Todd/Blair On the Orion
This scene, it’s like standing on the edge of a precipice, you know? And if you could just take that one last step, you’d be
over the peak starting downhill, smooth sailing from here on out. Here’s a warning: If you want to live in what-should-have-been-ville, let this
be the last nostalgia piece you read. ‘Cause Blair and Todd don’t make it over that precipice, even when it looks like they’re just about to.
This scene is a two-parter, and this part ends on a high note, with everything still to come. This scene has that last, lost chance feel to it. Like
if things had turned out differently here, so would the future of Llanview and its Dark Prince have turned out differently. I wish, oh how I
wish! “The SS Orion, part A”
B: (looking around the empty room) So, what does this remind you of, Todd?
T: Showing up to a New Year’s Eve party on New Year’s Day?
B: No, (laughing) our wedding reception, when we were the only ones there.
T: Oh. That.
B: (reaches over the bar and presses button, lights dim and music from their wedding reception begins to play. She holds out her hand)
Could I have the pleasure of this dance?
T: Not unless we do it right.
B: (confused) What?
T: Well, I was saving this for after the party when everybody left, but what the hell, we’re alone now. And a surprise is a surprise whenever
you don’t expect it. (he walks over to the opposite bar and presses a button of his own, and gold balloons come pouring from the ceiling) So,
what does this remind you of?
B: (beaming) Oh, Todd! You promised to shower me with gold!
T: No broken mirrors this time.
B: Todd, don’t you see what’s happening here? We’re getting a chance to do it all over again! Our marriage and our lives.
T: Maybe we’ll get it better this time. (they almost start to dance, then Todd moves away, disturbed) Turn the music off.
B: Why? What’s the matter?
T: Look, Blair, I can’t do this. Turn it off.
B: Why?
T: Because this is all wrong.
B: (speaking to his back) Todd, everything was so beautiful a while ago.
T: Yeah, I know.
B: Why’d you get so upset?
T: Look, (turning to her) I’ll be honest with you. (looks at her, then turns away again.)
B: What? (upset) Todd, was it something that I said?
T: No. Look, I, I’m having a lot of trouble here. I mean, maybe it’s like you said (looking at her), we have another shot here. So, things
should be out in the open, right? No secrets, you know?
B: (softly) Yeah. (looks down) I know, and, um, there’s something that I need to tell you that I’ve been holding back. Something really
important, and I’m gonna tell you now.
T: (looking at her) Okay, Blair. What were you going to tell me?
B: (sighs deeply, speaking with difficulty) Oh, Todd -- this is -- the hardest thing I’ve ever had to tell you. And, I’ll be the first to admit that I
didn’t tell you the truth. It’s just that I was afraid if I did, something awful would happen. (tears in her voice) And I could, I could lose you,
just when we’re beginning to get close again. (turns away) You know, you’re really not making this easy for me. Um, (gathers courage) here
goes: I--
(Antonio interrupts them; they exchange insults, then Todd and Blair retire to a stateroom for privacy.)
T: (closing door) All right, we’re alone now, Blair. Whatever you were gonna ask me, you should ask me.
B: (nervous) You know, Todd, the, um, the party starts in just a few hours, and there’s still so much to do, maybe I should wait and tell you
later.
T: Who cares? (starts to leave) Look, I got stuff I gotta--
B: (interrupting) Todd, wait. (quietly) I’ll tell. (a long pause while she tries to find the words) You know, maybe you should sit down. (he
doesn’t move) Todd, when you look at me like that . . .
T: (slowly moves) Alright. (turns around) I’ll look away. You can talk to my back.
B: (moving around, flustered) I’m not gonna go into our whole life history here. But, before I tell you what I really need to tell you, I want
you to think back to when we first got together. We were really a couple of losers.
T: (softly) Yeah. We didn’t even have to make things up to qualify for the most pathetic contest did we?
B: Yeah. We just showed the world one face, tough. We thought if we let ourselves be vulnerable, we would get hurt. And, then Todd, (she
smiles gently) when we made love in the stables, we did open up. We admitted that we loved each other.
T: Well, this is starting to sound like a really long story (moves to be and sits), and I was there, remember? Why don’t you just get to the
punchline?
B: Todd, please, it’s so, it’s so important.
T: Alright.
B: Then we got married in St. James Church in front of our families, and we vowed to stop the secrets and the lies, and that we would always,
always try to trust and love. Todd, (smiling as she remembers) that was the happiest day of my life. And then, I got the phone call from
Ireland, and after that, I thought that you were dead. And I wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Nothing helped, I mean nothing. Even going
to Ireland to see the place where it happened--nothing. The only thing that kept me breathing was our little girl inside my body.
T: (not looking at her) Turns out she was worth it.
B: Yeah. And then (crossing room) Patrick followed Marty to Llanview. Todd, I hated them then. I still hate Marty for everything
she’s--
T: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You hate Marty. We’re talking about Patrick.
B: (sits behind him on the bed) Todd, when Patrick came to Llanview, I did blame him for getting you killed. But then, (looks down at lap)
we got to know each other.
T: Yeah?
B: He, he really blamed himself. In fact, he tortured himself, more than I ever could.
T: Good for him.
B: And he said that he didn’t ask you to take his place that night. That you hit him and ran out into the fog.
T: Blair, what is this all about?
B: (continuing) Then, I helped Patrick produce that play in Angel Square. You know, he really is a very kind and compassionate person.
(closes eyes and struggles on) Todd, I was so lonely then, and all that emptiness was pouring in on me. I tried to fight it. But-- (she can’t go
on)
T: But what?
B: But, I haven’t, I haven’t been honest with you when I said that there was nothing going on between Patrick and me. We, um, we got to be
friends (she stops).
T: And?
B: And, um, (forces the words out) we slept together. (stumbles over words trying to explain) But I swear to God, Todd, it was out of my
desperate loneliness, and Patrick has always, always loved Marty. And everybody told me that I needed to get on with my life, but Todd, I
swear, I swear to you that (crying) I never, ever stopped loving you. I never did, never. (Todd slowly turns his head and looks at her over his
shoulder). Oh God, Todd, do you hate me now?
T: (rises) I’m speechless.
B: Oh, Todd, I thought that I had lost you forever!
T: You must have thought a lot. I asked you what, like four, five times if you had been faithful, and you lied to me every time!
B: Because I was scared!
T: Of what? Of what I’d do? (she doesn’t answer and he takes a step towards her) I understand what it’s like to be scared. Look, I’m glad
you finally had the guts to tell me; that’s important. I’m not glad that it happened, but (making a real effort) it’s like you said, you thought I
was dead. So, as far as I’m concerned, let’s try and forget that it ever happened.
B: (through tears) You mean that??
T: (not sure but truly trying) I said it.
B: Oh, Todd, (throws herself into his arms) I love you so much. I love you so, so much! (his arms slowly rise to hold her in return, and
Todd’s eyes close).
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