True Love Never Dies, Part 6

The cottage

Paulina leads Jake into the cottage.

P: “Can I fix you something to eat?”

J: “No, I’m fine.”

Paulina looks around the room.

P: “Man, it’s quiet around here.”

J: “The boys are at soccer practice and Donna is having lunch with Marley and Nick.”

P: “Oh.”

Paulina notices Jake staring off.

P: “You look like you haven’t slept in days. Why don’t you take a--”

J: “No! No! No nap. All right, Paulina.”

P: “Okay.”

Tears form in Jake’s eyes.

J: “Every time I try to sleep I dream about her. About everything we’ve been through
together.”

Paulina puts her hand on Jake’s shoulder.

P: “But, don’t you think that you’d be more beneficial to the boys if you got some rest?”

J: “Oh, the boys.”

Tears start to fall down Jake’s face.

J: “You know, I think of them as my own. I mean, they practically are. Not only did I
deliver Steven, but I actually thought he was my biological son for awhile. And Kirkland -- you know, you were there. We practically raised him for the first weeks of his life.”

Paulina laughs slightly.

P: “Vicky’s crazy schemes.”

J: “I love them so much, but I don’t even know how to act around them, you know? They want me to play catch with them and it’s so hard for me because they remind me so much of her.”

Jake picks up a picture of his and Vicky’s wedding.

J: “You know what today is?”

Paulina closes her eyes and nods.

P: “Yeah, I remembered.”

J: “Our second anniversary. You know, it’s funny. Of all the days Vic and I have spent
together, we never spent an anniversary together.”

Jake turns to Paulina and tears start streaming.

J: “Why, Paulina? Please, tell me why she’s gone. We were supposed to raise our family together. Now, our family is gone because she’s gone.”

Paulina hugs Jake tightly as he sobs. Jake pulls away a few seconds later.

J: “I’ve got to get out of here.”

P: “Jake, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone. Not today.”

J: “Don’t worry I’ll be fine. I just... I just have to go somewhere.”

He kisses Paulina’s cheek, grabs his leather jacket and leaves.


Outside, in an empty ally.

Vicky exits the warehouse and looks around the empty streets.

V: “Man, this place is a dump.”

B: “Well, you always used to think so, deary.”

Vicky turns and sees Bridget’s ghost standing next to her.

V: (whispers, smiling) “Bridget.”

B: “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize this place.”

Vicky looks around.

V: “What? The ally?”

B: “Of course. You must have been ten years old. I wanted you to take piano lessons and you didn’t want to. So, the day of your first lesson--”

V: (remembering) “I snuck into the teacher’s bathroom before the lesson started and Jake helped me down the fire escape.”

She looks up at the building across from the warehouse and points to a window two floors up.

V: “It was that one, wasn’t it?”

B: “Yes, it was.”

Vicky looks at Bridget, astonished.

V: “I’m in Lassiter?”

B: (smiles) “As much as you and Jake hated it here growing up, as adults it was your refuge. Whenever you needed each other, you always came here.”

V: “Well, not Lassiter exactly, but the...”

Vicky looks at Bridget, with tears in her eyes.

B: “Always rely on Jake, Victoria.”

Bridget disappears.

V: (smiles) “Always have and always will.”

Vicky looks up at the apartment building once more and runs out of the ally.