From: Marni Centor <marni@panix.com>

          GUIDING LIGHT UPDATE -- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1998

                               DON'T DRINK & DRIVE

TODAY'S DRINKING PHRASES (AS SUGGESTED BY GLDISCUSS LIST MEMBERS):
* "Get on with your life."
* "I want my life back."
* "Guess what?"

SOMEWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN: Cassie & Hart enter a hotel room. Cassie notes 
the champagne, flowers & roses, and says Hart has thought of everything. He 
says he's only been able to think of one thing since he met her. Cassie 
feels hot. Hart kisses her, saying he's been waiting for her his entire 
life. Cassie turns to him & returns his kiss. "Wait no more," she replies.

FIRING RANGE: Josh, in an incredibly stupid move, startles Reva while she 
is concentrating on firing her pistol. Angrily, he takes the gun from her & 
asks what she's doing. Reva says she's practicing so she will be prepared 
if Annie comes back. Josh says the best place for a gun is locked up 
somewhere safe. He's afraid that Reva will shoot a family member or friend 
by accident. Cassie, for instance, is blonde & about the same height as 
Annie. What if she came home early to surprise them & Reva shot her? Reva 
insists that would never happen. Josh says Annie is gone & out of their 
lives. But Vanessa needs them right now. She's in really bad shape.

CEDARS: Dinah asks the nurse what's going on, but doesn't get any answers. 
Dinah begs her mom to hang on & promises to be a better person.

LIMBO: Vanessa says it's her fault Dinah is in a wheelchair, because she & 
Matt got into a car accident after Dinah had been drinking on the 
anniversary of her death. She tells Maureen that if this is the result of 
her dying, she can't watch it. "Is this the way it has to be?" asks 
Vanessa. Maureen says one person can make a difference. Van thinks that 
this means Matt will save Dinah. Maureen says they have to go, but Van 
doesn't want to. She has to see it all.

CASSIE'S BAR (FUTURE VISION): Matt tells Dinah it's time to go, but she 
wants to stay & have another drink to toast Vanessa. Matt's not interested. 
Dinah says they should toast to each other--the survivors.

Matt tells Dinah she has to get over it & get on with her life. [Drink!] 
Dinah says he doesn't fool her. She knows where he goes all the time. Matt 
says it's none of her business. He wants her to leave with him now, but she 
asks him to stay with her, just for tonight. She really needs him.

Vanessa asks Maureen whether Dinah will be all right if she leaves with 
Matt. Maureen says she could show Vanessa what happens next & more, but the 
problem is, Vanessa is running out of time.

PHILLIP & HARLEY'S BED: Naked after "christening" their only piece of 
furniture, Phillip suggests that Harley move into the house tomorrow. 
There's no reason she should stay in her cramped studio apartment. She's 
happily excited by this prospect. Phillip says he'll join her as soon as he 
can. She asks what he means. He says he has to get things squared away at 
home. It's going to take a little longer than he thought. He tells her how 
upset Lizzie is about Beth's injuries & how difficult it was to calm her 
down. "Are you telling me you're not moving in with me?" asks Harley.

CEDARS: Matt asks Vanessa to squeeze his hand if she can hear him. Nothing. 
He asks for a sign that they're getting through to her. Josh & Reva show 
up, upsetting Dinah. Matt says Reva is Van's friend. Reva asks about her 
condition. Matt says there's nothing more the doctors can do. Josh asks if 
there's anything they can do to help. Matt says they're doing it right now. 
Reva asks about they baby & Matt says she's hanging in there. Reva reminds 
Matt that there was a time Josh thought she was dead, but she came back.

Through her tears, Dinah snidely asks where Cassie is. "Flat on her back 
somewhere?" Reva says it's not the time. Dinah just wants to make sure 
Cassie doesn't show up at the hospital. Reva assures her she doesn't have 
to worry; Cassie's out of town. Dinah just has to torture herself with the 
details, so Reva obliges by telling her that Cassie's on a tropical island 
with Hart, "and you can bet they're not playing shuffleboard."

TROPICAL HOTEL ROOM: Indeed they're not. They're fooling around on the bed, 
and Cassie realizes she has a wicked sunburn. She forgot how quickly she 
burns. She runs to the mirror & checks herself out. She's blistering! Hart 
offers to get her some lotion. Cassie declines, saying it's not that bad. 
They can continue what they started as long as Hart promises to be slow & 
careful. He gives her his scout's honor & they go back to kissing. Ouch! 
It's not working. Every time Hart touches her, she flinches. She feels 
terrible for ruining everything. Hart says it's OK & they can just talk. 
He's still happy to be alone with her, even if he can't touch her.

CEDARS: Dinah tries to get Reva to tell her what island Hart & Cassie are 
on, but Reva isn't going there. Dinah asks if anyone even told Hart about 
Vanessa. By the look on Reva's face, she knows that he's clueless. She 
knows he'd be here now if he'd known. She starts going on about Cassie 
being a tramp. Josh tries to calm her down, but she goes off on him too. 
Matt finally tells Dinah to give it a rest. Vanessa doesn't need this right 
now. Dinah cries that Hart loves Vanessa & he would want to be there when 
she's dying. "Don't you ever say that!" demands Matt. He takes her by the 
arm & leads her to the door, telling her to go cool down. Reva & Josh offer 
to leave, but Matt thinks it would be good for them to talk to Van & let 
her know they're there. He just keeps praying she'll wake up.

A little later, Reva paces by herself in the hallway, then walks over to 
Josh. He's just gotten off the phone with Frank, who talked to the Chicago 
police. They're staking out a house where they think Annie is hiding. Reva 
hopes they really get her & lock her up this time, because she doesn't want 
to find Annie in her closet. Josh understands how Reva feels, but still 
doesn't want the gun around. Reva says Annie is like a virus that you can't 
kill because it keeps mutating. Josh massages Reva's sore neck (which she 
says is still suffering "separation anxiety") while she complains that she 
just wants her life back. [Take a drink!] Josh tries to reassure her that 
the police will get Annie & lock her up for a long time. Reva says if she & 
Josh & the kids can be happy, that would be the best revenge. She wants to 
go to Cross Creek & count their blessings.

ALMOST-EMPTY HOUSE: Phillip doesn't get why Harley is upset, since they 
already had this argument & Harley understood that Phillip needed to deal 
with Beth & Lizzie. Harley wraps the sheets around her & gets out of bed. 
She says it's the same argument, but he always has a different excuse. 
First they had to wait until after Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then Beth 
had her accident, now Lizzie's upset... why don't they just wait until the 
millenium? Phillip thinks she's overreacting. 

Harley disagrees. She thinks she's being relatively calm, all things 
considered. He bought this house, comes over, has sex with her & leaves. 
What does that look like? He's treating her like a mistress. "And I can 
tell you that if I was, I wouldn't be this cheap! Because I'm not, and 
you're a Spaulding!" Phillip tries to defend himself, but Harley's on a 
roll. She says if she can't get some quality time with him, he's going to 
have to make it worth her while. "You're going to have to give me a sports 
car, something really good that I can scream in so nobody can hear me!" 

Phillip loses his cool. He says everyone can hear her loud & clear. All he 
does is ask for some time, & she accuses him of treating her like a call 
girl. He pulls on his pants.

Harley says she's been more than patient & has squelched all her natural 
instincts to throw Beth down an elevator shaft. Has Beth been understanding 
of her? I don't think so! Harley has tried to be understanding, but where 
has it gotten her? She just keeps getting stepped on. Phillip says she's 
acting like a spoiled brat. He tells her to shut up & let him talk.

Phillip knows that Harley is really angry with Beth, not him, but since she 
can't beat up on Beth right now, she's going after him instead, because he 
loves her & has to listen to her petulant whining. "Well guess what?" asks 
Phillip. [Drink!] "I don't!"

SUNBURN CITY: As they relax on the bed, fully clothed, Cassie says no one 
has ever swept her off her feet like this before. Not even your husband? 
asks Hart. Cassie says he swept her away, but not to paradise. He was the 
guy that every mom tells her daughter not to go out with. She just bought 
every line that came out of his mouth. She kept taking him back after every 
wrong thing he did. The next thing she knew, the cops were busting down 
their door & arresting him for dealing drugs, and that's how she lost 
Tammy. Hart says it will never happen again.

CEDARS: In the hallway, Dinah uses her cell phone to call Rob Layne. She 
tells him she's in the middle of a family crisis, but their deal is still 
on. She's working to get him out of the halfway house & she wants him to 
see Cassie as soon as possible. Maybe they have a second chance. She hates 
to see a couple split up, especially when there's a child involved. She 
labels herself a hopeless romantic. Rob says he's really looking forward to 
seeing Cassie again. Dinah asks him if he happens to own a suit. He says it 
doesn't matter; no woman has ever turned him down, suit or no. They hang up 
& Dinah muses that Cassie will have a very interesting Valentine's Day.

In Vanessa's room, Ed examines Vanessa. He pulls Josh aside & tells him 
that her kidneys are starting to go, and once the organs start to fail, 
it's only a matter of time. Ed leaves & Josh goes back to Matt. He suggests 
that they call any family & friends who might want to be there. Matt 
refuses, because he doesn't want a bunch of people standing around Vanessa 
like she's dying, when she's not. He thinks she's a fighter & she could 
pull through. Josh offers to call a minister. Matt refuses. He says Van is 
still breathing & her heart's still beating & she doesn't need some priest 
giving her last rites. Josh says he wants to believe, but... Matt says they 
have to believe. Reva takes Josh out of the room. She thinks they should 
call Hart because he would want the chance to say goodbye to Vanessa.

BAR OF THE FUTURE: Matt takes Dinah by the arm & says he's taking her home. 
Dinah doesn't want to go home & look at pictures of her dead mother. "I'd 
be a saint too if I were dead," she argues. 

Josh shows up & Vanessa thinks he'll fix everything. Josh is angry with 
Matt. Josh says he's warned Matt about using substandard materials on their 
projects, but he didn't listen & now 3 men are in the hospital because of 
it. A whole building came down. Matt denies any responsibility & says 
accidents happen. Josh says it's all Matt's fault & if he doesn't get 
himself together he's going to lose everything. He's already lost all their 
clients & all his friends, not to mention Vanessa's house. And now he's 
about to lose the house at the lake.

Vanessa tells Maureen this can't be happening. Matt built the house at the 
lake & he loves it.

Josh says Matt has to focus. He wonders what could make Matt realize how 
much he's screwed up. Matt just doesn't give a damn, & he quits. Josh wants 
to help him, but Matt won't let him. Josh says he's Matt's last friend. 
Matt tells Josh to get the hell out of his life. Josh leaves, defeated.

Matt turns back to Dinah, wanting to leave. She says she's hidden his keys 
& if he can find them, he can leave, but if he can't guess, they have to 
stay & have another drink. Matt finds the keys, but Dinah wants to drive. 
He says she can't even walk. They argue over it. Finally, Matt tells her to 
go ahead & drive & kill herself, just like Vanessa did. He walks out.

THE HOUSE: Dressed now, Harley rips the sheets off the bed. Phillip tells 
her to go ahead & make a scene; wash the sheets. Harley yells that she's 
going to burn them. Phillip says she's being childish. She retorts that 
he's being manipulated by Beth. Phillip says Lizzie is afraid to be alone 
with her mother. She's afraid if Phillip isn't there, something terrible 
will happen. "Yeah, you might actually wind up with me!" retorts Harley. 
Phillip says it's not about Harley. It's about Lizzie, who needs her dad. 
Why can't Harley understand that? Harley says she understands perfectly 
that Phillip feels guilty because he thinks he caused Beth's accident, & 
Lizzie wants her mommy & daddy back together. "But the one thing that you 
don't feel guilty about is disappointing me!" Harley starts crying. Phillip 
just doesn't understand how afraid she is of being alone & worrying that a 
few more days apart might turn into forever. She says she's been there.

Phillip looks abashed. He goes to the crying Harley & apologizes. He 
doesn't know what to tell her. He doesn't want to be away from her & he 
doesn't want to fight with her. He doesn't want to hurt her. "Then don't," 
she answers, leaning back against him. He kisses her hair.

BAR OF THE FUTURE: Vanessa guesses that Matt will marry Dinah because he 
feels guilty over the car crash that paralyzes her. She thinks it's 
terrible & says she has to get back to them & help them. She starts to go 
transparent & looks at herself, then asks Maureen what's happening to her. 
Maureen says each moment they spend together takes Vanessa further away. 
"But I can get back, can't I?" asks Van.

She looks over & sees Dinah & Matt sitting at the bar again. Dinah says all 
Matt does is brood. Matt's smoking a cigarette. Dinah thinks Matt died 
along with Vanessa. He tells her to shut up, but Dinah doesn't. She says he 
used to be fun, but now he's just a bitter, lonely shell of his former 
self. She understands & thinks she can change it. They're perfect for each 
other because neither of them have anyone else. Matt accuses her of being 
drunk. "Not drunk enough," she replies.

Van doesn't understand. She gave Matt a daughter. She asks why Matt never 
talks about their daughter. She wonders if he gave her up for adoption 
because he felt he couldn't take care of her. Van says she has to get back 
& Maureen has to help her. Maureen says Van has to fight her way back on 
her own. Van doesn't know how she can, when she's so weak. Maureen says she 
has to want it so much that nothing can stop her. Van doesn't seem to think 
she can do it on her own & asks if that's all Maureen has to say. Maureen 
thinks Van should see one more thing. Van takes her hand & they fade away.

TROPICAL HOTEL: Cassie & Hart kiss a little without injury. Their insipid 
theme plays in the background. Then the phone rings, saving me from a 
diabetic coma. Hart talks to Josh on the phone & says they'll get the first 
flight back. After hanging up, he tells Cassie that Vanessa is dying.

NEARLY EMPTY HOUSE: Phillip & Harley are on the bed again, but still in 
their clothes. Harley leans on Phillip's shoulder & apologizes for the 
fight. Sometimes it seems like the only way, she says. Phillip says they 
have to find a way to work it out. Harley thought they had worked it out. 
She told him how she felt & he understood. He says he does, but he assumes 
that she understands how he feels, too. Harley sits up & asks him to 
explain it again. Phillip says he can't abandon Lizzie. "You can't abandon 
me," replies Harley. Phillip says he's not. It's just for a short time. A 
week or two. "Three, forever..." continues Harley.

Phillip says it will be over before they know it & then they'll have their 
whole future together. Harley gets up & goes to her bag, taking out the 
lease to the house. She asks if that's the future he's talking about. She 
rips it in half, then rips it some more & tosses the pieces to him. She 
says when he's really ready to move in with her, he should let her know. 
But she might now be waiting.

The music turns ominous as Phillip stands up. "That was easy," he says. "So 
much for all that great love you professed to feel for me." He throws the 
paper on the floor, takes his coat, and leaves. Harley watches from the 
window & says it was the hardest thing she ever had to do.

CEDARS: Reva walks outside for some air. She prays for Vanessa & Matt to 
have strength. A nurse walks by & startles Reva. She apologizes & goes 
inside. Reva follows her. From the bushes, a face peers at the hospital.

CEMETARY OF THE FUTURE: Maureen & Vanessa fade in & walk into a mausoleum. 
Matt is sitting there with a bouquet of flowers, talking to Vanessa. He 
says he's thinking about her & he loves her. He's never stopped loving her. 
Van says she knows Matt is grieving. "There's more," says Maureen.

Matt produces a smaller bouquet. Van wonders who else died. Matt places the 
flowers by a plaque bearing Baby Maureen's name. He asks why god would give 
him this miracle & then take it away. He says Van wanted the child more 
than she wanted to live, but god just took her away like nothing. Matt has 
nothing left that he cares about. What is he supposed to do now? He leaves.

Vanessa cries over the grave of her baby. Maureen says the baby died on the 
same day as Vanessa. Vanessa cries that it was all for nothing. Maureen 
says the baby couldn't exist without Vanessa & asks if she's ready to fight 
her way back now. Van looks up at Maureen & takes a few deep breaths. 
Suddenly, we are in...

CEDARS: Matt sits by Van's bedside, holding her arm. Dinah & Ed stand 
nearby. Ed goes into the hall & tells Josh & Reva that Van is getting very 
weak. He goes back in the room.

Josh holds Reva & says Bill & Billy are on their way. He also called Ross, 
Fletcher, Harley, & Nola. They're all on their way. He suggests they go say 
goodbye to their friend. They go into the room & join Ed at the bedside. 
Dinah cries & hopes Van knows how much she loves her. There are so many 
things she's said that she wishes she could take back. She leans over Van & 
says she loves her & doesn't want her to go. "Please don't leave me," she 
begs. "You're all I've got left now." Matt says Van isn't going anywhere.

Reva says even if Van leaves now, they'll be together again someday. Matt 
says he keeps thinking that if he just holds her hand tight enough, he can 
bring her back, but he just doesn't know anymore. A priest arrives & Josh 
shakes his hand & invites him in. Matt thanks the priest for coming & says, 
"I think we're about to lose her," as the screen fades to black.

--Marni (marni@panix.com)



