10

All the kids are running around crazily in a hyper-sugared frenzy. Peach moms drink diet sodas and chat. Ianto making a call by the phony little carp pond "...just that her daughter left a science book somewhere at her house, and I need t..."

a starchy, powerful, crisply intellectual SENIOR EDITOR, in her early fifties and her power outfit is looking at the East Side below her window. "I'm sorry, Ms. Cooper is not here. I think I mentioned that. Twice."

Ianto nodding. "Well, she's been meeting with the head editor for the last few w..."

Sir, I am Senior Editor. Ms. Cooper left Random House eleven years ago. We have not had the pleasure of a visit from her in that time."

Ianto blinks. "Actually, she's going back to work with your company on a part-time basis."

"Excuse me. If Gwen were coming back to the editorial staff, I would be frankly delighted. And I would be the first to know."

Silence. In the midst of hysterical children.

"Thank you for your time." Ianto finally says.

"Don't mention it."

And Ianto's line. Is dead.

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Ianto alone at Gwen's front door. Staring at the key in his hand. One last chance to back out. Mutters "What the hell."

Opens the door. Enters the empty home. Walks slowly, self-consciously down the hallway. Kitchen, kids' rooms.

"Now, if I were a science book, where would I..." And stops. At the doorway of the master bedroom. "Who am I kidding."

And goes straight to Gwen's desk. Starts rummaging through the incredibly neat stack of papers "Great, I'm leaving prints."

The open appointment book. Today's date. Just says, NEW YORK. nothing more. Opens a drawer. Stapler, clips, neatly-stacked stationery. Opens the bottom drawer, and...stops. he pulls out...AIRLINE TICKETS. Opens the folder. Continental Airlines. Newark to San Francisco. And tucked inside...a fax, neatly folded. Ianto opens it. The letterhead says, NORTH POINT PRESS, 134 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California. CHARLENE DRUMMOND, Editor.

Ianto reads the note

"Gwen. Can't wait to see you here. I know you're anxious. But it's going to work out wonderfully, I promise. Til then. Charlie."

He is trying to put this together.

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Gwen takes a kettle from the stove. Pours the water into a tea cup. Then, fills a second cup. Drops a tea bag into each. Carries both cups to the kitchen table. Where Ianto is waiting. Ianto looks more than tense. Actually, scared. Gwen taking this in, as she sets down the tea.

"Okay, what is this? If you want to dump Jack on me, no sale. You're stuck with him." And before she can sit...

"I know your secret."

Gwen FREEZES. To stone. No one says anything. Two hearts beating at red-line. "I don't know wh..."

"I was looking for Toshiko's book, and I found your tickets. And the note. From your new boss."

"My what?" Gwen leans forward. Her hands resting on the back of the chair she never sat in. "My boss?"

"You're not working at Random House, I talked to them." Ianto admits.

"You WHAT?"

"You're taking the kids. And moving to San Francisco." Ianto almost growls.

And Gwen has to laugh. Cold. Bitter.

Ianto continues "Look, you've never liked me..."

"Don't flatter yourself." Gwen sniffs.

"And I know checking into your life was inexcusable..."

"Nobody likes a snoop." Gwen agrees.

"But I came here to..." All the air comes out of this young man. so vulnerable, so real. "...to beg you. Not to do it."

And at this. A look of intense interest crosses Gwen's face. "Really? I'd have thought this was the answer to your prayers. Lose the witch, and her two brats, in one swoop. Problems solved."

Ianto is clearly distraught. This is no act. "You can't take Jack's children away from him."

Gwen thinking. Reading this man's face. "Bi-coastal parenting. Happens every day. Jack gets the kids every other summer, every other holiday, it's not ideal, but people make it work, and..."

Ianto blurts "We can't live like that."

And Gwen straightens. Cocks her head. "Did I hear the word..."

"Jack." Ianto corrects himself "He can't live like that."

"Ah." Gwen snorts "Then let him talk to me. We don't need you to solve our prob..."

Ianto says quietly "...it's my problem, too."

And Ianto's eyes. Fill with tears. He hates that. Gwen won't take him off the hook. Stands waiting, until... "I got used to...thinking of them. As...my kids too."

"Really." Gwen can't help herself "By what right? Six months of part-time screw-ups?"

Ianto lifts his chin. Defiant and tender at once. "No right at all. I just love them."

Now it's Gwen's eyes. That begin to fill. And she hates that even more.

Ianto is pleading "There's so many publishing houses in New York. Surely, you could find a good one?"

Gwen takes a step back. Shakes her head. Goddammit, life is full of surprises. She walks around in a little circle. Turns back "Sure, I could. If I was looking for one."

Ianto's turn to be surprised. Confused.

"You're a moron, kid. You guessed the wrong secret." An odd, almost defiant look. Gwen reaches up to her own head, ...slowly, holding eye contact all the way, she slips the wig from her head. Her scalp covered by the partial re-growth that chemotherapy has left her. You can hear Ianto's GASP clear to Kansas.

Calmly Gwen explains "Charlie Drummond used to be a colleague at Random House. I'm crashing at her place, while I take some new protein injections my oncologist recommended. I can only get them in San Francisco."

Ianto's lips part. But no sound comes.

"Life's a trade-off. You get cancer, your hair falls out, but you do get to smoke dope."

"please" Ianto gasps "You're not dying."

The kid so painfully sincere. "No such luck. I'm beating the shit out of this. Pardon my French."

Ianto can't find his breath. She is clearly the worse off of the two, in this moment. Then he starts to nod "You bet you are."

"How the hell would you know?"

Ianto grimaces at her tone "I don't, but..."

"How would you know anything?"

That was sharp. Ianto startles slightly.

"I exercise, I eat the healthiest foods, you live on pork rinds and Ho-Ho's, and I've got cancer!"

That leaves a silence.

"And cigarettes." Ianto adds "I smoke, too."

"You are marrying the greatest guy who walks this earth. Who I have loved from my heart for twelve years!" Gwen rants "And you walk in. You smile that smile. You move that body. And he's yours for free."

She sags back against the counter. "And you. Love my kids. How fucking touching."

She comes forward. Stalks him. "Owen came out of my body! They said I would never have kids, why we adopted Toshiko at birth from the surrogate Japanese goddess who gave her to us… her egg too. Imagine, I fought for that baby … I … then the miracle of Owen. You look at me … I fight!"

"See, I know that." Ianto says sagely.

"I have given them more love and more care every fifteen minutes of their lives, than you could manage in the next fifty years!" Leans over the table. Ianto looks scared to death.

"Okay, I'm undeserving." Ianto agrees.

"Ironic, huh?" And staring in Ianto's eyes, Gwen's fierceness fades. "Ironic, that I'm gonna need you."

All the air comes out. Her heart as naked as her skull. "To be a little less… undeserving."

The look holds. And holds. Finally Gwen asks quietly "Drink your tea while I go vomit."

And turns, goes to the door. Turns back. "You love my kids, that's a start."

Ianto nods "We'll work on it."

And gone. Ianto hears her footsteps echo as she is climbing stairs. Ianto lifts his cup. Looks at it.

He calls out "This is very good tea!"

Then tastes it.

Makes a face.