Simple Dreams, act 2

Fleathers were ruffled in Atlanta after New Year's. Liz
was planning a wedding of thousands, Marty worked nights, and
Luke worked locally while taking graduate courses in accounting
and computer science at Georgia Tech. By late February he and
Marty are having words in bed.

MARTY
I never see us anymore with this schedule, honey. Mom
never quits about the wedding and I'm about to call it
off. You didn't have to take night courses now.

LUCK
Marty, I need these courses for management decisions
at work. Their considering me for opening a Miami office.

MARTY
You bastard, when was I to find this out!

LUCK
It's not certaint, I'm just being prepared. You were
never a bitch when I tried to improve myself before!

MARTY
Dad can get you a job at Dow with twice the money. Why
don't you think ahead?

Luke stared at her for a minute. Then he grabs her and
starts licking her ear.

LUCK (whispering)
We have met the enemy and they are us.

MARTY
Don't change the subject!

LUCK (yelling)
I haven't. Don't you see. We're not just being accepted,
we're being absorbed by your family. We're not
shares of stock. We're already married and I intend to keep
what's between my legs.

MARTY (stutters)
Well... that is important.

LUCK
This is what I propose. Get Liz to itemize the costs
of a big wedding and find out about their wedding gift. Later,
in a womanly way, imply that the money would be better spent
on a new grandchild, but don't lie to her.

We get a beautiful, not crowd-ridden ceremony in a few
weeks and put the difference in savings. That would be five
figures.

Presently, with all the things we've done, we've got little
cash to fall back on and I don't like us being in a weak
position.

Martha ponders what he said.

MARTY
I see what you mean. They could be overwelming when
I was a kid.

LUCK
Then we make a stand. Otherwise, Liz will be breast
feeding our kids and Donald will have me bent over.

MARTY (laughing)
You can paint a hellish picture.

LUCK
Boshe-like. So, we start the plan. Phone work and complain
of being nausious, I've got you half way there already.

INT. - SELLER HOUSE - DAY 102

Three weeks later they were marriaged in a small Baptist
church in Decatur. The reception was at the Dow's and treated as
another formal party. Luke's family were overwhelmed, but he and
Marty were on a honeymoon cruise to the Virgin Islands and Martinque.

They danced at the Outrigger and stayed in the room where
they met. After a tour of Buck Island, they caught up with the cruise
on the afternoon flight.

The honey moon was never over. It was a time of wine and
roses. The Dow's wedding present is the title to a large
company house in Decatur.

MARTY
Doesn't the place look great? I'm so happy.

LUCK
We did it honey. The honeymoon was fantastic and your
a pretty good room mate.

MARTY
The proper term is wife. I want you to add that to
your list of four letter words.

LUCK
Yes dear...

They opend a five figure savings account. Luke
completed his courses and implimented some computerized accounting
upgrades at the office. Marty improved her experience record and
was a top flight OR nurse by summer's end.

INT. - ROSS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 103

In July, Cindy found a day job at Neiman Marcus in West
County, St. Louis as a fashion buyer's assistant. By August she
was sleeping with the boss.

Ross Steinman had just been through a vicious devorce
in New York. He was left with little more than his job. At 29
he had seen three marriages and sized Cindy up in an instant.
He showed her the ropes at work and in his apartment.

CINDY
Ouch, that hurts (pause) but don't stop right away...

ROSS
Let me tighten this a little more.

CINDY
Just get back inside where you belong.

ROSS
Your the best assistant buyer I've ever had.

CINDY
I can be more than that..

Cindy was learning the rag trade and accumulating a
stunning high fashion wardrode. She only went out on Ross
during his monthly buyers meetings in New York. She always
had a book of phone numbers. She would never be alone.

INT. - ROSS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 104

Ross dodged meeting her family at Thanksgiving with
a management trip to Chicago. It is the week before Christmas.

CINDY
Your the only man I could ever love.

We've been living together for five months.
I've been writing my family about you and you
have to meet them. Let's get packed.

ROSS
Cindy, we have a problem.

CINDY
What now?

ROSS
A Mrs. Price complained about you to your supervisor
and left these.

In one picture Cindy was nude in bed with five men.
In another, she wore a G string stuffed with dollars. The
pictures were attached to a computer printout from Ramada
International listing her as terminated 'for unauthorized
use of facilities', complete with dates and SS number.

CINDY
It's a lie. You know it's not true.

ROSS
I know your kind. I knew you when we met, but thought
you could change.

With three ex-wife's, I should have known -- whores
don't change. It's in the genes. Would you want a
child like you or raised by you?

CINDY
Back off, I'm not the one with broken marriages.

ROSS
No, your the kind that breaks them.


Cindy grabs for the pictures.

ROSS
This is an official customer complaint. For old times, it
goes no further then it has. I'll give you a good job
reference -- for a month. Just start packing.

Your trouble and half nuts. I don't want you living
with me.

CINDY
Don't say that..we love each other!

ROSS
I got back from New York early last week. There were
rumors and I saw you with Mathews at Misssissippi nights.

Money is your goal and men are just a means. We lived
together, but were never close. So get out!

INT. - STEW TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT 105

By now, the stew townhouse had changed roommates
several times. Deme was engaged to an engineer at Westernhouse.

CINDY
Ross kicked me out and told me to find a new job.

DEME
Cindy, you can sue for sexual harrassment and cash in
out-of-court!

CINDY
..It's not that simple. Windy Price gave him some
pictures of my dancing across the river..

DEME
"Oh...what you need is to get away for a while...
You dislike constant travel, but you need a change.

I know some stews in Atlanta that would put you up
for housesitting a couple months.

CINDY
I've been there before and it's so far away from my
family. Are these stews good friends of yours?

DEME
Yes, I'll phone them and set it up. I could get you on
a flight pass next month to meet with them. Besides, southern
gentlemen are easier to control. You should have never got
involved with a New Yorker.

CINDY
Tell me about it!

INT. - ENCO OFFICE - DAY 106

Summer was over and Enco needed Luke to open a Miami
office. He had saved them thousands of dollars on Dow supplies.

LUCK
Joe, we've seen the travel end in devorce. I want
Marty with me. I've saved Enco enough to cover an apartment
and some flights back to Atlanta for six months.

JOE
Your asking alot.

LUCK
I always come through and it makes sense.

JOE
Ok.. but for only three months initially
say anything about it..

INT - SELLER'S HOUSE - DAY 107

They had talked about it before, but Marty didn't
think it would happen.

MARTY
I've lived in Atlanta all my life. We're doing great
and I like my work.

LUCK
A nurse like you would be hired in a day. It would
be a good change for us and important to me. We're kind of
living under your dad's roof. It would take pressure off
us in the long run. Your sister could watch the condo and
even keep an eye open at Memorial. It might only be three
months, but I don't want us apart.


MARTY
I still don't like it.

LUCK
I'll make you a deal. We do this and I'll feel
able to able to accept a position your dad keeps waving
at me. Besides, you might end up on the beach with a
bunch of muscle-bound college studs rubbing lotions
into your skin.

MARTY
Well, why didn't you say so!?

LUCK
Martha Pricella! I wasn't serious about that part!

MARTY
I'll come along for the site hunt and check out
the hospitals, but I'm not promising months in Miami yet.

LUCK
Fair enough. I didn't like the look in your eye
when I mentioned muscle-bound college studs.

MARTY
Just shut up and I'll show you that look again.

INT. - ENCO MIAMI - DAY 108


The week after Labor Day, they found a apartment
south of Miami Beach, an office site, and Marty started working
at St. John's hospital. Luke hired a secretary and salesman.
Then he offered a transfer to a pair of old roommates in Houston.

CLARK
Your becoming respectable Luke. No more Galveston
Beach concerts?

LUCK
I'm push'in 30 and look'in at pacemaker's.

GEORGE
Whatever happened to that wild Ozark blonde
you dated so long.

LUCK
We dated too long.

GEORGE
Well, I'll never forget the weekend at her farm
in Osage County. Those people can party.

LUCK
I heard the girl you laid at the Westphalia picnic
won't either, Mary H..was pregnant last summer. I don't
know what happened since.

GEORGE
I don't believe it.

LUCK
I don't know. It was in the last of 200 some letters
Cindy wrote me.

INT. - SELLER APARTMENT - NIGHT 109

The weeks went by. Luke split his time between
local jobs and the office. Marty worked days and they
took in the nightlife after dark. They celibrated the
first year anniversary of meeting with too much rum.
Clark and George roamed the state working projects.

In October, Luke arranged a week long follow
up of the Hess refinery with Clark. The two of them relived
old times and rented a sailboat over the weekend. Luke left
Clark some contacts with PR companies and told him he could
stay as long as he could drum up four days of work a week.

Back in Miami, Rick, his salesman had signed
enough contracts for another engineer. Luke hired
away an engineer from CPC, Enco's main competitor.
The same firm tried to pirate Luke the year before.

Clark had lined up a month of work in the Islands.
George was headed for paternity suits. The clients were
paying their bills and a routine was developing.

Marty is lonely and homesick when Luke returns.
Visiting his uncle hasn't filed the gap.

MARTY
Did you have a good time with Clark on St. Croix?

LUCK
I saw how my designs were implimented and got
him set to find more projects.

MARTY
I missed you, honey. I don't want to wake up alone
any more.

LUCK
There's going to be travel in any job. I'm just
glad we aren't apart for weeks. It won't be long before
the office is set and we're always together.

INT. - DOW ESTATE - NIGHT 110

They flew to Atlanta for Halloween weekend. The
Dows were used to seeing their daughter weekly and Luke
is underfire.

PAT
Martha isn't happy when your apart.

LUCK
Pat, of all people, you know that travel is
required in business.

PAT
I've got an engineering manager spot here
that would be just your ticket.

LUCK
I plan to be ready for it next year. I'm gaining
priceless experience right now.

PAT
I can see that you are, but women can't.

LUCK
You know there are things a man just has to do.
I'm going to be capable of that position. Isn't
that best for everyone in the long run?

PAT
Yes it is.

INT. - ENCO OFFICES - DAY 111

The house showed the wear from some of Dorthy's
parties, but she kept the utilities on.

Luke and Joe met and set another three month budget.

JOE
The office is shaping up. I've heard some good reports.

LUCK
It's almost as hard as living out of a suitcase. Joe.
I take it the apartment and expense charges are ok?"

JOE
Just keep up the good work. Headquarters has an
eye on you.

INT - SELLER'S MIAMI APT - NIGHT

The Sellers caught the Sunday afternoon flight back to
Miami. Marty felt revived and Luke needed the pat on the back.

November flew by and Luke was searching for a long
term local contract that would carry the office through. It
was Thanksgiving week when he and Rick convinced Dade County
to sign a contract for chemical studies of their water system
and supporting facilities.

Clark had hussled the Islands for two months and there
was more rum in each phone call. Luke swapped him with George
and gave Clark some low pressure projects in the Miami area.

The Sellers spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta with her
family. Appearently, Don told Liz that their son-in-law
knew what he was doing. The holidays were a joy and Marty
realized that Luke had gained the confidence and respect
they needed.

Back in Miami, they are in bed.

LUCK
How many other kids can those feed?"

She pushes him away while laughing.

MARTY
Grandpa Bert would say something like that. Just
can't take the farm out of the boy.

LUCK
Enough hair on my ass to weave an Indian blanket
and you call me boy?

MARTY
I take you to symphonies and museums -- this is
what I get?

LUCK
You know what you get, the question remains - how
many children do you want?

MARTY
Well.. I thought we'd start with one, besides you.

LUCK
When would we start with that one?

MARTY (blushing)
When I'm 24.

She is 24.
LUCK
You'll make a fine mother.


She reached in the nightstand and dropped a dispenser
of asprin sized pills in the waste basket.

Luke setup a computer system for the office and trained
Beth, his secretary, and Clark in it's use during December. Luke
sensed a faint feeling. Martha missed her period before Christmas.

EXT. - WILKES GAS STATION - DAY 112

Cindy worked very diligently during the Christmas
season and got a letter of recommendation from her supervisor.
She quit the next day and spent Christmas through New Year's with
her family.

Ron Welch was sitting on the front bench drinking a beer.
He is one of the crew Cindy had party sex with during
high school and summer's.

RON
Haven't seen you in a while, Cindy.

CINDY
I've been working in St. Louis.

RON
Been a little slow around here without you.

CINDY
Lets stop by your place and see if we can change that!


She always saw someone she had been with. Some of the local
boys weren't as far beneath her as she once thought. In fact,
no one really was.

INT. - SYNDER'S HOME - DAY 113


Luke and Marty flew to Atalnta for Christmas. Her folks
picked them up at Hartsfield International and took them to the
estate. Luke took Marty's Celica to Decatur and had the condo to
himself for the afternoon. A long and uninterrupted afternoon. The
last rays of light dance on the ripples of the backyard lake.

LUCK (to self)
Life happens so fast, or does it?

Points and circles... a point in time, a moment,
and it's there.

The moon circles and a person struggles in his world.

The sun circles he struggles in everyone else's.

Nature makes the laws and ages, so by what audacity does
man judge. There is no greater crime then to interfer.

Martha is pregnant. She radiates complete fullfilment.
Cindy committed the ultimate horror, then gangbangs
the scars.

Nature spent nearly twenty years preparing them each.

The phone rings.

LUCK
Yes dear, the place is just fine and I was walking out
the door..

INT. - DOW ESTATE - CHRISTMAS DAY 114

The Dow's were astir with the news of a first grandchild.
Liz is explaining the changes of motherhood to a registered nurse.
Pat is explaining the Dow pension plan to a young man.

LIZ
..and some days you'll wish you were dead before
the labor actually starts..

PAT
..and some years you'll have the option of doubling
survivor benefits before retirement actually starts..

Luke and Marty looked at each other. Luke did a little
calipso gig while Pat reached for a pamphlet. Marty doubled up
laughing and Liz was punching 911. Luke hit the receiver and
apologized for his wife's giddiness. Martha threw an elbow in his
rib and Luke doubled up. Liz and Pat look at each other.

BUTLER
Dinner is served.


Christmas gifts were exchanged in a ferver. The Seller's
offered fashionable personalized momentoes. The Dows offered
cars, bonds, and a personal computer..

LUCK( to self)
How much fun he had had back home feeding the hogs.
To throw that ear of corn with such percision --
impacting the skull immediatly above the eyes.

To watch the beast drop, stunned, then to wine away
and scatter the rest of the herd.

MARTY(to self)
Prince, her old German Shepherd. He bit Donald once,
but couldn't be harmed. Prince also eyed Dorthy
and Ron from time to time.


With graciousness and regrets, the Sellers parted the
family for their own home.

INT. - LUCK'S CAR - NIGHT 115

LUCK
I'm not sure your family will ever understand us.

MARTY
They can't control what they don't understand.

LUCK
I realize that you honestly love and trust me.
With that foundation, what we want is ours.

MARTY

(pause) You look beneath the surface, yet still wanted
me. No idea or care about my family or wealth. I still
know a diamond when I see one.


Luke realized she had never said that before.

He careened to the shoulder of the road and simply held her.


There were a few long phone calls to Missouri, but
the rest of the holidays were spent in bed.

INT. - ATLANTA AIRPORT - DAY 116

It was a new year and she was 23. Cindy's first plane
ride was with Luke. Luke had paid her only prior jet flight. As
the 727 left the runway, she was nervous, but an hour and a half
later it was Atlanta.

In Hartsfield terminal, a lone stewardess holds a sign
with the name "Cindy J."

CINDY
Hi, I'm Cindy Lowmeyer. Are you Deme's friend?

JOEY
Yes, I'm Joey. Good to meet you, Cindy. Let's get your
bags. Deme talks a lot about you.


With that, the two nagavated the terminal and roads to
an apartment south of Fulton Stadium.

INT. - STEW CONDO - DAY 117

JOEY
Mindy and Katy are on flights, but should be back
during the early week. I'm not on till tomorrow. Freshen up
and I'll show you some of the town.

CINDY
I'll be ready in a minute.

INT - HOULAHAND's - EVENING 118

Joey and Cindy drove down streets named Peachtree.
Neither saw any peaches. Houlahand's offered a bite to eat
and ladie's night.

JOEY
Most of the guys here have their first job out
of college and are looking to impress before they get laid.
It's easy to pick. If it doesn't feel right, a free drink
doesn't hurt and it's early.

A pair of guys bought them drinks. The small
talk ended quickly.

CINDY
We have a Houlahand's in St. Louis, this
looks about the same.

JOEY
Check out the two in suits by the divider. The
tall one could have his way with me.

CINDY
I like the dark haired guy in the pin strip sitting
by the window. The other guys at the table keep
asking him stuff.

JOEY
Cindy! He's probably 40 with a wife and kids. He's
their boss.

CINDY
That doesn't mean he's bad in bed.. or anywhere else!

CINDY
Your going to like this town. Welcome home room mate!


EXT. - THE HOT TROT - NIGHT 119

Joey gave Cindy a tour through downtown. Studibaker's was
crowded, but they managed a drink. They drove down Piedmont
as Cindy teased about strip joints.

JOEY
If you really like the horny older guys, there's a
place to go, the Hot Trot.

CINDY
Why not? Bet we could turn some heads even with
our clothes on.

JOEY
Your really game for this?

CINDY
Show me the woods.

Joey made a u-turn and parked on the side. The man
at the door didn't ask for cover or ID.

INT. - THE HOT TROT - NIGHT 120

Inside, they were out numbered 10 to 1. They looked around and
were the center of attention, except for the stage.

A woman, about 22 and a little overweight was
gyrating to the music. Guys were sticking dollar bills
in her G string. Cindy notices that another girl with
ten dollar bills in her hand is dancing totally naked
at a separate table.

CINDY
Guys really will do anything for even the thought
of pussy.

JOEY
Cindy, I don't like the way the guys at that
table are looking at us.

CINDY
Probably the most they'll get tonight.. ok
let's go. (pause) Men are all the same.

Deme gave me a weekend flight pass. I could
be back next week.


JOEY
Your welcome anytime.

INT. - SELLER'S APT. - NIGHT 121

Back in Miami, Luke and Marty were happy, though
Martha sometimes had morning sickness. Clark got the general
idea that he could run the place, with further training
and without the booze. The office is well in the black
by Februray.

LUCK
Honey, we made it. I opened a corporate office.
We've established our own life. We're winners.

MARTHA
I now understand, we stood on our own and can
always fall back on that confidense. It feels
good. There was always a method to your madness.

LUCK
And, most important, we have each other and our
first year together. That's supposed to be the
toughest.

I never felt better about another person in my life.

INT. - HOTEL , COTE DE AZURE - DAY 122

The North Sea platforms needed a follow up
and Marty loved travel. They returned to Europe. Luke took
two weeks of vacation and toured the continent.

Marty read from her trip journal.

MARTY
Honey, listen to my notes and your priceless quotes:

Amsterdam is so open. The cannals, the Riksmusium,
the red light district, all of it. The Rembrandts
were incredible and Coster's diamonds were flawless.


"The hookers in the picture windows used up a lot
of film."

'Hone, I hope you find a deeper appreciation of
history in Germany.'


The Rhine cruise was breathtaking, castles above the shore
and Luke enjoyed the white wine. But Heidleburg was ultra modern.

The malls and bars are almost American. The view of the
city from that castle were spectacular. I'll never forget the
wooden spires of the Colone Cathedral.


"Dr. Mueller's Sex Shoppe used up a lot of film."


'Jerk, I hope you find a deeper appreciation of
history in Switzerland.'


We held each other closly as we passed through the
border tunnels to Lake Lucern.


"Marty, have you noticed how honest and responsible the
Swiss are. There are no locks on the hotel doors. The
mountains are simply spectacular."


'The ski instructors in their tight little pants used
up a lot of film.'


"Jerk, I hope you have a deeper appreciation of history
in Rome."


After crossing the plains of central Italy, our tour
arrived in Rome.


" The Vadican is timeless and the works of Michangelo
are priceless. Can you believe the beauty of the fountains?"

"Can you imagine the Collisem and glory of Rome. How
must it have looked two thousand years ago?"

"The Italians are such an emotional people."


"Taste the cusine. We are so luckly to enjoy this."

Our tour continued through Venice.

"Who could imagine constructing a city of cannals,
the romance, and the beauty of St. Mark's square. Surely it
wasn't the mobsters that held the tour for ransome." We decided.


When our tour reached Monte Carlo, we had run out
of ways to describe the splendor. Mountains
rising from the sea, a crystal blue bay briming with white
yachts, the palace -- all spotless and standing in the sun.

To the west lay the beaches of Cann and further miles of the
French Riviera.


"Those topless beaches used up a lot of film."


'Luke, you have all the topless beach you'll ever
need. Honestly, sometimes I think you belong on a
drilling platform.'

LUCK
You have a way with words, now I want my way with you

MARTY
I thought you'll never ask.

INT. - SELLER HOME - NIGHT 123

Marty was in her third month when she returned to Memorial.
Luke gave Joe the North Sea report and his resignation. Joe gave
Luke his highest recommendation, with a written management offer,
should he ever return. But Enco could never match the salary Pat
gave his newest engineering manager.

LUCK
It's good to be alive.

MARTY
As long as we're together.

INT. - STEW CONDO - NIGHT 124

It was January 12th, when Cindy packed every thing she owned
into her car and a uhaul trailer. The next day she was living with the
stewardesses in Atlanta. By the end of the month she wanted money.

CINDY
Joey, we're friends and we all use men. I want to pick up
some cash, but not in Atlanta. Where's a good place to
pick up guys?

JOEY
Well... there's Athens, with the main university.
It's about an hour and a half. Basketball weekends are
crowded and no one asks questions.

CINDY
And I've only got a month of birth control pills left.
Where's the Planned Parenthood around here?

JOEY
I don't know, but there's a free clinic downtown.

CINDY
Good. Could you show me where some of these places
are on a map?

Cindy drove an hour and a half to Athens, Georgia on a basketball
game weekend. She had five hundred dollars when she returned.

A week later, she had the clap again and had to show her ID and
signoff at a clinic for a prescription.

In February, she found a job as a fashion buyer's
assistant with Sach's Fifth Avenue south of downtown Atlanta.

Cindy was much wiser. There were enough nude frat, non-frat,
and strip joint photos in the Mid-West.

She never entered another Ramada and avoided married affairs at work.

But she was dressed to kill and only frequented the
most expensive bars. She knew the kind of man she wanted
and four years of loan payments began in June.

She doubled with the stews a couple times and even
slept with a good prospect in mid February. But Tom Farris
was already married.

INT. - YIN CHONG'S - EVENING 125

Then, near the end of February, Deme flew in and introduced
her to John Darcels, a ladies man, but first class meal ticket.

He was a vice president and heir to the Cola Beveerage
fortune. Recently devorced at 30, he was on the rebound from
an affair at the west coast office. At six foot six, with curly
black hair, some said he resembled a humorless Burt Reynolds.

A lawyer turned manager, he was as warm and calculating as
the books he left behind.

DEME
Cindy Lowmeyer, I'll like you to meet John Darcels.

JOHN
Pleased to meet you, Cindy.

CINDY
I'm pleased as well, John. I work at Sak's downtown
and I like a well dressed man. Your suit looks like
a Bill Blass.

JOHN
You know your cloths.

CINDY
I know my men.

The meal ended.

JOHN
Cindy, Deme says your new to Atlanta. Let me show you
the town.

CINDY
You can show me anything you want.


INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - NIGHT 126

Cindy liked what she saw, particularly the imported sports
car and four bedroom house near the country club. She gave
a 100 percent the night they met and moved in the beginning
of March.

CINDY(to self)
First one's on the house.

CINDY
Oh John..
JOHN
Oh baby..

CINDY
Your the only one..

JOHN(to self)
I dumped Windy, my first wife, because of miscarriages.
She had an abortion in college couldn't carry to term.
But a child is what I need.

Control of the family fortune will go to me, if I have
a blood heir. My younger brother and sister have kids
and father was on his third heart bypass.

INT. - CBI JOHN'S OFFICE - WEEK LATER 127

When John had Cindy checked out, he found she was from
a rural Catholic backround and had never been married.
A rumored affair with her prior boss, but no kids.

JOHN (to self)
Farmgirl Catholic and prime breeding stock, mother
loves her and even father likes her.

Sounds like good business.

INT. - JOHN'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - 128

Cindy was in no mood to play house without equity. Especially
after she heard rumors of John having affairs while still married.
He 'worked late' one night and there are words.

CINDY
John, I phoned your office hours before you came
home and you weren't there.

JOHN
You were spying on me?

CINDY
I love you, but there are plenty of fish in the sea.

JOHN
I imagine you and the stews fried a few.

CINDY
And if we did, we weren't working late.

JOHN
I won't be spied on, but I may be caught up at the office.


There was no more 'working late' for a few weeks.

INT. - JOHN'S HOUSE - NIGHT 129

The beginning of May, in the heat of spring, Cindy mounts
him.

CINDY
John, your the only man I could ever love.

JOHN
Have you ever been married or pregnant?

CINDY
No, I saved that for you.

The little head is doing the talking.

JOHN
Then let's get married in Vegas.


Without missing a stroke she moaned.

CINDY
My toothbrush is packed.


INT. - VEGAS WEDDING CHAPLE - NIGHT 130

The next day their flight landed in Los Vegas.

MINISTER RICE
Do you, John Darcels and Cindy Lowmeyer wish
to be married.

BOTH
We do.

MINISTER RICE
By the laws of Nevada, I pronounce you man and wife.

The Darcels learned to gamble. John had added his own set of
prenuptuals to the papers she signed.

Mrs. Darcels phoned everyone she knew. The days flew by.


INT. - CINDY'S HOUSE - DAY 131

They stop in Missouri to meet her family on the
way back.

CINDY
Family, this it my husband John. The man I've written
and phoned so much about.

We were married last week in Las Vegas.

FRED
Cindy says your father started Cola Beverages... is
that true?

JOHN
Yes sir, Fred.. It's the family business.

FRED
Welcome home son.

JULIE
It's so good to see my Cindy happy. Come and meet
the rest of the family.

After a night of introductions the couple had a plane
to catch in the morning.

John feels the family is no problem.


EXT. - WILKES GAS STATION - DAY 132

John gets out of the car and fills the gas tank. Cindy
goes in the store for a coke. John notices a pair of young
men talking to Cindy.

RON
Haven't seen you around in a while, Cindy.

CINDY
I've been living in Atlanta and got
married last week.

RON
Darn, it's been kinda slow around here.

Ron grabs her ass. Ted smiles.

CINDY
Might stay slow for a while, be'in it's my honeymoon.

TED
Wouldn't let something like that change you.

CINDY
Nobody's changed.. it's just not the right time
for old times, guys. Here's my number if your ever
down South.

Cindy wrote down her number and gave it to Ron. John
paid at the window and is about to come inside.

CINDY
I gotta go. Don't let your meat loaf.

John and Cindy got in the car. He is pulling on to the
highway.

JOHN
Friends of yours?

CINDY
Friends of my brothers.

He noticed her brother's friends laughing and waving.
One had a piece of paper in his hand. Cindy pretended
to ignor them. A sinking feeling came over him.

JOHN(to self)
Shit, I know that look. Cindy has been around.

She is in the clouds on the flight back to Atlanta.


INT. - SELLER HOME - NIGHT 133

Luke and Marty worked hard during the spring and
invested most of what they earned. Luke helped Marty
adjust to nature's changes as they grow closer.

LUCK
Are the mornings getting any easier, honey?

MARTY
Some, I'm glad I like the hospital. I worry too much
when I'm not busy.

LUCK
Your taking good care of yourself and junior. I'll take
care of the rest. We're going to be fine, so there's
no need to worry.

In June, Luke continued MBA courses on Dow time and expense,
but suddenly felt depressed during early summer.

Marty cut back on hospital hours and they enrolled in Laplace
classes at the end of the month.

By August, Marty was 'hands off' and Luke started
another semester. He had good people under him and his
engineering section was productive.

Luke's mood fell into a second depression during late summer.
He couldn't understand and hid it as best he could.

But Marty could tell and questions him.

MARTY
What's wrong honey? You don't seem yourself.

LUCK
Suddenly, I'm hit by a wave of depression. I try to
shake it. I don't know why, honey. I just don't.

But the last thing I want is you worried. We've
done the best we know how. Maybe I'm too concerned
about the baby.

MARTY
Like you said, we're going to be just fine --
and you never lie to me.

LUCK
I know, honey. I know.


Marty took full maturnity leave in September.
It was the 20th at 6:00 AM when she said those three
little words.

MARTY
My water broke.


Luke wanted to panic, but rushed her to the hospital
instead. He stood at her side.


INT. - DELIVERY ROOM - NIGHT 134

LUCK
A brilliant nurse like you has seen this a dozen times.

MARTY
Seeing isn't doing, belie-v-e me, honey.

LUCK
Just breathe like we practiced. Both mother and child
will be fine. I'll make it too.

A very slow eight hours passed.

LUCK
Again, just one more time.

MARTY
I kno-o-w..

Dr. Foster handed them a eight pound one ounce screaming baby boy.
Eric Samuel Synder said hello to a new world. Adam shed a tear.

LUCK
Gosh, honey, Eric's gorgous, like his folks.

MARTY
He even kicks and snores like his old man.

The three some return to their home later in the week.

Their parent's and relatives join in the celibration.

Marty was breast feeding, Eric was happy, and Luke was
never prouder. He fonded over the two endlessly. It took time to
adjust to the new routine. Still, Marty caught him saying,
"wastebaskets" and sometimes crying in his sleep. She wouldn't
ask and didn't understand.

They began making love again and she continued
maturnity leave. Luke continued his work and studies.
Aside from lack of sleep, neither had felt more complete.

It is a quiet evening in November.

MARTY
Honey, I don't know what happened. It shouldn't have
happened. I took precautions, but I'm pregnant again.

Luke stares at her for the longest time.

MARTY
..that could be changed..

LUCK
Don't even .. think like that!

Just the other day I wondered when we should get Eric a
playmate and we have the answer -- straight from above.
I love you, Martha, and I couldn't be happier for us.


Marty was startled, yet something had to be brought
into the open.

MARTY
I love you and have a right to know. In your sleep
you sometimes say "Cindy" or "wastebasket". I know
your faithful.

I also know your hurt. Please help me help you help
us.. Damn it, just talk to me!

Luke has never heard her curse. She deserved the truth,
but he wavers.

LUCK
..Ok.. Your right. It's from the past, but we each have
a past and you sometimes look away when "Chuck" is said.
Explain.

MARTY
..Well..Ok..Chuck Renn was a guy I dated in my junior
year of college. We talked about marriage, but he ran off
with an ex-friend of mine... Your turn.

LUCK
Cindy Lowmeyer and I never really went steady, but we
knew each other for a couple years. There was an...abortion...
We talked about marriage, but she two-timed me and we went
separate ways.

MARTY
Oh Luke...do you mean she knew you and still aborted
your child?

LUCK
Yes...

MARTY
She was aborting more than a child.

LUCK
It.. was hard for me to believe.

MARTY
Now I can understand why trust is so important
to you. Your love and child are safe.


They hold each other. Martha silently vows Luke will never
be hurt like that again. Luke tries to change the mood.

LUCK
About the our latest Seller. I'm just so damn potent.
You never had a chance.

MARTY
Remind me to bring you a book about modesty, Luke.
My friend, Diane, bought one for her husband, Chip.


INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - DAY 135

Cindy glows in the comfort of wealth.

CINDY
No more small town small pond shit for this big fish.
I have trapped the bank. Fashion has finally paid off.

Yet something seemed too easy or shallow.

The next day she showed off her ring at work. When she got
to her house, she started figuring out what to change. Everything
is too awsteer.

When John got home, he barely made it in the door before
they were in bed.

CINDY
Dear husband, I love you so much.

JOHN
Dear wife, I love you so much and want to have
a child.

CINDY
Why don't you start right now!


In minutes it was over and they dinned at the Peachtree Plaza.
Another round of love and John needed some sleep.

The next morning Cindy couldn't fine her birth control pills.

CINDY
Honey, have you seen my BC pills, they were in the
cabinet.

JOHN
We can't have a child with those.

CINDY
John, I have so much we can do. You don't want me
fat and nausous yet. Anyway, have you seen the pills?

JOHN
I'm late honey, I'll phone you at work.


Cindy doesn't understand. The last thing she ever misplaced
was her pills.

CINDY(to self)
Shit, it's time for work again. I'll find them later.

INT. - SAK'S - DAY 136

Work is a pain. The new manager was reevaluating everyone.
One of the customers questioned her suggestions.

CUSTOMER
I don't think these match.

CINDY
Then why did you ask?

INT. - DARCELS'S HOUSE - NIGHT 137

She got home, microwaved some dinners, and made a cassarole.
She still couldn't find the pills anywhere and finally
dug out some condoms, a diaphram, and a tube of spermicide.

When John got home she greets him at the door.

CINDY
Do we eat before or after we eat!

John is tired.

JOHN
What's for dinner?

CINDY
Me!

She snickered and grabbed his belt.

JOHN
Not now! Some suppliers tried to double bill us and
the computer system went down.

CINDY
Well, I'm trying to go down and you could give a shit.

JOHN
Cindy, just grow up for a while.

CINDY
Hell, why didn't you stop at McDonald's if food's all
you want. Besides, I still can't find my pills.

JOHN
I'm your husband...to love, honor, and obey! Forget the
damn pills. We already discussed it.


Cindy is silent, even acts hurt.

CINDY
You took them, didn't you.

JOHN
Honey, I'm older than you. I want children. My first
wife couldn't have any, the aborting little slu..

Anyway, I'm not getting any younger and you've got to understand.


Cindy ran in the bedroom and locked the door.

CINDY(to self)
Abortion hurt his first wife and he dumps her
like a slut. What am I? Now he steals my pills
and wants me knocked up. What if I can't have
kids? Married a week ..Luke..I'm finally rich.


She drys the tears. Lies. Fuck is all she can do.

She opens the door and accepts his apology. He takes
her to bed and she acts like a wife.

They become routine and neither felt much, but there
are parties. Then, in June, she misses her period and the
doctor said she is expecting.

CINDY
Honey, I'm pregnant!


John smiled and looked away.

JOHN
I'm so glad. Your the best wife I've ever had.


Cindy found many meanings in those seven words.

In July he told her she shouldn't work, so she
quit Saks. John starts working later. One Tuesday night she
started bleeding. John wasn't there or at the office. She
phoned 911. The ambulance woke the block.

It was was midnight when John came home and found
the medic's message.

INT. - MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - NIGHT 138

At the hospital, Cindy was stable. John ask the
intern what happened.

INTERN
Mr. Darcels, your wife had a miscarriage.

JOHN
But why? She's young and healthy, isn't she?

INTERN
In laymens terms, the lining of the uterus
is weak and didn't hold the fetus. This often
happens after an abortion.

John is numb, but struggles.

JOHN
She can have children, can't she?

INTERN
It's 40 60. She's physically healthy otherwise.


INT. - DARCELS'S HOUSE - DAY 139

John held his peace until he got her home that afternoon.

CINDY
We tried so hard. Sometimes these things just happen.

We can start over.

JOHN (screaming)
How do we start over an abortion?

There are millions at stake and you think your set for
life -- read the prenups you signed. You lieing bitch,
I've still got time.

Cindy is stunned. Abortion, millions, prenups, time
-- how had he set her up? Adam cracked a smile.

CINDY
I'm your wife and I'm hurt!

JOHN
Wife is a legal term on a piece of paper. What you are is
a liar. Which of those Argile hicks took you or should I say how
many? Was it the stringy long hair in the window? How many
abortions have you had?

CINDY(screaming)
I don't like what your saying. Why don't you fucking
'work late'! We can both do some fishing!

JOHN
Watch your mouth bitch! If I dump you, all you get
is a thousand a month tops.


Cindy stomped into the bedroom and phoned her mom.

CINDY
Mom, I had a miscarriage and John says I signed
some papers at the wedding. Now he wants to throw me out!
Men can't do that!

JUDY
Damn right they can't, but you find those papers.
If this was a trap, he's gonna pay little girl -- he's
gonna pay. Just don't sign anything else and be quiet,
but make him beg. All they do is fuck.


INT. - DARCELS'S HOUSE - NIGHT 140

John begged for weeks. Cindy took up tennis and wasn't at home
afternoons. Then he tried a different approach.

JOHN
Cindy, I'm sorry, but we could be disinherited
if we don't have a kid before father dies. It's something
he said after the miscarriage. Do you want to lose that
kind of money and lifestyle?


Cindy didn't believe him, but she knew there was
money on the line somewhere. Men are about the same,
but money is different.

CINDY
I love you and want us happy, but I'll run on you
hard if you ever treat me like that again.

Let's see what we can do about a kid.

She leads him to the bedroom.


They make a truse. Cindy starts working part time at Sak's.
John didn't work late very often. Cindy found the prenups,
but wasn't sure about copies.

She was pregnant with fingers crossed in September.

While she was often emotionally depressed, it was
a terrible month.

INT. - SELLER'S HOME - NIGHT 141


Marty reads from her diary to Luke:

MARTY
The Seller Christmas in Missouri ended on a sad note.
Luke's dad has cancer and might not see another Christmas.

We provide money and support to his brother, just starting
college. We celibrated Missouri wedding anniversary at
Tonanzzio's.

Luke and I share the joys and pains of raising
Eric and anticipation of his playmate. Luke
continues work and MBA studies.

We hired a babysitter and I returned to work part time in
February. I became involved with projects at the Atlanta
Disease Center. We attended father's cancer benefit.

Eric was crawling everywhere by March and the sitter
demanded a raise. We celibrated our Georgia wedding
anniversary at 'The Ritz'.

The second week of April, Eric caught a virus
and his temperature shot to a hundred and four. The doctors
couldn't isolate what it was and I was a wreck.

Mike carried us through as he had before. Still, Luke
later admitted he had never really known fear or
helplessness until then.

Suddenly, after four days, the fever broke and
Eric was alright. We never knew what it was.

In May, Luke got his MBA and I went back on maturnity
leave. Luke fell into a bad mood, for no apparent reason.

Eric was trying to stand on his own two feet.

Marty laid down the diary.

MARTY
My parents and I are so proud of us. Could you believe
there was ever any doubt?

LUCK
Hell yes. Just one slip and I'd been branded a yankee.
Grandpa Bert's been want'in to shoot another one for
fivty years.

INT. - SELLER HOME - NIGHT 142

The evening of August 12th Luke and Marty are longingly
looking at their Europe and Carribbean photo albums.

MARTY
I think it's time for breathing exercises again.

Luke deftly trips on the hall stairs while calmly
walking to the closet. Marty shakes her head and helps him up.

With Eric in toll, the threesome make it to the hospital
in a half hour.

INT. - MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - NIGHT 143

Marty went into labor and the relatives were alerted. Luke
is shallowing 'No Doze' pills and claiming everything is fine.

LUCK
Now there's nothing to worry about.

MARTY
Honey, your grip on my hand is cutting the circulation.

Six hours later Luke, Marty, and David Donald Seller let out
a scream. Seven pounds and fifteen ounces cry about the abrupt
new world.

INT. - SELLER HOME - DAY 144

As Marty recovered the family tours began
paying their respects.

Eric wasn't particularly happy about the new intruder
and used every means he knew of expressing it.

During a lapse in relatives, Marty pulls Luke to
the side.

MARTY
Honey, isn't David beautiful. I'm so glad we talked
when I found out about him.

LUCK
Your right, yet why is something natural sometimes
so hard to accept. I just don't understand.

MARTY
Perhaps the answers lie in other worlds.

The following week Luke was promoted to a junior Vice President
of Engineering. Pat Dow congradulated him on his new position,
raise, and grandson.

Luke liked the new office, but suspected there would be many
strings. Still, he had never been happier.


INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - NIGHT 145

John Darcels had been happier. John Darcels the First passed
away after two weeks in intensive care. It was May the 11th.

JOHN(to self)
The 'farm maddona' was in her ninth month and could
have induced labor. Now I'm second to my younger
brother, Al, for the rest of my life.

CINDY
I'm sorry about your father.

JOHN
I'm sorrier than you'll ever know.

Cindy is toughing this one out for the life of luxury.
She didn't care what she had signed. If she had his child, she
had him. If she had him, she had all the money he could ever get.


INT. - MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - DAY 146

The joyous day arrives on May 12th. Cindy went into labor
and six hours later produced a seven and a half pound baby girl.
Heather Judith Darcels enters a new world. Adam cries.

DR. FOSTER
Mr. Darcels, you have a baby girl.

JOHN
Thank you doctor.

INT. - PARCEL'S HOUSE - NIGHT 147

When John got his new family home, Cindy spent more time
in the nursry than the bedroom. John continued working late. By
summer's end, Cindy had exhausted much of her maternal drive
and was ready for the fall season.

CINDY
Look out Atlanta, Cindy's back in town.

JOHN
It's about time.

INT. - SELLER'S HOME - NIGHT 148

They have missed much of the year's social calendar and Marty
tells Luke they are going to enjoy the new symphony season.

LUCK
Do you mean that gym where the old guys play old
music and the one in the front waves at them?

MARTY
Yes, dearest. The place where they can't remember
the music and have to read it.

But seriously, the Clements are having a big bash after
the opening concert. We're going to dance till dawn, even if I
have to take some pills from the hospital.

LUCK
I'm game, but let's save a little time for bed.

MARTY
Two boys and that's still on your mind?"

LUCK
Two boys were the last thing on my mind.


Marty shakes her head and smiles.

INT. - ART CENTER - NIGHT 149

Traffic is snareled for miles as the creme of Atlanta society
fills the Art Center. The Sellers are seated next to the Dows,
front and center. Marty chatters with her mother till there is a
hush. A stroke of the baton and precise melodies fill the air.

MARTY
It's so beautiful.

LUCK
Much like you.

Hours pass by and and the patrons give their highest praise.
The works of Bach and Schubert were flawlessly rendered.

INT. - SELLER'S CAR - NIGHT 150

The Sellers are at peace on the drive to the Clement affair.
Marty critiques the proformance and explains nuances of the
presentation and compares it with the prior openings.

MARTY
All told, I liked the selections, particularly Bach.

LUCK
I know you love the intricatde use of the string
section. I would do too, but a contrast, say
Wagner, could have been enjoyable.

MARTY
You and your variety. Be sure it doesn't involve blondes.

LUCK
Yes dear.

MARTY
Now cut that out! I'm not being pushy.

Southern magnolias and lanterns frame the Clement's mansion.
Marty reviews the family names that would be represented and
quizzed Luke on aquantances they seldom saw since Eric was born.

MARTY
Jeb and Mary Benson were at dad's spring benefit and
so were the Clements. Do you remember?

LUCK
Yes, Jeb was talking real estate and Ned Clement
was interested in property near Deluth.

MARTY
We'll probably see the Winstons and maybe the Darcels
brothers. I don't think you know them.

John Darcels the 1st died and his boys are fighting over
the fortune.

There's no love lost between them and dad. They said
my brother knocked up their sister -- him and the
phone book.

LUCK
Martha, that's cold.

MARTY
The Shells and Rowes you know from work,
but I heard Paul Row is getting a divorce.

LUCK
What about the Salems? Tom and Becky were
a lot of fun at New Year's.

MARTY
I heard she's expecting.

Well, honey should we face the music?

LUCK
If you keep you hands to yourself.

INT. - CLEMENT'S PARTY - NIGHT 151

Inside, Jeb greeted them near the foyer. Luke saw Liz
and drifted in that direction. Marty saw an old classmate near
the punch bowl and started a conversation. In a bit, Marty is
at Luke's side and they are talking with the Winstons.

MRS. WINSTON
Martha, it's so good to see you and Luke out
again. I bet those two boys keep you hopping.

MARTY
Their busy little angels.

LUCK
So's their mom.

MR. WINTON
Luke, congradulations on making engineering VP.
Pat has said some good things about your work.

LUCK
I have some good people under me.

Marty tugs on his tux and wants to dance outside
in the pavilion.

LUCK
If you would please pardon us, mother hasn't
danced much this year. I think I'd best indulge her.

MR. WINTON
We understand. You kids kick up your heels.

They danced to 'Georgia On My Mind' with a hundred other couples.
After another few dances -- they took a seat near the fountain.
Luke snags a pair of champaign glasses and relaxes.

MARTY
Well, that's 'attended'.

LUCK
Pardon?

MARTY
We've met the host, mingled, and danced.
We're now classified as having 'attended'.
We can leave graciously.

LUCK
I see... as opposed to 'respects' or 'crashed'
the party.

MARTY
Yes, these graces are important to a Dow VP
and southern gentleman.

LUCK
I know what's important to this Dow VP.

MARTY
Your priceless, honey. And this southern
belle is horny.

LUCK
As opposed to 'flirting' or 'pristine'.

MARTY
Yes, and getting more so. Let's go to bed.


They walk to the main house. Inside, Marty stopped and
gave a parting wave to Liz and a group of their friends. She throws
an arm under his jacket and Luke strokes her long blonde hair.

Then there is a chill.

Luke looks up to see Cindy looking into him and their eyes met.

The fire of boundless intimacy and youth passes through them
and a thousand memories acknowledge. A lifetime of feelings in
glowing smiles from long and precious years -- all in seconds.

Then, loneiness and why, a wave of guilt and tears. The
resumption of masks and fears.

Marty felt him sway, then his back tense. She saw
Cindy and knew in an instant. She sees neither the
formal gown or flaunting smile.

Cindy's hand went limp for seconds, but then clenched.
John Darcels lowered his glass and his eyes searched. He saw
Luke and glanced at Cindy's face. That bastard has been with
Cindy. People are beginning to stare. Adam watches.

Many people are beginning to stare, but particularly
those Marty is waving at. It doesn't help matters when she
jerked Luke toward the door, bumping some guests and dropping
her drink.

MARTY
We're leaving.

Liz knew her daughter and scanned the faces. The Darcels boy
flashed hate and his new wife was pale. Something was afoot.

New rumors began and never ceased.

EXT. - CLEMENTS'S ESTATE - NIGHT 152

Marty wasn't bothering with a formal exit. Luke was
trying to think on his feet. They walk across the lawn and
away from the lights.

MARTY
That was her, wasn't it.

LUCK
It was someone I knew before we met.

MARTY
It was Lowmeyer. When were you last with her?

LUCK
Ok, three months before I met you.


Marty stops and looks him in the eye,

MARTY
And never since?

LUCK
Never since, Martha.

She throws her arms around him and speaks in a firm voice.

MARTY
You're a good man -- my man. She's a scheming bitch
and maybe a hooker. It's in her eye and pose.
She is trouble and I don't like her kind.

The Darcels are as low as they come, but my family can
handle that. John saw the way you two froze, hell, half
the room did. There was a flash of hate in his eye.
Never turn your back on him.

LUCK
Marty, she's a past affair. Half that room screwed someone
else's spouse. I was just suprised.

MARTY
Luke, none of that room ever shared the look you and she did!

LUCK
Your the horny southern belle I'm taking to bed!
Your jealousy turns me on. Get your ass in the car!

INT. - SELLER'S HOME - DAY 153

They make love util dawn and keep the babysitter until afternoon.
While Luke is mowing the lawn, Marty phones her mom and discusses
Cindy Lowmeyer Darcels.

MARTY
She and Luke dated before we met. I don't like the
look in her eye and Luke tensed like a board. So that's
who she is and why I spilled a drink plowing through
people.

LIZ
There's something bad about her. I'll make some calls.

INT. - DARCELS CAR - NIGHT 154

The Darcels leave the party six drinks and thirty
minutes later.

JOHN
Is there anything else you would like to tell me about
Luke Seller?

CINDY
Were we introduced?

JOHN
A picture's worth a thousand words.

CINDY
Those pict...

JOHN (hissing)
He's got pictures too, does he?

CINDY
Your drunk. I don't know what your talking about.

JOHN
Just another fish in the sea?

CINDY
I'm not saying another word till your sober!

JOHN
Married to a Dow. Why didn't you just put it in the paper?


Cindy cried and cryed. John would get to the bottom of this.
Half the people who counted were at that party. Luke Seller was number
one with a star on his black list.

INT. - SELLER HOME - DAY 155

Luke spends the rest of the weekend playing with Eric.

LUCK(to self)
The kid has a quick right jab and an honest smile.

Both of them love to pester Marty while she's nursing David.
Neither he nor Marty broached the end of the party further.

During the week, Luke was wrestling with approaches to
digital control of chemical processes with staff. Marty
is on maturnity leave, but having national computer files
checked at the Disease Center.

MARTY (to self)
If that bitch was a hooker, she got treated for
something somewhere.


The phone rang. It's Liz and she plays back a phone call
with Lucy Darcels.

LIZ
Hi Lucy, this is Liz Dow. I wondered how you were.
I saw your son, John, and his wife at the Clements.

LUCY
I miss John 1, but life doesn't stop. JP 2's
wife, Cindy, baked some cookies for me the other day.

She's a pistol and a pretty good cook.

LIZ
I don't think I know her family.

LUCY
Oh, she's not from the South. She's a Lowmeyer
from Argile,Missouri. Helped her mother with two
younger sisters John says. Needed to with seven
kids in the family.

LIZ
Heavens, she must be a hard worker.

LUCY
And smart. Earned her own degree at the university
up there -- In St. Louis I think.

LIZ
She's not working, having that little girl, is she?

LUCY
John doesn't want that, but she was in fashions at
Sak's downtown. Dresses well, don't you think.

LIZ
She's a pretty one. Bet John had to fight the guys
away to get her.

LUCY
I imagine, but she's got a farm backround you know.

LIZ
Al and his family ok?

LUCY
Just fine, Al's working hard settling some of JP 1's
affairs. John would be doing that if Heather were born earlier.
I'm just glad Cindy had a child at all.

LIZ
I heard she was hospitalized last year.

LUCY
It's no secret. She had a miscarriage, the poor thing.
It really upset John 2. Windy couldn't have children and I
think that's why they broke up.

LIZ
Well, those things happen. I'm glad to hear you're keeping
your spirits up. I keep telling Donald to slow down, but you know
how men are.

LUCY
They just don't listen, do they?

LIZ
No, they don't... Heavens! Look at the time. I've
got to go, but let's keep in touch.

LUCY
By all means, Liz.

The recording stops.

MARTY
Argile farm girl, ha! St. Louis sounds right. Wait..
Argile sounds familiar, maybe arund Luke's parents farm.
You don't think they met before college?

LIZ
Honey, I've seen that look at the Clement's before. You
keep Luke away from her. I could be wrong, but I think
they grew up together.. if you know what I mean.

MARTY
I hope not. Diane phoned from the Disease Center.
Cindy 'farm girl' has been treated for VD in St. Louis
and Atlanta, just in the last two years alone.

LIZ
Martha, that's disgusting. Are you sure?

MARTY
I'll have the print outs tommorrow.

LIZ
A diseased hooker in the middle of Altanta society.
She's baking cookies for Lucy Darcels and eyeing your
husband. What's next?

MARTY
She had at least one abortion, for starts.

LIZ
Heavens! ..That could cause a miscarriage and John 2
had no heirs when the will was read.

I'm phoning some friends. You keep Luke happy. I don't
want you two hurt. And, goodness, watch that John Darcels.
He's got a worse mean streak in him then his father, rest
his soul.

MARTY
We'll talk at the house tomorrow.

INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - DAY 156

John Darcels sleeps late Saturday morning.
Cindy is feeding Heather when he enters the kitchen.

JOHN
Honey, I can tell I had a too much to drink at the
Clements. If I embarrassed us, I'm sorry.

CINDY
Well, you did. Don't you remember what you said?

JOHN
I remember drinking before we got there. Then thinking
you made a pass at Luke Seller. I had more drinks and you
drove home.

CINDY
I did drive home and I didn't make a pass at that
Seller guy. You have to trust me more and drink less.

JOHN
I didn't know you knew him.

CINDY
He was at one of those parties this spring and
someone mentioned he married money.

JOHN (to self)
She's lieing through her teeth. We were side by side
and he wasn't at any of the parties.

JOHN
He did marry money. Martha Dow's father owns Dow Industries.

CINDY
Good for him. Hold Heather while I button up and fix
breakfast.


John noticed she did a poor job of pretending something
was in her eye. Somehow, Heather didn't feel right.

INT. - JOHN'S OFFICE - DAY 157

John was the perfect husband throughout the weekend,
but Monday he phoned Jenson, one of CBI's trouble shooter's.

JOHN
I want to know everything about Luke Seller, of
Dow Industries, particularly his private life.

JENSON
Yes sir. We have a man at Dow. 24 hour surveilance?

JOHN
Just an eye on him and his house.

INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - EVENING 158

Cindy doesn't buy a lapse in John's memory or nature.

CINDY (to self)
Damn men. John's gonna fuck with Luke and he deserves it.
Dumps me for some little rich bitch after all our years
and promises.

Bet he's sleeping around on her. Or I could get him to.
He'll be sorry he ever did what he did. He's so easy
to set up.

Monday, Cindy made some phone calls and got Luke's number. John worked
late and she called the Seller residence. Luke answered the phone.

LUCK
Hello.

CINDY
Hello.

LUCK
Hello?

CINDY
Hello?


Luke hung up the phone. The voice sounded too familiar.


INT. - LUCK'S OFFICE - DAY 159

There were more problems at work that week. Luke has a
talk with Paul Row on Thursday.

LUCK
Paul your a good engineer, but your falling way behind.

PAUL
Luke, I'm trying, but Maggie left me and it's been
rough. Seventeen years and my fifteen year-old son gone.

She moved to L.A. with another man.

LUCK
I didn't know... I'm sorry about you and Maggie. But
your part is important in the controller project. If
you need time off, tell me and I'll make arrangements.
Otherwise, do the job or I'll have to get someone who can.

Sort it out and give me your answer in the morning.

PAUL
Yes sir.


Luke sat alone in his office. This was the part of the
job he hated.

LUCK (to self)
What that man must be going through. Still, he'd seen Maggie
at a couple parties and she acted more flirt then mate.

God, those are the kind of words dad used about Cindy and
now she's here -- still big as life.

The phone rings and it's was his mom on the line.

BETH
Dad's in the hospital and it doesn't look good. He ask
for you.

LUCK
I'll be there on the next flight.


He phones Marty.

MARTY
That's terrible. I'll pack your bags and bring David.
Your father's only seen him once. LIz will watch
Eric... there's another van down the road.

LUCK
Your right about bringing David... What about a van?

MARTY
Never mind, I'll be there in fourty minutes.

INT. - STILL HOSPITAL - DAY 160

In Missouri, Luke spoke with his dad.

JIM
Son, soon I'll be with the Lord. Your brother's going to
need help to hold the farm.

You two always worked together. Keep it up.

LUCK
We will.

JIM
I'm proud of all you kids. Your the oldest and saw the
hardest times. I'm so glad you found a good woman.

Your boys take me back to when we had you kids.

Raising a family is hard work. Always keep God at your
side. Help the family when I'm gone.

LUCK
You have my word. I love you.

JIM
I've lived my life honestly. I don't want to be on a machine
and I don't want that debt to destroy what I've built. Do
you understand?

LUCK
Yes dad.


A nurse enters the room.

NURSE
I have some medications for Mr. Seller and then
there are some tests to run.

JIM
Have a talk with your brother, I'll see you later.

LUCK
Yes dad, I'll see you later.

Luke found a stairwell and cried like a baby.

Marty found him and has never seen him like this before.

MARTY
Maybe we should get some air.

LUCK
Lets take a drive to the farm. My brother's there now
and we need to talk.

EXT. - SELLER FARM - DAY 161

The two brothers walked into the distance and David was
asleep in the carrier. Marty was alone in the house and
had to know. She nosed around Luke's old room. Then, a
feeling pointed her to the attic.

It was cluttered and hot. There are old family odds
and ends everywhere.

MARTY( to self)
I shouldn't be up here.

As she returned to the stairs, she noticed a lone
box shape in a far corner. It was pressed under the slope of
the roof. She crawled to the shape and pulled away an old
cloth sheet. It was a box of letters and notebooks filed
by year. There were hundreds of letters covering five years.

The letters were from Cindy Lowmeyer.

Marty is stunned.

MARTY(TO SELF)
Never went steady? Just knew her a couple years?
Just an old girl friend? Luke, you bastard.

She thumbed through a couple of letters and it was clear
they were in love. At the back of the box were several yearly
planners and a photo album. She thumbed through the planners.

Some of Luke's diaries and even her's. There were some
doctors letters and reports inside a binder..

MARTY
I shouldn't be doing this.

She grabbed the items and a sample of letters.
Downstairs, she checked for Luke, then locked everything in a
piece of her luggage. David started crying. She's feeding him
as Luke and Paul return.

MARTY
Did you have a good walk?

LUCK
Yes, we discussed and planned a lot of things.

PAUL
A lot of things.


They spent the weekend and Luke's dad remained stable.
There was nothing more they could do and flew back Monday. Marty
was oddly quiet throughout the weekend Luke thought.

INT. - JOHN'S OFFICE - DAY 162

John checks the summary of whereabouts:

Flew to Jefferson City, Missouri, October 1st thur 4th to
visit dying father. Otherwise, straight to work and home.

He thumbed through Seller's personnel file.

JOHN(to self)
Shit, this is boring.

Poor farmboy works his way through a
chemical engineering degree.

Moves to Houston and works for Enco as a field engineer.
Transfers to Atlanta and marries Martha Dow. Opens
an Enco office in Miami.

Starts working for old man Dow and gets a promotion
with each kid. Now he's a VP. Honorable discharge from
the Army and no other marriages. Likes to travel, computers
and reading.


How neat! So why the fuck does Cindy have an orgasm
when she sees this guy?


Hell, he was married with a kid on the way before
she moved here. But she moved here...

Then he noticed his own home phone number on the
Seller's incoming calls list.


INT. - SELLER HOME - DAY 163

Marty read the diaries and couldn't believe it. Luke was Cindy's
first man. She was the first girl he ever took to bed.

She carried and aborted their child. They were married for years
without papers while she screwed dozens and kept notes.

A doctor analysed her letters and diaries:

She liked children, but hates men and what they do to women,
particularly her mother. A man kept that woman pregnant or
nursing for decades.

She believes he paid her little emotional attention. Her beauty
was gone and her stability random.

Cindy thus became a split personality. A dynamic madonna/whore
complex subconsciously seeking to destroy men, particularly anyone
who aided her decision to abort her own firstborn child. Lies,
infidelity, and using a man for money is her way of getting
revenge. Neither love nor truth is in her.

The report goes on, but Marty can't finish, at least not for a while.

MARTY (to self)
Shit! She doesn't just know which buttons to push,
she made them -- and she's nuts. No wonder Luke about
stroked out when he saw her.

She bows her head, then goes to the kitchen for a
glass of water.

MARTY
There's a damn van again. Something's afoot.

She went to the bedroom closet and got a pair of binoculars. Then
she wrote down the van license plate and phoned her father from
the neighbors.

MARTY
That's right! I haven't told Luke that it's still
happening. CPE-4809 is the number. I can remember when you
bid those 'special' government contracts. I'll phone you
from the 7-11 down the road in an hour.

PAT
Ok, honey. I'll have it checked.

INT. - 7-11 STORE - DAY 164

Fifty minutes later, she, Eric, and David took a drive.
She thought a car followed in the distance. At the 7-11 she
bought a gallon of milk and uses the pay phone.

PAT
Marty, the van is registered to 4Wave Inc., a high tech
software company. Sort of odd though, their a subsidiary
of Cola Beverages and I never heard of them. What's wrong?

MARTY
Tell mother I think you should know.

PAT
What?

MARTY
About Cindy Darcels. I have to go.


INT. - LUCK'S OFFICE - DAY 165

Luke wasn't himself. He phoned his brother daily and
thought about many things from the past. Church didn't
seem to help.

Paul Row quit caring and couldn't adjust. Luke had to
let him go and assigned a new man.

Bill Evens did good work on the project and secretaries.
Luke knew no good thing would come of the latter.

LUCK( to self)
Marty was different. Maybe his dad's condition
mirrored fear of her father's own mortality. But he
know better. The change had all the traits of Cindy.

Not again....


The phone rings.

BETH
Luke, your father has passed away.

He hadn't felt better in weeks. He was out of the
hospital and mowing the lawn. Then he had a cough
and tightness of throat. By noon, a trachiodomy
failed and now he's with the Lord.

LUCK
Oh no..

I'm so sorry, just take care of yourself. We'll drive up
tomorrow and help with the arrangements.

INT. - ST. MARK'S CHURCH - DAY 166

Extra chairs were needed and placed outside the church windows
for those wishing to pay respects. Marty wondered if near as
many would respect her father.


MINISTER
..The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away..

The family did not fare well at the grave sight.

INT. - SELLER HOME - NIGHT 167

MARTY(to self)
Luke walks in a different world for days. He
floats between burying himself in work and
grabbing a plane to the Islands.

MARTY
Honey, we're here for you. You did nothing wrong.

LUCK
I know and love you for it. Some things just take time,
but can you keep Eric quiet?


INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - NIGHT 168

John Darcels had figured much of it out. Both Luke
and he had the same blood type, so the little sample from
Heather was inconclusive. But Cindy is easy.

JOHN
I'm sick of work. Don't you wish it was high school?

I dated around, but there was always a special friend.

CINDY
I know, I was a cheerleader and went everywhere.
I had a special friend too.

JOHN
Windy would always smart off and tease me.

CINDY
Luke would tease my cheerleading.

JOHN
I miss those days...

CINDY
I do too...

JOHN(to self)
That bastard. He's been fucking her since high school.


CINDY(to self, smiling)
That should do .. I told him.

JOHN(to self)
Damn shame Seller mourns his father. Now it's hardball,
and perfect timing.


INT. - SELLER'S HOME - NIGHT 169

Marty had seen enough. Another damn van was down the way.
Luke isn't going to handle this, at least not now.

MARTY
Honey, please smile. Jim had time to prepare. You never let
him or anyone else down. This is your family and we love you.


Luke looked at all three pouting faces and realized
he was outnumbered again.

LUCK
I know a diamond when I see one.

He hugs all three.

LUCK
Honey, stand by me. I'm off balance and that's
when I've been hurt the most before.

MARTY
I know, babe. But we will talk later. I'll cover
in between. There are things you haven't said.


Luke is startled. Something had scrathed the
charming southern veneer.

LUCK
You know this, I never betrayed you or us. There
are just things no one wants to surface.

MARTY
I know that you are the finest and kindest man I have
ever met. I love and trust you, and I know that someone
wants you hurt.


INT. - DOW ESTATE - DAY 170

LIZ(to self)
Marty had been bounced around by some fortune hunters,
especially that Wren guy, before she nailed Luke.
Luke wasn't scheming, heck he didn't even know
about her money when he proposed. And he has made
Marty very happy ever since.

Besides, I'm very nosy.

A few calls to friends at Sak's turned up Cindy's
prior boss, Ross Steinman. This guy appearently
knows Cindy well and gave her Windy Prices number.

The mail was interesting that week.

Mrs. Winston and a dozen other matrons of Atlanta
were enjoying an afternoon of bridge. Liz was serving
more than tea.

LIZ
It was in our mailbox and I was about to toss
it with the other junk mail.

The ladies passed around a copy of a 'pink slip' from
Ramada International, a picture of Cindy Lowmeyer Darcels
nude in bed with some men, and receipts for VD treatments

I couldn't believe it -- that John Darcels boy is
married to a diseased hooker.

MRS. WINSTON
This explains that scene at your party last month,
Clare.

MRS. CLEMENTS
It certainty goes a long ways.

MRS. WINSTON
This is unacceptable. People must be warned.
Money doesn't change the person. Lord knows
what she may be up to. She could spread anything
to anyone.

An approving nod circles the tables.

INT. - SELLER HOME - NIGHT 170

Pat, Luke, and others began noticing that some key
subsidiaries of CBI were sandbagging contracts
with Dow Inc. Millions of dollars were on hold.

Luke's entire digital project, in particular, was in jepardy.

MARTY
Luke, you don't understand the South. When
people know a persons dishonored, they know.

Darcels is just an opportunitist tricked by
a yankee whore. He figures your sleeping
with her and he wants to get even -- with
both of you, and he's watching us..

There's something about his being stepped over
by his younger brother too. I think he needed a
blood heir before the will was read.

LUCK
Marty, where does that leave things?

MARTY
Him embarassed by you and Cindy and getting even.

LUCK
This isn't just embarassment, millions are
at stake.

MARTY
Don't you understand? Money gets sorted out. The
family remains.


Finally, Luke really looked at her and her words.

LUCK
Help me with this one, honey.

MARTY (smiling)
Just love me. We've handled surveilance and St. Louis
whores down here before.

INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - NIGHT 171

John Darcels was torn between tears and homicide
as he slammed the front door. This was social horror. He
was married to an interstate whore. Perhaps, with a bastard
child in the house as well.

JOHN(screaming)
Bitch, what did you do?

CINDY
What do you mean, I've been here with the kid!

JOHN
What did you do? We're off the list. Are you still
fucking Seller?

CINDY (screaming)
Your about all I fuck, little as possible. What are you
talking about?


John handed her faxes from the West Coast. A picture of
her in bed with four guys, a pink slip for 'solicitation', and
records of VD treatments with her signature.

JOHN
Why didn't you just put it in the paper?

CINDY
If people don't like the way I am, they don't have to
be around me.

JOHN
Tell that to our ex-friends, better yet, Heather
in a few years, you sick sick bitch.


Blind with rage, he went for the Seller/Dow jugular.
He could always take care of Cindy Lowmeyer later.

INT. - DOW INDUSTRIES - DAY 172

The workers were treding lightly in administration. Everyone
looked busy -- and no one approached the boardroom door.

PAT(screaming)
What the hell!? Firm government contracts on review?
Suppliers without supplies? Who wants our throat now?

A dozen suits were deathly silent around a large oak table.

LUCK
Mr. Dow, some information has come to light,
but you may wish to review it privately first.

Pat was about to tell his punk son-in-law to
play with a computer. Then he looked in Luke's eye and
reconsidered.

PAT
Gentlemen, we'll take a short break. Seller, I
want a word with you.

The others vacate in seconds.

LUCK
So who did what, Luke.

LUCK
John Darcels and Cola Beverage.

PAT
Why? The Parcel's are bastards, so's CBI, but this is
business. Big business.

LUCK
Because his wife is certified nuts, she and I were
lovers with a child before I met Marty. It's
appearently part of why he was stepped over by his
little brother, Al, at the company.

PAT
Liz gave me a talk, Marty too. I don't buy it!

LUCK (roaring)
Contracts on review, no supplies -- maybe your son,
Ronnie, fucked his sister under camera lights!

Pat shut up. He hadn't heard another set in years.
And he didn't like the Darcels anyway.

PAT
What would you suggest?

LUCK
Set alternative suppliers, bid new contracts, wine the
government people, and watch CBI, especially Darcels.

Pat liked short advice. The meeting is adjourned.

Luke had been steaming all day. He saw the vans 'tag team'
CBI surveilance around his home. In his office, he phoned his
top software engineer.

Joe Smithson arrives.

LUCK
Joe, you know people at CBI. I want system level
offsite computer access codes. With your photographic
memory, you could have that information this afternoon?

JOE
It's possible, but may I ask why?

LUCK
It involves your twenty percent raise.

JOE
I'll see you this afternoon.

LUCK
I'll be waiting. Oh, I'd also like you to
to bring any code updates on the computer virus you
isolated last month.

JOE
Yes sir.


Luke spent the rest of the day reviewing
some computer books and a few language commands. Joe
phoned a friend at CBI and they discuss a techical
matter at the CBI shop.

Joe memorized any ID's and passwords he could
observe or find. He was back at the Dow offices by 3:00
and the codes are typed and on Luke's desk a half hour
later.

LUCK
Their running an IBM 3090-400 on MVS-XA with
HSM and RACF security?"

JOE
Yes sir.

LUCK
Thanks Joe, we never talked about this and
your raise was based on your overall efficiency.
Have a good day.


Luke used a vacant office and personal computer
with a modem down the hall. He linked with the CBI mainframe
and altered a few operating system modules and backups.
Same with the database, SMPE maintenance, and a few
scattered files.

Then he scatted the virus among a few files, deleted a few
others, and logged off. Luke didn't want to be the guy with the
ID and password he used.

Luke made a call to personnel and Joe Smithson
was a happy man. Mrs. Smithson changed bed sheets the
following morning and hummed a tune all day.

INT. - CBI SHOP - DAY 173

For a week CBI was effectively shut down. Key
records missing and the entire computer system wouldn't
come up. Even disaster recovery was incomplete.

John Darcels and Al are actually spending some nights
working very late.

AL
John, what the hell's going on? The computer's down
and we can't ship or bill. We're loosing millions.

These overpaid overtime goldenboys can't fix
the damn thing.

JOHN
Ask Dow Industries and Luke Seller, Martha Dow's
old man. He's been mess'in with my wife, even saw
his phone number at the house. Like Ronnie Dow
did our sister.

Seller's one of those computer jocks. The
the ID we traced that screwed the system, the
programmer was in a meeting with twenty of
our people when it happen.

It don't take a weatherman to know which
way the wind blows.

Al
Luke Sndyer? Well, brother, we've handled bastards before.
And I don't like the Dow's anyway.


INT.- LUCK'S CAR - NIGHT 174


LUCK( to self)
Damn, it's that same sedan behind me from lunch.

He presses down on the accelerator. The smell of Georgia pine
cuts the air.

An informal gathering at a bar called Pat's Place had
Luke running three hours late. The damn business problems -- CBI
problems. But his thoughts remained on the rear view mirror.

The two lane black top curved right ahead. Then a van pulled from a
sideroad to his right.

Luke took the next lane, the shoulder, and then the ditch.
Then everything was dark.

His next sight flashes many colors, blurred colors with
white forms.

MEDIC
What do you feel?

LUCK
Pain, head and right ribs.

Pain pierced his side and his head throbbed --
Blinding light, an eye an at a time.

Luke can't control any event.

Sirens wailed and the ambulance medic pierced him with
needles. Mike felt the vehicle weave through traffic.

He flashed to a car accident on a two-lane road near Freiburg.
Everything was in slow motion, with the same face in the mist.

INT. - MEMORIAL EMERGENCY ROOM - NIGHT 175

The hospital ER was a madhouse, but Luke was calm -- even
resigned. Finally, through the chaos --

INTERN
Vitals are good, no internal bleding.

He kept repeating his phone number and Martha's name. Before
another phase of darkness, he saw her face.

MARTY
You will be fine, I love you.

Concusion, cracked ribs, and scratches, nothing to die for.
But Marty thought different.

INT. - HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT 176

MARTY
I'm glad your alright, we had quit a scare.

LUCK
I was followed, a van came from of nowhere.
The ditch was all I could do.

MARTY
Followed? (pause) Liz and your mom want the kids.
Beth will be here tomorrow.

(pause) I think we should get away for a while.

I'm going to book a flight to Hawaii, when your released.

LUCK
But work and the project.

MARTY
Pat has new projects on hold, until some operations
problems are under control.


Luke couldn't argue.


EXT. - DARCELS'S STREET - DAY 177

It wasn't ladylike, but Marty didn't care. The knoll
overlooked the street to the Darcels. Binoculars brought things
into focus. Nothing precise, just approximate. Cindy always
came out around 10:00 AM.

The morning of Luke's release, Marty was waiting.
Pretty close Marty thought, 9:37. It was hard to handle
with such thick gloves, but Marty had done it before. Just
a tiny dispenser from the Center.

She worked quickly. The 'crazy glue' set in moments.
Then she parked on a side street.

Cindy Darcels loped outside just before 10:00 AM.
When she opened the door, she bit her finger.

MARTY(to self)
Probably redundant, you whore.

Marty drives back and removes the dispenser.


INT. - ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL - DAY 178

Luke didn't have a lot to say about it, not on medication.
He was released and on a plane with Marty that afternoon. They
deplane at LA International and are over Honalulu before dark.

MARTY
We needed this.

LUCK
Looks good to me.

INT. - HILTON HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT 179

The air conditioner was on high and the siding doors were
wide open.

MARTY
Mate.

Luke laid there and she had her way with him, His ribs hurt.
Then she started over.

Luke loves Hawaii. In the afternoons they walk the beach.

LUCK
This is paradise.

MARTY
We're paradise.

They were ecstatic for weeks(pan beach scenes).

Luke was looking at real estate offerings in the paper.

MARTY
Do the names Eric and David ring a bell?

LUCK
Cousins?

MARTY
Close.

The next day they were looking at Atlanta from 5,000 feet.


INT. - SELLER'S HOME - DAY 180

The boys look priceless and the couple felt alive.

Pat had changed suppliers and only Dow vans now
appeared around the condo. Marty enjoyed nursing and
returned to work two days a week in January. Luke
returned to the office.

LUCK
Things have settled a bit since we left.

MARTY
I believe they have.

LUCK
We should inform Eric. The boy's into everything
he shouldn't be.

MARTY
Wonder where he got that attitude?


Eventually, Eric understood that there were limits
as he approached the terrible twos. David wonders
how his brother could run around like he did.

INT. - LUCK'S OFFICE - DAY 181

PAT
The government found no fault with our contracts
and renewed all of them.

LUCK
Just a little booze and attention?

PAT
Expense accounts out the ass, son.

LUCK
Speaking of expense, the digital project is
on budget. We should make market by summer.

PAT
We could use the cash. We went into reserves during
the winter and early spring.

By July, Luke's digital project reached the market with sales
above projections.

INT. - CBI OFFICES - DAY 182

Cola Beverage had to recall a large number of
soft drink concentrate shipments. Contaminants pleaged
their processing facilities and critical computer records
were randomly erased by the system.

AL
The police were here. They found a 4Wave van, plate CPE-4809
with tires that matched a paster mold from the Seller accident.

But that's all they could find and it proves nothing.

JOHN
Good, still, I wish that fucking Seller hadn't made it.

You know, father would have us disowned if he saw last
last quarters loss.

AL
I know. Damn, there's got to be a way to get
back those fast food accounts.


JOHN
It's gone with the wind.

A European conglomerate found them ripe for takeover.
CBI top management and ownership are caught without a parachute --
and with their pants down.

INT. - DARCELS HOUSE - NIGHT 183


JOHN
I've filed for devorce. I have video tapes of you doing
Rod Stevens. He wasn't just giving you tennis lessons.

Bitch, he hasn't been in the money or seemingly healthy
for over a year. Couldn't you have screwed outside the
neighborhood?

At least you and Seller have history and reason.

With you gone, I may be invited back into society.

CINDY
I'm your wife and that's how it stays. I like it
here and nobody's perfect.

I'll take Heather if you try to throw me out.

JOHN
She'll be like you, so I don't care.

Just curiosity, was there ever an ounce of honesty
in you?

CINDY
Luke loved me for years and we were good to
each other. We weren't trapped in marriage and
we had fun -- especially in the sack.

JOHN
So..why didn't he claim his prize?

CINDY
He missed his chance.

JOHN
I know what he missed. I have to give him credit.

CINDY
Fuck you! Who the hell do you men think you are?

We women birth you, feed you, raise you, and fuck you!
Where do you get off being so cocky -- you don't do shit!

JOHN
I'll see how you do without my checkbook!

You should see a doctor. You are not well.

CINDY
I'll put it on your bill in the morning.

INT. - DR. FOSTER'S OFFICE - DAY 184

Cindy hasn't been feeling well.

DR. FOSTER
Mrs. Darcels, there is no easy way to say this --
you have AIDS. The virus is active.

CINDY
No..no your lying! I'm just under the weather.

DR. FOSTER
I'm sorry, the tests have been confirmed.

There are no judgements, these things happen
and it is becoming more common with each
passing day.

It is crucial that you list all persons
you have been sexually active with or
shared a needle with.

CINDY
All!? That's not possible!

DR. FOSTER
All, at least during the last two years, initially.

Naturally, I will expect to see your husband and
child as soon as possible. Is there anyone else
recently?

CINDY
I don't want to talk about it!

DR. FOSTER
Mrs. Darcels, you must talk about it. It
is virtually murder if you don't. Is there
anyone else?

CINDY
How did I get it? How could I get it?

DR. FOSTER
That's part of what I'm trying to ascertain. Who
else?

CINDY
Well.. I was with a neighbor once.

DR. FOSTER
You must abstain from sex and avoid any blood bearing
contact with Heather. Your 'neighbor' must have blood
tests done immediatly.

I am providing a prescription that will improve
your appetite. I expect to see Mr. Darcels tomorrow.

Your next appointment is Tuesday at 10:30 AM.


INT. - PARCEL'S HOUSE - NIGHT 185

Cindy cried for hours and scarcely touched Heather.
Finally, she used the phone.

ROD
Hello.
CINDY
Get a blood test.

She dialed Sak's and asked for Bruce Smith.

BRUCE
Hi, this is Bruce.

CINDY
You and others have AIDS.

Now, she only had to wait for John.

An hour later he arrives. Cindy is livid.

JOHN
Here are the divorce papers, I'm moving out.

CINDY
Damn right, bastard. You have AIDS and gave it
to me. Your gonna rot in hell.

JOHN
What?

CINDY
Dr. Foster expects you tomorrow. Bring a
list of your 'working late' partners!

John is very quiet.

Cindy was admitted to the AIDS section of Memorial Hospital
the following summer. She no longer has to watch her weight.

John developed an interest in religion. He erased his black
list and here were fewer 'auto accidents'.

The devorce was final and Cindy missed his check book. Her
medical expenses were mounting and John's were about to begin.
Heather's future was in question, but John's prenups held
to the letter.


INT. - DOW ESTATE - DAY 185

The phone rings.

LIZ
Hello, Dow res..

LUCY
Liz, this is Lucy Darcels. I have to talk
to someone -- you heard about Cindy.

LIZ
Lucy, I'm so sorry. She was such a pretty thing.

LUCY
Forget her, I heard she was a hooker -- it's
John. My son tested HIV positive! So did Heather!

He didn't know and separated from Cindy. Now
his secretary is positive too.

So are some of Cindy's co-workers at Sak's --
even one of John's neighbors is in an AIDS unit!

I'm going off the deep end!

LIZ
Now you steady yourself. It's all that yankee
hooker's fault. How could you have known?

LUCY
First John 1 dies and now John 2 is sick. Thank God
she didn't get to Al or his family...

LIZ
It's terrible, could there be more?

LUCY
There's no tell'in Liz, just no tell'in. I wish
I'd spotted her before John got involved.

LIZ
Except'in her, nobody knew, Lucy. Nobody knew.

LUCY
Liz, I got to lie down. Thanks for listening.

LIZ
Anytime, Lucy -- anytime at all.


INT. - SELLER'S HOME - NIGHT 186

Luke watched his children grow. Marty matured with grace.

Eric is a born ham.

ERIC
Da-da get coo-ke.

LUCK
Dad get cookie.

ERIC
No! My coo-ke.

MARTY
Luke, give Eric his cookie.

ERIC
Yes! My cookie.

David cried as it was clear that Eric was stealing the show.

INT. - MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - NIGHT 187

Luke thought of his youth and found no joy in Cindy's fate.
He had shown her love before infidelity was physically fatal.

October 3rd, while waiting for Martha, Luke passed
Cindy's room. She motioned to him. He couldn't refuse. She
whispered and he bent closer to her lips.

CINDY
Honey, the 15th was from the Mayfest. I never knew
their names.

With that gasping breath, she withdrew the IV and drove it
toward his neck.

Martha caught her thrust, but noticed a trickle
of blood on her hand. Luke could only stare.

CINDY
I really do love you.

Adam laughed.

They put it in the paper.