The Final Episode
(January 13, 1989)Act III: The Church
(Zena and then Ryan walk down the aisle.)
(Chaz smiles at Ryan when she passes his pew. Then Leigh starts to walk down the aisle and the wedding march plays.)
(At this point, Matthew gets up and takes her arm. She fakes a smile to cover her annoyance.)
LEIGH: What do you think you're doing?
MATTHEW: Who more appropriate to hand you off to Fenelli?
LEIGH: Why don't you sit down?
MATTHEW: (grinning) Nope, I'm betting heavily that you'll choose not to make a scene.
LEIGH: (smiling insincerely) You're right, but will Jack?
(Jack is meanwhile up at the altar, seething. Maeve realizes something is wrong and turns to see Leigh and Matthew. But suddenly Jack just smiles, and Matthew and Leigh walk to the altar.)
FATHER McSHANE: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
MATTHEW: With the greatest reluctance, I do.
JACK: (annoyed) Thank you so much, Matthew!
(Everyone laughs. Jack and Leigh then join hands and Matthew sits down.)
FATHER McSHANE: Dear Jack and Leigh, you've come together in St. Aloysias so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community.
(They exchange rings in a short montage.)
FATHER McSHANE: And may Almighty God bless you always, the father, the son, and the holy spirit.
CONGREGATION: Amen.
FATHER McSHANE: You may now exchange a kiss.
(They kiss, and the guests applaud.)
Act IV: Ryan's
(At the reception, Maeve and Johnny, Pat and Concetta, and some other more unlikely duos - Frank and Leigh, Jack and Sister Mary Joel, Delia and Kevin - are dancing some sort of Irish folk dance.)
JACK: Jo, you look about sixty!
(Chaz gapproaches Ryan, who is standing with Zena.)
CHAZ: Ryan.
RYAN: Hi.
CHAZ: You look lovely.
RYAN: (nervously) Thank you. I'm glad you showed up. I wanted to talk to you.
ZENA: Well, I'm gonna give you guys a little space. I guess I'll go talk to Maeve or somebody.
(Zena walks away.)
CHAZ: Listen, why don't you come over here and get out of the line of fire?
RYAN: So...I thought about what we talked about yesterday.
CHAZ: And what did you think?
RYAN: Well, I didn't sleep very well.
CHAZ: (laughs) Neither did I. So...
RYAN: So, I decided what I wanted. I want you.
CHAZ: (smiles) Ryan!
RYAN: And I am determined to make this work. (smiles) I love you.
CHAZ: Well, for once I'm glad you're so stubborn, because I love you too.
(She kisses him. Meanwhile, Johnny, with a champagne glass, moves toward the center of the crowd.)
JOHNNY: Ladies and gentlemen, I need the bride and groom.
(Jack and Leigh stand on either side of him.)
JOHNNY: Here's the groom, here's the bride. It's time for a toast! To Leigh and Jack, we wish you years of joy (pointing to Jack) and peace (everyone laughs) and love and good friends and good work and - most of all - good love. And may your life together be filled with happiness and hope!
(Just at this point, Rae walks through the door.)
CROWD: Here, here!
(Jack and Johnny hug.)
JILL: (noticing Rae) And Rae Woodard.
EXTRA: Who?
LEIGH: Rae?
MAEVE: Oh, my Lord!
(Rae makes her way through the crowd, saying hello to a bunch of extras on the way. She finally gets to Jack and Leigh.)
JACK: (surprised) Rae, what brings you to town?
RAE: (hugging him) Oh, Darling, I was on my way to the Netherlands when I heard about the grand event, and obviously I had to stop by and wish you both well.
LEIGH: I'm so glad you did. Thank you for coming!
RAE: Oh, of course!
MATTHEW: Are you sure you're not planning on joining the New York publishing fraternity?
RAE: Why Matthew, what a marvelous idea! I'll have to think that over on the flight to Amsterdam. (seeing John) Damn! John Reid? John?
(He smiles.)
RAE: I don't believe it!
JOHN: Hi.
(She hugs him.)
RAE: My Lord, you've changed!
JOHN: It's been so long!
(Just then, Ben walks through the door and over to Lizzie. He takes her arm.)
LIZZIE: (appalled) What are you doing?
(John sees this and gets really mad.)
BEN: Not here. In the kitchen.
(He escorts her into the other room, where he kisses her, and then touches her cheek.)
BEN: Goodbye, Lizzie.
(They walk back out into the bar where John stops Ben.)
JOHN: What are you doing? (screams) What are you doing?
BEN: Don't worry about it, John boy.
(Ben leaves.)
JOHN: (to Lizzie) What is...
LIZZIE: It's okay, he's going to Australia.
JOHN: Australia?
(She nods.)
JOHN: Good.
(She hugs him and looks a little sad. Just then, Nancy Don walks through the door, causing Lizzie to groan.)
JOHN: What now?
LIZZIE: It's Nancy Don.
(Lizzie sighs, and Nancy Don walks over to Chaz.)
NANCY DON: Chaz, sorry to bother you here. I didn't come to cause trouble but I have to tell you something real important, okay?
CHAZ: Wait a minute, before you do, there's something I have to tell you.
NANCY DON: This is urgent. Really.
CHAZ: So is this. Look, I'm in love with Ryan. Nancy, what we had between us was really wonderful, but I've just...I gotta try to make things work between us.
NANCY DON: (smiles) That is great, Chaz!
CHAZ: It is?
NANCY DON: Yeah, cause I came here to tell you that I've packed my bags and I'm following my Ben to Australia. Well, listen, what we had was a real growth experience, okay, and I just want to thank you so much!
(She hugs him.)
NANCY DON: Make her take real good care of you, okay?
CHAZ: Okay. Good luck to you.
NANCY: I'm gonna miss you.
(She turns to leave, and on her way out passes Ryan.)
NANCY DON: Oh Ryan, chill out, will ya?
(Ryan shoots daggers at Chaz, and he goes over to her.)
CHAZ: Ryan, look, it's okay. She's going to Australia.
RYAN: Good!
