Aftertaste Page #20

Season #1 Episode #1

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Melody Rae sits in shock with tears of fear and deceit trickling down her face, nodding yes. And then she grabs a stack of napkins off the table, snatches her purse off the floor and hurtles toward the restroom inside the bistro. Inside the one stall bathroom she fluffs her curls with a hair pick and splashes cold water on her face. Then she wipes away the eyeliner streaks, powders her cheeks, applies lipstick, and puts on her sunglasses. When she returns to the table Kyle is gone. He is standing outside the patio against the wall of the veranda, slumped to the side and scratching his head. With arms crossed Melody Rae steps toward Kyle and leans in.

MELODY RAE:

It’s gonna be okay. I just need some time

to take this all in...okay?

He nods.

Melody Rae turns and begins to stiffly walk back in the direction of the cruise ship. Kyle follows a few feet behind. She can’t stop herself from shaking. Once back on the cruise ship, Melody Rae reverts into complete denial.

Kyle incarcerates himself by choosing to remain cooped up in the cabin suite, while Melody Rae finds respite with her new friends. Other than regarding the time and where the plane tickets were, no words between them were exchanged.

REVEAL:
Melody Rae and Kyle on the plane back home and in the car ride home, exchanging no words; complete silence.

At home Melody Rae plunges into researching information about heroin addiction and mental illness on the computer.

SUPERIMPOSE:
MCCLOUD, CALIFORNIA

FEBRUARY 2001

EXT. MCCLOUD, CALIFORNIA – MORNING

INT. MELODY RAE & KYLE’S CABIN

MELODY RAE:

(on phone)

Mom, he didn’t cheat on me and he wasn’t

abusive, so-o-o I don’t feel like I have

a very good reason to divorce him.

DAD (V.O. in the distance)

Melody Rae, he lied to you! That’s enough

grounds to get out. Maybe you can get an

annulment?

MELODY RAE:

I know he lied. You’re right, I know!

Thanks dad, I love you!

(softly)

Mom, can you take me off speaker now?

(beat)

Thank you. It’s not that easy. I kind of

blame myself. I feel like, maybe I should

have seen this coming on and said

something before, you know? I don’t know.

I just feel horrible. I mean, he needs

professional help...and, and, I just don’t

know what to do.

Tears roll down Melody Rae’s face.

REVEAL:
Time of nearly a month passing on a calendar

INT. MELODY RAE & KYLE’S CABIN – AFTERNOON

Melody Rae walks in the door in her dog grooming work attire and sees Kyle standing in the doorway to the kitchen next to packed luggage.

KYLE:

We need to talk.

Melody Rae sits down at the kitchen table and takes a deep breath.

KYLE:

I’m not ready for this. I need to go back

to Mississippi. I’m sorry, but I was wrong.

I’m not ready for marriage. You did nothing

wrong. I’m just not ready. You’re beautiful

and wonderful, but I want a divorce. I’m

not ready to be married, to anyone.

Melody Rae puts her head in her hands and begins to sob.

KYLE:

I know it wasn’t right to have you move out

of your place and into this one and have no

place to go, so I am going to give the

cabin to you. I’ll have my lawyer write up

the paperwork and work out the details

with you. It’s the least I can do.

Kyle hands Melody Rae a box of tissues, and then uncomfortably walks around the table to give her a hug, and then grabs his suitcase and walks out the door.

REVEAL:
Calendar months flying past and stopping on June.

SUPERIMPOSE:
APRIL 2001

EXT:
RED BLUFF, CALIFORNIA – RODEO

Kat and Melody Rae, driving separately, park their vehicles near the camping site area, and then walk through the stationary cars and RV’s in the direction of the rodeo bleachers. After a double take of Mister S and his 13-year-old son in the distance Melody Rae squeals and bumping Kat, practically knocking her over, jumps behind the closest positioned car. She then motions for her to join her on the ground, where she points in the direction of Mister S.

MISTER S’ WIFE:

Mister S is sitting in an Adirondack lawn chair, holding a red solo cup, and playing cards with his son and a few guy friends. His wife appears out of the RV and sits in an empty chair next to them.

MELODY RAE:

Well?

KAT:

Dang, he’s old.

Melody Rae laughs and then they both decide to walk briskly but as inconspicuously as possible toward the rodeo arena, giggling like schoolgirls. Melody Rae takes a moment to take one last look back. Precisely as she does Mister S and her eyes meet. He spills his cup (beer), warranting an instant reaction from the guys, who were boisterously livid he spilled all over their deck of cards. Kat grabs Melody Rae’s hand and they frenetically race toward the rodeo grandstands like foolish teenagers.

REVEAL:
Melody Rae and Kat dancing swing dance with several different cowboys, flirting, laughing, and drinking too much. Then Melody Rae is sleeping in the back of her truck, alone, and drives home alone.

SUPERIMPOSE:
MCCLOUD, CALIFORNIA

NOVEMBER:

2006

INT:
MELODY RAE’S COUNTRY BUNGALOW – DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

REVEAL:
Cabin has been remodeled to look like a charming

Italian cottage

The alarm is blaring for the third time...bomp-bomp-

bomp-bomp...Instead of hitting the snooze button again, Melody Rae turns off the alarm and sits up in bed. Taking a deep breath, she plants her right foot onto the floor.

MELODY RAE:

Thank

(followed by her left foot)

You. Life is good. I will always have plenty of

Money, good health, and love.

INT. PETITE PAWS GROOMING SALON

Melody Rae walks into the salon with her coffee mug, and upon seeing her first dog to groom—a cute sheer-white purebred Maltese—she smiles, sets down her coffee and snuggles the dog.

MELODY RAE:

I love my job.

INT. PETITE PAWS GROOMING SALON

Melody Rae walks into the salon with her coffee mug, and upon seeing her first dog to groom—a cute sheer-white purebred Maltese—she smiles, sets down her coffee and snuggles the dog.

MELODY RAE:

I love my job.

Sam Cooke’s “Twistin’ the Night Away” and Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” and The Rascals “Good Lovin’” play over the loudspeaker while MELODY RAE dances and trims the little dog. After the dog is trimmed the happy owner is seen explaining how the dog needs a new owner due to her new move, and MELODY RAE gladly takes the dog.

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