Melrose Place s03e09 Episode Script

You at least planning on saying goodbye? Hi.
I didn't want to wake you.
Want some coffee or something? No.
I've got a million things to do today.
But thanks, for everything.
I really appreciate it.
Sydney, what's wrong? Nothing, really.
It was wonderful.
I'll see you at Shooters.
Ugh.
Great.
Good morning.
You little bitch.
It all makes perfect sense now.
You get Jake to do your dirty work for you, and you pay him back in your own unique fashion.
That's a lie.
I'm just trying to protect you from the creep you think is in love with you.
You know, you are unbelievable.
First you try to destroy my relationship with Chris using your sick, twisted lies, and now you've sucked Jake into your psychotic little web.
You know, leave Jake out of this.
He's the only decent man I've ever met.
You know, just wait, Jane.
You'll find out the truth about Chris, and I hope that it's only after you've put your tender little heart into his slimy little hands.
Because you know what, he's going to squish it.
Then he's gonna stomp it into the ground, and it's gonna hurt, like nothing you've ever felt before.
It really is better this way, Alison.
I can stay with my aunt in Newport Beach until I find my own apartment.
Susan And being this far away will give me a good excuse to stop seeing Billy without hurting his feelings.
Susan, I Look, Alison, maybe I was fooling myself, but I had no idea it would cause this much pain, and, our friendship means too much to me to do that.
Susan, would you please just stop and listen to me? I said some terrible things last night.
I had a little bit too much to drink, and I was angry about a lot of things, none of them really your fault.
Our friendship means the world to me, too, and I really need it right now.
Please don't move out.
Do you still love him, Alison? Um Billy and I started out as friends.
Best friends, and I still love him that way, I don't think that's ever gonna change.
But I just couldn't say to myself, "This is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.
" I do know that I can't come between him and anyone he wants to see.
Even you.
Well, heh, that was an honest answer to a nosy question.
Thank you.
Besides, you'll find that he makes a great first impression, but, scratch the surface and he'll very quickly get on your nerves.
What do you mean? Well, he can be selfish, and demanding at times.
Let's just say he requires a lot more care and feeding than you might realize.
But you'll have to find that out on your own.
Otherwise you'll always blame me for what might have been.
Okay, well, I'll unpack.
You go to work.
And, Alison no more sneaking around about Billy, I promise.
Everything will be out in the open.
Amanda, hi, uh, can I see you a minute? Michael, what in the world are you doing here? Um, I'll get right to the point.
I've lost my job.
You see, I was supposed to be on call last, uh, weekend.
Uh, but Kim and I got kind of impulsive and went to Las Vegas and got married.
Congratulations, I suppose.
So, what does any of this have to do with me? Well, I know you've been hot and heavy with Dr.
Burns these days, and I was, um, I was wondering if you might talk to him for me.
Help get me back on staff.
Wait a minute, Michael.
I don't know what you've heard about Dr.
Burns and me, but I can assure you, it's greatly exaggerated.
I have no influence over him at all.
Well, Amanda, you and I both know that you could get a Tibetan monk to strip naked and dance the hootchie-cootchie if you wanted to bad enough Or if there was something in it for you.
All right.
Let's pretend I could persuade Dr.
Burns to reconsider.
Would it be worth, say, your half-interest in Mancini Designs? Are you out of your mind? I ask for a friendly favor, and you want take me for all I'm worth.
That's the deal on the table, Michael.
Right now that business is barely breaking even.
It certainly isn't gonna pay your bills anytime soon.
If you want to sleep on it, fine.
Meanwhile, I've got work to do.
Another Coke, please? Sydney.
In a sec, Jake, I have four tables that just sat down.
You just went on break.
What's going on? That's what I'd like to know.
You've been playing this cold and aloof with me all morning.
Look, I made a mistake.
A big one.
I'm on probation, and I really need this job.
I just slept with the boss, which is the quickest way out the door I can think of.
Please don't misunderstand me.
I really appreciate you standing up for me, but I wish we could just leave it at that.
Pretend that last night never happened.
Be better for both of us.
Well, this is a surprise.
Hello, Amanda.
I can't tell you how impressed I am with your new line.
When this hits the stores, sales are gonna go through the roof.
Thank you, I hope you're right.
Oh, I know I am.
It's a pity that Michael's gonna be sharing in all those profits without lifting a finger.
Please, don't remind me.
Amanda, what can I do for you? What would it be worth to get Michael out of this business, out of your hair for good? Amanda, you're the one who got him into this business in the first place, so forgive me if I don't jump at the chance at another one of your bright ideas.
If you recall, my intervention saved this company from bankruptcy.
Forgive me if Michael was your only solution at the time.
Sorry.
You're right, go on.
I see a way to get him out for good.
If I'm able to get Michael to sign over his share of Mancini Designs back over to you, what would be in it for me? Well, if you could somehow pull that off, I'd be willing to split his share with you.
Well, that seems more than generous.
Not really; After what he's done to me lately, I'd be willing to sell my soul, even to you, Amanda, just to get rid of him.
So give it your best shot.
Okay.
It smells good.
Yeah, well, wait till you taste it.
So, I'm glad you could make it at such short notice.
Thought I was gonna be rewriting copy tonight.
Yeah, I'm glad it worked out, too.
Especially now that we can stop lying to spare Alison's feelings.
I I didn't feel comfortable with that at all.
Yeah, I didn't either.
Certainly made it more difficult to figure out how I feel.
I mean, about you.
So what'd you figure out? Well That Well, you're I mean, we're, you know.
Yeah, I do.
So give me your expert opinion.
Wow.
It just needs a little tweaking.
First of all, we need some very special ingredients.
Hm.
Mmhm.
Okay.
Mmm.
Beats the hell out of Mom's.
Hi.
How was your day? Oh, you don't want to know.
I'm heading for the tub to soak my troubles away for two hours, then sleep for 12.
Sounds like a plan.
A heavy date with mushu pork and Barbara Stanwyck.
Then I think I'll do the same.
Enjoy.
Good night, Jane.
Good night.
You didn't like my food.
I did, too, I did, too.
Your mother just obviously did not go to school in Paris.
Yeah, Papa tells you right now, if you don't eat my food next time, you're a dead man.
I don't think you can cook next time.
What are you talking about? Cheers.
Jeffrey? Matt.
God, what a surprise.
Jeffrey, what are you doing here? Shooting some hoops.
No, I mean in LA, I thought you were overseas somewhere.
I, uh, I resigned my commission.
I'm just a civilian like you now.
Well, how long you been in town? A couple of months.
Couple months, huh? How come you didn't call? I just, you know, I mean, I just needed a little time to get settled.
Last time I heard from you was about six months ago, a postcard from Guam, I think.
Oh, man, the worst place on the planet.
They got tarantulas there the size of Volkswagens.
Matt, after I came out I became a pariah.
I mean, they just kept sending me from one lousy station to the next.
I really started to feel the heat.
I got scared.
Finally, I resigned three months ago.
I'm sorry, Jeffrey.
I thought about you a lot, I I wondered what happened, I mean, why I didn't hear from you.
That's the scoop.
Yeah, but all this time in LA, and not even a phone call, just to say hi? I mean, maybe I was fooling myself, I just I thought we had something special going before.
I just needed a little time to get my life together on my own first.
I mean, I was planning on calling you, I swear, I just Look, let me make it up to you.
How about dinner tomorrow night? Come on.
Sure.
Come here.
It's really good to see you.
Yeah, you, too.
He should hear about our petition for a continuance today or tomorrow.
The longer we can put this off, the better for us.
Meanwhile, we have to start planning a strategy in case the trial goes forward.
Well, where do we start? Well, we can build a pretty solid case based on character witnesses.
You should start getting a list together Friends, family, people who would be willing to go up on the stand and vouch for your competence as a parent.
Well, most of my friends live in my building.
Good, that means they see you regularly.
Do any of them have children? No.
It's a very, uh, eclectic group of singles.
It's gonna be all right, Jo.
We're gonna fight for that baby of yours.
Just hang tough for me, okay? Then give him a gentle reminder of just how much of his business.
DD is responsible for.
I know that, Harry, but the man has the brains of a chicken.
Yoo-hoo! Sweet-talk him the right way and he'll roll over.
Trust me.
Fine, just call me when it's done.
So.
Have you decided to accept my offer? Well, Amanda, I've done a lot of thinking.
What I need is my job back.
Nothing is more important to me than my medical career, and without Burns on my side, well, I can basically kiss that goodbye.
Mancini Designs was a lark, and, uh, really never mine in the first place.
So if you can get me my job back, it's yours, lock, stock, and barrel.
Michael, you've made the right decision.
Now, how do I know you can deliver? What makes you think you can just snap your fingers and Burns will rehire me? That's my problem, isn't it? As you said, I usually get what I want.
Peter Burns happens to be a particularly easy target due to his infatuation with me.
I guarantee I can get him to do anything I want.
Even something as unthinkable as rehiring you.
Oh, and I'm just curious, though.
Uh, what's in this for you? Don't worry about me, Michael.
I've already arranged for an overly generous cut.
Really? What can I say? When God was passing out business sense, Jane was still at the back of the line getting her nails done.
So do we have a deal? Oh, Amanda, we have a deal.
And, um, do me a favor.
Make him beg for it.
Heh.
I always do.
Jane, the latest order sheets.
You really are doing quite well.
My bosses are saying if this keeps up, we could expand the line as early as next quarter.
Really? Oh, that is great! Mmm! I owe this all to you.
You know, Jane, something's been bothering me.
I've felt badly that somehow my relationship with you has driven a wedge between you and your friends.
I'd like to try starting again, maybe a clean slate with Jake and Sydney.
Oh, Chris, I don't know, it No, please.
This has all been a terrible misunderstanding.
Why don't you and I go down to Shooters tonight and, uh, try and make amends.
It would mean a lot to me.
You are too much.
How did I manage to meet such a wonderful man? I don't know.
Just lucky, I guess.
Mmhm.
Heads up, you two, and pay attention.
Bruce has decided to make an all-out run at John Taylor, CEO of Mersol Software.
We're throwing a cocktail party tomorrow evening to try a full-court press on him.
Alison, you're in charge.
We need to line up a caterer, a full bar service, and lots of hors d'oeuvres.
How about using Susan? Great idea.
That meal she cooked at the bowl was amazing.
I don't have to tell you that this is a critical evening for DD.
This account could make all of our Christmas stockings a lot fatter.
So, get cracking.
You don't mind, do you? I mean, Susan could use the exposure.
Heh, don't be ridiculous, she's perfect for it.
Billy, don't forget that Susan and I have been friends for 10 years, and still will be long after your little flirtation with her is over and done.
When nothing's left Except your bruise Oh, sure.
I won't wait on him, Jake.
Just Just wait here.
Jane, I don't think this is a very good idea.
Why don't you and Crocodile Dundee just make your way over to another bar.
Wait a minute, Jake, we came here because Jake, we come here with olive branch in hand.
There's been a horrible misunderstanding, which has led to all of this.
I would like to try to start over again between us, please, for Jane's sake? Okay.
One drink.
For Jane's sake.
Thanks.
You're letting them stay? They said they wanted to make peace.
Look, I don't want to be the belligerent one here, okay? Just have Kathy take her table.
I'll be back in a minute.
Men's room.
Okay.
Diddling the boss, I hear.
That's one way of staying out of the nut house.
You bastard, stay away from me! Do you hear me?! Whoah! Okay, that's it.
Get out, both of you.
Matt, wait a minute, that girl's out of her mind.
I did absolutely nothing.
I don't give a damn, get out of my place.
Fine.
How could you, Jake? We only came here to make peace.
Get out.
She has you so fooled, you have no idea what a sick person you're involved with.
Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you.
Peter, I love this place.
I'd kill for the view.
Yeah, that's what sold me, too.
I had to gut what was here before and completely start from scratch, but the view made it all worthwhile.
Would you care for an after-dinner drink? I'd love a brandy.
Ah, very impressive.
You play, I assume? I always have a game going.
Thanks.
Watch this.
That's amazing.
But What? You've gone and exposed your rook.
Now you're gonna have to sacrifice your rook if you want to keep your queen.
You're absolutely right.
Here.
Your rook.
Where'd you learn how to play? Taught myself.
Number one rule: Always think at least three moves ahead.
You know, I've been looking for a chess partner just like you.
I'm very tired of playing by myself.
Peter Hm? I've been meaning to ask a little favor of you.
Yes? It's about Michael Mancini.
Mancini Mancini.
Oh, right, he used to live in your building.
Nasty piece of work, that one.
Just smart enough to be dangerous, but not smart enough to be really clever.
Yes.
I'm doing some business with his ex-wife, and since you fired him, he has been making life for her a living hell.
And, if it wouldn't cause you too much trouble, I was just wondering if you could somehow give him another chance.
It would make my dealings with Jane a whole lot easier.
And he isa good doctor, I know that for a fact.
Why do I get the feeling that there's more to this than your desire to help Mrs.
Mancini? Maybe there is, but can I just say I have reasons of my own? Yes, you can.
And you're right, he is a very good doctor.
All right.
For you, Amanda, I'll give him another chance.
Thank you Peter.
Michael, what are you doing here? Baby, I'm back.
What do you mean? You got your job back? Yep, Burns called at home this morning after you left.
He, um, practically begged me to come back to work.
I don't believe you.
All right, so maybe beg is a bit strong.
The point is you're married to a man of worth once again.
Congratulations.
Mwah.
However did you do that? Kimberly, you know a magician never reveals his secrets.
Ohh.
Hey.
Are you okay? I was wondering where you disappeared to last night.
Uh, yeah, I hid out in my apartment, unplugged the phone.
Had a lot of thinking to do.
Um, Jake, I really think it's better for both of us if I quit.
I've caused a lot of trouble around here, and it's not fair to you.
No, Sydney, you're not gonna quit.
That wouldn't be good for either one of us.
You'd be violating your probation, and I, I'd be losing my best employee.
No, the best thing I could do is get my probation officer to let me move far away, from here, from Jane, from Chris, and from you.
Why would you want to do that? Jane's gonna find out about Chris sooner or later, and she'll know we were right.
As far as me Jake Goodbye.
Thanks for everything.
Sydney.
Don't you understand that I honestly care about you, that I care about our relationship? What relationship, Jake? One night together, that's a relationship? All right.
Let's start over, then.
How would you like to go to dinner with me tonight? Are you asking me out on a date? Yeah, I'm asking you out on a date.
Well, I'd love to, Mr.
Hanson.
It's all pretty straightforward, Michael.
Just sign at the bottom, there.
You know, Amanda, I'm finding it very difficult to give all this up.
I've grown so attached to the place.
Just sign the papers, Michael.
We had a deal.
No, no, no, I tried, I really did.
I just love this business too much.
Hell, it's even got my name on it.
I don't know how I could even have dreamed of giving it to you.
I told you he wouldn't do it.
Michael, I got you your job back.
I could have it taken away again just as easily.
Oh, I don't think so, Amanda.
Peter Burns happens to be a particularly easy target due to his infatuation with me.
I guarantee I can get him to do anything I want.
Now, um you wouldn't want lover-boy to hear you say something as crass as that, would you? You conniving son of a bitch.
Oh, and Jane, you're gonna love this.
When God was passing out business sense, Jane was in the back getting her nails done.
You're scum, Michael.
Well, you know, you play hardball with me, and I'm gonna knock it out of the park every time.
Oh, and Amanda, you're gonna do me a little favor from now on.
I want you to keep me abreast of all the little tidbits you pick up from our friend the doctor, anything about hospital goings-on that might help me improve my position there.
Um, a weekly update will do.
Or Or Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater gets a load of what's on the tape.
Understood? Jane.
Always good to see you.
And, um, I'll be talking to you, Amanda.
Jane, I'm sorry.
Get out.
Amanda, I have to hand it to you.
You've done a very impressive sales job here.
You'll either have me signing up with DD or running screaming from the room.
Well, I've locked all the doors, John.
You won't get out alive.
Seriously, I hope you decide to sign up with us.
I'm very excited by the prospect.
So am I.
Actually, all I need is some assurance about the sliding fee schedule I proposed.
Bruce seemed to dance around that the last couple of meetings.
If you believe in us, John, we believe in you.
And I promise you, we'll be able to lock in the schedule you proposed.
Excellent.
Well, let me go and talk to Richard and the boys, and I think you'll have a new client by the end of the evening.
So if you'll excuse me.
Dr.
Burns, it was a pleasure.
John.
Yes.
Congratulations, I'm very impressed.
You put this whole thing together in one day and it looks like you landed your boy on top of it.
You're absolutely brilliant.
Why, thank you, Doctor.
This was one of my better coups.
Another vodka, please, straight up.
Here you go.
Oh, thank you.
Hey there.
Party's going great.
Yeah except the food.
It's awful.
I think it's delicious.
So does everybody else.
Well, you are a bit prejudiced.
I hope you're being careful with her, Billy.
And what do you mean? I wouldn't want you to catch anything.
Back in college, the frat boys used to call her.
Round Heels Susie.
Guess it only took a little nudge to get her on her back.
You're drunk.
Yeah? Well, you're a self-centered pig.
'Least in the morning I'll be sober.
I don't even want to know what that was about.
Look, Alison has done a great job with this party, but she seems to have had a bit too much to drink.
Why don't you take her home? Alison's not my responsibility anymore.
Maybe not as your fiancee, but as your coworker, she sure as hell is.
Please, take her home now.
Excuse me a second.
Bruce, I was just looking for you.
John What the hell do you think you're doing? What? Did you promise John Taylor that we'd accept his fee proposal? Well, yes, if that's all it took to close the deal.
You had no authority to make that kind of a promise without consulting me first.
What the hell are you trying to pull here, Amanda? I'm the general partner in this company.
I will not have my position usurped, deal or no deal.
I catch you making decisions like that again behind my back, you'll be out on your ass so fast, you won't know what hit you.
Is that clear? Perfectly clear.
Bruce, I Yeah.
Hey.
You okay? Sorry you had to hear that.
I think I stepped on someone's ego.
Let's get out of here, okay? Okay.
Alison, everything's going great.
Says who? The food is salty, and the service sucks.
Why are you doing this? I'm not I'm not doing anything.
You are.
Do you have any idea what your little kissy-kissy spectacle out there with Billy could do to his reputation around here? You are about as good for him as your cooking.
In other words, you stink.
You obviously turned him against me.
I just know he's out there bad-mouthing me right now.
Look, Alison, I thought we were starting fresh.
And I thought that you could handle all of this, but obviously you can't, just like you can't handle your liquor.
Bitch.
Alison, stop it! What is wrong with you? Hey! Alison, stop it, now! Knock it off, knock it off.
Knock it off, jeez.
I'm gonna I'm gonna catch a cab home, Billy, so give my regrets to our clients.
Don't let it get you down.
The evening was an unqualified success.
I may have made a little tactical error where you and I are concerned.
And what might that be? It has to do with Michael Mancini.
Let me guess.
Our little friend tricked you into talking me into rehiring him, and now you regret it.
Was I that transparent? Lucky guess on my part.
Well, he has a recording of me saying some things that might be misconstrued.
And now he's trying to blackmail me into getting information out of you regarding the hospital.
He's a piece of work, that one.
Do you hate me? For not being truthful with you? On the contrary, I have a deep passion for liars.
But put Mancini out of your mind.
I like him right where he is.
I can keep an eye on him.
I would like to talk to you about DD.
DD? What about it? I was very impressed tonight.
The whole operation, under your guidance, is a powerhouse.
But that boss of yours, he resents your initiative, wants to rein you in too much.
Bruce does like to keep close tabs on me, sometimes suffocatingly so.
Yes.
We'll just have to find a way around him.
Um what exactly are you talking about? A little power play that would put you in ultimate charge of DD, with me as your financial partner.
You are crazy if you think you can steal.
DD away from Bruce.
He's too well insulated.
Everyone has their vulnerable spot.
We just have to find it.
So are you gonna miss the sea, Jeff? I live 10 minutes from it.
You know what I mean.
You know, I denied it for a long time after you left, but, uh, I fell in love with you last year, Jeffrey, I That's why it hurt so much when I stopped hearing from you.
Listen, Matt, before we go any further, I have to be completely truthful with you, 'cause I feel the same way about you.
And I never meant to hurt you or make your life more difficult, but Well, there's more to why I left the Navy than just pressure from my dad.
And more to why I didn't call you right away.
What is it? Jeffrey? When I took my last physical, they, uh you know, they ran all the routine blood work including the test for the AIDS virus.
You know, I, uh, tested positive, Matt.
Oh, God, Jeffrey, um Listen, are you sure? 'Cause it's possible that they can have false-positives.
Maybe I took it a second time.
It's the same result.
It's really turned my life upside down, you know? I, uh I just didn't know what to do, you know? Or who to call.
You're the first person I told.
You think telling somebody you're gay is difficult.
Let me tell you.
The truth is, I, uh Well, I didn't know if you'd ever want to see me again.
And, uh, you know, it's okay.
No.
I just I just snapped, Susan.
I guess I wasn't as ready for this as I thought.
I mean, you were right all along about, um, about Billy.
Maybe, maybe the distance this move is gonna put between us will allow us to eventually patch up our friendship, 'cause it really is valuable to me.
I know you're gonna find another apartment soon.
I already found one.
Good, good.
Um, please, drop me a note and let me know your address so I can forward your mail and stuff.
No problem, I'll send you a postcard.
I know you hate me for what I did.
Alison, I don't hate you.
I feel sorry for you.
Will you at least let me help you load up your car? No, thanks.
Uh, the way out the way out is that way.
I know that.