Lovers and Other Strangers Page #3

By then I'll be a little rested.

We'll order some champagne.

It'll be like a second honeymoon.

How's that sound?

All right, honey.

Good night. Put the light out.

Remember, now you owe me three.

- Susan, you're...

- Rare.

- Wilma?

- Medium.

- Johnny?

- Same as mine.

Mother's is medium-rare,

and Kathy's is medium-rare.

Mike's I won't start till he comes.

Someday we're going to move to Florida

so I can barbecue all year round.

I don't understand...

why you can't put

the Trepannis with the Hendersons.

Because oil and water don't mix. Bernice,

the Trepannis are Italian, New York.

Hal's relatives are Irish, Bridgeport.

- Johnny, don't tire yourself. Take it easy.

- All right, guys. Come on. Let's go.

Boys, you're going to wear your father out.

- Son, how do you like yours?

- Charred.

Remember me?

- What's the matter?

- Ritchie's getting a divorce.

That's too bad. I'm sorry.

I said I was sorry.

What's that got to do with us?

If you don't get married,

you don't get a divorce.

Are you just going

to be uptight all the time now?

Maybe.

What do you want to do?

Call off the wedding?

- That's right.

- Go on just as we are?

Why not? It's been beautiful

for a year and a half.

- You mean it?

- Yeah, okay.

That's it. Let's go home.

Wait. There's just one thing.

- You see that man over there?

- You mean the Charcoal King?

That man is going

to get up tomorrow morning...

put on his striped trousers,

and wait for my mother...

who will be putting on her $900 dress

from Bergdorf Goodman.

And they will go together

to our family church...

to greet over 100 people who are

coming to see him give the bride away.

You're trying to make me look

like the bad one.

It won't work.

I owe you nothing, baby, you get it?

I'm not talking about me.

I'm talking about that man...

who has taken over

the Grand Ballroom of the Stoneridge Inn...

hired musicians, paid for 150 dinners,

I'll pay back every penny.

I've got about $20. Take it as a deposit.

Don't give it to me. Give it to him.

That's all you have to do.

I will. You're damn right I will.

- This charred enough for you, son?

- Mr. Henderson, I'm Phyllis.

- Who?

- Susan's roommate...

the one she's been living with

for a year and a half.

Let's walk a little.

- If you don't believe me, ask-

- I believe you. No gap.

When Susan walks down that aisle

in her white bridal gown...

Virgin Susan meets Father Gregory,

that's hypocrisy.

We're, like, married already.

I don't want to go through with this sham.

Do you understand?

I understand, Mike. Sit down.

There's no gap here, Mike, believe me.

Maybe it was all right in your time,

but it's not right for Susan and me.

- We don't live lies anymore.

- We have two girls.

You're two brothers, aren't you?

Maybe if you had a sister...

you'd understand about mothers

and daughters and weddings.

Weddings aren't planned

a few months ahead.

Weddings are planned

from the time the girl is about six.

Susan went to her first masquerade party

at eight...

dressed as a bride.

Please.

What would you rather do, Mike?

Run away to Canada?

I sure would.

It's up to you, Mike.

All you have to do is weigh your own hurt

against the hurt of all the others...

and then do what's best.

But whatever you decide, I'll understand.

No gap.

- Did you tell him?

- I told him.

Where do we stand?

In front of Father Gregory.

- Don't do it for me.

- I'm not doing it for you.

I'm doing it for a little

eight-year-old girl...

who went to her first masquerade

dressed as a bride.

- He told you that?

- You never did.

Is there anything else I should know?

Just that I love you, you son of a b*tch.

- Mother, the barbecue's going beautifully.

- Kathy, if we place-

I have nothing more to say

about the Trepannis and the Hendersons.

Don't ask my opinion, Bernice.

Don't ask my opinion

about the seating plan...

or anything else connected

with your daughter's wedding.

Do something. You're so good with her.

Don't worry, Mother. I'll handle it.

- Are you in there?

- No, go away.

Let me in. I want to talk to you.

There's nothing to say.

Nothing. It's all nothing.

- Goodbye, Hal.

- Goodbye, Kathy.

I love you so much. You're my whole life.

I can't live without you.

I couldn't live without you. I love you.

You didn't mean what you just said.

There's nothing to say.

Nothing. It's all nothing.

I don't want it anymore.

I promise you,

as soon as Susan gets married...

I'll ask Bernice for a divorce.

You promised that last year

and the year before.

- This time will be different.

- "As soon as Wilma has another baby. "

- Please, Kathy.

- "As soon as Susan gets married. "

She's getting married, Hal,

and where's mine?

This could be dangerous.

Bernice might hear us.

I don't care anymore.

I never want to see you again.

If you let 10 years of love end

in a bathroom...

I'll lose all respect for myself.

- Goodbye, Hal.

- Goodbye, Kathy.

I love you so much. You're my whole life.

I can't live without you.

These few precious moments

we have together are everything.

They are precious.

My knee.

Sorry, Kathy. Get up.

You're hurting my muscle.

Why must it be sordid like this?

Sordid?

How could you call this sordid?

You can't help who you love

and who you don't love.

I love you, and I want you to be happy.

And I don't love Bernice,

but I want her to be happy.

And I do love my children,

and I want them to be happy.

But I don't want my wanting Bernice

to be happy...

to take away from my love for you.

But my wanting my children to be happy,

while not taking away my love for you...

will make Bernice happy,

and therefore make the children happy.

I want everyone to be happy.

Everyone.

- That could be my biggest fault.

- I want everyone to be happy, too.

Bernice is really a wonderful girl.

That's why it's hell for me.

She's so boring.

I know.

All she's interested in is making a home

for me and the kids...

the PTA and Bloomingdale's,

the A&P and the Girl Scouts.

- I want that, too.

- But you're such a vital person.

I am.

- Why don't you tell Bernice?

- Because I don't want to hurt her.

- Do you want to hurt me?

- Of course not.

Somebody has to get hurt.

In a situation like this,

somebody has to get hurt.

Do you want Bernice to get hurt?

No, I don't want to hurt Bernice.

- Do you want my children to get hurt?

- No.

- I don't want to...

- Then who should get hurt? Me?

- I feel nauseous.

- Don't get sick on me, please.

- I can't help it.

- Kathy, please.

I'll tell Bernice. I'll tell her

Saturday night, after the wedding.

Jerry, how would you like

to take Susan's cousin to the wedding?

- A cousin? Are you kidding?

- He'll do it. He doesn't have a date.

You're both single.

Who knows? You might hit it off.

Wait a minute. I know it's your wedding,

but Saturday night's a Saturday night.

Why shouldn't I score?

I don't want to waste a Saturday night.

Of course she's great-looking.

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