My Favorite Wife Page #3

This is the situation.

Something's come up. My wife.

There are children to consider.

Mother love and all that.

Even a tiger fights for its young.

Yeah, that's good.

There's something between

two married people...

...you don't get between

two unmarried people, Bianca.

Now, be big. Be brave.

You will, Bianca? Fine.

Can I use your phone?

Hello? Give me Mrs. Arden

in suite C, please.

Something's come up. My wife.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

- Mrs. Arden? There's a call for you.

- For me?

Yes, ma'am. This way, please.

Something's come up. My wife.

Truth is strange to the fiction.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

Stranger than fiction.

This is the situation.

Something's come up. My wife...

- Hello?

- Oh, hello? Hello? Bianca.

This is the situation. This hurts me more

than you. No. Something's come up.

- Why don't you come up?

- No. I mean, I can't.

- Why not?

- Well, I'm... I'm in Carmel.

- Carmel?

- Yes, I'm flying.

That client of mine in San Francisco,

I should have told you...

...but he said to come quickly.

Life or death.

- You might have told me before you left.

- I can't hear you. I...

- I'm not staying here alone.

- See, propellers. Propellers.

You come back here.

You tell your client he'll have to wait.

Propellers, see? Propellers, see?

Take the first plane back!

What? No. I've gotta run.

Gotta run, gotta run.

We're taking off. I've gotta run.

I've gotta run. Goodbye!

- Oh, boy, we went to the planetarium.

- Look what I got. We had candy.

That's wonderful. Run along upstairs.

Tell me about it later.

- We went to the zoo too.

- Did you?

I'm exhausted.

Well, did you tell them who you are?

No. I came pretty close to it

once or twice.

Oh, Ellen.

Well, you can't expect me to play a tender

scene in front of the elephants, can you?

- Did you hear from Nick?

- No. Not a word. It's funny.

Not to me.

Suppose he's having trouble telling her?

Well, he's had a night and a day.

That ought to be long enough.

Yes, that's just it. It's too long.

Don't you think you owe me

an explanation?

Yes, I do.

Well?

When we get home.

...his father's cherry tree

And when his father came to see

He stood up straight and tall like me

He told the truth about that tree

He was no coward, oh, no, not he

- That's great. Where'd you learn that one?

- Oh, around.

Did you know any pieces

when you were little?

Yes, I used to know a few. Let's see.

Oh, here's one.

In old Kentuck, where I was born

There ain't no Yanks and there ain't no corn

But the gals and the horses can't be beat

To live down South is sure a treat

How come you talk like that?

- Y'all never heard anybody talk like that?

- No. Did it take long to learn it?

No. Everybody talks like that

down where I come from.

Even your mother.

She did?

- Before she drowned?

- Of course. Nobody talks after they drown.

Sometimes they do.

Well, I mean, they're not really drowned.

People just think they are,

but they're not, see?

My mother wouldn't do

anything silly like that.

- Like what?

- Talk after she drowned. That's ridiculous.

Yes, isn't it?

- Know any more pieces?

- It's getting late. Get ready for dinner.

- Already?

- Not yet.

- Come, come, come.

- Go on, Timmy.

- See you later.

- You too, Chinch.

Go on, darling.

Well.

- Hello, Chinch.

- Hello.

How are you?

Oh, you're getting heavy.

- Hello, Dad.

- Tim, stick them up.

What'd I tell you? Keep them high.

- Hello.

- Hello, Miss Bates.

- How are you?

- Fine, thank you.

He's brought her home.

- Don't you suppose he's told her?

- I guess not.

- Perhaps it's better if you weren't here.

- Why should I leave?

- Don't you see? lt'll be a little awkward.

- I know. I know.

Tell her I'm an old friend.

From the South.

Why don't you wash up?

Isn't it dinnertime?

- It's not 6:
00 yet.

- Now, don't argue. In you go.

- What'd I do?

- In you go.

Yes, sir.

Why didn't you tell them

I'm their new mother?

Didn't I do that?

Oh, I didn't want to confuse them.

- Confuse them?

- I mean, I'm confused.

Driving and all that, you know.

Come on. Let's go in.

Aren't you going to carry me

across the threshold?

It's good luck.

Oh, sure, sure.

Hiya, Nicholas, honey!

Surprised?

- Y'all mind if I kiss the bridegroom?

- Not at all.

Just one big, sisterly kiss.

There.

She's visiting with us.

Her mother and I went to school

together in Virginia.

I just feel like she's my own daughter.

- How nice.

- Isn't he the sweetest thing?

I used to just adore him.

He was the darlingest boy you ever did see.

But faithless.

Just like a bumblebee

going from flower to flower.

Oh, I was only fooling, honey.

I come from a fooling family.

My great-grandfather Lucius...

...was the first man to give the governor

of North Carolina the hotfoot.

- You've been married before, haven't you?

- Why, no, of course not.

Now, where did I get the idea

you was a widow?

Not yet.

Well, I'll make a drink. Shall I?

You must be tired, son.

You both look tired.

That's what I've been thinking,

but not daring to say!

Oh, I'm just terrible,

saying things like that!

Oh, isn't that lovely?

Isn't that a lovely thing?

- Engagement present?

- Yes.

I used to have one exactly like it.

Exactly.

- Did y'all drive all night?

- Why, no. We stopped at a charming place.

A sort of rose-covered cottage.

Nick picked it.

He said he wanted just the right place.

It was so peaceful, so serene, so romantic.

Nick's so thoughtful.

- Isn't he, though?

- Dinner's served.

- How's school, Tim?

- Fine.

Tim's quite an orator.

- Will you recite for us?

- I don't wanna recite.

Then you don't have to.

Nicholas, did you know Chinch got

two gold stars from her music teacher?

No. Did you, Chinch?

- Chinch got two gold stars from her teacher.

- I heard the news.

I know what!

Let's have Chinch play for us after dinner.

- I can play by heart without the paper.

- Isn't that wonderful?

- I had a pretty good ear when I was a kid.

- You could never carry a tune.

- Don't believe her.

- Still can't.

- I like my husband's voice.

- Don't care much about music, huh?

I made a mistake.

Pick up where you left off,

if you don't mind.

My teacher said I shouldn't do that.

Go right back, darling.

Under a spreading chestnut tree

The village smithy stands

- The smith, a mighty man is he

- Good boy!

With large and sinewy hands

And the muscles of his brawny arms

Are strong as iron bands

"I don't wanna recite."

His face is like the tan

His brow is wet with honest sweat...

- My head's splitting. I'm going to bed.

- All right.

- Week in, week out, from morn...

- Good night.

You can hear him swing his...

- Coming, Nick?

- In just a little while.

...village bell when the evening sun is low

And the children...

Good night.

They love to see the flaming forge

And hear the bellows roar

- Thought you weren't gonna recite.

- I didn't do the Gettysburg Address.

- Let's go back and do it.

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