Jill Tells Delia That She'll Be Sorry She Trusted Roger
(July 1976)(Jill is in her office, working at her desk, when there is a knock at the door.)
JILL: Yes? (pause) Is anybody there?
(Delia slowly opens the door.)
DELIA: Jill, could I talk to you for a minute, please?
JILL: What is it, Dee?
DELIA: I wanted to thank you for not telling Frank last night.
JILL: I told you I wouldn't say anything.
DELIA: Yeah, I know you did, but you had a good reason to, and to show my gratitude, I wanted to return this.
(Delia takes the necklace Roger had given her out of her purse and places it on Jill's desk.)
JILL: Thank you, Dee.
(Jill stares at the necklace intently.)
DELIA: I know how much you hated Roger giving that to me.
JILL: (still staring at the necklace, as if Delia weren't there) Mother wore this so many nights when she went out... (Suddenly, she puts her guard back up, and puts the necklace away.) Roger had no right to do anything with it, Dee. Technically, it belongs to me.
DELIA: I didn't know that! Really, I didn't know where it was from! I just figured that Roger bought it someplace.
JILL: That's a very expensive necklace, Dee! My brother's not the kind of person that gives that sort of gift!
DELIA: Jill, I didn't come here for an argument! I've got enough troubles of my own, okay?
JILL: Yeah, I'm sure you do.
DELIA: I just wanted to tell you I didn't know where the necklace was from. I never would have taken it if I knew it was your mother's. And I want to thank you for not telling Frank.
JILL: I didn't tell because of Frank and the child. If he has to learn, I certainly don't want it to come from me.
DELIA: (shaking her head) You're so cold.
JILL: I appreciate you returning the necklace, Dee! You certainly don't expect me to go beyond that, do you, especially when I know how you got it in the first place?
DELIA: This is the worst period of my life! I mean, do you have to keep on digging away at me?
JILL: Well, maybe it's because I am not convinced that you are trying to get out of this mess!
DELIA: I am!
JILL: Are you? Really?
DELIA: Jill, there's not very much that I can do! I mean, Roger can blow up this situation any time he pleases!
JILL: Dee, are you doing anything to stop him? Everything you can do?
DELIA: Yes, yes, I am!
JILL: Then how come he is constantly hanging out at Ryan's Bar?
DELIA: Because I will not go over there! Jill, I am desperately trying to find a way out of this! I think I've got a solution.
JILL: What is it?
DELIA: Alright, I'm gonna try to be the best possible wife that I can be to Frank during the campaign, and then I'll just gradually slow things down with Roger, and then Frank will get elected to Congress, and then we'll go to Washington, and I can leave Roger behind; I can leave everything behind.
JILL: (reluctantly gets up and turns away) Actually, that's not a bad plan, Dee.
DELIA: See there?
JILL: Except it's based on an assumption.
DELIA: Of what?
JILL: You are assuming that Roger is gonna let you slow things down with him.
DELIA: I really tried to slow things down a little. No, let me correct this, I have slowed things down a lot!
JILL: Well, that's not the impression that I've gotten from Roger!
DELIA: You know, you always think the worst of him.
JILL: Well maybe I have reason to.
DELIA: You know, you have always treated him miserably! When you treat someone miserably, they act miserably, and I know about that!
JILL: Well Dee, maybe I treat him that way because he deserves to be treated that way!
(Jill starts flipping through a file folder in frustration.)
DELIA: In spite of what you're saying about Roger, he's been a dear and a good friend to me.
JILL: Oh, I'm sure he has been!
DELIA: Do you realize how hard it is for him to break up with me? But he's not doing anything, he's not doing anything to stop me from breaking away slowly from him.
JILL: Are you quite sure about that?
DELIA: Yes, I am quite sure of that!
JILL: You know, my first memory of Roger was my father punishing him for stealing money from Faith's piggy bank! That's right, stealing from his own baby sister!
DELIA: Oh, come on, you're making that up.
JILL: Oh, Dee, I don't have to make up stories about my brother! I can tell you stories about him from next morning to the next night!
DELIA: Oh, please don't, okay!
JILL: Alright. I approve of your plan. But if you expect any part of that plan to depend on Roger, I suggest that you be very careful. Dee, if you trust my brother, you are gonna be really sorry.
DELIA: You think you know everything, don't you? Alright, I gave you back your necklace. At least I did that. And about the other thing, I trust Roger.
(She heads for the door.)
JILL: You're gonna be sorry, Dee.
(Delia walks out the door.)
JILL: And, unfortunately, so will Frank.