| | Fantasy Knots Landing
'Starring' (in alphabetical order)
Tyne Daly
William Devane
Kevin Dobson
Josh Duhamel
Michele Lee
Jesse McCartney
Donna Mills
Ted Shackelford
Michelle Trachtenberg
Joan Van Ark
Episode Two - "How I Met Your Father"
Written By: Robert McCormack
Later, on the same night of the previous episode, Mack arrives home having caught a late night connection from JFK to Los Angeles International. Given the time difference, it’s still a decent hour when Mack arrives home – much to the relief of his loving wife Karen who immediately runs up towards the door to greet him.
As Karen wraps her arms around Mack, so Mack warmly reciprocates the embrace and stands there as his wife tightly holds onto him for some much needed support:
“Karen….oh Karen” he whispers to her
While Karen herself stands there sobbing like a baby in his arms – clearly overcome with emotion……
Greg meanwhile arrives home to the ranch after what can only be described as an exhaustive day where he has learned he has a new son. He is immediately greeted by Carlos who comes out to inform him of some news:
Carlos: “Mr Sumner…”
Greg: “Yo Carlos” (rubbing his eyes rather wearily)
Carlos: “Did you have a pleasant evening Sir?”
Greg: “I certainly did Carlos. I’m going to now run a hot bath and soak in the tub”
Carlos: “Mr Sumner, the former Mrs Sumner called while you were out” (referring to Anne)
Greg: “Which one?” (tehe)
Carlos: “Ms Matheson”
Greg: “I don’t want to know Carlos”
Carlos: “She said it was urgent she speak with you”
Greg: “I’m not in the mood Carlos” (continuing to the bathroom)
Carlos: “She said she was in trouble and you were the only one who could help her”
Greg: “Annie is always in sort of crisis Carlos. She’s big enough to fight her own battles”
Carlos: “For what it’s worth, she really DID sound like she needed your help Sir”
By this point, Greg is rolling his eyes – burdened down with the extraordinary events of the past day. It is at this point that he stops to give Carlos a little advice:
“Have you ever been in love Carlos?”
“Yes Mr Sumner”
“Have you ever been married?”
“Yes Mr Sumner”
“Do you still speak to your wife?”
“No Mr Sumner”
“Are you involved with anyone else?”
“No Mr Sumner”
“Well take my advice and keep it that way. After the day I’ve had, they always spring surprises on ya – and at our time of life, we ought to be past the stage of surprises don’t you agree?”
“Yes Mr Sumner” (smirking)
“Do me a favour won’t you Carlos?”
“Yes Mr Sumner”
“Pack me a bag with a few days’ essentials will you?”
“Oh yes Mr Sumner”
“Thanks. I’m going to take myself camping a few days. Clear my head and all….”
“Sure Mr Sumner” responds the understanding butler.
Back at the Mackenzie kitchen, we then hear more about the days’ events from Karen as she sits at the kitchen table revealing all that has happened, to Mack:
“I swear Mack; all I did was go over there to stop Lori. Warn her that she was totally out of order and that I’d had enough of it”
“What brought all this on huh?” asks a curious Mack
“Brian….he came over to see me after going to see her – claimed that he wasn’t Sydney’s father after all. Claimed that Lori was lying and that Michael was the babies’ father”
“What?” asks an astonished Mack
“I know. That’s how absurd the whole thing had got. We didn’t know what WAS truth and what was not. She’d lied, cheated and manipulated us all. She’s humiliated Michael, turned my whole family against me, tried to kill Kate, tried to break up Brian and Kate. It couldn’t go on. I had to make her know that I wasn’t prepared to stand for her behaviour anymore…..but I swear Mack, we just talked – argued even. I swear, I didn’t KILL HER Mack”
Mack holds out his hand as Karen becomes emotional and grabs her tightly assuring her:
“Hey. I know you didn’t kill her and so will the police I promise”
“Are you sure?”
“If there IS evidence of foul play, the cops will get to the bottom of it. Right now, we need to be there for Michael though. How is he taking this all huh?”
“I’m not so sure. He’s shaken REAL bad. I mean it’s bad enough to find your wife has died suddenly without having to undergo hours and hours of questioning by the police as well. I mean you’d think they’d have a little more compassion”
“Karen….it’s procedure”
“I know but even still” (sighing) “Anyway I thought it’d be best he stay here for a few days”
“Oh sure”
“He’s upstairs in his old bed. The baby is in our room tonight”
“Good” (nodding in agreement)
Upstairs at the same time, we see Michael lying awake on his old bed staring at the ceiling and replaying the days’ events in his mind. He keeps imagining images of his dead wife lying on the kitchen floor; face up with her eyes open in a twisted position staring at him. It’s an image which Michael clearly finds disturbing though - judging by the way he tightens his eyes shut with fear upon recalling such images in his head…..
Downstairs meanwhile, Karen and Mack continue to speak quietly about all that has happened:
“I don’t know how he is going to react Mack when…..you know…”
“What?”
“All of this….this mess….comes out. I guess that’s the part I’m dreading the most”
“You know, telling him yourself could cause him a lot less heartache”
“Huh?”
“Imagine how he is going to feel when the cops confront him about the fact he was living with a woman who gave birth to another man’s child? Supposing they assume he found out and killed her out of revenge. That’s a prime reason for murder”
“But Michael didn’t know anything”
“Until a cause of death is determined and a culprit is found, EVERYONE is guilty in their eyes Karen. Now much as I have full confidence in the judicial system, if they learn about Sydney’s father’s identity before he does and learn you knew, they’ll let it slip to see if the two stories match. How will that make Michael feel huh? Knowing that you knew but didn’t tell him?”
“Oh Mack” (starting to sob); “I hate this. I hate this so much” replies Karen
Mack leans over and wipes the tears away from Karen’s face advising her:
“You have to come clean and tell him the truth Karen. You can’t protect him anymore”
“Uh uh” nods Karen in disagreement after a moment to think about Mack’s words; “I can’t do that”
“Karen you HAVE to” whispers Mack in a desperate plea to his wife to see sense; “Haven’t you listened to me? If the cops get to him before you do, what will that do to him huh?”
“Mack he is in so much pain. I can’t tell him. I just can’t”
“Karen….honey….you can’t go on protecting Michael any longer. You are going to have to tell him. It’s the only option you have”
Then, a voice from the corner interrupts them asking:
“Tell me what?”
The voice is MICHAEL!!!!!!!!
Across the street, Megan can’t sleep with worry since her son stormed out the restaurant earlier in the day after learning that Greg was his natural father. Megan is starting to feel that telling her son such news was a mistake that was born out of her own selfish motives – to keep him in town while simultaneously strengthening her relationship with Greg.
We catch her walking across her darkened living room with a mug of hot milk in her hand dressed in her robe and making her way to the window to look out the drapes.
Underneath the moon outside is the cul-de-sac which too is in darkness. Every light in the street is off. At least every light that is except the one from her brothers’ house. Megan’s heart goes out to Karen, Mack & Michael as she contemplates what they must be going through……
However Megan has her own set of problems to contend with at present hence the reason for her insomnia. She then makes her way across from the window to her sofa before sitting down and wrapping her gown around her for extra warmth. She notices her handbag sitting on the side of the sofa, and, placing down her mug on the adjacent table, so Megan reaches for the bag and pulls out a photo of Greg which she had taken from his house. It’s a photo from around 1983/84 when he was running for State Senate. Looking down at the photo, Megan ponders on her man and all the emotions he has made her feel throughout her life. All she wanted was to be reconciled with her one true love and settle down with him and Patrick as a family one day.
She thought Greg would be the one who’d have difficulty accepting the news. She didn’t for one minute think Patrick would pose any problems…
Staring at the photo, she soon starts to recall past incidents where things haven’t gone all that smoothly for the couple – especially way back at the very start of their relationship when they weren’t even dating…
We flashback to the year 1966 and to the Mackenzie family home on the lower East Side of Manhattan. It’s a modest house – a singular raised ranch surrounded by other homes looking similar in style in a typical suburban street on the outskirts of the city. Inside is filled with typical 1960’s furnishings including a large grand cherry-wood curio stand loaded with lots of typical family features inside from the china tea set given to Anna & Pete Mackenzie for their wedding many years’ earlier to other such gifts as a grand old carriage clock and Pete’s absolute favourite – his Bourbon Decanter which is probably the most used item in the stand! No pictures of the family are contained though. Much to young Mack’s consternation – not even his army picture which he sent home not long after signing up in 1959…
The Mama & Papa’s are riding high in the American Billboard Charts at the time with their unforgettable classic ‘California Dreamin’ – a song which can be heard blaring out from young Megan Mackenzie’s bedroom as the young teenager sits in her room supposedly studying for a college exam the following day. Instead though, upon closer inspection, we can see her staring at a picture of her ‘crush of the moment’, none other than her elder brother’s new friend, the dashing young Gregory Sumner. Megan is distracted when she hears her father call on Mack up the hallway:
Pete: “Marion….MARION”
Mack: “Yeah Pap?”
Pete: “That’s Gregory here for you”
Mack: “Be out in a minute pap”
Megan’s mind goes into overdrive as she starts contemplating over whether or not she should sit tight in her room and ignore Gregory’s presence tonight, or whether she should actually head out to the living room and attempt to make conversation….
Meanwhile in the living room itself, Pete is sitting in his armchair watching ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson and not even acknowledging the young Gregory Sumner’s presence…
Greg himself is standing awkwardly watching on with his hands in his jacket pockets being completely ignored by Pete and, attempting to make conversation, decides therefore to make a comment on the TV show:
Greg: “So Mr Mackenzie….any good guests tonight?”
Pete: “Are you kidding? Some lousy actress called Betsy Palmer. Never even heard of her”
Greg: “Her face rings a bell” (upon closer inspection at the small black and white screen)
Pete: “They’ll put anyone on this show you know, just to fill airtime. I mean the last guest was some random guy called Corbett Monica. He was supposed to be funny. I’ve still to raise a laugh”
Greg: “Gee I’ve heard of him…he’s REAL funny” (just to be obstinate)
Pete: “Speak for yourself. His humour bypasses me all the time”
“He’s not the only one” mumbles Greg to himself….
At that moment, young Megan appears – having changed her outfit to a rather revealing black and white striped mini skirt which needless to say, catches the eye of Greg:
“Hi Greg” (chirpy and flicking her long black hair backwards)
“Well hi….” Responds Greg with a wry smile on his face
Over at this armchair, we see Pete staring out the corner of his eye. Obviously, when he sees the state of his daughter, he has to look TWICE before furiously asking:
“Are you going out lass?”
“No pap” answers Megan nervously
“I should HOPE not dressed like that. Have you any idea what you look like?”
Megan is mortified while Greg looks away rather embarrassed as Pete continues:
“You look like a whore. You should be in your bed at this hour anyway. And I FORBID you to dress like that EVER”
At that moment, Megan starts crying and runs out into the hallway as Mack emerges on the scene:
“Hey Gregory” he greets him
“Hi” answers Greg with a “can we get out of here quickly” kind of look
But Mack is curious:
“Pap…what was all that about huh? With Megan?”
“She’s taking after your mother that’s what’s up”
Mack is concerned and about to challenge his father when Greg, (sensing this) quickly decides to change the conversation by asking:
“So…have you guys heard about these anti-communist demonstrations taking place at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry? They’re really gathering momentum you know”
“No kidding” answers Mack with a ‘who cares?’ kind of look
“Oh I wouldn’t worry laddie. They’ll send in the army and gas them or something. There’s no such thing as freedom of speech you know. Just look at that kid who was assassinated last year. What was his name?” (thinking about it) “Malcolm X that was it”
“Freedom of speech?” replies a furious Mack; “Pap…did you HEAR what he said about Kennedy? He implied Jack Kennedy got what was coming to him when he was killed. That’s not the type of freedom of speech we want in our society. Have you no sense of judgement at all?”
“So now you’re gonna tell me what I should think huh?”
Greg then escorts Mack out the house telling him:
“Mack…we’re gonna be late for the gig. We better go”
“A gig? At this time of the night? Who on earth plays music at this time of night?” moans Pete.
And with a stare that could kill, so Mack bangs the door behind him leaving his father alone to sit watching the remainder of Johnny Carson…
While Megan sits on her bed crying her eyes out following the remarks made by her father moments earlier…
Inside the house, Michael’s world is about to be turned upside down even more as Karen begins to tell him what she should have told him months ago – the truth about his errant wife Lori. The pair sit in the kitchen (having been left alone by Mack who has now retired to bed):
“She had been deceiving you Michael. Deceiving us all. She claimed to Brian that he was Sydney’s father. She tried to break him and Kate up. Was due to leave town with him until I caught the pair of them and convinced him to stay with Kate. Once she realised I was onto her, she did her finest to out manoeuvre me – writing threatening letters, placing barbiturates in the bathroom cabinet, telling Val I’d pushed her down the stairs…”
“Oh no” answers Michael. “No no no” he continues shaking his head in disagreement; “That can’t be true”
“It IS true” answers Karen as she continues: “Ask Val yourself. Ask Brian. Ask Megan”
“They all knew?” replies Michael in horror before it sinks in; “They all knew and I didn’t?”
“No it’s not like that honey”
“Oh no? Then what’s it like huh? You claim my wife had an affair behind my back and was pregnant with another man’s child and that you didn’t tell me? And that all these people – our friends and neighbours knew about this and I didn’t?”
“It wasn’t like that honey I swear”
“Then tell me WHAT WAS IT LIKE MOM?”
By now, Michael is filled with rage and anger – aimed in all directions. Partly at his dead wife but mostly with his mother:
Karen: “Brian is as much a victim in all of this as you are honey”
Michael: “Oh is he now” (sarcastic)
Karen: “She led him on too. She made him think that Sydney was his child then claimed on the day she died that the child is yours”
Michael: “What? How do you know all of this?”
Karen: “Because Brian came round that’s why. After Lori told him this he came to me asking why I didn’t tell him any of this”
Michael: “And why didn’t you?”
Karen: “Because she told me the child was BRIAN’S. That’s what she was like Michael. That’s what your darling wife was like. She played mind games with us all. Mind games with me, mind games with Brian and mind games with YOU”
Michael: “So let me get this straight. If Brian came round to see you AFTER seeing Lori, then Brian was the last person to see Lori alive right?”
At that point, Karen nervously hesitates to answer – and the expression on her face says all to Michael:
“Not exactly” she responds
“Huh?” answers a confused Michael
“I was the last person to see her alive”
“You were?” replies Michael; “And you didn’t tell me?”
“Honey you were so upset earlier that’s why I waited to tell you all of this. You’d been through enough already what the questioning and all”
“Why? Didn’t you think I could handle any of this earlier? Or months ago for that matter? My wife was having an affair behind my back with my cousin and you didn’t think to tell me?”
“I KNOW I was wrong not to tell you but I didn’t know for sure the child wasn’t yours and I still don’t. I didn’t want to cause you any unnecessary pain”
“But you HAVE mom. Don’t you see? Can’t you imagine how all of this makes me feel huh? This is my life. Lori was MY WIFE. And no one thought to tell me”
“I realise I should’ve told you. I know that and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner but anything I did, I did because I loved you and I just wanted to protect you. Can’t you see?”
“No I can’t see….and to be honest I’m not too sure I want to see either….”
Michael gets up from his chair and walks over to the faucet area – leaning over and letting out a huge sigh with the tears blinding his eyes before stooping his head downwards. Dressed in his robe, he sums up his feelings:
“You know what? This is worse than Lori dying. To know that I’ve been conned all these months…fooled into believing that my life was in order and that my mother – the one person who is meant to protect me could’ve stopped me from going through all of this but didn’t – despite the fact she knew, she didn’t”
“Michael it’s not like that honey I swear” sobs Karen
“WILL YOU QUIT SAYING THAT? That’s EXACTLY what it’s like. No matter how hard you try and cover up your actions mom, the fact will remain that you knew my wife had cheated on me yet you were prepared to let me father another man’s child? Now tell me, how could that possibly have been good for me huh?”
“You don’t understand Michael” (shaking her head)
“Try me”
“I’ve BEEN in that situation that’s why”
“What?” (stunned)
“Yes that’s right. When Diana was first born I didn’t know if your father was her father”
“I don’t believe this” (giving up)
It seems Karen’s attempts to try and explain her actions are only making the situation worse:
“Now 30 years ago I took a chance. I realised that if I told your father the truth then I risked losing him so I took a chance and history proved me right. He WAS Diana’s father after all – and here….history was….it was repeating itself in front of my eyes. Now I had to make the exact same decision six months ago that I did 30 years ago. I had to decide if telling you the truth was worth hurting you when I didn’t know what the truth was for myself. I didn’t know she was going to turn into a psycho but by then it was too late. She’d already painted me out to look a fool if I opened my mouth”
“Yes….you ARE a fool” responds Michael; “So why now huh? Why tell me all of this now huh? She’s dead. Why couldn’t you have just kept all this information to yourself?”
“Because there is a whole lot worst stuff that she did Michael and I have to tell the police everything I know”
“Well it’s too bad you didn’t tell your son first huh?”
And with that comment, Michael exits the room leaving Karen broken hearted and bursting into tears once more as she sits at the kitchen table in semi-darkness, pathetically alone cradling herself while sobbing out loud like a baby in a very Karen like manner.
While Michael’s actions are understandable considering he has just lost his wife, they still nevertheless worry Karen who fears that keeping such information secret for so long may have caused the relationship she has with her son irreparable damage….
The following morning dawns and it is obviously breakfast time judging by the cheery mood of the paperboy as he merrily circles his way around the cul-de-sac dropping copies of the Knots Landing Tribune into Megan’s front lawn, followed by her neighbours’, then the Mackenzie’s’, the Ewing’s and the Becker’s next door to that before cycling down towards the bottom of the street….
Gary is on his way down the path and lifts the paper on his way out to the car – giving it to Val who is dressed in her jogging suit following her morning run on the beach:
“You have a good day sweetie” she instructs him
“I will. I just wish I didn’t have to get up so early” (laughing)
“Now now. If your meeting with that sub-contractor goes well, it’ll be worth the early rise”
Once Gary makes his way out the famous black railing garden gate, Val turns round and looks over at the Mackenzie’s’ – only imagining what the atmosphere in there must be like today….
Inside the kitchen, Mack is sat eating his cereal when Karen appears looking somewhat tired. Karen doesn’t speak and Mack does not know how the conversation between mother and son went due to the fact he fell asleep with exhaustion following the tiring day he had endured:
“So how did it go?” he eventually asks
“Not good” answers Karen as she pours herself out a mug of black coffee from the glass coffee pot.
As Karen makes her way over to the table while adjusting her dressing gown to join Mack, she fills him in:
“He’s so angry Mack” (nodding her head in despair); “He feels so angry and hurt and betrayed. He blames me for everything. I don’t think he’ll ever get over this Mack I really don’t”
As Karen’s eyes start to well up again, Mack holds her hand and optimistically assures her:
“He’ll bounce back Karen. What he is feeling right now is to be expected. His wife just died and he needs someone to blame while his head tries to make sense of it all. You’re the hitting target. But that won’t last. Sooner or later he’s going to need you and you’re going to need to be there for him. And you will. Just like you always are for everyone”
“I should have told him earlier Mack. I shouldn’t have tried so damn hard to protect him”
“Karen stop it. You can beat yourself up all you want but you can’t turn back time. What’s happened has happened and we need to face it. You thought you were doing right at the time and whether you were right or wrong makes no odds. You were just trying to protect your son and no one can fault you for that”
Karen is listening as Mack continues:
“Now the next few days are going to be messy. A lot of innocent people are going to be involved in this. Brian, Kate, Michael, us….but we’ll get through it. The way we always get through it. And once it’s all over, Michael will see for himself that you just tried to protect him. And once he sees that, it’ll make the pain less bearable for him. And when he does see that, you’ll need to be there for him more then ever. Got that?”
Karen nods in agreement as Mack squeezes her hand assuring her:
“I love you”
“I love you too Mack Mackenzie” answers a visibly frightened Karen….
Across the street, Megan is in her kitchen baking to take her mind off her errant son when the front door bangs forcing her to head out to the living room:
“Patrick?” she yells
Whenever she comes out to the living room, she spots Patrick standing by the doorway looking scruffy and tired with his leather jacket draped over his left arm, his shirt lying half open and a days’ worth of stubble on his face - wearing a cocky big grin to boot:
“Hi mom” he smiles back at her
“Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick. GREG has been worried sick”
“You mean my father?”
“Yes your FATHER now where have you been? I’ve not seen you since you stormed out the restaurant yesterday”
“What can I say? I got lucky” (laughing)
“Oh yeah?” (curious, but not wanting to know anymore)
“Anyway where I’ve been isn’t important. It’s where I am now which IS – and that’s home with mommy dearest” (still smiling)
“Huh?” (confused)
“Come on mom. I thought you’d be pleased to see me” (holding his arms open and STILL smiling)
“Oh I am. I just don’t get it that’s all. There and then I’m just grateful you came back and didn’t leave me too. Kate called me last night and told me she and Molly were staying at a friends’ house for a couple of days. I was beginning to think I’d bad odour or something”
“Of course you haven’t” (laughing) “I simply had a rethink after your announcement yesterday that’s all. So I called Cassandra my secretary and told her I was extending my little vacation”
“You did?” (delighted)
“Yeah, well, it’s not everyday you learn you have a new father. Especially not one as rich as my old man”
“Patrick” (not happy)
“So….I thought I should hang around and get to know the old guy a little better. So I’ve referred all my cases to my partner Anthony Brogan. Told him I’m taking a little time off…..executive stress and all”
“Was that wise? Won’t you lose out?”
“Oh yeah – I’ll need to hand Anthony all legal bonuses. I’m going to lose out BIG time. However old paps will come through for me. After all, the reason I’m extending this little vacation is because of him”
“Patrick” insists Megan; “I don’t want Greg thinking we told him because of his money”
“Why not? I bet you that old guy has had a ton of long lost relatives crawl out the woodwork aiming for a piece of his fortune. You wait and see, I’ll be right….”
Off Patrick’s look, Megan turns round to head back into the kitchen when Patrick asks:
“Infact, do you want to go round and see the old man now? I know I do”
And with a great big beaming smile on her face expressing her relief, so Megan replies:
“I’ll get my coat”…..
A few miles along the coast meanwhile at her beachfront home in Malibu, Abby returns home from a hard morning’s detective work trying to track down Jeremy Fox (who has implicated her in the murder of Peter Choy) and finds a letter addressed to her in the post. She picks up the mail and immediately opens the intriguing letter only to find it is from Peter Choy himself.
A stunned Abby then reads out the contents:
‘Dearest Abby, if you ever have to read this letter, then I will be obviously be gone….’
As Abby digests the letter’s contents, it soon becomes apparent that Peter was fully aware of Jeremy’s murderous past and decided to act on the threat Jeremy made to him before he left LA for his new life in Washington by framing him from beyond the grave should anything happen to him. The letter is attached to a file (placed inside a Jiffy Envelope) showing newspaper cuttings of various suspicious deaths that occurred a few years’ earlier on the East Coast as well as photographs showing Jeremy with the deceased shortly before they died.
“Oh Dear God” mutters a startled Abby
Now ordinarily, Abby would’ve been elated to have received such ‘dirt’ on someone. Ordinarily, she would use this information to blackmail Jeremy – in exactly the same way she blackmailed Greg over the Mark St Claire murder, or his father over the Tidal Basin murders. However this time is different. Abby now realises she is dealing with a cold hearted killer and immediately, she stops with her plans to track down Jeremy who has moved to Wall Street. Unfortunately though, Abby is unaware of his precise whereabouts and cannot set about attempting to frame him unless she can give the police details of where he has moved to.
What should she do? She asks herself…
Abby then picks up the telephone and calls Greg at the ranch. Right now, she really needs his advice on the matter – however when she dials the number, the line is engaged. Abby therefore has a rethink and opts not to take her coat off but heads immediately outside and DRIVES over to Greg’s to see him in person…..
It seems that Greg is in much demand today! Patrick & Megan are already on their way out to the ranch to see him and in the car (as both mother and son drive through the suburbs of LA), Patrick has so many questions needing answering:
Patrick: “I mean, you never ever told me about him before. Don’t you think it at least warranted a mention?”
Megan: “You already HAD a father”
Patrick: “Only he WASN’T my father was he?”
Megan: “He loved you like you were his own”
Patrick: “I mean…” (stuttering) “I have no idea when or HOW it happened…nothing…” (shaking his head)
Megan: “Oh come on. 32 years of age and you have no idea HOW it happened?”
Patrick: “I’m talking about the timeframe involved here. When were you going out with him? How long for? When did you split? Were you dating him while you were dating pap? I need to know”
Megan: “We didn’t….’date’ as such”
Patrick: “So it was a one night stand?”
Megan: “NO” (angry at the intrusion into her privacy)
Patrick: “Mother….I think I have a right to know how my parents got together…”
And so, Megan starts to tell her son just exactly how she and Greg DID get together…..
“It was the summer of 1966” recalls Megan; “I remember it so well…. ‘Sunny Afternoon’ was out at the time. God I was in love with The Kinks…”
Your Uncle Marion had just graduated from New York University and joined Fordham Law School. It was there where he’d met Greg. The two of them hung out almost all the time. Greg practically stayed at our house in those days. Of course, I was a few years younger so I looked up to him….and boy was he handsome” (fondly recalling). “Naturally, he seemed outta my league…he WAS after all a law school freshman…he wasn’t interested in me….”
“So imagine my shock when one night he was leaving our house and calls me outside. Boy I still remember that night like it was yesterday….Mom and I were at home watching the Andy Griffith Show at the time” (laughing at the recollection) “Mom was a BIG Andy Griffith fan….and then I heard a voice from behind calling my name”:
“Yo Megan” cried Greg
“Yeah?” (confused, and looking behind her from the sofa)
“Can I have a word with you? I kind of need to ask a favour”
“Sure” (puzzled)
Megan then accompanies Greg outside to the front door and they stand on the porch. Needless to say Greg is nervous and walks on so he isn’t facing Megan while asking her – however there is nothing but silence except for the sound of crickets in the background and a deep sigh on behalf of Greg. Then, he turns round and facing her, plucks up the courage to ask:
“I’d like it if you could hmm….accompany me….to a wedding….if you’d like to that is….”
“As your date?” (Presumptuous)
“NO….not as a date” (laughing off the suggestion); “Actually yes. As my date”
“Boy” (with a beaming smile); “Yeah…sure when is it….I mean….I need to check my diary of course” (playing hard to get)
“Oh of course”
“So….when is it?” (still waiting for an answer)
“Oh…the 15th of next month. Saturday the 15th”
“Okay”
“Cool” responds Greg with somewhat relief
Greg is still feeling rather awkward so feels the need to go on and explain – or at least just to keep speaking to cut the awkward gaps that expose his nervousness:
“It’s my friend Phil….he’s getting married. He and Julie….they’re such a sweet couple you know…you’ll like Julie….she’s very pretty…..”
“I’m sure she is” smiles Megan
And so, six weeks later, the big day arrives and the wedding takes place. The exquisite surroundings of the exclusive Country Club where the reception is held impresses Megan to no end as she gazes around her, marvelling at sights such as the Champagne Fountain. We join Greg & Megan on the dance floor alongside other notable faces such as Phil & Julie (the bride and groom) and Mack with his own date for the occasion, a girl called Mandy. All the gang are dancing to the sound of ‘It had to be you’ being played by the orchestra:
Megan: “I’ve never been to a wedding like THIS before”
Greg: “Well…Philly always has enjoyed a lavish lifestyle shall we say”
Megan: “Really? Does he have a good job?”
Greg: “No”
Megan: “Well what does he do?”
Greg: “He’s a lock clerk”
Megan: “What about Julie?”
Greg: “She’s a book-keeper”
Megan: “Well how can they afford something as lavish as this? Have they wealthy folks or something?”
And at the moment, Greg whispers in Megan’s ear:
“He works for the MOB” (clarifying the word ‘mob’)
Needless to say Megan is alarmed – even more alarmed infact when the newlyweds pass them on the dance floor:
Phil: (beaming) “Great day guys isn’t it?”
Greg: “Sure is Philly….except your bow tie is crooked”
Phil: “Oh Ha Ha” (sarcastic laugh)
Megan: (to Julie) “You’re looking very beautiful Julie”
Julie: “Thank you. So will it be you guys tying the knot next?”
And before Julie gets to hear an answer to that, Greg has whisked Megan off to the other side of the dance floor as we pan away from the dancing pair to a bird’s eye view of the dance floor as the song reaches its conclusion….
And so, at the end of the night, Greg drops Megan off at her front door:
Greg: “Well…guess its home time”
Megan: “Guess it is then” (shrugging her shoulders)
Greg: “Thank you for a very pleasant evening”
Megan: “And thank you for the invite”
Greg: “And thank YOU for saying yes to the invite”
Megan: “And thank you for driving me home”
Greg: “And thank you for letting me drive you home and not opting to go home with your brother. I’d have looked like a right jerk leaving on my own”
Megan: “And I’d have looked like a bigger jerk coming home with another couple let alone my brother. PLUS I don’t think Marion would have been too thrilled either”
Having thanked each other for about a zillion times and having run out of conversation, Greg then breaks the tension by asking:
“Gosh what do we do now?”
Megan doesn’t answer. Instead, she just looks into Greg’s eyes rather seriously for a moment waiting for him to plant a kiss on her lips. Greg knows she is waiting and wants to oblige so duly leans over for a soft tender kiss on Megan’s lips that lasts only a few seconds. It is clear from the look of satisfaction on Megan’s face that those few minutes were well and truly worth the wait – having held a torch for the guy for many months….
Greg then quips:
“Do me a favour will you and not tell your brother?”
“Of course” responds Megan as she exits the car - dressed in a thin white linen fitted jacket and a beautiful long ‘prairie style’ salmon shaded dress - and says her good night.
As she walks up the garden path towards the front door, Greg leans out the window of his 1961 Chevrolet Impala Convertible promising Megan:
“I’ll call you sometime”
Upon hearing these words, Megan continues to walk towards her front door closing her eyes with excitement as her heart skips a beat….”
Meanwhile at the ranch, the reason why the line is engaged soon becomes apparent as Carlos tries to explain to ANNE who is calling him back from jail:
“I appreciate it is urgent Mrs Sumner but I swear I do not know where Mr Sumner is. He left to go camping for a few days and he did not give me a forwarding cell phone number….no I don’t know his cell phone number….I do not ask him for his cell phone number I just do my job around here….it is Mr Sumner’s business Mrs Sumner if he wishes to leave his number with me or not….I understand this is urgent Mrs Sumner but I repeat I do not know Mr Sumner’s whereabouts I am sorry….yes Mrs Sumner….I will have him call you as soon as he returns I promise….goodbye Mrs….Sumner”
It is clear from the alarmed way which Carlos holds out the receiver that Anne was the one who hung up on him as the doorbell then goes – harassing the poor butler even more…..
Carlos answers to find that it is Megan and Patrick at the door. Needless to say, Patrick’s eyes are everywhere:
“Carlos….is Greg at home?” asks Megan
“Oh boy” answers Carlos as he rolls his eyes…..
Meanwhile, downtown in an LAPD precinct, Karen’s car pulls up as we see her nervously turn off the ignition and exit the vehicle. Karen then stands there for a moment looking at the front entrance to the white sandstone building. She does not want to go in, but feels it is her moral duty to tell the police everything she knows. After all, she has nothing to hide. She knows she didn’t kill Lori. After threatening her that day that she was determined to rid her from Michael’s life, she then left the house as is evident by the flashback sequence in Karen’s mind:
“I’ve been gathering enough evidence on you to put you in prison for a long time” she told Lori before continuing; “So I’m offering you this one opportunity to get out of town before it’s too late. Otherwise? Well Lori, do you really need me to spell it out for you?”
CUE a horrified Lori:
“Just think about it” continued Karen; “You stuck in prison….Sydney growing up without his mother with Michael having custody – after all he IS his father! Missing out on all those birthdays and Thanksgivings and family Christmases with your son…and then when you ARE released, having the child resent you and not wanting anything to do with you….and who could blame him huh? After all…his mother IS a killer”
“You wouldn’t have the guts” maintained Lori
“Oh yes I have Lori…you see….you’ve driven me to it”
And so Karen concluded:
“It’s up to you Lori…..the ball is in your court”
“You’re bluffing”
“Oh really? Try me”
“Mack thinks you’re crazy, Michael thinks you’re crazy, your closest friends think you’re crazy. I can make you look however I want you to look and still be able to pull it off. You’ll need to kill me if you want rid of me”
“Don’t tempt me Lori….don’t tempt me”
And so, those were the last words Karen ever spoke to her nemesis – the daughter in law from hell before drawing Lori a dirty look and exiting the house…..
Now, back in real time, while Karen doesn’t want to face the police, she knows telling them all she can now will look better than revealing information at a later date.
And so, Karen takes off her sunglasses, lets out a huge sigh and enters the building – walking straight up to the reception desk and asking the clerk:
“Can I speak to someone…an officer perhaps regarding a suspicious death which occurred yesterday?”
“Sure” replies the young female clerk; “And who should I say is calling?”
“The name is KAREN MACKENZIE” (with her head held high)
End of Act One... Act Two...
At the Sumner Ranch, Megan is none too pleased when Carlos tells her that Greg has gone camping:
Megan: “Camping? Camping? Why on earth would a 60 year old grown man want to go camping?”
Carlos: “Don’t ask me Ms Mackenzie. I’m only the messenger man”
Patrick: “HA HA HA. Well you’ve got to hand it to the old guy. I suppose if I’d his money I’d go camping too – just for the hell of it” (laughing)
Megan: “This is NOT funny Patrick….say Carlos, when are you expecting Mr Sumner back?”
Carlos: “I don’t know Ms Mackenzie”
Megan: “Did he leave a forwarding number where he could be reached?”
Patrick: “He’s camping mom. How on earth can he be reached?”
And then the penny drops with Patrick:
“Aha…unless, he has one of those cell phones perhaps?” (penny dropping)
“Oh yes he does” answers an excited Megan; “Carlos, can I use the phone for a moment?”
“Be my guest” replies Carlos (as though he has a choice in the matter)
And so, as Megan heads over to the telephone sitting on the table next to the sofa, so Patrick takes a walk around the lounge with a nervous Carlos following him around the place to ensure he doesn’t steal anything:
Patrick: (approvingly) “Very nice…not very big though is it?”
Carlos: “You should see outside” (who IS this man?)
Patrick: “Impressive huh?”
Carlos: “Very. Mr Sumner has a pool, horses and acres upon acres of beautiful land”
Patrick: “I bet he does…” (in awe)
As Megan struggles to obtain a connection to Greg’s phone, so Patrick quizzes Carlos about a painting he likes on Greg’s wall:
Patrick: “What a beautiful piece of Art”
Carlos: “Well….it should be….”
Patrick: “Expensive huh?” (paying close attention to detail)
Carlos: “The former Mrs Sumner paid $35,000 and that was more than ten years ago I think”
Patrick: (doing the math) “At today’s prices, that would be over $50,000 I reckon – for a picture of some garden furniture? WOW” (in awe)
We then hear Megan bang down the phone in a temper:
“Damn” she cries; “I despair of that man”
Then, picking up her purse:
“Thank you for the use of the phone Carlos. Patrick? COME ON”
“Nice talking to you Mr….” (shaking the butler’s hand)
“Just call me Carlos”
“Yeah…Mr Carlos…” responds a half interested Patrick.
As both mother and son head their way out the front door, Patrick still has difficulty taking his eyes of the $35,000 painting when the pair bump into ABBY on the doorstep:
Abby: “Megan” (with a false smile)
Megan: “Why Abby how nice to see you” (false back)
Megan spots the Abster eyeing up her son so introduces her to him:
Megan: “Abby this is my son Patrick, Patrick this is Mr Sumner’s former wife Abby”
Patrick: “No kidding, so the painting is yours?”
Abby: “What?” (puzzled)
Patrick: “The $35,000 painting?”
Carlos then steps in to clear up the confusion:
“Oh no no no” he cries; “…that was another Mrs Sumner”
Abby laughs nervously (not knowing what to make of the situation) while Patrick comments:
“Jesus, how many times has my old man been married?”
Needless to say Abby is startled by this revelation as Megan ushers her son out the door:
“We best be off now Abby. Nice talking to you”
“Yes. Same here” replies Abby
Once the pair leave, Abby then quizzes Carlos:
“Did I hear right?” (referring to Patrick’s ‘old man’ comment)
To which Carlos shrugs his shoulders in typical Carlos fashion. Abby then asks:
“Carlos, is Greg available by any chance? I need an address from him”
“Don’t ask” answers the shattered butler as he rolls his eyes….
Downtown meanwhile, Karen is doing her best to co-operate with the police over Lori’s ‘death’ whilst trying not to implicate herself in the meantime:
Detective Gonzalez: “So let me run over this again Mrs Mackenzie, you’re telling me that Mrs Fairgate had an affair with your nephew and the cousin of her husband, claimed he was the father of her unborn baby, waged a terror campaign against you, tried to kill your nephew’s wife and you did nothing about this? You let her carry on treating everyone like this and that day you just went over there to ‘chat’ with her?”
Karen: “You don’t understand.” (shaking her head)
Gonzalez: “Try me”
Karen: “I was in a delicate state of mind”
Gonzalez: “So delicate you didn’t find time to report an attempted murder?”
Karen: “I haven’t yet proved she tried to kill her yet”
Gonzalez: “So effectively, what you’re saying is you don’t know for sure that your daughter-in-law DID try to kill your nephew’s wife?”
Karen: “Yes”
Gonzalez: “Yet you come in here making a string of accusations without conclusive proof?”
Karen: “It’s not like that. I came here because awful as I thought that girl was, I felt it my civic not to mention ‘moral’ obligation to help you guys out because if it turns out Lori WAS murdered, then you’d know what leads you had to pursue…”
(then grabbing her purse and getting out her seat, Karen concludes)
“If I’d known I was going to be treated like this I wouldn’t have bothered”
However Detective Gonzalez isn’t happy at Karen’s attempts to get up and just leave him with this ‘mess’ to unravel so orders Karen:
“SIT DOWN Mrs Mackenzie. You’re not going anywhere”
CUE a stunned Karen…..
Meanwhile outside Michael’s home, the gardener speaks to a young, female detective who is also probing into events which occurred in and around the home yesterday afternoon:
“I left here just after 3.30pm after completing some chores around the garden” admits the gardener; “Mr Fairgate you see had hired me to come and take care of both the side and back lawn once a week. Anyway, just before I went home for the day, I saw a visitor arrive”
“Can you give a description of this visitor?” asks the detective
“Yes, she was female, around 5ft 8 or 5ft 9 inches tall, Caucasian, with dark brown, shoulder length hair in her mid to late fifties I’d say and wearing a brown tweed style jacket and denims. I reckoned she was the girl’s mother or something at first and shouted over to her”
“Did she reply?”
“No she walked straight into the home. She didn’t look pleased at all”
Back at the station, Detective Gonzalez asks:
“So what did you do when you got into the house?”
“I wasn’t there very long. About five? Maybe ten minutes?” (then thinking about it more) “No. it was definitely five. I simply confronted her. Told her how she had to stop causing trouble like this. I told her that I’d had enough of her antics and wasn’t prepared to see her cause anymore heartache and that if she didn’t leave my son’s life, I’d make her leave”
“So you threatened Mrs Fairgate?”
“I threatened her I’d go to the police and tell all about her part in Kate’s accident”
“Yet you don’t know for sure she was involved in that accident?”
“I was CALLING HER BLUFF. People DO THAT sometimes”
“And how did Mrs Fairgate take this threat? Not well I bet?”
At that point, the gardener tells his detective:
“I could hear voices being raised as I collected my tools – it seemed like the kitchen window or something was open around the side of the house”
“Could you hear any part of the conversation?”
“No….just a lot of shouting….and then it all went calm”
“I’d say she reacted calmly” answers Karen; “But then, she was always calm and calculating. She never got upset over anything. She wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of letting you know she was upset”
“And then I left” concludes the gardener.
“What time was this at?” asks the female detective
“Must have been about a quarter to four”
“And did you see anything suspicious as you left the grounds?”
“No m’am. I packed my tools and left in my truck. Assumed it was just a domestic dispute and thought nothing more of it – until today when I came back to collect my payment and bumped into you”
“Didn’t you collect payment yesterday?” inquires the detective
“I tried” answers the gardener; “after I completed the Jefferson’s’ lawn and got cleaned up, I went back round the four homes in the area that I’d worked in all afternoon. However when I came back here, there was no answer”
“And what time was that at?”
“About an hour later”
“So you’re saying it’s plausible that Mrs Fairgate was killed sometime between 3.30 and approximately 4.30 yesterday afternoon?”
“Of course it’s plausible. Although I’d only visited the family property twice since the couple moved in, I saw no one else ever visit. Chances are that if someone did kill that poor girl, it was the visitor I’m telling you about”
“And was this lady’s car there when you returned?”
“No…but the front door appeared to have been left open slightly when I knocked. However there was no answer and I knew the couple had a newborn child so I didn’t want to wake the baby. I reckoned I’d just return today for my money”
Karen then asks:
“Will this take much longer? I’ve told you all I know”
“Let me be the judge of that” is Gonzalez’s response…..
Back at the cul-de-sac, Megan and her son Patrick arrive home again with Patrick emerging from the vehicle first. Megan is busy talking to him and complaining about Greg:
“I’m telling you this is so typical of that man. He has no sense of responsibility.”
At that point, Megan is distracted when she sees her son waltz up to the path next door and start chatting to her next door neighbour, Geri, who is cutting the front lawn:
Patrick: “Hi, needing some help there?”
Geri: “No thanks” (turning off her lawn mower), “Us women ARE capable of managing some chores without the help of a man”
Patrick: “Ooh….sensitive are we?”
Geri: “Just in the company of male chauvinists I am”
Patrick: “Oh so I offer you some help and suddenly you think you have me sussed out huh?”
Geri: “I’ve met your type before pal”
Meanwhile, Megan stands there with an enormous grin on her face being entertained by the pair as she makes her way up the front path while Geri can’t help but resist having one final dig at Patrick so turns off the mower for a second time to instruct him:
“Why don’t you run after your mother like a good little boy”
And so, with a look that could kill, Patrick turns in his tracks and makes his way indoors with his tail between his legs trying to keep hold of what little male pride he has left at this point.
Indoors, he is fuming:
“How dare she. How dare she speak to me like that”
“Well you’ve got to hand it to her. She can handle men alright”
“I wouldn’t call it that”
“No wonder her husband is barely ever around”
“She is married?” (stunned)
“Oh yeah – has a young baby girl as well”
“Poor bastard” mutters Patrick in disbelief while shaking his head…….
A while later, Val comforts Karen upon her return from the police station by pouring her out a large mug of coffee in her kitchen:
Karen: “You should have heard him Val. The way he spoke to me. It was as though I was the criminal. As though he had his mind made up that I killed Lori”
Val: (dismissive) “Will you relax? I’m sure that’s not the case”
Karen: “I swear on my life, I think I did more harm than good going there today I’m telling you”
Val: “Karen listen to me….”
However Karen has her head bowed and is staring into her hot drink as Val repeats her plea:
Val: “Karen LISTEN to me….”
Karen: “Huh?” (looking up at her)
Val: “Within the next day or two, the autopsy results are going to show the cause of death. Now if Lori WAS murdered, they can collect DNA samples from her body and her clothing. They will be able to tell that you didn’t kill her. And despite what that awful detective may or may not have said to you today, I guarantee you, the fact you went and spoke with them and volunteered what you knew about the final hours of her life will mean something and stand in your favour”
Karen: “Do you think?”
Val: “I KNOW Karen…trust me. I’ve been there MANY times before. They’ll know you’re not a killer”
However once again, the rock of Karen Mackenzie soon starts to crumble as Karen once again breaks down in Val’s company:
Karen: “Oh Val? What am I going to? Before I went down there, I told Michael everything”
Val: “And how did he take it?”
Karen: “Not good….not good at all” (shaking her head in dismay)
Val: “Michael is going through a tough time right now sweetie. He’s had a tremendous shock to his system. You need to give him that time do you understand?”
Karen: “Oh Val…..it’s all such a mess” (tearful)
Val: “And it’ll get sorted. We’ve been through stuff as bad as this before and we all got through it right?”
Karen is still shaking her head in a pessimistic manner causing Val to re-iterate her point to gain Karen’s agreement:
“Right?”
“Uh huh” replies Karen unconvincingly as she holds Val’s hand at the kitchen table…..
Meanwhile, a few hours later that night once darkness has fallen, we then see Abby emerge from an elevator at The Sumner Group building downtown.
Despite the fact that Greg is out of town on his camping trip, Abby is determined not to be beaten and in a desperate bid to obtain some contact information for Jeremy Fox who has been avoiding her calls since she last heard from him some 32 hours earlier, Abby therefore goes to Greg’s office to ‘snoop’ for some correspondence which may be linked to Jeremy’s new residence in New York. She knows that giving the police such precise details about his current whereabouts will prevent a public appeal and thus the opportunity for Jeremy to flee the country.
And so, we then see the Abster look deviously through Greg’s office diary, filofax and the mountain of paperwork which has built up on the side of his desk:
“That man needs to be tidier” she comments to herself…
Then, she moves onto Greg’s filing cabinet which IS indexed thankfully enough and straight to the ‘Staff Files’ section…
THEN…
Abby hears the closing of a door out on the reception area and instantly panics so hides underneath the desk while the security guard outside checks the premises for any intruders while conducting his usual nightly duties.
Following a routine check of the office once occupied by Abby herself, he then makes his way across the floor to Greg’s office and opens the door – looking inside;
CUE Abby curled up in a ball underneath Greg’s desk panicking….
Once he looks around him and is satisfied that all is as it should be, he then leaves the premises closing the door behind him causing the Abster to breathe a sigh of relief….
After a few minutes (giving the security guard time to walk back into the elevator), Abby then emerges looking uncharacteristically tussled – though her eye make up is still intact! Then, she casually tip toes back over to the filing cabinet, quietly opens the top drawer and pulls out Jeremy’s file from the relevant section.
Amongst the paperwork is the letter which Greg received from Mandels’ Associates on Wall Street asking him to provide an employment reference for Jeremy several weeks earlier. Abby immediately grabs the letter – containing the address of the firm’s Wall Street headquarters, hides it in her inside jacket pocket and immediately flees the premises….
Her panic isn’t over though when the elevator stops and the doors swing open to reveal the SECURITY GUARD inside.
AARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
“I forgot my purse” answers the Abster in an innocent yet devious manner while batting her eyelids in order to sweeten the security guard himself.
It’s going to be a long elevator journey back down to the ground level……..
The following morning over breakfast, Patrick is STILL angered by the attitude of Geri next door the previous day and at the breakfast table, he sits eating a slice of toast dressed in nothing except pyjama bottoms suggesting he is not long out of bed while Megan (fully dressed), rinses breakfast dishes under the faucet with a cloth draped over her left shoulder:
Patrick: “I mean all I did was offer to help her with the gardening and from that, she interprets that I am some sort of male chauvinist, sexist creep who displays an instant disregard for the female mind and believes that women are no good for anything better other than bearing children and making meals”
Megan: “She said all that?”
Patrick: “She might as well have”
Megan: “Are you sure it’s not YOU saying all this?”
Patrick: “What? Are you in agreement with her? Are the two of you in this together? First you want me to stay here in Knots Landing and now you decide to have a pop at me too?”
Megan: “Oh relax Mr Sensitive. You know what I think?”
Patrick: “Do I want to know what you think mother?”
Megan: “I think that you have the hots for her and you’re trying to hide behind this facade of feeling hurt and offended when deep down you’re actually scared to admit that you might quite like this girl after all?”
Patrick: “Now that IS offensive. Do you honestly think I would want to even associate myself with someone so…so….shallow?”
Megan: “Honey you’re trying too hard”
Patrick: “Trying too hard? Perhaps my resentment of the woman isn’t clear enough for you mother. I can honestly say to you, hand on heart, I swear on pap’s grave that I hate.….”
At that point, both Megan & Patrick are interrupted by a chap at the back door from none other than their next door neighbour Geri who has made her way in to see them:
Megan: “Hi” (startled)
Geri: “Hi Mrs Mackenzie, I was wondering if I could have a word with your son?”
Megan: “Be my guest” (this should be fun)
Geri stands in the centre of the kitchen at the sideboard as Patrick still has his back to her. He makes no attempts to turn round to her forcing Geri to grovel to him….
Geri: “Excuse me…I’m sorry….” (nervously) “What is your name again?” (laughing nervously)
Patrick: “Patrick” (continuing to read his newspaper and with his back still turned)
Geri: “Hi Patrick….look, I’m sorry I was so ‘off’ with you yesterday out on the cul-de-sac. I was having a rough day. Ellie…..my daughter, had been up all night teething”
Megan: (butting in) “Oh that’s too bad dear. I remember it well”
Patrick then turns round and looks at his mother in disgust as though to tell her to shut up as Geri continues with her ‘apology’:
Geri: “Anyhow, I was hoping this bottle of Californian Rose would act as a way of some sort of….you know….”
Patrick: “Apology?” (talk about putting words into a person’s mouth)
Geri: “Yeah….apology is good”
Patrick then has a short re-think to himself:
“Boy she is HOT. Perfect eyes, perfect smile, perfect…..breasts….phwoar….” (eyeing her up and down)
Then, before he gets completely lost in his thoughts, he answers Geri:
“Sure….apology accepted. After all, we’re all entitled to our off days aren’t we?”
“Gee….thanks” answers Geri
Megan meanwhile is standing at the faucet rolling her eyes before Patrick intervenes to demonstrate his sensitive side:
Patrick: “Say mom….don’t we have anything in the medicine cabinet to help with the baby’s teeth?”
Megan: “For a one year child?” (huh?) “In OUR medicine cabinet?”
Geri: “Oh no, it’s okay. I got stuff in from the drug store but thanks”
“No problem” winks Patrick back as Geri exits the house with her sleeping baby. Patrick then turns round to his mother with a cocky big grin on his face forcing his mother to give him a row as she starts to clear up the breakfast table maintaining:
“I can’t believe you caved in like that. Tut tut…. Call yourself my son? You have no backbone. No principles. Some hot young girl the same age flaunts herself in your direction and you fall for it. You’re weak….”
But Patrick doesn’t care as is evident by the great big smile on his face as he exits the room singing ‘Zippity Doo Dah’….
Over at the other Mackenzie house on the cul-de-sac, it’s a more subdued affair some 48 hours after the death of family member Lori. Karen is standing frying breakfast on the pan while Michael is sat in silence eating cereal while staring out the adjacent window. It is then when Mack enters – still dressed in his robe:
Mack: “Good morning sweetheart”
Karen: “Morning” (solemnly)
As Mack kisses Karen, so he speaks with his eyes by pointing them to Michael and then back to Karen as though to ask her if Michael is speaking to her yet. Karen nods her head to say “no”.
Mack then makes his way over to the table and joins Michael attempting to make conversation with him as he grabs himself a slice of toast:
Mack: “Hey Mike? What are you up to today?”
Michael: “I got to go and pick a casket”
Needless to say this last remark stuns Karen who, after taking a breath, then offers her help:
Karen: “Oh honey….you don’t have to do that”
Michael: “I need to bury my wife” (sarcastic)
Karen: “No what I mean is….” (interrupted)
Mack: “What your mother means is you don’t have to do that alone”
Michael: “Why not? Does she want to come with me to make sure they actually put her in it?”
Karen: “Michael” (offended)
Michael then rises from his seat and dumps his cereal bowl on the sideboard before commenting:
“I thought that’s what you’d want mother. After all, you practically put her there”
As Michael then makes his way out the kitchen, Karen instantly fires down the dishcloth and snaps back:
“I resent that remark. I resent the hell out of it. Just because of what she did to me does NOT mean that I wanted her to wind up dead and I sure as hell never “put her there” as you seem to suggest. What I told you yesterday was only half the story. It’s only because I wanted to spare you anymore hurt that I didn’t tell you the other half”
“Oh there’s another half? Is that as absurd as the first?”
“It’s MORE absurd Michael. MUCH MUCH more”
“You’re unbelievable. You really are” (laughing)
Michael shakes his head in disgust and is about to exit the kitchen for a second time when Karen again stops him by mouthing out some more home truth’s about Michael’s ‘darling’ wife:
“Like how she tried to KILL Katie. How much more absurd do you want it huh?”
A stunned Michael then stops in his tracks again as the front doorbell rings. Mack opts to take the chance of leaving both mother and son alone to fight this one out as he goes to answer the door leaving Michael to confront Karen about her accusations:
“I don’t believe you. Right now you’d say just about anything to make me hate her wouldn’t you? What’s up mom? Don’t you like the fact she’s getting more attention than you? Is that it?”
Karen looks on in disbelief at the hurtful words emerging from her son’s mouth as he continues:
“Why is this all coming out now huh? Because the Karen Mackenzie I know would never have let her away with this in her life. So why wait till after her death before you make these accusations?”
“They’re not accusations Michael. They’re fact. And they’re facts that I’ve been pursuing for months now. I didn’t wait till after her death. I just wanted to spare you as much hurt as I possibly could for as long as possible”
At that moment, Mack interrupts the pair to inform Karen:
Mack: “Karen…sorry to interrupt but um….Detective Gonzalez is here to speak to you once more”
Karen: “Oh” (alarmed) “Sure…would you like some coffee Detective?”
Gonzalez: “Actually I’d like it if you come down to the station with me Mrs Mackenzie”
Karen: “Why?”
Mack: “Is she being held?” (stepping forward with alarm)
Gonzalez: “No….we just need to ask Mrs Mackenzie more questions to elaborate further on some of the information she gave us yesterday that’s all”
Karen: “Sure…” (confused) “I’ll grab my coat”
Karen then walks over to grab her jacket which is hanging up in the cupboard below the stairs as Michael asks Detective Gonzalez:
Michael: “Is there any word on when the autopsy results will be ready?”
Gonzalez: “No not yet. It’ll most probably be Monday now Michael what with it being the weekend and all”
Karen then informs the Detective that she is ready and the pair head out the door and down to the Police Precinct to conduct the next round of questioning. As they leave, Mack shouts after her; “I’m following you down there”. Once his wife is escorted away, he then comments to Michael:
“I don’t like this…”
Mack then makes his way over to the telephone table, looks up a telephone number in his small notebook which is also sitting on the table beside the phone and then dials a number before speaking upon the recipients’ answer:
“Hey Tom? It’s Mack Mackenzie here….look I wonder if you’re free for an hour or two this morning? Oh good…….no….it’s not me it’s Karen. She’s been questioned over my daughter-in-law’s death”
CUE a heartbroken Michael as Mack concludes:
“I want her to have a damn good lawyer by her side. I think she’s going to need it”
And with those chilling words, so our cyber screen fades to black…
End of Episode | | |
