Confessions, Part Two

ROGER and HOLLY go back to BLAKE’S room at the hotel.

ROGER: No, no! An American woman in that part of town will just look suspicious, that’s all. I want you here with Blake, and I’ll check the neighborhood west of the church.

HOLLY [taking off her hat in front of the mirror]: Well, I suppose you are more resourceful at that sort of thing than I am. Blake, we’re here!

ROGER: Blake?

HOLLY: She’s not here!

ROGER: She left a note. [reading it] She went for a walk on the beach. Says there’s no call.

HOLLY [sighs in relief]: Well, no news is good news, I suppose.

ROGER: I’ll check the desk to be sure. And you tell her when she gets back here never to do this again, never to go out like that alone! Okay?

HOLLY: All right.

ROGER: I’ll be back soon, and with any luck, I’ll have Alan-Michael with me.

HOLLY: You want to get something to eat? You don’t know how long you’re gonna be gone. I could call room service.

ROGER: No, thank you. I better get on this. Tell Blake I’ll see her later.

HOLLY: Okay. Good luck.

ROGER: Thank you.

ROGER leaves. HOLLY relaxes just a little, picks up the phone, and calls ROSS.

HOLLY: Ross? Hi, it’s me. Oh, I’m fine. How’s Pittsburgh? Well, it’s pretty warm here, too. Uh-huh. I miss you, too. That’s why I’m calling, I couldn’t wait to ... [Apparently he has somewhere else to be.] Oh! No, it’s okay. No, I don’t want to keep you. I’m going out to get something, too, and then I’ll just turn in early. Tomorrow? Um, I don’t know. Why don’t you wait? I’ll call you, okay? Yeah, I know. Good night, honey. I love you. [a kiss into the phone].

HOLLY puts the phone down a bit pensively, but smiles at the thought of ROSS. Suddenly, her expression changes, as though an idea has just struck her. HOLLY looks at the door from which ROGER left, and she breaks into tears and sobs, throwing herself on the bed.

ROGER has just come back to the door, muttering, “Oh, damn keys!” He hears HOLLY crying, and listens for a moment in wonder.

ROGER [Knocking]: Holly, Holly! Are you all right in there? I forgot my keys. What’s the matter?

HOLLY gets up, and looks at herself in the mirror.

HOLLY: Just a minute! [She looks angry with herself, as though thinking, “How am I going to explain this?”]

She opens the door.

ROGER: What? Are you crying?

HOLLY: I ...

HOLLY falls into his arms. ROGER holds her, patting her on the back, and looking distinctly uncomfortable and confused as he does so.

It's Friday Cliffhanger Time ...

Monday, July 16, 1990

ROGER: Holly! Holly, what’s the matter?

HOLLY: It’s Ross! He’s . . . he’s jealous about us being together!

ROGER and HOLLY go back into the room.

ROGER: Wait ... Ross ... He knows we’re here because of Blake.

[Actually, ROSS doesn’t know they’re there at all!]

HOLLY: He’s jealous, Roger! It has nothing to do with logic.

ROGER [perplexed and irritated]: This is absurd!

HOLLY: I know that!

ROGER’S back is turned to her as she says this, and a look that reads as “Why did I have to come up with such a stupid lie?” flashes across her face. But she goes on, since she’s stuck with it now.

HOLLY: I’m sorry you walked into this. I never would have said anything ...

ROGER: This is a little out of character for Ross.

HOLLY: Uh, I don’t know anymore. I feel so badly for him.

ROGER [shocked]: Him?! What about you? He doesn’t trust you out of his sight?

HOLLY [takes this in, and then says insinuatingly]: Not with you.

ROGER: Oh, well. We just don’t have time for this. I’ll just call him. [Reaches for the phone]

HOLLY: No! Don’t ! It’s not going to do any good!

ROGER: So he doesn’t think I’m bound by my marriage vows, is that it?

HOLLY: I ... I don’t think I’d realized how threatened he was about our ... relationship.

ROGER: What? You mean your obsession with having my head on a platter? That’s some threat, there!

HOLLY [laughs]: I know that, you know that, but ... well, what about Alexandra, doesn’t she ever wonder about us?

ROGER looks mystified.

HOLLY: It seems that everything where you are concerned is suspect. I mean, when I couldn’t stand to be in the same room with you, he said I was being too passionate about hating you.

ROGER [ironically]: Well, can you blame him?

HOLLY: Well!

ROGER walks by her as he makes this last comment, and as his back is turned to her, HOLLY flashes one of her “I’d like to eat you alive” looks. It’s difficult to determine what she actually means by that sentiment.

HOLLY: We’ve been through all of this, you know. And he knows that I’m fed up with living in the past.

ROGER: Look! I think you should just go home! I thought it was a bad idea from the start, you coming here!

HOLLY: No! I’m not gonna go running back there just to massage his bruised ego!

ROGER: See, I just don’t understand this. We are talking about your daughter here!

HOLLY: That’s what I said to him, but he just doesn’t like the thought of us ... breaking new ground ... especially for a good reason.

ROGER: So, Ross thinks that you’re still obsessed with me in a romantic way?

HOLLY [putting the idea in his head]: Yeah, I guess you could say that. Stupid, huh?

At this fine moment, BLAKE comes back to the room.

ROGER: Blake, where the hell have you been?! I was worried sick about you!

They both talk, or rather, yell, at once.

BLAKE: Dad! Kidnappers do not negotiate! They’re gonna hurt Alan-Michael! They’re serious!

ROGER: Listen, the kidnappers are dangerous to you, too!

BLAKE shouts “Mom!” in defense, and rushes into HOLLY’S arms. HOLLY tries to soothe her for a moment.

ROGER [quietly, trying to convince himself as well as BLAKE and HOLLY]: All right, Blake. Everything is under control.

But ROGER gives up the attempt for a moment, and watches HOLLY and BLAKE.

BLAKE: So this priest saw Alan-Michael?

ROGER: Yes, well, no ... he saw someone who fit Alan-Michael’s description.

BLAKE: Being led through the streets blind-folded ... who else could it be?

ROGER: Well, there’s a lot of gang violence in that part of the island, so we don’t know for sure, but he did hear them speaking English.

BLAKE: Dad! Then what are we waiting for? Let’s do something! Let’s call the police!

ROGER: Blake, please! You’ve gotta be patient, I’m taking care ...

BLAKE: When are you gonna admit that you cannot do this alone?

ROGER: Blake, listen to me. I would never do anything to jeopardize Alan-Michael. You got to know that.

BLAKE: I know. I’m sorry. I’m just . . . my nerves are shot.

ROGER: I know.

HOLLY has come into the room, and says, “Honey, I’ve just drawn you a hot bath.”

BLAKE: No! I don’t want a bath; I don’t need a bath!

HOLLY: Blake!

BLAKE: Would you stop trying to pamper me?!

Now BLAKE runs to ROGER’S arms.

ROGER [soothingly]: Listen to your mother. She’s right. You need rest; you need to take your mind off of this. Okay? Please? [ROGER gives her a good hug.]

BLAKE: Okay. [to HOLLY] I’m sorry I snapped at you like that.

HOLLY [in her ironic, spare way]: We’re all under a lot of stress, yes? Do whatever you want.

BLAKE [placating]: No, no, Mom, you’re right. I think I should wind down.

BLAKE kisses her mother and goes into the bathroom, leaving her parents together.

ROGER: Please.

HOLLY: I’m sorry about before.

ROGER: Don’t be.

HOLLY: You didn’t need to hear that from me, not now. If you hadn’t walked in ...

ROGER: But I did, and I want to help.

HOLLY: It’s between me and Ross.

ROGER: Yeah, but I’m involved. I meant what I said; I could call him. I could ...

HOLLY: No, it would only be counter-productive. Believe me, we’ll . . . work it out.

ROGER gives HOLLY a very gentle look, and then says, “Of course. Good night, Holly.”

HOLLY: Good night.

ROGER [leaving the room]: Good night, Blake!

BLAKE: Good night!

After ROGER leaves, BLAKE calls to her mother through the bathroom door.

BLAKE: Mom?

HOLLY: Yes, hon?

BLAKE: It seems like you and Dad are getting along okay. Like ...you’re supporting each other.

HOLLY: Well, we both love you. That never changed. But everything else did.

Later, at midnight, HOLLY and BLAKE lie awake in BLAKE’S bed. BLAKE stares at the clock. HOLLY gets out of bed and walks to the open patio.

BLAKE: Mom?

HOLLY: Can’t sleep

BLAKE: Guess you couldn’t either. It’s a full moon. There’s a star.

HOLLY: Make a wish.

BLAKE looks up, with tears in her eyes. HOLLY puts her arms around her.

HOLLY: Honey, don’t ...when this is all over ...

BLAKE: No! I don’t think about that! I pray that I never see Alan-Michael again!

HOLLY: What?

BLAKE: I made a deal with God. Let him be safe, and I’ll give him up.

HOLLY: Oh, no, honey!

BLAKE: Mom! It’s the only thing that matters to me; it’s the only thing I care about.

HOLLY: You don’t need to barter with God. You don’t need to blame yourself.

BLAKE: Mom, all this is because of me.

HOLLY [turning BLAKE to her]: Look at me. I don’t care what you’ve done, what mistakes you’ve made. Things happen. You get through them, and then you’re stronger for it. You’re gonna see Alan-Michael again, and you’re gonna have beautiful children together ...

BLAKE: Don’t say that! You know, when you get married, you have a clean slate; it’s like starting over. Well, I guess I can’t really say that.

HOLLY: Why not?

BLAKE: Because your problems ... they just keep coming back.

HOLLY: You deserve to be happy. Remember that! Your father’s gonna bring Alan-Michael back to you.

BLAKE: No, I don’t think he can put together the pieces on this one.

HOLLY: Then maybe you’ll have to do that yourself. But you’ve always talked to me; maybe your ol’ mom can help you.

BLAKE smiles at HOLLY, tenderly, vulnerably, and suddenly asks . . .

BLAKE: Did you love him, when you got married?

HOLLY, looking out at the ocean, murmurs, “With your father, it’s hard to remember what’s true and what isn’t.”

BLAKE’S telephone rings, and ROGER, not sleeping either, bursts into the room through the connecting door. He picks up the phone, and says, “All right. Let’s stop playing games.”

KIDNAPPER: There's a stench floatin' my way. Smells like a set-up. You got 24 hours.

ROGER: Impossible. We agreed. I have 36 left.

BLAKE [screaming]: Just give them what they want, for God's sake!!!

HOLLY [quietly]: Let him handle it, honey.

KIDNAPPER: Okay hard guy. He's dead.

BLAKE: What'd he say?

The kidnapper hangs up on ROGER, who doesn't let on to BLAKE and HOLLY.

ROGER [heading for the door}: I heard something in the background, a clue to where Alan-Michael is. Stay put.

BLAKE: Dad, tell me. Tell me! Dad, what did he say?

ROGER: Just stay put!!!

The door slams as ROGER leaves.

BLAKE [quietly]: What did he say?

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Roger Confronts Gary

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