EPISODE 55
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: ML Cooks & C. Nathaniel Richardson
Anne storms into the airport waiting room, hankderchief tied over her head and sunglasses on to obscure her identity. She wheels her suitcase up to the front desk at the gate, where the flight attendant is typing away at her computer.
ANNE: Excuse me. How long until we board?
The flight attendant barely looks up from her computer, trying to hold in her exasperation.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Another ten minutes, Ms. Hillman.
Anne frowns under the glasses. Her giant sunglasses concealing most of the expression in her face.
ANNE: Listen sweetheart. I was supposed to be out of this one-horse town on the 7:15 flight, and I got bumped. Now we're 15 minutes late boarding on THIS flight. I have places to be, and all your snarky attitude is doing is making me more angry that I had to be up at 4:30 in the morning to be here for this crap.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Well, if you're tired, there's a coffee house just--
ANNE: ...I HAVE JUST FINISHED MY FOURTH COFFEE. If I have another one, I may take down the plane from the water weight I'm putting on. So, let's just....move it along, yeah?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: That's nice. Seven minutes to boarding.
Anne grimaces at the flight attendant, then sits down, frustrated by the flight attendant's lack of interest in her suffering.
---
JJ drives Abigail to the airport. He's tired, and concerned and it shows on his face.
JJ: You know, I just...I don't get why you have to be so secretive about this.
ABBY: It's not being secretive. I just...I don't want to freak mom out over nothing. I mean...like...this is just a business trip. So what if I'm gone for a little while.
JJ: A little while? Abs, you're gonna be gone for...months. Do you seriously think Mom's gonna just...accept that you took off without a goodbye or anything?
ABBY: I had to. It...it's just...came up last minute and she knows I have to take this.
JJ: So what, you're just gonna...call her from her hotel room and be all like "Oh hey, Mom. Remember that job offer I got? Yeah, I'm there now, L.O.L, won't be back until the spring! Thanks for dinner last night!"
Abigail rolls her eyes and looks pensively out the window.
ABBY: ...Something like that.
JJ: I just...don't get it, Abs. Why are you in such a hurry to get out of here, anyway? I mean...Grandma Laura JUST came back to town and you're already...running off to California to work for the DiMeras?
ABBY: (interrupting) JJ, Enough! Stop it! Okay, I don't expect you to understand what I'm going through right now, just...please...just drive me to the airport before we miss the plane.
JJ bites his lip, sighs heavily, and after taking a moment to look at his sister, who is giving him a stern look, turns his eyes back to the road.
---
Kate sashays into the Titan building, briefcase in one hand, scarcely paying attention to where she's walking, as she's on her cell phone. She appears displeased, a stern look on her face. She struggles to press the "up" button at the elevator.
As she waits, she begins to speak.
KATE: (into phone) Billie, I've been calling you for the past hour, this is my fourth message. Where the Hell are you? This is big, you need to call me immediately.
Kate hangs up as the door opens. Stepping in, she sighs heavily, as she and the few others who've gathered round the door step on. As the doors close, Kate looks up to the ceiling, a worried look on her face.
The doors close, the elevator bell chimes.
---
The alarm clock on the bedside table goes off at the same tone as the elevator chime at Titan, startling Billie from a dead sleep. She sits bolt upright and quickly turns to stop the clock, but it isn't where it normally is. She looks around, realizing she isn't in her own bed.
BILLIE: What the...?
Billie looks over beside her as the person beside her stirs, emerging from under the covers to lethergically shut his alarm off.
It's Daniel. Billie's eyes open wide with alarm.
BILLIE: Oh god.
Daniel, groggy, looks over through his squinted eyes at her, likely not even sure what's going on around him.
---
---
Nick wakes up from a deep sleep. He stirs, groggy from the previous night's heavy drinking before the headache hits him. He winces and groans in pain.
Opening his eyes a bit more, he sees Gabi, asleep beside him. He is at once shocked and pleased, a warm smile crosses his face, as he leans over to gently kiss her, as though she is Sleeping Beauty awaiting a kiss from her prince.
Gabi is awoken by Nick's kiss and slowly opens one eye. Upon seeing Nick's face inches from hers, she bolts upright, hitting her head violently against Nick's.
GABI: AHH!
NICK: Dammit!
They both fall back in pain and shock, each holding their respective throbbing heads. Gabi looks over to Nick, disoriented and angry.
GABI: Dammit, Nick! What the Hell were you doing??
Nick holds his head, wincing in pain, both from the hit to the head, and his quickly-mounting hangover.
NICK: Ughh...I was...trying to kiss you good morning and...oh my...oh my God, Gabi. Can you, can you grab me my pills from the medicine cabinet? I....ugh, I don't feel so good.
Gabi goes to get up, but quickly stops herself in her tracks before standing up. She doesn't turn around, she just freezes.
GABI: Uh...I...I can't.
NICK: What? No, seriously, they're just in the top...ugh...never mind, I'll get them myself.
Nick gets up fast and stumbles into the bathroom. Gabi breathes a sigh of relief at not having to grab the pills herself. She looks over as Nick walks back in the room with a glass of water in one hand, and the supposed headache medication in the other. Gabi smiles slightly as Nick takes the pill, washing it down with water.
NICK: You sure you're okay?
GABI: Yeah...yeah, I'll be fine...look...uh....Nick, I...
NICK: Gabi...before you say anything...obviously I was little bit...drunk last night....but...do you remember what happened between us? I mean...did we...?
GABI: Did we what....have sex?
NICK: I was gonna call it 'make love' but...did we?
Gabi hesitates to answer, thinking over whether to lie to Nick or not.
---
Billie lies in Daniel's bed. Her eyes wide open as she stares at the ceiling.
BILLIE: We didn't...you know...do it, did we?
Daniel lies beside her, looking at Billie, still a bit groggy.
DANIEL: Last night? I don't think so.
BILLIE: Okay, good. The last thing I remember...vaguely anyway, was Sonny Kiriakis telling us we had five minutes to finish our drinks before the club closed.
DANIEL: Yyyyeah, you...didn't finish that drink.
BILLIE: I didn't?
DANIEL: Nope...my shirt did.
Billie looks over to Daniel, a look of slight embarrassment and amusement across her face.
BILLIE: Seriously? I'm...heh...I'm sorry. How did I...do I even wanna know?
DANIEL: Probably not. You passed out mid-drink and....yeah. So I had to carry you home. I figured you wouldn't want to have to explain to your mom why I was at her door with her daughter over my shoulder like a caveman so...
Billie's full out laughing now. Holding her face in her hands to hide from embarrassment.
BILLIE: Oh no! (sighs) I'm...so sorry to do that.
DANIEL: Don't worry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay through the night. You drank pretty heavily last night.
Billie's expression sours a bit, recalling the events of the previous day and what's to come.
BILLIE: Yeah. It's been a pretty intense week. I really appreciate you spending the night with me.
DANIEL: It was great to spend the time with a lovely, charming young woman.
BILLIE: Ahhhh, yes. That charm that seduces all the Roberts ladies.
Daniel furrows his brow at Billie's comment.
DANIEL: That bothers you, doesn't it?
BILLIE: What does?
DANIEL: That I've been with your mom and your daughter...
BILLIE: ...And my brother's wife.
Daniel sighs, turning to look up at the ceiling with Billie, who hasn't really stopped.
DANIEL: Yep.
BILLIE: I just have a hard time trusting men. I hear a few good things about you. I mean, Jennifer always told me a lot of good things whenever I'd speak to her, and...I just...you have such a history, and I....I don't really have the room to be hurt again, Daniel. I really don't.
Daniel looks to Billie, and takes his hand to motion Billie's face gently to face his.
DANIEL: Billie, I'm not looking to start a great, mad affair with you. I'm still having a hard time dealing with the fact that Jenn and I are over and done with now. So I don't want commitments, and I don't need to rush into things. Let's just...spend time together. Have fun. Smile, have a laugh. If something more comes of it, great! If not...
BILLIE: Then no one's hurt.
DANIEL: You got it.
Daniel and Billie both smile at each other. Instead of leaning in for a kiss, Billie holds up her hand, pinky finger in the air.
Daniel laughs, holding up his pinky finger and wraps it around hers, making a pact.
---
At the Salem International Airport, An announcement is heard over the speakers, as Anne waits, impatiently as ever, at the terminal gate, flipping brusquely through a magazine.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: (over the speakers) Attention all passengers awaiting TSA flight 352 to Rome, we are now ready to board rows 1-12. If those seated in those rows would kindly line up at Gate 13, we will commence boarding, please have your boarding pass and ID ready.
Before the flight attendant is even halfway done, Anne has scurried, carry-on in tow, into the line. She checks furiously around her to ensure no one recognizes her as she approaches the gate.
After Anne's ID and boarding pass are inspected, she quickly scurries into the hallway leading the plane.
ANNE: Goodbye, Salem. And good riddance.
---
Kate steps off the elevator, and onto the floor where her office is located. She is nearly at her door when Victor approaches her from behind, a subdued jolly tone in his voice that one couldn't place as being genuine or not.
VICTOR: Kate! Just the person I was looking for.
Kate stops, turning around, an unimpressed look on her face.
KATE: Victor! Just the person I wasn't.
VICTOR: Now, now, Kate. This is a friendly visit. For once.
Kate rolls her eyes and motions Victor to come in. Before closing the door behind them, Kate turns to her secretary.
KATE: Bryce, hold my calls while Mr. Kiriakis is here.
Kate closes the door to her office, then walks past Victor, not even looking him in the eye before sitting down behind her desk.
KATE: Alright, Victor. Why the so-called friendly visit?
VICTOR: Oh come on, Kate. No need to be so hostile. I've come to thank you.
KATE: Thank me? For what?
VICTOR: Call it advance gratitude for your vote to keep Titan TV in our hands today. It's ver--
Kate sighs and looks away at Victor's obvious vote shopping. She holds up her hand to stop Victor mid-sentence.
KATE: Victor, stop! Look, I don't think you realize what you're doing, but you need to stop putting pressure on us to keep the TV station.
VICTOR: Kate, what on Earth are you talking about? I thought you were on board with this.
KATE: I was...and then I started to think about the reprecussions of this.
VICTOR: What reprecussions? You keeping your job?
KATE: Ohhh no you don't. Do you not know the first thing about ethics, Victor?
VICTOR: Ethics, shmethics! This is vital to our business!
KATE: So using your failing TV station to blatantly act as a propoganda machine for your widely unpopular oil sands project, a move that puts you in a very obvious conflict of interest situation with at least three different government organizations, potentially leading to our corporation being bankrupted by fines alone, not to mention the billions of dollars in lost investment which will cripple the oil sands project before it even gets off the drawing board. I don't know Victor. Do YOU think it's so vital?
Victor stands still, shooting daggers from his eyes at Kate.
KATE: Because I'm not willing to go down with that ship. Plug the hole now or I'll be out of my office by sundown.
---
Anne sits in her seat on the plane. Still in her disguise, she is antsy to get off the ground. She looks nervously out the window at the tarmac, before flagging down a passing flight attendant.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Yes?
ANNE: Hi, when are we going to be taking off?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: It won't be long now, we're just waiting on a couple more passengers to board first.
ANNE: No, no, no, no, you see...you don't understand. I was meant to leave Salem earlier this morning on the earlier flight? But they instead gave my seat away and put me on this flight, and I am tired of waiting. So these latecomers, they can suck it because I need to get going, okay?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Ma'am it won't be too much longer.
Another flight attendant approaches Anne with the same professional overt sweetness.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2: Excuse me, Ma'am. I hate to bother you but we were wondering if you would be to trade your seat for this flight.
ANNE: For what?! Listen, for all the trouble I've had this morning, you're gonna keep me right here. I worked hard for this extra two inches of leg room, I'll have you know.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2:: Well, ma'am, there is a pregnant lady in need of the extra leg room, so we were hoping to offer you a seat in our executive class as a thank you for your patience today.
Anne's face changes quickly to a pleased expression.
ANNE: Now THAT is more like it! Well, what are we waiting for, ladies? Let's get me upgraded!
Anne grabs her things and makes a beeline for first class. As she puts her carry-on in the overhead bin, the pregnant lady is escorted onto the plane. Anne observes that she is not showing much, but is walking a bit delicately nonetheless. As the woman passes, they don't exchange glances, as Anne is turned away from the woman as Anne adjusts her seat.
However, as the woman passes her, Anne catches a glimpse of her face from the side.
It's Abby.
---
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