Carol Page #12

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THERESE:

I don’t mean people like that. Imean two people who just... fall inlove. With each other. Say, a boyand a boy. Out of the blue.

RICHARD:

I don’t know anyone like that. ButI’ll tell you this - there’s alwayssome reason for it. In the

background.

THERESE:

So you don’t think it could just happen

to somebody, just - anybody?

RICHARD:

No. I don’t. What are you saying?

Are you in love with a girl?

THERESE:

No.

They reach THERESE’S building. RICHARD leans his bike againsta railing, takes THERESE’S hands in his.

RICHARD:

Don’t you know I want to spend mylife with you, Terry? Come toFrance with me. Let’s get married.

THERESE:

Richard, I’m not - ready. For that.

I can’t make myself-

RICHARD:

What? Tell me.

THERESE:

I just... I have to go.

RICHARD:

Terry.

THERESE:

I’m sorry.

THERESE runs up the stairs to her building’s front door, andis in before RICHARD can say another word.

INT. COCKTAIL BAR. SAME LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING.

ABBY and CAROL sip martinis in silence at a favorite joint.

The brown two-tone suitcase CAROL saw in the shop restsagainst the table.

CAROL:

I found Rindy’s hair brushunderneath my pillow this morning.

Full of her hair. She does that,

you know, to let me know she’s beena good girl and brushed properly. Iusually clean it out but - today,

for some reason...

Beat.

ABBY:

How could he. How dare he... A

morality what?

CAROL:

Clause, he said.

ABBY:

Carol - If I’m responsible in any

way-

CAROL:

Don’t you dare - don’t you ever.

CAROL downs her drink. She pushes it towards ABBY for arefill. ABBY refills for them both.

ABBY:

Hey. You know that tailor’s shopthat went bust in Hoboken?

CAROL:

Sure. The one with the - the -

glass thingy on the-

ABBY:

Exactly. The glass thingy. Thatone.

CAROL laughs.

CAROL:

Bullshit. You have no idea what I’m

talking about.

ABBY:

You’re right. But it’s good to hearyou laugh.

ABBY offers CAROL a cigarette, she takes it, ABBY lights it.

CAROL leans back in her chair, relaxes.

ABBY (CONT’D)

Anyway, the landlord offered me alease. I was thinking - anotherfurniture shop? I’ll need some helpwith restorations every once in awhile, and you’re the varnishmaster, so...

CAROL:

You’re serious.

ABBY:

I’m serious. (beat) Couldn’t be anymore of a disaster than the shop wehad.

A silence. ABBY looks away from CAROL. CAROL leans in towardsher.

CAROL:

Hey. We weren’t a disaster. It

just...

CAROL doesn’t have the words.

ABBY:

I know. Timing. Never had it.

Anyway, I’ve got my eye on thisredhead who owns a steak house in

Paramus. I’m talking - serious RitaHayworth redhead.

CAROL:

Really? You think you have what ittakes to handle a redhead?

They share a naughty smile, thinking about serious redheads.

They toast. ABBY gestures to the suitcase.

ABBY:

You going somewhere?

CAROL:

West, I was thinking... For a fewweeks. Until the hearing. What else

am I going to do?

A silence.

ABBY:

Well I know you don’t like drivingalone. So. (beat; ABBY takes a deepbreath, exhales) She’s young.

CAROL nods her agreement: there’s no denying it.

ABBY (CONT’D)

Tell me you know what you’re doing.

CAROL:

I don’t. (silence) I never did.

INT. THERESE’S APARTMENT. SAME NIGHT.

Someone is knocking at Therese’s door.

THERESE sticks her head out of her bathroom and looks quicklyaround the room. She hurries out, still brushing her hair andfixing her blouse. As she walks to the door she quicklystashes the Billy Holiday record under a pillow, and flips onthe phonograph (“Smoke Rings,” Les Paul & Mary Ford begins toplay). She takes a last look at her freshly tidied apartmentand pulls opens the door.

It’s CAROL, the suitcase on the floor beside her.

CAROL:

Your landlady let me in.

CAROL lights a cigarette. THERESE can do nothing for a momentbut stare. Then THERESE catches sight of the suitcase, whichCAROL pushes across the threshold with her foot.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Merry Christmas. (beat) Open it.

THERESE bends down to open the suitcase. Inside is a brandnew camera and plenty of rolls of film.

INT. THERESE’S APARTMENT. LATER.

CAROL looks at THERESE’S photographs. She takes her time,

really examining them. THERESE watches without crowding her -

eager for her good opinion. CAROL comes to the photographTHERESE took of her at the tree lot, hung on the wall. She’smoved by it, by the primacy of place THERESE has given.

THERESE:

It’s not that good. I was rushed, Imean... I can do better.

CAROL:

It’s perfect.

Leaning against the end-table, CAROL picks up a small photo

in its original cardboard frame: THERESE, aged 5, at a

convent school.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Is this you?

THERESE:

Yes.

CAROL puts it down, a bit abruptly, and steps into THERESE’Skitchen sink/dark room.

CAROL:

Do you keep anything in the iceboxbesides photo chemicals? I’mfeeling-

THERESE:

Sure.

THERESE heads to the icebox, where she fishes out a couple ofbeers. She turns back to find CAROL another step away,

fighting back tears.

THERESE is frozen for a moment, not knowing exactly what todo. She approaches CAROL but hesitates, looking down at thebeers in her hand before setting them down on the counter.

She proceeds gingerly, putting a tentative hand on CAROL’sshoulder, squeezing it. Very quietly, still turned away,

CAROL breaks. She lowers her head as THERESE steps closer.

EXT. THERESE’S ROOF. NIGHT.

Sipping coffee from mugs, CAROL saunters along the perimeterof the roof while THERESE sits on a perch, watching. It’s notmuch of a view, but they can see the tips of the impressivebuildings, the lights, the cloudy night sky.

THERESE:

Is there any point in, I don’t

know... fighting it?

CAROL:

The injunction? (beat) No.

THERESE:

Three months. I feel - useless.

Like I can’t help you or offeranything-

CAROL:

It has nothing to do with you.

A pause. The remark stings THERESE, but she tries to concealit.

CAROL (CONT’D)

I’m going away for a while.

THERESE:

When? Where?

CAROL:

Wherever my car will take me. West.

Soon.

THERESE can’t hide her dismay.

CAROL (CONT’D)

And I thought... perhaps you’d liketo come with me.

A beat. CAROL looks directly at THERESE.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Would you?

A long, held moment before THERESE makes a decision.

THERESE:

Yes. Yes, I would.

A few flurries of snow have begun to fall.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. EMPLOYEE LOCKER ROOM. CHRISTMAS EVE. DAY.

THERESE is removing her personal belongings from her locker(some stockings, scarves, books) and putting them in her bag.

She separates her Frankenberg’s Employee Handbook and herslightly bloody Santa cap and places them in the lockershelf. Down at the other end of the locker room she hears

some girls approaching. Beyond them she spots RUBY ROBICHEKseated on a bench, rolling up her calf-length stockings,

looking more weary and alone than ever. THERESE carefullyshuts her locker.

EXT. FRANKENBERG’S. MOMENTS LATER

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