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Date: 13 Sep 1997 22:42:27 -0400
From: pitman@anotherwayout.com (Kent M Pitman)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps.cbs
Subject: Y&R: AWO#63: "Family Matters"
Message-ID: <sfwd8mcpqek.fsf@world.std.com>
INSIDE...
* Once Keith sees Ryan is relieved, who's next in line for the throne?
* If Neil realizes Lily isn't his, will there be a Saving Grace?
* Will Trisha discover her father's dislike of Ryan was colored by anger?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANOTHER WAY OUT, Episode 63, 14-Sep-97 by Kent Pitman (kmp@harlequin.com)
"Family Matters"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Kline greets Neil in his office. "Neil, good to see you again. How's it
hanging, eh?" "Well, doc," Neil says, "I guess you'd know that better than
me--that's what those tests I was taking are all about, right?" "Well,
actually, Neil--we here at the Clinic like to separate the issue of how one's
sex life is from how able one is to have children. Sometimes one can have an
extremely satisfying sex life when there's no chance of any pregnancy."
"Well, that's true, doc, but I've gotten pretty used to having both, ya know.
You should see my daughter Lily. She's such a joy in my life. And she's been
asking for a little brother, so I just wanted to double-check that all my
little swimmers are towing their own weight, if you know what I mean." "Yes,
you mentioned Lily before... let me ask you, is Lily by any chance your wife's
child from a previous marriage?" "No way, doc! If you saw how pretty and
smart she was you'd know right away she's 100% Winters. Pride of my life."
The doctor shakes his head. "Well, Neil, I just don't know how to tell you
this but--" "Tell me? Tell me what? Something's happened? You're telling me
I can't have any more kids?"
The doctor is silent for a moment. Neil continues. "No, doc, that can't be.
Look, I know Olivia said you were the best there is, and I don't mean any
disrespect, but just look at how Lily came out--and you're trying to tell me
that something's happened, just in the last year, that..." "No, no, that's
really not what I'm trying to tell you, Mr. Winters. I'm afraid it's more
complicated..." "Oh, you mean like I'm gonna have to take a bit more Vitamin
E or something like that. Well, don't you worry about that--I can do it."
"It's not that, Neil. I guess there's not a simple way to break this to you,
but: you've got a rare genetic disorder that has rendered you sterile from
birth. Neil, you can't have any kids, and never could." "What? Well, that's
impossible. I mean--look at Lily--she's ..." "Not yours, Neil. She can't
be. It's a genetic impossibility. If you'd like, we can bring her in for a
DNA test to confirm that. But I'm sure the tests will only confirm what we
already know." "Not my child? That can't be. That would have to mean...
Dru... I mean, she's the mother--I watched her. She's the mother. But I'm
not the father? Oh no. I can't take this. I've gotta go..." "Mr. Winters,
it'd be better if--" But Neil has gone.
Ryan is sitting in his office looking upset when Jill enters. "Now what's up,
Ryan?" "Jill, I just can't figure out what to do. I've left my wife and I
just can't bring myself to interfere with Trisha's life either. I am so wound
up tight I can't stand it. And now Keith's mad at me because he THINKS I'm
chasing Trisha or about to and he doesn't even care what the real trtuh is. I
feel like I'm going to explode." Jill nods. "I'm so sorry, Ryan. I tried to
get Keith to see reason on that." "What happened?" "Well, we had some words
and he about bit my head off. It was very unpleasant." "Well, nothing
personal, Jill, but I don't know WHAT you see in that guy..." Jill sighs. "I
THOUGHT I saw in him a level head like John used to have when I fell in love
with him, but lately he's been about as off the wall as John was when I left
him, so I don't know. I get lonely sometimes, too, Ryan." Ryan looks at her,
sorry to have started her on a topic she finds so depressing. "Look, Jill,
uh, would you be interested in some dinner later?" Jill says, "Actually,
Ryan, I think that would be wonderful--if you wouldn't mind." Ryan shakes his
head. "No, I wouldn't mind at all. I think a little nice food and some good
wine with a friend would be just the thing." Jill says, "Good. Gina's at
6pm?" "I'll be there," he replies.
Malcolm comes into Neil's office, unsuspecting. "Yo, bro, what's yo' cho'?"
Neil looks up at him. "Cho? Oh, right, `chore'. Well, I'm going through my
datebook for the time nine months before Lily was born, hoping to find some
clue. I used to keep really good track of ... hey, look at this, I was out of
town, and Dru was home sick. It says I called you and had you go check on
her." Malcolm whips out a copy of TV Guide from his back pocket and points to
an interview with Bill Bell. "Hey, nothin' doin'--I ain't takin' that rap.
Look here it says in this interview that Bill Bell and I were havin' dinner in
LA that evening and so there's my alibi. It says here in black and white that
I'm not gonna be takin' the heat for bein' Lily's father."
Nina answers the door. It's Keith. "Mr. Dennison!" she says, surprised.
"Keith, if you don't mind," he replies. "Might I come in?" "You can, but I
can tell you now, Ryan's not here." She shows him in. "I didn't really
expect that he would be here," Keith says. He continues: "I just came
because--well, I don't know why I came. I'm just trying to figure out some
way to keep Ryan away from my daughter." "Well, I'm not so sure that's
possible," Nina says. "When Ryan wants something, he goes after it. Can I
offer you some tea or something?" "Tea would be delightful, thank you," he
responds.
"Gimme that," Neil says, grabbing the TV Guide from Malcolm. "What is this?
This TV Guide was dated months ago. Why would he have wanted to mention you
had an alibi way back then when I only found out Lily's paternity was in
question now?" "You don't know who Bill Bell is, man? Boy, you are in need
of some SERIOUS Sunday School, lemme tell you. He is only THE creator of this
whole soap we're on!" "Soap?" "Yeah, Soap. It's called ``Just My Children''
or ``My Own Little World'' or somethin' like that--how should I know--I don't
watch that sissy stuff. But anyway, if he says I didn't do it, I didn't do
it." "All right, look, if he says you didn't do it, then who DID do it?" "I
dunno--maybe He did it. He Is the Creator, after all. An' I know it looks
like immaculate conception at this point, but Creators have a history of doin'
things like that every millenium or two--or at least o' saying they did--just
to get somebody out of hot water." "I dunno, it sounds a bit farfetched,"
Neil says.
Malcolm shakes his head as if Neil's still not getting it. "Not so
farfetched--ever been out to the Newman estate?" "Yeah, once or twice. Why?"
"Well, I hear there's a butler there who's always run the whole show..."
"Yeah," says Neil. "Miguel." "Right, Miguel. But just recently, there was
another housekeeper--Ellie." "So? The Newmans got a lot goin' on--maybe they
needed another housekeeper." "Not just now--but she's ALWAYS been there!"
"Always? Like in the past?" Neil looks VERY skeptical now. "Malcolm, this is
sounding more and more like the Twilight Zone or the X-Files. Daytime drama
does not work like you're describing." Malcolm sighs. "Ok, you just go ahead
and try 'n' pin that birth on me raping Drucilla--it ain't gonna work."
"Raping? It wasn't voluntary?" "Look, it didn't happen, so just give it up,
Neil."
"If I may ask," Keith calls to Nina as she heads for the kitchen, "what is it
that drove you and your husband apart?" He glances around the room while she
is gone. It is nicely kept up. [Author's note: There is no hint here of the
ridiculous and unmotivated pit of slime the show has unacceptably presented
Nina as wallowing in.] "I just don't know," Nina says, reentering. "Seven
year itch, I suppose. It seemed to come out of nowhere." She places a tray
of tea in front of him. "You're a beautiful woman and you keep a very nice
house. I understand you're set for money...?" She nods. "My late husband
Phillip Chancellor died in a car accident, but he left me very well taken care
of." "Chancellor?" Keith says, with obvious respect. He wanders the room and
stops to glance at the laptop. Nina notices him and volunteers: "I'm a
writer, but I haven't written for a while. A friend of mine stopped by and
forced me to write something or she said she wouldn't leave. Just ignore it."
He continues to stare at the screen muttering "This is really quite good."
Then he finally reads aloud:
Something pulsed through my veins like I have never felt. It wasn't
blood, I was sure of that. Blood never filled me like this. No, this
was rage. This woman before me, who is she? She calls herself my friend.
And she looks so familiar. But she is a stranger to me. I see her now
as I have never seen her. A self-righteous, cruel person. She chains me
to the chair--not with links of iron but with strings of words, but I am
bound just the same. She will not leave until I write? Ha! I'll play
that game, but woe is she if she dares read what I have written because
then she'll know my heart. Snap. Something has snapped. She is not my
friend and I'll brook no more of her cruelty. It's time someone put this
princess of virtue in her place and here before you is the true story of
just what I did to finally restore justice to the world. Yes, my royal
friend, you may eat cake. Eat all the cake in the world. Grow big and
large from all the cake you eat. See how it feels. And when your body is
as big as your ego, watch me transform you from royalty to a pauper
... Pop!
"Wow, that sounds like the start of an amazing story--I bet people would pay a
lot to hear the full tale," he says encouragingly. She smiles, and he adds:
"You're sure it was a friend you were writing about?" She nods, "Sort of."
"Well, let's hope I never find myself on your `enemies list,'" he says. Nina
smiles some more and asks, "The way you're raising my spirits just being here?
I don't think so. Say, you wouldn't want to stay for dinner, would you? I
always fix an extra place and I'm getting a little tired of throwing it away."
Then suddenly her voice falls and says, "Oh, but Jill's probably expecting
you..." "Actually," he says, "Jill and I are ... a bit at odds over this Ryan
matter right now. I don't think she and I will be having dinner tonight. So
I'd love to--if it's not any trouble." "No," says Nina. "No trouble at all."
Then she quickly replaces his cup of tea with a wine glass.
Neil comes walking into Ryan's office but he's not there. Trisha sits in his
chair crying. "Hello," says Neil. "You're looking like I feel," he confesses
to her. Trish looks up surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry--I didn't know anyone was
going to come in here," she says. Neil hands her a heavy-duty handkerchief to
dry her eyes. "Thanks," she says, soaking it thoroughly in an attempt to wipe
her face. "What's up?" he says. "Not very much," Trish replies. Neil asks,
"Wanna talk about it?" "I don't think anyone could ever understand. It just
hurts so much," she says. Neil says matter-of-factly, "I learned today that
my child was fathered by someone else." Trish stops and mulls the offering.
"Ok," she says, "You win. It probably doesn't hurt that bad... but ALMOST."
Neil smiles. "I take it you're Trisha and that you've just learned Ryan has
gone back to his wife or something?" "No, Ryan broke up with his wife. But
he's not here and his desk calendar says `Dinner and drinks with Jill at
6pm.'" "Bummer," says Neil. Then he adds: "Well, I'm not planning on going
home to my wife quite yet--still have some things to sort out. Any chance
you'd wanna continue this cheery conversation over a bite to eat?" Trisha
forces a smile through the tears. "Ok, sure. I didn't get your name?" "Oh,
I'm Neil Winters. I'm Vice President of Marketing here at Jabot. Ryan used
to work for me a long time ago." Trish brightens. "Cool!" she says.
In the hall outside the bathoom at the Dennison residence, Keith knocks on the
door. "It's Keith," he says. A voice from inside says, "Just a minute, sir."
"Ryan?" Keith says. Jill walks up behind Keith. "Yes, it's Ryan," she
replies in an annoyed tone. Keith says, "What are you doing bringing Ryan
over to MY house?" Jill says, "It's MY house, too, Keith. It's not like I
have any other place to go. And when *I* got home, who do you think *I* found
tying up the bathroom?" "Nina?" Keith says meekly. "Exactly," Jill says a
little annoyed. "And it's a damned good thing that Ryan had a cell phone in
his car and that I could ask him back tonight after he dropped me off from
dinner because if I'd had to sleep alone while you were fooling around I'd
have been pretty damned annoyed." Before he can say anything, Trisha comes up
the stairs with Neil.
"Hi, Dad. Hi, Jill," Trish says to the two of them. "I want you to know I
took your advice and I stayed away from Ryan. Meet my new boyfriend, Neil."
Keith glares at Neil. "Trisha," Keith says sternly. "This man is bl...
bl.... married," he finally says. Neil butts in with an explanation, "Well,
you see, sir, I just learned today that my wife's child is not mine, and
I'm--well, I'm not really feeling as married tonight as I usually am. Perhaps
you can understand..." Keith is furious, "Now Trisha, I want you back with
Ryan right away!" "No way, Dad. You asked me to stay away from him and--"
Ryan comes out of the bedroom. "Who's next?" he asks.
Nina comes out of Keith's bedroom pushing past everyone to get into the
bathroom. "You invited Nina and Ryan to come stay with us?" Trisha asks,
disgusted and confused. "Not exactly, honey," Jill explains. "Ryan is here
with me." "With you?" Trisha asks. "Then who's Nina... " she trails off.
Megan enters and says "Gee, Dad, don't you think Nina's a little `young' for
you?" "Bite your tongue," Keith says to Megan. "I won't tolerate such
insolence from my daughters. Where are you off to, anyway?" "Just have some
stuff to do on the computer, that's all, Dad." she says with a wink to Jill.
Jill catches the gesture but is not in a position to say anything. "That's my
girl," says Keith. "At least there's one sane Dennison in the bunch. Have a
good time on the computer, sweetie," Keith says. "Oh, I always do, Dad.
Don't worry..."
Victor's house. Late at night. Victor is looking over some charts on the
computer. Suddenly he sees a message that says "YOU HAVE MAIL." He types
"mail" to see what that's about.
> mail
From Dark_Lady, sent 3 minutes ago:
Meet me at the chat room now, big boy, or you'll wish you had.
"Are you coming to bed?" Diane asks. "You go on without me, ahright?" Victor
says. "It seems I have some matters of utmost importance that I must deal
with before the night is out." "Okay," Diane says with a pout. "But don't
work too hard!" she says. "I'll try not to," he mutters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright 1997 Kent M. Pitman. All Rights Reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Another Way Out" takes plotline state at time of publication and shows that
there are interesting places right around the corner. The goal, besides
having some fun with good-natured parody, is to challenge the notion that we
must be mired in certain tired plotlines for months just to have a good time.
There is always another way out...
Archives of this and older episodes of "Another Way Out"
as well as the more serious "morals" that underly them,
can be found at: http://world.std.com/~pitman/awo/index.html
Don't forget to try the "character index" and "ratings index"!