FRAME FARM--SAME NIGHT

DONNA is helping SHARLENE clear the table.

DONNA
Sharlene, you never told me how you and John got back together.

SHARLENE
He showed up in Oklahoma and we realized we were still in love.

DONNA
And that's it?

SHARLENE
Sorry, Donna, I know you were looking for a juicy story. (DONNA laughs). We had a lot of things to work through. If there's one thing I learned it's that if love is worth having, it's worth working for.

DONNA
I learned the same thing with Michael.

SHARLENE
I'm so sorry. Is that getting any easier for you?

DONNA
Sometimes. I still imagine him being here.

SHARLENE
Getting over a loved one's death takes a lot of time.

DONNA
I know. I was there when Victoria was grieving over Ryan being gone. It took her so long to find happiness.

SHARLENE
And now she and Jake are together. The same thing will happen for you.

DONNA
For me, there will never be another love like Michael.

SHARLENE
But there will be another love for you, Donna. You deserve love.

Sharlene hugs Donna and they smile at each other as John walks into the room.

JOHN
So, are you two catching up?

SHARLENE
Just a bit. Everyone arriving?

JOHN
Everyone's here and outside waiting for the fireworks.

DONNA
Well, can't keep them waiting, can we? Let's go outside.

They leave the kitchen, laughing.

FADE OUT

MARLEY and TYRONE are standing in the corner. Marley is staring off into space.

TYRONE
Do you want to go?

MARLEY
No, I'm sorry. I'm just off in la-la land.

TYRONE
What are you thinking?

MARLEY
(Looking at Jake with his arm around Vicky).
Jake and Vicky. Look at them. They're so happy.

TYRONE
Marley --

MARLEY
No, it's okay. I'm okay with it. They deserve to be happy. And now, I'm happy too. (She takes Tyrone's hand). I'm with who I want to be with.

TYRONE
You're over Jake?

MARLEY
Jake will always be in my life. Too much history. But he's with Vicky and they deserve happiness. I don't love him - not in that way. I just love what I had with him at one time.

TYRONE
I'm glad to hear it. We can concentrate on us, and our future together.

MARLEY
Our future? (She smiles) I love the sound of that.

She kisses Tyrone as we:

FADE OUT

THE CORY GAZEBO--NIGHT

The gazebo is decorated in red, white and blue, with streamers and balloons hung everywhere. The gazebo is empty, but a stereo system is set up nearby, and a refreshment table is lining the outside of the gazebo. As we see the food, CARL walks into view, CORY and ELIZABETH toddling behind him.

CARL
All right, my little grubs, are you ready for the fireworks tonight? Daddy's been waiting to show you these for a long time.

CORY
Fi'works! (He points to the sky)

CARL
That's right. In the sky, way up high, among the stars. We're celebrating the birth of the country and we're celebrating the rebirth of our family.

RACHEL
(coming up behind them)
What a wonderful sentiment. You children don't get used to your father being sentimental. He's usually not like this.

CARL
I have decided to be much more sentimental, my darling. Life is too short not to be sentimental.

RACHEL
Is that right? Well, I'm looking forward to seeing how long it lasts.

They are joined by MATT, JASMINE, AMANDA, CAMERON, PAULINA, JOE, and DANTE.

MATT
(kissing Rachel's cheek)
Everything looks beautiful out here, Mom.

AMANDA
It really does. You've outdone yourself.

RACHEL
I didn't do this. You can thank Carl for the decorations.

AMANDA
Then Carl, thank you.

PAULINA
We're all together again for the Fourth of July. Except....Amanda, where's Alli?

AMANDA
(sighing)
She went to John and Sharlene's house....with Sean.

PAULINA
Ohh...Remy's there with Nick. I should have warned her to keep an eye on her niece and her new boyfriend.

AMANDA
Sean is not her boyfriend. She's too young to have a boyfriend.

CAMERON
She's fifteen, Amanda. She's growing up and she's got a boy interested in her. Might as well get used to it.

JOE
And if you don't want to get used to it, I'd be more than happy to have Sean McKinnon arrested for you.

Paulina smacks him, laughing.

AMANDA
(with a smile)
I don't think that's necessary. I trust Alli....it's just the boys I don't trust.

CASS, LILA, CHARLIE, FELICIA, LORNA, SERGEI, and GABRIELLE approach the group.

CASS
Would you like to borrow my shotgun, Amanda? I won't need it until Charlie's a little older.

The group laughs and exchanges hellos. Lila makes a beeline for Jasmine, and holds her daughter tightly.

LILA
I thought I was going to go crazy being away from her for so long! I've been waiting to get my hands on her!

MATT
She missed her mommy, but she and Daddy had a pretty good time.

LILA
I know you did. (She smiles at Matt). I'm just glad to see her.

The group starts to mingle. Lorna sits down in the gazebo with Gabrielle. Matt follows her, sitting next to them.

LORNA
Feel like you've just lost an appendage?

MATT
What?

LORNA
(motioning to Lila with Jasmine)
Jasmine.

MATT
Oh, yeah. Well, Lila hasn't seen her in awhile. I'm just sorry my alone time with my little girl is over.

LORNA
Kids need their mothers. But they need their fathers, too.

MATT
This is something I never expected. You and me, sitting around trading talk about our daughters.

LORNA
We've both changed. We're practically unrecognizable to most of Bay City.

MATT
We're recognized. We're just tossed off into the 'parent' category now.

LORNA
It's amazing. I can be in a roomful of people, or a party like this, but I still feel alone. And I don't care. Because I have her.

MATT
And you aren't alone. Neither am I.

They smile at one another. On the ground, Felicia and Rachel are talking by the refreshment center.

RACHEL
What are your plans with Sergei, Felicia?

FELICIA
You mean, am I divorcing him?

RACHEL
Well, that's my first thought.

FELICIA
I'm not sure.

RACHEL
What do you mean, you're not sure? He's well. You can divorce him and get on with your life!

FELICIA
It's just not that simple. I've got to admit, I've kind of gotten used to having him around. I'd really feel bad if I divorced him and he was deported.

RACHEL
So you're going to stay married to a man half your age---

FELICIA
---Not quite half, thank you very much.---

RACHEL
---half your age, just so that he's not deported? Are you nuts?

FELICIA
Haven't we had this conversation before? Sergei...well, he's become very special to me.

RACHEL
(astounded)
Don't tell me you're falling in love with him, Felicia!

FELICIA
Now who's nuts? No, I'm not. It's more like....he's a friend. I've grown protective of him, like a son. You don't just send your son off to be deported.

RACHEL
You also don't MARRY your son. You're giving ME an Oedipus complex.

FELICIA
I'm hardly Jocasta.

RACHEL
And you're not Cher, either. Find Sergei a woman to fall in love with. Then you can divorce him and he can marry her.

FELICIA
(smiles slyly)
I'm working on that. You see, my granddaughter is in love with him.

RACHEL
And a one-year-old's devotion to a guy who makes her laugh would be....?

FELICIA
Rachel, my daughter has been gone for two years, trying to piece together her life after Gabe. She deserves some happiness. And if that happiness comes from Sergei....well, who am I to stand in the way?

RACHEL
You're trying to set Lorna up with Sergei?

FELICIA
It's not a set-up. It's helping a natural course of action move....just a little bit faster.

RACHEL
(Shaking her head)
Haven't you learned against playing matchmaker for your children? I learned a long time ago.

FELICIA
Maybe I just learn at a slower pace than you do. And maybe my intuition is right.

RACHEL
I hope so. Otherwise, I have a vision of you in three years wearing one of those cone-shaped bras to Sergei's concerts.

FELICIA
Just wait. Just wait and see...

Felicia smiles as she looks over to the gazebo, where Matt and Lorna have been joined by Sergei, and the three are talking animatedly.

FADE OUT