Orange is the New What?
Episode 219
Fade In: Interior. Paula is pacing in her cell.
Paula: Jimmy, where are you? (We hear the door open. Excitedly) Jimmy? Oh, Melanie, it’s you.
Melanie: (Entering): I’m sorry.
Cop: (Who entered with Melanie; handing Paula an orange suit): Here. Chief Cusack says to put these on.
Paula: Why should I do that? You’re treating me like I’m a common prisoner.
Cop: (Unlocks and opens the cell and holds the door for Melanie, who enters. Gives Paula the outfit.): You can change when you friend leaves. (To Melanie) You got five minutes.
Melanie: Thank you, Officer. (Cop closes the cell and exits.)
Paula: Can you believe that? I can’t wear orange. It clashes with my skin. No one looks good in orange. No one.
Melanie: Paula, this is serious. It’s not about you wearing orange. You’ve been arrested for Noel’s murder. You’re not shooting a remake of Susan Hayward’s movie “I Want to Live”.
Paula: I know that. Don’t you think I know that?
Melanie: No I don’t. I’m worried for you that’s why I talked to my girlfriend and asked her to represent you.
Paula: That’s very nice of you, Melanie, but Jimmy’s going to be my lawyer.
Melanie: He can’t be your lawyer–
Paula: Of course he can. He’s my brother. He’s always looked out for me.
Melanie: Well maybe he’s not looking out for you so much this time. He’s in this, Paula, just as much as you are.
Paula: What do you mean?
Melanie: What I mean is I think your brother Jim shot and killed Noel.
Paula: You’re talking nonsense. Jimmy would never do such thing and if he did which he didn’t he wouldn’t allow me to rot away in prison knowing he was guilty.
Melanie: Okay, maybe you’re right.
Paula: I know I am. He loves me. He’s always protected me, looked after me. He wouldn’t allow something like this to happen to me.
Melanie: What did he say when he came by?
Paula: He hasn’t been by yet but he will be.
Melanie: And Mart?
Paula: He came by this morning. I was so glad to see him. What is it?
Melanie: Nothing.
Paula: Melanie?
Melanie: Mart was at my bar last night going on about how much he hates Noel and how he wanted to hurt him.
Paula: First you think it’s my brother who killed Noel and now you think it’s my Father! Really, Melanie.
Melanie: I don’t like to think these things. I’m just telling you what I saw.
Paula: You didn’t see Jimmy!
Melanie: Yes I did. I was shutting the bar down when I went out back to throw out the trash. I saw your brother. He was helping Lena. She looked like she’d been beaten and I heard Noel raging about something. Jim helped Lena to his car.
Paula: Well that proves Jimmy didn’t do it if you still heard Noel after he and Lena left.
Melanie: Wait. Then I saw Jim come back and he was carrying a gun.
(Cop enters and goes over and unlocks the cell.)
Cop: Okay, your time is up.
Melanie: I’ll come by tomorrow, Paula.
Paula: Melanie (Melanie turns) call your lawyer friend for me and ask her to represent me. Please.
Close up of Paula
CUT-TO: Interior. Max’s office. Jim is seated there as Max enters. Jim rises.
Jim: Well how is she?
Max: Her arm is broken and she has bruises on her face and neck. She wouldn’t tell me much about it. So what happened?
Jim: She had a fight with Noel. He beat pretty badly.
Max: Yes I can see that. Jim, what are you doing?
Jim: What do you mean?
Max: You know what I mean. I know we haven’t been seeing much of each other lately because we’ve been busy with our lives but, Jim, you are one of my best friends. Tell me what’s going on maybe I can help.
Jim: It’s all right, Max, I’ll handle it.
Max: Jim! You and Kathy have a great marriage don’t get all mixed up in this thing with Lena.
Jim: Like you got mixed up with Jen when you were married to Sylvia?
Max: It’s not the same thing, Jim, is it? You’re not having an affair with her, are you?
Jim: No. I love Kathy.
Max: Right and that’s the difference between my marriage to Sylvia and yours with Kathy. I never loved Sylvia but I love Jen.
Jim: You don’t still love her? You’re engaged to Brooke.
Max: I know and I love Brooke, too. I’ll never love anyone again the way I love Jen but that’s over. She’s with Richard and I am going to marry Brooke but I’m not here to talk about me. As a friend, I want to help you.
Jim: Is Lena still in the examining room or can I go get her?
Max: All right, Jim, have it your way. She’s waiting for you. (Jim begins to exit.) I’m going to have to file a report with the police. I’m sure know that since you are an attorney. She said that you saved her. If it hadn’t been for you showing up when you did he would’ve killed her. I believe you when you tell me you don’t love her but she’s crazy in love with you. You better watch it, Jim. You could lose everything over this girl. Don’t ruin your marriage with Kathy.
Close up of Max then Jim
CUT-TO: Interior. O’Leary’s Tavern. Jen and Grace are seated at a table. Jen is bored and seated at a table where she obviously ate her lunch and drank her coffee as Grace is finishing the last her meal and drinking her coffee.
Grace: It was so nice of you to take me to lunch, Jennifer. I really do appreciate it.
Jen: It was my pleasure although under the circumstances it probably wasn’t yours.
Grace: I’m not used to eating in this establishment oh you mean about Ralph?
Jen: I really don’t know what I mean anymore, Grace. I hate to rush you but I have to get back to work. (She raises her hand and waves.) Damn! (Grace flinched) Sorry. Look I’ll leave a fifty for the waitress. I gotta go. (She rises)
Grace: Oh, well, of course, Jennifer. Maybe we can do this again soon.
Jen: Wha–sure. (Her phone rings.) Excuse me. (Sees who’s on the phone. To Grace) It’s the hospital bye, Grace. (She hurriedly exits.)
(Grace eyes the fifty, picks it up and quietly slips it into her purse. Melanie comes over.)
Melanie: I hope everything was all right.
Grace: I’d like to say it was but really it didn’t taste right.
Melanie: Well for something that didn’t taste right you sure ate a lot of it. Here’s your bill. (She clears away a few plates and exits as Grace ponders the bill.)
Father McShane’s voice: I’m sorry, Grace, but after the funeral, you’ll have to leave. You’ll have to leave. You’ll have to leave.
CUT-TO: Exterior. O’Leary’s Tavern. Jen is smoking and on her phone.
Jen: What do you mean you’re in Florida? Sheri!
(Melanie comes running out)
Melanie: Oh, thank God, you’re still here!
Jen: What’s the matter?
Melanie: Mrs. Donahue just fell on the floor and says she can’t move!
(Jen stamps out her cigarette, clicks off her phone, and runs inside with Melanie.)
CUT-TO: Interior. Kathy’s kitchen. Kathy is entering from the stairs as Dot is preparing dinner.
Dot: Is Declan sleeping?
Kathy: Yes. Oh you didn’t have to start dinner.
Dot: Well I wanted to do something to help.
Kathy: You don’t need to help. Everything’s fine.
Dot: Kathy, Patrick stood here in this kitchen and told you he saw Jim leave the house last night with a gun in his hand. That doesn’t seem fine to me.
Kathy: I know, Mom, and I can’t help blame myself for everything.
Dot: How is any of this your fault?
Kathy: Because I wanted Declan so much and Noel took him and almost drove me crazy with that dumb plan I had with Elsie to get Declan back and then Jim was worried about me and went and brought Declan to me.
Dot: You don’t think Jim killed Noel to get Declan for you?
Kathy: I don’t know but Jim hated Noel. I mean he hated him from the moment they met. He beat Noel up in the church. He leapt right out of the pew and beat Noel to a pulp. Jim had to be pulled off of Noel or else he would’ve killed him there.
Dot: Yes I know. I was there at Hugh’s funeral.
Kathy: And I understand Jim’s hatred of Noel because, God forgive me, I felt it too. I have never hated anyone as much as I hated him. I wanted to kill him too but I didn’t. I mean I couldn’t.
Dot: And neither could Jim. He knows right from wrong. He’s attorney after all.
Kathy: Yes I know, Mom, but when Jim really cares about someone–I mean really cares–he has blinders on and all he sees is what he sees and nothing else and no one else matters especially when it comes to his family and friends.
(Jim enters)
Kathy: Jim! (She runs to him and tries to kiss him but he pulls away.) Where have you been? I’ve been calling and texting you all day.
Jim: (Turns to speak outside): You can come in. (He holds Lena’s good arm as she enters.)
Dot: Good Lord! Lena, what happened to you?
Jim: I’ll tell you all about it but first, Kathy, Lena will be staying with us for a few days.
Kathy: Oh, she will?
Jim: Yes, she will and that’s final.
Kathy: Oh, I see.
Dot: Lena, come upstairs with me and wash up.
Lena: No, I don’t want to be any trouble–
Dot: (Taking Lena’s good arm): Come!
(They exit)
Kathy: So, Jim, tell me where you’ve been and start from the very beginning.
Close up of Jim and then Kathy
Fade to Black
Everlasting Love 