EPISODE #2014-281




“You lied to your mother for me,” Lorna stood facing Jamie after Rachel had left. She took both his hands in hers and kissed first the back of one palm, then the other. “Why did you tell her you knew what Carl had written me, and that I’d gone to see him before he died?”

“Because what goes on between you and me is none of my mother’s business. And because I will always have your back, no matter what, no matter who.”

“It took me a long time before I could believe that.”

“I don’t mind proving it over and over again.”

“I didn’t tell you because – “

“Your relationship with Carl is none of my business.”

“I didn’t tell him to kill himself. I did tell him to cut Rachel loose so she could start putting her family back together. With him spending the rest of his life in jail, it was the best thing he could do for her.”

“And what did he say?”

“He wanted to know why I gave a damn?”

“Why did you?”

“Because of you. Because I love you, and I want you to be happy. Your relationship with your mother is important to you. I wanted to try and fix it, if I could.”

“It doesn’t seem to be working,” Jamie observed.

“You think?”

He smiled. “It’s okay. Really, Lorna, it is. I know it may sound like I’m protesting too much but, the truth of the matter is, I really just don’t care anymore. I spent half a century wrapped up in my mother’s drama, trying to please her and fix things that should have never been my responsibility to fix. I’m over it. Honestly, right now the best scenario I can imagine is that Carl really is alive, and even if it means he never ends up paying for what he did to us and hundreds of other people, he and Mom run away and are never heard from again. This way, she can have the life she wants, with the person she loves, and I can have the same, with neither of us forced to approve of the other’s choices. I want Mom to be happy, and if that requires her tossing me out of her life, so be it.”

“You’d miss her,” Lorna pointed out.

“I miss her already,” Jamie said sadly.

“You really think Carl is alive?”

He shrugged. “It’s straight out of the Evil Mastermind Playbook.”

“But if he and your mother planned all this, why is she acting so offended every time anyone brings up the possibility?”

“To throw us off the scent, maybe?”

“It’s like she wants it both ways. She wants Carl to be alive, but she wants all of us to agree that he would never fake his death, and she wants me to admit that I talked him into suicide. Only one of those things can be true.”

“If Carl is dead, my mother will need somebody to blame. Somebody who isn’t Carl, that is. If she doesn’t hold him responsible for tricking her into thinking Cory and Elizabeth were dead, she is hardly going to believe that he killed himself – or whatever happened – of his own free will. She needs a scapegoat. You, me, whomever… I have no intention of letting it get to me. And you shouldn’t either.”

“Oh, I don’t give a damn what Rachel says about me. I’ve heard worse. She doesn’t even crack the top ten. But to accuse you of being insensitive to her pain while she completely ignores Carl doing the same thing to you – “

“My mother has always accused me of putting her last. A while back, she claimed that I am constantly forgiving Alice for offenses I’d never let her slide on.”

“When, exactly, did Alice collude in the kidnapping of your wife?”

“She also told me that Carl may have sacrificed Spencer to the compound but, given the chance, Spencer would have done the same thing to Carl. Now, that might be true but, as it happened, Spencer died saving my son. That’s fact, not speculation. I could try reasoning with Mom, but I doubt she’d hear anything I have to say. She’s decided that I’m against her, that I have always been against her, and that I enjoy being against her. If that’s what she requires to get through the night, fine. She’s got enough on her plate, and the kindest thing I can do is just let her believe whatever she needs to. It doesn’t matter, anyway,” Jamie repeated, pulling Lorna closer. “No matter what happens next, as far as we’re concerned, the story is over. All that’s left for us to do is live happily ever after with our kids.”

“That sounds very, very likely. Especially in Bay City.”

“Do you trust me?” he asked her.

“Always.”

“Then trust me on this.”


“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” Lila advised Matt, trying to sound jovial despite his glum demeanor. “I’m kind of an expert at significant other’s more significant other coming back from the dead and screwing up your lives, but good.”

“Michael’s not exactly back yet,” Matt grumbled. “And I don’t know if he actually is, you know, more significant.”

“Right, right,” Lila instantly backed down.

“I mean, I know he’s Donna’s first love, and he’s Vicky and Marley’s dad. And she said, when she was married to Carl, one of the reasons she gave Jenna up was because she couldn’t stand the thought of raising the child of any man but Michael.”

“But that was years ago. She sure was anxious to have a baby with you, a while back.”

“Yeah, well, maybe if that had worked out….”

“This isn’t going to be the second coming of Frankie,” Lila attempted to reassure. “Or the third or the – whatever way you keep count. Donna and Michael, they aren’t Cass and Frankie.”

“They’re pretty damn close.”

“Cass and Frankie were married when she disappeared. They intended to stay married for the long haul.”

“Donna and Michael were about to get engaged when he died.”

“Oh, please, like those two were ever able to make it work. Personally, I think they just liked the sparkly jewelry and the you-may-kiss-the-bride part. ‘Cause they sure weren’t too good at the staying married part.”

“Neither were Donna and I. The first time around. She slept with Michael. That’s why we had our marriage annulled. She was never able to keep away from him for long.”

“She’s doing it now. I don’t see her flying to his side. Wherever that might be.”

“She said the decision was up to me.”

“She what now?”

“She said I could decide whether or not we followed up on the information Carl gave her. She said she couldn’t be objective, so I’d have to be the one.”

“Good Lord, talk about passing the buck!”

“She said she didn’t want to hurt me.”

“No, she just wants to squeeze you in so tight between a rock and a hard place that there’s an avalanche looming no matter what you do. If you say yes, she gets her Michael back and two men fighting over her. If you say no, she gets to play the martyr and hold it over your head every time you step out of line in the future.”

“No! No, that’s not it at all!”

“This should be her decision, hers and hers alone. No fair dumping it on you.”

“I want to help Donna through this.”

“Then tell her, whatever she decides, you’ll back her up – not the other way around.”

“When Frankie came back….” Matt began gingerly.

“Yeah?”

“Did you want to stay with Cass?”

Lila shrugged. “Didn’t matter what I wanted.”

“That’s not true. Cass loved you.”

“He did, you’re right. Only problem was, he loved Frankie more. I could’ve swallowed my pride and hung onto him for a bit – maybe even forever, if I played my cards right – knowing I was second choice all the while. I didn’t. And now Cass and Frankie are living happily ever after, and I’m all alone. So I don’t know what to tell you, Matthew. Except – either way – this sucks.”


“When were you going to tell me about your getting controlling interest at Cory Publishing?” Rachel had tracked Amanda down to Morgan’s apartment, and now blew right past the good doctor, still in his robe, intuiting her way to the bedroom, where she found her daughter under the sheets, looking up at Rachel in stunned surprise.

“How – how did you know about that?”

“Iris told me.”

“How did Iris know?”

“Well, it’s her stock you got back, isn’t it?”

“Yes. But, Carl said he’d brought it secretly.”

“According to Iris, she sold it to him in exchange for… “ Rachel trailed off, not quite ready to let the cat out of the bag yet.

Amanda’s curiosity was piqued. “What?”

“That’s irrelevant,” her mother dismissed with a wave of a hand. “The important question here is, why didn’t you tell me? Didn’t you think I deserved to know Mac’s company was finally back in our hands?”

“My hands,” Amanda corrected instinctively. “Carl left everything to me.”

“Obviously, that was just a formality. He didn’t want the Justice Department sniffing around. He didn’t want to jeopardize the deal.”

“That is what he said,” Amanda conceded.

“Of course. Carl was no fool. And he knew how much it meant to me, to have controlling interest back in the family.”

“The stock is mine,” Amanda repeated, more forcibly this time, uncomfortable with how Rachel seemed to be taking her inevitable acquiescence for granted.

“It’s Cory stock.”

“And I’m a Cory. You, Mom, are a Hutchins.”

“I was a Cory when I gave birth to you, young lady.”

“A lot has changed since then.”

“Not this. Not my loyalty to your father.”

“You married the man responsible for his death.”

“And now that same man – through his own death – had given us the ultimate gift. Mac’s company back. He meant for us to share it, obviously, you said so yourself.”

“I’ll share it, Mom,” Amanda said, taking Rachel aback with her abrupt change of heart. “I’ll share it, just as soon as you swear on Daddy’s soul that this isn’t part of a scam you and Carl dreamed up to help your husband evade justice and keep him out of jail, while also getting back the property that was stripped from you both.”

“How dare – You’re worse than your brother! First Jamie and Lorna accuse me of being in cahoots with Carl, and now you?”

“That’s exactly what you said you did four years ago, when Carl disappeared with Cory and Elizabeth and Lorna. You said you helped him set it all up then.”

“This is different. Why can’t you see that this is completely different?”

“It is,” Amanda greed. “Because we believed you then, and we all rallied to your side. We cried with you, Mom. We mourned our brother and sister with you. Fast-forward a couple of years later, and you told us that you’d played us all for fools – for Carl’s sake. And now you’re surprised we don’t want to be taken for a ride a second time?”


“Do we tell Zeno?” Cass wondered, looking at the preponderance of evidence that indicated Douglas Rivera was his biological father – and that Eduardo had not only known about it, he’d played an active role in supporting the boy, at least financially, for years. Judging by the fact that Chase Hamilton had played such an active role in helping Zeno and Allie keep the farm and avoid attempted murder charges, logic dictated that he’d known, as well. And yet no one had seen fit to enlighten Zeno.

“He’s not exactly my biggest fan right now,” Frankie admitted.

“You mean, because of what happened with Allie?”

“I was just trying to help him. I have so much to make up to him for.”

“He’s made it pretty clear he’s not interested.”

“I know. But, Charlie wasn’t exactly interested in our forcing her to get treatment, to stay on her drug protocol. And we went ahead and did it anyway.”

“That’s hardly the same thing.”

“It is to me. I love Zeno as much as I love Charlie. I realize that’s hard for you to hear, but they feel the same to me. They’re both my children.”

“I understand that.”

“In fact, this,” she indicated the paperwork. “It’s… disappointing. In my mind, Zeno always had only one father. You.”

“Frankie…”

“I know. I know you don’t believe he’s the baby we lost. But it made perfect sense to me. Especially with him having no father. He even looks like you.”

“Actually, now that it’s been pointed out, I can see how much he looks like Doug.”

“It’s the dark hair. Orly was Greek – Tantalus is a Greek name. I always assumed that’s why he looked the way he did. But, Doug, yes, I can see it, too. The Spanish influence.”

“We don’t have to tell him anything. We didn’t go looking for this information, it was dumped in our lap, unsolicited.”

“By Carl…”

“Even dead, he’s screwing up lives. He knew we were investigating Eduardo.”

“At his own request. He wanted to prove to Alice that he was legit. This news about Zeno is irrelevant.” “And it certainly has nothing to do with Lori Ann’s safety, which was Carl’s ostensible reason for giving it to us in the first place.”

“What if it’s connected?”

“Beg pardon?”

Frankie said, “What if this was Carl’s way of proving that Eduardo isn’t who he says he is? Carl knew we wouldn’t just take his word for it, so he gave us some easily verifiable data as a warning to watch out.”

“For Lori Ann’s sake?”

“Carl was pretty clear that there are still people out there with axes to grind against him. And that they might come after Lori Ann in revenge.”

“If my daughter’s safety is at stake, I’d have preferred some hard details, not cryptic hints.”

“Carl was writing his letters in jail. Maybe he was afraid they’d fall into the wrong hands and tip off his enemies.”

“So he left us a clue, and expected we’d follow up.”

“That’s kind of what we do.”

“Which means…”

“We can’t let this go. Even if we ultimately don’t tell Zeno. I think the least we ought to do is speak to Doug.”


“It was too soon,” Olivia hissed to Iris, meeting her at her father’s house when she was certain Russ wouldn’t be there. “You came for us too soon.”

“What option did I have, with Prim Miss Marley breathing her lunatic breath down my neck, threatening to expose me as being responsible for Dennis’ disappearance unless I tracked him down, post-haste.”

“You were responsible,” Olivia reminded.

“I was hardly alone in the endeavor, my dear. Whatever happened to your claims that all you needed to do was get Dennis away from Marley for a spell, and he’d be putty in your hands, once again?”

“I was getting there! You’ve seen the surveillance footage! Hell, look at where we were when you interrupted us. But it was all too soon. I told you, we needed to sleep together first – “

“Are you truly that dazzling in bed? It didn’t appear to have worked the first time around. Or the second. Or – ”

“It’s the guilt that would have ultimately kept him from Marley. And yes, as a matter of fact, I am. Thank you for asking.”

“Well, she left me no choice. The woman isn’t without resources herself, and I knew she had her people watching my people. I couldn’t risk her getting to the two of you first. At least my way, I was able to engineer the discovery for maximum impact.”

“Marley forgave him,” Olivia said dully.

“Marley is an idiot.”

“Like a fox, she is.”

“You’re mixing your metaphors.”

“And you’re underestimating your enemy. Marley’s poor, vulnerable, trusting damsel in distress bit is all an act. Maybe it didn’t start out that way. But no woman can take as much crap as she has and not wise up. She’s just playing a part to lull you into a false sense of confidence. And to manipulate Dennis. He can’t bear the thought of bruising her fragile, delicate sense of self, so he does whatever she demands.”

“You were going to fix all that.”

“Hey, I can do vulnerable and fragile, too. You should have seen me on the island. I was so worried about little Daisy, and about Sarah. I really had Dennis going.”

“You’re right,” a male voice said behind them, prompting both Olivia and Iris to whip around and gape, horrified, at Dennis. “You really had me going.”


“Is Charlie here?” Cory wondered, catching Elizabeth alone in the library, listlessly leafing through a book that, as far as Cory could see, wasn’t even in English.

His sister shook her head. “She went home.”

“You okay?” He sat down on the couch next to her.

“Not really.”

Cory guessed, “Charlie?”

“Uh-ha.”

“What’s wrong?”

“She doesn’t love me,” Elizabeth said.

“Did you think she did?”

“I loved her. I mean, I thought I did.”

“Did she say she didn’t?”

“It was more of an actions speak louder than words thing.”

“What did she do?”

Elizabeth took a deep breath, then, needing someone to confide in lest she burst, spat, “She went out and slept with… a guy.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“So does that mean you and she aren’t – “

“No. I mean, I probably should dump her, right? What she did was unforgivable. It should be unforgivable.”

“Did she tell you herself?”

“She kind of had to. I’d have figured it out in nine months, anyway.”

“Nine months…” Cory went pale. Though, because she was still not looking at him, Elizabeth failed to notice.

“Yeah. Doesn’t that beat all?”

“She’s pregnant.”

“Yup.”

“Are you – is she… sure?”

“Sure enough that the doctor is willing to give her an abortion, so I’d say, yeah.”

“Charlie is getting an abortion?”

“She has to. I told her she had to.” Now Elizabeth finally looked Cory’s way. “That’s okay, right? I mean, she doesn’t want to have a baby. She probably would have gotten the abortion anyway. It’s not because I said it. Well, not completely.”

“You think, maybe if you hadn’t insisted…”

“She’d want to keep it? No! Totally not! It’s not like the guy meant anything to her. She was drunk. So it wasn’t her fault. That’s what Charlie says, anyway. She doesn’t even know the guy’s name. It’s not like they’re going to run off and live happily after and leave me alone again.”

“But, if Charlie slept with someone else, a guy especially, doesn’t that mean that – “

“It didn’t mean anything. She said so.”

“I know you love her.”

“I do. I really do. That’s why she needs to get rid of the baby. So we can forget about it. But, see, I’m worried. What if she starts blaming me for it, you know? What if, like, she starts to feel guilty and then she needs to make it somebody else’s fault. It’s going to be me, isn’t it? She’ll turn on me. There’s no way I can win here. I hate this. I don’t know what to do. I need help, Cory. Tell me what I should do. Please.”




         









Click here to buy Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments now.






Receive email notification every time www.anotherworldtoday.com is updated
Email: