[Beth calls Phillip and asks him to meet her somewhere to talk. He hesitiates at first, but then agrees. They decide to meet at the stables. In typical soap irony, as they are making amends and saying good-bye, Rick has rushed Mindy to the hospital, where she later miscarries.]
[Beth's late. Phil sitting on the floor waiting.]
Beth: [entering]
Phillip...
Phillip: [stands up]
Well, I'm glad you got the name right.
Beth:
I'm sorry I'm late.
Phillip:
It's okay. I've got all day.
Beth:
What I came here to talk about was--
Phillip:
Why don't you take a minute and catch your breath?
Beth:
I'm okay. [Pause--she takes a deep breath] I talked to your Aunt Alex.
Phillip:
You did? About what?
Beth:
You and Lujack.
Phillip: [disappointed]
That's great, Beth.
Beth:
It's important.
Phillip:
Okay, well, come on! I'm listening--tell me.
Beth:
You don't have to be friends.
Phillip: [pause then fakes relief]
Thank you. That's so nice to hear.
Beth:
But, he's your cousin now. You should try to get along with him for everyone's sake.
Phillip:
Oh, is that so, Beth? [shakes head] Is that what you came down here to tell me Beth? Is that it?
Beth:
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Phillip:
No, you mean Lujack has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Isn't that right?
Beth:
No, I didn't mean that!
Phillip:
So, old Luj-ie wants a nice, easy entry to my family, huh?
Beth:
No, that's not what he wants.
Phillip:
No, you're right Beth. That's not what HE wants. YOU seem to want that for some reason.
Beth:
No!
Phillip:
C'mon Beth! Don't lie to me--admit it. Why are you here right now? Huh? All this song and dance about everything to gain and nothing to lose--that doesn't have a damn thing to do with me. It's all for him, isn't it?
Beth: [yells]
Phillip, it's NOT for him!
Phillip:
C'mon Beth! Don't pretend with me. Don't do that--don't pretend it's for me if it's not.
Beth:
I care about both of you.
Phillip: [hurt]
Oh, nice choice of words, Beth. You care about both of us.
Beth:
Yes!
Phillip:
Well, Beth, you know with everything that we've MEANT to each other, I would think that somehow or another I might mean just a little bit more than some dirtbag punk off the street.
Beth:
You mean a lot to me.
Phillip:
Really? Well, it's hard to believe that seeing as how you have this wonderful new relationship with Mr. Lujack.
Beth: [pause--eyes fill with tears]
A year ago today, I fell in love with you.
Phillip: [sadly]
I thought you'd forgotten.
Beth:
No. A year ago tonight...
Phillip: [nods]
That's when it all started.
Beth: [tears begin to fall down her cheeks]
That's what we really have to talk about, isn't it?
Phillip: [nods]
Yeah.
Beth:
Not you and Lujack--you and me.
[commercial]
Beth:
We have to get everything out in the open.
Phillip:
Okay, let's get it out in the open.
Beth:
Phillip--
Phillip:
Whoa. Before we make this too nice--before we get into a big, grand coversation about us, I think there are a couple things you ought to know.
Beth:
Okay.
Phillip:
I still love you. Yeah, I know you think I shouldn't. I know I shouldn't. It'd be a lot easier on everybody if I didn't, but I do. And I can't change that. [Beth turns away from him.] Not all of us are as perfect as you are, Beth.
Beth: [turns around quickly to face him]
I'm not perfect!
Phillip:
Yeah? Well, see I can't seem to forget that a year ago we fell in love.
Beth:
Well, I can't forget it either. [She starts to cry.] You're a part of my life--a part of me--and I can't change that.
Phillip:
I know.
Beth:
But I have to change what part it is.
Phillip:
What do you mean?
Beth:
You can't be a part of my life everyday.
Phillip:
What else is there, Beth?
Beth:
Memories. [Phillip shakes his head.] Nobody--nothing can take those away from me--or you.
Phillip:
Don't you understand? It's the memories Beth--that's what I can't deal with. I can't forget--
[The phone rings.]
Beth:
Don't answer it.
Phillip:
We're not doing anything wrong. We have every right to be here. [Picks up the phone.] Hello? No, CJ's not here right now...I have no idea when he'll be back. [He hangs up but it rings again. He picks it back up and yells into the receiver.] I said he is NOT here! [He throws it down and walks around to calm down.] I'm sorry. It's just--we just can't get a minute, can we?
Beth:
Look at us--we can't even answer the phone without feeling guilty.
Phillip:
Beth, I feel guilty all the time--and I'm not doing anything wrong.
Beth:
You mean not anything anyone else can see.
Phillip: [nods]
Yeah. I've got--I've got to start living my life without you, Beth. I just can't have you in my head all the time, but I don't know how to stop.
Beth:
It isn't easy.
Phillip:
I know it isn't easy, Beth. How are you doing it?
Beth:
Not very well. [She starts to cry.] I have to fight for every single second that's good or happy that doesn't include you.
Phillip:
Does that work?
Beth:
Not always--and not enough. But I still try.
Phillip:
Hell, I don't know. I guess I'm trying too. I am--I'm doing my best to be the best father and husband that I can be. I'm trying to do everything that I'm supposed to do.
Beth:
Sometimes if you just do things you start believing them.
Phillip:
Maybe. Ah, I don't know. Mindy's trying too, I guess.
Beth:
Is she?
Phillip:
Yeah.
Beth:
I'm glad.
Phillip:
Last week, she got out one of her little dolls, and she started practicing diapering it--Mindy!
Beth:
How'd you do?
Phillip:
Me?
Beth:
Yes, you. [She begins to laugh.]
Phillip:
Not bad.
Beth:
Not bad?
Phillip:
Not bad. You know me pretty well, don't you?
Beth:
Mindy knows you too--and she'll get to know you better.
Phillip:
I'm getting to know her better--I know that.
Beth:
You just have to think about Mindy and the baby first--instead of me.
Phillip:
I'm trying.
Beth:
No, Phillip. You have to--period.
Phillip: [pause]
Are you happy?
Beth: [fighting tears]
Sometimes, something makes me happy or makes me laugh, and it's not about you. When you married Mindy, I thought that that would never be possible again. But it is, and it will be more and more.
Phillip:
I'm always gonna love you, Beth.
Beth: [crying]
I'm always gonna love you.
Phillip: [long pause]
So, where does that leave us? Hmmm? Does that make us friends?
Beth:
We ARE friends.
Phillip:
Then, I guess we can make it work.
Beth:
It has to--for you and me--and Mindy.
Phillip:
And the baby.
Beth:
And the baby.
