LAD World
[Recap: Liza won the custody fight for Marty. But she also lost the TV station to her aunt Holly. Marian tried without success to shake down Holly. Holly promised herself to keep Tad busy and away from Liza. Tad talked to Edmund about Liza`s predicament.]
It`s two weeks after the takeover of the station, and Liza has kept herself busy with Marty while Tad was kept busy by Holly.
Cut to Liza is at the Valley Inn dining room alone, she`s on her cellphone while waiting for her dinner partner.
Liza: Rudy? Hi! It`s Liza. I`m trying to get in touch with Tad. Is he around? His cellphone is out of order or something.
Rudy: Tad is in New York with Holly, at the affiliate convention. Holly asked him to go this morning. Something about contracts...., it was all very last minute.
Liza: (to herself) I bet it was.... Thanks Rudy.
As she hangs up, Brooke English comes into the dining room and joins Liza with a big smile.
Brooke: Hi! Listen, sorry I`m late but Tad was supposed to baby sit Jamie tonight but he had last minute business. So I had to wait for Laura to come back from work.
Liza: Believe me, I understand (laughing)
Brooke: Of course, you do. And how is little Martin these days?
Liza: He`s great! He`s got the energy of a battalion.
Brooke: I remember when Jamie was his age, he just would not stop eating and he wanted to play all the time.... It took forever to get him to sleep. Like father, like son! (awkward pause)
Liza: Brooke, I`m a little confused... if it`s about Tad, I can assure you....
Brooke: Actually, it`s about Tempo magazine.
Liza: (surprised) Oh?....
Brooke: Listen, Edmund and I have been discussing this for a few weeks now and... well we want you to join Tempo.
Liza: Eh... I don`t know what to say....
Brooke: Listen, hear me out first before making any decision. I know that the magazine business isn`t your field of preference but I think we have find the perfect compromise for you. We want you to write for Tempo as a weekly media columnist. Editorially, you would have carte blanche. And if you want to contribute to Tempo with other articles, you`re welcome to it.... So, what do you say?
Liza: I`m... shocked!
Brooke: I want to reassure you that Adam doesn`t own Tempo anymore. Edmund and I do. So you would have total independence from him....
Liza stays speechless.
Brooke: Listen, I know this isn`t the wild exciting world of television but... the pay is good. And you would be able to be home at five everyday. To be with your son. I know what it`s like to raise a young boy, alone, Liza.... You could even work at home if you want....
Liza: I.... It`s just... I didn`t expect this. Why me?
Brooke: Come on Liza, you`re a bright young ex-TV executive with lots of ideas to share on how the business should be run...
Liza: Did Tad put you up to this?
Brooke: Tad did clue Edmund in on your situation but the idea was Edmund`s. And mine. It`s our decision.... Listen, if you want time to think about the offer, I understand....
Liza: No. I don`t need time. ... I accept. When do I start? (They shake on the deal).
Cut to The New York Plaza Hotel. Tad is walking swiftly in the Hallway of the Hotel, looking at his watch.
Tad: Where the hell is she???? (He knocks on a door) Holly! What the hell is taking so long?
Holly opens the door to reveal herself in a black negligee. Tad just smiles ironically and enters the room. Holly just smiles. As she closes the door behind him, he bursts out laughing.
Tad: (giggling) You know the Colby women should really have a little meeting about this negligee thing in hotel rooms!?! This is the fourth time in 2 years now.... The first time was (Tad remembers Liza sitting in her underwear in the same hotel room - clearing his throat) .... interesting, the second time (he sees Liza wearing her black bathrobe) was <sighs> an eye full, third time (he shivers at the thought of Marian at the Valley Inn) was... amusing, but now this.... well it`s getting old. No offense.
Holly: (ignoring his comments) Tad, I was getting ready for the meeting, the press conference.... make yourself comfortable, pour yourself a drink. She goes to the bathroom. And Tad just looks around and notices the perfume in the air and looks at the room`s view.
Holly: (bringing him a drink) How long as it been, Tad? I know you`re saving yourself for Liza, but a young, healthy man like you can`t ignore nature for too long....
Tad: (sipping his drink, ignoring her, looking around the room) This is good (giggling). Ignoring nature?
Holly: We both know you and Liza are never going to happen. She`s too immersed in herself to even notice your little crush.
Tad: Why don`t I wait for you downstairs?
Holly: I bet you just love experienced women....
Tad: Okay, that`s it! Holly, let me make some things clear. One: what ever is going on between Liza and me is none of your business. Two: if you keep on doing this little number on me, I will slap you with an harassment suit so bad you won`t remember your maiden name. And three: thank you for making up my mind for me. My contract with WRCW is up in May. I will *not* re-sign with the station and ... well, you (boyish grin). Now if you`ll excuse me I have a conference downstairs... (Tad puts his drink on the mantle as he opens the door he turns to Holly) You look great by the way.
Tad slams the door and Holly`s jaw drops to the floor.
Later on Tad is schmoozing with TV executives in the Hotel lobby and Holly walks in the room, turning all heads. She ignores Tad and goes to the podium.
Holly: Hello I`m Holly Colby, station owner, manager of WRCW and executive producer of The Cutting Edge. I have a major announcement to
make. As you all know TCE has been literally on the cutting edge of television. But now we are willing to push the envelope even further. We are taking the next step: a series of shows on child abuse from all angles. And the first subject will be our very host, Tad Martin, a survivor of child abuse himself and his abuser, his biological father Ray Gardner. It will be *Must See TV* where we are not afraid to put ourselves on the line. (she turns to Tad standing behind her and tells him privately) Pack up your things, dear, you`re going to daddy`s country. Tomorrow.
Tad: I am not doing this!
Holly: Oh yes you are, dear, remember to read your contract, you`re mine until May.
Holly turns to the crowd of photographers and smiles away.
End of part 19
LAD World
[Recap: Liza accepted a job with Tempo. Tad rejected Holly`s lusty advances and she sent him away to research the Ray Gardner Story. Tad told Holly that he was quitting the station.]
Episode 20: Oklahoma, OK!
It`s been three weeks since Tad left for Oklahoma to find Ray Gardner`s past. And now, he finds himself in a strange office at Tempo magazine. The place looks odd yet strangely familiar as he spots pictures of Marty, Larry and Marian. Tad looks tired, with a 3 days beard. He wears some simple denim jeans, shirt and a sport jacket in which he obviously slept in the night before. The office is empty, it`s 7 o`clock at night.
Liza wasn`t home either.
Tad: (mumbling to himself, more anxious than worried) Where is she? Brooke passes by the office.
Brooke: Tad??? You`re home! (she notices the bad shape he`s in, but decides to let it go) Why didn`t you tell us?
Tad: I caught an earlier flight. How`s Jamie?
Brooke: He misses you. And you, how was Oklahoma? (she regrets the question the minute she speaks it)
Tad: Well, you know... (trying not to answer, hoping she would drop it) I was looking for Liza actually. She`s not home. No one`s home.
Brooke: Marty is at Adam`s tonight. And Marian is out of town, I believe.
Tad: And Liza? (trying not too sound anxious)
Brooke: She has a dinner date, I guess.
Tad: A date?? (failing to not sound jealous)
Brooke: (not picking up on Tad`s worry) Yes, with Edmund. They`ve been getting along famously.
Tad: (unconvincingly) Great. So how is she doing here? At work, I mean.
Brooke: Good. Good. You know, there`s always an adjustment to make. I think Liza is a little frustrated with the relative slowness of the place. But so far, she`s been fabulous.
Tad: Good. I haven`t had the chance to talk to her much, communicating thru voice mail and all.... Well I guess, that`s it. I got to get home, clean up and get some sleep.
Brooke: Listen, Tad, how about I bring you Jamie tomorrow morning. It`s teachers` conference time. So there`s no school.
Tad: That would be great! See you tomorrow then. (Tad heads out, upset. Brooke doesn`t notice)
CUT - The Valley Inn`s dining room.
Liza and Edmund are in the middle of dinner.
Edmund: Sam has this thing about trucks, huge trucks, yellow with black stripes. He says it`s the zebra trucks...
Liza: Oh! I don`t know what I`m going to do when Marty grows up a little more, I don`t know anything about little boys and their trucks.
Edmund: I`m sure you`ll do as well as me with Maddie.
Liza: Wanna bet??? (Liza laughs)
Edmund: You have a lovely laugh. You should use it more often.
Liza: Well it`s nice to be in an actual life, for once, I mean having one. So why not laugh about it!
Edmund: I know exactly what you mean (He raises his wine glass) Here`s to life. Mostly having one. Liza raises her glass along with Edmund, smiling. At the entrance of the dining room stands a sad looking Tad who has been watching the scene the whole time. He turns his back and heads for the bar, devastated.
Tad: Barkeep? Vodka on the rock, please. Make that a double. (Tad takes an envelope out of his jacket, puts it on the bar and just stares at it. He downs the drink and orders another one with a quick gesture).
Later on, Edmund and Liza are looking at the dessert card.
Liza: (laughing) I don`t know if I should do this.
Edmund: Come on! Indulge.
Liza: I tell you what, why don`t you order me a coffee and something sinful while I`m freshing out in the power room?
Edmund: Deal.
Liza heads out, passing by the Valley Inn Bar.
Tad: (quite drunk and loud) I told you I want my drink!!
Barkeeper: Sir, this is your last. You are way past your limit.
Tad: I said I`m not driving, you little jerk, I just want a ....
Liza: Tad???? What are you doing here? I thought you were out West. What happened? (noticing his odd behavior)
Tad: (whining) He won`t serve me.
Barkeeper: He had a lot to drink already, m`am.
Tad: Hey, buddy! I am not your keeper and you are not mine!!
Liza: Tad? Tad? It`s me, it’s Liza! (she grabs his head to make him concentrate on her)
Tad: Liza? What happened to your hair? You know I just used to love that same hair cut in High school.... (starts sobbing) High school!!! Liza, could you ever forgive me? I am so sorry!(crying)
Liza: (trying to get his attention again) Tad, I`m going to take you home, okay?
Liza goes to see Edmund, leaving Tad in a drunken sleep on the bar.
Liza: (as she`s coming back with Edmund) There he is.
Edmund: All right, Tad! Let`s go home.
Tad: Edmund, Edmund! I love you, man! Almost as much as I love.... (Edmund gets Tad to lean on him as Liza follows, they leave).
Later in Tad`s bedroom.
Edmund: Here we go Tad! (he drops him on the bed) (to Liza) Are you sure you don`t want me to stay with you?
Liza: No!. I`ll be fine. Beside, you have to go back to your kids.
Edmund: (looking at Tad) I wonder what happened. He never gets drunk, no matter what.
Tad groans, passed out.
Liza: It must have been big.
Edmund: You don`t have to stay you know, I could call his father....
Liza: (she lowers herself to sit on Tad`s bed) No, it`s all right. I`m his friend, I should be here. Like he was there for me, many times.
Edmund: If you`re sure... Okay well, good night. (feeling like he just became the fifth wheel)
Liza: Good night, Edmund and thank you.
Edmund finds his way out.
Tad: (mumbling) `Night...
Liza brushes off his hair out of his eyes.
Tad: Liza?
Liza: I`m here. (He manages to sit on his bed)
Tad: I miss you.
Liza: I miss you too. Get some sleep.
Tad: (trying to take his jacket off, he finally decides that he is officially drunk, his speech slurred) You know, he would come home after school and his old man would be waiting for him and just beat the hell out of him. And then, he`d go away to get drunk. Then later he`d showed up, beat him up again.
Liza: Who? Tad? Who`s that?
Tad: He ran away but he would always come back and the old man would be there, ready for more beating.
Finally Tad succeeds in taking off his jacket that he throws on the floor. An envelope drops out of it which Liza notices right away. Tad falls asleep on his pillow as Liza opens the envelope to find an old picture. It`s a picture of 2 boys, 7 years old, taken in the 30`s. One of the boys looks exactly like Jamie, leaving Liza confused.
End of part 20.
--
LAD World
[Recap: Liza is now working for Tempo as a media columnist. Tad rejected Holly`s advances who in revenge, sent Tad to research the past of his biological father. Tad came home devastated and looking desperately for Liza. He found her having dinner with Edmund, the last nail in his coffin. To kill the pain, Tad got drunk. Liza took him home with Edmund`s help.]
Episode 21: The hang over.
It`s the next morning in Tad`s house and Liza is having coffee in his living room, reading the newspaper. Tad is in his bathrobe and still unshaven. Very slowly, he gets himself downstairs, squinting his eyes to escape the sunlight.
Liza: (loudly) Good morning!!!
Tad: (grimacing and whispering) Not so loud please, I just want to die.
Liza: (same tone) Want some coffee?
Tad: Black. Very black..... (trying to open wide his eyes) Do we have to have so much sunlight in here?
Liza: (gets up to give him his coffee cup) So you want to tell me what happened last night?
Tad: (taking the cup) Thank you.... (for the first time he notices that she`s wearing his shirt which totally surprises him) I came home early (taking a first sip from his coffee, the hot liquid burns his throat). I was jetted lag.
Liza: (getting impatient) Yes, I guess that would force anyone into drinking a whole bottle of vodka!
Tad: So I overdid it! (finally he starts to appreciate his shirt on Liza`s back)
Liza: What happened in Oklahoma?
Tad: (averting eye contact) Nothing. (Liza gives him a deadly look) Nothing that bad! (pause) I got to go clean up....(he heads back upstairs)
Liza: You know you can tell me anything. At those words, Tad stops dead on the first steps of the stairs, he turns to her, silent. ``God, she`s beautiful`` he thought. This was the one person he trusts the most in his life. Her words bring him to sit down on the steps. She joins him.
Tad: (looking down) He was a typical Okie boy. One of those children of the Depression who were uprooted to pick onions in Bakersfield in the 30`s.
Liza: Ray?
Tad: (nods yes) I met this childhood friend of his. Thaddeus Simpson. <sighs> I was named after him! (tears go down his cheek, silently) Simpson would have stories from here to forever about Ray as a kid. They would go fishing and treasure hunting and just plain hunting. They were a couple of regular Huck and Tom. (he smiles sadly) Simpson said that Ray was a great pitcher, he had one of those nasty curve ball that would win anytime. And then, Ray would go back home and his old man.... would beat him black and blue. Time and time again. For no reason except that he existed.
Liza: (taking his hand for comfort) I know. You told me last night.
Tad: (finally looking at her) I did?
Liza: hmm hmmm. It was sketchy but I got the gist of it.
Tad: I don`t know why I accepted to do this assignment...
Liza: Because it`s a great story with a great angle. Truly brilliant and you knew it. Besides you had to do it, if only to face this.
Tad: Oh really!?!? If it was such a brilliant story why then didn`t you think of it before when you were the boss?
Liza: I did. I just didn`t think you could handle it.
Tad: I can handle it!
Liza: (she raises her voice) Right! And I didn`t pick you up on the floor of the Valley Inn bar, passed out dead drunk last night...
Tad: (giving up on the argument) I received this envelope (he picks his bathrobe pocket and pulls out an envelope). Simpson sent it to me right before I left Oklahoma City. (he gives it to Liza) Open it! (Liza does to see the old picture of two 7 years old boys) That`s him on the right. That`s Ray, when he was seven.
Liza: He looks ....
Tad: He looks exactly like Jamie (trying to catch his tears) Do you know how much I hated that man? <sighs> God! it was so easy! So easy... How can I do that now? He`s me. He`s my son. (burying his head in his hands)
Liza: I think... (she pauses, stroking his hair, for a second she thought in all those years she had never seen Tad this upset, she wanted to have the right words) I think you never really hate your parents. Mother and I.... (she pauses) I really hated her. And she scared me. I thought I was going to become her. But when I came back home to Pine Valley, I realized slowly that I didn`t hate *her*.... I hated what she did.... But she was always my mother... like Ray will always be your father, and you never hated him, you hated what he did. (pause) I was lucky because Marian realized what she did and was sorry for it. And she was there. She is there to give me other memories to make up for the bad ones. I see that very time she holds Marty (she smiles).
Tad: (putting his head on her shoulder) How did you get so wise?
Liza: I have no idea (she smiles at him).
Tad: (drying up his eyes) Thanks for the shoulder.
Liza: Anytime.
Tad: (shaking himself up) Now let`s get to more interesting subjects:how`s Marty?
Liza: Martin is good. He started teething, so he`s cranky. Plus he misses you.
Tad: Well I miss him too. What about you and Tempo, and Edmund (trying to be playful).
Liza: Edmund is OK, I guess. But he`s just a friend. (Tad tries not to wince at the word, *he* is just a friend too) I think he`s lonely. And Tempo - well you know, there`s always a period of adjustment. But they seem happy.
Tad: God!!!
Liza: What?
Tad: You hate it!
Liza: I`m fine. You know, I get to be with Marty more often....
Tad: You`re justifying it! God, Liza, I`m so sorry I got you involved in this!
Liza: Okay, so I miss the action.... but it`s not that bad....
Tad: I wonder if I`m going to miss the action?
Liza: What are you talking about?
Tad: I`m done after my contract is up.
Liza: You`re kidding? Did you tell her?
Tad: Why do you think she sent me to Siberia, USA?
Liza: Wow! What are you going to do?
Tad: I have some ideas. Nothing concrete tho.
Liza: So what made up your mind?
Tad: It`s a long story... but I think most of all: I missed working with you.
Liza: I know.
Tad and Liza are slowly getting closer, gazing into each other`s eyes, he slowly caresses her cheek and just as they`re about to kiss, the phone rings.
Tad: (staring at each other) I should get that. (unconvinced, he finally gets up to get the phone, he regrets his decision right away) Tad Martin, here.
The door bell rings and Liza goes to open the surprised Brooke who notices Liza and Tad`s shirt right away. Brooke is with Jamie who runs into his father`s arms. Tad takes him as he continues to talk on the phone.
Brooke: (entering) Well I didn`t expect to find you here...
Liza: It`s not what you think. (suddenly self-conscious of her clothing)
Brooke: It`s all right Liza, you don`t have to explain.
Liza: It`s really a long story, I`m sure Edmund could fill you in on that.
Brooke: Edmund knows?
Liza: Edmund helped me bring Tad home last night. Tad was... sick. I sorta stuck around just to make sure he was alright.
Brooke: Oh!
Jamie goes back to his mother.
Jamie: Hi Liza! How`s Marty? Is he with you?
Liza: He`s at Adam`s.
Tad goes back to his son.
Tad: There`s my boy! Hi Brooke.
Jamie: Are you growing a beard?
Tad: Nah! Wanna watch me shave? You need a shave too, I think.
Jamie: Yeah!
Tad: Brooke, I`ll bring him back tonight, I have another business trip to make.
Liza: Was that the phone call?
Tad: Yeah, something came up. Unexpectedly. But it shouldn`t take more than two days.
Liza: Well... I should get dress. I`m picking up Marty this morning... Liza heads for the second floor.
Tad: Liza? (she stops) Thank you for everything.
Liza: Anytime. (she continues)
Tad watches her go up, noticing particularly her legs with a silly grin on his face, finally he turns to Brooke who gives him a questioning look.
Tad: What?
Jamie: (chanting) Daddy likes Liza! Daddy likes Liza!
Tad: What??
End of part 21