Afterthoughts
Episode 210
Fade In: Interior. Paula’s house. Paula enters and Melanie after her.
Paula: Thank you again, Melanie, for driving me to the hospital and calling me and telling me what’s happening in my own family.
Melanie: Well I’m sure they had a lot on their minds.
Paula: Yes I suppose so. Did you want something to drink?
Melanie: No. I can’t stay. I have to get back to the bar. I’m just glad everything worked out for Andrew.
Paula: Yes, I am too. It’s just…
Melanie: What?
Paula: It just brings back everything about Hugh. Why couldn’t he have lived? I know it’s irrational. It wasn’t the same situation at all but I miss him every day. No one asks me about him. No one even mentions him.
Melanie: Well to be fair, Paula, it seems like you’re over it.
Paula: Over it? He’s my son. How could I ever be over it?
Melanie: Okay maybe not over it but it looks like you’ve accepted it. I don’t mean anything but–
Paula: But what?
Melanie: It seems odd to me that you want to have anything to do with Sheri. He jumped into that river to save her. It was a horrible accident. She didn’t plan on him doing that but now you’re making her into a movie star! It’s weird.
Paula: Okay, I can tell you this and you’re not going to repeat it, right?
Melanie: Right.
Paula: (Opens a bottle of wine, pours it into her glass and starts to drink it): I’m flat broke. Busted. I have maybe five hundred in my bank account. So that no talent Julian Daniels called me and said he wondered if I knew of someone who could star in his lousy movie. Believe me it’s lousy but he offered a finder’s fee and a small cameo. So I grabbed it. I got six figures for that. I saw Sheri in your bar and thought she’d be good. She has a fantastic body and she’s a beautiful girl.
Melanie: Yeah, she’s gorgeous but I didn’t know she could act.
Paula: She can’t. Zilch. No talent at all but she doesn’t need it for this movie. She only needs to be gorgeous and she is. Julian fell madly in love with her and all she has to do it be in a couple of scenes scream die and show her tits.
Melanie: Does she know she has to show her tits? I mean Jen won’t like that.
Paula: Not yet and who gives a shit what Jen likes? Their Sheri’s tits, aren’t they? She can decide if she wants to show them or not. She’s a big girl.
Melanie: Well now it all makes sense.
Paula: Does it? It doesn’t make any sense to me that Andrew should live and my Hugh shouldn’t. I didn’t say that right. I don’t want Brooke or any other mother to know the pain I suffer. I’m happy for Brooke. I really am but I want mine, too. (Pouring more wine in her glass) Do you want some wine?
Melanie: No I have to get back.
Paula: Don’t leave me tonight, Melanie, please. You’re the only friend I have. The only person who cares at all about me. Did you see my Father? He didn’t even say hello.
Melanie: Neither did you.
Paula: After what he said to me. He needs to apologize for how he acted before I even speak to him again. Jimmy and Kathy no one said anything.
Melanie: I think they were worried about Colleen.
Paula: Not even little Patrick and we were close. I don’t know why I even care.
Melanie: Well I better go. You should eat something and go easy on the wine.
Paula: I will. Thanks again. (Melanie exits. She picks up her phone and dials.) Hello? Don’t hang up. I want to see you. Where are you? Clarke’s? Yes I know where it is. Can I meet you? Okay. Thanks. (She hangs up and then dials again.) Yes, this is Paula Tremayne, I’d like a Uber please.
CUT-TO: Interior. Ginny’s kitchen. She is preparing her dinner as her phone rings. She answers it.
Ginny: Oh, hi, Martin. What? Oh no I’m sure you’d be wonderful company. Oh, okay, you’re not up to it. No I understand. Maybe tomorrow night? Ok tomorrow night it is. Sure. No trouble. Talk to you later. Bye. (She hangs up.) Who are you kidding, Ginny? He’s not interested in you. At least he won’t be when he finds out the truth.
CUT-TO: Interior. Father McShane’s dining room. He is seated in his chair with a place setting and a glass of wine. Grace enters with his dinner.
Grace: Here you are, Father McShane.
Father: This is very nice of you, Grace, but shouldn’t you being doing this for Ralph?
Grace: (Serving him): Ralph doesn’t eat anymore, Father. All he does is smoke and drink. I’ve tried to stop him from doing both but he just doesn’t listen anymore. There. Now doesn’t that look delicious.
Father: It does. There’s enough for two.
Grace: I always make too much. You can save it for tomorrow’s dinner.
Father: Or you could join me.
Grace: I hadn’t thought of that. I suppose I could. I’ll get myself a plate and some silverware.
Father: Isn’t there an extra plate and silverware under there?
Grace: Isn’t that funny? I guess there is. I wonder where that came from. (She sits and serves herself.) Isn’t this nice?
Father: Yes. I do get tired of eating alone. Let’s say Grace. Bless us Father for what we are about the receive make us truly thankful. Amen. (He eats his meal) This is delicious, Grace. Thank you.
Grace: (Tastes her food): It is rather good if I do say so myself.
(Dot enters)
Dot: Oh, Father.
Father: Hello, Dorothy.
Grace: Father and I were just having a private dinner together.
Dot: I didn’t mean to interrupt. I simply wanted to talk to Donald but from the looks of the dinner it’s a good thing I did interrupt. What is it?
Grace: I cooked it myself. If you must know it’s Hungarian goulash. It’s a family recipe.
Dot: I didn’t think you had any family. Maybe this is what killed them?
Grace: Why you–
Father: Ladies! Every time you both get together you have the same argument. You must set an example. You are Church Ladies, after all. Now, Dorothy, Grace and I are having a nice dinner together. Go ahead and eat, Grace.
Grace: I’ve lost my appetite.
Dot: I can understand why.
Grace: Ohhh!
Father: Dorothy, certainly you didn’t come here to trade barbs with Grace. What is it you want?
Dot: I wanted to tell you that I felt the Lord working his miracles today. Andrew Eaton had been hit by a car and he had to be rushed here to the hospital. They didn’t think he would live but we all went to the Chapel and prayed for him. He’s still in critical condition but he’s alive.
Father: Praise Jesus.
Grace: Yes. I’m happy to hear that.
Dot: Thank you, Grace. Thank you, Father. I won’t interrupt your dinner any longer. Good night.
Father: Goodnight, Dorothy.
(She exits)
Grace: Goodbye, Dot. Why does she call you Donald?
Father: That’s my name.
Grace: I know that but it seems so familiar.
Father: I thought you knew that Dorothy and I knew each other before I became a Priest. We’ve been friends a very long time. Well over thirty years.
Grace: You’ve stayed in touch all that time?
Father: No we lost touch but when I came here to Maple Falls as Pastor of St. Mark’s Dorothy was living here with her son Brian so we reconnected. Now let’s eat your delicious dinner before it gets cold.
Grace: Can I call you Donald, too? After all we’re friends, aren’t we?
Father: Of course you may but remember she only calls me Donald in private and I’ll have to ask you to do the same.
Grace: Oh, I would never disrespect you, Father, and call you Donald in front of others.
Father: Good. Now let’s eat.
Grace: (Smiling): Yes, Donald.
CUT-TO: Interior. Clarke’s. Noel is seated at table alone. He is drinking and some left over food on a plate. He watches the door and Paula enters. She goes over to his table.
Paula: Hello.
Noel: Sit down. To what do I owe the honor of your presence?
(Waiter comes over with Noel’s beer as Paula sits.)
Noel: Garzon, get us a bottle of your finest Champagne.
Waiter: Huh?
Paula: Ignore him. I’ll have a glass of white wine, please. (The waiter exits.)
Noel: So?
Paula: Andrew Eaton was–
Noel: I saw it on the news. Your friend Brian couldn’t wait to tell about it on his stupid newscast.
Paula: It made me think of–
Noel: Yes. Me too.
(Waiter enters with the glass of wine and puts it on the table and exits.)
Paula: Thank you. Were we really that bad?
Noel: As what? Lovers? Husband and wife? Parents? Pick.
Paula: All of the above.
Noel: You know the answer to that, Pet, and if you don’t your stupid and the last thing you were ever were or ever will be is stupid.
Paula: Then what were we good at?
Noel: Your career, Pet. We lived with it ate, slept with it, fucked it, shit it–
Paula: Don’t be vulgar.
Noel: Is it vulgar to face the bloody truth? Because the truth is vulgar, Pet.
Paula: Stop calling me that.
Noel: Why are you here? Why did you call me? What did you expect me to do for you? Make you feel better? Reminisce about old times. Those times are gone. Long gone and there never coming back.
Paula: God this was a mistake.
Noel: Not as bad as the mistake I made marrying Lena Romano and taking in that brat.
Paula: What are you talking about?
Noel: That’s right. I forgot. You were never interested in anything that isn’t about you.
Paula: That’s a lousy thing to say.
Noel: It’s the truth. We came to Maple Falls because of you. Your mother was dying.
Paula: And we stayed because of you. All our money was gone.
Noel: This is all old news, Pet. I don’t know what you want anymore perhaps I never did. But understand this I am not a place you can come to anymore to weep and cry and kvetch. We were lousy together and that made us lousy indifferent selfish horrible parents. Accept it and move on. (He rises and throws money down on the table.) Have a nice evening and life and leave me the bloody hell out of it. (He exits as she sits there in tears.)
CUT-TO: Exterior. The Donahue house. It is night-time. We see a Police Car pull up. It is turned off. A beat. Ginny enters from it and quietly closes the door. She looks around and nervously walks up to the front door. She knocks on it.
CUT-TO: Interior. The front door of the Donahue home. Ralph comes to the door but doesn’t open it.
Ralph: (Timidly): Who is it?
Ginny: (Off): It’s the Police. Can you open the door?
Ralph: The police? I didn’t do anything wrong.
Ginny: (Off): If you could just open the door, please. (Ralph timidly opens it. Ginny shows her badge.) May I come in?
Ralph: (Opens the door completely): Yes, Officer. Come in.
Ginny: Ralph? Are you Ralph Donahue?
Ralph: Yes. I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? I couldn’t have. I never leave here. I’m happy here. It isn’t Grace, is it? She’s all right, isn’t she?
Ginny: No she’s all right.
Ralph: Then why are you here? I just keep to myself. I don’t hurt anybody.
Ginny: No you never did. I remember that about you.
Ralph: Remember that about me? I’m sorry I don’t know–
Ginny: I’m Ginny Cusack. The new Police Chief.
Ralph: Yes but what are you doing here?
Ginny: I wanted to see you again. It’s the reason I took the job at Maple Falls. I’d heard you’d moved here after leaving the Priesthood and marrying Grace.
Ralph: Yes we did move here. We had to leave Boise after I left the Priesthood. It was quite the scandal. I don’t think my mother ever got over it. I know it killed her when my brother Gus left. He was supposed to get married to this girl Elsie–
Ginny: Elsie Hunter.
Ralph: Right. Elsie Hunter but he left her at the altar. He never showed and we never saw him again. It killed Mom. She loved me but Gus–
Ginny: Was her favorite.
Ralph: Yes but how do you know that?
Ginny: Maybe Gus wanted to marry Elsie. No, he did want to marry her. He loved–I loved her very much but I had to become who I really am, who I always felt I am and I couldn’t do that in Boise.
Ralph: You’re confusing me.
Ginny: Ralph, don’t you recognize anything about me? I needed to be who I truly am. Ralph, it’s me. Gus.
Ralph: No, you’re not Gus.
Ginny: Not anymore. I’m now Ginny Cusack but I was Gus Donahue. You’re younger brother. I came to Maple Falls hoping we could reconnect. That you would accept me as I am.
Ralph: Get out. GET OUT!
Ginny: Ralph if you’d only–
Ralph: GET OUT! YOU’RE NOT GUS! YOU’RE SICK! GET OUT!
(Ginny exits. Ralph grabs for a cigarette and strikes a match to light it. He hesitates.)
CUT-TO: Exterior. The Donahue home. Ginny is at the front door of her car. The Donahue house blows up in flames.
Ginny: Ralph!!!!!!
Fade to Black
Everlasting Love 