PREVIOUSLY

[Scene: Mel and Viki, Banner City Room, next morning.]

Mel: Have you spoken with Todd yet?

Viki: Yes, but on other matters. He came to me wanting to talk with his big sister about some personal things. It wasn't at all the time to even mention your notes.

Mel: I understand. He does need to see them soon.

Viki: Oh, I agree. There's no sense in trying to sugar-coat any of it, either. My brother will see right through that.

Mel: None of it's sugar-coated. What Peter Manning did to him is hard to sugar-coat. It's hard to swallow.

Viki: Very.

[Scene ends.]

**************************************************************************************************

[Scene: Viki's Office, The Banner. A day later, morning:]

Viki: Mel and I have been discussing the research he's been doing into your past.

Todd: And?

Viki: He thinks he has enough to publish, if that will be ok with you. We're doing a series about child abuse at the moment.

Todd: No.

Viki: It will include some of my own history as well, and we can easily screen out some of the worst things from your history.

Todd: No.

Viki: This will be about the effects of abuse, and mostly will be talking about your father, Peter, not about you.

Todd: Will it discuss what he did to me?

Viki: Yes. It has to to some degree.

Todd: Then it would be about me, and I don't want that.

Viki: It will include what he did to you and mention the results in your own life, as a high-profile example of the devastating effects on a child of such abuse.

Todd: Why use my history? Yours is just as bad and it's your paper you're ruining, and your own reputation. Don't ruin mine anymore than I already have.

Viki: That's my point, actually.

Todd: What point?

Viki: That child abuse is ruinous to the child and that it takes a lot to overcome it and prevail as an adult, but that there is hope.

Todd: Why are you doing this?

Viki: This series?

Todd: Yeah. What have you got against me?

Viki: Nothing. It's so that maybe some child will read it and see their own life and go tell someone what's happening to them, or the non-abusing parent, or some other person who knows what's going on.

Todd: That's not gonna happen.

Viki: What's not?

Todd: (Sadly:) Nobody comes, no matter how much the kid screams for help, no matter how many people see the scars on his body, nobody comes.

Viki: Oh, Todd....

Todd: (Casual tone:) Nobody came, Sis. Why should this article make any difference? No one's gonna care what Peter did to me, and it's too late now. He's dead. The damage is already done, and I'm already a violent criminal.

Viki: Even though you made a lot of very bad choices in your life, for which you are responsible, those choices were heavily influenced by what Peter did to you and what he taught you. I saw how he treated you, I know what he was like at least a little. He was a terrorist, he used to scream at you in public, publically humiliating you in front of your friends and even in front of the Press. He struck you at least once that I know about in public. Anyone who saw that isn't going to judge you for that. Anyone who's been through that isn't going to judge you for that.

Todd: You don't?

Viki: I don't.

Todd: Please tell me that sort of thing is less common than I think.

Viki: More. You know so.

Todd: (Thinks.) I want to see Mel's notes first. I get first refusal.

Viki: I'll set it up with Mel. This is a good thing, Todd.

Todd: I'm still not sure.

Viki: It will be fine. If it isn't, we'll both be in the hot seat. Together.

Todd: You'd do that for me?

Viki: I am. I have before.

Todd: (Looks at Viki, a bit stunned.)

Viki: You never get used to that, do you?

Todd: No.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: LPD, Bo's office, later that morning.]

Viki: (Arrives and closes the door, sitting across from Bo.) You wanted to see me, Bo?

Bo: Yes. I'll make this a brief meeting.

Viki: What is it?

Bo: Nora. Have you talked with her lately? She seems a bit off.

Viki: Hmmm.....

Bo: You have, haven't you? Do you know something?

Viki: We did talk recently, and, yes she is out of sorts a bit of late. It seems she's having second thoughts about being with Sam.

Bo: Does she love him?

Viki: Hmmm. Well, I may as well tell you since I hated the breakup, so I'm showing my bias up front. She's not even sure she really loves him. He's been so supportive and always there from almost the beginning of the pregnancy and through labour and everything, but she's feeling a bit crowded, almost like she was manipulated into this. Like Sam wanted to break you and she up primarily out of pure selfishness. She noted that he didn't used to be this self-centered about relationships and not like this during their working friendship in Chicago, when he was coaching my brother in football and their kids were all young.

Bo: Does she love him?

Viki: She's not sure that this newly requieted love for him is real, after all the time he's spent almost constantly around her since before her son was born. She doesn't know if it's real, at least for her. And since when does he go from one of her oldest friends to a love interest after all these years? I have been wondering for myself if this isn't a rebound relationship for Sam after Lindsay that he's throwing himself into. I've probably told you much too much, but if it helps you find your way back together for me to play go-between for a little while, I'd be happy to.

Bo: Wow. I had no idea. I don't talk with Nora very much these days, and I certainly no longer discuss anything personal around Sam, and he doesn't confide in me, either. You think I have a shot at getting her back, Viki?

Viki: I have no idea. You'd have to talk to Nora.

Bo: It can't hurt, I guess.

Viki: Then go talk to her. I'll let us both get back to work. (Leaves.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Nora's law office, afternoon.]

Nora: (Nose buried in work at her desk, not noticing who has arrived:) One moment...... Ok. (Looks up, closing book. Surprised:) Bo? What're you doing here?

Bo: I think we need to talk about Matthew.

Nora: What about him? He's not hurt, is he?

Bo: No.

Nora: Then he's robbed a dairy? He hasn't been cow tipping again? (Looks at her watch.) I miss him when he's at daycare. It's about time to feed him.

Bo: No. Matthew's fine, as far as I know. No felonies, no misdemeanors.

Nora: Well, then, why are you here?

Bo: I know some things. Things we need to discuss.

Nora: What about? About Matthew?

Bo: (Grimly:) Yeah.

Nora: Is this about his paternity?

Bo: Yeah. Pa was much more involved in all this than even I had given him credit for. But then, you know that.

Nora: That's why you refuse to speak to him now?

Bo: Yes. I finally had had more than enough of his games and his power plays and his attempts to control even my reproductive capacity.

Nora: Welcome to the world of girls, Bo.

Bo: Very funny. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

Nora: Of course I do, I'm a girl.

Bo: (A little rueful.) I know that rather well.

Nora: What did he tell you?

Bo: Not much, mostly that he had supported your going to Sam for this baby, nothing really that he hadn't said before.

Nora: Why did it make different sense this time through?

Bo: I think because I was grieving so hard over Drew, actually. It took me a long time to start thinking clearly again, especially about family. Every time I thought about family, especially our kids, I'd think of Drew and I really couldn't even think about Matthew too closely. The thought of being near him was too much after losing Drew. If he wasn't mine, well I didn't want to bond with a child who wasn't even mine knowing I'd have to give him up everytime I saw him.

Nora: I told you that when I went to Sam I didn't originally think I was pregnant, but then I did the math and thought I probably was all along but I hadn't known. I told you later in the hospital sunroom he could be yours.

Bo: I know the lab tests got all screwed up, and now we know why and who did it, but I know Matthew's mine. I saw the altered records, and the originals, and I know Matthew's mine.

Nora: Who did it?

Bo: Lindsay.

Nora: Why am I not surprised? We can retest him.

Bo: Sure. But I know he's mine, and you know he's mine. We couldn't use Pa's lab, that has a built-in bias. I'd want to supervise the whole thing this time, anyway. No Lindsay. No more mixups or switches or bribes.

Nora: Bribes? Whoa. I'm not sure I really want to know. I knew Lindsay hated me but this seems even beyond her.

Bo: I thought so, too, but she did all this.

Nora: I'll find us an independent lab and we can check Matthew again. I'll have to get a sample from Sam, too, and he'd have to come along with us to the lab, you know.

Bo: I know. I think we'll know once and for all.

Nora: What are you planning?

Bo: Look, I know you and Sam are having problems, I know you said to Viki recently that you think you made a huge mistake taking up with Sam. That what you thought was unrequieted love for him now requieted had more to do with his being so much more available then than I was and his being so attentive when you were carrying Matthew. Is that true?

Nora: She told you?

Bo: She mentioned it because she's concerned about you.

Nora: I wish she hadn't. Bo, we're not together anymore, and --

Bo: Are you having second thoughts about this?

Nora: (Sighs.) I never could lie to you. Yes. Big second thoughts. Like sloppy-seconds at a feast when you're already full. I think I've had my fill of this relationship, found out all I can about both of us and about myself, and it's time to be alone with my son and think things through without Sam always around us. He's sweet, but he's in everyone's business and all over Matthew and me and sometimes it's a bit oppressive. I think I liked him better when we were just really good friends.

Bo: Trouble in paradise?

Nora: Too much paradise, and of a type I've discovered I don't really like. I also wonder if it's not based on too many lies, ones that will hurt my son in the long run.

Bo: And if he's mine, after all?

Nora: Fewer lies. Then we have to figure out what to do about Matthew's custody. Sam has raised Matthew, and my son is very attached to Sam now. I don't want Matthew to lose an emotional connection. And Will. How will it affect Will to find out that Matthew isn't his baby brother, if it's definitively true after all? So, this would all have to be handled very carefully.

Bo: Well, at least you're not married to Rappaport.

Nora: No, but we'd have to go the legal route to get his name taken off the birth certificate and yours put on in its place. Wouldn’t that just thrill Asa no end?

Bo: This just gets more and more complicated, doesn't it? We did go through some of this with Drew.

Nora: The first step is to get Matthew retested by a reliable lab. Then we'll know what has to happen next.

Bo: Let me know when and where. I'll be there.

Nora: Will do.

(Bo leaves.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: The next morning, Sam's office.]

Sam: Hello, Bo. Sit down.

Bo: (Sits opposite Sam's desk.)

Sam: We're not exactly really friends these days. What brings you here?

Bo: My son.

Sam: Drew?

Bo: Matthew.

Sam: Now wait a minute, I thought we solved that issue a long time ago, Bo.

Bo: Maybe not. Some new information has come to light, about Lindsay and Matthew.

Sam: Lindsay and Matthew? What's she got to do with Matthew?

Bo: You know, I thought I was in love with Lindsay, and then I found out what she was capable of and what she was. It was all over then. Her neediness weaves a spell, so do her lies.

Sam: I thought that once, too. By the time I had the affair, I no longer thought that, and we had had Will. Then she had an affair, and I've always had this nagging suspicion that Jenny isn't mine. I may we wrong, and I love my daughter more than anything, but what if she's not mine? We had Will on the way before we got married, and I've also wondered about Will, but, again, I fell in love with that baby. I could never give him up if he's really someone else's.

Bo: And Matthew?

Sam: Not him, either.

Bo: So, Lindsay's lied to you too many times, too?

Sam: Probably. I did divorce her, eventually. Like you, I stuck with her no matter what she did, maybe for too long.

Bo: Is that what you're doing with Nora?

Sam: Nora? No. I love Nora, always have. Even during that affair, I was usually thinking of the one that got away: Nora. It killed Lindsay to know I was thinking of Nora our whole marriage.

Bo: What if she got away again?

Sam: She did, she married you.

Bo: What if Matthew is mine, Sam? Would you stay with Nora, knowing I'm nearby, knowing you're lying to that little boy about who his father is every day, about who he is and who his siblings are? Do you think she'd stay with you?

Sam: What're you getting at, Bo? Did Nora say something to you?

Bo: No. I'm wondering what, if anything, would need to happen for Matthew's sake if he turned out to be mine.

Sam: (Bristling:) He's mine. He's been tested and the tests say he's mine.

Bo: Do you know that Lindsay intercepted the results?

Sam: Lindsay? How would she have gotten them?

Bo: One day she was in the hospital for what turned out to be a minor injury, a nasty scalding, when Nora was in the hospital for another reason. They were both "Mrs. Buchanan" at the time. The results of my sperm test were handed to Lindsay in the exam room, as "Mrs. Buchanan", by some assistant.

Sam: So?

Bo: Lindsay then tampered with them, altering them to look like a low count.

Sam: She wouldn't.....

Bo: She did.

Sam: I can't believe even Lindsay would stoop so low!

Bo: She did. After Drew was killed and I went into high grief and went out on that boat, Nora told me she was pregnant, although she wasn't at all sure of it at the time. We'd made love a day or so before I left. She wanted to give me a reason to live stronger than my love just for her. I guess after that mess with Georgie she still felt insecure, like she somehow wasn't enough in her own right. She couldn't've been further from the truth. I guess she was just very scared of losing me.

Sam: So in the end she went to me. Where does Asa fit in?

Bo: He tacitly approved this. Anything so Nora would show up pregnant so what she'd radioed to me on the boat would be true.

Sam: That's crazy.

Bo: It's Asa. You don't know how he operates when he wants something. It worked. Matthew is mine, Sam. Even if we get him retested, he's still mine.

Sam: How do you know that?

Bo: Aside from doing the math, Lindsay also tampered with those results.

Sam: Again? She sounds less and less like the girl I married with every new transgression! These are things even she wouldn't do.

Bo: She bribed the lab tech to tamper with them.

Sam: You have proof of this?

Bo: She admitted it during interrogation. I'm just glad I wasn't interrogating her that day.

Sam: I understand.....

Bo: We even got this Jeff Barnes person to admit she had bribed him, and that he had extorted it from her. When he admitted to her he was gay, she offered him money instead. A lot of money. She'd planned to seduce him originally.

Sam: What do we do now? I'm not giving Matthew up.

Bo: You may have to, legally. If he's mine, I want him under my roof. Plus, he was conceived during my marriage to Nora. We weren't divorced until after Matthew was born, remember. Legally, he's already mine.

Sam: He's mine, Bo. I've raised him.

Bo: Only because of Lindsay's lies. Do you want him raised by Asa? If I don't take Matthew if he's mine, Asa will do his best to make sure Matthew grows up under his roof. He tried it with Drew.

Sam: What do I tell my son, Will?

Bo: Whatever you need to, just as long as it's the truth.

Sam: And if Matthew's mine?

Bo: Then nothing changes.

Sam: So, if he's yours, you'll fight us for custody?

Bo: If he's mine, I fight you for custody. The rest is up to Nora. If she stays with you, then I fight both of you. If she does not, then I fight you for custody only.

Sam: You said you weren't going to fight for custody.

Bo: I was deeply grieving the loss of my only known child at the time. If it had been Will, and you were faced with the possibility of another baby who might not be yours, would you get attached to it? If your marriage was shattered as a result of your grief and of an affair by your wife that might have produced that baby, would you get attached?

Sam: I guess not.

Bo: No. You probably would at least hesitate. So, I've changed my mind. I want my son, if he is my son.

Sam: You want him retested, then?

Bo: Yes. Nora's looking into places to do it.

Sam: I guess I have to go along with this, just to get you out of my life.

Bo: Not so fast. We'd also have to have his birth certificate legally changed, both to correct his paternity and his name. He can keep the name Matthew, but he's a Buchanan, and that will be corrected.

Sam: I want you out of my life. I want you out of my son's life.

Bo: I may be all over your life from now on, if he's my son. Unless you give up custody.

Sam: Then I hope he isn't, because I won't.

Bo: I know he is. You won't have a choice.

Sam: (Seething:) We'll just see about that.

Bo: We will. Nora's supposed to let me know where and when we meet to retest all of us soon.

Sam: (Tightly:) Fine. I'll be there, but it's unnecessary. Matthew is my son.

Bo: (Tight but coolly:) Fine. We'll just see about that. (They stare each other down.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Todd's Office, that afternoon. The Nanny, Judith, arrives with Starr.]

Starr: (Running the length of the room to Todd's desk and around to his chair:) Daddy!!!

Todd: (Looks up from his work as she runs to him, hugs her tight.) Shorty! How was your day?

Starr: Ok, Daddy.

Todd: Hi, Judith. Finish your homework, Starr?

Judith: (Sits down on the couch and finds something to read, studiously not listening.)

Starr: Can I do it after dinner? It's all reading.

Todd: You can read to me after dinner, how's that?

Starr: Ok! It's all read-out-loud homework.

Todd: Good.

Starr: I want to read to Tee, too, after dinner. When does Tee get home tonight?

Todd: I don't know, I guess I'll have to ask her. She's been working very hard lately on a case.

Starr: She's never home when I'm awake anymore.

Todd: But she goes in and checks on you every night, like I do.

Starr: But I don't see her then.

Todd: Maybe if you told her, she might be able to come home earlier?

Starr: You think?

Todd: It's worth a try. (Dials the phone, listens a moment, hands it to Starr.)

Starr: Hi, Tee..... Daddy dialed for me...... Ok. I miss you. Daddy says you come in and check on me at night, but I haven't been up when you do, so I have to believe him. Do you?...... Well, then can you come home tonight for dinner? My homework is all reading-out-loud homework and I want to read to you and Daddy after dinner...... Please? Here, Daddy, she wants to talk to you.

Todd: (Takes the phone back. He pauses, and then pulls the phone away from his ear, grimacing. He waits, listening to Tea yell at him for another moment, and when she stops a moment, he puts the phone to his ear again.) In the first place, I did not put my kid up to this. She does miss you.... Ok. So do I. Happy?...... Ok...... Then as a break, then?..... After she goes to bed. I wish you'd stay....... In the morning? I thought it wasn't for another two weeks?...... Oh, leave it to Fitzwater and Gannon...... At least it's not early morning.... Ok.....

Starr: (Interrupts.) Daddy?

Todd: Yes, Starr?

Starr: Can we go to the park now?

Todd: Do you want to say goodbye to Tee?

Starr: (Reaches eagerly for the phone.)

Todd: (To Tea:) Here she is, then we go to the park.

Starr: (To Tea:) I wish you could go to the park with us today, Tee..... (Morosely:) Ok..... Love you, too, Tee. Bye-bye, until dinnertime. (Hangs up the phone.)

Todd: Why don't you and Judith go harass Mr. Briggs for a moment while I wrap some things up here?

Starr: Don't take too long, Daddy!

Todd: I won't.

[Judith escorts Starr out.]

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Walking in the park. Todd holds Starr's hand.]

Todd: (Looks down at Starr.) You're all mine tonight after Tee goes back to her office tonight and we tuck you in.

Starr: (Looks up at Todd.) I'm part Mommy's, too.

Todd: (Looks away, mutters:) I try to forget that.

Starr: (Scowls up at her father.) You don't like Mommy much, do you?

Todd: (Looks at her:) No. I used to, though. Things didn't work out.

Starr: Do you ever not like me, because I'm part Mommy, too?

Todd: Oh, Starr. Don't even think that. You're the best parts of your Mommy and me, and you're the best part of that marriage. Remember: you're pink.

Starr: Mommy's white, and you're red, right? And I'm pink.

Todd: You remembered! We had that talk a long time ago.

Starr: I thought you were leaving for good, Daddy.

Todd: I wasn't sure I wasn't, sweetie. I wanted you to be ready.

Starr: And then you were gone so long I started to wonder if Fred could still get my messages to you.

Todd: I got them all. Too many to remember.

Starr: I really missed you, Daddy.

Todd: I really missed you. I just couldn't come back for a long time.

[They arrive at the playground area of the park. At the swings, Andrew is pushing River on a swing.]

Starr: Look, Daddy! There's River! Can you push me on a swing, like Andrew's pushing River?

Todd: Sure. Race you?

[They race to the swings, Todd lets Starr win.]

Starr: You let me win, didn't you, Daddy?

Todd: (Laughing:) Why would I make it easy for you?

Andrew: Hello, Todd.

Todd: Hello, Collar Boy.

Starr: (Crossing her arms dramatically and scowling:) Daddy......

Todd: What?

Starr: (Crosses her arms and scowls at him.)

Todd: Ok. You'd think you were a midget pretending to be a little kid. (With a bit of effort:) Hello,Andrew.

River: Daddy, keep pushing me! I wanna go higher!

Andrew: (All his attention on River:) Hold on tight, then. (He lifts the swing up high and lets it go, stepping back out of the way. He keeps the swing swinging gently but high for a little while as they talk.)

Starr: (Clambers into the next swing over.) Ok, Daddy.

Todd: Hold on tight. (Imitates Andrew with Starr's swing for a while.)

Andrew: Where's Judith?

Todd: I gave her the rest of the day off.

River: Starr? You wanna go on the monkey bars or the slide with me?

Starr: Sure, River.

River: Let me down, Daddy.

Starr: Me, too, Daddy.

[They catch the swings to stop them and the kids run off together to the slide.]

Andrew: (As they watch the kids playing:) She's right, you know.

Todd: You're the Reverend, you're supposed to be so forgiving and everything, absolve me of my sins or whatever.

Andrew: You're pushing it, Uncle Todd.

Todd: You're pushing it, "nephew".

[They sit on swings, both looking glum and watching the kids.]

[Cut to: River climbing the steps to the slide, Starr following.]

River: (Calls back over his shoulder:) Hey, Starr?

Starr: (Climbing:) Yeah?

River: Do you think our Dads hate each other? (Slides down the slide.)

Starr: I don't know. (Gets on the slide.) My Dad doesn't like a lot people. (Gets to the bottom, where River is waiting.) A lot of people don't like my Dad, either.

River: (Walking to the steps with Starr.) I think my Dad is one your Dad doesn't like. I'm not sure my Dad likes your Dad, either. (Climbing.)

Starr: (Waiting until he clears the first steps.) But your Dad's a minister. (He slides down. At the top, calling down to him:) Aren't they supposed to like everyone?

River: (Waits for her to slide down to him.) I think it's that they're just supposed to be extra nice to people they don't really like. (Looks over at their fathers:) I don't think they look like they're playing nice. Do they look like they're playing nice?

Starr: (Looking, too.) No. Let's go over and make them play nice, River.

River: I don't know, Starr...... How do you make grownups play nice?

Starr: I'll show you.

[The kids race back to their fathers.]

Starr: Ok, Dad. I want you to shake Andrew's hand. I want you to play nice with my cousin.

Todd: Starr!

River: You too, Daddy. You shake cousin Todd's hand.

Starr: C'mon, Dad.

Andrew: River.....

River: Daddy....

Starr: Daddy.....

Todd: (Rolls his eyes.) Oh, god. I'm being bossed around by my kid.

Andrew: (Looks at Todd.) They're right, you know.

Starr: (Grabbing Todd's hand.) Shake.

Todd: (Pulls his hand away and sticks his hands in his pockets.)

River: (Grabbing Andrew's hand:) Yeah, Daddy. Shake.

Andrew: (Extending his hand to Todd:) I guess we have to make up now.

Todd: (Refuses to extend his hand to Andrew.)

Starr: (Scowling at Todd, grabbing his hand again:) Daddy......

Todd: (Sighs, frowning.) Guess this means we have to, Andy, or they'll never let us alone. (Extends his hand and shakes Andrew's hand.) Ok, kids.

River: That's better.

Todd: We've done it. Now, go play. (Sticking his hands back in his pockets.)

Starr: (Turning to River:) I think you're right.

River: (Turning to Starr:) We tried.

Starr: But not good enough. Daddy, Andrew is Aunt Viki's step-son. Just like Tee is my step-mommy.

Andrew: Yes, I am. And that makes your father my Uncle.

Starr: Right, so you have to get along, 'cos that's what families do.

River: Not ours.

Starr: River! You and I get along, why can't our Daddies?

Andrew: Good point, Starr.

Todd: Starr.....

Starr: What, Daddy? He's my cousin, and so is River,on two sides.

Andrew: Well, Starr, what makes this hard is that your Daddy never really had a family until he met your Aunt Viki and your Aunt Tina, and their children. He doesn't always know how to behave around family.

River: Why not? Why don't you know, cousin Todd?

Andrew: (Before Todd can say anything:) Because no one really taught him.

River: Why?

Todd: (Evenly:) Because my father was too busy being very mean to me.

River: Why? Were you a bad little boy?

Andrew: No, Todd was not a bad little boy. Are you a bad little boy?

River: No.

Starr: (Starts giggling loudly.)

River: (Turns to her:) Am not, Starr!

Todd: Starr, that's not fair. Apologize to River.

Starr: (Contrite:) Sorry, River.

Todd: That's better. River may be a pest, but he's not a bad little boy.

River: (Glares at Todd.)

Andrew: (Looks steadily at Todd:) Neither were you. Monsters are made, not born.

River & Starr: How? (They turn and giggle to each other.)

Todd: (Evenly:) Someone hurts them when they're little so badly that it changes them forever. Then they hurt other people because it hurts so badly inside they don't know what to do with it.

Andrew: (Gently:) Is that what happened, Todd?

Todd: (Bristling slightly, trying to keep his voice even, looks at Andrew:) What do you think?

Andrew: (Keeps Todd's gaze:) I think.....

River: What do you think, Daddy?

Andrew: (Looks right at the kids and seems to remember himself, suddenly jolly:) I think it's time for some ice cream!

River & Starr: YAY! Icecream! (They run ahead to the icecream pushcart.)

Todd: (Quietly:) Thank you. That was about to get very rough.

Andrew: (Firmly, evenly:) We're not done, Todd, but not in front of the kids.

Todd: Oh, we're finished.

Andrew: (Firmly and evenly again, holding Todd's gaze:) Believe me, you and I are never finished.

[They saunter up to the kids.]

Starr: What do you want, Daddy?

Todd: I think I'll have one of the neon blue flavoured ones.

Andrew: (Slightly amused:) I never pictured you as the blue food kind, somehow.

Todd: (Almost childlike amusement, but casual:) They're all the same flavour, but this is obnoxiously blue.

Andrew: (Laughs despite himself.)

Starr: (Giggling:) Daddy! You're so silly!

Todd: (Grins at Starr.)

River: Daddy? Can I have a chocolate ice cream cone?

Andrew: Sprinkles?

River: Yeah! Sprinkles!

Starr: Me, too, Daddy! I want what River's having!

Todd: (A little quietly, bending down a little to look directly in Starr's eyes:) Sure, Shorty. Anything for my little girl, my princess.

Starr: (Beaming, looking back into Todd's eyes.)

Andrew: (Looks at Todd intently, as if studying him closely.)

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED