| Episode Summary | transcribed by Mystic |
This episode took place in January of 1995. At this point in time,
Jennifer knew that Jack
was back in town, but they were hardly on speaking terms. But Jack
was also very determined back then.
[Jack is at the Horton Center with Alice. He's actually living there
for the time being. They walk into
the living room and Jack is carrying a big box. He's wearing a suit]
Jack - Mrs. Horton, can I put this down before it puts me down?
Alice - Darling yes, I'm sorry. Just put it down anywhere.
[Jack puts the box down on top of another box.]
Jack - This is very generous of you -- donating all this stuff to charity. (they both sit down)
Alice - Yeah, Tom always said that things are just that -- things. I
keep my memories in here. (she
points to her heart)
Jack - (smiles) Yeah...
Alice - They're much sweeter.
Jack - I know what you mean.
Alice - And besides, I'm not giving everything to the hospital auction.
I'm going to give the family
some of Tom's personal things.
Jack - You know, I'd be careful with giving away all these personal
things. I mean, once you give
them away it's hard to...
Alice - Now wait a minute, dear. It's not the same thing. Your wife
and your child are still alive. And
there's every chance that you'll get them back.
Jack - (quickly) Oh, I will get them back.
Alice - (pauses) All right. Fine, but it'll take time..... (Jack sighs)
It's not that I feel any great loss
giving up Tom's things to people who loved him.
Jack - Well, you're right Mrs. Horton. I was just thinking about myself.
Which Jennifer would say I
do 24 hours a day.
Alice - No, no. You've changed. And Jennifer should know it. And Abigail
should get to know her
father.
[Jack thinks about that, then he gets up and walks over to the phone. He picks it up and calls Jenn]
Jenn - (on phone) Hello?
Jack - Jennifer, it's me.
Jenn - I thought I told you not to call me, Jack.
Jack - No, come on. Don't hang up.
Jenn - Just contact me through my lawyer, all right?
Jack - Jennifer, I can't wait. I'm coming over.
Jenn - No Jack!
Jack - I have to see my daughter.
Jenn - That's fine. We will arrange all of this through our lawyers,
all right? I don't want to see you. I
have nothing I want to say to you. (she hangs up on him)
[Jack looks sad, and hangs up too]
Alice - She refused?
Jack - (with a determined look) Yes. But I'm not going to let that stop me.
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Jack - She's my daughter, Mrs. Horton! I want to be with her! I have to be with her!
Alice - (gets up) And you will, dear.
Jack - (not satisfied with that) Yeah, but I'm talking about right now!!
Alice - (walks over to Jack) Darling, I'm on your side. But I don't
want Jennifer upset! And she
said that you were to stay away, didn't she?
Jack - (ignoring that) I'm going to see my little girl right now. (starts to leave)
Alice - (stops him) No, there must be some other way.
Jack - No, another way means waiting. I've done too much waiting already.
Alice - Think about this, dear. Don't do anything that will make things worse.
Jack - I'm not going to do anything that will make things worse. The
last thing in the world that I'd
want to do is upset Jennifer. I love her! But I love my daughter too.
See ya. (he touces Alice's arm,
then leaves)
[When Jack walks outside, while putting on his overcoat, he runs into Mike]
Jack - (smiles) Mike! It's good to see you!
Mike - (cooly) Really. I can't say the same, Jack. I got nothing to say to you.
Jack - Why not? We used to be able to sit down and talk. Why can't we do that anymore?
Mike - (in disbelief) Because you ran out on Jennifer and Abby! And
just between the two of us,
you're lucky I was in Israel when it happened.
Jack - (getting defensive) Well, I'm right here Mike. And you're right
here. So what are you gonna
do?
Mike - (pauses, angry. He looks like he could hit Jack right there,
but he controls himself) I don't
know. But if you hurt my sister again...
Jack - (quietly) Mike, look. I love Jennifer. That's never gonna change. I love her.
[Alice walks outside and notices the tension between Jack and Mike.
Jack takes one more look at
Mike, then leaves]
Mike - (to Alice, watching Jack leave) Just when Jennifer is getting
her life back together, he has to
show up and mess things up again.
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[Jack is now outside Jenn's house. He looks up at the sky then finally knocks the door. Jenn answers.]
Jack - Hi.
Jenn - What are you doing here? I told you that I did not want to see you.
Jack - (with a serious look) I need to see my daughter.
Jenn - Look, this isn't the way to do it!
Jack - No, it is the only way, and I'm not going to wait for a lawyer to set something up.
Jenn - I already told you that I did not want to get personally involved
with you over visitation rights,
okay Jack?
Jack - Jennifer, I am not gonna wait for a lawyer! I'm not gonna wait
for anyone or anything to tell
me when to see my daughter.
Jenn - (really angry) You have not heard one word I have just said, have you?!
Jack - Look, I understand that you're angry, okay? You probably don't
want me around and I don't
blame you. I can understand that. But Jennifer Horton Deveraux is someone
who has a great sense
of family. And I didn't think you'd let me go without seeing my daugther.
[Jenn stares at him. He obviously got to her]
Jack - Please, Jenn. Just let me in. Just let me be with my daughter.
[Jenn continues to stare at him. It's like she really wants to let him in]
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Jack - Jennifer, just let me in to see my daughter! It won't take long! Only a few minutes!
Jenn - (finally gives in) All right. You can come in for a few minutes and that's it.
[Jack smiles and steps inside. He removes his overcoat and looks around the house]
Jenn - I want you to know that I'm doing this for Abigail. I'm not doing this for you.
Jack - Yeah, I understand. (continues to look around)
Jenn - (annoyed) What are you looking at?
Jack - The fireplace tiles.
Jack - Why? What's wrong with them?
Jack - They need regrouting. I can call someone for you, if you want.
Jenn - (really annoyed) No, no I don't want. I can take care of it myself
the same way I have taken
care of everything else in this house since you left, including our
child.
Jack - Look, Jennifer! I don't mean to sound as if --
Jenn - (interrupts) It doesn't matter what you meant! Don't walk in
here like you can just pick up
where you left off! Like you still own this house. All right? Like
you still have some place in my life.
Jack - Jennifer, I'm not trying to act like that! I'm just trying to be helpful.
Jenn - I don't want your help! I needed your help when you walked out
on us, Jack. (pauses) Do
you know that I cried when the roof leaked? That is pathetic!! I didn't
even know how to work the
thermostat, Jack!
Jack - (turns and looks at the thermostat. He begins to make a joke)
Well, it's not that........ (then he
stops because he sees that Jenn won't be amused)
Jenn - And I prayed. I prayed so hard every single night that you would
come back and take care
of me and Abby...... and you never did. So I managed on my own.
Jack - Well..... (looks around the house) You obviously managed very well!
Jenn - (agrees) Yeah, I think so too. (Jack smiles) Of course, with a lot of help from Peter.
Jack - (his smile disappears) ....... I see.
Jenn - (shocked) That's it? 'I see'? No witty comeback, no excuses,
no trying to blame the world?!
Gee, I must be dreaming Jack!
Jack - No. You're not dreaming, Jennifer. Leaving you and Abigail was
the biggest mistake that I've
ever made in my entire life and I am so sorry. (Jenn almost looks touched)
But I know all the
apologies in the world aren't gonna make up for the pain that I've
caused you. I know that. Nothing
could ever make up for it.
[Jenn continues to stare at him, now looking really touched]
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Jenn - You know what, Jack. Nobody changes that much. You have an agenda
here. You have a
very clever strategy to get what you want.
Jack - No.
Jenn - Just come clean! Did you just figure that if all else failed,
you could just pretend to be guilty
and sorry? Is that it?
Jack - (says this slowly, meaning every word) Jennifer, I don't have an agenda. I am very sorry.
Jenn - (pauses) You know what the sad thing is? Is that if I were a
fool enough to believe you, it
doesn't matter to me. Not anymore.
Jack - (looking really hurt) Jennifer --
Jennifer - (interrupts) I'll go get our daughter. (she runs upstairs)
Jack - (watches her go upstairs, then says to himself) I'm gonna make
this up to you Jennifer. I
promise. I'm gonna make this up to you.
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[Jennifer walks down the stairs, carrying Abby. Jack watches them, with
so much love in his eyes.
Jenn carries Abby over to Jack and stands in front of him.]
Jenn - (smiling, says quietly to Abby) Can you see? This is your daddy.
[Jack smiles and holds out his hands so he can hold her. Abby, shy,
turns away and puts her head
on Jenn's shoulder. Jack looks hurt]
Jenn - (sympathetic) It's just gonna take her a little while, you know?
I mean, you're really a stranger
to her.
Jack - (quietly) Mm hmm. Yeah, she thinks Peter is her father. I heard her calling him "daddy".
Jenn - We didn't tell her that. I mean, Peter's with her all the time.
He plays with her, he feeds her,
he makes her laugh... Who else was she supposed to call "daddy", Jack?
The only thing that you left
was an empty chair. (Jack looks extremely guilty) Okay? I'm not saying
this to hurt you, I promise.
I'm just telling you because I want you to understand how much we lost
when you left.
Jack - Jennifer, I'm trying to understand how much you lost. I'm just....
I want a chance to heal that
pain.
Jenn - Well, you know what? Peter's already done that for us.
[Jack...... poor guy. He looks so sad]
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[Jack is in little better spirits now]
Jack - (to Abby) I brought you a book! (he takes a book out of a paper
bag) Yeah. "Curious
George Visits the Zoo"! It was one of my favorites.
Jenn - (smiles) You know, that's funny. Abby really likes Curious George. She has the stuffed toy.
Jack - Does she have this book?
Jenn - (looks at the title) Um, no! She doesn't have that one!
Jack - (smiles) Would you like me to read it to you, Abby?
[Abby is still a little shy and doesn't say anything]
Jenn - Come on! Mommy will sit with you! It'll be fun, okay?!
[They all walk over to the couch and sit down. Abby is on Jennifer's lap]
Jack - Okay. Curious George Visits the Zoo. (to Abby) Would you like
to turn the pages? (Abby
nods)
[Mike walks in the front door and finds Jack there. He does not look
happy about it. Jack sees
Mike and looks uncomfortable]
Mike - Jack. What are you doing here?
Jack - (cooly) I'm reading to my daughter.
[Mike stares at Jack, then looks at Jenn for an explanation]
Jenn - Jack brought a book for Abby. And she's really excited about
it, aren't you sweetie? Yeah?
(she looks back at Mike) We're doing this for our daughter. It's all
for Abby.
[Mike still doesn't look too happy, but accepts it. He stares at Jack
again, and Jack stares back at
him.]