SCENE SIXTEEN

(Lights go down on the OMP while ALEX walks offstage, quietly moving into the wings. Lights come up onto ROSE'S HOUSE. A door stands alone onstage. GEORGE is onstage, in front of the door. As the lights start to rise, GEORGE loudly knocks on ROSE's door. ROSE opens it, with BRENDA right behind her.)

ROSE: George, not now. I don’t think I can take you right now.

GEORGE: Just hear me out.

BRENDA: You heard the woman.

GEORGE: I’m not talking to you.

ROSE: You better show her more respect than that.

BRENDA: And her more respect than you did earlier.

GEORGE: Two minutes. That’s all I need.

ROSE: (Beat.) Speak quickly.

GEORGE: Fine. (Takes a deep breath.) I did not mean to stand you up tonight. I was busy pulling strings for tomorrow, and lost track of time. It’s obvious that it upset you a lot more than I thought it would.

ROSE: (Pause.) Ninety seconds.

GEORGE: Look, I know I’m an idiot, but I’m trying to work on that. You mean a lot to me, Rose. Literally every action I take, I do because I think it’s what you'd want me to do. You know what I did when I realized you had already left?

ROSE: What?

GEORGE: I downed a shot.

ROSE: O-kay…

GEORGE: Of espresso. Because I didn’t realize that was a different thing. What I’m trying to say is: I haven’t had time to figure... anything out, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try. It doesn’t mean that we can’t try to work around it. So. What is it they say in movies? Let’s try again? Come on, Rose. Let’s try again. It’s nice to meet you, my name’s George. I’ve worked with you for five years, I’ve loved you for two and a half, and I’ve got one hell of a first date planned for you if you’ll come with me tonight. What do you say?

ROSE: One more try?

GEORGE: One more try. (Pause, then the two embrace and - if possible - kiss. Pause again while the two smile at each other.)

BRENDA: It’s not going to work you know.

ROSE: Go away.

BRENDA: What? It never does. Problems in a relationship don’t disappear, they just -

ROSE: You’re ruining my happy ending. Go away.

BRENDA: You’ll see. I’m right. You know it, too -

ROSE: Shoo.


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