Previously...
COME AS YOU ARE - PART 7
Previously...
Rae: Dorian stop this! This is just a jealous fit because you’re scared I actually had Herb’s child! Dorian: [reaches out and slaps Rae] How dare you blasphemy Herb’s good name like this! Rae: [takes her hand and rubs her cheek. Pauses. Then quickly reaches out and slaps Dorian.] [Sophia stands there in shock. Dorian and Rae fight. Camera fades on Sophia’s face.]
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Scene: The Banner newsroom
[Scene begins with Dorian and Rae physically fighting.] Sophia: Stop it! [reaches up and tries to pull Dorian off of Rae but is unsuccessful.]
Zach: [gets in between the two struggling women and separates them]
Viki: [runs out of her office. Notices Rae and Dorian looking at each other with total contempt. Watches them intently.]
Dorian: [taunting] You don’t know the first thing about being a mother…or Sophia!
Rae: You did a fine job with your daughter, didn’t you?
Sophia: [animated and pissed] Stop it both of you!
Zach: [not dropping his guard] Yeah! Stop it! You two are fierce!
Viki: [annoyed] What is going on? [looks at Dorian] This outburst doesn’t surprise me coming from you [turns to Rae] But it does surprise me coming from you.
Sophia: [tough] It’s about me! It’s all about me! They both want to be my mother NOW – not 20 years ago! I don’t know they they’re fighting for that honor – they didn’t want it back then and I’m not worth it!! Go to hell – all of you! [slowly and deliberately walks out.]
Rae: [reaching out with her arm] Sophia! Don’t go!
Dorian: [fights Zach to go after Sophia. Is unsuccessful] Let me go after her!
Viki: [crosses her arms. Speaks firmly.] I think the both of you need to give Sophia her space. Whatever bombshell you dropped on her about her mother seems to have upset her greatly.
Dorian: Sophia needs me right now!
Rae: The last thing Sophia needs is you!
Dorian [lunges at Rae. Zach keeps them apart]
Viki: That’s it! Stop it! Both of you need a time out! Dorian – I want you to leave – right now!
Dorian: Fine, I’ll leave. I’ll be at the hospital giving blood for a DNA test. [eyes Rae. Shrugs off Zach.]
Rae: Fine. I’ll give you an hour, then I’ll go and do the same.
Dorian: [sneers at Rae and walks out, making a grand scene about it.]
[Camera pans back to Rae and who hangs her head and brings her hand to her face, upset and ashamed over what has happened. Viki and Zach look at her with concern. End of scene]
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Scene: Railroad tracks. Tree nearby with red spray paint on the trunk.
[Sophia is alone. Paces on the railroad ties. She’s upset and troubled. Enter Freddie Pelligrino from behind the tree. He’s smiling. Acts playful.]
Freddie: Hey Sis!
Sophia: [very surprised] Freddie! Oh my God!! Where have you been?!
Freddie & Sophia: [hug and look at each other]
Freddie: You don’t want to know. I’m back now though.
Sophia: [doubtful] You left without saying a word.
Freddie: I went on a fact finding mission. Now that I’ve got what I need, I’m going after what I want – Commissioner Buchanan and his family. So, what brings you here to these tracks? This old miserable childhood haunt of ours…? You thinking about Dad again? I saw you waltzing around our old homestead…
Sophia: You don’t want to know.
Freddie: Try me. [parts from Sophia and begins to pace the ties opposite Sophia.]
Sophia: Everyone’s got secrets Freddie. You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.
Freddie: [wicked grin] C’Mon! We could never keep secrets between each other. We keep secrets from everyone else.
Sophia: [nods head in agreement] Mine’s a doozy Freddie.
Freddie: So is mine.
Sophia: You go first Bro.
Freddie: [sly grin] I dug up some dirt on Commissioner Buchanan. I’m gonna’ get him for treating me like…trash. I will never let anyone treat me like trash again.
Sophia: [wrinkles brow – thinking of Simon, briefly] Yeah. Trash. So how good’s your trash, Freddie?
Freddie: It's mouth watering delicious. Mr. High and Mighty Buchanan is a father, only he doesn’t know it.
Sophia: [laughs] Oh! That’s ripe! Speaking of unknown children seems I’ve got two candidates who want to be my mother. My biological mother. Now.
Freddie: What? Now? Why now?
Sophia: How would I know?
Freddie: Anyone I know?
Sophia: Dorian Lord and Rae Cummings.
Freddie: [nods his head.] Heard of Dorian Lord. Not the other one. [pauses] Look, Sis, I always knew you weren’t related – by blood that was. I always thought maybe that would stop him…
Sophia: Our father? No. It didn’t stop the bastard, did it? Didn’t stop you either.
Freddie: [cringes but says nothing. Avoids the remark. Regretfull] I don’t care what anyone says. You’re still my Sis
Sophia: [sits down on the tracks]
Freddie: [sits down across from her] What are you going to do now?
Sophia: I dunno. Get tested I guess.
Freddie: For what?
Sophia: For the DNA stuff. See which one gets the privilege of having Sophia Pelligrino for a daughter. And make ‘em pay.
Freddie: Are these chicks rich?
Sophia: Rich enough.
Freddie: Sweet irony huh, sis?
Sophia: Yeah.
Freddie: Where you staying?
Sophia: I was staying with Dorian. Excuse me, I AM staying with Dorian. [pauses. Wants to change the subject.] Did I tell you I met this guy
Freddie: [laughs] No.
Sophia: He’s rich too but he likes me for me – I think.
Freddie: Who is he?
Sophia: A Buchanan.
Freddie: Aiming high, huh? Ditch ‘em Sophie.
Sophia: Not on your say-so.
Freddie: So, who is the lucky Buchanan to fall for Sophia Pelligrino?
Sophia: Simon. Simon Buchanan.
Freddie: [face drops. Clearly surprised.]
Sophia: What?
Freddie: [swallows] That’s the commissioner’s son. The one he doesn’t know he has.
Sophia: [clearly shocked. Swallows.]
[Camera fades out on her face.]
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Scene: Asa’s office in Buchanan Enterprises.
[Asa, Simon are present. Asa is sitting down at his desk. Simon is pacing. He’s worried.]
Asa: Will you stop that boy! You’re annoying me.
Simon: Ah’m sorry Unca’. Ah…ah…just got a lot on mah mind.
Asa: So do I boy. For starters, you’ve done good work coming to work for me. My brother – your father would be proud.
Simon: [pauses in front of Asa’s desk. Puts his hands in his pockets] Thank you Unca’ Asa. Ah never cared much for working the rigs. Ah always wanted to be in business. Ah’m glad you gave me the opportunity.
Asa: [looks longingly at Simon. Soft spoken.] You do me proud boy. I always wanted to groom one of my grandkids to take over Buchanan Enterprises. But…my own flesh and blood isn’t interested. You’re like one of my own Simon.
Simon: [smiles] That means ah a lot to me coming from you Unca’ Asa.
[Enter Bo from the office door. Walks up to Simon and faces Asa] Bo: Hey Paw. Simon.
Asa: What brings you by son?
Bo: Heard you were causing trouble again Paw with the Rappaports.
Asa: [rolls eyes] So what if I am? How come my own nephew is more Buchanan than any of my family?
Bo: [looks at Simon] I didn’t know you were seeing anyone Simon. She must not be a Rappaport for Asa to make that remark.
Simon: [gleam in his eyes] Ah’m not officially…yet…ah guess but Ah did meet a girl. A girl Ah want to get to know better.
Bo: [surprised] Really? Who?
Simon: Sophiah Pelligrino.
Bo: I see.
Simon: What? You disapprove too?
Asa: I told you I approve boy.
Bo: I didn’t say that. But her brother Freddie Pelligrino is a punk. Been in trouble before.
Simon: [looks away. Clearly bothered by something]
Asa: What’s bothering you boy?
Simon: Nothing.
Asa: Don’t lie to me. Is it this fille?
Simon: Ah tried to get a hold of herah at work but some co-worker said she’d left. She was upset overah something.
Bo: Maybe Freddie is back in town.
Asa: Go find your girl, boy. I can handle the office.
Simon: Thanks Unca’ Asa. [exits though the door]
Bo: He’s a good kid, Asa. Charlene was a good mother to him.
Asa: [shrugs his shoulders] Who’d have thought it. She was always a bit of a spitfire.
Bo: I liked that about her.
Asa: You liked a lot of things about your uncle’s young wife.
Bo: Let’s not go there Paw. I want you to back off the Rappaports.
Asa: [laughs heartily]
Bo: [rolls eyes in frustration. His pager goes off. He looks at it and looks up] Paw, I gotta’ go. Duty calls. [walks towards the door]
Asa: Come back when you’re ready to spend some quality time with yer old man.
Bo: [says nothing and walks out]
[camera pans on Asa who picks up a picture of him and his brother when they were younger. Asa snickers. Camera fades out.]
