ANOTHER WORLD 255 Donna and Michael reach a crossroads

ANOTHER WORLD 255

Created by William J. Bell and Irna Phillips

Donna and Michael reach a crossroadds

Marley makes a desperate move

Stacey says good-bye

Written by:  C. Nathaniel Richardson

Consulants:  Alex Beeby and ML Cooks

PART 1

AT THE MONTGOMERY’S, MARLEY IS SLEEPING IN THE CHAIR IN THE NURSERY AS BABY ROMAN SLEEPS IN HIS BASSINET, AND SHE HAS A DREAM…

Ellen Wheeler as Marley Hudson Montgomery

MARLEY’S DREAM:

MARLEY IS HOLDING ROMAN WHILE SHE STANDS IN A ROOM WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND.  SHE FACES DONNA, VICKY, AND TYRONE.

Anna Stuart as Donna Love

Henry Simmons as Tyrone Montgomery

Jensen Buchanan as Vicky Hudson

DONNA:  You haven’t been yourself, and you need to get some help.

VICKY:  Donna’s right.  We will take care of the baby.

MARLEY:  No you’re trying to take my baby away from me.

TYRONE:  He’s my baby, too.  I’m gonna take care of him while you’re gone.

MARLEY:  Gone?  What are you talking about gone?  I don’t wanna be away from my baby!

TYRONE:   I’m committing you.

VICKY:  You know you have a history of mental illness.

MARLEY:  No I’m not crazy!  I just want to protect my child!

DONNA:  We’re doing this because we love you.

TWO BIG MEN DRESSED IN WHITE WALK AROUND TYRONE, DONNA AND VICKY AND OVER TO MARLEY.

DONNA:  Come on Marley.

MARLEY:  No!

VICKY:  We’re gonna come visit you.

TYRONE:  I’ll bring the baby to see you every week.

MARLEY:  You’re all trying to take my baby away from me!

DONNA WALKS SLOWLY OVER TO MARLEY AS SHE TRIES TO CRADLE THE BABY, BUT DONNA GENTLY PRIES HIM FROM MARLEY, AND THE ORDERLIES GRAB EACH OF HER ARMS, AND SHE STARTS TO STRUGGLE.

MARLEY:  No!  Nooooooo!

MARLEY WAKES UP SUDDENLY AND LOOKS OVER AT ROMAN, WHO IS STILL SLEEPING.  SHE GETS UP, WALKS OVER TO THE BASSINET, AND LOOKS DOWN AT HER SON.

MARLEY:  I won’t let them take you away from me.  Not your father, Donna, or Victoria.

----

AT THE LOVE MANSION, DONNA OPENS THE DOOR AND SEES VICKY, WHO WALKS IN, AND DONNA FOLLOWS VICKY INTO THE LIVING ROOM.

DONNA:  Victoria, yeah come on in.  I wasn’t going out or anything like that.

VICKY:  Oh what’s got you in a mood?

DONNA:  I’m just...nothing.

VICKY:  Wondering where Michael is?

DONNA:  He doesn’t spend much time here lately.  He’s probably over at Stacey’s.

VICKY:  Well that’s...kind of what I came to tell you.

DONNA:  Tell me what?  You came to tell me they were hand in hand at the Center or something?

VICKY:  He found out that Stacey is leaving Bay City, and he practically was begging her to stay.

MICHAEL WALKS IN THE FOYER BUT DONNA AND VICKY DON’T NOTICE IMMEDIATELY.

Kale Browne as Michael Hudson

DONNA:  You know what Victoria, I’m going to focus on helping Bridget, Michele and Marley.  If Michael wants to leave, he knows where the door is.  I’m sick of all the fighting and arguing.

MICHAEL NOW WALKS IN THE LIVING ROOM.

MICHAEL:  So am I.  

---

Lesli Kay as Stacey Winthrop

AT STACEY’S APARTMENT, BOXES ARE ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM AS STACEY WALKS IN TALKING ON HER CELL PHONE AS SHE SILENTLY COUNTS EACH BOX.  

STACEY:  It was all so fast.  You know I was going to tell you….I’m gonna miss everyone here but I gotta move on...Hey I’ll be back for you and Frankie’s wedding.  Congrats on the engagement...My plane leaves in about three hours.  The movers are gonna be here soon to take all these boxes…It’s a great job.  I actually can’t wait to get there.  Lindsay is gonna be just fine.  I would like her to get along with her sisters, too.

----

AT THE HOSPITAL, THE ELEVATOR DOORS OPEN AND BRIDGET STEPS OFF, AND WALKS OVER TO THE NURSE’S STATION, WHERE THOMASINA IS STANDING WITH A NURSE.

Amelia Marshall as Dr. Thomasina Mason

Lexi Ainsworth as Bridget McKinnon

BRIDGET:  Hi can you tell me how to get to Dr. Davidson’s office?

THOMASINA:  Yeah go down that hall and it’s the first door on the left. It's the OB/GYN department.

BRIDGET:  Thank you.

BRIDGET WALKS AWAY, AND THE NURSE BEGINS CONVERSATION WITH THOMASINA.

NURSE:  Hey Dr. Mason.  How did the interviews go for the internship?

THOMASINA FLASHES BACK TO HER INTERVIEW WITH KC BURRELL.

KC BURRELL KNOCKS ON THE DOOR OF THOMASINA’S OFFICE.

Sal Stowers as KC Burrell

THOMASINA:  KC Burrell?

KC:  Yes.

THOMASINA:  Oh come on in.  Have a seat on the couch.  Make yourself comfortable.

KC:  Thank you Dr. Mason.

THOMASINA:  Oh call me Thomasina.  So how’s everything at BCU?

KC:  It’s kinda tough.  I know this internship will really help.

THOMASINA:  What’s your background?

KC:  Journalism.

THOMASINA:  And you want to get into Public Relations?

KC:  They kind of go hand in hand.  I’ve...never taken any classes.

THOMASINA:  Well nobody knows everything at first.  

KC:  I’m honored that you would consider me even though I don’t have a background in PR.

CAMERA PAN ON THOMASINA...SLOW FADE TO THEME SONG.

----

AT THE HOSPITAL, THOMASINA CONTINUES TO FLASH BACK TO HER INTERVIEW WITH KC BURRELL…

 THOMASINA:  What would make you a good candidate for our PR internship?

KC:  I do have a background in journalism.  That background will serve me well in dealing with members of the media, and knowing what they will look for and ask.

THOMASINA:  Why Bay City Medical Center?  You could have done an internship at...say...Cory Productions or KBAY.  Why here?  Why this hospital?

KC:  I have a particular interest in getting into the medical field.  I wanted to also get to know this hospital.  It’s been part of this city for years.

THOMASINA:  I want someone serious about this position.  You do realize this is not a paid internship, but this type of work can open doors for you in the future.

KC:  I am aware of that Dr. Mason.  I think my background and my work ethic will serve this hospital well.

THOMASINA FLASHES BACK TO THE PRESENT WITH A SMILE, AND TURNS TO THE NURSE.

THOMASINA:  You all will find out soon enough.  I’ve pretty much made my decision.

----

AT THE MONTGOMERY’S, TYRONE WALKS IN AND SHUTS THE DOOR.

TYRONE:  Marley!  I’m home.

TYRONE DOESN’T HEAR ANYTHING.

TYRONE:  Marley?  

HE GOES TO THE NURSERY AND LOOKS AROUND.

TYRONE:  What the….?   

----

MEANWHILE, MARLEY IS DRIVING WITH ROMAN STRAPPED IN THE BACK IN HIS BOOSTER SEAT.

MARLEY:  Just me and you kid.  Away we go.

----

AT STACEY’S APARTMENT, CASS AND FRANKIE ARE THERE WITH HER.

Stephen Schnetzer as Cass Winthrop

Alice Barrett as Frankie Frame

CASS:  Hey where’s all your stuff?

STACEY:  The movers took it.

CASS:  Wow this must be a great opportunity for you to just pick up and leave.

STACEY:  You act like I’m just leaving on a whim.  I gave this some very deep thought.

CASS:  I’m sure you did.

FRANKIE:  What about your daughter?

STACEY (sighs):  Well she’s...she’s a grown up now and...she’s got you, her sisters, and a father here.  She doesn’t need me right?

CASS:  Not true.  We need you here, too.

FRANKIE:  We’re always gonna be mothers to our kids.

STACEY:  Of course I am but...it’s time for her to go free.  I can’t be mother hen you know.  My career is still important to me, and I have a chance to be partner in this firm.

CASS:  I understand.  

STACEY GETS A TEXT AND LOOKS AT IT.

STACEY:  That’s my daughter.  She’s gonna take me to the airport.

FRANKIE:  Well I wish you all the best.

CASS:  You’re gonna do great.

THEY ALL HUG EACH OTHER AND CASS AND FRANKIE HEAD TO THE DOOR.

FRANKIE:  Oh...I got one question for you.

STACEY:  Go ahead.

FRANKIE:  What about Michael?

STACEY:  Michael is...not an issue.  

CASS:  Does he know that you’re leaving?

STACEY:  Yeah.  He overheard me telling someone at the Center.  Vicky did, too.  I bet she went right over to that mausoleum and told Donna.

-----

AT THE LOVE MANSION, DONNA, MICHAEL AND VICKY ARE IN THE LIVING ROOM.

VICKY:  I’ll...make myself scarce.

DONNA:  No Victoria you don’t have to go.

MICHAEL:  So you told her what I said to Stacey at the Center.

VICKY:  I don’t know what it is that you see in that woman.  After everything she’s done to this family.

MICHAEL:  Oh goodness you guys must work for the same committee.

DONNA:  Stacey has come to this town and destroyed Victoria’s marriage, and she’s destroying our relationship.

MICHAEL:  You’re letting her do it.

DONNA:  You don’t spend any time here.  Our granddaughters and Marley need us and you don’t want to present a united front.  You’re too busy chasing after Stacey.

MICHAEL:  Stacey is a friend and always will be, and if you can’t deal with it…

DONNA:  What Michael?  You’re gonna break up with me?  Well you know what, I don’t care at this point.  For years we’ve been doing the back and forth.

VICKY:  Donna is this what you want?

DONNA:  It’s taking way too much energy to...to fight with your father.  If he wants to leave, there’s the door.  And this time, I might not be available when you come back.  I’m too old for this.  I’d rather...help my girls at this point.

MICHAEL:  You don’t think I wanna help the girls, too?

DONNA:  We can both still help them, but just not together.  

MICHAEL:  I was being held captive by your father, and I fought my way back to you all.

VICKY:  I’m...gonna....go.

VICKY WALKS OUT OF THE LIVING ROOM AND OUT OF THE HOUSE.

DONNA:  You did, and I was...the happiest woman in the world when you...came back.

MICHAEL:  I love all of you.  Victoria, Marley, Bridget, Michele, the boys, and you.

DONNA:  And that all may be true but…are you in love with me?

MICHAEL:  I will always love you Donna.  

DONNA:  Well there’s my answer.  You’re in love with Stacey.  I just want you to tell me that.

MICHAEL:  Has our...time passed Donna?

DONNA:  It may very well have.  We...fought so hard from the very beginning...to be together.  We’ve created...a wonderful family.  

MICHELE WALKS IN THROUGH THE FOYER AND DONNA AND MICHAEL DO NOT NOTICE.

MICHAEL:  Your father tried to keep us and our family apart.

DONNA:  But he didn’t win did he?  Marley had a baby when we all thought she couldn’t have children.  Victoria has four wonderful kids.  They’re all grown up.  I mean Bridget is visiting her OB now.  Michele was in an accident and she’s back.  I remember when they were born.  

MICHAEL:  I missed all of that you know.  I only remember Steven and Kirkland.

MICHELE HAS JUST OVERHEARD DONNA, AND SNEAKS BACK OUT OF THE HOUSE.

MICHAEL:  I missed my granddaughters growing up, and now I’ve got another.

DONNA:  Wasn’t he just the cutest thing ever?

MICHAEL:  Of course he was, and yet...Reginald lurks.  

DONNA:  Marley is petrified that Reginald is going to kidnap him.  She needs us to reassure her that he’s no threat.

MICHAEL:  Your father is capable of anything and you know that.  We’re not gonna let anything happen to any of our grandchildren.

DONNA:  Of course not.

MICHAEL:  But you don’t wanna be with me anymore.

DONNA:  I think...that’s mutual.  You want to be with Stacey, and I’m not fighting this fight anymore.  

MICHAEL:  Are you saying you don’t love me anymore?

DONNA:  I’m always going to love you Michael.  You’re the father of my girls, but I can’t continue like this.  Wondering if you...if you’re in love with Stacey.  After what Victoria just told me it...it’s clear that I can’t be involved with you romantically anymore.  If this was say, twenty years ago, I probably would have fought harder, but I just don’t have the energy now.  If you want to be with Stacey, go.

MICHAEL:  Donna.

DONNA DOES NOT REPLY AND TURNS HER BACK TO MICHAEL, WHO WALKS OUT THE FRONT DOOR.  DONNA’S EYES START TO WELL UP.  SHE PLOPS ON THE COUCH AND STARTS TO CRY.

FREEZE FRAME ON DONNA...SLOW FADE OUT...END OF EPISODE 255