１、２、３、４、５、６、７、８、９
MICHAEL
You and I. I mean, in all our
relationships with other people...
We didn't use the word "love"
a lot, did we?
We didn't.
MICHAEL
Kimmy says. When you love someone.
You say it, you say it out loud.
Right now. Or the moment...
Long beat.
MICHAEL
... passes you by, yeah. She's a
smart girl.
Off in distance, the Centennial Fountain SHOOTS an eight-foot JET
of water across the river. For Michael and Julianne it goes
unnoticed.
MICHAEL
We don't have a song.
Hmm?
MICHAEL
Kimmy and I. We don't have a song.
Is that a bad sign?
All Julianne can do is shrug. Then...
MICHAEL
(sings, softly)
Someday, when I'm awfully low...
And the world is cold...
She doesn't want to cry. So she puts all the strength she has into
fighting it back.
MICHAEL
(sings)
I will feel a glow just Thinking of you...
And the way you look. Tonight.
He stops. Smiles that sweet, boyish smile.
MICHAEL
Dance card filled?
JULIANNE
I'll check. I have it on powerbook, these days.
He holds up his arms. And she moves into them. He begins to dance
with her, turning so slowly. And, yes, people are watching.
MICHAEL
(sings in her ear)
With each word, your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fears apart...
She holds him closer. Bites her lip.
MICHAEL
(sings)
And that laugh
That wrinkles your nose,
Touches my foolish heart.
He stops. He looks at her. She's still in his arms.
MICHAEL
Where did we first hear th...
JULIANNE
(straight back)
The night we met.
Right to his eyes...
JULIANNE
The night we fell in love.
He doesn't know what to do with that.
MICHAEL
So we heard it... like, right
that... that first...
JULIANNE
We danced to it. Just like this.
Just like this. A long beat. And he has to say...
MICHAEL
I won't lose you, will I?
Her eyes close. Then open. Utterly lost in his.
JULIANNE
No. Because I won't let you.
INT. WALLACE ENTERPRISES - DAY
Julianne in crisp chalk-stripe trousers and a buttoned-up dress
shirt. Her coat slung over her shoulder, she wanders through
the Saturday-deserted office space. Desks, cubicles, monitors,
silent. A row of executive offices standing empty, waiting for
the custodian. Turning a corner, we hear...
... life, at the end of the hallway. A grand conference room with a
glass wall. Walter, in shirtsleeves, running a strategy meeting
for five. DEIDRE, his personal secretary, clicking every word into
her laptop at warp speed. Walter sees Julianne through the glass.
A comic take of pleased surprise. He comes out to greet her...
WALTER
I thought Michael was picking
me up.
JULIANNE
I told him, get the important
stuff, Kim's ring. I'll collect
the inconsequentials.
Meaning, you. They smile at each other. Then...
WALTER
Kim said, when he turned down
the job, there was no friction.
Julianne thinks back.
JULIANNE
Friction. No.
He smiles at her line reading. But his mind is always probing.
WALTER
I haven't caused... a problem,
have I?
JULIANNE
Nobody has. So far.
Her bright grin. His eyes linger on it.
WALTER
Well, you're a little early...
JULIANNE
I need to make some calls.
Could I use... your office?
INT. WALTER'S OFFICE - DAY
Julianne enters the spacious corner office, high above the city.
Closes the door, quietly, behind her. So anxious, she is
practically hyperventilating. She goes, slowly to the vacant
cherrywood desk. Its computer and monitor standing silent. She
is stalking it, like a deadly animal. And then. She is there.
Talking to herself, her own desperate support network...
JULIANNE
(softly)
You can do this.
Sacred, filled with doubt and conflict. Her hands clutch at each
other. Then, one flicks out. And the computer goes ON. The
screen GLOWS. Waits for her. Her mouth is sand, her stomach
water. She pulls the paper from her pocket...
... looks at it. Looks to the monitor. And begins. To type...
JULIANNE
(mumbling to herself)
E-mail address. To Ben Isaacson,
Senior Editor, Sports Illustrated,
from... Walter Wallace.
And stops. Her heart is thumping.
JULIANNE
See, you can do it. It's easy.
Doesn't look easy. Licks her lips.
JULIANNE
You do it fast, it's over. Like
it never happened.
She sits. And recites as she types...
JULIANNE
Ben. I need a favor.
Here we go. This is it. Types...
JULIANNE
My daughter's every happiness.
And my wife's. And, least of
all, my own, are in your hands.
Nods, okay. Breathing hard. Types...
JULIANNE
Knowing you value our friendship,
and the... cooperative
relationship between our companies...
I am hopeful of your help.
Touch, that. Thinks. It has to be. Types...
JULIANNE
I have offered Mike O'Neal, my
new son-in-law, a great opportunity
in my company. This would also
enable my daughter to settle in
Chicago, near us, and pursue her
dreams and plans.
Almost there. Almost. Types...
JULIANNE
To his own detriment, as well
as ours, Michael will not accept
our offer. While he works for you.
She stands up. Stares at the screen. Walks away. Walks back.
Still standing, types...
JULIANNE
My daughter joins me in this
plea for your cooperation and
discretion.
Is there a SOUND? Outside the door. She HOVERS over the ESCAPE
key. Waits. Waits. Silence. Types...
JULIANNE
With gratitude. For your
understanding. Walter.
She hits a KEY. The screen goes BLANK. The computer asks... DO
YOU WISH TO SEND? She tells the computer...
JULIANNE
Are you crazy? Get him fired?
Types NO. The computer asks HOLD FOR LATER? And she types YES.
JULIANNE
Just till tonight when I bring
him back. To look for...
She glances to her huge bag. Rummages through, pulling out a manila
folder. Lays it by the blank computer. Fans out a few pages in a
natural, disorderly way. Takes a step back...
And stares. Struck to her gut. But when she has done.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Walter alone with Deidre now, signing a stack of documents, as she
efficiently places one after another before him. When he glances up,
he sees Julianne wandering the halls. Stands, tells his secretary...
WALTER
(going through stack)
Off to rehearsal. Send out this,
and this, not this, this, and...
that's it.
Slips on his coat. Oh... and by the way...
WALTER
I'm holding four or five E-mails
I wrote over lunch...
On his way through the door...
WALTER
Send 'em out.
INT. CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO - DAY
Julianne and Walter enter the rear of a striking Gothic CHAPEL,
pastel light slanting in through stained glass windows. We now
see the full effect of her outfit, a man's-style chalk stripe SUIT,
tailored to fit her body, set off by a bold silk tie. Solid
dynamite. She hangs back, while Walter proceeds down the vaulted
nave toward...
... Michael, Kimmy, Isabelle and Joe, who stand casually joking by
the altar. Scattered around are assorted groomsmen, ushers, an
obvious flowergirl. Coming toward us, up the aisle...
... the MINISTER, early 40s, lean and quite attractive. Mandy is
HANGING on his arm, pressing her body against him as they walk,
murmuring urgent murmurs close to his ear. He's a really good
sport, and really uncomfortable. Sammy is walking backwards,
right in front of them, DROPS her bag, and BENDS to retrieve it, as
if oblivious to major cleavage on immediate display.
Julianne is so lost in her own anxiety, she doesn't even notice,
until...
MANDY
Reverend Dyer, this is
Kimberly's somewhat butch
maid of honor...
SAMMY
... Mr. Julianne Potter,
prominent New York drag queen.
Today, the girls' voices are charmingly musically Southern, with
none of the extreme accents we heard at the shower. The minister
extends his hand...
MINISTER
Billy Dyer, Julianne. And I
love the suit.
She shakes his hand, smiles graciously, but her eyes flick to
Michael, now approaching up the aisle. The girls lead the minister
away. Michael arrives. Looks her up and down.
MICHAEL
(softly)
Takes me back.
JULIANNE
Well.
She smiles. One that glows a little.
JULIANNE
You sang the song. Least I
could do was wear the outfit.
He nods.
MICHAEL
Except now you're better-
looking.
Oh, yeah? Yes, ma'am. As she loses herself in his eyes...
MICHAEL
I got the ring.
He pulls the box from his pocket. Somewhere, an ORGAN sounds. And
as he is about to hand her the box...
MANDY/SAMMY
(sing)
Swi-i-ng low-ow-ow... Wee-ee-eet Char-i-ot...
Such exquisite two-part harmony, Michael stops to watch.
MANDY/SAMMY
(sing) Comin', to car-ryyy
Me ho-o-o-me...
It is amazing. Soulful vengeful sluts. He is enthralled. Julianne
simply impatient. She wants his attention.
JULIANNE
No accents today.
MICHAEL
Yeah, Kim told me they were
giving you their Dueling
Scarlet's act. Actually,
they're sophomores at Juilliard.
She takes the box from his hand. Opens it, as the singing CONTINUES
throughout. The ring is delicate hammered gold. One of a kind.
MICHAEL
Will she like it?
JULIANNE
(whisper)
Yes.
She's staring at the ring.
KIMMY (O.S.)
My groom-person! Your family
needs you!
His master's voice. He gives Julianne a smile. And goes. She's
left with the box.
Gazes at the ring. Lifts it out.
MANDY/SAMMY (O.S., singing)
Well, I look over yon-der,
And what did I see-ee-ee?
Slips it on her left hand. Ring finger.
MANDY/SAMMY (O.S., singing)
Comin too car-ryyy.
Me ho-o-ome...
Touches it. Turns it on her finger. So many emotions.
MANDY/SAMMY (O.S., singing)
It was a hand. Of a-a-angels.
Coming' for me-e-ee...
Tries to pull it off.
MANDY/SAMMY (O.S., singing) Comin' for to carry me home.
It won't come. Not even close.
INT. CRAB HOUSE - NIGHT
CLOSE on a bowl filled with squares of butter. HEAR the butt of
conversation from a rowdy, friendly joint. Julianne's right hand
REACHES to the bowl, fingers trace the rim innocently, then...
... SLIDE the bowl into Julianne's lap beneath the table. Her right
hand MASSAGES all the butter into a gooey revolving mess. We can
pick out familiar voices now, family in distance, the twins closer.
As, hidden from view, Julianne brings...
... her left hand from her pocket. Yep. The ring is still there.
The finger already red and swollen from pacicky efforts to pull it
off. And as APPLAUSE surrounds us, Julianne...
PLUNGES her ring finger into the morass of grease, frantically
TEARING at the ring, butter SPLURGING on her pants, everywhere, as
we PULL BACK to see...
... the long table covered with butcher paper, the family at the far
end, the twins down here with us, a mug of beer for each place, as
team of waiters with heaping platters of CRABS, which they...
... FLING across the butcher paper, as APPLAUSE continues from
everyone but Julianne, who still struggles secretly. As the waiters
set huge wooden MALLETS in front of each guest, Joe O'Neal rises,
POUNDS the table with his mallet for attention.
JOE
Like to welcome ever'body to
our little rehearsal supper...
He COUGHS, unaccustomed to public speaking. Walter and Isabelle
clap and call out support. So Joe lifts his mallet...
JOE
Okay, everyone stand up!
And everyone does. With one exception. Trapped. She JAMS her
left hand in her coat pocket, SMEARS her right palm sort of clean
on the underside of the table, GRABS her mallet and JUMPS UP.
JOE
To the bride, uh, goes the
honor... of cracking the first
crab!
Everyone applauses by banging their mallets. Joe RAISES his high.
Everybody imitates.
KIMMY
But first, a toast!
And everybody SNATCHES up their beers with their left hands, as
Julianne DROPS her mallet with a HORRIFIC CRASH, grabbing her beer,
looking up to...
JULIANNE
(on the spot)
I'm right-handed.
A hugely embarrassing half-second. Bailed out by...
KIMMY
To our host, my cuddly Papa
Joe.
All turns.
KIMMY
Who taught me to play "Blue
Hawaii." On my nose.
With a look at Julianne, Kim sets down her mallet gently, and
performs a nasal HUM of the tropical standard, strikingly her nostril
repeatedly for vibrato. It is charming, and everybody watches.
INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - LATER
CLOSE on an actual, living, if geriatric, LION. He blinks from his
cage, bored as hell. HEAR the surrounding noise, chatter, LOUD
Sinatra music, of a very large party. PULL BACK to see...
... and overdecorated BALLROOM, in dim and dramatic lighting,
dripping with the trappings of ANCIENT ROME. The mingling guests
are the neatly one hundred females of the wedding party, most of
them older women. They are served by wandering well-built ATHLETES
in Roman togas or gladiator costumes. PAN TO...
... Julianne, still in her suit, hiding by a table piled with a
carload of grapes. Her left hand still buried in her pocket. The
eyes of a hunted animal. From nowhere...
MANDY/SAMMY (O.S.)
Boo!!!
She JUMPS a foot, both hands FLYING UP, left one awkwardly slamming
back into its pocket. The girls have snuck up behind her. They
have changed into hot gowns that are really only wide ribbons
wrapped around their bodies.
MANDY
I know why you're scared of our
party. It's too hip.
Sinatra singing "Stranger In The Night." Hugely-muscled, half-naked
black and white studs, serving enchanted blue-haired ladies.
SAMMY
Kimberly wanted to tickle the
grandmas, so we figured, give 'em a cheap thrill. Walter
supplied the decorative
touches...
SAMMY
(points out the jokes)
Nose tackle from the Bears...
power forward from the Bulls...
defenseman from the Black
Hawks... my personal favorite,
the designated hitter...
MANDY
... I'm partial to the tight end.
SAMMY
This is USDA Prime, largely
available, beef. With no notice-
able competition, present company
excepted...
Now they stare at her. With identical, really odd, smiles.
SAMMY
And yet here you are. All
celibate and reclusive.
MANDY
With those big, dark, haunted eyes.
As if you were harborin' some...
unspeakably... guilty... secret.
Oh.
JULIANNE
Well, I'm worried about something.
Something. Their expressions are deliciously, identically
expectant.
JULIANNE
Oh. I left this really important
file in Walter's office. I have
to send my editor some...
Some...
JULIANNE
... figures. On territorial sales.
To close my book deal.
Uh-huh...
JULIANNE
So Kim gave me the key. And
Michael's on his way, to drive
me down to Wal...
SAMMY
Oh. We thought it was the ring.
Julianne blinks. Ring...?
１、２、３、４、５、６、７、８、９
