Cliff House: Michelle's Locket

Wednesday, June 30, 1993

SCENE: Morning in the Bauer kitchen. It’s July 4^th, and HOLLY has come to pick up MICHELLE and go to the Cliff House.

HOLLY: Just us and the raccoons—I can’t wait!

ED: I know, and neither can Michelle. It’s all she can talk about.

HOLLY: And this place that I’ve rented just looks incredible. You can look past one mountain range to another, or at least, that’s what it looks like in the brochure.

ED [as he pours coffee for the two of them, his tone becomes mock-tragic]: Well, I’ll certainly be thinking of you two up there having a wonderful time while I’m slaving away working twenty-four hours a day, unable to sleep because of the heat, alone, barbecuing for one!

HOLLY [smiles]: Sounds like a full schedule.

ED: Seriously, what you’re doing for Michelle is very nice.

HOLLY: What Michelle does for me—she’s my very dear charmer and we’re gonna have a fabulous time.

MICHELLE rushes into the room, looking for something.

ED: Hey!

MICHELLE: I’m not going!

HOLLY: What?!

MICHELLE: I can’t!

HOLLY: What’s the matter, honey?

MICHELLE: My locket. I can’t find it. And I’m not leaving without it!

There is a CUT to a shot of the locket on the patio floor of the country club, just at ROGER’S feet. ROGER sits at breakfast, calling a florist to send a bouquet to JENNA.

ROGER: Just make it the biggest flower bouquet you can fit through a door. No, I don’t care about the cost. Yes, Ms. Jenna Bradshaw, Spaulding Enterprises. I want the card to read “Please” . . . no, strike that, just “Forgive me. Love, Roger.” That’s it. All right.

As ROGER gets up, he sees the locket, picks it up, and sits back at the table to examine it. Inside is a picture of ED, and “To Michelle, Love Holly.” ROGER frowns.

ED: Honey, it’s just a locket.

MICHELLE: No, no, it’s more.

ED: Was it your mom’s?

MICHELLE: No, it was new. It was beautiful. Holly gave it to me.

ED [puzzled]: Oh.

As MICHELLE rushes away, ED looks at a smiling HOLLY.

HOLLY: Where did you last see it, honey?

MICHELLE: I’m sorry, Holly.

HOLLY: Don’t be silly! Your dad’s right. It’s just a locket.

MICHELLE: I’m not leaving without it.

ED: Honey, where did you leave it last?

MICHELLE: I don’t know. I checked my room, and I’m sure it’s not there.

ED: Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s gonna show up. Don’t worry about it.

MICHELLE: I’m gonna go check the basement, and then I’ll search the rest of the house.

HOLLY: Honey, we really don’t have all that time, but . . .

MICHELLE [rushing out of the room]: I’m not leaving without it! I’ve got to find it!

ED: I’m sorry, Holly.

HOLLY: For what?

ED: I know you wanted to get an early start.

HOLLY: We’ll get there in plenty of time. Don’t worry about it.

ED: No, I mean I’m worried for you.

HOLLY: I’m on my vacation. I have no problems.

ED: Locket sure means a lot to her.

HOLLY: It has a picture of you in it. That’s why it’s important to her.

ED: Oh . . . I didn’t . . .

HOLLY: Michelle loves her daddy—no matter what you think.

ED: We’re a long way from where we were, certainly from where I want us to be.

HOLLY: Well, I’m sure she feels the same way. That’s why it’s going to be so hard to get her out of here for a whole weekend.

ED: Well, thank you for trying to make me feel better, but . .

HOLLY: You don’t believe that’s she going to miss you?

ED: No, not really.

HOLLY: Well, you’re wrong. I know she doesn’t admit it, but I’m gonna have to tap-dance like crazy to keep her mind on having fun.

ED: Oh, c’mon. You two are going to have a wonderful time. You always do.

HOLLY: You too! You’ve been working too hard. Some peace and quiet, that’s just what you need.

ED gives HOLLY a look as the scene fades.

ROGER [on the phone]: Well, if Ms. Bradshaw checks in, please tell her I phoned. I’ll be a little late coming into the office, but I’ll see her at the board meeting. Fine. Thank you.

As ROGER is about to pick up the locket again, the waiter appears.

WAITER: There’s someone on the phone for you, Mr. Thorpe.

ROGER: Who is it?

WAITER: A man. Says his name is Davis.

ROGER: Did you tell him I was here?

WAITER: No, sir. I said I’d check first.

ROGER [pulling out his wallet and handing the waiter some money]: Good man.

WAITER: Thank you, Mr. Thorpe.

ROGER: Please tell Mr. Davis I’m not here.

WAITER: He sounded pretty upset.

ROGER: I can’t be reached.

ROGER takes up the locket again, and flashes back to the kiss he and HOLLY shared several nights ago.

That kiss is on HOLLY’S mind, too, as she sits in the Bauer kitchen. And it’s not an unpleasant thought, either. ED comes back into the room.

ED: I have no idea of where that locket is.

HOLLY [“innocently”]: No?

ED: I don’t know. She wouldn’t talk to me.

HOLLY [as if suddenly getting a bright idea]: I bet she would at the Cliff House! Ed, come with us! Take the weekend off. Come with us!

ED: Oh . . . I can’t.

HOLLY: Why not? Get someone to cover for you. Oh, come, come with us!

ED: Oh, well it sounds like fun, but I’ve got a lot of stuff to do at the hospital.

HOLLY: Well, you’re gonna spend the holiday weekend alone?

ED contemplates HOLLY’S smiling face for a moment, says, “Yep,” and moves towards the refrigerator!

HOLLY: No Bauer family barbecue?

ED: Uh-uh. No, I’m not gonna breathe in charcoal fumes all weekend. I’m gonna give my lungs a rest this year.

HOLLY is in the shot’s foreground, thoughtful and a little displeased.

HOLLY: How about a cook-out up in the mountains? Hamburgers--

ED: Next year, next year!

HOLLY: Well, think about it.

ED brings some food and juice from the refrigerator over to HOLLY.

ED: I’ve got a mountain of work on my desk that I want to whittle down to something approximating a manageable size. Want some?

HOLLY: No thanks. [shrugging it off] That’s what you want . . .

The phone rings, and ED answers it. It’s EVE GUTHRIE’S doctor, calling from the Fryman Institute.

ED: Yeah, hello. Yeah, speaking.

DOCTOR: Ed, it’s Ken Postly, over at Fryman.

ED: Oh, yes. Hi, Ken. How’s Dr. Guthrie doing?

DOCTOR: Well, she’s had a peaceful night. She’s feeling better this morning.

ED: Did she talk to you at all about what happened?

DOCTOR: Yes, a bit. She’s embarrassed, of course, and sorry it ever happened. She wanted you to know that.

The camera focuses on HOLLY as ED is speaking. She sits on a kitchen stool, quietly listening, taking it in.

ED: Well, I guess that sounds like good news, huh? If she needs anything else—anything—just give me a call, okay? Yeah, I’ll do that. Goodbye.

ED hangs up that phone.

ED: That was about Dr. Guthrie.

HOLLY: She’s still in the hospital?

ED: Yeah.

HOLLY: You never told me what happened. Did she have some sort of breakdown or something?

ED: Oh, I’d talk about it if I could.

HOLLY: Oh, of course. She’s lucky to have you looking after her.

ED: Well, I mean, she’s had a tough time, you know, and I’m her employer.

HOLLY: Of course. Will you be going to see her on the holidays?

ED turns from her as he speaks.

ED: No, well, gee, I don’t know. Maybe. I hadn’t really thought about it. Why?

HOLLY: It’d be nice. If . . . if Michelle asks anything about you and Eve. . .

ED: Why would Michelle ask anything about me and Eve?

HOLLY moves closer to ED as she speaks.

HOLLY: Oh, you know. Daughters get curious about that kind of thing.

ED: What kind of thing?

HOLLY raises her eyebrows.

ED: Oh, Holly . . .

HOLLY laughs and turns away.

ED: I’m not ready for that kind of involvement with any woman. Not yet.

ED moves away, escaping all the way into another room. HOLLY ponders this.

As ED comes back into the kitchen, he finds HOLLY washing the dishes. He picks up a cloth to do the drying.

ED: Oh, c’mon. There’s no need for you to do that.

HOLLY: It’s no problem. . . Uh, I hope you didn’t get the wrong idea before.

ED: What? When you asked about Eve?

HOLLY: Yeah. I didn’t mean to pry; I was really concerned about Michelle.

ED: Yeah.

HOLLY: You know that.

ED: I do.

HOLLY: Of course, it could be open to misinterpretation. I realize that.

ED [with just the lightest touch of amusement; there’s a flirtatious undercurrent in spite of himself]: Well, these things happen, don’t they?

HOLLY: On the other hand . . .

ED: Yes . . .

HOLLY: I may always be curious about whoever you’re close to. I mean, maybe when one has been married, maybe one is always a bit jealous.

ED and HOLLY look at each other, but then they take tension off the moment by mock-arguing over a dish. We see them from outside the kitchen window, though, because just as HOLLY said the word “jealous,” ROGER—coming to return Michelle’s locket—appeared.

HOLLY [laughing at ED]: Give me this plate! You can see yourself in this plate!

ROGER observes a cozily domestic scene.

As ROGER comes into the room, ED speaks to him first. However, the camera focuses on a preternaturally still HOLLY. She stares at ROGER.

ED: Roger! What can I do for you?

ROGER: Is Michelle here?

ED [laughing incredulously]: Yes, why?

ROGER: I found something of hers.

HOLLY: You found her locket?

ROGER [as if barely noticing her]: Hello, Holly.

ED: Where?

ROGER: At the county club.

HOLLY: I’ll go get her. [HOLLY hastily leaves the room.]

ED [to ROGER]: Uh, thank you.

ROGER: Did she miss it?

ED: Yes, she did.

ROGER: A lovely piece.

ED: Yeah, it is. Can I have it?

ROGER seems unwilling to hand ED the locket. A pleased MICHELLE runs into the room.

MICHELLE: Mr. Thorpe, you found it!

ROGER [handing it to her]: I sure did, honey. You’re very welcome.

An exasperated look flashes across ED’S face.

HOLLY [to MICHELLE]: So, ready to go? Where’s your suitcase?

MICHELLE [surprised that HOLLY would ask about something so obvious . . points]: Right there.

HOLLY: All right, what are we waiting for?! Let’s rock and roll!

ROGER: Where you going?

HOLLY [heartily, and evasively]: Away!

ED: Uh, you’d better give me the number, just in case.

At this, ED has moved over to the same side of the room in which HOLLY and MICHELLE are standing. The camera shot shows ROGER at a distance from them, quietly observing as HOLLY hands ED a slip of paper, and listening. . .

HOLLY: Oh, right, thanks for reminding me. I wrote it out for you.

ED: Thank you.

HOLLY: And we will call you as soon as we get there.

MICHELLE watches ED and HOLLY too, and then looks at ROGER. Her attention turns back to her father as he tells her:

ED: Have a wonderful time.

MICHELLE [stiffly]: I will.

ED: I’ll miss you.

MICHELLE doesn’t respond, and her father takes her and hugs her and kisses the top of her head. She does not seem very comfortable with this, however.

ED [to MICHELLE]: And you take care of Holly.

HOLLY: I’ll be in good hands.

ED kisses the top of her head once again, gently and thoughtfully. Again, the child doesn’t respond. Even as her father holds her in his arms, she looks across the room to ROGER and says:

MICHELLE: Bye, Mr. Thorpe.

ROGER: Bye, sweetie. You have fun. You too, Holly.

HOLLY [already going out the door]: We will.

ED: See you in a couple of days.

HOLLY: Bye!

As the sound of HOLLY and MICHELLE singing (a bit off-key) fades into the distance, ROGER turns and prepares to leave.

ROGER: I’ll be going, then.

ED: What’s going on between you and Holly?

SCENE: HOLLY and MICHELLE, in a gas station.

MICHELLE: There you go again, twirling your hair! You’ve been doing it since we left the house.

HOLLY: Any curl in it yet?

MICHELLE: You’re nervous.

HOLLY [moving away from her]: Steady as a rock!

MICHELLE: You’re tense.

HOLLY [gathering an astonishing quantity of junk food]: Why would I be tense and nervous?

MICHELLE: I don’t know. [But she sounds like she has an idea!]

HOLLY: We’re on vacation. This is fun!

MICHELLE: You were tense even before we left the house. I could feel it.

HOLLY [turning to look at MICHELLE, intrigued by her perceptiveness]: Could you?

MICHELLE: Is it because of Dad and Mr. Thorpe?

HOLLY: No!

MICHELLE: You were married to both of them.

HOLLY [turning back around, with a bit of sarcasm]: Thank you for bringing up my checkered past.

MICHELLE moves so that she can see HOLLY’S face, and pursues the topic.

MICHELLE: It must be strange, being with both of them.

HOLLY: No, honey. Why would it be strange? Your father and I are very good friends.

MICHELLE [suggestively]: What about you and Mr. Thorpe?

A guy at the gas station interrupts, just as HOLLY is giving MICHELLE a look that says, “You are just a wee bit too smart.”

GAS STATION GUY: You need your oil checked?

HOLLY: No, it’s fine. Thanks.

GAS STATION GUY: Then that’ll be $24.60.

HOLLY [handing him a credit card]: Here you go.

GAS STATION GUY: I’ll be right back.

MICHELLE turns back to her prey.

MICHELLE: Well?

HOLLY: What?

MICHELLE: What about you and Mr. Thorpe?

HOLLY: Honey, it’s . . . it’s just very complicated.

MICHELLE: Why?

HOLLY: It just is.

MICHELLE: It’s bad between them, isn’t it?

HOLLY: Ed and Roger?

MICHELLE: They hate each other.

HOLLY [uttering what may be the understatement of the decade]: They’re not the best of buddies. No.

MICHELLE: Is it because of you?

HOLLY [moving back to the food counter, away from MICHELLE’S face]: You want some cookies, some popcorn? How about ooh—some peanuts!

MICHELLE [with a stronger sense of certainty]: It is! It is because of you.

HOLLY: You ask too many questions!

Meanwhile, back at the BAUER HOUSE:

ROGER: I’m not your patient, Ed. I don’t have to give you my personal history. I don’t have to bring you up to date.

ED: C’mon, Roger. It’s a simple question.

ROGER: What’s going on between Holly and me? Nope, I’m gonna have to take the fifth on that one!

ED: Roger!

ROGER: It’s none of your business! Is that clear enough for you?

ED: You didn’t have to bring that locket over here. That was completely unnecessary.

ROGER: What, I should have left it on the patio floor?

ED: You could have called me and I would have come over to pick it up.

ROGER [talking over him]: Your house is my way to . . .

ED: But the reason you didn’t do that is because you knew that Holly was going to be here, right?

ROGER [disgusted—although ED is partly right]: I don’t want to argue with you. I wanted to return the locket to Michelle personally, that’s just what I did, and that’s all!

ED: You know, Holly’s spent a lot of time this last year putting her life back together again.

ROGER: Oh, gee, Ed, I know what she’s gone through!

ED: No, she’s still going through it. It’s not over; and it’s really difficult.

ROGER: Holly and I do talk. Did you know that?

ED: Well then you might know that she’s struggling.

ROGER: See, from where I sit she’s doing better. [Sarcasm] I don’t have an M.D. after my name, of course! I don’t have your acute perception of people!

ED: Fine, Roger, fine! She’s doing better, but it’s a long, slow, fragile process, and I don’t want to see anyone screwing it up!

ROGER: By “anyone” should I read “me”?

ED [quietly]: That’s right.

ROGER: Ever Holly’s protector, aren’t you?

ED: Holly doesn’t need a protector.

ROGER: What does she need? Does she need you, Ed? Is that what you think?

ED: You’re . . . [turns away from ROGER in disgust]

ROGER: Oh, am I?

ED [turning back around]: You’re the one who wants her, Roger. I’m just the one who’s here to tell you, “You can’t have her.”

ED and ROGER are interrupted by a phone call from EVE GUTHRIE, and we hear the conversation and see ED’S discomfort at ROGER knowing that EVE is the caller.

EVE: I got your note. Thanks so much.

ED: So, how are you feeling today?

EVE: I feel pretty good. As a matter of fact, that’s why I was calling you. I thought that if you didn’t have to be at work, maybe you could come over for a visit.

ED: Umm, I’d like to do that. I’ll tell you what. I’ll just have to see how much work I’ve got, but if it’s manageable, I’ll be there. I’ll come out.

EVE: Look, if you’re busy, that’s all right, too. I mean, I know how it gets.

ED: No, I’ll do my best. I promise.

EVE: Thanks.

They both hang up.

ROGER [relishing this]: Well, I’ll just bet that was your pal Eve Guthrie over at the Fryman Institute. Are you her protector, too?

ED [pauses for a second, looking at ROGER]: We were talking about you and Holly, Roger.

ROGER: Yeah, but it seems the merry widower has more than one damsel in distress to watch over.

ED: Get out.

ROGER: [quietly, pointedly]: You're a dishonest man, you know that? You pull this solid citizen number, but you're a phony. You're as bogus as they come. You lust in your heart for every woman in need and you know it, and your wife knew it too!

Back at the gas station:

HOLLY: Cliff House ... Do you know it?

GAS STATION GUY: Sure do.

HOLLY: Is it as gorgeous as it is on the brochure?

GAS STATION GUY: It's beautiful all right, but real remote.

HOLLY: Oh, that's perfect, just what we're looking for.

MICHELLE [loaded down with a ridiculous number of snack bags]: It sounds like it's right in the middle of nowhere!

HOLLY: Peace and quiet. That will be good for us! Nobody will bother us.

They both laugh as they leave with their goodies.

At the Bauer House, ED, losing his temper, makes a slight mistake. He smacks the slip of paper with the Cliff House address on it down on the counter before going to the door. He motions ROGER out, but not before ROGER sees the address.

ED: Get out!

ROGER [as he leaves, ironically]: Have a nice weekend, Ed.

Next Episode:
Roger's Choice