7
Gwen stands outside a door. Deciding. She knocks and enters...Duncan's office. He sits behind his desk, across from a client. Both men looking up at this stranger.
Mr. Samuels? Forgive the intrusion, I'm Gwen Cooper Harkness, and..." The sweetest smile she's got. Which is pretty good. "...well, I just wanted to thank you. For your generosity."
A beat, then he splutters "Gener..."
"My daughter had a terrible emergency yesterday. My husband and I couldn't be reached, and...your Mr Jones came to Toshiko's rescue." Confides... "I'd hate to think what might have happened."
"He told me that you were so supportive, even at great inconvenience to your business, and..." An amazing smile. "It's wonderful to see a successful man such as yourself with that sense of priorities."
A longer beat then he says slowly "Well...under the circumstances..."
"If I can ever repay your kindness. It would be my great pleasure." Backing out the door... "...and your Mr. Jones? A remarkable young man."
The client is beaming.
Clearing his throat Duncan agrees "We think so."
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Gwen is looking down. She seems to be staring at something in her lap as she hisses with quiet anger "I don't even know what that means. Spread. That is very unclear."
...but there is nothing there. Her lap is empty. Except for her unnaturally still hands.
"It means we found some cells. In your lymph nodes. In three of them."
The hands come together. Slowly, deliberately. Stating to anyone who would watch that there is no panic here.
"But the other time." Gwen chooses her words "You said you got it all. So you could be wrong again. One time, you say one thing, then..."
"The other time. Was a year ago."
The air comes out of Gwen. In a thin, slow, precise stream. Everything, her very breath. Under complete control.
The doctor continues to speak "That was a tiny lump in the breast. We radiated, we thought we had it all. We were hopeful. But there were no guarantees."
Silence. Gwen's eyes stay on her folded, still, hands.
"But we can beat it." She whispers.
DR. Morrison is 50, slender, elegant, kind. The doctor you want when you're dying. Gwen looks up to her. "People beat it, don't they? All the time."
The Doctor gives it straight "Every day. More and more."
Gwen swallows. The confirmation of hope has allowed some of the fear to show. "So we'll...radiate some more?"
"At first. Then, after awhile, some chemo."
A blow. Gwen absorbs this. "That's necessary, huh?"
"Let's take our best shot."
Gwen nods. Staring at the woman. Then, to break the spell she huffs "I guess a no-hair day beats a bad-hair day."
The doctor smiles.
Gwen looks at her watch "I have to get dressed. My ex-husband has asked me to dinner. God knows why, he was very mysteri..."
"Have you still never told him?" the doctor asks.
A flash of the anger flickers. "Why would I want to be his worry? Or my children's worry. Or anyone's worry. Help the sit..."
very softly the doctor advises "Sooner than later. You really need to."
That brings a silence. A shading of defiance to Gwen's features. "You don't burden others needlessly. That's how I was raised, Doctor."
Hold the look.
"Maybe at dinner tonight" the Doctor softly advises "Think about it."
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Gwen is getting dressed in front of the mirror, her eyes distant, in spite of her attempts at control. Toshiko is watching her like a hawk. We see Owen sawing the babysitter Alice in half.
"Why are you going to a French restaurant?" Toshiko demands.
Throughout, Toshiko is trying on Gwen's jewellery, making a pest of herself. Gwen fights against rising irritation.
"Because it's quiet. And he wants to talk. Alice - Once he saws you in half it's bedtime please"
"What are you gonna talk about?" Toshiko asks, examining her mother's reflection.
Gwen answers while applying mascara "Probably you - your brother - school -The solar system...The usual..."
"Then why are you putting on mascara?"
A beat the Gwen admits "I'm a little tired and it's just a pick-me-up."
Toshiko is not ready to back off "But you only wore mascara when you and Daddy went on romantic dates..."
"Well Daddy and I are just friends now, and that's no reason not to wear mascara..."
"Or blush." Tosh snorts "You look pale."
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A Country French place on the West Side. Classy, but inviting.
Gwen and Jack sit across from each other in the lovely restaurant. Gwen looks beautiful in the warm candlelight.
"...Maybe you don't think three years is enough for a person to change but...things are different now Gwen." Jack assures her "I'm different."
Gwen feels her heart beginning to race. They lock eyes for a moment. He unconsciously begins to eat off her plate. He eats her chicken, and in the dance they've done a thousand times – she reaches for his uneaten vegetables. The waiter approaches. "Would you and your wife prefer still or sparkling water?"
He doesn't correct the waiter. "Still, please."
When the waiter leaves Gwen says pleasantly "Toshiko showed me the new dress. She's amazing in it."
"Getting so beautiful...she looks more like a woman every day." Jack downs Gwen's wine "Gwen...I've really given this a lot of thought. A great deal of thought..."
Their eyes lock for a moment. Here it comes...
"I'm gonna marry Ianto. I know you don't think much of him but he's a special person - he really is. And I love him. This is a bridge we never wanted to cross but it's not helping him or the kids if I don't really commit to that."
Gwen stares at him stonefaced.
"I didn't think a phone call was appropriate..." Jack smiles weakly.
"Tell me exactly how you're different from three years ago? The music sounds kind of the same from where I'm sitting." Gwen sneers, then hears herself and grimaces.
He shifts in his chair. Wants this to sound as authentic as he feels it "I grew up, a little. I'm ready for a life that's built around commitm..."
"Just not to me."
The waiter returns with a bottle of red wine. It's horribly quiet as he pours. Waits, obtrusively.
"Thank you, it's fine" Jack waves a hand.
"Would you like to taste it?" the waiter looks down his nose at Jack.
Jack explodes "Can we please have less service, here?"
The waiter leaves, taking his attitude with him.
Jack sighs "It's going to be hard for the kids when I tell them...I'd like you to be there."
"To make it easier for them or you?" Gwen demands.
"It's a huge moment in their life …"
"You can't be an 'us' just when you want to. You can't play that card when it's convenient." Gwen cuts him off.
"We..."
"WE are over." Gwen snaps.
Jack takes a calm breath like Ianto taught him to "WE'RE still their parents for the next hundred years."
On this, Gwen looks down at her hands.
"You're still going to have to be dealing with me - with us. We should tell them together." Jack explains.
"No." Gwen looks away "You think this is going to help the kids then you do it. You're on your own."
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Gwen sits next to Jack on the couch at Jack and Ianto's apartment looking lovingly towards the children, who sit across from them. Toshiko is taping this...
"The great thing about life is that things keep changing." Gwen is trying to sound positive.
"Remember when Mommy and Daddy got divorced?" Jack asks.
"And we all went through that together?"
Owen rolls his eyes. OH MY GOD. He knew it!
Toshiko is behind the video camera "Where's this headed?"
"Well things are going to change again..." Gwen begins and Owen LEAPS up from the couch and FLIES into Gwen's arms.
"I knew it! I knew it! I knew you guys were getting back together!" Owen cries with glee.
Gwen looks at Jack. Toshiko ZOOMS IN on their faces.
"No they're not." Toshiko says in a droll voice.
"Toshiko put down that camera." Jack asks. She ZOOMS in on his face. "Put down that goddamn camera!"
"You owe me a quarter."
"Look she's upset" Gwen defends her.
No I'm not. I don't care. Why should I care? I mean nobody asked me when you got divorced. Nobody asked me if I wanted a new mother or father. Nobody even asked me if I like him. If you guys don't care about our family staying together!" Toshiko challenges.
"Daddy and I tried hard. We really did." Gwen assures her.
"No you didn't!" Owen yells "All you guys did was name call! I heard you! You didn't even try and use your words!"
Owen runs out of the room. Jack follows him.
Owen runs to his room and pulls his cape over his head and hides in a bundle in the corner. "I'm disappearing. I'm almost invisible..."
Holding him, Jack whispers "I'll find you wherever you go...my magic boy...I'm still your daddy...nothing will ever change that."
Gwen moves to Toshiko who won't put down the camera. "Toshiko...Ianto's not taking my place as your parental - it's just Daddy's chance to be happy again. Isn't that what we all want for each other?"
No answers. Gwen looks at this daughter she loves so much. Pats the seat beside her "Come. Sit."
Something in the softening of the tone changes the atmosphere in the room. More real. More like equals. "Life is full of hard things. And we can't always have what we want, you know that. Don't you?"
Toshiko nods, cautiously.
"But we do have a choice. To make it better. Instead of worse."
"Like how?"
"Like seeing the good side of Ianto." Gwen points out "So he'll see the good side of us."
Toshiko's stare is hard and questioning. She didn't expect this.
Gwen continues "Because I'm looking ahead. And you know what I see...?"
Toshiko doesn't. But she sure is listening.
"Time will come. When we all need to be there. For each other." Strokes her baby's hair. "That happens. To families."
Toshiko says straight back "I'll be there for you."
Her mother's eyes cloud with feeling.
A murmured "I'm counting on it."