What Lies Beneath Page #11

NORMAN:

Who did? Mrs. Feur?

CLAIRE:

Maybe. Point is... not me.

NORMAN:

Right. And why is she here? If he

killed her, why doesn't she haunt

him?

CLAIRE:

She was lonely, I talked to her.

Norman, I know how it looks, but --

NORMAN:

Claire, listen to me. I know you're

under some strain. But there's no

such thing as ghosts. They don't

exist. Our neighbor did not kill his

wife, and I... wait, why aren't you

dressed?

CLAIRE:

Dressed?

NORMAN:

Dinner. With Stan and his new girl.

CLAIRE:

When?

NORMAN:

What do you mean? Claire, we talked

about it. You didn't want Japanese,

I said, our first date since...

CLAIRE:

(she seems confused)

Oh.

NORMAN:

...since Caitlin. You don't remember

this?

CLAIRE:

Tonight?

NORMAN:

Yes, tonight. We're going to be --

She looks at his watch.

CLAIRE:

Fashionably five minutes late.

She bolts up the stairs.

INT. NORMAN'S PICKUP TRUCK - NIGHT

They drive across the bridge.

NORMAN:

(concerned, exasperated)

When you do this, I swear...

CLAIRE:

(overlapping)

...Don't get all...

NORMAN:

...like it never even happened...

CLAIRE:

Okay, okay, I'm sure that I just...

He pulls out a cell phone and punches in a number.

CLAIRE:

What are you doing?

NORMAN:

Restaurant. Let them know we're

running late.

CLAIRE:

Five minutes?

The phone flashes... "NO SERVICE."

CLAIRE:

You're not at the center.

NORMAN:

(overlapping)

I know I'm not at the center of the

bridge.

CLAIRE:

We're going to be fine.

They near the far side of the bridge. Norman looks down at

the cell phone, which now reads, "ROAM." He presses a button.

NORMAN:

There we go.

CLAIRE:

Well, that's a relief.

He shoots her a look.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

A cozy, candlelit Italian place in town. Claire and Norman

arrive at the table. STAN rises. The chair next to him is

empty. He kisses her cheek.

CLAIRE:

Hi Stan. Sorry we're late.

(too earnest)

It was my fault.

She greets Stan, a friendly looking man in his forties.

STAN:

We just got here.

Claire flashes a semi-playful look back at Norman.

CLAIRE:

Where's the new squeeze?

A VOICE speaks out from behind her.

VOICE:

Here I am.

Claire turns to find A TALL, ELEGANT BRUNETTE standing behind

her. The woman's face registers some shock.

STAN:

I'd like you to meet...

CLAIRE:

Elena?

ELENA:

Ohmigod...

The two women embrace, then beam at each other.

CLAIRE:

Wow.

ELENA:

This is...

CLAIRE:

(to Norman)

We know each other.

NORMAN:

Hope so.

LATER:

Post meal. Several empty wine bottle decorate the table.

ELENA:

We had this Finnish conductor, Aki,

Laki, something. He had these

ridiculous bangs. And he'd sweep

them off with his baton every minute

or so, and it drove us insane,

remember?

Claire nods.

CLAIRE:

He looked like one of the Monkees.

ELENA:

Anyway, Claire slept with him...

CLAIRE:

I didn't sleep with him.

ELENA:

...just so she could cut them off.

CLAIRE:

He was so pissed.

ELENA:

I came in from my room...

CLAIRE:

(interjecting)

We were suite mates.

ELENA:

And there's this brilliant conductor

in purple briefs with no bangs cursing

his ass off in Finnish.

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