From: Robert Willers <willers@trombone.sps.mot.com>

LOVING Update for Friday, April 28:

STORYLINE: JACOB MEETS ANGIE and NEAL COURTS KATE
 (starting location: Angie's office)
* Frankie and Brianna enter Angie's office.  They are taking a break
 from the ad agency, and they invite Angie to dinner.  She declines,
 saying she has a lot of work to catch up on.  Frankie asks if Charles
 has called.  No, and she didn't expect him to.  Frankie and Bri leave.
Angie picks up the phone...
[At Le Bistro.]
The phone rings.  Jacob picks it up.  Angie is calling to confirm their
 meeting tonight.  Jacob says he gets off at 8:00 and suggests that they
 meet at Le Bistro.  Angie says no, she wants to meet at his apartment.
 He asks why, and she says that is the way she wants it.  Before he can
 object, she says, "see you at eight," and hangs up.  He says he doesn't
 get off until eight --.  He shrugs and hangs up.  "Eight it is, OK."
He calls to Neal and asks to leave a little early for "something I can't
 get out of."  Neal says it must be a woman; Jacob asks what makes him
 think that.  Age and experience, says Neal: Jacob has been dropping and
 forgetting things.  Jacob says he has a one-track mind.  "What's her
 name?"  "Will you cover for me?"  Neal says yes, if he'll return the
 favor next week.  "What's her name?"  Both laugh, but they turn to the
 door where Kate has just entered.  "Um...that's...just an old friend."
* Neal takes Kate to the table in back.  He says he thinks of her as a
 delicate flower from High School.  He recalls the time she fell down
 skating and broke her wrist.  After a lot of chit-chat, she wants to
 get down to business.  Neal wants to entice her to bake some pies for
 Le Bistro.  She says she's sort of out of the business.
Jacob walks up and says he'll finish out the (three or so) remaining
 tables and leave.  Not so fast, says Neal, there are more customers.
We see Frankie and Bri enter.  She asks him if he is sure he wants to
 eat there.  Sure, why not?  Jacob, for one.  Oh, he doesn't bother me.
 He says he's calling a truce since he has to work with him.  He even
 has some things to run by him later.  Bri asks, "Not too much later,
 I am pooped."  Frankie says all she did was stand around and look good
 all day.  Bri says that's hard work.  "Not for somebody like you."
 That comment is met with silence, so Frankie decides to try to get some
 service.  He practically begs Jacob to come take their order.  He says
 that they don't need menus: he wants a cheeseburger and a salad for
 the lady, and a moment of Jacob's time.  "Burgers and salads we have,
 but we're fresh out of time."  Frankie says it is important; it's about
 the video and other stuff.  Jacob says it will have to wait; he has to
 be somewhere at 8:00.
[At Angie's office.]
Angie flashes back to her attempt to give Jacob a physical.  "This has
 *got* to stop."  She grabs her coat, turns the lights off and leaves.
* [At Le Bistro.]
Bri is telling Frankie that she thought modeling would be easy, but she
 is very tired out after she models for a while.  Frankie is listening,
 sort of, and keeping an eye on Jacob.  Bri says she is thinking of
 getting a new look -- she is going to grow dreadlocks so Frankie will
 pay attention to her...
Jacob gives Neal the tickets from the remaining tables and tells him
 what is going on.  He says he'll handle them.  Jacob asks if he will
 handle them like he is handling that fine lady in the corner.  Neal
 reminds Jacob that they are just friends -- they've known each other
 since High School.  Jacob tosses his beret and apron down and leaves
 some money for the wine he is taking.  Neal says, "Have fun."  "You
 too, casanova."
Neal takes stuffed mushrooms to Kate.  She says he didn't have to go
 to the trouble.  He says it was his pleasure.
Frankie apologizes for "checking out" and says she has his undivided
 attention now.  She wants to go someplace less "Jacobian."  He says he
 thought she was tired.  She says she got her second wind.  They leave.
* Neal apologizes to Kate -- for leaving her alone.  He says he didn't
 expect to be shorthanded.  Kate says she understands.  He asks if she
 liked his cooking.  Yes, the empty plate is proof.  Neal says he'll
 get her some more, but Kate stops him, joking that she needs to keep
 her "girlish figure."  Neal says she looks great.  Kate says that's
 a "nice try" but it's not going to work -- he's not going to get her
 back in the pie-baking business with flattery.  He says that was just
 a ruse.  Actually, he was hoping to take her out to pie -- or dinner.
 She asks if this is just another attempt to get her to bake.  He says
 no, it is for the pleasure of her company.
Frankie says she *can't* go dancing, she has to model tomorrow.  Bri
 says that's tomorrow and tells him that he has to lighten up and not
 worry about things so much.  "Yes, O wise and beautiful one."  "Well,
 I'm only beautiful because you make me beautiful."  She kisses him.
 Then, she hugs him.  Frankie at first looks surprised, then smiles.
[At Jacob's apartment.]
Jacob is getting ready for Angie to show up, cleaning up the place and
 himself.  Angie knocks on the door.  He invites her in.  She thanks
 him for meeting with her.  He apologizes that he doesn't have much
 in the way of -- wait, he "remembers" the wine he just brought.  He
 says Angie can "have the good glass."  He pours for her.  She winds
 up and slaps it out of his hand.  Jacob is stunned.

STORYLINE: ADIOS, DINAH LEE
 (location: The Tides)
* Dinah Lee enters.  She picks up a bouquet of flowers from a table.
 Ava comes out of nowhere and says hi.  DL asks why she's there (just to
 wait for her) and how she got in (ignored).  Ava brings up the flowers
 and DL asks who sent them.  "Read the card."  DL asks Ava if she hasn't
 already done so.  Yes, but read the card.  She does: "I love you, Dinah
 Lee.  We'll be a family very soon.  Love, Trucker."  DL is stunned.
 "You told Trucker that I'm pregnant?!"  Just then, Stacey and Buck
 enter from upstairs.  [There sure are a lot of people hiding around
 The Tides today.]  Buck asks, "You're pregnant?"
* "Thank you VERY much for keeping my secret."  Ava says she wouldn't
 do anything to hurt her.  DL says she knows Ava means well, but "just
 this once, I wish you had kept your mouth shut."  Dinah Lee storms to
 the door, but Buck interrupts, and asks the question again.  She admits
 she is pregnant.  Stacey asks why she didn't tell them.  Buck asks why
 she didn't tell Trucker.  "Because she was going after Trisha."  "Not
 any more, he's not."  DL asks him to stay out of it.  Buck says she
 has to tell Trucker.  She says Ava has already done that.  Ava asks
 why she always thinks the worst of her.  Buck picks up the phone and
 tells DL that she has to tell Trucker herself anyway.  She says she
 will.  "When, after you leave town?"  "Stay out of it, please?"  Buck
 puts down the phone.  He asks how she can even think of leaving.  She
 says it is because he left her.  No, he left to find Trisha -- there
 is a big difference.  "Because he loves her."  "LoveD.  That's over
 now.  You two are free and clear.  You can have a life together now."
 Stacey says this isn't easy for any of them who love Trisha; look at
 Gwyn.  "So what does that make me, some sort of consolation prize?"
 Ava tells her that he never stopped loving her.  DL says none of them
 saw Trucker in Rome.  He was so desperate.  Buck says if he still loved
 Trisha, he'd be in Italy fighting for her, but he's coming back to her.
 She says it's too late.  Buck tells her to go ahead and go, then.  Ava
 asks Buck what he is saying.  "True love is a rare thing.  Believe me,
 I know.  It comes along maybe once in a lifetime.  Twice, if you're
 lucky.  You've got that with Trucker, Dinah Lee.  Don't let it go.
 Take Chris, go to Maine and be a family.  It's meant to be."
* [Outside The Tides.]
Stacey and Christopher are playing some catch.  [!]  Buck comes out
 to have a "man-to-man" with him.  "That means a talk, right?"  Buck
 says right, he's pretty smart.  He tells Chris that he isn't going
 to take him to Maine like he had said before: Dinah Lee is going to
 take him and she's going to stay with the two of them.  "What about
 mommy?"  Buck says Trucker will explain all that to him, but the main
 thing is that the three (!) of them will be a family now.  Stacey says
 he should listen to Uncle Buck, he's pretty smart.  Chris asks if they
 are coming up to see them.  He says yes, very soon, and that when he
 builds his house, he'll build a special room for Chris to stay in when
 he comes back to Corinth.  They both say they're going to miss him;
 the last few weeks have meant more to Buck than the time he spent with
 his father.  He says he had a good time.  "Me, too."  Chris hugs Buck.
[Inside.]
Dinah Lee is on the phone.  "I need two tickets to Bangor, Maine" for
 herself and Christopher.  Ava brings down a couple of suitcases for
 her.  Ava has a tear in her eye.  They have a terse conversation.  Ava
 asks if she is going to stay mad at her.  DL says she's not mad.  Ava
 asks why she won't look at her.  DL says, "Because I can't," but turns
 around and looks at her anyway.  Ava tells her not to start, because
 she'll start.  Both start crying anyway.  DL says it's so hard to say
 good bye.  Ava makes her promise to call.  "We've shed enough tears in
 our lifetime, huh?"  "Yes, but we've had some fun, too."  More tears.
 Ava says, "It's just not going to be the same without you."  They hug.
* The cab honks.  Ava says she'll ship the rest of DL's stuff to Maine.
 She asks DL if she is sure she doesn't want her to drive them to the
 airport.  No, she couldn't handle that.  She says she won't be gone
 forever, it just seems that way.  She tells Stacey she'll miss her;
 Stacey says she'll miss DL.  They hug.  "Buck, I'm sorry, I don't know
 what to say, you've done so much for me."  "That's all right, just
 be sure and invite me to the wedding."  They hug.  "You can't have a
 wedding without your Best Man."  She turns to Ava.  "Or your Matron
 Of Honor."  She hugs Ava.  Ava says she will come up sometime and they
 can go for a spin.  DL says she should fly so she doesn't have any
 accidents along the way.  "Would I get in any accidents or get arrested
 without my partner in crime?"  They smile.  DL says, "Good bye."  They
 hug again, but DL realizes that if she doesn't leave now, she won't be
 able to leave.  Ava hands her the flowers.  Buck bends down and Stacey
 places Christopher on him for a piggy-back ride to the cab.  Buck and
 Chris leave with the bags.  DL turns to say something else, but can't.
 She leaves.
Stacey asks, "Did you?"  "Did I what?"  "Did you tell Trucker Dinah Lee
 was pregnant?"  "Of course I did.  Somebody had to take the bull by
 the horns."  Stacey says that's typical of Ava.  Ava says she would
 have done the same thing for her best friend.  Stacey says she didn't
 have a chance: Trisha's gone for good.  Ava says she knows how Stacey
 feels, even though DL is only going to Maine.  She doesn't know who to
 watch sappy movies with now.  Stacey says she used to do the same thing
 with Trisha -- they'd rent a movie like AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER and sit
 there and cry their eyes out.  Ava agrees that was a great movie, and
 just as they're getting sappy themselves, they snap out of it.  Ava
 says she knows they haven't always been close (Stacey interjects, "You
 can say that again."), but it sure looks like both of them could use a
 friend right now.  Ava: "Truce?"  Stacey shakes Ava's hand. "Truce."

-----
|   "I guess irony can be pretty ironic sometimes."    |  Bob Willers  |
|         -- William Shatner as Buck Murdock,          |  Phoenix, AZ  |
|            from AIRPLANE II: THE SEQUEL              | MY opinions!! |
+------------ willers@trombone.sps.mot.com ------------+---------------+

