PREVIOUSLY

[Scene: PH2 MBR, dead of the night. Tea wakes up and Todd's side of the bed is empty. She calls him at work, no answer. She dials up and logs in on a laptop from her work things retrieved from across the room. No email from him. She shuts it down and unplugs it, and as she puts it away, she looks very sad. She returns to sit on the bed against the headboard and brings the blanket to her chin, thinking and worrying.]

Tea: Where are you this time, Todd? Are you ok? What did I miss?

[Scene ends]

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[Scene: The Sun, office of The Publisher. Music goes from REM's "I don't sleep, I dream" into Godsmack's "Voodoo" in the course of this series of scene to follow:

Todd is in his office, a peach rose on his desk in its clear florist's wrapping. He's trying to concentrate on work, variously typing at his computer screen and writing on a notepad. He tears up his notes in frustration, balls the page up and throws it across the room where we see a growing mass of such balled up papers that have missed the wastebasket he's moved there. Cut to: Then he's at the docks sitting at the edge of the whorf dangling his feet over the water and looking miserable, the rose on his suit jacket next to him. He stares off into the distance at the harbour lights. Sam wanders down to the docks and sees Todd. He stops to look at him a moment and decides to come up behind Todd. Music ends.]

Sam: (Quietly:) Todd?

Todd: (Nearly jumps out of his skin. Turns to see that it's Sam.) Don't you ever sneak up on me again, Sam!

Sam: Hello to you, too, Pal.

Todd: Don't you "Pal" me, man.

Sam: (Comes and sits next to Todd, dangling his feet, too.) Want me to call you Boomer, then?

Todd: God, no!

Sam: I kinda miss it.

Todd: (Looks out into the harbour, watching the lights.) I don't.

Sam: What's wrong, Todd?

Todd: Couldn't sleep.

Sam: Me neither. Is something wrong?

Todd: Nothing.

Sam: No, I can see you're upset about something. Can you tell me about it?

Todd: No. (Looks right at Sam.)

Sam: Ok. I'm here for you if you do want to talk about it, ok?

Todd: (Looks away, staring down into the water but not at his feet.) Whatever.

Sam: No, something's wrong. I can see it. I want to know, maybe it'll help.

Todd: (Long silence, then quietly:) Sam?

Sam: (Gently listening, looking with Todd out at the harbour lights, quietly:) Yeah?

Todd: What's a family, really?

Sam: (Shrugs.) A bunch of people who choose to be together because they love each other, usually.

Todd: But they don't have to be related, right?

Sam: Not always, no. You and Peter weren't.

Todd: Thankfully not. There was no love lost there. It wasn't really a family, anyway. Especially not after my Mom left.

Sam: (Looks at Todd, watching him closely.) Did something happen between you and Tea?

Todd: (Sounding a little distressed:) No... Yes... I don't know.

Sam: Can you tell me?

Todd: I'm trying to work out what 'family' means, and if I have the stuff to be in one. (His voice cracks.)

Sam: Whose?

Todd: Tea's.

Sam: Oh, Todd. She loves you to death, you know that, right?

Todd: (Suddenly has to struggle for composure.)

Sam: (Notices this and reaches out to hug Todd.)

Todd: (Jumps up and scrambles out of Sam's reach, standing up. He begins to pace as Sam also stands to watch him.)

Sam: What's wrong?

Todd: Just don't touch me, ok? Her-her whole family hates me, Sam.

Sam: And --? 'Cos you knew that already.

Todd: I know. (His hands rake through his hair.) I know I knew that already, but what I don't think I knew is what knowing that meant to me.

Sam: Did something happen?

Todd: They sound like my old man, all of them together.

Sam: Ok. Lemme put this together here, 'cos you're not quite making sense, ok?

Todd: Shoot. (His breathing is a little ragged, trying to keep calm.)

Sam: Was there an argument or something? No one got hit or anything?

Todd: Someone almost did. Big argument. Tea shoulda gone over there alone. Just -- alone. Only I wasn't letting her out of my sight if she was going over there. Antonio's back, too.

Sam: Who's Antonio?

Todd: Carlotta's older kid. Old flame I think. We hate each other. God, you should see her dance with him.

Sam: Ok, so you argued and it freaked you out?

Todd: Yeah, the kind I just don't need right now with the custody stuff --

Sam: (The light seems to dawn as he speaks slowly, thinking it through as he goes:) When you're trying to establish your role in a family...

Todd: (Morosely:) Yeah.

Sam: Ok, got it.

Todd: Don't-don't tell T-Tea you saw me here tonight. I gotta tell her myself.

Sam: I think she knows you're not sleeping right now.

Todd: No, but I told her I was going to the office tonight.

Sam: Did you?

Todd: Yeah, actually.

Sam: Then you didn't lie. Look, you gonna be ok?

Todd: (Nodding and drawing a deep breath:) Yeah.

Sam: Ok, 'cos I took this walk so I could wind down enough to go home and get some sleep and I think it worked.

Todd: Night, Sam... Sam?

Sam: You're welcome. Right?

Todd: Yeah. Go home, I'm fine.

Sam: I know. (Leaves.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: DK Diner, early same morning, set-up duty in progress.]

Carlotta: Could you get me more sugar dispensers?

Roseanne: I didn't get to finish filling them last night.

Carlotta: Oh, ok. We can do those in a second. You ok?

Roseanne: (Evasive, but struggling for control.) Sure. Sure, why do you ask?

Carlotta: You just seem tense this morning.

Roseanne: Summer course exam.

Carlotta: (Still setting up tables. Nods:) Ah.

Roseanne: (Drops a coffee saucer she was hand drying, and screams.)

Carlotta: (Turns sharply to check on Roseanne.) Are you all right?!

Roseanne: (Rather upset and a little shamefaced:) I'm so sorry! I shouldn't've made so much noise about this saucer. It slipped as I was drying it.

Carlotta: It's really not a big deal, Roseanne. Let me help you clean up the pieces.

Roseanne: (A little too loud and a little too quickly spoken:) No! No. That's ok, I can get it myself. You finish the tables and I'll do this.

Carlotta: (Concerned:) You seem a little flustered, are you sure it's not something else?

Roseanne: Other than what?

Carlotta: You said you had an exam. Today?

Roseanne: (Looking relieved.) Yeah.

Carlotta: Would you rather go study some more?

Roseanne: Oh, could I? I can't concentrate here.

Carlotta: Go. I want you to do well at college. Your mother always wanted you to go to college, did you know that?

Roseanne: (Trying to remain composed:) No, I can't remember her ever saying that to me.

Carlotta: I heard her say it at least once, although she was worried about money for tuition. She saw what a good student you were already and had high dreams for your future.

Roseanne: A future she didn't have the guts to stick around for!

Carlotta: I'm sorry. I shouldn't've brought her up.

Roseanne: I'm going to go home and do some more studying. For Mami.

Carlotta: Do it for yourself. That would make your mother happy if she were here.

Roseanne: I'll be back this afternoon after my exam.

Carlotta: Ok. I'll need you for dinner rush.

Roseanne: (Brusque, tightly:) Fine. (Leaves.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Docks, still dim out. Todd lingers a little while at the docks. Cut to: Todd entering PH2 and going right upstairs to the MBR with the rose, very quietly. It's not quite dawn yet, and he sets the rose on Tea's nightstand and then stands away to look sadly at her as she sleeps. Then he silently creeps back out of the room, leaving the door ajar, and goes downstairs. Cut to: Later, Tea wakes up to find no Todd, but the rose makes her smile again. Cut to: Later, after dawn. Todd carrying in a cup of coffee and a bag of pastries to the apartment, as he quietly returns home again. Tea is in the kitchen making a pot of coffee, the rose on the counter. She fiddles with it as the coffee starts to sputter and brew in the machine and she comes out of the kitchen to the livingroom when she hears Todd's key.]

Tea: (Meeting him in the livingroom with the rose. Quietly:) Where were you all night?

Todd: At the office for part of it. (Crosses into the kitchen.)

Tea: And? 'Cos you didn't leave me email and your side was empty, so I was worried.

Todd: (Unpacking things on the kitchen counter. Nonchalantly:) I'm ok. You made coffee?

Tea: Yeah. You bought a cup.

Todd: Sorry.

Tea: It's ok. You look exhausted.

Todd: I can't sleep.

Tea: Well, I have this. (Holds up the rose, smiling gently at him.) Thank you for showing me you were thinking of me last night.

Todd: All through the night. I couldn't work. I love you. I want to make you happy.

Tea: That's what the little card said. "You are always close to my heart, Tea. I love you. -Todd"

Todd: Hearing you recite it it sounds so sappy.

Tea: It's sweet, and I know you wrote it, it's in your handwriting. What would make me happy is having you here with me.

Todd: (Sips his coffee.) I can't do that right now. I need you to be patient. (Puts his paper cup down on the counter, looks at her.) I just plain need you right now.

Tea: Then let me help.

Todd: The best help you can be right now is to back off and let me do what I gotta do.

Tea: Which is?

Todd: Whatever it takes to just get through my day without hurting anyone, or hurting myself.

Tea: I can help you do that.

Todd: No, I have to do this myself.

Tea: You need rest. Did you sleep at all?

Todd: I can't relax, the Guys'll come get me, or the Bukes will, or someone. There's always someone. Right now it's Blair, and that spook brother of yours. I'm all sweaty, I gotta go clean up before Starr wakes up.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Breakfast in the kitchen a little later that morning.]

Todd: (He's changed clothes and his hair is still damp but brushed back off his face and falling around his face.) I got these Danishes and stuff, Tea. Want?

Tea: In a sec. Starr, you need to finish so you can get going, ok?

Starr: Yes, Tee. Daddy?

Todd: (Mouth full of pastry:) Yeah?

Starr: Daddy!

Todd: (Swallows.) What? (Sips from his mug of coffee.)

Starr: Are you coming for me after camp today so we can go to the park?

Todd: Sure. Usual time?

Starr: Yeah. You won't forget?

Todd: No. I might even be early.

Starr: Ok. (Climbs down and runs off.)

Tea: Don't you dare be late this time, or she'll have a fit.

Todd: I won't be. We need each other. I gotta be with her.

Tea: Can we talk after you drop her off?

Todd: No. I mean, I'll drop back here, but I'm not gonna talk.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Llanfair Mill House, same morning.]

Cassie: (Upstairs.) Kevin?

Kevin: (In livingroom.) In here!

Cassie: (Finds him.) What're we going to do about Duke?

Kevin: Has he done something? Said something?

Cassie: Well, not really. He's still not really speaking to me. You saw him at dinner, he was almost sullen he was so quiet.

Kevin: Should I talk to him?

Cassie: You already have been, I'm not sure how much good it's doing since he still won't talk to me. He barely speaks to River.

Kevin: Oh, that whole thing at camp you mean?

Cassie: Yeah, although I'm not sure putting them together to have Duke act as River's big brother to sort that fight out was such a smart idea.

Kevin: They made the wrong assumption. There's a big age gap and they barely know each other.

Cassie: I did speak to the counselors and point out what they had all figured out from that was true, that the boys really don't know each other at all well and don't get along so putting them together was stupid. I also talked to the Director and she had a talk with their counselors.

Kevin: Bet they won't make that mistake again.

Cassie: Nope.

Kevin: Does Duke know you did this?

Cassie: Dunno. Also dunno if it would help if he did know. I guess I'll talk with Andrew later, if I can catch him today.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2, a little later that morning.]

Todd: (Lets himself back into his home.) Hi.

Tea: Hi. You ready to talk to me yet?

Todd: (Crossing to his desk and putting his keys on the blotter, not looking at her) Not really, no.

Tea: Not even a little? I was really worried last night, although the rose let me know you're trying to connect.

Todd: (Almost muttering:) You have no idea...

Tea: Where did you go?

Todd: Work.

Tea: All night?

Todd: No. (Traces finger along items on his desk, along the edge of the blotter, fidgeting, restlessly picking items up, turning them in his hands, setting them back down precisely where he picked them up from.)

Tea: Are you ok?

Todd: No. Yes... I'm not really sure right now.

Tea: I'm here.

Todd: I know. I'm here. (Taps blotter once for emphasis.)

Tea: We could close this gap...

Todd: Can't yet. (Finally looks at her, his face very sad.)

Tea: Where did you go after work?

Todd: Docks. Picked up the flower on the way to work.

Tea: What did you do at the docks?

Todd: (Looks at desk.) Thought a lot. Tried to get calmed down so I could think.

Tea: About what?

Todd: You're pushing.

Tea: Will you tell me later?

Todd: (Looks at her:) I'd like to. Maybe. I just gotta get through these next several days, you know?

Tea: It's gonna be hard.

Todd: Has been all along... I gotta get back to work. (Turns and goes to the door, keys in his hand.)

Tea: Dinner?

Todd: (Sighs, back to her.) Yeah.

Tea: Anything special?

Todd: Whatever. Bring anything. I'll eat anything.

Tea: You're gonna eat, then?

Todd: (Face a misery for a moment, he breathes, then.) Feed me. I'll eat out of your hand.

Tea: (Thinking about this:) I might take you up on that, Manning.

Todd: Please. (He bolts. Once the door is closed he leans back against it, eyes closed, takes a deep breath, and heads to the stairs. He runs down to the ground floor. The last we see of him is he opens the door and exits into the parking garage, and we see one of the bodyguards meet him at the door.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Same day, afternoon. Summercamp.]

Starr: Daddy!

Todd: Starr!

Starr: (Hugging Todd:) I didn't think you'd come.

Todd: I told you I would.

Starr: But sometimes you get too busy and you don't come for me.

Todd: (Picking her up and holding her close:) I'm sorry, Shorty. I do miss you. I do.

Starr: I miss you, too, Daddy. I love you.

Todd: Me, too.

[Other campers flood past them in the doorway, buffeting them. Todd simply moves a little to the side, still holding Starr close.]

Todd: Let's get your stuff.

Starr: I think it's all in here.

Todd: Let's check. (Puts her down, kneels next to her.)

Starr: (Opens her backpack and checks it.) Wet towel, wet bathing suit, wet socks, eeew, gooey open sunscreen bottle...

Todd: Eeeew.

Starr: (Wipes hand on wet towel.)

Todd: Here. (Reaches into her backpack and wraps the mess in her wet towel, packing it up again and zippering it shut. Hands her the backpack.) Here.

Starr: (Takes it, and takes his offered hand.)

[They walk away towards the camera. Scene ends.]

[Scene: Llanfair grounds. Same day, afternoon.]

Sarah: Kevin got you a nice bike, Duke.

CJ: Cool black helmet to match, too. Mine's getting ratty.

Duke: Yeah, it was kinda nice of my Dad. I just keep thinking he's, I dunno, like he's trying to buy me off or something.

Sarah: I don't think so. I think he just missed you so much.

CJ: Like when our Dad, Cord, he would come see us after the divorce when we were still kinda little and he'd bring us things. Like he was trying to --

Sarah: -- make up for not being there all the time.

CJ: Yeah.

Sarah: We used to talk about it a lot. We just wanted our Dad home. We didn't care if he stopped giving us presents, just so he'd be there all the time.

CJ: I bet that's like what you're thinking, huh?

Duke: Exactly. I mean, why can't he just be my Dad? Why does he have to pretend he's... he's... Santa?

CJ: (Laughs.)

Duke: No, I'm serious.

Sarah: Has he been, like, showering you with stuff?

Duke: Well, not exactly, no. But this bike and stuff is... well, too much. I told him to stop trying so hard and just be my Dad, but he says he doesn't know how to be my Dad.

CJ: Ouch.

Sarah: Grownups are weird. He's your Dad.

Duke: I dunno.

CJ: What?! You have some reason to doubt he's your Dad or something?

Sarah: CJ!

CJ: (Looks sharply at Sarah.) Oh, wait. You don't know about this, do you?

Sarah: What my stupid brother is hinting at is that when he was little he got switched with Al Holden, Max's oldest, and everyone thought he was Al and Al was him until it got figured out.

Duke: Grownups really are weird. How can they play around with a guy's life like that?!

CJ: I have no idea. I'm not sure I even want them to straighten it out with me. I can't think of an excuse they could give me that would be good enough, you know?

Duke: Yeah... At least you have a place in this family.

Sarah: Your place is as our cousin and cousin Kevin is your father.

CJ: (Looks from one to the other and stands up.) Let's go ride our bikes.

[They all stand, put on their helmets, kick their kickstands, and mount up as if synchronized. Their mannerisms are all almost identical. Scene ends as they take off across the lawn.]

[Scene: Park, same afternoon.]

Todd: (Pushing Starr on swing, almost smiling.)

Starr: Higher, Daddy!

Todd: Ok! (Draws the swing back a little higher, dramatically holding it at the apex.)

Starr: (Squeals.)

Todd: (Lets the swing go and Starr squeals some more, laughing happily. He repeats this several times until the scene fades, smiling more distinctly as he swings Starr.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Late afternoon, same day. Llanfair study.]

Duke: (Entering the study and looking around:) Grandma? Boy that sounds weird.

Viki: You think it sounds weird?

Duke: You don't like being my grandma?

Viki: I like being your grandmother just fine, it's thinking of myself as old enough to be someone's grandmother that's odd. Jessie's just 18.

Duke: That's old.

Viki: I used to think so at your age, but you're not all that far behind her. Now what's wrong? I can see it on your face.

Duke: Nothing.

Viki: Duke...

Duke: What was Dad like when he was a kid?

Viki: Active, funny, impish, energetic. He was very protective of his brother and sister, although not a great student. What are you like?

Duke: I dunno. I probably don't measure up to your own son.

Viki: Let me judge that, and I bet you do. What do you like to do?

Duke: Hanging out with my cousins, riding horses, open spaces...

Viki: Do you miss Texas?

Duke: Kinda...

Viki: Do you regret asking to come here?

Duke: Kinda... I feel so lost...

Viki: Do you want to go back?

Duke: Do you want to get rid of me?

Viki: Never! You're my grandson.

Duke: You want me here?

Viki: I would rather you'd never gone with your mother in the first place. You know, you sound more and more like my brother. Have you met Todd?

Duke: My Dad says they hate each other.

Viki: Unfortunately they do.

Duke: Dad says Todd's done some really horrible things and that's why they hate each other.

Viki: That sounds about right.

Duke: I don't think I want to know any more.

Viki: I wouldn't've told you, anyway.

Duke: It sounds pretty bad.

Viki: It was.

Duke: Oh.

Viki: You say you're feeling lost. In what way?

Duke: I just do. How come Tina and Todd are so young?

Viki: Our father had them after their mother and I were already in college together. At the time I had no idea he was doing this.

Duke: What was it with him?

Viki: I gather Kevin's told you some of this, but while Father had his good points, he was also extremely cruel at times. I spent a lot of time in the attic reading just to get away from him. It's still something of a refuge for me even now.

Duke: How did Tina and Todd get here?

Viki: Their mother, my friend Irene Manning, had raised Tina as Tina Clayton. When Tina found out that wasn't true, she came looking for me here. Father had allowed Irene to keep Tina but forced her to give up Todd. She chose her cousin Peter and her friend Bitsy, who was his wife. Frankly, Tina came here looking for her inheritance, which Father had not left for her. When Todd came here for college, he did some things that brought him a lot of attention, and eventually we discovered he was our brother and that Father had left him a substantial inheritance. Maybe he felt guilty.

Duke: Baby-switching, gold-digging, cruelty to children, sending babies away, what else is it about this family?

Viki: Many things. Yes, to answer your question, this family does have its messy little secrets. Todd was a secret to all of us. You're certainly not one of them. You're the product of a garden-variety divorce between a couple that was simply too young when they had you.

Duke: (Getting upset:) Which makes me different from my cousins in so many ways. You can't tell from how often my father visited me growing up that I'm part of this family and not some dark secret! Can't tell now 'cos now I find out he's had this little step-son he's helped grow up for years and apparently doesn't need me.

Viki: Is this why you feel so lost? That your father doesn't seem to want you because he has another little boy to look after?

Duke: Yeah. He tries too hard to convince me he wants me, and I can see River's his priority, not me. He spends more time with River than with me. Do I have a place in this messed up family?

Viki: Yes. Yes, you do. Remember that River is also a lot younger and he needs to be supervised much more closely, but you do have a place in this family.

Duke: What is it? I'm not River's big brother, I'm not even really Kevin's son!

Viki: Where did you get that idea?

Duke: He has River!

Viki: He has you.

Duke: I don't have my Dad! (Starts to cry.)

Viki: You've missed him terribly, haven't you?

Duke: (Nods, still crying.)

Viki: You want him all to yourself?

Duke: (Sobbing:) Yes!

Viki: I'm sorry. I've often reminded him he has a child, but he never manages to get away very often to be with you, and you have a whole life with your mother that he's been very hesitant to disturb.

Duke: I wish he would have!

Viki: What has he been like to you now?

Duke: (Trying to calm himself:) He... he gives me things, but he sends me off to summercamp and then doesn't spend much time with me when I'm home.

Viki: What does he say to you?

Duke: (Wiping his tears away:) He says he's trying but he doesn't know what to do as a father, and he says he wants me to be independent, and then he gives me things like that bike.

Viki: Do you like the bike?

Duke: It's ok. I really want my Dad, though. I wanna know my Dad. I wanna know who to be or not to be like. I wanna know if I should be like my Dad or like someone else. I wanna know who I am and who I come from, but he's not spending the time with me and I feel rejected and lost. (Tears:) I want my Daddy! I know I sound like a little kid, but it's how I feel.

Viki: Oh, honey. I do understand, and I will talk to him if you'd like me to. Kevin has made many mistakes, especially as a young father, and he felt you were better off going off with LeeAnn and her family in the wide open spaces of Texas. Maybe he was wrong.

Duke: (Sniffling and wiping his tears, Viki hands him a tissue which he uses:) I would've been more happy to have my Dad with me all those years. Do you think my great-grandpa would take me to his ranch?

Viki: I'm sure if you asked Asa he would be very happy to show you the ranch. He loves it there and he's always eager to share it with his family.

Duke: Would -- does he think of me as his family?

Viki: We all do.

Duke: Then how come I don't feel like I fit into your family?

Viki: You do fit. When you left, there was a Duke-sized hole left in our family. You're in your rightful place no matter where you are, because you are a part of this family, too. You're just as important in this family as Starr or Joey, or any of the other children are in this family. Please don't doubt that, ok?

Duke: I have to figure out how that works.

Viki: I know, and it can be hard especially when you've been away and you hardly know any of us. I'm here if you need me, ok?

Duke: Ok. I just don't know if I'll ever find my place in this family.

Viki: You will. We just made a good start on your being my grandson.

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED