a price list, Holly scans the room, trying to decide where to look first if she gets an opportunity. She spots another room off to the side equipped with several easels, half finished canvases, paints and palettes. With the light flowing in through the skylight, it gives the place the feel of an artist's studio. Holly picks up a brush and palette and stands at one of the easels pretending to paint. She looks up and sees the man staring at her from the doorway, smiling. HOLLY: (with a self-deprecating smile) There was a time in my youth when I had a dream of coming to France and becoming a famous painter. I guess this is the closest I'll ever get to the real thing. MAN: Why did you never do it? HOLLY: Because . . . (thinks about Roger) . . . another dream came along . . . another . . . childish dream, and I . . . got sidetracked. Besides . . .(grimaces, putting down the brush and palette) . . . I can't paint! In fact, I have absolutely no artistic talent at all. The man picks up the palette and begins squirting out paint from the tubes and mixing various colors. He puts a fresh canvas on the easel and hands her the palette and a brush. MAN: If this is your dream, then you must fulfill it. SCENE: Cannes. Bridget and Hart on the beach. Bridget is sitting on the edge of the blanket, holding a bucket and shovel. She's idly scooping the sand into the bucket, when she notices a little boy about Petey's age on the next blanket. He's staring at her with great concentration and trying to imitate everything she does. She smiles at him and pours the sand from the bucket, out over her feet. He grins and does the same. Then she digs her feet into the sand and wriggles her toes. So does he. Then Bridget carefully spells out the word, "Hi" in the sand. As the little boy tries to do the same, Hart walks up to the blanket. He watches Bridget's nonverbal conversation with the child and smiles. He sits down beside her. HART: I think I got a lead, Bridge. BRIDGET: (turns to him with tears in her eyes) I miss him so bad, Hart. The tears are real. Playing with the little boy reminded Bridget of how long it's been since she held Peter. HART: (pulling her against him) Come here. (He holds her in his arms and strokes her hair) I found someone who saw Peter yesterday. BRIDGET: (sits up) Did you? Really? HART: Yes. And even better...he gave me the name of a guy who was taking videos on the beach about that time. BRIDGET: (stands quickly) Hart . . .he might have a shot of the license plate of the car that Petey was in . . . who is he? Where can we find him? HART: (hands her a card) . . . he tends bar at this place. SCENE: Roger's hotel room. Roger is having a drink and watching the news. When it's over, he picks up Holly's tape and stares at it thoughtfully. ROGER: (to himself) Okay, Holly. What are you really up to? (Picks up the phone and dials) I'm trying to call room 512, but there's no answer. Could you give Ms. Reade a message to call Roger Thorpe? (Listens) It's not? (Raises his eyebrows) How about Lindsey? (Listens) Then it's probably Holly Norris. (Smiles) Thank you. (Hangs up) He sticks the tape in the VCR again and pushes the play button. ROGER: (picks up the room service menu) Maybe a good meal and a little wine will loosen your tongue, Holly. (goes to the phone, with one eye on the TV) Yes . . . this is room 416. Would you send up two orders of the Chateaubriand and a bottle of your best red wine, and for dessert . . . (glances at the TV and frowns. He picks up the remote and hits the rewind button, then starts playing the tape again) . . . uh, for dessert . . . (he stands, staring intently at the TV) . . . uh, never mind . . . no dessert. (He hangs up) As Roger watches the video, his expression gradually changes from curiosity to disbelief, to disgust. He stops the tape and removes it from the VCR, tapping it lightly in the palm of his hand as he remembers last night . . . Holly being attacked in the hall by two men who wanted this tape. ROGER: (worried) Oh . . . Holly . . . do you know what you have here? Do they know? He closes and locks the briefcase, then lies down on the bed, his hands behind his head, and stares at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. SCENE: Art Gallery. Holly is sitting on a stool behind the easel, wearing an artist's smock, a smear of black paint on her cheek . . . dabbing at the canvas with her brush. The workman is standing behind her, guiding her hand. He hasn't left her side long enough to allow her to search the place, so she decided just to enjoy the painting lesson. HOLLY: (laughing) What do you think of my masterpiece? MAN: (walks around to look at her face) A work of art . . .(Holly looks puzzled) . . . oh, you mean the canvas? (Turns to her painting) It's . . . colorful . . .(smiles) . . . but not as colorful as you are. (Takes out a handkerchief and wipes her cheek) . . . even without this paint . . . Holly jumps off the stool and pulls a mirror out of her purse. HOLLY: (laughs at her image) Oh, great . . . no wonder Ma always tried to keep me away from the finger paints. She takes out a tissue and starts rubbing her face. The workman picks up a bottle from the table and takes the tissue from her. MAN: Allow me . . .I've been doing this all my life . . .(he stares in her eyes with a sincere smile) . . .no harsh chemicals, I promise. In a few seconds he has the paint off and Holly smiles with gratitude. HOLLY: Thank you. (Walks to the easel and stares at her painting) And thank you for this . . . I know it's a disaster, but I had so much fun doing it . . . how can I ever repay you? MAN: (picks up a felt tip pen) You can tell me . . . what name do we put on this masterpiece? HOLLY: Holly . . . uh . . . Holly Norris . . . MAN: (as he writes her name on the canvas) You know . . . nothing that gives you joy is ever a complete disaster . . . (he looks at her) . . . take love affairs for example . . . they all eventually end up in disaster . . . except - hopefully - the last one. But does that mean you're going to stop having them? SCENE: Jessup Farm. Blake is sitting on a box in the attic, with a pile of papers in her lap. BLAKE: (loudly) Leo! I have some more boxes for you. (To herself, glancing through the papers) Oh, this is great! Leo comes walking in, tired, red-faced, his jacket removed but he's still wearing his tie. He takes out his handkerchief and wipes the sweat from his forehead, then uses it to wipe off a box before sitting down. BLAKE: (not looking up) You know what's strange, Leo? LEO: Yeah, what's strange is why I'm letting another Thorpe lead me around by the nose. BLAKE: No, seriously . . . (holds some receipts out to Leo) . . . doesn't it seem like Dinah's paying an awful lot for some of this stuff? LEO: (pushes the papers away) I wouldn't know . . . I haven't bought a trousseau lately . . . BLAKE: (laughs, then gives him an affectionate smile) Aww... Leo... (picks up another receipt)... but take this, for instance. I got this same teddy for fifty dollars a year ago... and I paid full price! I remember because Ross hit the ceiling about it. Here Dinah's paying five hundred! LEO: So, what? The girl has no conscience! We're going to return all this junk anyway, aren't we? BLAKE: That's another thing . . . how are we going to return this . . . she's been buying in every state in the union! I could see New York, Chicago, L.A., maybe . . . but why did she go to Tucson, Arizona? San Diego, California? El Paso, Texas? LEO: (looks thoughtful) She actually went there? She didn't buy this stuff mail order? BLAKE: (staring at Leo, wide-eyed) Are you thinking what I'm thinking? SCENE: Roger's room. Later that night. Bridget opens the door and enters the darkened room. She's about to turn on the light when she sees that Roger is sleeping. She looks around the room with surprise at the unusual clutter - the unfinished drink, the briefcase, the dinner trays on the table with the uneaten food, Roger's tie on the back of a chair. She realizes that this is the first time she's seen anything of his lying around the room. Normally, all of his clothes are neatly tucked away in the drawers or closets, no personal grooming items in the bathroom. Bridget wonders where he puts his tooth brush between uses. She always thought you were supposed to leave it out to dry. Is this what happens after years of undercover work . . . hiding his identity from the enemy . . . not wanting to leave anything of himself behind if he has to leave in a hurry? She picks up his tie and stares at it thoughtfully . . .but tonight it's different. Something is wrong. She lies down on the bed and stares at his profile, wondering what is troubling him. After a few minutes, he turns toward her, eyes shut, and starts mumbling . . . ROGER: Holly . . . (reaches out and runs his fingers through her hair) . . . I need you . . . don't go . . . (he rolls over on top of Bridget and starts kissing her. Bridget stiffens with surprise, and Roger opens his eyes. What he sees is not Holly . . . not Bridget . . . but one of the little girls from the video. He jumps out of bed with a look of horror on his face.) ROGER: Forgive me! I'm so sorry . . . Bridget . . . Bridget just stares as Roger puts on his shoes and buttons his shirt. ROGER: (heads for the door) I've got to get out of here. Go back to sleep. Roger goes out to the hall and pushes the elevator button. He waits a few seconds, then decides to take the stairs. . . one flight up. He walks to Holly's room and knocks on the door. There's no answer. He hears the elevator doors open and turns to see Holly coming out of the elevator with a man . .. Tall, dark-haired, late-forties . . . she's looking up into his eyes and they're both laughing. Roger ducks into an alcove and watches. As they stop in front of her door, he hands her a canvas. HOLLY: (looking at the painting) I'll treasure it always, Jacques . . . a Norris/Faber creation . . . JACQUES: The first of many, I hope. HOLLY: (with a mock frown) You know, I'm just a bit insulted that you don't want to put this in your show tomorrow night. JACQUES: (smiling) Not too insulted to have dinner with me after the show, I hope. HOLLY: No. I'll meet you at the gallery at nine. They kiss and Holly enters her room. Roger waits until the man gets on the elevator, then goes to Holly's door. He raises his hand to knock, hesitates, then walks away. PART 6 DAY EIGHT . . . SCENE: Cannes. Hotel Martinez. Roger's room. Late afternoon. Bridget is laying on the bed, talking to Roger, who is in the bathroom shaving. He wasn't in the room when she woke up this morning and when he finally got back, he looked like he'd been walking the streets all night. She was expecting him to say something about last night, but he acted like it never happened. BRIDGET: Yeah, Hart found the witnesses. They were right where you told them to be. They sent us to the Bete Noire to look for the bartender. (Grins) Too bad he's off for a few days in Nice, so we'll have to go looking for him tomorrow. Hart even gave your people a reward for their information. He's awfully generous with his money. ROGER: (walking out of the bathroom with his shirt unbuttoned and a satisfied grin) Good. Encourage that. I expect he'll blow a lot more cash once the two of you start chasing the mysterious Jules to Monaco. BRIDGET: Uh . . . we may not even need to go to Monaco . . . I think I can make it happen tonight. ROGER: (eyebrows raised) Very good! But remember, the seduction is only part of this plan. It's essential that you go to Monaco. (Stares at himself in the mirror as he ties his tie.) Hart has got to end up penniless . . . (combing his hair) . . . loveless . . . (puts on his suit coat) . . .and childless . . . BRIDGET: And Dinah? ROGER: (with a nasty smile) Dinah couldn't get much less than she already is . . . BRIDGET: (grinning) What about lifeless . . . Roger? Huh . . . please? Could we go for lifeless with Dinah? Roger is laughing as he walks to the door and opens it. Holly is standing in front of him. HOLLY: I want to talk to you. ROGER: Yes. (Turns to Bridget) Bridget, could you give us a little time alone? HOLLY: (surprised to see Bridget looking so at home in Roger's bed) Hello, Bridget. (To Roger) Why does Bridget have to leave? Isn't she allowed to know your business? ROGER: (shrugs) I thought it was your business we were going to discuss. A story you're working on? BRIDGET: Oh, hey, I don't mind leaving. I've got things to do anyway. As soon as the door closes, Holly turns to Roger. HOLLY: (waving the videotape, exasperated) Roger, what possessed you to steal my tape and leave me a blank? ROGER: (frustrated) What possessed you to be walking the halls at three o'clock in the morning? For that matter, what possessed you to even have a tape like this in your possession? HOLLY: (shouting) I haven't even seen that tape yet! Are you going to show it to me? ROGER: (also shouting, he walks to the VCR) That's what I've been trying to do for the last twenty-four hours! Where have you been? HOLLY: (sarcastic) Oh, sorry, Roger. You haven't been upper-most in my mind recently. (Paces the room, waving her arms) It's been a major production just finding a VCR so I could watch the damn tape. Then . . .(gets in his face with a challenging stare) . . . I find I have a blank tape . . . and that sent me off on one or two tangents before I recognized the Roger Thorpe M.O. I mean . . . since I assumed you were preoccupied with your revenge schemes and your honeymoon (looks at the bed, meaningfully) it never occurred to me that you would have time and energy left over to meddle in MY business! ROGER: (starts to unlock the briefcase) You never used to underestimate my energy, Holly. (the phone rings.) Excuse me. (picks up the phone) Voice: Mr. Thorpe? ROGER: (he recognizes the voice) Yes? VOICE: You owe us a lot of money. Your debt can be paid in full if you see that a certain tape is returned to its rightful owners. ROGER: And if not? VOICE: I understand that many of those you hold dear are well within our reach. We'll be in touch. (Hangs up) Roger turns from the phone and sees Holly with her hand on his briefcase. He quickly makes a decision. ROGER: (smoothly moving the briefcase out of her reach) Well let me assure you, Holly, you also haven't been upper-most in MY mind recently. Let's see . . . (He picks up a stack of videotapes. As he talks, he places them one-by-one on the desk like he's dealing from a deck of cards.) . . . revenge . . . revenge . . . revenge . . . honeymoon . . . honeymoon . . . honeymoon . . . (looks at the last tape) . . . ah, yes . . . Holly. Holly stands with folded arms and a twisted smile, as Roger ejects a tape from the VCR and replaces it with another one. SCENE: Hart's Room. Bridget and Hart are laying on the bed. She's looking at a photo of Peter, he's looking at a map. HART: I think we should rent a Honda to go to Nice tomorrow. (Looks at Bridget) Do you mind? BRIDGET: (preoccupied) To go look for Jules? What's to mind? HART: Well, I thought maybe you gave up biking . . . now that you're an old married lady . . . BRIDGET: (thoughtfully) An old married lady . . . I am, aren't I? Hart gets out the phone book to look up motorcycle rentals. Bridget puts her hands behind her head and stares at the ceiling. BRIDGET: Hart . . . tell me about Roger and Holly. HART: (frowns) Why don't you ask him? Bridget rolls on her side to face him and closes the phone book to get his attention. BRIDGET: Because . . . I'm asking you. HART: (sadly) Oh, no . . . is he doing it to you already? BRIDGET: Doing what? HART: It doesn't usually happen this soon . . . BRIDGET: Nothing happened. I just want to make sure that it doesn't. I want to know . . . what does he get from her? HART: How should I know? You've been around them more than me. I wasn't even in Springfield when they were living together. BRIDGET: Well ... did he ever talk about her? HART: (lies back with a resigned sigh) Yeah, he gave me his PR version of their history when we first met. And then, one time . . . I thought he was talking about Jenna . . . but he said, she was his "dream". . . Bridget thinks about Roger, calling out Holly's name in his sleep last night. HART: I remember ... it was one of the few times I felt like he really let me know him ... he really got to me that time... I almost thought ... if he could feel that much for her ... maybe he could really feel love for me, too... maybe I could really have a father after all... Hart looks near to tears. BRIDGET: (lightly touches his cheek) You can, Hart . . . just give him a chance . . . HART: (sits up) No! I don't have a father . . . I have a monster! And what he's doing to you only makes me hate him more. (Leans over Bridget and cups her face in his hands) Don't let him, Bridget . . . don't let him destroy you like he's destroyed every other woman he gets close to . . . including Holly! I couldn't bear to see that happen . . . (he bends down and kisses her) SCENE: Cannes. Art Gallery. Holly is in the office talking on the phone to Blake, as she waits for Jacques to go out to dinner. BLAKE: A video of Petey and Bill? Why would someone drag Dinah to Cannes for a video of Petey and Bill? HOLLY: I thought . . . could it be a threat? Maybe they're trying to let her know they have access to her family. That they can get close enough to videotape them . . . BLAKE: That's possible. What does Dad think? HOLLY: (grins) He thinks the tape is part of a story I'm doing. BLAKE: (shouting) You mean . . . Mom, didn't you tell him you're investigating Dinah? HOLLY: (miffed) He didn't tell me HIS plan . . . so why should I tell him mine? BLAKE: (frowns) Well, maybe if you put it to him that way . . . offer to make a trade. . . your plan for his plan. HOLLY: (wants to mollify Blake) I'll think about it . . . we'll see. BLAKE: Good. Think about it and then do it. (Decides she's going to ask Leo to call Roger tomorrow and fill him in.) Now, let me tell you what Leo and I found out. It looks like Dinah has been working as a courier for some pretty shady characters . . . and for some reason, she's also been giving them a lot of Ross's money! I'm not sure about the details yet . . . but I think she's been using her wedding as a cover. HOLLY: Well . . . that seems to fit my theory about the tape. (Looks up and sees Jacques signaling to her from the doorway. She smiles) Oh, honey. . . I met a man . . . he's an artist, and I'm going to have dinner with him tonight . . . at his Villa in Antibes. BLAKE: You're going out of town with a man you just met? Mom . . . (sees Ross come in) . . . I gotta go. I'll call you later to see how your date went. HOLLY: Honey, I may not be . . .(hear's the dial tone, shrugs and hangs up. She turns to Jacques.) SCENE: Carriage House. As Ross walks in the door, Blake feels a spasm of pain. BLAKE: Ross I'm so glad you're home. Now you can drive me to Cedars. ROSS: Why? BLAKE: Because the babies are coming . . . (stops and holds her stomach, trying to breathe deeply in response to a labor pain) . . . yes, they're coming. We'll have to drop Meg off at Grandma's on the way. SCENE: Cannes. Art Gallery. Holly and Jacques are in the office. JACQUES: I'm sorry I can't get away yet . . . (smiles) . . . but that's the life of an artist . . . have to cater to the wealthy customers. . . HOLLY: (smiles)That's okay, I'll just go mingle with the crowd and gush over your paintings. . . maybe you'll make a few more sales. When Jacques leaves, Holly thinks about Blake's suggestion that she trade information with Roger. She decides she'll give him one more chance to level with her. She dials Roger's room at the hotel. He's not there so she leaves a message at the desk, then hangs up and goes out to the gallery. Jacques is nowhere in sight, so she approaches the gallery owner. HOLLY: Mr. Valery, would you tell Jacques that I had to go back to the hotel. Ask him to meet me there in the bar when he's finished here. (She leaves) A few minutes later, Jacques walks up to Mr. Valery. JACQUES: Did Holly leave? MR. VALERY: Holly? JACQUES: Yeah . . . you know, the beautiful redhead I've been talking to all night. MR. VALERY: Oh, you mean Mrs. Thorpe. JACQUES: No, her name is Holly Norris. MR. VALERY: (frowns) I thought you knew. That's the woman who picked up the merchandise. JACQUES: (looks startled, then disappointed) Is she, really? That's . . . unfortunate. SCENE: Cannes. Hotel Martinez. As Roger paces a deserted hallway near the bar, waiting for his contact to arrive, he thinks about the phone call he received this afternoon. He was planning to pass the tape on to the agency to get ID's on the little girls, but the phone call is causing him to rethink his plan. He's glad that Bridget and Hart are going out of town tomorrow, and Peter is with Vanessa. That leaves only Holly . . . He wonders how to get her to leave Cannes. He is not naive enough to think that his creditors will let them live even if he returns the tape. His only hope is to convince them that Holly never saw the tape. When he substituted that video of Peter and Bill for the real thing, it was an act of desperation ... that was the only tape he had that wasn't blank. He had expected Holly to have questions, but she seemed to accept it. What kind of story could she be working on that would cover both a video of Peter and Bill and child pornography? He sees Bridget walking toward him and puts on a pleasant smile as he checks his watch, wondering why she's not with Hart. ROGER: Did it happen already? BRIDGET: (avoiding his eyes) No . . . I changed my mind. ROGER: No problem. I thought this was too soon. . . we've got plenty of time. I'm sure once you two get to Monaco . . . BRIDGET: I meant . . . I've changed my mind about doing it at all. ROGER: What? (Starts pacing in frustration, afraid this means they won't leave town) After all these weeks of planning and preparation, you're giving up? BRIDGET: (chewing on her nails, she stares at his back and speaks quietly) I can't go through with it Roger . . . because I realized . . . I'm in love . . . ROGER: (rolls his eyes, but he's secretly relieved) Oh, great! Of all the women I could have picked to team up with, I have to pick one who falls for the mark. I'm really starting to wonder about my judgment . . . BRIDGET: (interrupts) I'm not in love with Hart . . . (still staring at his back, she blurts out) . . . I'm in love with you! He was walking away from her but her words bring him to a standstill. He slowly turns his head and looks at her over his shoulder, his face a study in curiosity . . . SCENE: Paris. Dinah's hotel room. Dinah is laying on her bed in a stupor. She's still feeling the effects of the sleeping pills she took earlier. She tries to call Hart's room but his line is busy. There's a knock on her door. DINAH: (slurring her words) All right . . . keep your . . . shoes on . . . (she looks at the phone receiver and tries to decide if she should get the door or stay on the line) I'm . . . bizhie . . . right now . . . Hart, where are you? (She finally slams down the phone, stumbles to the door and opens it) Yeah . . . what is it? VICTOR: (pushes past her into the room) You stupid little tramp. I regret the day I ever rescued you from the gutters of Paris. DINAH: (still foggy from drugs) Yeah. . . so do I . . . Got any good stuff, Victor? VICTOR: (pulls her toward him in anger) Good stuff? For an incompetent whore like you? (Throws her on the bed) You can't even keep yourself straight long enough to do a job! You blew it, didn't you? (Walks toward her menacingly) You never picked up the merchandise! (Dinah passes out) SCENE: Cannes. Hotel Martinez. Roger is wondering if he really heard what he thought he heard. He stares at Bridget in shock and disbelief. ROGER: With . . . me? Did you say . . . you're in love . . . with me? BRIDGET: Yes . . . I couldn't be with Hart tonight, because you're the one I want to be with (she puts her arms around his neck) you're the only one I want . . . make love to me Roger . . . ROGER: You sweet, wonderful child . . . if you only knew how good you've made me feel . . . BRIDGET: (tries to kiss him) I could make you feel even better . . . ROGER: (holds her off) No . . . this can't happen, Bridget. BRIDGET: Yes it can . . . let me describe it to you, Roger. Cause I've dreamed about it often enough . . . Roger pulls away gently and puts his face in his hands, letting out his breath in a long sigh. Then he looks her in the eye and leads her to the bench by the wall. They sit down. ROGER: (turning to her) You've got to stop this, Bridget . . . this isn't right. (Sees tears beginning to form in Bridget's eyes) I love you . . . but like a daughter . . . (tries to lighten the mood) . . . and when I think of a daughter of mine getting involved with a man like me, I want to wring his neck (he pretends to choke himself and notices a slight smile breaking through Bridget's tears) . . . so, you understand? BRIDGET: (stands and looks at him with determination) No . . . because I'm not your daughter, I'm a fully grown woman. I have a child, mortgage payments, hell . . . I even own my own business! And everything you just said has only made me love you more, Roger. Roger stares at her in amazement. Here is a woman . . . probably the only woman he hasn't tried to seduce since he reached puberty . . . and she's obviously very much in love with him . . . the real him, because that's who he's been when he was with her. The idea that a woman like Bridget, intelligent, caring, honest, strong, obviously respected in the community . . . could love him for who he is and not for what he does for her in bed . . .which he sometimes suspected was his main attraction for Holly . . . fills him with an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. One he hasn't felt since . . . probably since the night when Holly agreed to marry him again. Bridget senses his change in mood. BRIDGET: We're married, Roger. It would be so easy to just get on that elevator . . . ROGER: (putting his finger on her lips to silence her) Bridget, you're a beautiful, sexy, desirable woman, and any man would want you . . .(she starts to speak but he cuts her off) . . . Hart wanted you tonight, Didn't he? (She nods, staring at him with suspicion) . . . Bridget, you don't know how tempted I am . . . how hard it is for me to say no to you . . . if you weren't Peter's mother I'd have you on that elevator and up in that bed so fast your feet wouldn't touch the ground. Bridget gives him a puzzled look, and he gets up and begins pacing. ROGER: Do you know my track record with women? Let a woman get involved with me and in six months to a year she's become my enemy for life! Do you think I want to make an enemy of the mother of my only grandchild . . . or at least the only grandchild I'm ever likely to have a relationship with? BRIDGET: (tears running down her cheeks) It wouldn't have to be like that, Roger. I could show you what real love is . . .(sobs) and whatever happened between us, I promise I could never . . . ever . . . be your enemy. I would never keep you away from Petey . . . ROGER: (puts his hands on her shoulders and looks into her eyes) Bridget, I've lived a long time and I think I know myself pretty well by now . . . well enough to say that . . . I'm not capable of love . .. . (sadly) and probably never will be . . . Bridget pulls away from him, tears are streaming down her cheeks, her face is contorted with pain. But still she tries to speak . . . BRIDGET: That's not true, Roger. I know you're capable of love . . . I feel your love right now. You love me, Roger. And someday you're going to realize it . . . and it might be too late! Bridget runs for the elevator bangs on the button and when the door opens she enters, turns and continues to stare steadily at Roger as the tears stream down her cheeks. When the elevator doors close, Holly walks out from a nearby alcove, and sees the look of pain and regret on his face. HOLLY: (wistfully) Well, well, well . . . I do believe you're finally growing up a bit, Roger. ROGER: And what is that crack supposed to mean? HOLLY: You're finally learning that you can't have everything . . . sometimes you have to make choices. ROGER: (squeezes his eyes to blink back the tears, and throws her an annoyed glance) Thank you, Holly, for that profound insight into the state of my psyche. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't count on your witty commentary during all the critical moments of my life. And I'm really flattered that you think I'm coming closer to meeting your high standards. Now am I allowed to give YOU some feedback? HOLLY: Sure! ROGER: You've turned into a real pain in the ass! (He turns to walk away) HOLLY: (calls after him) Do you want to know what else I believe, Roger? He stops and turns around and Holly walks toward him. HOLLY: I believe (touches his cheek lightly and searches his eyes for the truth) . . . yes, I do believe . . . that you really do love Bridget Reardon! This time when Roger walks away, Holly just stares after his retreating figure thoughtfully. She is gradually enveloped by a sense of profound sadness and loss and all thoughts of the tape and Dinah have fled her mind. She turns to go, and then hears the sound of footsteps against the marble floor. She looks around with a sudden burst of elation, thinking that it might be Roger returning . . . but instead sees Jacques Faber. JACQUES: And you know what I believe . . . Mrs. Thorpe? HOLLY: (eyes tearing) What? JACQUES: (touches her cheek lightly, just as she did with Roger) I do believe . . . that you really do love Roger Thorpe. HOLLY: (stares directly in his eyes) I won't deny that . . .(a tear runs down her cheek) . . . but you see, I learned how to make choices a long time ago. [to be continued]