Inside the Light: Blink of an Eye
Cassie watches through the hospital room window as inside Jonathan encourages a bruised and sleeping Tammy to wake up. He vows that Alan will not get away with this. He will make them pay. Shaking his head, he realizes he sounds just like them. He doesn't care about them, he decides. He just wants Tammy, only Tammy. He lays his head on her shoulder and takes her hand. Tammy flexes and Jonathan glances up. His red and bleak eyes are inspired when Tammy's lids flutter open. As Jonathan admires her, he assures her that she'll get better and better, stronger and stronger, and she'll come home with him. She has to, he explains. They're married now and it's all part of the deal. He clinks their wedding bands together.
In the hallway, Reva embraces Cassie, encouraging her to keep the faith. Cassie appears petrified as she absently wags her head at Reva. Jonathan emerges with the positive news, and the two ladies rejoin him in Tammy's room. Cassie draws a stool up to pale Tammy's bedside, kisses her hand and thanks her again and again for coming back. Reva believes Jonathan's vigilance brought her back. With forced breaths, Tammy asks for Sarah. Everyone advises Tammy not to think about that right now. Tammy urges Jonathan to take Sarah away from Alan and to bring her to the hospital right now.
As the staff evaluates Tammy, her relieved family gathers in the hallway outside. Jonathan marvels at Tammy's incredible strength. Reva reminds him to reserve his own strength because the battle with Alan has yet to come. Cassie doesn't think Tammy ought to concern herself with Alan's nonsense while she's fighting for her life; however, if having Sarah around gives Tammy hope, Cassie demands that Jonathan retrieve her at once. Jonathan agrees with Cassie but hesitates to leave Tammy's side right now. Cassie promises to keep him informed of any changes. Reva and Jonathan hurry out of the hospital.
At the Spaulding mansion, while Alan attends to Sarah in her bassinet in the dining room, his manservant announces a visitor. Alan reminds Jeremy that no one is allowed in or out of the house. Meanwhile, Reva barges in, wondering what's up with the fortress mentality. He tells her that he is a cautious man trying to protect his family in uncertain times. Sarcastically, Reva asks if he publicist came up with that. She bends over the wicker cradle to greet her granddaughter. Reva doesn't blame him for wanting to protect his family. Alan suspiciously wonders what she does blame him for--having Sarah in the first place? Reva states that Jonathan has legal custody, not Alan. At that, Alan summons Jeremy to transport Sarah to the nursery where Hilda must watch her at all times. Jeremy obeys, and Alan asks Reva if there's anything else.
Reva believes Alan is right to worry about the kids. So much can happen to them in the blink of an eye. Alan acknowledges the news of Tammy's tragic accident. Reva updates him that Tammy has regain consciousness. He asks if she can move or speak. Reva believes that Tammy is getting stronger. Where there is life, there is hope, Alan offers. Just like Sarah is hope for Alan, Reva says. It seems difficult for Reva to humble herself, but she tearfully pleads with Alan to let her take the child to see Jonathan and Tammy.
He doesn't care about any court ruling. Reva asks if he cares that Tammy is hovering near death. Alan cannot be reasoned with. He refuses to compound the issue by giving Sarah to reckless Jonathan. Reva shouts that Jonathan is her father. If it wasn't for Jonathan, Alan continues, none of this would have happened. Reva defends that her son did not cause this accident. Tammy risked her life to save him. In Alan's opinion, Tammy wouldn't be in the hospital if Jonathan hadn't been in her life in the first place. Full of tears Reva begs him to reconsider, but he only shows her the door.
At the church, ranting Jonathan hustles Lizzie over the threshold. Lizzie topples inside, protesting her kidnapping. Jonathan invites her to look around. She's in a church, not a car trunk. Irritated, he says he needs her. Lizzie figured it was a matter of time before he understood his feelings for her. Jonathan's blackened eyes narrow on her. Is she insane, he wonders as he manhandles her into a pew. Jonathan knows the Old Mill was a set up. Lizzie turned to Alan and that's why Alan tried to kill him. Lizzie doesn't know what he's talking about. Jonathan is so mad he's spitting. He screams that his wife is in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of her because of Lizzie and her grandfather. Lizzie repeats that it's not true. He affirms that it is, calling her a bad, bad girl and a lair.
For a moment he calms his voice. Tammy wants to see Sarah. Lizzie wonders why she—not Sarah—was the one taken from the house. Jonathan demands her cell phone. She doesn't move fast enough. He screams at her, frazzling her. She jumps with a start and fumbles to hand it over. Jonathan explains that Alan has too many eyes on the baby, just as he suspected. He dials a number.
At the Spaulding Manson, Jeremy apprises Alan of another problem. Lizzie is missing. Alan deduces that Reva's sobbing routine was merely a diversion so that Jonathan could take Lizzie out of the house. Alan's cell phone rings. It's Lizzie on his ID. "Lizzie, where the devil are you?" Alan says when he answers.
"She's with the devil and, man, is he ever pissed," Jonathan replies in a raspy voice. Alan coolly admonishes Jonathan and Reva for their ploy. Jonathan retorts that tricks wouldn't have been required had he given up the baby to Reva like a reasonable human being. Alan accuses Jonathan of kidnapping. Jonathan accuses him of attempted murder, but they won't get technical about it right now. With red face and straining voice, Jonathan offers to make a deal.
Lizzie screams in the background and fights with Jonathan for the phone. Alan slides to the edge of his seat, demanding Jonathan not harm her. Jonathan assures him that she's just fine—for now. Back to the deal, Jonathan wants to trade Lizzie for Sarah. A child for a child is fair, he decides.
Hearing silence on the other end, Jonathan grows impatient that Alan isn't jumping at this. Lizzie screams for her grandfather to comply, saying, "He won't hurt her, but he will hurt me!" Alan thinks he's bluffing. Jonathan asks Alan if he really believes that he won't hurt Lizzie after what the two of them did to Tammy. Alan replies that he doesn't believe it. With gnashed teeth, Jonathan warns Alan that he has no idea who he's dealing with. All he has to do is think of Tammy in that hospital bed. Jonathan's rage builds as he claws at whimpering Lizzie. He terrorizes Lizzie as Alan listens. Jonathan demands an answer.
As calmly as if being invited for tea, Alan repeats the deal to make sure he heard correctly. Jonathan wants him to trade the new star of the Spaulding family for a grandchild who married the likes of him, turned against her own flesh and blood, and then put him in a mental institution for trying to help her. That's the one, Jonathan confirms. Alan's answer is no deal. "You're gonna leave her hanging?" Jonathan incredulously asks. A shocked Lizzie snatches the phone from Jonathan and begs her grandfather to do it. Alan hangs up on her in the middle of her pleas.
Lizzie stares at the phone, and Jonathan is further surprised that Alan actually hung up on her. He checks the line and then chucks the phone upside the church wall. He roars in frustration, picks Lizzie up by her waist as if to throw her as well, and then drops her on the ground.
On her knees, Lizzie sobs, berating Jonathan. She asks if he's happy now that she has no one left. He made her turn her back on her whole family. He promised her that he was going to take care of her. One look from Tammy and he just cut her loose. Jonathan snaps at her for even speaking Tammy's name. Lizzie just goes on and on. Jonathan thinks her grandfather is so horrible, but Jonathan and he are exactly the same. They both are playing this sick chess game. She and her daughter are merely pawns in it. Jonathan affirms that he loves his daughter and he will get her back. Good luck, Lizzie says. "Tammy needs to see Sarah!" Jonathan roars. Tammy needs, Lizzie retorts. It's always what Tammy needs. What about what Lizzie needs? Jonathan cries out that their marriage was fake. Well, she meant her vows. His promises meant something to her. Lizzie vows that, if she can't have the perfect family that Jonathan promised her, he sure as hell isn't going to get to have his. Jonathan dives on Lizzie, knocks her off her knees and starts choking her.
Meanwhile in the hospital, Cassie hopefully gazes into the room as the doctors make Tammy more comfortable. Reva returns and asks Cassie what the doctors have said. Optimistically, Cassie says she has no news yet, but she has a really good feeling. The doctor emerges from Tammy's room. Cassie wants to hear that the worst is over. The doctor applauds Tammy's strength, but sadly, the medicine has done everything it can for her. Before Cassie can learn what that comment means, a nurse retrieves her for her daughter.
Back at Tammy's bedside, Cassie smiles down at her and caresses her hair. Tammy feebly asks Cassie to be there. She asks that Cassie be there for Jonathan and Sarah when she's gone. Cassie's happy smile falls into despair.
At the church, Lizzie struggles for air, coughing and wheezing with Jonathan's hands around her throat. She yells that this is what he wanted to do since she got pregnant, but he didn't want to hurt the baby. Jonathan's purposeful eyes focus on his task. Behind him Beth enters, commanding that he let Lizzie go. Here is the girl he really wants. When Jonathan turns around, he sees Beth coddling a pink bundle.
Jonathan leaves Lizzie on the floor. As she struggles to recover, Beth presents the child to him. Gently he takes her but asks Beth what's really going on and if Alan is right outside. Beth assures him that it's no trick. Alan isn't yet aware that the baby is gone. Lizzie calls her mother crazy and attempts to take the baby from Jonathan before Alan finds out. Emotional Beth intercepts her daughter and holds her back. Lizzie struggles with her mother, hysterically bargaining with her. They can take her trust fund and the three of three can run away together. Beth repeatedly tells her no. Lizzie attempts to barrel over Beth to reach the baby, but Beth locks her arms around Lizzie from behind and wrestles with her.
Jonathan asks Beth what's in it for her. Beth, who is exasperated as she tousles with her daughter, claims that Sarah deserves better than growing up in that house. Lizzie cuts in that Sarah is her daughter, too. Wrenching with Beth, she wonders has she forgotten that. Beth slaps Lizzie in the face, crying, "No! I haven't forgotten! But you have!" She drags stunned Lizzie to a pew and recounts all of her misdeeds to hold onto Jonathan. She's been using Sarah as a bargaining chip. In a pew across the room, Jonathan rocks Sarah. Sadly he nods in agreement with Beth. He thanks Beth; he and Tammy will never forget this. Neither will she, Lizzie vows. Beth claims to have done this she does this for her own child, not for them. Lizzie shakes her head, sobbing that this isn't right and it's not the way. Beth drags her Lizzie toward the door, knowing that Sarah deserves people who will love her and put her first. That excludes anyone named Spaulding. With great difficulty she manages to get screaming and crying Lizzie out of the church. Just before she goes, she asks Jonathan for a promise. She asks him to allow Lizzie to be a part of Sarah's life. Jonathan readily agrees.
Back at the hospital, Cassie assures Tammy that she will recover. It might be slow, but she will get better. Jonathan, Tammy, and Sarah will live with her while she recovers. She surprises Tammy with the house that she made a down payment on. Tammy meekly smiles, recalling it as the house with the Cooper Beech tree. Cassie apologizes to her again for not providing her with safety as a child. Tammy assures her that she was happy and loved. Cassie knows that she was strongly against her pairing with Jonathan in the beginning, but she recants her statement that Tammy could not have a happy ending with him. "But if it doesn't happen..." Tammy weakly utters. Cassie insists that it will. But if it doesn't, Tammy wants her to take care of Jonathan and Sarah. Cassie gets tough and says that she'll pull rank on Tammy if necessary. She commands her to hang in there. Instead, Tammy grows weaker and slips out of consciousness.
As the doctors return to Tammy, Reva comforts fretful Cassie. Tammy is just resting. As the team works around Tammy, Jonathan enters with a teddy bear. "Jonathan..." she whispers. Tammy is propped up in the bed. Still very weak, she smiles at the baby. Relieved, Jonathan believes they had some rough moments there, but now Tammy's reaching for him and reaching for Sarah. Everything's going to be brighter and happier for the three of them from here on out. Tammy falls limp and her monitor relays a rapid beeping sound. Jonathan leaves the room, hands Sarah to Reva, and asks the distracted doctor what's going on. He barely acknowledges Jonathan, until annoying Jonathan says, "Well? Help her! Can you do something...!?" He rolls his eyes as the doctor goes back into the room.
Jonathan and Cassie hold onto each other. It's not long before the doctor returns, saying Tammy's injuries are severe. There's not much they can do. Jonathan won't accept this. She was just awake. She just touched his face and touched his daughter. She'll be okay. The doctor wordlessly retreats down the hallway. Reva reaches out for her son, but he jerks his arm away. He opens the hospital door and points to the sky. He tells God not to give up on her.
Father Ray approaches. Jonathan is happy to see him. They need all the reinforcements that they can get. When he learns that the doctor called him, Jonathan angrily, blasts Father Ray for being involved in such a racket where he marries them the day before, promising them so much for the future, and then comes here now without hope. He challenges Father Ray as to why he should have faith in a God that would take it all away. He will not pray to a God that did this. Father Ray is also emotional but knows that there are things that only God can answer by faith. Jonathan instructs Father Ray to take his faith and prayers and shove them. Reva vies unsuccessfully to calm him. With tears down his face, he asks Father Ray if God can indeed turn water to wine, if God can really make stars that hang in the sky and if He can actually move mountains. Father Ray agrees that He can. If that's all true about God, Jonathan reasons, but He won't save the one thing that is good in this disgusting world, then screw Him.
Angry and alone now that he feels abandoned by the doctor, Father Ray and God, Jonathan slings his bloody jacket somewhere on the floor of the hospital room and pulls up to Tammy's beside. Taking her hand, he demands to know if she can hear him. Outside the room, Cassie worries about her. She decides she's going into the room. As she strides to the door, Reva cries out, "No, not yet." Cassie halts. With an eerie finality, Reva tells her, "This is their time..." Biting back her tears, Reva holds the baby and watches Tammy and Jonathan through the window.
Jonathan seems angry with Tammy as well. Visibly trembling he gives her a smoldering stare, ordering her, "You do not give up on me now. You are not allowed. We just got started!" He buries his head in the mattress, his hands laced over the back of his head as he sobs. With her left hand, Tammy reaches for him. Jonathan perks up, smiling through his tears and he says her name. Tammy gazes back through semiconscious eyes.
Jonathan jokes with her, asking if she heard him yelling at her a second ago. Dazed, Tammy utters that she doesn't know. She thanks him for bringing Sarah for her. She's glad that he's here with her. Jonathan tells her that she better be. He'll be there a long time. When Tammy whispers that she might not, Jonathan won't hear that talk. All she needs is rest, and everything will be great. Tammy caresses his face. "...So much good in you...so much love..." She says. Jonathan replies that it's only for her. Tammy struggles to speak, saying that he must share it with his other girl, Sarah. She'll need it. Sarah's lucky because she gets to be with him. Pitifully, he says that he only wants her.
Jonathan gathers her in his arms, sobbing and rocking her. He urges her to just breathe. Just breathe, he whimpers. "I'm not afraid..." Tammy utters, blissfully in his arms. Jonathan continues to rock her, sobbing for her to breathe.
At the Spaulding mansion, Beth approaches an ominously silent Alan from behind as he leans in the doorway to the dining room. She knows that he is angry and he thinks that she betrayed him, but Tammy may not live till morning. Seeing Sarah could have been her dying request. Beth wonders how were they supposed to refuse her that. Without even turning around, Alan commands Beth to get out. Beth clamps her lips and rolls her eyes around the room. Jonathan promised not to cut Lizzie out of Sarah's life, she tells him. She believes that he won't and she also believes Jonathan will be a good father. At the very least he deserves a chance to find out after what they have done, Beth says, her voice laced with guilt and despair. Alan looks over his shoulder and banishes Beth out of his eyesight. Hurt, she opens her mouth to speak but only shakes her head and strides away from him. The camera's point of view peeks through Alan's windows as in the dining room, he proceeds to slam the fine silver and decorations off the table and the buffet. Sullenly, he slinks into one of the chairs at the empty table.
At the church, miserably sobbing Lizzie holds a photo of her daughter. She doesn't know where to go. She doesn't have anywhere to go. The photo falls from her hands and she cries harder and harder.
Back at the hospital, Jonathan holds Tammy's hand as she lies on the bed, her skin gossamer and sickly. He's selfish, he admits, to make her fight when all she wants to do is sleep. He needs her to fight because they were meant to be. The priest out there tells him that they will be together someday. Suddenly Jonathan is stricken with pain. He sucks in a breath and tells her that he just can't wait that long. He can't be on the earth without her. He doesn't even know who to be without her. Jonathan calls himself her lifetime project. He threatens to start punching people and starting fires if she doesn't stay around to work on him.
Reva and Cassie hover in window behind him with Sarah as he asks Tammy who is going to look out for him if she's gone, who's going to make him human with just one kiss. Tears streaming down his face, he stretches his neck to kiss her blanched lips. Tammy stirs slightly, and wheezing, she utters Sarah's name. No, Jonathan tells her. He just wants her. Tammy inaudibly says that she loves him and then releases her last breath. The heart monitor flat lines.
Suddenly the doctor stampedes in with Cassie and Reva behind him. Jonathan shoos the doctor away, crying, "No! No! No! Come on! Come on!" He climbs onto the gurney, his legs beneath his knees and his head against her breast, bawling and screaming, "No, baby, no! Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Breathe!" Behind him Cassie also screams as Reva keeps a tight grip on her by the door. His guttural moaning becomes in discernable. The camera pans out from above. Jonathan sobs as he straddles Tammy's lifeless body in her bed. Reva and Cassie sink to the floor, clinging to each other. Jonathan's wailing echoes as the scene fades out.
Happy 70th Birthday Guiding Light!
Jonathan is sobbing, holding a forever-gone Tammy as the focus turns to an old-time radio show:
A radio show is being performed by Joshua (Reverend John Ruthledge), Jeffrey (Ellis Smith), Alex (playing the piano), and Alan acting as announcer (Hugh Downs). Ellis questions why the Reverend preaches the way he does because we're all alone, selfish and weak. The Reverend preaches there is faith and hope.
Ava (Mary) lets Coop (Ned) know she screwed up her lines yesterday. Harley (Irna Phillips) walks in unhappy with what she's hearing. She reprimands Hugh. She tells them all they're having trouble because they don't believe it. She takes a seat and instructs them to continue.
Irna's side-kick Blake (Rose) takes the script dictated by Irna.
Frank (directing) queues Beth (Mrs. Smith) and Rick (Howie) to perform a Save All commercial for laundry detergent. Remy is in the background managing the sound effects.
Mallet (Jack) comes to talk to Irna about creative direction for the show. Gus comes in bringing Irna coffee. Jack wants her to change her show to not be about struggle. Irna fights for the show to be about life.
Sitting around a radio listening to the show is Mel, Daisy/Susan, and Marina.
Irna continues to dictate a dramatic script to Rose.
Throughout the 30's and 40's the Guiding Light was popular. In 1948, Irna introduces a new family into Guiding Light – The Bauer's. Papa Bauer (played by Buzz), his son Bill (played by Billy), Meta (played by Olivia), Bill's love – Charita "Bert" (played by Reva).
Lillian and Rick perform another Save All commercial.
Alan-Michael (Ted) is shot by Meta because she is insane with grief over the loss of her son, Chucky. Rose gasps as Irma dictates the events of the story. Irna gets an idea to allow America to vote on Meta's guilt or innocence.
Jack calls Irna to let her know America voted Meta innocent and to let her know her ratings sky-rocketed. She wants to move the show to television. Jack doesn't agree the show would be successful on television. Irna fights for her beliefs and Jack gives in to her.
Frank lets the radio performers know they're all moving to television. No budget is available for clothes or hair. The cast is apprehensive and excited at the same time. After the television performance, they all had to move back to the radio studio to perform on the radio. Hawk is playing a cameraman during the television performance.
Back at the radio studio, Dinah (Kathy), Bert and Meta continue the story.
While back at home listening to the radio, Jack calls Irna to tell her it was going well. He tells her the radio program is falling behind the television program in the ratings. He lets her know in August, Guiding Light will be broadcast exclusively by CBS. Irna tells him she's thinking about leaving the show, but will leave him with good stories.
Irna continues to dictate to Rose; however, Rose is unhappy about the turn the storyline takes. Lizzie (Robin) loses her mother, Kathy, to a car accident. Jack receives huge bags of mail from furious fans. He lets Irna know and she promises to take care of it. She dictates a letter to the nation letting them know they need to learn to deal with death as well as living. They need to keep watching the Guiding Light to see the wonderful moments as well as the tragic events of life.
The show transitions back to the current events of Jonathan and Tammy with a voice-over of the Reverend in a sermon about the death of a loved-one – the difficulty of mourning. However, only the body dies – the spirit remains with us. No one is alone.
