oldEpisode One-hundred-forty-eight:
Jennifer Is Invited the Cruise Ship
Loretta's Maiden Voyage; Worried, Jack
Is Determined to Get Invitated as Well.

 

SCENE ONE: JACK IS SITTING AT THE DESK IN HIS BEDROOM GOING OVER SOME PAPERS WHEN JENNIFER COMES OUT OF THE BATHROOM DRESSED IN A BLACK DRESS. SHE LEANS OVER HIS SHOULDERS.

 

JENNIFER: (Sensual) I really admire that in a man.

JACK: Admire what?

JENNIFER: Being able to work under any conditions.

 

SHE RUNS HER HAND UP HIS BACK.

 

JACK: (Nervous, yet aroused.) Well that's what it takes to be a good....good....good journalist.

 

SHE RUNS HER HAND UP AND OVER HIS SHOULDERS AND HE SITS BACK SO THAT HER ARMS WRAP AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND DOWN OVER HIS CHEST.

 

JENNIFER: You are good Jack.

 

HE SUDDENLY REMOVES HER ARMS AND STANDS UP.

 

JACK: Heheheheh. You're not bad yourself. (Flustered) You're a good newsman, or woman....or person. Whatever.

JENNIFER: Whatever.

 

SHE STARTS TO UNDO THE BUTTONS ON HIS SHIRT.

 

JACK: Ah, you know I was just thinking, um....these hours of work have really been making it hard....(Realizing he double meaning) I mean hard to....

 

SHE CONTINUES TO SEDUCE HIM. AND HE IS LOSING ALL HIS RESOLVE TO FIGHT IT.

 

JENNIFER: All work and no play....

JACK: ....make Jack....I've really been considering this myself.

JENNIFER: And staring at a computer screen all day, you really need to rest your eyes Jack.

 

SHE REMOVES HIS SHIRT.

 

JACK: Well what does my shirt have to do with my ey....

JENNIFER: Ssssshhhh!

 

SHE RUNS HER HAND OVER HIS CHEST.

 

JACK: I....

JENNIFER: No talking either. Just relax and do whatever it is you feel.

 

JACK SLOWLY LEANS DOWN AND KISSES HER PASSIONATELY.

SHE KISSES HIM BACK AND HE BENDS DOWN AND PICKS HER UP AND LOOKS INTO HER EYES.

 

JENNIFER: It's just the two of us now Jack. There's no outside walls, there are no other barriers. It's just you and me now. Just do whatever it is you're feeling right now.

 

SHE LEANS HER HEAD BACK AS HE BEGINS TO KISS HER NECK.

HE WALKS TO THE BED AND PLACES HER GENTLY ON IT THEN SITS BESIDE HER.

 

JACK: Jennifer....

 

SHE RUBS HIS CHEEK AND HE SIGHS AS HE SAYS HER NAME.

 

JACK: Oh....Jennifer....

 

HE PRESSES HER BACK ON THE BED AND BEGINS TO KISS HER MORE PASSIONATELY

THE SCENE FADES TO BLACK THEN WE SEE JACK SITTING AT HIS DESK IN HIS BEDROOM WITH HIS HEAD TILTED BACK ASLEEP; HE IS DROOLING. JENNIFER IS GENTLY SLAPPING HIS CHEEKS. JENNIFER KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND IS ENJOYING JACK'S DISCOMFORT, AND THE FACT THAT HE IS HAVING A ROMANTIC, SENSUAL DREAM ABOUT HER AND THEM.

 

JACK: Oh....what, what?

JENNIFER: You've got to the hot and what. What about the where and when?

 

JACK WAKES UP.

 

JACK: I think I was dreaming. No, better yet, I was having a nightmare.

JENNIFER: Oh I don't think so Jack. No I'd say you were having quite a time.

 

JACK IMMEDIATELY LOOKS DOWN AT HIS PANTS.

 

JACK: Jennifer, I....

JENNIFER: And you know Jack, I could have sworn I heard you calling our my name.

JACK: Your name?

JENNIFER: (Teasing, imitating Jack.) "Jennifer....oh....oh....Jennifer."

JACK: (A nervous laugh) Heheheh and you thought that was a dream, some kind of romantic dream. Well you're wrong. That was a....that was a nightmare. (Trying to come up with an excuse.) You see, you were running away from those mental pygmies and you were waving the diary pages and I was saying, Jennifer (Jack is acting this out waving his arms, and motioning to run.) go....go....Jennifer go. And I was trying to rescue you like I always do.

JENNIFER: (On to Jack) Jack, I know exactly what kind of dream you were having and it had nothing to do with trying to save my life.

JACK: Heh, Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Forget it Jack. I didn't mean to embarrass you. You know, what's more embarrassing than the truth. So if you don't mind, I just want to use the phone.

JACK: You....

JENNIFER: Don't worry, I'll put down a quarter. (Using the phone) Dan, hi, it's Jennifer, look I'm back in business and I'm raring to go.

JACK: No you're not! You're not!

JENNIFER: Jack, please.

 

DAN TELLS JENNIFER THAT HE WANTS HER TO FOLLOW UP ON THE STEPHANIE JOHNSON KIDNAPPING.

 

JENNIFER: That's great, that's terrific. I'll be right there.

JACK: No you won't!

JENNIFER: See you soon, bye. Great.

JACK: You are not going anywhere.

JENNIFER: Jack, don't! Jack!

 

HE RUNS OUT THE DOOR AND LOCKS IT.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, OPEN THE DOOR!

 

JACK IS ON THE OUTSIDE AND HE HOLDS ONTO THE KNOB AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.

 

JENNIFER: Jack! Jack, look in case you haven't noticed, the threats have stopped. Maybe they don't want the pages anymore. And look I have work to do. I have a very important update to do on Stephanie's kidnapping.

JACK: Somebody else can do it. You're not going to expose yourself to those bloodthirsty killers.

JENNIFER: Jack I really appreciate your concern but I have to take the chance.

JACK: Okay, you win.

 

HE OPENS THE DOOR.

 

JACK: You're free to go.

JENNIFER: Thank you.

JACK: On one condition.

JENNIFER: What's that?

JACK: I'm going with you.

JENNIFER: If you do one teeny little thing wrong Jack, the deal is off. You got it!

JACK: Jennifer do I strike you as the kind of guy who would interfere in your life in any way?

 

JENNIFER SIGHS AND PUSHES PAST HIM.

 

JACK: Oh excuse me.

SCENE TWO: LATER JENNIFER IS AT THE NEWS DESK REPORTING LIVE TO AIR ABOUT STEPHANIE'S KIDNAPPING. JACK IS WATCHING ON THE STUDIO MONITOR. JACK BEGINS TO GIVE JENNIFER THE WIND UP SIGN AND SHE SMILES. SHE FINISHES HER REPORT AND DAN PRAISES HER WHILE JACK LOOKS ON. DAN HANDS >HER AN ENVELOPE THAT CAME FOR HER THEN LEAVES.

 

JACK: Yeah, you're alright.

JENNIFER: The next Edward R. Murrow, huh?

 

SHE FLASHES HIM A LOOK.

 

JACK: Or maybe Jane Pauley.

JENNIFER: Jack!

JACK: Deborah Norville! Alright!

 

JENNIFER HAS TO SMILE.

 

JENNIFER: Look at this.

JACK: What is this?

 

HE TAKES THE CARD SHE HANDS HIM AND READS IT.

 

JACK: "You are cordially invited to attend the christening and maiden voyage of the cruise liner Loretta." Is that "Loretta" as in "Toscano"?

JENNIFER: The one and only. And right here it says that the invitation was sent by Ernesto's lawyer.

JACK: I don't want to be offensive, but why invite you?

JENNIFER: Well I'm sure they want me to cover the story for the news, Jack.

JACK: I don't believe it.

JENNIFER: Well me neither.

JACK: Well it's good to know you're not taking this seriously. (Beat) Jennifer....you are not going on that cruise.

SHE SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS INDICATING THAT SHE WILL.

 

JACK: You are absolutely not going on that cruise. That's the final word! Jennifer!

JENNIFER: Jack, I don't even want to....

DAN: Excuse me Deveraux. Jen, we've got an assignment meeting in five minutes.

JENNIFER: Oh okay, speaking of which, this envelope that you gave me. It was an invitation to cover the inaugural cruise of a new ship. The Loretta, Ernesto Toscano's late wife.

DAN: Toscano. I like it. The rich and famous always bring in ratings.

JENNIFER: Yeah.

DAN: Give me some ideas.

JENNIFER: Ah, I could interview Isabella Toscano.

DAN: Great, yeah, yeah.

JENNIFER: I could do a whole series. I could do the whole Toscano dynasty, the whole bit. I could do a week's worth of stuff.

 

JACK IS STARTING TO LOOK WORRIED.

 

DAN: Perfect. Take that ball and run with it.

JENNIFER: Great.

 

DAN LEAVES.

 

JACK: You know I'm beginning to think this Gong Show here is not the best career move because you're not going on that ship.

JENNIFER: Jack, look I am not as helpless as you think I am, alright.

JACK: You're not as tough as you think you are either. You're not going!

JENNIFER: Oh yeah!

JACK: Yeah!

JENNIFER: Well we'll see about that Jack. We'll just see who has the last word this time.

 

A CREW MEMBER WALKS UP TO THEM, INTERRUPTING THEIR CONVERSATION.

 

CREW: Don't forget about the meeting, Miss Horton.

JENNIFER: Right. Jack, if you think you can just come in here and tell me what to do, you've got another thing coming, okay.

JACK: Bravo, bravo. Now we're going to have a recap of tonight's main story. There are two men who are trying to dismember you and me to get some pages out of that old diary. And don't you think it's a possibility that they are the same people who gave you that invitation? You want to just waltz right into their hands? What do I have to do or say to make you realize this is not a voyage on the Love Boat?

JENNIFER: Look, Jack I know that there is risk here alright. But since when does a reporter run from a story, even if there is some remote chance of danger? That's what a reporter is about. They get the story at all costs. I'm sorry.That's what you taught me and that's the way it is.

 

JENNIFER GOES OFF TO THE ASSIGNMENT MEETING AND JACK DECIDES TO TAKE ACTION.

SCENE THREE: JACK IS AT THE NEWS DESK AND PICKS UP THE PHONE.

 

JACK: Vern, it's me, Jack. Yeah listen there's this big big deal inauguration thing going on this ship called the Loretta, right. I need to know everything that's going on on that ship. Oh and I need for you to wangle me an invitation, alright. See whose palm needs to be greased and grease it. Look the important thing is that I get on that ship. (Beat) Yeah it's a matter of life and death.

 

JENNIFER WALKS UP AND HEARS THE LAST PART.

 

JACK: What are you talking about Jack? What's a matter of life and death?

 

JACK HANGS UP QUICKLY AND STARES AT HER.

 

JENNIFER: Jack are you going to answer me? What is a "matter of life and death"?

JACK: (Thinking of something; he starts to groan.) Aaaah....aaaah....I was going to see the dentist. Vern had to get me in right away. You see it's this molar. Aaaargh! Ouch, it's killing me and when you go to see the dentist it's always a matter of life and death.

JENNIFER: Yeah! Okay, well while you're suffering with that tooth, I'm going to get ready for that cruise. And there's nothing that you can do to talk me out of it because I've already made arrangements to go and there's nothing that's going to make me change my mind.

JACK: Have a great time, it's your life.

 

SHE IS THROWN BY JACK NOT ARGUING.

 

JENNIFER: So no matter what you try to do to make....what?

JACK: I said bon voyage!

JENNIFER: Right! Bon voyage.

 

JENNIFER WALKS AWAY AND JACK WATCHES HER LEAVE.

 

JACK: You're just not going without me.