WRITTEN
BY
Roger Newcomb
STARRING
(in order of appearance)
Erika Crocco
as Caroline Hart
Robert G. Martin as Dan Levin
Kelly Christopher as Karen Grissom
Greg Messina as Manny Ramos
Ryan Chandler as Elijah Phillips
Stephen Seidel as Dante Ramos
NARRATED
BY
Steve Anderson
CAROLINE
has just arrived and is talking with DAN.
CAROLINE
Dan,
I’m sorry it has taken me so long to get over here. I had to go out of town on business and then
got really tied up with a deal we’re working on. How are you?
DAN
I’m
actually feeling better than I can ever remember.
CAROLINE
Oh,
wow. That’s really good to hear. What brought on this change? I got a message from Angela that you wanted
to see me. Has something new happened?
DAN
Yes,
Caroline. I’ve remembered
something. Something
that changes everything.
CAROLINE
What
is it? Did you remember something about
Julia?
DAN
Yes. There’s so much of my life from that time
that I have blanked out for whatever reason.
But on the night she died, I remember Julia telling me that I was
Dante’s father.
CAROLINE
WHAT?!!!! How can that be, Dan? I don’t understand.
DAN
I
don’t remember the entire conversation, but she told me that she knew I was his
father even before she and Paul adopted him.
CAROLINE
Wait
a minute. Paul doesn’t know about this,
does he?
DAN
I
have no idea. I don’t think he knew at
the time, but who knows what he’s found out since then.
CAROLINE
I
can’t believe I’m here this. But hold on
a minute. If you are Dante’s biological
father, who was his mother?
MANNY
has just arrived and is talking with KAREN in the living room.
KAREN
You
didn’t have to come by and check on me, Manny.
MANNY
No,
I didn’t. But I do feel some
responsibility for you, since I’m the one who found you after…
KAREN
(interrupting)
After
I tried to kill myself? I guess I should
thank you.
MANNY
You
guess? Karen, I know everyone has been
handling you with kid gloves, but I hope that new therapist of yours is telling
you like it is. Suicide is the coward’s
way out.
KAREN
Manny,
if you came over here to lecture me, then you should just turn around and
leave. I don’t have to energy for this
right now.
MANNY
Look,
I know your mother hasn’t been here. And
maybe hasn’t been reached at all as far as I know. But there are a lot of people who care about
you, even Angela.
KAREN
Don’t
even try to tell me that long list of supporters includes you. You’ve always hated me.
MANNY
Karen,
that’s not true. You obviously had your
own motives back when I was dating Angela, motives you didn’t even understand
yourself.
KAREN
Thanks,
doctor, but I work with bunch of psychiatrists so I don’t need any amateur
analysis from you.
MANNY
Fine. I tried to be a good guy
and come over here and this is the thanks I get. I’m sorry I bothered.
Manny
stomps out of the apartment.
KAREN
(to herself)
Karen,
why do you always chase everyone away?
DANTE
has stopped by unexpectedly and is talking with ELIJAH in the living room.
ELIJAH
As
you can see,
DANTE
Do
you know when she’ll be back?
ELIJAH
Nope. But we have dinner plans, so she’s not really
free later either.
DANTE
Very funny, Eli. I know what you’re doing
here, but it’s not going to work.
ELIJAH
What
is it you think I’m doing?
DANTE
You’re
trying to piss me off. You want to do
anything you can to come between me and Arden.
ELIJAH
And
why would I do that?
DANTE
Because you have no life? It
doesn’t matter why, because it won’t work.
Arden and I are rock solid and you touch that.
ELIJAH
You
seem very sure of yourself. But yet you
feel the need to keep telling me how secure you are.
DANTE
Just
stay out of my life, Elijah.
ELIJAH
That’s
pretty hard when
DANTE
If
you ever get near,
ELIJAH
You’re
a big talker for someone working the mail room.
DANTE
Oh
shut the hell up. What have you ever
done with your life? Do you even have a
job?
ELIJAH
I
worked my ass off to pay for college as a matter of fact. And I just accepted an offer from a local
company to enter their junior management department.
DANTE
Oh,
let me guess, Burger King? McDonald’s?
ELIJAH
Not
quite. I think you might have heard of
this company. It’s L&R Construction.
DANTE
What?!!
ELIJAH
That’s
right. Your father was so impressed by
my interview that he hired me on the spot.
But don’t worry, Dante. I’ll be
sure to visit you down in the mail room.
I like to give the little people my utmost respect. You know?