STANLEY DRAKE, from Forever and a Day
Bio provided by author:
Stanley is the:CEO of Lakeview's all-powerful Drake Corporation and the patriarch of the Drake family, which includes his mother, Ruth, his wife Rena, sons David (presumed dead) and Jason (missing in action), brother Richard and sister Abby (who currently does not live in town). He lives in a grand mansion called Ledgeview in the ritzy Heights section of Lakeview on Northern Heights Drive. Stanley is razor sharp, intelligent and charming. He projects a heart of gold, yet he is really very selfish and ruthless. He has an agenda and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. In the scene to follow, Stanley and Victoria Andrews have lunch together in New York City. Stanley came to New York after he eavesdropped on Victoria telling his wife Rena (Victoria's arch-nemesis) about a vision she had while in a coma. The vision involved his and Rena's son, David, who married Victoria's daughter, Kathleen (both are presumed dead from a helicopter crash), who told Victoria to find Kathleen's journal. When Victoria arrived at David and Kathleen's apartment in NY to look for the journal, she was stunned to learn Stanley had cleaned out the apartment already and put their place on the market. Stanley offered to take Victoria to lunch to explain his actions and discuss her vision. What does Stanley have to hide and what connection do these two characters share?
SCENE #1:
NEW YORK - GOTHAM BAR & GRILL - DAY
Stanley Drake and Victoria Andrews have finished lunch in this chic restaurant and are sipping on their coffee. They are in mid conversation.
STANLEY: But if you had a vision of David telling you to find Kathleen's journal, doesn't that mean ... he's dead?
Victoria takes a sip of her coffee, shakes her head.
VICTORIA: Not necessarily. But I can see why you would believe that. I don't know, maybe David is dead and Kathleen is alive somewhere. Anything is possible. All I know is that I need to try and locate Kathleen.
Stanley arches an eyebrow.
STANLEY: Do you believe in angels? Perhaps what you saw was David appearing to you as an angel.
VICTORIA: Yes, I believe in angels. And you're right, maybe that was David appearing to me as an angel. Maybe he was trying to lead me to some clue in Kathleen's journal that will expose the truth about their helicopter crash.
STANLEY: Or maybe the whole thing was just a bizarre dream. Maybe there is no journal.
Victoria stares at Stanley a moment.
VICTORIA: You don't believe in angels, do you?
Stanley glances at a waiter passing by their table.
STANLEY: Well, to tell you the truth --
VICTORIA: You don't strike me as very religious or spiritual, for that matter.
Stanley smirks.
STANLEY: Well, you should know.
VICTORIA: Yes, you're right. Now that I think about it, I don't recall when we … when we dated in college that you were very religious or spiritual. I see some things never change.
Stanley runs hand through his salt and pepper hair. A flood of memories rush through his mind. Victoria Andrews. Victoria Chase then, my college sweetheart. And she's just has beautiful and elegant as ever, Stanley thinks.
STANLEY: I don't know about you, but when you mentioned college a lot of good memories came to mind.
Victoria twitches in her chair, uncomfortable by the subject. He's still so damn handsome. We could have been good together if Rena hadn't screwed it up, Victoria thinks.
VICTORIA: Yes, well, that was a long time ago. To be honest, I don't care to think about it now.
Victoria takes a sip of her coffee and glances around the room, afraid to make eye contact with Stanley. She was still attracted to him and him to her. There was no denying it.
STANLEY: We could have been good together.
Victoria chokes on her coffee. She places her coffee mug back on its saucer, looks at Stanley across the table.
VICTORIA: What did you say?
STANLEY: You heard me. I said we could have been good together.
VICTORIA: Well sure, if you could have kept your pants on.
Stanley chuckles.
VICTORIA: What's so damn funny? You couldn't keep your pants on and slept with Rena Kingsley, the campus whore.
STANLEY: What was I supposed to do? She threw herself at me and I was a horny college student. Besides, you wouldn't have sex with me.
VICTORIA: You could have said no, Stanley. And I didn't make love to you because I was saving myself for our … for my wedding day! Have you no respect for values and traditions? What a silly question, of course you don't! Otherwise you wouldn't have married Rena - the "Howe U. Ho"!
STANLEY: Hey now, let's not go and insult my wife when she's not here to defend herself.
VICTORIA: What do you care, you two don't have a happy marriage.
STANLEY: How would you know?
VICTORIA: Oh come on now, Stanley, it's no secret that you two sleep around. Her with Malcolm Dugan and you with … with whomever is available.
STANLEY: Now that's not true. I don't sleep around, Victoria. You of all people should know that. Yes, it is true Rena has had an on-going relationship with Malcolm over the years, but it just so happens they have a child together. Besides, not that it's any of your business, but my wife and I have an open marriage of sorts.
Victoria allows that information to register.
VICTORIA: It's not the seventies anymore, Stanley.
STANLEY: Hey, if it works, don't knock it. Maybe you and Blain should try it sometime.
VICTORIA: What's that supposed to mean?
STANLEY: Oh come on, Victoria, don't play coy with me. I'm well aware your marriage isn't as picture perfect as you would like people to think. You may recall, I was at your house that one time you slapped me and threw Blain out of his own house.
VICTORIA: My marriage is none of your concern. Now if you don't mind, can we please change the subject?
Victoria takes a sip of her coffee, tense. Stanley sits back in his chair, looks around the restaurant. He glances back at Victoria and catches her eye. They both look away. Stanley starts to chuckle. Victoria looks at him.
VICTORIA: What? What's so funny?
Stanley's chuckle becomes a full belly laugh.
VICTORIA: Stanley, what is it? Tell me.
Stanley continues to laugh. A smile breaks across Victoria's face.
STANLEY: Rena, "The Howe U. Ho" ….
Both Stanley and Victoria loose it and explode in laughter.
After a few moments, they stop laughing and settle back into their chairs. Victoria wipes the tears away with her napkin.
VICTORIA: Is my mascara running? I must look like a mess.
Stanley nods no.
VICTORIA: I don't believe you. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go to the powder room.
Like a gentleman, Stanley rises from his chair as Victoria stands and walks toward the restrooms. Stanley watches her saunter away and disappear around the corner. He loses his smile and glances toward his briefcase resting on another chair. He picks it up and sits back down. He pops the briefcase open and pulls something out -- Kathleen's journal …