INT DAVID'S APARTMENT. SAME DAY, 4:30PM
A band of Jesse and two other 11 year old boys is rocking
out. Andee and David are watching, moving to the beat.
Andee keeps shaking her head in disbelief. They're
amazing! David yells to her.
DAVID
Can I get you something to drink?
Andee can't understand what he's asking.
She raises her arms up "what"?
David mimes drinking and then points to Andee.
She nods her head yes. He motions for her to follow him.
They both step outside of the practice room into the
living room/kitchen area. We still hear the band playing
in the background.
ANDEE
They're great!
DAVID
Thanks.
Andee looks at David. His pants worn, his t-shirt clean
but wrinkled. A flannel is on the kitchen counter. She
laughs to herself raising her eyebrows and shaking her
head.
Definitely not her type.
David makes his way into the kitchen for water. He pours
two glasses and leaves them on the counter. He turns to
the stove where there is a pot simmering.
While drinking, Andee watches him. The music of the band
in the background is still going.
David takes the lid off of the pot.
Steam comes pouring out.
David stirs.
Andee takes in the smell.
She starts to look around at his place.
The collection of cook books.
The window herb garden.
Avocado plants being started from seed.
The steaming pot.
David adds spices.
Andee fully taking in the smell. She licks her perfectly
lined red lips.
The band has transitioned into a new song.
The beats are like the ticking of a clock.
With the beats, Andee is doing a 360 degree turn.
She is spinning in David's world.
His instrument collection.
Piles of books.
Plants.
Collected items from all over the world.
The worn, but beautiful furniture.
The smell.
Andee is salivating. She starts to feel dizzy.
Her cheeks are red
She grabs the counter to ground herself.
She has her finely manicured hand on the flannel button
down that is lying on the counter.
Andee's hand jumps off at the accidental touch, but then
she allows herself to feel it.
Worn.
Soft.
A slight frown is on Andee's face.
She is still salivating and licking her lips.
They are swollen.
She's over-salivating. Her mouth is open. Saliva is about
to drip out.
A spoon with soup come towards Andee's mouth.
Andee slurps it up.
Andee puts her hand on her heart. She is still holding
the flannel button down.
David and Andee look at each other, the music has
stopped.
ANDEE
Perfect.
David looks at Andee holding the flannel.
Andee reacts to having the flannel in her hand.
The kids open the door, and David looks towards them.
The kids come out of the practice room.
David and Andee both turn to them, Andee still has the
shirt.
ANDEE (CONT’D)
You guys, you need a show!
INT. KAPLAN APARTMENT, LATER THAT NIGHT
The sound of the clock is still ticking.
The front door opens and we hear a pair of keys being
pulled out of a key hole.
A hand fumbles to place the key on a hook by the door.
The only light we see is trickling out of the kitchen.
Music: "I'm In the Mood"- John Lee Hooke
A tipsy Alex stumbles a bit as she makes her way in.
Quickly she takes her heels off and already is trying to
get out of her dress. She's having trouble. She makes her
way through the semi darkness of her home to the bedroom.
Joe is sleeping.
CONTINUOUS
INT. ALEX and JOE'S BEDROOM
Alex goes to Joe's side of the bed still trying to get
the dress off.
She nudges Joe.
ALEX
Hey are you asleep?
Alex nudges Joe again. She half whispers.
ALEX (CONT’D)
Joe, Joe, I'm stuck. Joe, I can't
get my dress unzipped. Can you...
are you awake?
Joe waking up, obviously having been asleep.
JOE
I am now. What's wrong?
ALEX
Oh sorry. I can't get this zipper
down.
Joe turns on his bedside light and gets out of bed. He's
in his sweats. He tries to help ALEX get the zipper
undone. He really has to work at the zipper, even going
up through the bottom of the dress to get fabric that's
caught.
JOE
This is ridiculous. We may have to
cut it off.
ALEX, still tipsy, raises her eyebrows.
ALEX
That might be kind of fun.
JOE
Come on Alex. I'm serious.
Alex turns to him seductively.
ALEX
I'm serious too.
She turns away to find a pair of scissors in the top
drawer of her dresser. She brings them back and hands
them to Joe.
ALEX (CONT’D)
Bet you never thought I'd let you
do this?
Alex starts kissing Joe and nibbling on his ear. Joe
isn't turned on. Joe gives a little flinch.
JOE
You're right, this wasn't what I
was expecting. You don't even know
what you're saying.
Alex stops nibbling. Joe is still trying to undo the
dress.
ALEX
What is that supposed to mean?
JOE
Nothing it's just...
ALEX
Just cut the dress off.
Joe with the scissors in his hands looks at Alex. She
looks at him. There is a long sobering moment.
After some time, Joe takes the scissors and cuts the
dress. Alex stops his hand and takes the scissors back.
They look at each other again, each not having words.
What is happening is very real and transparent.
Finally Alex turns around and heads to the bathroom.
Joe sits on the edge of the bed looking out the rain
streaked window.
MOMENTS LATER
INT. MASTER BATHROOM
Alex is on the floor. She is slowly cutting the dress off
and into shreds.
Mascara drunk tears are falling.
FADE OUT.
INT KAPLAN APARTMENT. HALLWAY. MOMENTS LATER, 1:00 AM
The hallway is dark. The only light coming in is from the
bars of Joe and Alex's respective offices. The only sound
is from the heater that is turning off.
Alex is standing in her doorway. She looks at her watch.
Joe is framed by his office doorway. He has a box in his
arms piled overly high with files that impair his view.
Joe checks his watch.
He checks for a key in his pocket by tapping his pant
leg.
He looks at his now empty desk.
He takes a deep breath, exhaling.
Silence.
Alex is watching Joe, taking his image in. Her throat
gets thick and immediately her eyes well up.
She quickly turns back into her office taking deep
breaths and getting a Kleenex. From her mouth she blows
air up in to her bangs as if this will calm her down.
Joe finally turns out the light.
He steps through the doorway.
Silence.
Joe feels Alex standing there.
He takes note but barely tries to makes eye contact,
instead glancing down at the box on the floor.
Both Alex and Joe speak in low tones as to not wake the
kids.
There's still a spill of light coming from Alex's office.
JOE
I'll get the rest...
Alex nods her head.
ALEX
Later, it's fine.
Silence.
JOE
Well, I'll see you...
Alex nods her head again.
ALEX
Sunday.
JOE
Right. Okay well, you should
probably get some rest.
Alex smiles to cover the tears that might come again.
Silence
ALEX
I know.
They both take in the words they have last said.
Joe ducks back behind his box. Biting his tongue, Joe
shakes his head. He rearranges the load in his arms. As
he bends down, the files on top start to slide off. He
barely catches them, slapping them back in place.
A sound comes from Zoe's bedroom.
Both Alex and Joe look in the direction of her bedroom
and then,
freeze.
After a moment Joe readjusts again to pick up the box of
files. He's over loaded. Alex moves forward to help.
JOE
I've got it.
Alex follows Joe as he heads for the main entry, juggling
to open the door.
Joe, while leaning against the door to help balance the
boxes, uses the hand that is still carrying the first box
to turn the door knob.
The door is locked.
Joe looks up to the ceiling as if he's asking God to give
him a sliver of mercy.
Still balancing, he turns the latch and then the doorknob
again. He opens the door at the same time trying to keep
everything balanced.
Alex gives him space so he can get through.
Joe makes his way toward the elevator.
Alex watches him go.
He backs up to the elevator having to squat to push the
button with his elbow. He turns back around.
He watches the elevator numbers as they go down so he
doesn't have to look at Alex who is watching him.
Alex is cold. She is shaking.
Alex is rubbing her crossed arms. She looks away. Joe
feels the unlock of her eyes and readjusts the boxes to
cover his looking in her direction.
DING
The elevator doors open.
Joe wedges his way in, concluding the clumsy ballet of
the box.
The doors close.
Alex watches the numbers as the elevator makes it's way
down the shaft.
CUT TO
INT. ALEX'S APARTMENT- THE NEXT MORNING
Alex is at the table by the window with her computer. The
screen with ESCAPE and RAIN is up. Alex is filling in the
bricks on the path we last saw ESCAPE and RAIN running
down.
EXT. SMALL TOWN USA, YELLOW BRICK PATH, FULL SCREEN
ANIMATION
We hear laughter as it opens up fully. We follow the
laughter to find Escape and Rain.
They're at a split in the road.
They're looking at it.
RAIN
Which way do we go?
ESCAPE
Which way do you want to go?
Rain runs to the right. There are people up ahead. It's
clear and well traveled. Rain runs to the left, not a
soul. The path peaks through but it's over grown.
Rain lingers for a moment.
ESCAPE (CONT’D)
Well?
RAIN
Well? Which way do you want to go?
ESCAPE
It doesn't work that way.
RAIN
What do you mean?
ESCAPE
You don't want to repeat history
right?
Escape pulls his yellow handkerchief out of his pocket.
He puts it around Rain's eyes.
RAIN
But we just...
ESCAPE
If it's meant to be we'll meet
again.
Escape and Rain are standing at the cross roads.
He kisses her and then leaves.
Her face.
Her lips.
Her heart pounding.
She stands there as the world spins.
As it spins we leave the animation and come back to Alex.
Her face.
Her lips.
Only the sound of her heart pounding.