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SCENE ONE - Jennifer's Room - Chippequah Memorial Hospital
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Jennifer wanders around her bed as she stretches her legs. She is dressed in standard hospital garment and also has a huge bandage wrapped around her head. She looks on in a daze as Dr. Mathieson enters.
"Excuse me Jane, but there are some people here to see you", Dr. Mathieson says.
"People? To see ME?", Jane (a.k.a Jennifer) asks with a puzzled look on her face as she struggles to remember who might want to visit her.
"Yes. They claim to know you", Dr. Mathieson responds. "I believe they do.", he continued.
Jennifer/Jane still has a puzzled look on her face.
"In fact, I think they might be able to help you jog your memory. I really think you should see them", he continues even further.
"Well....Alright. If you think they'll help", Jennifer/Jane says, wanting to follow Dr. Mathieson's advice.
Dr. Mathieson exits. About a minute later, David, Marcie & Stephanie enter Jennifer/Jane's room, each with a nervous, yet excited look on their faces as if they think Jennifer will just embrace them upon sight. Jennifer/Jane faces them, but doesn't move and struggles to remember their faces and fumbles for words to greet them.
"Jennifer? Don't you remember me?", Stephanie asks, taking the initiative to introduce herself and inquire why Jennifer didn't embrace her and figuring it might be best to start one at a time.
"I'm your big sister Stephanie", Stephanie says, now in fear that Jennifer/Jane really doesn't remember any of them. David & Marcie look on with the same concern.
"Who are you? Why are you here? How do you know me?", Jennifer/Jane asks her visitors as Dr. Mathieson looks in through the window from outside.
"Well...As I said", Stephanie says "I'm you big sister Stephanie. You DO remember me, don't you?".
A long pause fills the room as Jennifer/Jane looks puzzled and tries to remember the people who've just entered her room claiming to be loved ones of hers.
"No", Jennifer/Jane says "I don't remember any of you. Honestly, I don't....", Jennifer/Jane says as her voice trails off at the end. David tries to hold Marcie up as begins to sob. Stephanie looks devastated.
"I'm sorry", Jennifer/Jane says. "I didn't want to make you cry", she continues "I just don't remember" she adds as she begins to cry.
"It's okay Jennifer. It's okay", David says, trying to hold everyone, including himself, up and trying to remain strong. "It's okay. It's not your fault. It's not your fault".
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SCENE TWO - The FonDuLac Restaurant
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Greg is sitting at a table as Courtney approaches.
"Honestly, I don't know what the hell this will accomplish, but suffice to say, I'm here Greg. So let's get started", Courtney says as she walks up and sits down across the table in front of him.
"What the hell do you want?", Courtney snappingly asks
"I prefer to think of this as a meeting of the minds", says Greg Courtney gives a look that leaves her mouth open and her toungue a runway for flies as she tries to figure out just what Greg meant by his statement
"A meeting of the minds........Okay.....", she finally says after a long pause.
"Yes" says Greg "Because you see....If this goes to court and once the words CHILD ABUSE are uttered and YOU are the one stamped with the label (which you will be), the media will have a field day". he continues. "I'm hoping that, for the sake of our children, you and I can reach an amicable solution our this little problem before it gets out of hand" he adds.
Courtney looks as though she's still trying to figure out why she's even partaking in this conversation with Greg.
"You might consider it PR Damage Control" he adds.
"For YOU, maybe" Courtney counters. "But there's one thing you seem to forget", she continues. "You already have one strike against you." she says. "Yes Greg, I remember the preliminary hearing quite well. You tried to hit me up with child abuse charges and look what it got you", she adds.
"A smirk from the judge and a one way ticket out of the courtroom with your head tucked between your legs", she laughingly says.
"I may have lost the battle, but the war is far from over", Greg responds "Unless of course you give me what I want", he continues. "Then, it'll all go away", he adds.
"Just like that, huh?", Courtney asks as she snaps her fingers "What kind of fool do you play me for Gregory?"
"I don't play you for a fool because I know you're not one", he responds.
"Well...I was a fool in at least one respect", she said "Thinking we could actually sit down at a public restaurant and have a civil conversation", she adds. "We can't even do that anymore", she continues.
Greg looks unfazed.
"So unless you actually have something earthshatteringly important like....giving me what I want....which I already know isn't going to happen and then some, I have a life....not to mention OUR KIDS.....I need to get back to", Courtney says as she gets up from her chair. "Anything beyond that, you can have your lawyer call mine - Assuming they have the phone number and something earthshatteringly important that is. I'd hate to have my lawyer's life interrupted too by your senseless little mind games", she adds. Courtney leaves as Michelle approaches.
"And a fine how-do-you-do to you too, Miss Goody Two Shoes", Michelle says in Courtney's direction before turning to Greg.
"I assume you won't be ordering anything now, am I correct Greg?", Michelle asks
"No, I think I'll salvage a little something out of this by ordering dinner for myself", Greg says.
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SCENE THREE - The FonDuLac Restaurant
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Stacy is seen walking inside and is shown to a table by one of the waiters. She sits down and orders a glass of water. A minute later, Trish walks in and approaches Stacy's table.
"Hey....", Stacy says as she spots Trish and greets her like the friend she is.
"May I sit down or are you expecting someone?, Trish asks as she approaches the table
"Not anyone in particular if that's what you mean, but yeah...Make yourself at home", Stacy says
"So what brings you by here?", Trish asks as she sits down
"Ohh....Just wanted to get out for awhile. You?", Stacy responds
The waiter returns with Stacy's water and asks Trish if she'd like anything. Trish orders a club soda. The waiter rushes off to get Trish's club soda.
"Business", Trish responds "Brian Waterman is bringing some stuff by for me to see. Nothing you'd be interested in though"
"Ohh...", Stacy says.
"So...Has Leo called you today?", Trish asks knowing exactly where she's going with the question.
"Nope", Stacy says
"So when are you finally going to tell him about that", Trish asks, pointing to Stacy's bulging belly "You know Leo is going to figure it out sooner or later", Trish adds
"Trish, I know alright?", Stacy says, tired of everyone nagging her about the matter and talking about it
"Okaaaayyy", Trish says, knowing it's a `Hot Button' issue with Stacy and she just contributed to it yet again
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SCENE FOUR - Breakfast line - Baghdad, Iraq - Two hours later
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Leo and his roommates walk in. Gen. Breyton approaches
"Lt. McFadden, I want you in my office as soon as you're through eating", Gen. Breyton orders as his roommates salute him
"Sir Yes Sir", Leo quietly but properly responds as he salutes the General.
"Johnny Appleseed is in the doghouse now" one of the cooks tauntingly says as his roommates laugh in agreement and look at Leo
"Just give me my fuckin' food", Leo commands
"Whoa....What side of the bed did you get up on this morning", the cook asks
"The same one I always do. The right", Leo responds "Now are you gonna give me my fuckin' food or are you gonna make me like fuckin' starve all damn day?", he sarcastically adds
"Keep your shirt on bro. Was only messin' with ya. Here ya go", the cook says as he hands Leo the portion of the meal he's assigned to dish out. Leo moves on to the next portion.
"You know man, you're gonna have to tell you-know-who about you-know-who", Tony says as Leo rolls his eyes and contorts his face.
"Can I at least get my fuckin' breakfast down my fuckin' throat before you guys start in with the fuckin' Cassandra bullshit - DAMN", Leo says as shakes his head he gives Tony a look of KILL
"I swear I can't go ANYWHERE without hearing this crap come up" Leo says to himself while grinding his teeth
"Excuuuse me", Tony says
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SCENE FIVE - Acme Airlines Flight #499 - Mid-Air
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Cassandra is nursing Christopher while other children with another traveler are behaving in their usual child-like manner. The two women engage in a conversation.
"He sure is handsome", the woman with the children across from Cassandra says
"He's more than handsome", Cassandra says "He's my bundle of joy. The one reason I get up in the morning", she adds
"Wait a couple of years", the woman says, drawing from her obvious experience "Then there won't be a thing safe enough to keep away from him"
"I'm actually looking forward to that, and so much more", Cassandra says
The woman looks shocked
"Girl...What sort of magic powers do you have that I don't know about?", the woman asks as she spots one of her children trying to climb into Cassandra's lap "Get away from her", the woman to says to her child, admonishing and scolding the little boy
"I'm so sorry. My children are climbers", the woman apologetically says
"Ohh...Don't worry. He didn't bother me. Looks like you have a load", Cassandra said as she counted the children
"Ohh....TELL ME ABOUT IT", the woman says as she rolls her eyes and laughs a little.
"Ladies & gentlemen....This is your captain speaking. We are on final approach to Cedarville International Airport", the captain interrupts through the plane's PA system. He then proceeds to give the usual requests made of passengers and flight crew during this phase of any flight and thanks the passengers for flying Acme Airlines. The NO SMOKING and FASTEN SEAT BELT lights are turned on as the flight attendants make their way up and down the row of seats to ensure compliance with the captain's requests. One of the flight attendants helps the woman with the children in securing them before the woman finally fastens her own seat belt. By this time, Cassandra has already fastened her seat belt and has done everything else asked of her by the captain except securing Christopher.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but you'll need to secure the baby", one of the flight attendants says
"But I'm brerast feeding him right now", Cassandra says
"Can it wait till we land?", the attendant asks
"I suppose so. He's probably had enough for right now", Cassandra says as she gently nudges Christopher away from her nipple
"If it's a health issue, I can allow you to continue, but you'll have to hang on to him a little tighter than you normally would.
"Are we in for a rough landing", Cassandra asks with concern
"Ohh...no....no", the attendant says "It's just it's much safer if the baby is properly secured. That's all", the attendant adds.
"Ohh...okay", Cassandra says, feeling relieved. "Well....My child won't be a problem because I'm going to secure him now". she adds.
"Very well", the attendant says and then leaves
"Roundin' the home stretch" the woman with the now-secured children says
"Yep. Homeward bound", Cassandra says *You've got that right sister*, Cassandra thinks to herself as the plane starts its downward descent.
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On THE NEXT Edition Of AGAINST THE STORM
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* Now that Cassandra is in Cedarville, can Leo prevent a marital disaster in time by telling Stacy about Cassandra? Will he confess his infidelities to Stacy? What (if any) influence will Gen. Breyton have on Leo's decision?
* Marcie & Stephanie decide to put Jennifer's memory loss to a test which David isn't happy about. What will this "test" be? How will Jennifer's react?
* Will Stacy FINALLY tell Leo about the baby SHE is carrying or will her insecurities get the best of her once again?
* Brad gets the news on Jennifer's whereabouts. Will he help her or continue to wash his hands of her?
All on THE NEXT Edition of AGAINST THE STORM.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM ALL OF US AT AGAINST THE STORM
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All of us here at AGAINST THE STORM would like to take time out to wish ALL mothers in cyberspace a VERY HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.
See you all next time. :-)
This show is Copyright 2005 Pat Cook & Jeeper One Media - All Rights Reserved.
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