EPISODE #9

EPISODE 9

Created By: Casey Hutchison

Written By: Casey Hutchison

Executive Producer: Casey Hutchison

SAME DAY. NIGHT.

WHITMORE MANSION - LIVING ROOM

Stuart is sitting on the couch. He is reading a book. Judith enters. She is dressed in her pajamas. She then walks over to the bar cart. She begins to make herself a glass of scotch.

JUDITH: Would you like anything while I’m up?

STUART: No thank you.

Judith picks up her glass of scotch from the bar cart. She then walks over to Stuart and sits down next to him. Stuart closes his book.

JUDITH: What are you reading tonight?

STUART: Crime and Punishment.

JUDITH: Wonderful book.

STUART: Yes, it is. By the way, what has you out of bed this late? Before you came down here, I could’ve sworn that you were asleep.

JUDITH: I was just thinking.

STUART: Thinking about what?

JUDITH: About the dinner we had tonight.

STUART: What about it?

JUDITH: I think you know what part of that dinner I’m referring to. (sighs) Stuart, how come you didn’t tell me about your diagnosis the second you found out about it? Why did you wait to tell me for so long?

JACKSON FAMILY HOME - LIVING ROOM

Philip and Jennifer walk into the living room.

JENNIFER: Sorry that I called you over so late. I just couldn’t sleep.

PHILIP: Why can’t you sleep tonight?

JENNIFER: Well, besides an event that occurred earlier tonight, I was up in my bed tossing and turning over the offer you made me.

PHILIP: You were?

JENNIFER: Yes. And, I thought that it was only right for you to know that I plan to take you up on your offer.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - HALLWAY

Andrea and Joshua are walking down a hallway. Both of them are drinking coffee. When they come to reach a sign that says Fourth Floor, they stop.

ANDREA: Are you okay now?

JOSHUA: Yeah. I was just a little shaken up from the break-in. But, I am counting my lucky stars that you got a late shift tonight.

ANDREA: I’m glad I wasn’t home either. But, I’m sad that I couldn’t be there for you and Jennifer. Speaking of Jenn, how is she?

JOSHUA: Same as I am. She’s shook up by this whole thing. But, I think that she is beginning to calm down a little.

ANDREA: That’s good. Um…, can I be real with your for a sec?

JOSHUA: Of course.

ANDREA: I know that you two don’t want to involve the police. But, I think it is time that you two call them. Things are starting to get dangerous. Frankly, I’m scared for the two of you. I feel that if you two don’t get someone from law enforcement involved, things are only going to get more dangerous. Also, I’m not ready to lose you anytime soon.

JOSHUA: Are you really scared.

ANDREA: Damn right I am. And, because of tonight’s events, you should be scared of what the future may hold too.

AMY & MIMI’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM

Amy is looking out the window. She then sighs and walks over to the couch. As she sits down, Mimi enters the room.

MIMI: Hello.

AMY: (standing/going to her) Hi, honey.

MIMI: How come you haven’t come to bed yet?

AMY: I’m not really all that tired.

MIMI: Is everything okay?

AMY: Honestly…, not really.

MIMI: Did something happen at the family dinner?

AMY: Yeah. Something unexpected. My father revealed something quite shocking to all of us tonight.

MIMI: What’d he reveal?

AMY: He could be dying.

ANDERSON MANSION - MICHAEL & CYNTHIA’S BEDROOM

Lindsay and Thomas enter the room.

LINDSAY: Well, here we are.

THOMAS: Yep.

LINDSAY: Well, let’s get to it.

THOMAS: Alright. Sounds like a plan.

Lindsay and Thomas begin to search the room.

Back at the Whitmore Mansion, in the Living Room, Judith takes a sip from her glass of scotch. She then continues to hold the glass in her hands.

STUART: Can we not talk about this right now?

JUDITH: Stuart, we are going to talk about it. Now is the right time. Here we both are. I’ve got a drink and a listening ear. So, go ahead. Tell me the truth about why you didn’t come to me right away.

STUART: I didn’t know how to come to you about this. I didn’t know how. And, I know that sounds crazy because I am a man of many words. But, as I drove home from the hospital earlier today, I was rehearsing this speech in my head. I was trying to figure out how to tell my children and my wife that I may be dying.

Stuart stands up and walks away from the couch.

STUART: Do you know how awful that was for me?

JUDITH: (standing) I can’t even begin to imagine.

Judith sets the glass down on the table.

JUDITH: I feel like such an insensitive bitch now. I’m sorry that I didn’t put your feelings first when it comes to something that is changing your life forever.

STUART: First of all, you are not a bitch. Second of all, you have every right to ask these questions. You are in this marriage too. And, maybe you’re right. Maybe I should’ve come to you first.

JUDITH: But, yet, I get why you didn’t. And, now that I look at the situation through your perspective, I think that maybe it was better that you told the news to the whole family all at once. It made it easier for us to all lean on one another. Anyway, I better head off to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow. (kissing him on the cheek) I love you.

STUART: Judith, wait. There’s something else I need to tell you.

JUDITH: Oh?

STUART: And, what I need to tell you right now is very important.

Back at the Jackson Family Home, in the Living Room, Philip takes a couple of steps closer to Jennifer.

PHILIP: You know, it does mean a lot to me that you are letting me help you out in your time of need.

JENNIFER: Really?

PHILIP: Yeah.

JENNIFER: Um...look...before we move forward with this partnership, we need to set some much needed ground rules.

PHILIP: Of course. I agree. What did you have in mind?

JENNIFER: Well, first of all, me and Joshua deciding to work with you has nothing to do with getting our relationship back on track. I just thought you should know that, so there’s not any confusion in the future.

PHILIP: Okay. I completely understand.

JENNIFER: Do you?

Back at Memorial Hospital, in the Hallway, Andrea takes a sip of her coffee.

ANDREA: By the way, before you left today, did you happen to drop off Mr. Monahan’s chart at the nurses station?

JOSHUA: Yes, I did.

ANDREA: Good.

JOSHUA: And, before I left, I also heard that you were potentially meeting with Mr. Smith. How did that go?

ANDREA: I actually didn’t meet with him.

JOSHUA: Why not?

ANDREA: Honey, I don’t think that Mr. Smith and the board will ever consider me for the Chief of Staff position. Plus, Mrs. Foster is leaving big shoes to fill.

JOSHUA: You are totally worthy of the position. I say you march right into Mr. Smith’s office and demand he consider you for the position.

ANDREA: Oh. Yeah. Sure. I’ll just march right into my boss’ office and demand that he give me a position where I get to run this whole hospital. Great plan.

JOSHUA: Thanks. I thought so. Anyway, all joking aside, I think that you truly would make a perfect Chief of Staff.

ANDREA: Thank you, honey. (sighs) I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. If I am picked as the next Chief, I will be more than grateful. But, I just don’t think that it will happen for me.

JOSHUA: Well, I think you’re wrong about that.

Back at Amy and Mimi’s Apartment, in the Living Room, Amy and Mimi both walk over to the couch and sit down.

MIMI: I’m so sorry. I can’t even begin to imagine what getting that news tonight must’ve felt like for you.

AMY: It was gut wrenching. And, what was even worse was trying to keep it together at the dinner table. I just about lost it.

MIMI: Now, I thought your dad had hypertension.

AMY: We all thought that. But, apparently, this new condition of his was masking hypertension. Everyone was completely fooled.

MIMI: How did your mom and brother take the news?

AMY: I could tell that my mom was just as scared and worried as I was. Philip was harder to read. I think he was more focused on asking all the right questions.

MIMI: How worried are you?

AMY: I’m extremely worried. Before I came home, I stopped at Martin’s to have a drink. And, I couldn’t resist looking up his condition online. But, I think I got sucked down a WebMd rabbit hole.

MIMI: I wish I could’ve been there for you. Maybe, I could’ve helped you process this news a lot better than you had to.

AMY: It was probably better that you weren’t there. When my dad announced his diagnosis to the family, the whole room went silent. I would’ve never put you in the middle of that tension.

MIMI: I’m always here for you. Whatever you need. And, I will sit through every tense situation, just for you. So, next time you think something is going to go down at a Whitmore family dinner, you bring me right along. Deal?

AMY: Deal.

Mimi puts her arm around Amy. Amy leans on her.

Back at the Whitmore Mansion, in the Living Room, Stuart grabs Judith’s hand. The two walk over to the couch and sit.

JUDITH: So, what is it that you need to tell me?

STUART: I don’t think that I have told you in a long time just how much I love

you, Judith. I mean, how much I truly love you. You are the love of my life. You are my rock. You are the one person in this whole world who keeps me going, day in and day out. I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you, Judith Ann Whitmore. I always have. And, I always will.

Stuart stands up and walks over to the living room desk.

STUART: And, just to show you how much, I got you a little something.

Stuart opens a drawer on the desk. He pulls out a box from a jewelry store. He closes the drawer, walks back over to Judith, and sits. He hands the box to Judith.

STUART: Go ahead. Open it.

Upon opening the box, Judith is absolutely stunned at the piece of jewelry she is looking at. She is looking at a gorgeous necklace that is covered in diamonds.

JUDITH: Stuart...I…

STUART: And, don’t worry about the price tag. I actually got this a long time ago. Long before our financial issues began.

JUDITH: (laughs) Are you saying you held this necklace hostage from me? It’s a very dangerous thing to hold a piece of jewelry from a woman.

STUART: (laughs) That I know.

JUDITH: It really is beautiful. Come here you.

Judith and Stuart kiss one another passionately.

JUDITH: I love you.

STUART: I love you too. Now, how about you take this necklace, go up to our bedroom, and put on some lingerie?

JUDITH: Sounds good to me.

Judith and Stuart smile at one another.

Back at the Anderson Mansion, in Michael and Cynthia’s Bedroom, Lindsay and Thomas are looking through Michael and Cynthia’s things.

LINDSAY: Have you found anything yet?

THOMAS: No. You?

LINDSAY: Same here.

THOMAS: (stops looking) Where else should we look?

LINDSAY: (stops looking) I don’t know. But, I know that there is something in this bedroom that will bring down Cynthia. I know she has hidden something in her. I just have this feeling.

Then, a painting hanging on the wall catches Lindsay’s attention. She looks over at the painting and walks over to it.

THOMAS: What are you doing now?

LINDSAY: Isn’t dad’s safe behind here?

THOMAS: I think so.

Lindsay grabs the painting and puts it on the floor.

LINDSAY: Bingo.

Built into the wall is a small safe.

THOMAS: Do you know the combination?

LINDSAY: (pressing buttons) Of course I do. I hate to disappoint you. But, the combination to every safe in this house is my birthday.

Lindsay opens the safe. Thomas walks over to her. Lindsay digs through the safe and pulls out a photograph.

LINDSAY: What is this?

THOMAS: I don’t know. But, isn’t that…

LINDSAY: Yeah. It is. What is she doing in a photo with our dad?

Back at the Jackson Family Home, in the Living Room, Philip puts his hands in his pocket. He takes a couple steps back from Jennifer.

PHILIP: Look, I get that me helping you may not change anything in our relationship. You don’t need to explain that to me.

JENNIFER: I just want to make sure that you understand that I am 100 percent focused on catching the person who killed my parents.

PHILIP: Jenn, I totally get that. I know where your head’s at right now. And, I am willing to respect your boundaries.

JENNIFER: Thank you.

PHILIP: Real quick, before I go, there’s something I want to tell you. Something that I just learned this evening. Something about my dad.

JENNIFER: What’s going on with your dad?

PHILIP: He has Congestive Heart Failure.

JENNIFER: Oh my god. I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?

PHILIP: I’m doing okay. I’m just very concerned about him.

JENNIFER: I figured as much. Next time you see him, tell him that he is in my thoughts and prayers. I’ll be sending a lot of good vibes his way too.

PHILIP: I will. And, thank you.

JENNIFER: Of course.

PHILIP: Well, I better get going. It is getting super late. I guess I’ll see you soon, so we can discuss a game plan.

JENNIFER: Yeah. You bet. Night.

PHILIP: Night.

Philip shows himself out of the room and out of the home. Once Jennifer hears the door closes, she lets out a big sigh.

Back at the Anderson Mansion, in Michael and Cynthia’s Bedroom, Lindsay and Thomas walk away from the safe.

LINDSAY: Why does dad have a picture of he and Judith Whitmore kissing one another on what appears to be a tropical vacation?

THOMAS: I don’t know, sis.

LINDSAY: I bet that this photograph puts to shame anything that Cynthia is or might be hiding in this very room.

THOMAS: I’d have to agree with you there.

LINDSAY: I just wish I knew what this photo meant.

THOMAS: How do you plan on finding out?

LINDSAY: Well, I’m gonna take the obvious route on this one. I’m just going to go straight to the source. Tomorrow morning, I will drive to the Whitmore mansion and grill Judith.

THOMAS: Are you sure that’s a good idea?

LINDSAY: Thomas, I just want some answers. And, we both know that dad isn’t going to give me what I want.

THOMAS: You might be right about that.

LINDSAY: Do you want to come with me?

THOMAS: I think this one is all you. Plus, I only agreed to help you out with this whole Cynthia mess.

LINDSAY: That’s right, you did only agree to help me when it came to Cynthia. But, Thomas, you need to stick with me on this. This photo that we found could impact our whole family. In times like these, we need to stick together. You and me. Thomas and Lindsay. Brother and sister. Come on, stick with me on this. Help me solve the mystery behind this photograph.

THOMAS: I just don’t want us getting into something we may regret. What if we learn a truth that shocks us so much that we begin to look at our father differently? What then?

LINDSAY: I already look at him differently.

THOMAS: Lindsay, I’m serious.

LINDSAY: So am I. Look, we have to keep digging. We deserve some answers for once. We deserve not only to know all about Cynthia, but we deserve to know all about our father. We are entitled to the truth.

THOMAS: Are you sure this is the right thing to do?

LINDSAY: Thomas, I’m positive. But, before I go on with any plan, I need you to say that you’ll help me. Please.

THOMAS: (sighs) I guess I’ll help you with this too.

LINDSAY: Really?

THOMAS: Yes.

LINDSAY: Thank you, Thomas.

THOMAS: Yeah. Don’t mention it.

LINDSAY: Well, we better get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow. In fact, I think we have a lot of busy days ahead of us.

Back at the Whitmore Mansion, in the Living Room, Judith reenters the living room. A fire is going in the fireplace. She is wearing a robe and her new necklace. She goes over to the bar cart and begins to fix herself another glass of scotch. Once done she takes her glass and heads over to the living room desk. She sits down, sets her glass on the desk, and opens the middle drawer. From there she takes out a file labeled BIRTH CERTIFICATES. She opens the file. Inside are actually pictures of her and Michael. She begins to look through them and smile.

JUDITH: (sighs) I’ve held onto these photos for far too long. I think that now is a good time to let them finally go.

Judith gathers the photos in her hands. She then takes her drink, and the photos, and walks to the fireplace. She kneels before the roaring fire. One by one, she begins to dispose of the photos.

JUDITH: It’s all in the past now. All in the past. No one will ever figure out that Michael Anderson and I had a year long affair.

She then finishes off her glass scotch. The camera zooms in on her. The flames from the fire are seen in her eyes.

***FADE OUT*** ***END OF EP. 9***