Flashback: Shelby HITS Dylan!

Angela (Lauren Lane) catches Shelby beating Dylan.

In another, and arguably, one of the most powerful and fiery of the flashback episodes, Angela Mercier catches the evil Shelby Whitehead Harper, showing her true vicious colors and her vicious nature, in the act of violently abusing Dylan Harper.

This savage act of cruelty, as well as her continual cheating on her husband, Michael, finally seals the evil woman's fate at long last, and makes her an enemy of the Harper family. This also spells the end of her sham of a marriage!

Also watch for the reveal that Shelby is pregnant, with the baby who would later be known as Rose Harper. Claiming Michael as the father, she is stopped dead in her tracks when her lie is exposed (Michael wasn't the father, one of her numerous paramours IS).

In the end, though, the shoe winds up on the other foot when Shelby has something happen to her that makes her see that, like any other bully, she might be able to dish it out, but she certainly has no idea on how to take it!

Special guest stars: Kim Fields and Mindy Cohn as two prisoners in Shelby's cellblock at the Law Enforcement Center; and Lisa Whelchel as Katheryn Conlon, the leader of the prisoners in the cellblock.....who also has a rude awakening surprise in store for Shelby, as she has a connection to the Harpers!

Scene

The Present Day: Dylan's townhouse. Ashley Harper, now in her twenties, is looking over something in her bedroom. She looks around the familiar room which she's had since she was adopted along with her twin brother at the age of five.

The various memories are all around and they abound. Her favorite dresses; her books, her beloved toys including a teddy bear she had since she was a child.

In a prominent place above her desk was her many trophies for her Speech and Debate success in High School including the contest that she won top prize for her debate prowess.

These all serve to show the eclectic and lovely person that Ashley has become.

She looks at a baby doll that she gave her dad when he had his heart scare. She smiles as she remembers how much comfort it brought him during that troublesome time. She then applies some lip gloss, smoothed her rather pedestrian blue skirt and heads out of her room, closing the door. 

She then goes downstairs, and as she enters the den, she notices another baby doll in a prominent spot on the mantel. She is intrigued. The doll is adorable, and almost in mint condition. Ashley is very impressed. Dylan and Sheila come in. They smile at Ashley.

SHEILA (smiling): Hi there, honey.

DYLAN: Hi, sweetie, what's going on?

ASHLEY: Hey, Dad, Aunt Sheila. I was curious about something. I was wondering what that doll was here on the mantel. She's been in that spot in the den since I was little. What is that all about?

(The twins lock eyes.  The memories begin to flow for the two grown siblings)

SHEILA: Oh my goodness, Dyl. I had almost forgotten about her. She's an oldie but a goodie.

DYLAN (wistfully): Yes, she was. She was, and still is, very special.

ASHLEY: I can tell. (she smiles sympathetically at her dad, she had a very empathetic bond with her adopted father) She's adorable and so very cute. Where did she come from?

SHEILA: Well, I had one when I was six, and then Dylan got one when I found out that I had two.

DYLAN: Your aunt's right, sweetie. The doll came into play during a very bad time for me. One of the worst times in my life. 

ASHLEY: Sounds grim.

SHEILA: It was indeed, for both of us.

ASHLEY: I'd like to hear about it, if you don't mind telling me that is.

SHEILA: Of course. Pull up a chair, darling, and we'll tell you all about it.

(Ashley pulls up the desk chair to the table. She looks ready. Sheila looks at her beautiful niece.)

ASHLEY: All right, Aunt Sheila. I am ready.

SHEILA: Well, my darling, it was many years ago, when your dad and I were back in kindergarten....

The scene flashes back to the Harper mansion in Brockton, many years ago. Dylan, at that time, age 6 and having just begun kindergarten at Harper Academy with Sheila, is walking down the hall headed back to his room in the Nursery Wing. He was as kind then as he was today. He was a bit free-spirited, but was quite sweet and loving. 

He notices something is amiss in one of the bedrooms. He walks in and picks up a pillow that had fallen off one of the divans. He puts it back in its proper place and walks out of the room, feeling like he did a good deed.

However, as the old saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. For the room in question is not just ANY bedroom!  It is Shelby's bedroom, or as she calls it, her "boudoir", which she doesn't allow anyone in the family or on the family's staff, to go into!

Although she'd been married to Michael (in Michael's mind, unhappily) since the twins were two, she doesn't sleep with him. She has never slept with him and wouldn't sleep with him.  She often prefers to sleep in her private boudoir which gives her the utmost in privacy. 

However, household rumor has it (and in major households the size of the Harper Mansion, this is rather common) that the room does see a lot of traffic in and out; namely those of the male persuasion.

For it is the room that she has her male visitors stay in. Another rumor among the staff is that she has sex with her men in that same room.

She is so possessive of her boudoir that she doesn't even allow the cleaning staff to go into the room to clean! This has become a common complaint that the mansion's head housekeeper, Mrs. Delphine Ridgeway, has to deal with every day. Of all the rooms in the immaculate house, Shelby's boudoir was always the messiest of the lot, due to her continually never letting staff in to clean..

Just then, Shelby comes in, and she is absolutely incensed. She grabs Dylan and drags him into the boudoir!

SHELBY (furious): YOU! I thought I told you to stay OUT of my room! What were you doing in here?

DYLAN (petrified): I saw a pillow on the floor, I picked it up! That is all I did!

(Shelby looks through him as if he didn't exist.)

SHELBY: I don't give a damn! I told you a thousand times that I will NOT allow you in my room! This is MY room!  I only allow in whomever I want to!  Nobody else comes in, not even the staff! This is the last straw! I'll teach you a good lesson! And I am going to have so much FUN doing this!

(With a look of savage glee, she grabs a petrified Dylan and begins to beat him severely)

DYLAN: I'm sorry! (he's in hysterics) I didn't mean to!

(Dylan's pleas only succeed in making Shelby even angrier and the beating becomes even more violent! Her face contorted in sheer and ugly rage, in which her hatred for Dylan was clearly evident, and to add insult to injury, starts mocking him viciously.)

SHELBY: Sorry?! SORRY?! YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO?! GOD DAMN IT, I WILL MAKE YOU SORRY! You stupid little BRAT! I have told you a billion times to listen to me! I have told you to mind me! You never do that! NEVER! I WILL MAKE YOU LEARN! This is MY room! NOBODY else is allowed in here! ONLY ME AND THOSE I WANT TO ALLOW IN HERE!

(Dylan starts screaming for help)

DYLAN (near frightened out of his mind): Help!  HELP!  Mommy!  I want my mommy! 

SHELBY (with vicious glee): Shut up, brat!  She doesn't love you! 

DYLAN (screaming): You're lying! She loves me!

SHELBY (enjoying the cruelty she is inflicting on Dylan): No she doesn't!  Nobody loves you!  They all love ME! They love only ME!  You are a nothing!  

DYLAN (screaming and crying in pain): Mommy! Somebody!  Anybody!  Help!  Help me!

SHELBY (gleefully beating him mercilessly): NOBODY can help you!  You are in big trouble! 

(Shelby laughs in absolute maliciousness, her viciousness knows no bounds, and she gets a euphoric rise from the young boy's crying. It is clear she is enjoying herself. The vicious laughter doesn't escape notice though. A small shadow comes along, it is Sheila. A furious Shelby, momentarily distracted, halts her onslaught, but she dismisses the interruption as nothing, as she is still thrashing Dylan. Sheila, scared that her brother's life is in jeopardy, yells as loud as her small voice could muster.)

SHEILA (angrily): Leave him alone!

(This causes the evil woman to erupt in fury.)

SHELBY (screeching): GO AWAY, YOU LITTLE BRAT! GET AWAY FROM ME OR I'LL GIVE YOU JUST WHAT I AM GIVING TO THAT MISERABLE TWIN OF YOURS!

(Satisfied that the girl is petrified of her, the sickeningly gleeful Shelby goes right back to work beating Dylan senseless, her wicked laughter trilling in the halls. Sheila is in tears. She runs screaming and crying to the nursery. She grabs her favorite doll and is sobbing. Amelia, Dylan's nanny, hears the crying little girl and comes up to her.)

AMELIA: Miss Sheila? (She notices Sheila crying.) What's wrong, honey?  Where's Marie?

SHEILA: That nasty Shelby woman is beating Dylan! An' she yelled at me!

AMELIA: Stay there, sweetie, I am calling Marie.

(Before she can leave the nursery, Angela Mercier comes in. Angela, an old friend of the Harpers and the closest friend of Michael and Michelle, is followed by Sheila's own nanny, Marie.)

MARIE: Sheila? Are you all right, darling?

ANGELA: Sheila? What's the matter, my darling?

SHEILA (sobbing): Dylan is getting beated up, Auntie Angela. By that mean ol' Shelby! An' she yelled at me! I went by her room with the silly name she calls it that I can't remember, and she was beatin' up my brother!

(Angela is shocked. Marie is bewildered. She looks at Amelia, totally worried)

ANGELA: She's WHAT?! Amelia, am I hearing this story correctly?  Is that bitch hurting Dylan?

AMELIA (worried): According to Miss Sheila, she is.  She saw Shelby literally beating the hell out of Dylan. Then that bitch yelled at her! I heard her all the way down the hall. 

MARIE (perplexed): Why in the world would Miss Whitehead act like that?

AMELIA: I don't know, Marie. But be sure of this, Shelby is not a very nice woman!

MARIE: What has she done?

AMELIA: Plenty, my girl. She has caused plenty of situations to cause this family trouble. 

MARIE: Hasn't anyone told Mr. Michael, or his parents?

AMELIA: Not yet. But it will come out eventually.

ANGELA (turning her attention to Sheila): Sheila? Honey, did you see the whole thing?

SHEILA (still crying, although Angela has her arms around the frightened child): Part of it, and Dylan was cryin' really hard.  That mean ol' lady was really nasty happy about it! I hate her and I hate that room of hers with that silly name. I don't want Dylan hurt!  She's gonna get away with it again, Auntie Angela!  I know she'll get away with it! She always gets away with things!

AMELIA: Sheila's right.  She'll get away with it again!

ANGELA ​(reassuring Dylan's nanny): Don't count on that, Amelia. This time she has gone too far. Shelby won't last long for this, and this time, she definitely WON'T get away with what she has done, mark my words! When I get through with her, she will be the one who will be suffering, not Dylan! (she looks at a petrified Sheila) Don't fret, sweetheart, Aunt Angela will see what is going on and she'll put a stop to it and she'll get Brother out of there.

(Angela storms down the hall. She looks in the boudoir and what she sees absolutely horrifies her. She sees Shelby smiling an absolutely sick smile as she is beating a nearly hysterical Dylan. She then aims and hits him in the eye! Seeing Dylan crying makes Shelby laugh even more! After the initial horror wore off, Angela becomes furious, and this makes her all the more determined to stop this bullying! He is uncontrollably crying, and Shelby grabs him by the arm!)

SHELBY (smugly): This will teach you a solid lesson! You stay out of my room from now on and away from me, or you will get the same thing....only WORSE! And if that damned sister of yours comes near me, I will beat the tar out of her too! And you know damned well I can do it too!

(She rears back, an absolutely ugly sneer on her face, and is prepared to hit Dylan once again. Her intent was for the blow to hurt enough to be fatal, so she'd be rid of him for good. A hand shoots out and grabs her arm in mid-swing! It's Angela. She is truly enraged at Shelby!)

ANGELA (rasping in fury): You malicious worthless excuse for a woman!  You will stop this ridiculous and odious savagery WITHOUT DELAY! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!!! JUST WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!

(Shelby freezes in her tracks, but she is defiant as ever! Dylan, having broken free from Shelby's grasp when Angela grabbed her arm, is huddling near the door of the boudoir. He is, without question, absolutely terrified and crying uncontrollably.)

SHELBY (struggling as Angela holds fast to her arm): You can't stop me, bitch! Nobody can! Not you, not Michael, not his damned parents, not his loser fool of a sister, NOBODY! I will beat him senseless until he listens to me! Now, you unhand me!

ANGELA (angrily): Oh, no I won't, you horrible hag! You will DEFINITELY be stopped! And I will unhand you when I get damned good and ready! You will never put another hand on Dylan in anger again! Not now, not EVER, Shelby! And, I will tell you, the only people Dylan has to listen to is his mother and his nanny! NOT you, you evil bitch! And ANOTHER thing, I have every right to go and tell Michael, Michelle and their parents what you've just done! And I would not want to be you when they find out!

SHELBY (faking innocence): What the hell are YOU on about, Mercier?! I've not done anything wrong!

(It is clear Shelby is lying through her teeth. Angela sees through her fake innocence.)

ANGELA (disgusted): Don't even dare try to pull that phony innocent routine on me, Whitehead! It won't work with me and you damn well know it, especially since I just caught you red-handed! But what I am doing, bitch, is saving a petrified little boy from you and your out-of-control rage!

SHELBY (screaming): God damn you! Unhand me at ONCE! 

ANGELA: Gladly! I'll have to get a nice long shower in later, so I can rid myself of your germs! I don't want to catch any of your diseases! But I am getting that boy out of here and away from YOU!

(She unhands Shelby, and then goes over to the door, and takes the completely petrified Dylan gently in her arms. She glares at Shelby, who wisely backs away from the furious Angela.)

SHELBY (angrily): You don't understand! I had every right to beat the tar out of him! He had no call to be in here! He came in and picked up a pillow off of ​my​ floor and put it on my​ divan!

​(Angela does not believe the words coming out of her mouth. Shelby knows this full well, and it serves to anger Angela all the more.)

ANGELA (savagely): Don't even TRY it! Don't you even bother to try to explain this horrid thing that you did! You are even ridiculous to even attempt to do so! You can't even BEGIN to justify your ridiculous venom! There is NO excuse for what you did! None whatsoever! I find it utterly despicable to see you lashing out so savagely and indiscriminately at a six year old little boy for such a stupid and petty reason! He was being helpful as he usually is and you're being your usual ungrateful self! And I just bet that you would have done the same thing to a member of the staff if you hadn't done this to poor Dylan.

SHELBY: Oh, really?! You listen to me, you miserable snip, this is MY room! Mine! Nobody else has any right to set foot in here! Now, I have things to do! I am leaving and you can't stop me! Step aside! I order you.

ANGELA: Don't you DARE move from that spot! You will just stay right where you are, you wicked monstrosity! I will deal with you directly! Then we'll see just how big and bad you think you are and how well you'll fare when you are dealing with someone who is your own size and not a helpless six year old child!

SHELBY: I don't think so, bitch, You can just go and burn in HELL!

ANGELA (Ignoring Shelby's usual expletive and crooning to a sobbing Dylan); It's all right, sweetie. She won't hurt you again, Auntie Angela will see to that.

SHELBY: Quit your damned lying! You are not his aunt!

ANGELA (furiously): What the hell is it to you how I'm related to him, Shelby Whitehead?! NOTHING you say means a damned thing to me! Now, YOU listen to ME, you miserable whore, how I am connected to this family is none of your damned business! As far as Michelle and Michael are concerned, I am a close friend to this family and to me, he IS my nephew! And lest you forget, Michelle is my best friend and had been so fit years! So, I would advise you to shut up!

(Shelby is furious with Angela flinging facts in her face, and not the lies that she longs to hear and also that Angela is not buying her lies and excuses; so, like the cowardly bully she is, she takes her anger out on Dylan!)

SHELBY (taunting Dylan): Brat! I told you your mother hates you! Everybody LOVES ME!  They only love ME! Because I am more important! 

(Dylan starts crying again, which sends Shelby into loud laughter! Angela looks at Shelby disgustedly as she holds Dylan in her arms. Shelby laughing at a crying six year old is beneath contempt. It is all she can do to keep from choking Shelby.)

ANGELA (coldly): Oh, that is just SO mature, you giddy bitch! But it's not surprising, coming from your foul and filthy mouth! Isn't that just like you, though, Whitehead? Hurling insults just like a kindergartener throwing a damned temper tantrum! Now that is an insult. And that is an insult to real kindergarteners, like Dylan and Sheila. And just what in the HELL gives you the right to tell a six year old little boy that his mother hates him?! Then you have the damned GALL to stand there and laugh at a crying six year old little boy! You are a cold-hearted vicious worthless piece of work, you are! Now, I am ordering you, you apologise to him, or I will bust you in the mouth!

SHELBY: Oh, go fuck yourself! And yeah, I'm a giddy bitch...and I'm proud of it.

ANGELA: Why don't YOU go and fuck YOURSELF, bitch!

SHELBY (screaming): GO TO HELL!!!!!  I TOLD YOU BURN IN HELL AND I MEANT IT!!!!!!!

ANGELA: I don't give a damn what you mean! Nothing you say means anything to me. I am not going to hell, you are!  Apologise to Dylan at once! 

SHELBY (screaming again): ​I TOLD YOU TO GO TO HELL, YOU DAMNED BITCH!  AND I MEAN IT!  GET OUT OF MY FACE AND GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!  I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, GO TO HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Angela finally has had enough of Shelby and her snide behaviour. She erupts)

ANGELA (exploding): You go there first, you damned whore! You'll be there WELL before anyone else ever will be! Now, I am ordering you to apologise to Dylan, right now! I will not tell you again!  You either apologise to that child, or else.

SHELBY: NO!  I won't apologise! I have NOTHING to apologise for! What I did to him was absolutely perfect! Do you hear me?! PERFECT!!! I had EVERY right to beat that brat senseless!  I have NOTHING to apologise for! Do you hear me?! I don't have to apologise and I WON'T!

(Angela is stunned by Shelby's absolute arrogance.  Her suspicions have been confirmed.  To her, Shelby needs to be removed from the house at once!)

ANGELA: Well, you were warned! Don't you DARE say I didn't warn you! And now you'll reap the bitter consequences of your disgusting antics! You've sealed your own fate! And now, you're going to see that this family means BUSINESS!

SHELBY: Oh, whatever!  I won!  This is MY room and that brat needs to stay the hell out of here!

(Shelby smirks smugly, reveling in and enjoying her handiwork of savagery and destruction, while Angela glares angrily at the arrogant woman. Furious is she that she wants to blacken Shelby's eyes. But she keeps her counsel. Instead, she gently holds Dylan and she finally calms him as she takes him back to the nursery. Shelby slams the door of her boudoir, and she loudly laughs evilly over what she did!)

DYLAN (sobbing): Aunt Angela, that nasty lady said Mommy doesn't love me! She said nobody loves me!  She says they only love her!  

ANGELA (softly): You don't worry about that, baby boy. Shelby's a liar.  Your mommy adores you. In fact, my sweet, everyone loves you and hates her!

(Amelia comes up to them. She is so stunned that her eyes fill with tears. She takes a sobbing Dylan in her arms)

​AMELIA: Dylan, what's the matter, sweetheart?

DYLAN (crying hard): Don't hate me, 'Melia. PLEASE don't hate me, 'Melia. 

AMELIA: Oh, Dyl. Sweetie, I don't hate you.  What happened?

ANGELA: Brace yourself, Amelia. 

AMELIA: Whatever for?

ANGELA: He was beaten quite severely.  Had I not stopped it, Dylan would have been dead. 

(Amelia lifts up his shirt and she sees the bruises and red marks all over his body. Her eyes widen in shock.)

AMELIA (horrified): Oh, good Lord! You're right, Miss Angela. Poor child, he looks battered! Who in the world did this?!

ANGELA (in a quiet sad voice): Because he was battered, Amelia. He was battered by that wicked Shelby! Sheila was right. Shelby used him for batting practice! I'd like to use her for batting practice, if anything, odious bitch! And what made it worse was that she was smirking about it! She even told him that Michelle did not love him! That NOBODY loved him!  And what made it worse was that she crowed that everyone loves HER and not him!  Then she had the gall to laugh about what she did. 

(Dylan is sobbing. He covers his face and cries. Sheila comes over and holds her brother close.)

SHEILA: I don't care what that rotten ol'' Shelby says. What she says holds nothin' with me. Mommy loves ya an' I love ya, Dyl Pickle. I'll always love ya.

(She kisses her twin on the cheek. She then runs to his toy box and she brings him his favourite teddy bear. He clings to it, crying as if his heart would surely break. The twins, with Sheila holding her brother, go to their quiet corner which is painted with calming fish, and pictures of happy bunnies and smiling bugs. Sheila is quietly comforting him.  She also gets one of his stuffed bunnies and gives it to him. He hugs his toys close and cries. Amelia is busy ministering to Dylan's injuries.)

AMELIA (so angered is she about what happened to her charge that she herself is about to burst into tears): You mean she......did this?! That vicious woman! She could have crippled him!

ANGELA: Yes! It was that damned Shelby! That's who! She was the one who nearly beat Dylan to death! I'd beat her within an inch of her life. When I left, she was smirking and laughing about what she did.  Like she could get away with it!

AMELIA: But, why? For what reason?

ANGELA: All due to that stupid divan she has. A pillow fell down on the floor, I just bet SHE knocked it down herself, I wouldn't put it past her to do that, and Dylan went in and picked it up and put it back and then left the room. She saw it and went totally berserk on him. It was a trap deliberately set and meant to snare anyone, and I mean ​anyone. Be they a member of the cleaning staff or Dylan, who dared to set foot in her den of sin!

AMELIA: Oh, she did, did she?! Well, this will not DO! Oh no! This will not do at all! I would like to use Shelby for batting practice, if I could get away with it! I will go and inform Michael at once. He has to know. According to his father, he is working in his office.

ANGELA: Good idea, Amelia. Also let Mitchell and Mrs. Ridgeway know about this. They will know what else to do about that woman. And Mr. and Mrs. Harper. Best to inform them too.

(Nobody has to notify the elder Harpers. They heard the commotion and they are already in the nursery.)

RICHARD (stunned): What's going on here?! 

VIOLET: What happened?

(Mr. and Mrs. Harper look at their crying grandchildren)

RICHARD (concerned yet angry): What is going on here?! Who did this to Dylan?!

ANGELA (near tears herself): It was Shelby, Mr. Harper! She was beating Dylan to a pulp for him daring to go into her room and picked up a pillow that fell off her damned divan!

(Richard and Violet are absolutely horrified)

VIOLET (quietly, but aghast at what happened to Dylan): Angela, my dear, are you are telling us that she beat him up for THAT?! Over him picking up a wretched PILLOW?!

ANGELA: Yes, she did, Ma'am. And she was absolutely gleeful about it.  She was actually bragging about it and the more he cried, the more she laughed in scorn at him! Her aim was to kill him!

VIOLET (furiously): That nasty woman! No wonder the staff can't get into that boudoir of hers to clean it! Mrs. Ridgeway constantly complains about it all the time. I'd so love to put her in her place! She shouldn't be in this house, much less married to my son! I'll break her in half myself!

RICHARD (calming): Now, now, my dear. That won't help matters, (he grins slightly, in spite of the situation) much as I would love to see it happen to that woman! I am going to fetch Michael, he's working in his office. Where's Michelle?

VIOLET: She's at a symphony rehearsal, if I remember correctly. I think it should be done by about now.  Amelia went to fetch Michael.

RICHARD (cheerfully, in spite of the seriousness of the situation, he takes charge as Amelia comes back in the nursery): Ah, Amelia. There you are. There is a slight change in plans, my dear. While I go and fetch Michael, you go and fetch Mrs. Ridgeway and have her call Michelle. While you do that, I will call a limo service to bring her home. Vi, you stay here in the nursery and comfort the twins. Angela, you go to that so-called "boudoir" and keep an eye on Shelby until I can get Michael. He can confront her then.

ANGELA: Of course, Mr. Harper.

RICHARD (still cheerfully, helping to lighten the tension of the situation): After I talk to Michael, I am going to call CPS from my office and ask them where we go from here. And then I am calling the police, unless Michael calls them himself. I want that evil woman removed from this house at once!

(Everyone goes to do their bidding.)

CUT TO:

Michael's office which is just down the hall from the nursery wing. Michael is busy working on some paperwork as he is a teacher at Harper Academy. He is an English teacher and is quite the popular favourite with his high school students. He is busy grading test papers when his father comes in.

RICHARD: Michael, can I tear you away from your work for a moment? This is important.

MICHAEL (Sensing a crisis): Of course, Father. I was about to take a break from grading these tests, anyway. This section knows their plays of Shakespeare, that's for certain. You look like you want to scream at someone, or worse, tear someone to shreds. What's wrong?

RICHARD (sadly): It's Dylan. Apparently, Shelby thrashed him something fierce.

(This shakes Michael to the core, given how much he cares about his nephew.)

MICHAEL: Oh, God, no! How is he?

RICHARD: He's in hysterics, understandably. Shelby thrashed him for going to pick up a pillow in her boudoir. Apparently, she left some serious bruises on him, according to what Angela told me.

MICHAEL: Damn that woman! I am on my way to the nursery. Where is she?

RICHARD: She's in her "boudoir". Angela is watching her. Thankfully, she stopped Shelby's carnage before it got worse than it already was. Your mom's in the nursery with the twins, and they are truly upset.  I sent a limo to pick up your sister from Symphony rehearsal.  She's on her way now. 

MICHAEL: Michelle will be furious when she sees Shelby, I am sure. I don't blame the twins one bit for being upset. What are you going to do?

RICHARD: I am going to my office to call CPS, and then I am calling the police on Shelby.

MICHAEL: Dad, let me call the police.  I can deal with them far more efficiently. You can handle CPS, they'll listen to you better. I'll see you in the nursery. 

RICHARD: Very good, son. 

​(Michael picks up the phone and calls 911) 

911 OPERATOR:  911, what's your emergency?

MICHAEL:  I want to talk with the Harpers Falls police.

(After a few minutes, he is connected to the police department)

POLICE DISPATCHER: Harpers Falls Law Enforcement Center and Police Department. May I ask who is calling?

MICHAEL: Yes, my name is Michael Harper.  

POLICE DISPATCHER (her aloofness melts when she hears the Harper scion): What is the nature of your emergency, Mr. Harper?

MICHAEL: I wish to report an assault and battery that has taken place here at the Harper Mansion.  My wife, my soon-to-be EX-wife, Shelby Whitehead, has assaulted my nephew, Dylan Harper. 

POLICE DISPATCHER: How old is the child?

MICHAEL: He's six years old.  

POLICE DISPATCHER: We're also calling CPS.  

MICHAEL: No need to. CPS is being contacted now. My father is already on the phone with them.  He's putting a stop to her crimes. 

POLICE DISPATCHER: All right, that's good that your father is calling CPS.  That saves us time. In the meantime, we'll send over an officer right away, Mr. Harper. Don't worry, your nephew will be fine.

MICHAEL: Thank you.

(He hangs up the phone.)

Cut to:

Scene shifts back to the Nursery. Amelia makes her report to Violet.

AMELIA: Michelle is on her way, Ma'am. Mrs. Ridgeway told me. They left Symphony Hall a few minutes ago.

VIOLET: Very good. 

AMELIA: I hope Dylan will be all right. 

VIOLET (determined): He will be, my girl, he will be. And as far as Shelby is concerned, she will pay for this, and she will pay DEARLY! She has gone too far!

AMELIA: I am glad for that ma'am.

VIOLET: (to Dylan) Come here, my darling. (Dylan goes to his grandmother, sobbing.) Don't cry, sweetheart. You are safe now. Granny will not let that woman hurt you anymore.

SHEILA (herself crying): Will he have to go to the hospital, Granny?

VIOLET: No, I don't think so, honey. He may have to be checked over, but I think we can have it done outpatient. We'll help take care of him right here at home. He'll be all right. I'll call a home nurse to come here, Grampa will call a doctor and have him come over. He'll be all right.  Amelia is helping him too.

DYLAN (sobbing) You don't hate me, Granny?

VIOLET: No, no, my precious. Granny loves you very much.  Who on earth would say something like that?

(Amelia returns from the linen closet in the outer corridor.  She has gotten some fresh sheets to remake his bed.)

AMELIA (as she is making Dylan's bed): Shelby told him that nobody loves him, Ma'am.  She rubbed salt in the wound by saying that everyone loved her and hated him. 

VIOLET (angered): Oh, she did, did she?  She will suffer for this!  That I promise you. She will most DEFINITELY suffer for THAT! 

AMELIA (as she puts his toys on his bed): I hope she is thrown out of here!

VIOLET: She will be, you can count on that one. She shouldn't have even been allowed in here in the first place. (she turns back to her grandson) No, sweetie.  Shelby is a liar, a vicious liar.  You are surrounded by so many people who love you.  She had no right to say anything like that to you, my darling boy.  

(Richard comes back to the nursery with Michael.)

RICHARD: Michelle is coming, Mrs. Ridgeway told me that she's on her way. I had a limo service bring her back, they will be here in a few minutes. Traffic is sparse, at this time of the evening, and the limo service is making good time. I found Michael and told him what she did to Dylan. He called the police, and I called CPS.  Angela, thank you for letting us know what is going on and putting a stop to it, before he was fatally injured. 

ANGELA: You're welcome, Mr. Harper.

MICHAEL (gently): Dyl, come to your uncle Mike. (he gently gathers the crying little boy in his arms, holding him closely) Oh, my boy. My poor little boy. Shelby isn't going to get away with this outrage, I promise you that. You're going to be all right, pal. I'll make sure of that. Grandpa will see to that too.

DYLAN (sadly): Why does she hate me, Unca Mike? I'm scared of her.

MICHAEL (holding him close, he strokes his hair): It's not just you, Dyl, my little one. I think she hates everyone in the family, and most especially me. But it doesn't matter what she thinks of you, buddy. You don't have to be scared of her. She's useless and she will no longer trouble you, I will see to that, I promise you. Everyone in this family loves you, pal.  And nobody, especially not her, will ever take that away from you. (He looks at his father) Father, where is she?

RICHARD: She is in the Boudoir.  Waiting her fate!

MICHAEL: Right, Father, I will deal with her! And when I am done with her, she will not like what will happen to her! Once she is out of this house, permanently, I'll spend some time with Dylan. And I will see to it that Shelby is finished once and for all. She will not get away with this, I promise you that! (He looks at his nephew fondly as he sets him down) Don't you worry, pal. Uncle Mike is going to deal with Shelby. She'll pay for what she did to my buddy.

(Michael kisses his nephew on the top of his head and looks at him with love. He then storms down to the boudoir.)

RICHARD: How is he doing, Amelia?

AMELIA: Still very upset.

RICHARD: Who can blame him! That woman! I ought to make her pay myself. She's going to be removed from this house at ONCE! (He goes to Dylan and he picks up his grandson and holds him close.) Don't you worry, son. Grampa will make sure she pays for what she did!

VIOLET: She also told Dylan that nobody loved him. 

RICHARD (furious)​: Oh, is that so?!  Well, she definitely has to be removed from here at once!  I won't tolerate her making life miserable for these children.   (He looks at his grandson as he sets him down)​ Your granny is right, though, son.  Shelby is a liar and she will be dealt with, swiftly and ruthlessly, for this.  You have more love around you than she will ever have. 

(Enter Michelle. The Limo service had just brought her into the estate, the traffic was surprisingly light for that time of day. She runs up the stairs and into the nursery. She is petrified.)

MICHELLE: What's happened? Mrs. Ridgeway called me at rehearsal and told me something terrible happened in the nursery. What's happened to my SON?!

DYLAN (in tears): Mommy!

(Dylan runs to his mother and she holds him close as he cries.)

MICHELLE: It's all right, sweetheart. Mommy's here.

(Enter: Mrs. Ridgeway, the head housekeeper. Mitchell, the family's butler, is behind her.)

DELPHINE: Good GRIEF!  What has happened? The young master is shattered. 

MITCHELL (himself angered at what is going on): That is what I would like to know too!  What has happened to the young master?

AMELIA: Shelby beat him up terribly!

DELPHINE: She did what?

AMELIA: She brutalized him and nearly killed him. 

DELPHINE: Oh my God!  The poor lad. 

MITCHELL (furiously): This is the final straw, that woman is a menace! She doesn't belong here!  I will not allow these children to be terrorised by her! I want that....that...madwoman out of here.....at ONCE! Master Michael should never have married that wicked woman! I cannot deal with it.

DELPHINE: I don't think he wanted to, Mr. Mitchell. He was roped into it. 

MITCHELL (less angrily): You're probably right about that, Mrs. Ridgeway. I don't think he would have married her on his own volition. She had to have manipulated him to do so. 

DELPHINE: She did. I could tell that she had manipulated him. 

AMELIA (deferring to her superior): What should I do, Mrs. Ridgeway? Should I have him go downstairs?

DELPHINE: No, Amelia.  I don't think that will be necessary.  Just have him stay in here and if he wants to, he can play until dinner is ready.

AMELIA (softly): I don't think he really wants to play, as upset as he is. I think he is just wanting to go to bed.

DELPHINE (understanding what has happened): You're right, Amelia. He needs to go to bed. Maybe a nap will help him. Poor child.

MICHELLE: I don't blame him. Who did this to him? That's all what I want to know.

ANGELA: It is as you thought, Shellie. It is Shelby who did it!

MICHELLE (horrified at the revelation): I knew it! I just knew that rotten little slag was in back of all of this. I warned her countless times, but it is clear that she doesn't listen! But all I want to know is why. For what REASON?!  What in the hell did my son do that was so horrible to warrant getting beaten to a pulp like that? Especially by that wicked woman?

AMELIA: Miss Michelle, according to Miss Angela, it apparently had something to do with that stupid divan in her boudoir.  She set a trap for him. Had it not been him, it could have also been one of the staff and she would have done the same thing! Also, had it not been for Miss Angela, Dylan would have been killed. 

MICHELLE: Killed?!

ANGELA: I'm afraid so, hon. Had I not stopped her, he would have been dead. She was hell-bent on killing him. 

MICHELLE (her eyes spitting fury): Where IS that evil bitch?! I'll murder her! I swear to God, I will MURDER that bitch! No jury on Earth would ever convict me! She tried to kill my son, and now, she's going to pay for this. 

ANGELA (calming her best friend): Don't kill her, Shellie, it will only make matters worse.

MICHELLE: But that bitch needs to be PUNISHED!  She nearly killed my kid, and she deserves death. 

ANGELA: And she will be punished, Shellie. We'll see to that.

DELPHINE: Miss Angela is right, Miss Michelle. You killing Ms. Whitehead would serve nothing more than cause more grief. You'd be in jail for it, and that would be the worst case scenario. Your son doesn't need his mother behind bars for murdering a waste of space like that little slag. That would give him more to stress about, and he doesn't need that, especially at his age. He's terrified, since he nearly lost his life tonight, and he needs you right now, my lass. Trust me, Shelby WILL be punished. And it will be swift and ruthless. You don't worry about that, my dear.

MICHELLE (her anger drained): You're right, Mrs. Ridgeway, I don't want Dylan to have any more stress. Especially not after what that wicked woman put him through. However, that doesn't mean I can't let that waste of space have it for what she did.

DELPHINE: Now, THAT you can do! You can definitely let her have it, that is for sure!

MITCHELL: She will get hers, Miss Michelle, I will assure you of that.

MICHELLE (holding her frightened little boy close): You're safe now, sweetheart. Mommy's here and Mommy will make that wicked woman pay for what she did to my Dyl Pickle. Sheila will also make sure you are all right.

DYLAN: Mommy, do you hate me? 

MICHELLE (tears coming to her eyes): Of course not, sweetheart. Mommy loves you very, very much.  Who in the WORLD would say something that nasty? Who told you that, honey?

DYLAN (tears falling down his cheeks, he starts to cry again): Shelby did. She said you hated me!  That you don't love me. She also said nobody loved me, and that they all loved her. She said they only loved her and when she was through beating me, she laughed at me!

MICHELLE (takes her sobbing son in her arms): Oh, my cherished darling. That is clearly not the case. Shelby is a vicious liar, baby. Everybody loves you very, very much. And nobody loves her! Not anyone who really matters, anyway. To my mind, the sun rises and sets on you and Sheila, my precious. And whether Shelby likes it or not, you and Sheila are more important to us and she is less than nothing.

SHEILA: Why would she say something that hurtful to Dylan, Mommy?

MICHELLE: I don't know, baby. I am betting that she did it to just hurt Dylan even worse and for her own spiteful jollies. But Shelby is going to get it.  She had NO call to even say that to Dylan.  I will make her pay and suffer for this one!  She laughed while beating up my kid, did she? Well, she's gonna be laughing out of the other side of her face when I get done with her!

(Dylan, whimpering, holds his teddy bear and his stuffed bunny, while Sheila hugs him. Amelia and Marie lead their charges to their quiet corner. Dylan however just wants to crawl into bed. Amelia helps him into bed where he immediately falls asleep. Amelia tucks in his bear and his bunny next to him. Inspired, little Sheila goes to her toy box and gives Amelia one of her baby dolls. She tucks it in next to Dylan as well.  He snuggles up to them as he is sleeping, his eyes still tear-stained. Michelle storms out of the room. Mrs. Ridgeway looks at the open door.)

DELPHINE (smiling reassuringly at a very worried Sheila): Don't worry, my darling. That nasty woman will get what for, you can be sure of that!

MITCHELL (in a stage whisper): What about Young Master Dylan's dinner?

DELPHINE: I talked with Mrs. Howland, and she will bring it up on a tray later. We can warm it up for him.  She knows what happened, and she isn't happy with Shelby either.

MITCHELL: Good idea, Mrs. Ridgeway. The poor lad. Shelby tries to strip Master Dylan of love. Thank heavens she failed.

DELPHINE: I agree. And that woman had no call to say that about him. She was wrong about him not being loved. The staff absolutely adores him. Thom, one of the footmen, loves him like his own brother. I also know Mrs. Howland loves him to pieces.

MITCHELL: That they do, Mrs. Ridgeway, and I love him too. He's a very good boy and always very helpful to all of us. I know he was helpful when he helped me and the other footmen with the silver cleaning. I just hope that wicked woman is thrown out of this house once and for all.  She's done nothing but cause trouble for everyone.

(A little hand tugs on Mitchell's coat.  It is Sheila.)

MITCHELL (gently): Yes, Miss Sheila?

SHEILA (sadly): When will my brother be all right again, Mr. Mitchell?

MITCHELL (picks up the little girl): I don't know, Miss, but let this bit of wisdom assure you. That nasty, ill-bred woman will not be around for much longer.  (he hugs Sheila) Don't you worry about a thing, my dear girl. You and your brother will be all right. Your mother will see to it, your grandparents will see to it; and so will the staff. Young Master Dylan will be well taken care of, and so will you.

Shift to:

(Michael and Shelby are in the boudoir. They are in the middle of one of the most volcanic fights they have ever had. The argument carries all over the house. Michael is extremely furious and Shelby is still wearing her smug look.)

​MICHAEL (erupting): You damned evil bitch!  This time you have gone WAY too far! You'll pay dearly for what you did to Dylan!

SHELBY (flippantly): Oh, whatever!

MICHAEL: Don't you dare to be flip with me, Madame! I mean it!!! I'll NEVER forgive you for this! NEVER!

SHELBY: Oh, yes you will!  Now, shut up!

MICHAEL: No!  I won't shut up, and don't you EVER tell me to shut up in my own house! You hurt and abused Dylan! And I WON'T forgive you for this!

SHELBY (in a perverse kind of glee): And I'd do it again!  I'll do it again in the same manner too! I had such fun when I did that!

(Michael is utterly horrified and disgusted at his wife's appalling bragging.)

MICHAEL: Have you TOTALLY lost what is left of your tiny and useless little mind?  You DARE to brag about what you did to him?  You had NO right whatsoever to do what you did to him!

SHELBY (defiantly): Of course, I did!  I had EVERY right to do what I did!

MICHAEL: What the HELL is the matter with you?! Don't you have ANY damned common sense for once in your life?!  You evil BITCH!

SHELBY: I have always told that brat to stay out of my "boudoir"! I wanted my way and I got it when I totally beat the crap out of that stupid little brat!!! What a lovely beating I did!

MICHAEL: You are sick, woman! Sick, do you hear me?! And you quit calling him out of his name!  He has one, you know.  His name is Dylan! And anyway, he was doing you a favour!

SHELBY: I don't NEED him doing any damned favours for ME!

MICHAEL (raging): You're just out and out evil! And you're demented, that's what you are.

SHELBY (screeching): I don't give a damn if I'm evil or not! I'm right in this!  I'm ALWAYS right!  And I don't NEED that brat's help!

MICHAEL (absolutely livid): No, you are not! You are NOT always right! And I told you to quit calling him brat!  He's NOT a brat!

SHELBY: Yes, he is!  I am ALWAYS right, and I'll always be right.  I'm far better than you are and I always will be, it's that simple! I'll call him anything I want to, ANYTIME I want to!  And I said I don't need his help!

MICHAEL (angrily): Well, that's quite obvious! Nobody in their right minds would offer you one bit of help, you soulless bitch! Judging from the trauma you inflicted on him, I don't think he would want to help you with a damned thing ever again! You are nothing but absolutely evil! He surely did not deserve what happened to him! The boy was only trying to help you and you thrash him within an inch of his life! How DARE you?! All Dylan did was to come in and pick up a stupid pillow that fell off your damned divan! A pillow which I just bet YOU knocked down yourself to try and trap someone, ANYONE, be they Dylan or one of the staff! That was ALL he did! He tried to do you a good turn, and you did not like it! Yet, you think that anyone else in that damned room is a capital offence, and to prove a damned point, you go completely bat-shit crazy and nearly beat him to death for it! And now because of it, he hates you on sight!

SHELBY: So what?

(Michael is horrified at Shelby's callousness and her obvious dismissal of what she has done.)

MICHAEL: So what?!  How in the hell can you just say that as if what you did was nothing?! How can you be so callous?! What you committed against Dylan was malicious Child Abuse! Had you killed him, you'd be facing first-degree murder charges! 

SHELBY (screaming): I don't fucking care! I am glad he hates me on sight! I am GLAD I abused him! I hate him too!  I told him! I TOLD HIM!!! I told that god-damned little brat a million times to stay out of my room, and I MEANT it!

MICHAEL (an open threat): You better shut that foul mouth of yours, woman, or I will silence you permanently! And for the last time, ​QUIT CALLING DYLAN A BRAT!  HE IS NOT A BRAT!!!

SHELBY (taunting her husband): Try it, you son of a bitch! I dare you! Just you go ahead and try to kill me! I'll have you and your whole family hauled off to prison!  My daddy would make sure that you and your whole stupid family will be imprisoned for life for murdering his beautiful and loving daughter! (Michael rolls his eyes in disgust at her continually narcissistic self-aggrandisement) That boudoir is MINE! MINE!!!  NOBODY else has any rights to be in there, except who I want to have come in!

(Michael glares at Shelby)

MICHAEL (acidly): Oh, REALLY?! Like who, Madame?  Just who in the world would be worthy enough to fit your high and mighty standards?! You are so damned possessive of that room that not even the household staff can come in to clean the place. They are paid by my parents to clean this house and they cannot do their job thanks to you! So, I'll ask again, who fits your bloody high standards that they can come into your damned "boudoir"?! You mean the millions and millions of men you march in and out of there like a harem?! Don't think you can discount my intelligence, I know what it is you do in this room!  You cheat on me continuously!

(Shelby is stunned and angered that her supposedly secret affairs with other men has been revealed and that Michael knew all about it!)

SHELBY (furious): How the HELL did YOU find out about my cheating on you?!  I never thought you would EVER find out!  You are a complete imbecile. You're so damned stupid! 

(Shelby's insult angers Michael all the more.)

MICHAEL: You underestimate me, Madame, to your own peril! I'm not as stupid as you seem to think I am, woman! I see the cars that come up the driveway to the mansion. You know that my office looks out over the main circular driveway! Don't you EVER dare to try to underestimate me, Shelby! It won't wash! I'm not blind nor am I stupid! You're nothing but a common slut!

SHELBY (infuriated): You dare to call me a slut?!

MICHAEL (snarking): Well, to quote the old saying, if the shoe fits, wear it!

SHELBY (angrily): You bastard! When I get my hands on you, I'll.....!

MICHAEL (yelling back): ​Stand back, you bitch! You'll do NOTHING to me! I mean it! You will NOT put your hands on me!  If you do, it will be YOU who will be arrested!  Because it will be ME who files charges! I'll file assault charges on YOU!  And I've told you countless times to silence your foul and hypocritical tongue, woman! Either you shut up or I'll make you shut up! You are quite lucky that I don't throw your god-damned ass into the Charles River for what you just did to Dylan! He did nothing wrong that justified him getting so brutalized in such a vicious and absolutely despicable manner by you! This room is NOT yours. I've told you that before, Shelby and I can't believe that I'm going to have to tell you the same thing again! Let me refresh your memory, and you hear this loud and clear! NONE of these rooms in this house are yours! This is NOT your house! This is my family's ancestral home! You're only here because I was fool enough to let you rope me into marriage! A marriage that I certainly didn't want at all! And the only reason you haven't been thrown out....yet, and I emphasise the word, YET, is because of my mother's good will! So, you have no claim to ANYTHING in this house, except what you brought in here!

SHELBY: You bastard!  I will make you SUFFER!

MICHAEL: Oh no, you won't! When I am through with you, you'll not make anyone suffer again. And don't you even dare try to do otherwise!  I'll be the one who makes YOU suffer!  If you ever TOUCH my niece and nephew again, I will see you jailed for felony child abuse.  As a matter of fact, Madame, I have already called the police!  They will be here within the hour and you'll be duly arrested for felony malicious child abuse and aggravated assault and battery on a minor child, not to mention that since you tried to kill him, I'll also have attempted murder charges added on! I'm personally seeing to it that those charges are filed against you! You've been due a hard lesson, woman, and I aim to see you learn it!

SHELBY: You wouldn't dare!

MICHAEL: I already did!  The cops are coming.  It is already a fait accompli. When it comes to my family and their safety, I will walk over broken GLASS! And you know that fact as well as I do, Shelby Whitehead!

(Enter a totally enraged Michelle. She wants to demolish Shelby on sight.)

MICHELLE (rasping in a cold and icy fury): All right, you evil slut! You give me just one damned good reason why I shouldn't break your damned fool neck and rip out your foul tongue on the spot!  And it had better be a good one. A DAMNED GOOD ONE!

(Shelby is silent)

MICHAEL (acidly): Well, well, well! For once in your no-account life, you've got nothing to say?! From what I heard, you were laughing rather happily about what you did! What happened? No more bragging about what you did?! You sure as hell weren't shy about bragging about it to me just now! Nor, were you shy about laughing about it as well! You'd best answer my sister! She just asked you a direct question!

SHELBY (venomously): Shut up! I don't have to say ANYTHING to either one of you! I am proud of what I did!

(Michelle is stunned that Shelby can be so cruel. The abusive woman smiles viciously)

MICHELLE (furious): Why you filthy little SLAG! I'll wipe that smile off your ugly face! You say you're PROUD of what you did to my son?! From what I have heard, you were busy bragging about what you pulled?! I will make sure THAT changes!  You will PAY for beating up MY little boy, you vicious cow! You tried to kill him, and you think I am going to stand by and let you get away with it? Not a chance in hell, lady! And I'll tell you ANOTHER thing, you giddy bitch, I will not tolerate you telling him that I don't love him! You had no call to traumatise him in that manner! Let's get one thing clear, once and for all, you scheming, selfish, sanctimonious duplicitous cow! Dylan is MY son, not yours, and to me, the sun rises and sets on him and his twin sister. And hear me well on this, Shelby Whitehead, I am not going to tolerate you emotionally traumatising my children! If I ever hear about or even catch you pulling that kind of trashy behaviour on either one of my kids again, I swear to God I'll knock your slimy ass clear across the damned room! 

(Michael gets a stricken look on his face. This is news to him.  He didn't know that Shelby tried to emotionally traumatise Dylan. His heart goes out to his brokenhearted nephew. He then shoots Shelby a deadly look. Shelby smiles gleefully, which aggravates the twins all the more!)

MICHAEL: Shellie? What do you mean she traumatised him? What did she do to him?

(Michelle is in tears)

MICHELLE: She emotionally broke Dylan. Bad enough she tried to kill him physically, she tried to kill him emotionally too! 

MICHAEL: Oh, Shellie. Oh, honey, I am so sorry.  

SHELBY (smugly): What's it to you?! I did nothing wrong!

MICHAEL (if looks could kill, Shelby would have been deceased at that very moment!): Shut up, Shelby! I will not tolerate one more word out of your mouth! You've gone too far this time!

SHELBY: I don't have to shut up!  

MICHAEL: Well, you miserable bitch, in my house, you DO! 

SHELBY: Stupid idiots, that is what the pair of ya are!

MICHAEL (ignoring Shelby, turns back to look at his crying sister. Horrified, he is afraid of the answer): What do you mean, Shellie?  How did she traumatise Dylan? What did she do to break him? Don't worry, Shellie. She won't hurt you, sis. She tries to hurt you, she'll have me to answer to. You can tell me. 

MICHELLE (her eyes full of tears, Michael comes to his sister's side and puts his arm around her): That stupid giddy bitch told my son right to his face that I didn't love him! She also told him that NOBODY loved him! That everyone loved her and only her. When I got in that nursery and saw his face, I was about to die. He was crying his eyes out. I've never seen him so shattered. He was absolutely terrified and he was truly in pieces! That rotten contemptuous waste of damned space Shelby, nearly crippled him physically, and it could well have been fatally, and then she tried to cripple him emotionally.

(Michael is disgusted that Shelby could have killed his nephew. He is absolutely horrified.)

MICHAEL (aghast): Oh, dear God! Shellie, I am so sorry for what Shelby did! It is truly clear that she has completely forgotten any semblance of her manners! No, wait! She HAS no manners! None at all! (he then shoots a lethal look at Shelby, his voice hard and cold) I am going to ask this, and I am only going to ask this one time! Is this true, Shelby?!  Did you go and say what you did to MY nephew?!

SHELBY (pleased with her nastiness, she even actually had the nerve to laugh about what she did): Yes, it is! You're damned right I told him that nobody loves him! What's more, I am proud and GLAD that I did it! Had I kept hitting him, I would have KILLED him! 

(An appalled Michael glares at his wife, who is laughing at what she did as if it were a joke!)

MICHAEL (in the same cold voice): You DISGUST me! You absolutely disgust me! You really make me SICK! What you did to my six year old nephew was APPALLING and I am absolutely angry at you! You nearly kill my nephew and you stand here laughing about it. You've no manners at all.

SHELBY (dismissively): Who cares?! I am GLAD I said that to him!

MICHAEL (ominously): You won't be glad for long, you evil cold-blooded, cold-hearted bitch! Not when my sister and I are done with you! When we finish you, and trust me, we WILL finish you, we will demolish you so bad that you will never think to set foot out of Hull again!

SHELBY (laughing in scorn): Is that supposed to scare me?! You can't threaten me!

MICHELLE: A word of advice, you giddy bitch! You don't EVER act flip with me! OR my brother! And you're damned right, Whitehead! You ought to be scared! REALLY scared! And yes, I will threaten you! And I again warn you! If you EVER say anything that asinine to either one of my kids again, I will splatter that so-called "blue blood" of yours all over the WALL!

SHELBY (nastily): Try it! Just try it! I'll have my daddy jail you!  I'll have him jail you for murdering his beautiful and loving daughter!  

(Again, Michael rolls his eyes at Shelby's unceasing narcissism!)

MICHAEL: You are a disgusting egotist!  Quit tooting your own horn!

SHELBY: I don't care! I am better than you low-life Harper trash! My daddy will make you suffer! My daddy will make sure I always get my way!

MICHELLE (having had more than enough of Shelby, slaps her in the face): You society-licking bitch!  You think you're so damned high and mighty! Well you ain't, you trashy slut!!!

SHELBY (rubbing her cheek): That's because I AM high and mighty!!!!!!

MICHELLE: No, you're not!  You're useless!  

(Shelby is enraged)

SHELBY: Bitch, when I get my hands on you, I'm gonna.......!

(Michael angrily shoves Shelby away from his sister, with Shelby going hard against the wall.)

MICHAEL: ENOUGH OF THIS, WOMAN! You'll not do ANYTHING to my sister! If you lay one hand on her, I will have you locked up!  And you had better shut up! I'm more than fed up with you and your foul mouth. You leave her alone, or I'll knock you clear across the room! (He turns gently to his twin sister) Now, Shellie, where is Dylan now? Is he still in the nursery?

MICHELLE: Yes. He's still in the nursery. He's asleep right now, Amelia put him to bed for a while. Maybe a nap will help him feel better. God knows how he'll sleep after what she did.

MICHAEL: Don't worry, sis. He'll be fine. We'll see to THAT.

MICHELLE (sadly): What about her? She's beyond psychotic.

MICHAEL: Don't you worry about that psychotic piece of work! We'll handle her.  You and I are a team, Shellie, and we're always going to be a team. We're twins, honey. Whether Shelby likes it or not, we're a part of one another, and blood is thicker than water! And we'll teach that selfish bitch not to mess with the Harpers. Dylan will be all right. I'll help you raise him. 

(Shelby is disgusted)

SHELBY: You are crazy! Both of you!  All I did was beat that kid for going into my boudoir!  What the hell is so wrong about that?!

(Michelle and Michael are appalled at her disturbing contention!  Shelby smirks in a mocking manner)

MICHAEL (yelling) What the hell is wrong with that?! You have the CRUST to ask me that?! You know as well as I do that there is plenty wrong with that! What you did was CHILD ABUSE!  You abused MY nephew, not to mention you damn near killed him!  You think what you did was not WRONG?!

SHELBY: Of course, I did right!  And you two are absolutely crazy!  This room is MINE, and nobody has any rights to it except me!!!

MICHELLE: Oh no, we're not! You may think otherwise, but we're not crazy, bitch!  YOU are! You are completely bat-shit crazy! And you had NO right putting a hand on MY child!

MICHAEL (furiously): Michelle is right!  You're completely crazy and totally disgusting!  How in the HELL can you be so damned EVIL?! I've seen evil in my day, but you take the cake! I'm telling you right now, if my sister doesn't go and knock you senseless, then I'll be the one who does it! 

SHELBY: I am a lady!  You cannot hit a lady!

(Michael is stunned at Shelby's disgusting display of pious viciousness.)

MICHAEL: Oh, really?! You're going to trot that out, and use that as an excuse, are you? Gonna play the pious moralistic person and bring up chivalry to protect your ass?! Well, hear this! You can't use that excuse forever! I'll forget that you are a lady and I'll make you REGRET hurting Dylan like that! And quit changing the subject! How dare YOU hurt him like that?!  You know damned well just how sensitive he is about things like that! Family means a lot to him, even at his age. He loves his family and for you to say what you did to him is totally UNFORGIVABLE! Something like that would traumatise him!  And you don't give a damn!  Now, you hear this, Shelby, and you better listen GOOD, you EVER try any of that crap on that child again, it'll be the LAST time you ever do that.  You won't be living long, and you better hear that loud and clear!  And you'd BETTER listen to that one!

SHELBY (dismissive): I don't have to listen to either one of you!  I'll do whatever I want to to that brat any damned time I want to!  And I'll do it again, and in the same way, if he dares to come into my room again, for ANY reason!

(A furious Michelle lunges at Shelby and slaps her hard in the face again!)

MICHELLE (livid with rage): You miserable bitch! You dare to BRAG about what you did to my child?!  Well, I am putting a stop to that right now!

SHELBY: What ya gonna do to me?! Like you could do ANYTHING to me!

MICHELLE: Oh, really? You'd be surprised at what I could do, especially to a worthless piece of trash like you! Lest you forget, a woman is at her most dangerous defending her mate and cub and den! Let's see you pick on someone your own size! And trust me on this one, Tiddles! I am not a helpless six year old little boy! I'm a grown-ass woman, and I'm quite FAR from helpless!

SHELBY: How DARE you slap me?! NOBODY slaps me!

MICHELLE (angrily): Shut up, woman, before I ball up my fist and knock you down!

SHELBY: Try it, and I'll have you up on assault and battery charges! NOBODY hits me! I'm the one who does the hitting.

MICHELLE (right in her face and in a threatening voice): Well, then, you had better answer my questions! ANSWER them right now, damn you, or I'll hit you again!

SHELBY (spitefully): Make me!  Make me answer your damned questions!  I don't have to answer you at all!  This is MY room, and I can do anything I want to!

(It's at this point that Michael has had enough of Shelby and her bragging and smug attitude. What she did to Dylan was the final straw for him. He takes his wedding band off his hand and he throws it hard at Shelby. He is livid!)

MICHAEL: And you have no call to be so smug anymore, Shelby Whitehead! I am fed up! What you did to Dylan was the last straw as far as I'm concerned! Your beating him that way has gone way too far! As of right now, this marriage, this absolutely ridiculous farce of a marriage is OVER!

(Shelby's vision pops)

SHELBY (moaning): What are you talking about?! You can't be serious!

MICHAEL: I'm dead serious!  This sham of a marriage is over, and I want you OUT of my house and out of my life and out of my family's lives permanently!

SHELBY (defiantly): No, it's not over! It will NEVER be over! Never! The only way it will be over is when I say it will be over. Not you, ME! And it will never be over.  Because I say so!

MICHAEL: I am not happy with you!

SHELBY: I don't care!  You are happy when I say you're happy!  And you're happy with me! Your sweet l'il Shelby.

(She glides towards Michael and tries to put her hand on his arm. He pulls his arm away from her as if she were on fire.)

MICHAEL (feeling dirty by her touch): Don't you touch me! Get away from me!

SHELBY: But, Michael, I am your wife!

MICHAEL (angrily): Not any more you're not!  I'm not going to tell you again, Shelby! Get away from me! I do not want to be anywhere near you! You are nothing but a vicious child abuser!

SHELBY (once again lying): How can you say that?! Especially to me?! I'm a very loving woman!

MICHAEL (sarcastically): That's merely YOUR opinion!

SHELBY: And my opinion is golden!

MICHELLE: Oh no, it's not! Your opinion means absolutely nothing! Not in this house!  Not to me and certainly not to my brother! And I do not give a damn what you say or what you even remotely think. Your marriage to my brother is finished, and so are you, Shelby Whitehead! Now, you get out of here, RIGHT NOW!

SHELBY: Go to hell!

MICHAEL: You sound like a damned broken record!

SHELBY: I said, Go to HELL!

MICHAEL and MICHELLE: We heard you before, yell it a bit louder!  They can't hear you all the way in Maine!

SHELBY: You bastards!

MICHELLE: What you are is a million times WORSE!

SHELBY (spitefully): You two are bastards! How dare you impugn my good name!

MICHAEL: By your actions, you impugn your own name!  It has nothing to do with us, but it has everything to do with your actions!

(Once again, Shelby erupts over the twins supposed "lack of respect" towards her!)

SHELBY: Why you....vermin!  I oughta.........!  My name is good in this town!  And you and your parents have no call impugning it!  Again, I say, how dare you impugn my good name!  My daddy will make you pay for insulting me!

MICHELLE: The only insult to your name is the face in the mirror!  

SHELBY: Why you......!

(Enter Richard and Violet. Both are infuriated.)

VIOLET: Maybe it's because my children finally see you for the liar that you are! 

SHELBY: Shut up, bitch!  I am not a liar!

VIOLET: You do not speak to me in that manner in my own house! 

SHELBY: Oh, yes, I can!  I can do whatever the hell I want to! 

RICHARD (in a cold voice): MISS Whitehead, I'm totally disgusted with you! As long as I've lived, I've never seen anyone as vicious as you are! You will NEVER put a hand on my son or my grandchildren again! I'll make sure that will never happen again! I'm giving you one hour to get your bags, and all your possessions out of this mansion! You will never be coming back here again! If Michael hasn't done so already, or will do so, I'll annul this marriage and he will never have anything to do with you again!

SHELBY: Oh, really?! And nobody will believe you over me! I am a Whitehead! Nobody can stand in my way!

RICHARD: You underestimate our power, don't you, lady?!

SHELBY: You are crazy!

VIOLET (in her most snobbish voice): I talked with your parents earlier, and they're absolutely disgusted with what you did.

SHELBY: I just bet!

VIOLET: Your mother told me to call the police!  And according to Richard, Michael has already done so. 

SHELBY: That would be her all over! My stupid mother is a weakling! My daddy would have been proud of me!

ANGELA: Don't be so sure.

SHELBY (arrogantly): You are all crazy! You will be humiliated!  However, not I! I'll come out of this mess beautifully!  My daddy will see to that!

(Michelle is appalled at Shelby's constant invoking of her daddy!)

MICHELLE: You just can't imagine how annoying it is when you go on and on about your daddy! Your daddy doesn't rule Harpers Falls!

SHELBY: Oh yes, he does!  He owns ALL of this area!

RICHARD: Delusional!

SHELBY: And I will say it again!  I will get out of this beautifully, and I will get away with this!

VIOLET: No, you won't!

SHELBY: Oh yes, I will!  And I'll abuse Dylan again, anytime I want to!

MICHELLE: Oh, no you won't!  That will not happen. Not on my watch, it won't. And if you EVER lay a hand on my son again, or EVER tell him that I don't love him or that nobody loves him, I'll make sure you will NEVER do such a thing again!  Because I will see you DEAD!

SHELBY: Oh, really?  You can't stop me!  I am a WHITEHEAD!  And that gives me more privileges!

MICHAEL: No, it doesn't.  You are a threat to us, and you're finished. Dad said you are getting out of this house! And you will leave right now!

SHELBY (her vision pops again): What?!

RICHARD: Let me reiterate this! You have only one hour to remove whatever ratty and crass possessions you brought with you from this mansion! Anything left over after that time has elapsed, I'll have the staff put on the streets!

SHELBY: You can't MEAN this!

RICHARD: I certainly do!

SHELBY: Your threats mean NOTHING to me! I am a WHITEHEAD, you are NOTHING! My daddy will destroy you!

RICHARD: Listen to me, you impudent little guttersnipe, I won't tolerate any more dissent from you! Michael has already called the police and they are on their way right now. Either you leave now, or we'll have you arrested for not just felony child abuse, attempted murder and malicious assault and battery, but also for trespassing! And, lest you forget, your daddy is a friend of mine, and he won't continually be doing your bidding! You may be a Whitehead and think that you can run Hull like a fiefdom, but you're on OUR turf and you are far outclassed! Here in Harpers Falls, the HARPERS rule, and you don't!

SHELBY: Go to hell!

RICHARD: You've sealed your own fate!

SHELBY: What do you CARE?! I am GLAD I thrashed that brat! I told him! I told him to stay out of MY room!

MICHAEL (exploding): THAT IS NOT YOUR DAMNED ROOM, BITCH! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR DAMNED THICK HEAD!!!!!

SHELBY: It IS my room! (She starts ranting and raving) IT IS! IT IS! IT IS!!!!

RICHARD: You disgusting piece of work! You have lost!

SHELBY (screaming): No, I have NOT!!!!!!!  My daddy will BREAK you!

MICHELLE: No, he won't!  And you are totally disgusting!

(at that moment, enter the police)

MICHAEL: Right here, is who you need to arrest, Officer.  My ex-wife, Shelby Whitehead! She is the one who assaulted my six year old nephew! 

OFFICER: Shelby Whitehead, turn around and place your hands on your head. You are being placed under arrest for felony child abuse, attempted murder, malicious assault and battery on a minor child, and for trespass. You have the right to remain silent, anything you DO say can be used against you in a court of law!

SHELBY (exploding in fury): Michael Harper!  YOU did this!

MICHAEL: I warned you, Shelby!  I told you I was filing charges for what you did to Dylan.

SHELBY (she thought that he was stupid enough to believe her over his family, but she is angered that he went through with arresting her): You are going to pay for this, Harper! You betrayed me, your loving wife! I'll have my daddy destroy you and destroy you permanently for daring to have me, his loving daughter arrested.

MICHAEL: EX-wife!  You are no longer married to me!

SHELBY (shooting a hateful look at the police officer): And as for you, you fat disgusting public servant, get your scummy hands off me, I am Mrs. Michael Harper!

OFFICER: I am not impressed!

SHELBY: You'd better be impressed!

MICHAEL: Get out of here, Shelby! You won't be Mrs. Michael Harper for very long! Not when I am finished with you! As soon as I can, I will be filing for a civil annulment, and failing that, I will be filing for a divorce as soon as possible!

SHELBY: I will be your wife forever! And you damn well KNOW it!

MICHAEL: Officer, get her out of here!

(The police take Shelby away, as Richard comes in)

RICHARD: Officers, continue your duties, this is strictly for my son. Mike, I talked with Child Protective Service, Dylan will be safe here with us. Your mother hired a full-time nurse, and we're getting him counseling with someone at the hospital. With Shelby being ordered out, she will never harm him again.

MICHELLE (grateful to her best friend): Thank you, Angela, for raising the alarm about what she did and for saving Dylan from being killed. 

ANGELA: I was glad to, Shellie. Anything for you and your kids.

SHELBY (struggling against the cops): I will be back! And you can't annul the marriage, because I will challenge this!

RICHARD: Says who?

SHELBY: Says me! (she then decides to backstab the family more by telling a bald-faced lie) I'm pregnant with Michael's baby!

(The family is stunned. Michael is disgusted. He glares at Shelby and outright looks through her. He knows she is lying.)

MICHAEL: Oh, REALLY?! Well, I happen to know you're lying through your teeth! You may be pregnant, but I know for sure I'm not the father. I had a DNA test done, so, that disqualifies me as the father! I also happened to have found out who you were cheating on me with!

SHELBY (defiantly): Oh, really?! With who?!

MICHAEL (with a glare): Reggie Stapleton!

MICHELLE: Reggie Stapleton? Who's he? Oh, wait a second. I think I remember it. That name sounds very familiar.

MICHAEL: Yes, he is. He was that very wealthy businessman from Manchester who came in to talk to Father about the financial arm of the company. Another one of your dumb flings, Shelby!

(The family is disgusted)

MICHELLE: You evil slut! No wonder you won't allow anyone into that damned boudoir of yours! It's your den of sin for all the millions of men you bring in through that room with a revolving door! No wonder the staff complains about not being able to get into there to clean! 

SHELBY (screaming): Get all the damned DNA tests you want, you bitch! If you want to waste your money that way, I couldn't give a damn! I will get my way on this one! My baby might be someone else's, but I am going to manipulate things so that it will be Michael's! I'll tell some pretty little lies and tell everyone that he's the deadbeat father of my baby, and with my name as it is in this town, they will believe ME over you!

(The family is appalled at Shelby's delusions!)

ANGELA: No, you can't!  And more importantly, you WON'T!

SHELBY: Yes, I can! I got my way and I am Mrs. Michael Harper! YOU, Angela Mercier, are NOTHING!

ANGELA (in an icy voice): I may not be Mrs. Michael Harper, but at the very least, dear, I have my dignity. You may be a Whitehead, but at least, I'm not a slut like you!

SHELBY (struggling against the cops): A slut am I?! I'll show you slut, you stupid bitch! When my daddy bails me out of jail and fixes it to get these charges dropped, I'll make you SUFFER! I'm Mrs. Michael Harper! I'M THE WINNER! YOU'RE A LOSER!

ANGELA (in a calm voice which only serves to anger Shelby even more): Well, after all, dear, you may think I'm a loser, but as you can see, I'm not the one who is being arrested and being dragged out of this mansion in handcuffs! So, to that end, I'm the winner, and YOU are the loser!

SHELBY (spluttering): Damn you! My daddy will stop you!

​(This time, it is Angela is sickened with Shelby's continuous invoking of her "daddy"!)

ANGELA (her calmness is replaced with disgust): Oh, just knock it off, already, will yuh?! Quit invoking your daddy all the damned time!  It's sickening and it's revolting, and we're all damned sick and tired of hearing about him!  That is the only word out of your mouth, and you sound like a damned broken record! All the time, it's the same thing! "My daddy this, my daddy that!  My daddy, my daddy, my daddy!"  We are so damned SICK to death of hearing about you and your damn "daddy"! And another thing, you won't be Mrs. Michael Harper for very long, you stupid woman! Once the annulment or divorce, whichever one Michael decides to pursue, goes through, you'll no longer torment this house, this family and especially the children!  Dylan hates you on sight now, because of what you did!

SHELBY (screaming): GO TO HELL!  THE WHOLE BOILING BUNCH OF YOU!

OFFICER: Come along, Ma'am!

(The cops drag Shelby out of the mansion. She is screaming with rage as she is struggling with the cops. She runs into her father, George, whom had come at the request of Richard, and he had been informed about what Shelby had done.  He is furious.)

GEORGE: Well! You went too far this time!

SHELBY (faking innocence): Daddy?! Daddy, please, get me out of this fix. I need to be back in that mansion with my husband!

(George looks at her coldly)

GEORGE: No.

(Shelby's vision pops for the third time that evening!)

SHELBY (horrified): Daddy! You can't MEAN this! I don't get it.

GEORGE: Oh yes, I do mean it, Shelby! This time, you're not escaping your consequences! Officer, take her to your patrol car. And take her to the Law Enforcement Center!

SHELBY: Daddy, you can't DO this!  Not to me, your loving daughter! 

(Shelby bursts into tears)

GEORGE: Oh, yes I can! And turn off the tears, Tallulah!  They won't avail you anything this time! You went too far, Shelby. And this time, you're paying the penalty for it!

SHELBY: You traitor! You can go to Hell like the rest of the traitors!

GEORGE (unmoved by Shelby's tantrum): No, this time your actions nearly injured and crippled a helpless child! Not to mention you came very close to killing him. I cannot and WILL not tolerate that! You had no call to abuse Michelle's child. Violet told me and your mother what you did. And another thing, you don't EVER tell a six year old little boy that his mother doesn't love him!  That's totally savage and completely beneath contempt! And this time, you'll take your punishment! Officer, do your duty. And she won't be bailed out! This will teach her a lesson!

(Shelby screams as she is being hauled out)

SHELBY: YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS! ALL OF YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!

OFFICER: Shut up!

SHELBY: You miserable vermin!  I'll make you pay for this!  You'll be pounding a beat in Siberia!  You'll commute to your job by MULE! I'll make you suffer for this!  I'll sue the police department and I'll win!

OFFICER: Your threats are worthless here.  You don't run Harpers Falls. 

SHELBY: You stupid donut-chomping piece of shit! 

OFFICER: I'm going to LOVE hauling your arrogant backside into the cell block.

SHELBY: Bastard! I'm gonna sue this police department!  I will win!

OFFICER: Try it, you will lose!

SHELBY (screaming): BURN IN HELL!!!!!! ALL OF YOU CAN BURN IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!  I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS!  NEVER!!!!!!!!

(She is shoved into the police car and it drives out of the Harper Estate. She is kicking the windows in a fury and she is still screaming.)

RICHARD: Thank you, George.

GEORGE: I'll take every last one of her belongings with me back to Hull. And tell Dylan I'm very sorry for what she did. And she won't do it anymore, I'll assure you of that. I know what she said, and she claims the child is Michael's. I went to the hospital and got the DNA test. I know that the baby isn't Michael's. She's doing this as her own retaliation for her abuse of Dylan being stopped. If you need anything, let me and Lynne know, ok?

RICHARD: I will, George. I'll have the staff pack her belongings. You can make arrangements with Velda to retrieve them.

VIOLET: Thank you, George. And give my love to Lynne.

GEORGE: I will, my dear Violet.

MICHELLE: I'd best go to see my son.

RICHARD: Yes, my darling, you go to him. He needs you.

GEORGE: And again, Michelle. I am so sorry for what Shelby did.  I will promise you, she will never put a hand on your children again! 

MICHELLE: Thank you, Mr. Whitehead.

GEORGE: Now, you go see to your child. He will need you.

(George walks out with Richard.  Michelle goes back towards the nursery. Michael looks at Angela. He is upset.)

ANGELA: I am so sorry about all this, Mike. 

MICHAEL: This isn't your fault, Angie.  This is my fault. How in the hell could I have been so stupid? I should've NEVER married that damned Shelby. I should have married you.

ANGELA: She roped you into it. 

MICHAEL: I could have refused to marry her. 

ANGELA: Mike, that's neither here or there now. What is most important now is that she's gone. She's out of our hair once and for all. And we can focus on helping Dylan heal. 

MICHAEL: You're right, Angie. And you saved Dylan from being killed by that psychopath. You're the real hero here. Well, we should get ready for dinner.

ANGELA: Should we check on Dylan?

MICHAEL: We can, but I am sure he will still be asleep.  Michelle will be in there with him.

(Just to be sure, Michael and Angela go into Dylan's nursery. He is awake. He is quiet and his eyes are subdued.  But he is sitting and eating his dinner. He is enjoying it.  Amelia is looking on, and so is Michelle.  Michael is happy.  He has his own appetite; and Angela is pleased.  Michael goes over to Dylan and looks at his nephew.)

MICHELLE: He ate his dinner.

DYLAN (pleased): It's all gone, Unca Mike.

MICHAEL: Yes, it is.  Mrs. Howland will be pleased.

DYLAN: Aren't you all going to eat?

MICHAEL: Yes, we are.  But your mommy and I are going to eat upstairs.  This way we can be near you.

DYLAN: Thank you. 

MICHAEL: Anytime, son.  And believe me, your mommy and I love you very much.  I will be your daddy, and Mommy will still be your mommy.  That nasty Shelby will never harm you again!  I promise you that.

DYLAN: Thank you, Unca Mike.

(The scene shifts to some hours later. It is eleven PM, and Michelle is looking at Dylan. She is sitting up with him. He went back to sleep an hour after Michael and Angela came in to see him. With everyone else in the house asleep, except her father, who was working late in his office, Michelle sees Dylan snuggled close with his teddy bear and bunny. Also, the baby doll Sheila gave him is tucked in as well. As she had the same doll, she gave it to her brother to keep {to this very day, even as an adult, Dylan has the doll in a position of honour in his townhouse}. Amelia, Michael, Angela and Michelle together got him dressed in his pajamas and they tucked him into bed. He snuggles his toys, the earlier tears still staining his face. As tears are falling from her own eyes. Sheila comes up to her mother.)

SHEILA (softly): Mommy? Will Dylan be all right?

MICHELLE: Yes, my darling, he will be. (She sets her little girl, Dylan's sister, on her lap) Dylan will be fine, he's got you, Uncle Mike, Aunt Angela and most definitely me! But Shelby will NOT be all right! I promise you that! Not when I get finished with her! She will wish she has never messed with the Harper family! She thought to make my son pay? It will be HER who will pay!

SHEILA: OK, Mommy. Here comes Marie.

MICHELLE (kissing Sheila on the cheek): Good night, sweetheart. And don't worry, Dylan will be all right.

(Sheila gets down from her mother's lap and she kisses her twin brother's cheek)

SHEILA: Night, Dyl Pickle.

MARIE: Ready for bed, honey?

SHEILA: Yes, I am.

MARIE: All right, come with me. I have your sleepies ready for you. So is your dolly. Good night, Ma'am.

MICHELLE: Good night, Marie.  Good night, Sheila.

SHEILA: Night, Mommy.

(Marie leads Sheila to her room, which was next door to Dylan's own, where she gets her ready for bed)

MICHELLE (to herself); Shelby Whitehead, this time you have gone too far! I promise you, by the time this family finishes with you, you will find not to get high handed with the Harpers. You're not carrying Michael's child, nor will you ever! We all know that it is Reggie Stapleton's child. You've been found out, Shelby Whitehead! And now, we'll demolish you so completely that you'll NEVER set foot out from Hull again! Not even your sainted "daddy" will help you.  He made that point quite clear tonight, even in the face of your temper tantrum! And that is a credit to him!  You can throw threats and tantrums all over the place, but you won't win!  You'll lose, and you've already lost Michael.  As it SHOULD be! I'll see to it that Dylan, my little boy, will get justice for the beating and trauma you placed him under! And I repeat, when the Harpers are finished with you, you'll never set foot out of Hull again. And I promise you, Shelby Whitehead, we WILL destroy you. And you can be sure that we'll KEEP that promise!

(A determined Michelle aims to make Shelby pay and pay dearly for her crimes! She brushes a lock of hair out of her son's eyes, and then wipes the tears out of his eyes and then her own. She then goes to the door, and after nodding at Amelia, who would be watching him the rest of the night, she goes to bed herself)

CUT TO:

​Harpers Falls' Law Enforcement Center, the next morning. Shelby was hauled to a holding cell the evening that she was arrested.  She is still infuriated after the Harpers and her father's betrayal. 

She still believes that she did nothing wrong.  She still felt that the boudoir was her own domain and nobody else had any rights to go in there. She is thrown into another cell this morning with a group of women, a group who doesn't much like her.

One of the women, a tall blond lady, who seems to be the leader of the group, shoots her a nasty glare. Two others, an African-American woman and a more plump brown haired woman, who are close, shoot her a wicked look as well. Shelby gives all three a withering look, which reveals that her snobbery still hasn't relented, even while she is locked up in jail.

SHELBY (spitefully): Why don't you bitches take a picture?!  It'll last longer. 

LEADER WOMAN: Shut up! I don't want to hear a damned word from you!

SHELBY (grandly): Who the hell do you think you are?! 

LEADER WOMAN: The leader of this cell, that's who, you uppity little snip!

SHELBY: You have no rights to tell me to shut up! I have no reason to be in this hell hole! Especially with a bunch of gutter-trash like you! (she primly tosses her hair) I am a Whitehead from Hull!

(Clearly the woman is not impressed with Shelby's snobbery)

LEADER WOMAN: Well, well, well! E-I-E-I-O!

SHELBY: You watch your mouth, lady! And you speak to me in respect! I am one of the Whiteheads! The cream of Hull society!

LEADER WOMAN: Look, you miserable piece of work, I don't give a damn if you are Cabot or a Lowell from Beacon Hill! I said Shut up! And when I say shut up, I mean, shut up!

SHELBY (again taunting her foe): And what if I don't?!

LEADER WOMAN (ominously): You don't want to know! 

(The African American woman, who, along with her friend, is apparently one of the leader's closest allies, whispers to the woman and points at Shelby. The leader nods. The woman then balls her fist and hits Shelby hard, knocking her into the wall!)

SHELBY: What the hell did you do THAT for?! You stupid vermin, daring to put your hands on a Whitehead!

LEADER WOMAN: You know, I hear things from the grapevine! Oh, yes, prisons do have that, which is something you will do well to remember. And I heard from some sources, some VERY reliable sources, mind you, that you viciously assaulted a six year old little boy!  You assaulted the son of one of my closest friends, Michelle Harper!  I also heard that you nearly crippled him emotionally by saying that nobody loved him and they only loved you!

(Shelby is aghast that they knew about her crimes!)

SHELBY: How in the hell did you hear about THAT?!

LEADER WOMAN: Like I said, I hear things, lady! Not to mention that Michelle Harper and Angela Mercier are very old friends of mine. Their families are close friends of my family, and if something happens to them, then I get concerned! I get VERY concerned about my friends! And I also get VERY defensive of them, and that goes for their children as well! Permit me to warn you, madame, and hear me well!  You attacked a helpless little boy, both physically and emotionally! What's worse, you attacked a HARPER!  One of the families in power, and who happens to be old friends of my family! I don't like that!  I don't like that at all! Children are precious and you had no call to attack a child! Especially a sweet little boy like Dylan Harper! You watch your step or that beautiful face of yours will be MARRED!

SHELBY: You evil bitch! Don't you think you should hear MY side of the story?!

LEADER WOMAN (angrily): What side?! You have no side of this story! You attacked a child! There is nothing more to say! In jail, OUR side matters, and we do not look kindly on people attacking and committing crimes against children! You viciously abused and assaulted a little boy, not to mention emotionally crippling him, by telling him that his family doesn't love him. We don't cotton to that here, and we ESPECIALLY hate anyone causing emotional trauma on a child! You told him nobody loves him, well, nobody loves YOU!  Get THAT through your damned head, you stuck-up little snob! You are about to get some jailhouse justice! You are FINISHED, bitch! Your beautiful looks are going to get marred, and hopefully THIS will knock some of the snobbery out of you! Get her, girls!

The women, numbering about 15 in the cell, advance, as one, menacingly on Shelby and they begin to beat the living tar out of her! Shelby is totally helpless here, being caught out as she was, and she is screaming and crying.

​SHELBY: Stop it!  Stop it!  I didn't do anything wrong to that child!

WOMAN #1 (the African-American): Liar! You think you're so smart, but you're NOT! I heard you bragging about it when you were dragged in here last night!! Everyone did! You and your big mouth!

WOMAN #2 (the African-American's close friend): Yeah, you were smiling quite merrily when you bragged about it when you were brought in! The cops heard you crowing about it!  Hell, the whole damned cellblock heard you! I am surprised that the whole CITY didn't hear you!

LEADER WOMAN: It doesn't matter how we heard about it, the thing is we DID hear about it. Keep up the pressure, girls! Beat her to a pulp, and don't let up on her one bit! The honour of Dylan Harper needs to be restored.

As the beating continues and increases in severity, it is truly ironic that the power had completely shifted! It was mere hours earlier, but it seemed like years, in the Harper Mansion, that Shelby was gleefully beating, berating and abusing six-year-old Dylan Harper over something as trivial as a misplaced divan pillow in a boudoir.

She felt powerful then, and was absolutely gleeful over what she did, the screaming and crying of a little boy was totally euphoric to her; and the abuse was so disgusting and carried out with such brutality and such blatant hatred that she even went so far as to gloat, smile and brag about it to the anger of the rest of the Harper family.

BUT...... to quote an old saying:

That was then, and this is now. Now, just like any other common bully, she is getting what she dished out to Dylan returned to her in spades. She is receiving the same beating and pain she gave Dylan. 

The power she once had is now stripped from her and she can't bear it! The snobbish woman is no longer gleeful; she is no longer gloating, smiling or bragging and she is no longer euphoric at hearing the screaming and crying of a helpless little boy. She is now the one who is moaning, screaming and crying for help.

And just like any other bully who was finally caught and called out for their actions, the retribution and the backlash from her crimes is swift and ruthless. Shelby is getting vivisected by these criminal women.

Prisoners hate criminals who prey on children and their justice is often very brutal! Jailhouse Justice usually is like that. It is swift, relentless, unmerciful and completely ruthless.

Hours ago, Shelby Whitehead was in the driver's seat, beating up a helpless little boy over something as petty as a pillow! Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

Nobody wants to help her and nobody even bothers to hear her! She is completely helpless as the vicious beating of the female gang continues....just as helpless as Dylan was when she thrashed him! Realising that she can dish it out, but she can't take it, she is crying.

SHELBY (gasping with sobs): Stop! Stop this! Please......Help! Daddy! Help me, Daddy!

LEADER WOMAN (snobbishly): No sense in calling for your daddy! Your daddy can't help you and won't help you! You're finished!

SHELBY (defiant, despite the punishment): What the hell did I do that was so wrong?! I only punished a brat for interfering in MY room! That was ALL I did! And I am getting beat up for that?! This is NOT fair!

(The defiant tone only serves to make the leader of the prisoners even angrier. She explodes in fury at Shelby.)

LEADER WOMAN (angrily): Oh, really?! Is that so?! You think what you're getting isn't fair?! Well, then tell me this, Madame! Is what you did to Dylan Harper fair?! Is what you did to a little boy for his cleaning up your damned messy "boudoir" fair?! Was the emotional trauma you put on him when he was told by you that his own family doesn't love him, all the while you were beating the crap out of him, not to mention nearly killing him, fair to him?! And now you think that him hating you on sight and us beating the filthy tar out of you for that isn't fair?! (her voice becomes ominously cold) You have the colossal GALL to ask me that, after all the pain and abuse that you heaped on him?! You truly make me SICK! Lady, you are getting exactly as you deserve! What's happening to you right now IS fair! You assaulted a six year old little boy who did you no harm. That's not anything we like! And now, you're getting what you did to that poor little boy thrown back at you......in SPADES!

SHELBY (threatening, though she knows it's hopeless): You vile women will get yours for this! When I get out of here, I will tell my daddy what you lot did to me! My daddy will destroy you!

LEADER WOMAN (scornfully): Don't make me laugh, you snobbish little wannabe! Your daddy won't do ANYTHING, you evil child abuser! I overheard him talking to the guards. He told them that he isn't comin' to see you at ALL! If you think your sainted "daddy" is going to get your slimy backside out of this, you are sadly mistaken! You're screwed, Whitehead! Your ass is OURS, you filthy child abuser! And we're going to ENJOY every moment of your pain! And when we're through with you, there won't be enough of your carcass to bury in a potter's field! Keep up the pressure, gals. Give her the same pain she gave that poor little boy, only AMPLIFY it!!!

WOMAN #2: Gladly, Katheryn! With PLEASURE!

Shelby howls in grief and continues screaming for help as the women's cruel beatings get even more severe. She realizes that she is finished! As the beatings continue relentlessly, she is still crying! She gets a good look at the woman, and she is horrified at who it is! She is Katheryn Conlon! A woman she once scorned at Radcliffe, during a sorority function, where she called her a slut for sleeping around with her boyfriend at the time, and she, as was stated, is a close friend of Michelle Harper and Angela Mercier! In fact, she was named Godmother to Dylan and Sheila!

SHELBY (horrified): YOU! This is YOUR doing!

KATHERYN (triumphantly): Yes, bitch! Me! And it's been a long time in coming! Since our days at Radcliffe, when you scorned me in front of my sorority!

SHELBY: You were sleeping with my boyfriend, I had EVERY right to blab it in front of everyone. And you are definitely a slut. You were a slut then, and you are a slut now!

KATHERYN: You tarnished my reputation! And I would not be so judgemental!

SHELBY: Oh, really?!

KATHERYN: You're as much of a slut as I am!

SHELBY: I am NOT! I am a pure woman! And how dare you and your flunkies beat me up! You're doing this as revenge?!

KATHERYN: Yes! This is revenge for you calling me a slut and for beating up Dylan Harper! You're damned right this is revenge! Nobody makes a fool out of me!

SHELBY: I just bet that Angela and Michelle knew you were here and they set this up to get even with me for beating up that damned brat of Michelle's! You won't get away with this! Neither will they!

KATHERYN: Oh, yes, I will! And they will NOT be attacked by you! I have friends seeing to that. As I said, Madame, you're in MY house now, and you're doomed! Keep at her, girls!

(The beatings become even more brutal! Shelby continues to scream and cry, as the scene fades!)

Fade back to the present. Ashley was quiet. She looks at her father and her aunt. She is nearly in tears.

ASHLEY: Oh, Dad, that is TERRIBLE. That wicked creature!

DYLAN: It was, honey. But thanks to the family, I got through it.

SHEILA: And Shelby was demolished.

ASHLEY: Thank God she is dead. I would have hated her.

DYLAN: We all did, sweetheart. She was a horrid woman.

SHEILA: Where's Derek?

ASHLEY: He went on a date. He met a guy in his law class, and they went to a law school function. A dinner or some sort. He called me earlier.

DYLAN: Oh, yes, I remember. He told me that this morning. Ready for dinner?

ASHLEY: Yes, I am, Dad.

SHEILA: Same here, hon.

Dylan, Sheila and Ashley go into dinner. The picture tightens on the face of the precious baby doll. The scene fades.