EPISODE 4/21/00
Simon Sees The Diamond In Vera's Photograph

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Simonscript
April, 2000

EPISODE #26
APRIL 21, 2000

Scene 1:
Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON FRAISER

[Simon Fraiser has a magnifying glass, looking at the photo.]

>> Simon: There it is.
>> Lily: What do you mean? "There it is"?
>> Simon: The close resemblanc the family resemblance. I mean, out of all the photos of your birth family that we have sorted through, not one of them looked so much like you.
>> Lily: They say certain traits sometimes skip two or three generations.
>> Simon: Yeah, but the resemblance is uncanny, don't you think?
>> Lily: I recognize it, but that reaction of yours was more than recognition.
>> Simon: It was just -- I don't know -- like seeing you alive in the past.
>> Lily: No, no, no, no, no. There's something about that photograph that intrigued you. Was it the setting or the clothing? May I look at it?
>> Simon: Yeah, sure.

Scene 2:
Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER AND SIMON FRAISER

>> Lily: You're as interested in my genealogy as I am, aren't you?
>> Simon: Sure. I was fascinated by it when we were looking through your other photos.
>> Lily: The ones that were lost in the fire.
>> Simon: Yes, those ones. But out of all those photos, not one of them bore such a resemblance to you.
>> Lily: The reason I showed you this photograph was to show you what it would have been like if you had drawn the portrait in these kind of clothes.
>> Simon: Yeah, but being so similar to someone in your family, doesn't it make you interested in finding out what happened to the women in your family?
>> Lily: Let me ask you something. Does this photograph intrigue you so much that you might want to stick around for a couple of days?
>> Simon: No. No, no, no. I just meant that --

Scene 3:
Scene: Living room view of foyer.

MISS ABIGAIL WILLIAMS AND BRYANT MONTGOMERY ARRIVE.

[Front door opens.]
>> Abigail: No!
>> Bryant: Yes.
>> Abigail: No way. You are absolutely delusional, you know that? No!

LILY WALSH SNYDER, MISS ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, BRYANT MONTGOMERY, AND SIMON FRASIER.

>> Abigail: Oh, hi.
>> Bryant: Yes. You could just pick out the fillies.
>> Lily: Hi, abigail.
>> Abigail: Oh, hello, simon.
>> Simon: Abigail. Nice to see you again.
>> Abigail: This is my friend, bryant.
>> Simon: Bryant. Nice to meet you, mate.
>> Bryant: You, too.
>> Simon: Unfortunately, this is hello and farewell.
>> Lily: Yes. Simon is leaving us. You're here just in time to say good-bye.
>> Abigail: Oh! Still in search of the perfectly designed structure?
>> Simon: Ah, yes, something like that.
>> Abigail: Well, if you drop into to chicago again, you should visit the hotel burnham. Simon: Oh, yes, designed by burnham.
>> Abigail: Named for daniel burnham. It's the reliance building, the first glass and steel structure in chycago, now turned into a boutique hotel, right?
>> Simon: Yeah, yeah, well, that is everything I've read. But, unfortunately, I -- excuse me, I must be off.
>> Lily: I cannot believe this is good-bye. Thank you so much -- for the portrait and for everything that you've done.
>> Simon: My pleasure.
[Simon hugs Lily briefly.]
>> Simon: You take care of yourself, all right?
>> Lily: All right.
>> Simon: Okay.

Scene: Outside front door.

[Simon Fraiser lets himself outside.]

SIMON FRASIER ALONE.

>> Simon: I knew it. Someone close to her has my diamond.

Scene 4:

Location: Lily Walsh Snyder's mansion.
Scene: Foyer.

LILY WALSH SNYDER (AS WE HEAR ABIGAIL AND BRYANT IN THE LIVING ROOM)

[Lily walks over to the front door window and looks out.]

>> Abigail: You're a pest.
>> Bryant: Nope. Just persistent.
>> Abigail: You know, you're lucky you have a nice car. Otherwise, you'd get the boot.
>> Bryant: Otherwise, you would've been walking home.
>> Abigail: That would be a minor inconvenience.

Scene 5:
Scene: Living room.

LILY WALSH SNYDER, MISS ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, AND BRYANT MONTGOMERY.

>> Bryant: You think this car is nice? Wait till you see the monster of a car we're gonna buy with our winnings.
>> Abigail: You're a regular pit bull, aren't you?
[Phone rings.]
>> Abigail: Once you sink your teeth in, you never let go.

SIMON FRASIER PHONES LILY WALSH SNYDER.

>> Lily: Hello?
>> Simon: Lily, it's me.
>> Lily: Simon -- I thought you'd be halfway down the highway by now.
>> Simon: I nearly was. I pulled over to look at the pond one last time before I left oakdale and -- look, I am such an idiot.
>> Lily: What happened?
>> Simon: I should've had my car checked out before I left. It's gone completely dead on the side of the road.
>> Lily (says it with unconcern): Did you call a repairman?
>> Simon: Yeah, yeah, first thing. Look, the problem is, I have no idea how long the repairs might take. I hate to make a nuisance of myself, but --
>> Lily: Come back here. Stay at cal's as long as you need to.
>> Simon: Okay, I'll get a lift back to cal's place straight away. Thanks again, lily. You're priceless.
>> Lily: Oh, what exactly do you want from me, simon?
>> Abigail: What? Lily, did you say something?
>> Lily: Are you going to be here for a little while, abigail?
>> Abigail: Unless bryant doesn't send me screaming into the streets.
>> Lily: I need to go see somebody. Could you stay with the kids for a little while until the baby-sitter shows up? She'll be here really soon. Okay?
>> Abigail: Sure, no problem.
>> Lily: Great. Thank you.

Scene 6:
Location: Cal Stricklyn's home.

>> Simon: Hi. Well, I'm here again.
>> Lily: Here you are. >> Simon: This has to be the longest good-bye in history. Come in. You must think that I am such a dolt.
>> Lily: Oh, no, no, no, no. Anybody can have car trouble. That's why I came by, to see if you found a repairman. I'm sure holden could recommend somebody.
>> Simon: No, no, no, don't bother him. It's fine. It's all set.
>> Lily: Great. You know, I don't think your car breaking down was an accident.
>> Simon: Yeah, why's that?
>> Lily: I think it's the universe's way of telling me to ask you something --
>> Simon: What?
>> Lily: Why are you even more interested in my family now that you've seen my grandmother caroline's aunt vera? I can't help thinking that it has something to do with me.
>> Simon: You mean my feelings for you?
>> Lily: You tell me.
>> Simon: You know exactly how I feel about you, lily, but both you and I know that you don't really want me.
>> Lily: I ever said that.
>> Simon: Why are you playing this game?
>> Lily: What game?
>> Simon: Come on, I am not stupid, lily. You are as married as they come, yet you're always dropping by, dropping hints, looking me in the eye a little too long.
>> Lily: I never realized I did that.
>> Simon: Sure you did. And making that big play for me the night of the benefit? You knew exactly what you were doing the whole time. So, now that it's just you and I, together, one last time, tell me what you're after. Because I'm not letting you leave until you do.

Scene 7:

>> Lily: I've been giving you mixed signals?
>> Simon: You run hot and cold like a faucet.
>> Lily: To tell you the truth, don't know -- I don't know what I've been doing or what I've been feeling. >>
Simon: Why is that?
>> Lily: Because I don't know who I'm been dealing with. You are not who you pretend to be, simon.
>> Simon: Lily, you know exactly who --
>> Lily: For the sake and safety of my family, I want to know what you're up to, and what you're really after?
>> Simon: Well, I didn't -- I didn't realize you still had misgivings about hiring me.
>> Lily: Cut it out. Simon, you are -- you're an amazing artist, but you are no architect.
>> Simon: I designed your family room didn't I?
>> Lily: Ha, my family room, look how that turned out. And when abigail engages you in a conversation about architecture, you fumble.
>> Simon: You're right.
>> Lily: Yes. So, building the family room, that wasn't just a way to get into my home, into my family?
>> Simon: No.
>> Lily: Why are you so overly interested in my family background? Why don't you just come clean? And ask me what you want to know. Your great grandfather's letters, they just didn't end up at the pond by accident? Right?
>> Simon: No.
>> Lily: You planted them.
>> Simon: Yes.
>> Lily: Why? Why? Why did you want me to see the letters?
>> Simon: Because of this -- lily, I want you to meet my great grandfather's in an american business publication. >>
Lily: Oh. So that's why you made up the story about being an architect?
>> Simon: Well, yeah, to meet you. Lily, I simply had to.
>> Lily: This isn't -- this doesn't make any sense. You know? If that's all you wanted, why didn't you just say so?
>> Simon: Well, it's so simple when you put it like t t, but, lily, understand -- to generations of men in my family, "beloved" was more than just a character in family lore. She -- she took on mythic proportions -- our own helen of troy. She was the promise of a better life. She was the dream that having your heart's desire was actually possible. So, lily, when I saw your photo -- well, it was like seeing the face that launched a thousand ships. It was a sign, a calling. I had to come. >>
Lily: Then you found me. An average wife and mother.
>> Simon: No. You're anything but average. But I must admit, I had entertained some romantic notions before I came here. Wow, this is so embarrassing. That I'd reclaim the love of an ancestor to make up for everything that he had lost.
>> Lily: Mm, that is wildly romantic.
>> Simon: Yeah. And so I had to ease my way into your life, lily, for fear of scaring you off.
>> Lily: Then you found out I was married.
>> Simon: Yes. Very married. So, lily, yes, yes, yes, the family room was a sham, but painting your portrait was a labor of love. And so if our flirtations helped to make it what it is, then I have no regrets whatsoever. I just hope that you will remember me fondly by it when I'm gone. >> Lily: And working so closely with you -- on the family room and the portrait, and knowing how much I represented to you -- I didn't meato lead you on.
>> Simon: My journey here has been rich, even if futile.
>> Lily: I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you.
>> Simon: Perhaps you can. Help me research beloved's family tree. Yes! It would be like finding the missing chapters of a lost romance. Help me chart the path from beloved to her daughters, down to her living descendants.
>> Lily: That is a romantic notion, but in the end, what will you have?
>> Simon: You will be rewarding me with something priceless.

Scene 8:

>>Simon: Okay, so I'm supposing beloved had two daughters.
>> Lily: Ah, yes. Vera and her sister, who were born around the right time.
>> Simon: Vera. She was the woman in the photo you showed me earlier? >>
Lily: Ah, yes. And her sister is virginia, who goes straight to me.
>> Simon: Really? How?
>> Lily: Well, that's easy, because caroline is virginia's daughter, and caroline is iva's mother, so -- you know, the story in those love letters that I was so drawn to is kind of my story, too. Only --
>> Simon: Okay, so tell me about vera's line. What do you know about her children?
>> Lily: Nothing. Nothing off the top of my head, but I will look into that. For sure.
>> Simon: All right, but it's not possible, is it, that beloved's bloodline actually ends with you? I mean, there has to be someone else out there. >> Lily: And if there is, will you search for them the way you searched for me?
>> Simon: Yeah, perhaps I'll be more straightforward this time. But I'll search, even if it takes the rest of my life to find them.

Scene 9:

>>Simon: Well, thank you, lily, for understanding, and helping me with my quest.
>> Lily: I'd better get home and feed the kids. >> Simon: Is it going to be difficult to tell holden why I'm still hanging around
>> Lily: No, no, anybody can have car trouble. Besides, it's a lucky stroke, you know? You might never have found out my connection to your ancestor's great love.
>> Simon: You're just as big a romantic as I am, aren't you?
>> Lily: I'm a sucker for a good love story.
>> Simon: So you forgive my initial deception?
>> Lily: I do. You haven't stopped, simon. You're still lying to me.
>> Simon: Vera, vera, vera. Where did my diamond go to next?

Scene 10:
Location: Unknown.

UNKNOWN WOMAN AT A COMPUTER.

[Woman is accessing a web page.]

[She looks at a photo of b&w Lily and one on the screen.]

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April, 2000