WHAT IF? - SEASON 3 EPISODE 19 - MICHELLE´S BACK
JUST A QUICK NOTE HERE. THIS ISN´T THE TITLE OF A SPRINGSTEEN SONG, BUT I COULDN´T FIND ONE THAT REALLY FIT THE EPISODE, SO I DID IT A WORDPLAY ON THE TITLE OF A SONG OF HIS, THAT HAS THE NAME "KITTY´S BACK". FOR ONCE, IT´S AN EPISODE, THAT MOSTLY FEATURES THE ADULT CHARACTERS.
1. Int. Thrift Store. Day.
Snake and Joey are browsing through the store, but Snake isn´t too into the idea.
Snake:
I doubt that I´ll find something for Spike in here.
Joey:
You´re the one who said that you wanted to save money on Christmas gifts this year, so you can afford to get the car repaired. If you want that shiny new engine head, this is the place to shop. Anyway, isn´t this sort of in Spike´s DYI spirit?
Snake:
She hasn´t been a punk for a long time, in case you haven´t noticed.
Joey takes a nice looking dress from a rack and holds it i front of himself.
Joey:
Can´t you picture her at the beach in this lovely summer dress?
We see two other old friends approaching them. Michelle (who´s still cute, by the way) and Alexa.
Alexa:
That is so your color, Joey!
Michelle:
You should definitely buy it for yourself!
The four smile at each other.
Joey:
How´s it going? I haven´t seen either of you in ages!
Alexa:
I can´t complain. The kids keep me busy most of the time.
Snake:
How is Simon doing?
Alexa:
He´s still the same old Simon!
Joey:
Then again, you wouldn´t want him to change either, would you?
Alexa:
Not if I have anything to say about it!
Snake and Michelle smile at each other very shyly, as if they became teenagers again instantly.
Snake:
How are you, Michelle?
Michelle:
I´m good.
Alexa:
You weren´t yesterday.
Michelle:
Alexa! As you can see, some things never change!
Joey:
What´s wrong?
Alexa:
She´s had to shack up with us, because she´s broke!
Michelle:
You don´t have to tell everyone!
Alexa:
It´s the most interesting thing, that´s happened to me in years! You can´t expect me not to mention it!
Joey and Snake can´t help finding it a little funny, how little Alexa has changed since they knew her.
Snake:
I´m sorry, Michelle.
Michelle:
It´s not your fault that I picked the wrong guy again. Hopefully the third husband will be a charm. Are you two married?
Snake:
I am. To Spike.
Michelle tries her best to hide her disappointment.
Michelle:
That´s great. You two were always such good friends.
Joey:
Me and Caitlyn might as well be.
Alexa:
Have you had any kids yet?
Joey:
No, but we´ve practically adopted a 17 year old and her baby daughter. Plus we have Angie and she can count for two.
Alexa giggles.
Michelle:
Do you still teach at Degrassi, Snake?
Snake:
I´m probably a lifer there.
Michelle:
I didn´t even know, until Alexa told me a yesterday.
Alexa:
You could end up working together. Michelle is applying for a secretary position.
Snake:
I didn´t know you lived here.
Michelle:
I didn´t until a few days ago.
Alexa:
Wouldn´t it be great, if she got it? It would be just like the old days!
Snake tries to look pleased about it.
2. Ext. Parking Lot. Day.
Snake and Joey come out to his car and they open the front doors.
Joey:
Michelle is still a looker, huh?
Snake:
I can´t let her get that job. It´ll drive Spike crazy, if she knows that we work together.
Joey:
Isn´t she past that? You and Michelle were a lifetime ago.
Snake:
I wouldn´t have minded, if I´d waited another lifetime, until I saw her again.
He gets in the car, as Joey wonders what he meant.
OPENING CREDITS
3. Int. Kitchen. Morning.
Snake, Emma and Spike are eating breakfast but it looks like his mind is in another place.
Emma:
We need to book an appointment with the dentist. It´s time for my check up.
Spike:
I´ll do it this afternoon. It´s time for yours too, Snake. Do you want me to book you one, while I´m at it?
Snake doesn´t react and is off in his own thoughts.
Emma:
Earth calling Snake!
He snaps out of it and smiles at them.
Spike:
What did I ask you?
Snake:
About ... ehm ...
Emma:
The dentist. She wants to know if she should book a time for your check-up.
Snake:
Yeah, sure. I might as well get it out of the way.
Emma:
Thanks for breakfast. I´m shower bound.
She leaves them and Spike makes eye contact with Snake.
Spike:
Is something wrong at work? You´ve been very quiet, since you came home yesterday.
Snake:
You could say that. We ran into Michelle and Alexa. Michelle is applying to be a secretary at Degrassi.
Spike:
So?
Snake is surprised at her response.
Snake:
That doesn´t bother you?
Spike:
She has to put food on the table like everyone else. Jobs can be hard to find these days.
Snake:
I thought with our history and everything ... never mind.
Spike:
Snake, that was ages ago! It´s not like you want to be with her now, is it?
Snake:
Of course not!
Spike:
Then I wish her the best of luck. I´m not some teenage girl, who´ll go crazy over my man talking to his ex. I trust you.
She smiles warmly at him and it makes him ease up.
4. Int. Joey´s Living Room. Morning.
Spike is pacing the room, while Caitlyn tries to calm her down.
Spike:
Would it be totally wrong of me to sabotage her chances of getting that job?
Caitlyn:
I think that you would hate yourself, if you did.
Spike:
Just the thought of them seeing each other every day, having in jokes like they used to and eating lunch together will drive me crazy! It´s official, I´ve become Emma´s age again!
Caitlyn tries her best not to laugh.
Caitlyn:
Talk to Snake about it. It can´t be that hard.
Spike:
Then it will be like I´m trying to control his life. If he tried telling me, who I could and couldn´t talk to at my job, I´d tell him to butt out of it. You see my dilemma.
Caitlyn:
Snake loves you and only you. I´ve never been more sure of anything.
We cut to Manny, who´s listening in from the kitchen and looks very interested in what she´s hearing.
5. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Manny and Emma are arriving for school.
Emma:
Michelle is coming here?
Manny:
That´s what I heard. Aren´t you a little curious to meet her, after everything we´ve heard about her?
Emma:
I guess.
Manny:
Do we know what she looks like?
Emma:
I know what she used to look like, from my mom´s old yearbooks.
Manny:
Was she pretty?
Emma:
In a cute, but plain sort of way. I´ve always thought that my mom was much prettier, but I could be a little biased.
Manny:
A tiny bit, perhaps!
They giggle and head inside.
6. Int. Hair Salon. Day.
Spike is working on a customer, an elderly lady, whose hair is so thin that there isn´t a whole lot of it left to cut.
Spike:
I´m almost done and then you´ll look perfect for your party, Mrs. Watkins.
She loses her concentration, when Michelle comes in. She accidentally cuts off a bit more hair than she was supposed to and quickly tries her best to cover it up, without the customer noticing. Michelle waves and smiles at her, before taking a seat while she waits. Spike forces a smile for her, before quickly finishing off with her customer.
Spike:
There you go. If you ask me, you look 50 again.
Mrs. Watkins:
Thank you, Christine. I get always get the best service here.
Spike:
We aim to please.
She brushes off the last hair from Mrs. Watkins and she gets out of the seat.
Mrs. Watkins.
Have a lovely Christmas.
Spike:
You too. I´ll see you again in the new year.
Mrs. Watkins goes to pay and Michelle comes over to Spike.
Michelle:
Hi, Spike. It´s been a long time.
Spike:
It sure has.
Michelle:
Do you have time to give me a quick haircut? I have a job interview and I want to look my best for it.
Spike gives her a passive/aggressive smile.
Spike:
It´s what I´m here for, isn´t it?
Michelle:
Great!
She gets in the chair and Spike puts the apron on her.
Spike:
How do you want it?
Michelle:
Just a little off here and there. I don´t think my split ends will impress a future employer.
Spike gets some scissors and gets to work.
Spike:
Snake told me that you´re applying for a job at Degrassi.
Michelle:
I really hope, I´ll get it. It´s not like there´s a lot of jobs available at my age, for someone like me.
Spike:
You´ve always had a good head on your shoulders. Work shouldn´t be that hard to find.
Michelle:
You´re nice for saying so, but I didn´t finish college and I don´t have a formal education, so I take what I can get. If I don´t get this, I´ll have to look at the bottom of the barrel jobs. But I´m staying hopeful, like I always try to!
Spike:
I´m sure you have lots of things to be hopeful over.
Michelle:
Between you and me, these last years haven´t been the best. This is the fresh start, I desperately need and as an extra bonus, I´ll get to see Snake every day. I´ve really missed talking to him, like we used to.
Spike for a moment considers cutting off a huge chunk of her hair, but manages to stop herself.
7. Int. Cafe. Day.
Spike and Caitlyn are eating lunch together.
Spike:
By the time I´d finished, I was feeling sorry for her. My life since high school hasn´t been glamorous, but at least it´s been much better than her´s!
Caitlyn:
Tell.
Spike:
She had two husbands, both of whom cheated like crazy on her. She dropped out college, has no kids, no education, hasn´t held down a job for more than year and now she has to take whatever job she can get, to pay back all the money, she owes.
Caitlyn:
Poor Michelle.
Spike:
I hope that she gets that job, I really do.
Caitlyn:
It doesn´t worry you too?
Spike:
Why would it worry me?
Caitlyn:
Say that you´d been as unlucky in love, as she has. Wouldn´t that make you pine for the one, who got away? The only one you have nothing except happy memories of your time with.
Spike reluctantly agrees.
Spike:
Maybe.
Caitlyn:
It would with me. I want the best for Michelle too, but not at your expense.
Spike:
You´re getting me worked up over nothing. I trust Snake with all my heart.
Caitlyn:
The question is, do you trust her? I trust Joey, but if I catch him talking to Tessa Campanelli again, I´m laying down the law!
Spike ponders it.
8. Int. Hallway. Day.
Manny and Emma come up the hallway and see Snake talking to Michelle. They´re smiling at each other and she´s looking glad.
Manny:
Is that her?
Emma:
I think so. She hasn´t changed a whole lot, from how she used to look.
Manny:
We should introduce ourselves. Just for fun!
Emma:
I guess it can´t hurt to say hi.
They walk over to them.
Emma:
Care to introduce us, Snake?
Snake:
Sure. Emma and Manny, this is Michelle. Emma is my step daughter.
Michelle:
You´re Spike´s Emma? The last time I saw you, you were in diapers.
Emma:
I´ve grown up a lot since then!
Michelle:
Clearly! You´ve blossomed into a beautiful young woman.
Emma can´t help being a little flattered.
Snake:
Manny and her daughter live with Joey and Caitlyn.
Manny:
Plus my boyfriend, but who´s counting?
Michelle:
It´s nice to meet you too, Manny.
Snake:
Again, congratulations on getting the job. I have to go and prepare for my next class.
Michelle:
Duty calls!
He leaves them and it´s a little awkward.
Emma:
What job did you get?
Michelle:
I´m gonna be a secretary here.
Manny:
Congratulations. I´m sure that Snake is pleased too, with you being old bud´s and everything.
Emma:
He´s told me pretty much everything about you and those days!
Michelle smiles to herself, which worries Emma a little.
9. Int. Girl´s Room. Day.
Emma and Manny are discussing their first meeting with Michelle.
Emma:
She is so crushing on him!
Manny:
You would have to be cuckoo bananas out of your mind, not to be able to see it!
Emma:
It´s really sad, when you think about it. To be that old and still not have found anyone!
Manny:
Are you worried?
Emma:
That he´ll dump my mom to shack up with her? As if!
Manny:
I don´t know. Old love dies hard and theirs is so ancient, that´s it´s pre-historic!
Emma:
Exactly, it´s in the past. Snake has everything he wants. Why would he want anything else?
She looks confident that nothing bad will happen. Manny isn´t as sure of it.
10. Int. Computer Lab. Day.
Snake is sitting at one of the PC´s and is looking at old pictures from his high school days. It´s especially one with him, Joey, Alexa and Michelle that makes him smile. Him and Michelle were holding each other around the waist and look like a very happy young couple. He´s interrupted by Hatzilakos, who gently knocks on the glass door, before coming inside.
Hatzilakos:
There is such a thing as caring too much about your work, Archie. It´s time to go home.
Snake:
I will in a moment. I was just looking at some old pictures on our alumni page.
Hatzilakos:
You went here back in the day?
She comes down to him and looks at the picture with him.
Snake:
Class of ´92, back when it was only a high school.
Hatzilakos:
Is that the woman, I hired today?
Snake:
We were quite the item, her and I. For a long time, I was sure we´d stay together forever. I´m sure, she thought the same.
Hatzilakos:
Why did you break up, if you don´t mind me asking?
Snake:
I don´t mind talking about it, not that there´s much of a story there. We were accepted to colleges in opposite parts of the country and we both decided, that it would be impossible to make work long distance.
Hatzilakos:
It sounds like you were a pair of sensible kids.
Snake looks sad.
Snake:
I still remember the day we got those acceptance letters and how we were holding on to hope until the end, that we´d get into the same school. None of us mentioned it for weeks afterwards, like if we ignored it, it wouldn´t be true. But it was.
Hatzilakos:
I was going to ask you to help her feel at home here, since I saw you talking earlier. If that´s too difficult for you, I can ask someone else.
Snake:
That would be for the best.
Hatzilakos:
I understand, Archie. You should get home to your wife and kids.
Snake smiles to himself.
Snake:
That´s exactly what I´ll do. Right after I make one small stop on the way.
He turns off the PC.
11. Ext. Simon and Alexa´s House. Day.
Snake comes up to the house, where a boy and a girl, around 9/10 years old are playing in the yard and are making a snow man out of some of the year´s first snow. They stop playing, when they see him approaching them.
Snake:
Hi, kids. Is Alexa or Simon home, or as you probably call them, mom and dad?
Boy:
They´re inside. Who are you?
Snake:
An old friend of theirs. We went to school together.
Girl:
You look a lot older, than they do!
Snake can´t help himself from smiling.
Snake:
I get that now and then!
The door opens and Michelle comes out. She looks pleased to see him.
Michelle:
You kids had better get inside. Your mom wants you cleaned up in time for dinner.
The kids run inside and Michelle closes the door behind herself. Snake comes up to her.
Snake:
We need to have a talk.
Michelle:
Can I go first?
Snake nods and she gathers her nerve.
Michelle:
Snake, breaking up with you, us deciding to break up, or whatever you want to call it, was the biggest mistake of my life.
Snake:
Michelle ...
Michelle:
Let me finish, please. If I could go back to that moment, when I had to make the choice between the school of my dreams and the man of my dreams, I would in a heartbeat, so I could make the right decision. What I had with you is something, I´ll never find with anyone else. If these past years have taught me anything, it´s that I can´t recreate that magic with someone else, no matter how hard I try. I still love you. I always will.
She stops and he takes a few steps back from her, to her disappointment.
Snake:
We had our chance, Michelle. I love Spike and I always will. I´m sorry if that´s hard to hear, but I wouldn´t leave her for anyone, not even you.
He walks away from her and she starts to cry. He looks happy with his decision.
12. Int. Living Room. Evening.
In Caitlin and Joey´s living room, JT and Manny are helping Angie with her homework, while they´re eating pizza.
Manny:
You can get this, Angie. Six times eight equals ...
Angie:
Isn´t this what we have calculators for?
JT:
She´s got you there!
Manny:
It´s faster, if you can do it in your head. Try it. Six times eight.
Both JT and Angie think hard.
Angie:
Forty Eight.
JT:
Ha! It´s forty six!
Manny:
No, it´s forty eight! How on earth did you arrive at forty six?
JT:
My brain works in mysterious ways!
Angie:
Tell us something, we don´t know!
JT and Manny smile at each other, before giving her a good tickling, that makes her laugh like there´s no tomorrow.
Angie:
Stop it!
JT:
Are you gonna stop being a little smart ass?
Angie:
Never!
Manny:
That´s what we wanna hear.
They stop and she tries to catch her breath again. The doorbell rings.
Manny:
I´ll get it. It´s probably a Jehova´s Witness or something like that.
She gets up and leaves them.
Angie:
I still can´t believe, that you thought it was forty six!
JT:
Maybe I only pretended not to know, to make you feel better about yourself. Have you considered that?
Angie:
Liar!
They smile at one another.
13. Int. Foyer. Evening.
Manny opens the door, looking ready to get this over with quickly.
Manny:
Whatever you´re selling, we´re not buying!
Her face freezes in a mix of joy and surprise though, when she sees who it is. It´s her father.
Manny´s Dad:
Hello, Manuella. I´m glad to see that you´re looking healthy. I´ve missed you.
Manny:
I´ve missed you too, dad.
She almost doesn´t know how to react.
14. Int. Kitchen. Evening.
Spike is making dinner, when Snake comes in.
Snake:
Hi, Honey. It smells nice.
Spike:
It´s nothing fancy, if that´s what you´re hoping for.
Snake:
Oh, you know me. Fancy has never been my style anyway.
She turns around and comes over to him. They share a small kiss.
Spike:
What a day, huh? Did Michelle tell you, that I cut her hair before the job interview?
Snake:
Yeah, she mentioned it. She got the job, by the way.
Spike looks happy for Michelle, but also a tiny bit worried.
Spike:
That´s a good thing, right?
Snake:
I stopped by Alexa and Simon´s house, to talk to her on the way home.
Spike:
What did you tell her?
Snake:
That there´s only one woman that I intend to love, honor and cherish for the rest of my days and it´s the one, I´m holding in my arms right now.
Spike looks full of joy and they hug each other tightly. Snake couldn´t be happier with his decision, if he tried.
CLOSING CREDITS