Episode 34

[Home] [Episode Guide] [News] [Social Register] [Visitor Info] [Interact] [Links] [Credits]

Episode 34

Scene 1:

Ellen's eyes blinked open at the sound of children's laughter in the hallway. Yes, that was right, she thought. Jamie had kids now. It was going to take her forever to get used to that one. Rolling out of bed, she reached for her overnight bag, pulling out a pair of worn jeans and t-shirt. She slipped into them quickly and looked around for her shoes that were nowhere in sight. Getting down on her knees, she stuck her head under the bed, spotting them there, hiding from her. Just as she reached for them, a knock at the door interrupted her.

"Aunt Ellen?" She heard through the door. "Mom says if you want breakfast, it's ready." Ellen grabbed at the shoes and slipped them on, hopping towards the door as she did so. She yanked on the doorknob, opening it to Chris' watchful eyes. Creepy how he looked just like Jamie.

"Good morning, Chris. Tell your mom, I'll be right down," she replied with a smile. Chris nodded and scurried away calling to his mother that she would be down soon. Ellen reached for a scrunchie and pulled her hair into a ponytail before making the trek to the kitchen.

She was finally beginning to feel like her old self again. It was a good thing, too. Hospital wards and bed rest did not agree well with Michaela Mason. Especially when her sons were growing at what seemed like light speed. She'd even spent the first weeks of her daughter's life confined to bed rest. She didn't care what the doctor said. Her bed resting days were over with. Things had happened in such a whirl since they had come to Virginia that Michaela barely had time to adjust to life there, then life as a mother of three, as well as life as the wife of the most powerful man in the city. And now with her sister-in-law there...

Jesse was sitting diligently at the end of the table, playing with his baby sister. Lily stared up at him through wide blue eyes, tentatively kicking her bare feet, which Jesse would grab and squeal with delight. Michaela laughed at her youngest children, setting a plate of french toast on the table. "Go wash your hands, Chris and Jesse," she told her sons, checking to make sure everything was out on the table. Breakfast wasn't normally such a big deal to Michaela -- but for some reason, she felt the need to impress Ellen.

Ellen ducked her head into the tidy kitchen and surveyed the perfect scene laid out before her. For someone who hadn't been out of bed in a month, Michaela Mason sure knew how to dress a table. She smiled at Michaela and stepped into the room as the two boys zoomed past her almost knocking her off her feet. Slightly bewildered, she giggled nervously. "Good morning," she said quietly.

"Morning," Michaela smiled warmly, holding Jesse's chair steady so he wouldn't knock his booster seat out of it. "Did you sleep well? Christopher, use your fork, don't grab with your hands."

"Yes, I did, thank you. It's been a while since I slept in so much quiet. L.A. is loud all the time," she said with a smile as she sat down. She poured herself a cup of coffee and stirred a small spoonful of sugar into it. "How are you feeling? Jamie said you've been in bed since Lily was born."

"Yeah, I had an infection after the episiotomy that I had a hard time fighting," Michaela said matter-of-factly, not having trouble with the particulars, unlike Jamie, who was more than a little squeamish. "But I'm back and better than ever!" She was sure her chipper voice belied the tiredness that was still pervasive throughout her body. But real life did not stop for little things like illness. "Glad to be home?" she asked, still slightly uncomfortable with Jamie's family, in many ways still seeing herself as the street rat she had been many years ago, and unworthy of such refined company.

"No, not really," Ellen replied arching her eyebrows gently. "Are you happy to be so near my mother?" Ellen set aside all pretensions and spoke as honestly as she knew how. There was no need to lie after all. Surely, Jamie had already told her about the rift between Ellen and her mother.

"Honestly," Michaela shifted, glad the boys were happily chattering amongst themselves about their latest Pokemon purchases, "I've never had a quarrel with your mother. She's been nothing but good to the boys, as well." Granted, Michaela hadn't had a chance to spend a great deal of time with Gwen, especially since their arrival to Conlan's Glen, but there were indeed few people that Michaela didn't at least get along with at the barest level.

Ellen shrugged and sipped her coffee. "Well, my mother doesn't like me very much. You must be one of her chosen few...no offense. Mother just...I think I remind her of my father."

"I'm not sure I know what to say to that," Michaela replied, a little abashed, leaning over to cut up Jesse's food into smaller pieces, now avoiding Ellen's gaze.

"Don't say anything, it's okay," Ellen said. "I'm sure Jamie told you all about me but I hardly know anything about you. Where are you from?" Ellen buttered a piece of toast and watched Michaela thoughtfully. She certainly wasn't the type she thought Jamie would end up with. Of course, the last girlfriend Ellen had met was that ice skater, Rebecca something.

"Canada," Michaela said, fidgeting with her food, her appetite still not what it was.

"Mommy, don't play with your food," Jesse said, his voice a perfect mimic of Michaela's.

"Thanks, hon. Why don't you worry about what's on your plate before Jump steals it, huh?" Michaela smiled wanly. That was all Jesse needed to focus on his plate once more. "Sorry," Michaela turned her attention back to Ellen. "These two can't keep a thought to themselves for a second," she apologized. "I was born in Edmonton, but we moved to Vancouver when I was pretty young. Pretty much grew up there," she trailed off. She wasn't certain how much Jamie had told his family about her past, and wasn't certain either how much of the truth they could know before it would begin to damage Jamie's reputation.

"I see. Jamie said your brother was a figure skater. That must be nice." God, Ellen hated small talk. "Are you planning on working once Lily gets a little older? Jamie said you used to work in a hospital."

"Yeah, Bryce Robinson," Michaela said distractedly, taking her first bite of food. "I don't know, I might help out Jamie a bit at Mason Enterprises, but I think most of my time will be spent being the support system that I know he's going to need. He's been under so much stress up here."

"Really? Well, I guess he would be. ME isn't the easiest company to take over. He'll do just fine. Jamie's always had a head for business," Ellen added smiling a little. "Now, I on the other hand can't even balance my check book."

"I know how that is," Michaela admitted, wiping Jesse's mouth and setting him loose to go turn on cartoons, Chris following behind. "But Jamie's taught me a lot about those things." Michaela bowed her head for a moment, just thinking about how her life had changed since Jamie had came into it by accident that snowy Christmas Eve. "Jamie's taught me a lot of things."

Ellen was taken aback by Michaela's emotion. Could Jamie have found someone who was truly sincere? Of course he had, she chastised herself. Jamie was always a sweet man. A trait he had undoubtedly inherited from his father...She shook the thought away and smiled gently at Michaela. "I'm sure he's learned a lot from you too."

"The importance of having paper towels in every room of the house," Michaela laughed, standing to clear the dishes. "Jesse and I really turned his life upside down. And then we got Chris, and now Lily..." Michaela trailed off again, looking at the carrier at the end of the table, where Lily was asleep once again, then looking over at Ellen. "So, aside from Jamie and your mom..." she tried to think of a delicate way to ask if Ellen had anyone special in her life, without coming off as nosy.

Ellen shook her head. "If you're asking do I have a boyfriend, the answer is no. Less complications that way. Besides, I like my career. Broadcast journalism, in case Jamie didn't tell you."

Michaela nodded. "Not like men keep you from having a career though," she pointed out, loading dishes into the dishwasher. Not like I had one to even begin with, she added internally.

"No, but men complicate things and complications can keep you from a career. Look, my career isn't the end all be all of my existence. If it was, I certainly wouldn't have come back for this weekend." Ellen looked around the kitchen at the tidiness of it all. She couldn't live like this, she mused. She liked a little bit of chaos, not this order. "At the end of the day, I suppose it's a nice feeling to know that I can be by myself."

"I guess I just had enough of being by myself," Michaela conceded, wiping down the table, then going over to check on Lily, who was now waking up. She picked her daughter up from the carrier and brought her over to the chair, tossing a blanket over her shoulder to cover herself as she prepared to nurse her. "Do you mind?" she asked.

"No," Ellen said looking down at her coffee briefly. "She was the hit of Hallie's barbeque yesterday. Almost upstaged Hallie." She stood and went to the coffee maker on the counter and poured herself another cup. "I live for this stuff you know," she remarked taking a sip. "Look, I don't want you to think I'm some self-absorbed debutante who pouts when she doesn't get what she wants. I have my reasons for disliking my mother the way I do. And I know she's been nice to you, but let me give you a little warning, Michaela, watch your back or she'll interfere in your life too."

Michaela laughed modestly, adjusting Lily beneath the blanket and letting her have at her breakfast, frowning a bit at Ellen's words. Michaela was naturally a cautious person, but being with Jamie had helped temper some of that. Still, Ellen had her curiosity piqued. "What exactly do you mean?"

"My mother plays hardball to get what she wants. She wanted Jamie here didn't she? And here he is. I'm willing to bet neither you nor Jamie was too thrilled about it but she pestered him and played the victim to get what she wanted." She narrowed her eyes slightly at the thought of Gwen cajoling Jamie into doing as she asked. "Imagine if she decided she wanted to interfere with the boys...or Lily. She'll twist it so it looks like she's doing the right thing, but let me tell you, she's only serving herself."

Michaela's eyes narrowed, Ellen's description of what had happened to bring her family to Conlan's Glen was all too accurate. The thought of Gwen doing something to hurt her children, though -- that made Michaela's blood boil. She'd nearly killed Chris's biological mother during their custody battle over him. She knew she would stop at nothing to protect them -- even if it meant incurring the wrath of Gwen Mason.

Ellen kept her expression placid until she turned away from Michaela and let a slow grin spread across her face. Gwen would try something, she was sure of it, but Michaela looked as if she would rather see Gwen dead before she let her interfere. Regaining her composure, she turned back to Michaela and smiled again. "I like you Michaela. Jamie is very lucky."

"I like to think we all got very lucky," Michaela said, her smile still genuine. "It's a shame you're going to have to be leaving soon."

Ellen shrugged. "Maybe I can visit again, when I can stay longer. And I'll be back for Hallie's wedding in November. Maid of honor duties and all."

Michaela nodded. "It's nice to get to know more members of the family. Gives a better... more even, I guess is the word, picture of the people I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with," she chuckled, shaking her head as she heard the boys start fighting over something in the other room, resolving to let them handle it themselves unless it turned violent.

"Forewarned is forearmed," Ellen replied. "Is there anything you'd like to know? I could tell you about the rest of the family."

"I appreciate all advice you can give me, Ellen," Michaela said with a smile, peeking under the blanket to check on Lily, then turning her attention back to her sister-in-law. I guess anything that'll keep my head above water is a good start."

"Well, I love Hallie. She's my best friend, but be careful. She's very spiteful at times." She crossed the room and sat closer to Michaela. "Dane...he's okay. A bit of a flirt but he's harmless. And the only other one here in town is Jude. Jude...I guess you could say he's okay. Bit boring but okay. Then again, you might know since he and Jamie are so close."

"Yeah, I've seen a lot of him, well heard more, I guess," Michaela said, thinking of the many times she'd heard his voice in the house from her bedroom. "Never came up to visit me though. I think I met him once, though."

"Well, I'm sure you'll see more of him now that you're up and around. He and Jamie are like twins sometimes. Never go anywhere without the other."

"How... amusing." Michaela was at a loss for words at that one. She wasn't used to Jamie having such close friends around, and wasn't sure about the prospect of sharing him.

Ellen looked up at the clock on the wall and sighed. "Well, I hate to do it, but I promised Hallie I'd go get fitted for this bridesmaid dress." She looked Michaela over as she stood. "It's a wonder she hasn't asked you to be in the wedding. Actually, it's a wonder Gwen hasn't insisted she ask you."

Michaela shrugged, as best she could, standing up and straightening herself, putting Lily over her shoulder to burp. "Maybe she has, and she just hasn't said anything because I've been in bed," Michaela offered. "Or maybe they don't want me. It's all the same to me, really," she said offhandedly, walking with Ellen toward the door.

"Consider yourself lucky then," Ellen remarked heading out the door toward her rented car. "Thanks for breakfast and the coffee. I'll see you later," she called back with a wave.

Michaela waved as well, turning back into the house and toward the family room to quell whatever fight had arisen between the boys, and finish burping Lily. She made a mental note to talk to Jamie in a bit more detail about what she'd missed while recovering from Lily's birth, especially concerning his mother and Ellen. It seemed to Michaela that being part of the Mason family was a job in and of itself.

Scene 2:

The home of Senator Derek Mitchell and his wife Cynthia was a modest two story home in Georgetown with a lush green lawn dotted with flower beds and perfectly trimmed shrubs. Jude had spent many days, and some nights, at this house. It had always been a sweet memory for him but looking at it now, knowing that Derek would never cross its threshold again, gave him an eerie, queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Cynthia was in there and she would be in mourning for Derek, fielding phone calls from well wishers, friends, family, and the press. And she would be doing a wonderful job at it too. Cynthia was always one to hold her emotions close to the vest, capable of appearing emotionless when it suited her, and he doubted that this would be any different. He knew her though, better than anyone, even her husband, had ever known her. Her thin veneer of bravery would break down and he intended to support her when he did. It was the least he could do.

Gathering his own courage, he climbed out of his car and walked the length of the front walk to the front door.. Still wearing his tuxedo from Hallie's party, he caught the eye of her neighbor who stared openly at his appearance. He didn't care. His appearance wasn't what was important right now. He rang the doorbell and waited for her. it was only a minute before the door opened and a pale Cynthia Mitchell stared at him with empty eyes.

"Cynthia," he managed before she reached for his arm and pulled him inside, collapsing in his arms once the door closed behind them. The house was quiet except for the sobs she smothered against his chest. He rocked her gently until the sobs subsided and led her to the living room where he stripped off his jacket and vest, throwing them aside. She wiped her eyes with the Kleenex he offered her and watched as he went to the kitchen briefly.

"Making you some tea," he said in answer to her questioning gaze. "I came as soon as I heard," he continued settling onto the sofa next to her. She slumped against the couch in defeat.

"So you came to give me your sympathy?" She asked. Her voice was tired and a little hoarse. "I don't want your sympathy, Jude."

"What do you want then?" Jude asked as the water kettle began to whistle. Cynthia stared at him, her eyes completely unreadable before lowering them.

"Nothing...your company," she replied, hot tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Of course, for as long as you need me." He kissed her forehead gently. "Let me get you some tea," he added as the kettle's pitch began to hurt his ears. He returned to the kitchen for long enough to make her a cup of hot tea.

"I really messed up," Cynthia said as he returned to the living room. Jude gave her the cup and sat next to her, watching as she took a sip. "Derek should have left me a long time ago. The only reason he stayed was because of the baby." She uttered a short bitter laugh. "Now he's gone and so is the baby."

"What? Oh Cyn...."

"I had a miscarriage," she told him., her voice beginning to shake. "Derek was on his way to see me. He didn't have to but I begged him to. God, what a mess I've made."

"Cynthia, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" She looked up at him and laid her hand over his.

"Stay with me."

Scene 3:

"You ditched me," Dane said as Phoebe opened the door to her apartment. He didn't mind that she had left early but not to tell him drove him nuts. Dane Lennox wasn't used to women ignoring him. He had the reputation of a playboy but could he help it if women were attracted to him? He had money, looks, and charm...of course women would flock to him. Not that he was conceited. He wasn't. He just knew his place and status in the world was all.

"I had a headache," Phoebe replied keeping the door open only a small crack. He had plenty of women, but Phoebe Cameron was different. She seemed uninterested in him and that intrigued him. She didn't wasn't interested in his money or his looks...or him for that matter. He had spent the last week at The Observer trying to break her tough shell all to no avail. Hallie's party was supposed to be the ice breaker and what did she do? She ditched him.

"I would have given you a ride home," he answered leaning against the doorjamb. "All you had to do was ask."

"What are you doing here Dane?" Phoebe asked wearily. "It's Sunday morning, shouldn't you be in church?" Dane chuckled but didn't move.

"Shouldn't you?" He returned. "Look, I just came to see if you were okay. That's all."

"I appreciate your concern but it's not necessary. I'm fine," she added but Dane got the distinct impression she wasn't okay at all. "I have to call my mother now. If you don't mind, I'll see you at work on Monday?" Dane shrugged, studying Phoebe for a moment.

"All right, but if you need anything, anything at all, you call me. Okay?" Phoebe nodded quickly and moved to close the door. Dane caught it just as it closed and added, "I mean that, Phoebe. Anything at all, call me." Phoebe's eyes went round with surprise but she nodded and closed the door. She was afraid of something, he realized, but what?

Scene 4:

"What do you think of this color?" Hallie asked pushing a swatch of light green organza towards Ellen. Ellen wrinkled her nose and pushed it back.

"I think it would look terrible on just about anyone," she replied. Hallie shrugged and tried another one.

"Did you have a good time last night?" Ellen arched her eyebrows and rolled her eyes.

"Well, let's see...my mother is a monster...my brother is perfect and now he has the perfect wife and children...I thought your fiancé's brother was your fiancé...sure, I had a wonderful time."

"That doesn't sound like you did," Hallie laughed. "I'm sorry about the whole Jory thing. I'm actually surprised he didn't tell you sooner. Jory's really...upstanding for lack of a better word."

"I didn't give him much of a chance," Ellen remarked as an unwelcome blush colored her cheeks at the memory. "It's too bad I made a fool of myself though. He was kind of cute."

"Jory? I guess I never thought about him that way. Besides, why would I when I have Luke?" Hallie gloated. "You know...I've been thinking about something and I want your opinion. Be honest now."

"Yes," Ellen sighed, "Luke is gorgeous. Okay?"

"No, I know he is. I'm serious. I want to give Luke a wedding gift. But not just any gift. I want to give him a portrait of myself," Hallie said watching Ellen. Ellen smirked and giggled.

"That's kind of vain, don't you think?" She replied.

"I'm serious. You know, your mother gave a portrait of herself to your father when they were married. I want to do the same thing! In fact...," she paused for a moment for Ellen to get the full weight of her words. Hallie was bound and determined to find out what Ellen knew about Morgan Birch and Gwen. "In fact, I was thinking about tracking down Morgan Birch to see if he would do mine too. What do you think?"

Ellen's mouth dropped open in surprise. Hallie could see the thoughts tumbling around in Ellen's head trying to form a reply. That answered it then, Ellen knew something for sure. Now the trick was to figure out what. Hallie hoped it was good enough to hurt Gwen and Jamie.

"Well? Do you think Luke would like that?" Hallie prodded.

"Don't do it Hallie!" Ellen snapped so ferociously that Hallie took a step back from her, blinking in shock.

"What? Why not?"

"You just can't!" Ellen cried. "Because...."