Written by
Roger Newcomb
ANGELA has
just sat down at her desk when Nurse Karen Grissom walks in.
KAREN
Angela,
hi. Do you have time for lunch?
ANGELA
Karen, you
have perfect timing. I’m starving.
KAREN
Well, I have
an hour starting now if you’re free.
ANGELA
That’ll
work. I need the break.
KAREN
Had a long
day?
ANGELA
I just have a
lot of things on my mind. I’ll tell you
at lunch. Let’s get out of here.
DANTE and
ARDEN are walking along the Pier enjoying the view of the
It’s so
beautiful down here.
DANTE
A lot of
people don’t realize how beautiful the
I’ll take
your word for it.
DANTE
I forgot to
tell you before. The garage called and
they have fixed your car.
What’s the
damage?
DANTE
I took care
of it, so don’t worry about it.
No,
Dante. It’s my broken down car. I’ll pay for it. Somehow.
DANTE
You said
yourself you don’t have any money. And
we don’t know when your brother is going to call. So let me do this for you. It’s not like I don’t have a lot of
disposable cash lying around.
I’m not sure
what to say. You’ve done more for me in
a few days than anyone else has in my entire life. Thank you so much.
DANTE
The smile on
your face is all the thanks I need.
I guess I was
pretty lucky to break down the spot that I did and you come rescue me.
DANTE
Maybe it
wasn’t luck. Maybe it was fate.
Do you
believe in fate?
DANTE
I do now.
(laughs)
You’re silly.
DANTE
I’ve been
called worse.
So, what did
your father do to earn so much money anyway?
DANTE
Long story,
but half this town was built by L&R Construction. He runs the company and I’m in a never-ending
battle with him to avoid working there myself.
Why wouldn’t
you want to work there? Most people
would love to be in your position.
DANTE
I guess
that’s just it. I don’t want it handed
to me. I want to make my own mark on the
world. The problem is,
I’m not sure how to do it.
BRIAN has
just arrived home and finds a note on his door.
BRIAN
What’s this?
Brian takes
off the notes and opens it and begins reading.
BRIAN
Dear
Brian. I desperately need to talk to
you. I’m not sure this is even still
your apartment, but if it is, and you get this note, please call me at 845-555-1274. This is urgent, Brian. I need to talk to your right away.
Brian folds
up the note and puts it in his pocket.
BRIAN
(to himself)
What’s going
on with you, Arden?
BARBARA is
sitting in the living room alone when DAMIEN walks in.
DAMIEN
Hey, sexy.
BARBARA
Oh my
God. Damien, what the hell are you doing
here?
DAMIEN
I missed you
last night. I needed to see you, babe.
BARBARA
What if Paul
sees you? He’ll kill us both.
DAMIEN
Didn’t you
miss me last night?
Damien leans
over and kisses Barbara who is still seated.
BARBARA
Of course,
but I can’t take any chances of Paul getting suspicious of me. I’m sorry.
Paul walks in
and is surprised to see Damien.
PAUL
(clears throat)
Hello Damien.
DAMIEN
Mr.
Ramos. Hi. How are you doing today?
PAUL
I’m just
fine. How about yourself?
DAMIEN
Not bad.
PAUL
So what
brings you by the house?
DAMIEN
Oh, uh, I
talked to Dante earlier and I thought he said to meet him here. I guess we got our signals crossed.
PAUL
I see.
DAMIEN
I should
probably go give him a call. It was good
to see you again. And
you too, Ms. Whitman.
BARBARA
Goodbye,
Damien. It’s Damien, right?
DAMIEN
Yes. Damien Givens.
BARBARA
Have a nice
day.
Damien walks
out.
BARBARA
Paul, aren’t
you going into the office today?
PAUL
Why Barbara,
are you trying to get rid of me?
BARBARA
Of course
not, sweetheart. You know I can’t get
enough of you.
PAUL
Oh
really? Then why don’t we go upstairs
and put that theory to the test. What do
you say?
BARBARA
Uh, I say…let’s
do it.
DANTE and
ARDEN have just returned from their walk along the
DANTE
I hope you
had a good time,
I did. A better time than I
deserved to have.
DANTE
What do you
mean?
Oh, nothing.
DANTE
I can’t tell
you, Dante. I’m sorry. The only person who can help me is my
brother, Brian. And I’m not even sure he
can.
DANTE
Well, I hope
it all works out for you.
Dante’s cell
phone rings.
DANTE
That’s
probably Damien.
Dante checks
the number and doesn’t recognize it.
DANTE
Nope.
Dante
answers.
DANTE
Hello.
BRIAN
Hi. I’m looking for Arden Morgan. Is she with you by chance?
DANTE
Yes, she
is. Hold on.
Dante hands
DANTE
I think it’s
your brother.
Brian?
BRIAN
Hey sis. I got your note. What the hell are you doing in
I’m actually
in
BRIAN
Of
course. But tell me what’s going on. Did something happen?
Have you
talked to Mom?
BRIAN
Mom?
No. Not in a very long time. Nor you, for that matter. Which is why I’m wondering what’s going here.
Brian, I
can’t talk over the phone. I need to see
you. Are you going to be home?
BRIAN
I’m here for
the next four hours then I have to head back to the hospital.
Then I’m on
my way.
Angela and
Karen are having lunch.
KAREN
So what’s
going on with you?
ANGELA
Okay, I met a
guy.
KAREN
You did? Where?
ANGELA
Online.
In an AOL chat room of all places.
KAREN
(a bit apprehensive)
Oh
Angela. Have you met this guy in person
yet?
ANGELA
No, not
yet. But I want to. He seems so wonderful. And perfect for me. And he’s a doctor too.
KAREN
Is he here in
Nyack?
ANGELA
Actually he
lives and works in the city, but it’s not that far.
KAREN
Do you know
what he looks like?
ANGELA
Well, he sent
me a picture. He’s totally hot and just
my type.
KAREN
But how do
you know if it’s really him? Can you
really trust that anything he’s telling you is the truth? I’ve heard so many crazy stories about people
meeting people on the Internet.
ANGELA
Are you trying to rain on my parade?
KAREN
I just want
to look out for you. Now that I’m back
in
ANGELA
What are you
trying to say?
KAREN
Come on,
Angela. Trouble loves you. It always has.
ANGELA
I guess I
can’t argue with that. You know, I think
my wild child days are making me a bit paranoid in my old age.
KAREN
If thirty is
old, we’re all in trouble. Did something
happen?
ANGELA
This is going
to sound crazy, but last night, when I was leaving from work, I got all freaked
out thinking someone was following me or something.
KAREN
WHAT! Angela, who was it?
ANGELA
It was no
one. I’m sure it was just I waiting for
the next disaster to strike.
KAREN
Well, let me
know if this happens again. I don’t like
the sound of that.
ANGELA
Wait, there’s
more. I got an anonymous love letter on
my desk yesterday too.
KAREN
A love
letter? It wasn’t signed?
ANGELA
No. Do you think I have a secret admirer? I’ve had such a dry spell lately that I
seriously doubt it.
KAREN
Now if you
hadn’t told me about the person following you, I may have a different take on
this, but since you did, you kind of have me a little worried.
ANGELA
Well, let’s
not call out the armed forces just yet.
But I love having you back in
ARDEN and
DANTE have just arrived.
DANTE
I’ll be in my
car.
Dante, you
don’t have to wait for me.
DANTE
Are you sure?
Yes.
DANTE
Will I ever
see you again?
Maybe.
If the fates allow.
DANTE
Arden, if for
some reason I don’t, then I want you to know, it’s
been great hanging out these past few days.
I had a lot of fun.
Me
too. Thanks for showing me around
DANTE
Any
time. See ya around.
Bye.
Dante leaves.
BRIAN
Okay, I
didn’t want to ask, but who was that?
His name is
Dante Ramos. He rescued me when my car
broke down. And he followed me all the
way into the city in his car because he was afraid it might break down again.
BRIAN
So basically
he’s a total stranger.
I guess you
could say that.
BRIAN
So are you
going to tell me why you’re here? How
did you even find me?
I had this
address from the last letter you sent me.
I just took a chance.
BRIAN
You came all
the way down here from
It’s not what
Mom did. It’s what I did.
BRIAN
What do you
mean?
Brian, I
killed someone.