Randi and Griff 09/02/2013

Griff walks down the hall toward Randi’s room silently keeping pace with Frankie. He didn’t have much to say to him because he couldn’t think of anything and he hoped it wasn’t the same when he saw Randi. He hesitates a moment when he gets to the door placing his hand on Frankie’s chest stopping him in his tracks. He stares at Frankie his eyes pleading his voice firm.

Griff: You can wait here.

Frankie: No, I’m going to be there for my wife.

Griff: Look Frankie I know how much you love your wife but I have waited her entire life for this moment. If you want you can wait right here so if she needs you, you’ll be here but I’m going to talk to my daughter my way.

Frankie: I’ll be right here.

Griff: I know you will. (He grins nods his head then pushes through the door. He smiles as Randi opens her eyes and looks up at him smiling pleasantly. (Frankie inspects his face looking for any small flaw in his earnest expression he nods his head then leans back against the wall as Griff enters the room slipping his foot in the space between the door and the frame so the door stops without looking leaving it a jar so he could hear. If this man thought he was going to just stand idly by he was out of his mind! He was going to hear for himself and make sure he wasn’t just playing all of them. 

Randi: Hi Griff. If you’re looking for Carmen she left a little while ago.

Griff: That’s okay. I was really hoping I could talk to you.

Randi: Talk to me?…Is Carmen okay? (Her voice squeaking with concern Griff smiles shaking his hand signaling “no” as he pulls the chair closer and sits)

Griff: Carmen’s fine. This is more of a personal matter.

Randi: Is something wrong? If there’s any way I can help I’d be happy too. Carmen’s told me how much help you’ve been to her and Krystal, and Angie and Jesse said the kids adore you so you’ve been given the official Hubbard stamp of approval. (She miles pleasantly giving him the thumbs up)

Griff: Thanks! Your children are beautiful but no, nothing like that (he pauses a moment looking down at his feet letting out a long breath then looks back up at her) I’m not even sure how to start.

Randi: If you’re in trouble I’m sure if you just told Carmen about she’d help you figure it out. If you want I could help you figure out away to tell her what ever it is. (She reaches over patting his hand. She had her mothers’ kindness)

Griff: No I promise I’m not in any kind of trouble I swear.

Randi: Okay then (she says slowly cocking her head to the side looking confused) what’s up?

Griff: I guess the best way to do this is just say it. I’m your father. (He blurts out watching Randi’s smile fade replaced with shock then a smile of disbelief)

Randi: You’re my what? (She laughs) This is some kind of a joke! (She looks around the room half waiting for someone to come through the door)

Griff: No.

Randi: Come one did Carmen out you up to this? Very funny! You can come out now Carmen I’m not falling for it! (She calls out still looking towards the door then back to Griff taking in the seriousness of his expression)

Griff: This isn’t a joke.

Randi: You’re serious? (She says slowly her brows drawn in to a frown as realization that he was truly serious creeps through her)

Griff: I wouldn’t play around about something like that.

Randi: Out of all the women in Pine Valley, in the world! How do you know I’m your daughter? (She scoffs crossing her arms over her chest her eyes challenging)

Griff: I know my child! I knew the first time I saw you! Dam, if you don’t look just like your mother! (A reminiscent smile play on his lips as he continues) You have her ways! Her smile and you sound just like her! If I close my yes I’d swear it was her talking.

Randi: So I look like somebody you used to know! So what! That doesn’t prove anything and if definitely doesn’t prove you’re my father! If this isn’t a joke then you’re a liar my parents are dead! (She shoots back the moment feeling surreal)

Griff: I didn’t die and I don’t lie. (He says firmly forcing Randi to pause a moment)

Randi: So what happened to my mother?

Griff: I don’t know I wish I did. (He looks back at he is expression one of loss and confusion making Randi angry more angry then she’d felt in a long time. His story was ridiculous his proof was she looked like someone this sounded like some sort of con to her but why?)

Randi: This just keeps getting better and better. You walk in here announce you’re my father and I’m just supposed to believe you?

Griff: Remember a few months back when you needed blood?

Randi: Yeah? So? (She thinks back to the miraculous donation of blood she’d received and it’s timing)

Griff: I was your donor. I was the one that donated blood that night. (Patting his chest she looks at him searching his face looking for any trace of a lie on it and seeing none but still not ready to just accept what he was saying. He was an ex-con lying was a part of survival in prison)

Randi: So you donated some blood. (She shrugs Griff looks at her laughs then shakes his head as if she’d made a joke)

Griff: Baby girl with the kind of blood we got, it would be a miracle if we weren’t related.

Randi: That’s still not proof. (She juts out her chin in defiance reminding him so much of her mother he knew he’d better just tell her)

Griff: DNA test don’t lie. (He states bluntly the her expression unwavering)

Randi: How’d you get a DNA test?

Griff: A friend of mine helped.

Randi: You have friends that can get you DNA tests. How do you know they didn’t just tell you what you wanted to hear?

Griff: Because they would have no reason to lie to me. It was done at a legitimate lab. If I wasn’t sure I would never have come here.

Randi: It was Jesse wasn’t it? (She recalls missing her toothbrush right after he’d visited. She’d thought she’d some how knocked in to the trash even though she’d remembered placing it in the holder. Now it made sense)

Griff: Please, don’t blame Jesse I don’t know why but he was suspicious. I didn’t even know about it till he came to me with it last night. He just wanted to protect his family. (That was Jesse always looking out for his family. So he’d made Jesse suspicious and that was ay he was here what would he have done if Jesse hadn’t been)

Randi: If Jesse hadn’t figured it out would you have told me?

Griff: I don’t know. I started to but then I found out you were real sick and I figured the last thing you needed was some long lost relatives showing up on your doorstep.

Randi: So you were never going to tell me? (Her voice cols with anger)

Griff: I didn’t say that. I was waiting for you to get better.

Randi: What if I hadn’t?

Griff: But you did. (He skirts the question honestly still not sure what he would have done if it hadn’t been for Jesse) 

Randi: You’re not answering my question. What if I hadn’t gotten better would you have told me?

Griff: Yes, I was just waiting for the right moment.

Randi: The right moment would have been as soon as you realized who I was. (Some how knowing what he was saying was a half-truth)

Griff: I couldn’t.

Randi: Why the hell not?

Griff: I’ve been in prison.

 Randi: So what? Lots of people have gone to prison hell I’ve been in jail a couple of times myself. Carmen was in prison do you really think that matters to me? (She challenges finding little validity in his excuses)

Griff: I’ve been in prison since before you were a year old.

Randi: What happened? (She’d know he’d been in prison she’d just assumed he’d been some petty criminal who shirked his familial responsibility)

Griff: I did something really stupid and I’ve spent the rest of my life regretting it. (His voice filled with shame and loathing) When you were about a year I went to prison I was a sentenced to twenty-five years to life before possibility of parole for accessory to robbery and murder. I never saw you or your mother again.

Randi: Why’d you do it?

Griff: I was out of work money was short…I decided to go in with some guys I knew and be the wheelman for some robbery. (He swallows hard) Your mom she begged me not to go. She told me if I left that night I’d never see her or you again. Turns out she was right.

Randi: And you’ve been in prison all this time? My God that seems so harsh.

Griff: Because of what we did a man was dead no matter what the sentence was it wouldn’t bring him back and sorry don’t fix it.

Randi: What happened to my mother?

Griff: I’m not sure what happened to her after I was arrested I never saw either one of you again.

Randi: She never came to see you or wrote nothing?

Griff: She told me when I left that night, she said she wouldn’t, I knew she meant it and I did it anyway

Randi: So you chose to rob some place with your hoodlum friends got caught spent the rest of your life in prison and my mother and me be dammed?

Griff: I didn’t mean for it to happen that way. (His voice filled with sorrow)

Randi: But it did. (She mutters her tone matching his)

Griff: I’ve had to live with the fact every day …(His voice becomes strained as he tries check his emotions) my choice ruined all of our lives. If I had just listened to her and not gone with them that night … If I’d just listened to her… (He mutters his lips disappearing as he grimaces then stares down at the floor his voice both bitter and morose) I’ve laid on that cot in that five by five cell night after night wishing…dreaming…going half crazy from the not knowing. (His head snapping up to look at her his expression tortured voice becomes tight as his unshed tears constrict his throat. He turns his head away a moment wiping quickly at his eyes as he clears his throat) everything that happened to you to her to me was all my fault. I really don’t expect you to just open your life up to me. After what I’ve done to you I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to hear from me again. I know sorry doesn’t count for much but I am deeply sorry that what I did ever hurt you and your mother. (He chokes out his face grim he stands walking slowly to the door his forlorn appearance melting Randi’s heart)

Randi: Wow! I ahh…don’t know what to say. I’m just a little umm…

Griff: I understand if you want me to go I just laid a lot on you. I have work in a little bit anyway.

 Randi: No stay please, I’m just trying to get used to the fact that I have a Father. I’d like if you could stay and maybe we could talk for a little while I have like a million questions.

Griff: Are you sure?

Randi: Of course I’m sure! You just can’t walk in here tell me something like this and run!

Griff: You don’t have to be nice on my account I really do get it.

Randi: Nice please I have twenty some odd years of questions so I really want you to stay and I’d like to try to get to know you. Besides, if I learned nothing else from this cancer I learned life is too short to worry about what could have been we should just concentrate on our future.

Griff: I’d really like that. (Frankie smiles happily from the other side of the door before walking down the hall satisfied Randi was okay finally life was throwing them some sunshine)