INT. PIPPA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
BELLANCA MONROE fights to keep her eyes open as she jots
notes on a thick sheaf of paper.
PIPPA KENDRIX has given up the struggle and snores gently
just above her laptop. She jolts awake when her head slips
off her hand.
PIPPA
The shrimp are dancing.
Bellanca gives her a tired look. Glances at her watch.
BELLANCA
It's ten 'til two. Call it a night?
PIPPA
(big yawn)
If you're tired...
BELLANCA
We're ahead of schedule anyway.
PIPPA
Can you believe it? We can hire our
first employee ever.
BELLANCA
God worked out the timing didn't
he? Tahiti will be much easier with
us both there.
Pippa grins.
PIPPA
With you retrieving and me
photographing we'll be able to
salvage the wreck in no time.
Leaves plenty of beach time.
BELLANCA
Can you imagine what we'll find? It
sunk during World War one. Just
think of the...
The doorbell RINGS cutting her off. Pippa and Bellanca
exchange confused looks.
Pippa stands stiffly to answer the door.
BELLANCA
Don't do it, girl. That can't be
Jonathan can it?
Frantic knocking.
PIPPA
Nah, he's not due back 'til
tomorrow. Besides, he'd use his
key.
Pippa peeks out the window. She stands back to unlock the
door.
BELLANCA
What are you doing?
GWYNETH RAGLAN rushes inside.
GWYNETH
What took you so long? I've only
got a minute.
BELLANCA
(snorts)
I told you not to open the door.
PIPPA
It's almost two in the morning.
Where could you possibly be going
that you only have a minute?
Gwyneth grins. She makes a beeline for the trunk by the
couch.
GWYNETH
SCUBA diving! Isn't that great? I'm
having my first lesson! I just
need to borrow your gear.
Bellanca slams the top down on the trunk narrowly missing
Gwyneth's fingers.
GWYNETH
Hey!! I just had a manicure.
PIPPA
You're going diving when?
GWYNETH
We're leaving in about ten minutes.
PIPPA
Who's we?
GWYNETH
This absolutely wonderful gentlemen
I met this afternoon. He's taking
me.
Bellanca rolls her eyes.
BELLANCA
And there it is. Always about a man
isn't it?
GWYNETH
Are you still going on about
Charlie? God, that was ages ago.
BELLANCA
It was last week.
GWYNETH
It's not my fault you can't keep a
man.
Bellanca's face tightens into an angry mask.
Pippa hurriedly restrains her.
Oblivious to the danger, Gwyneth opens the trunk again.
PIPPA
So you wouldn't go diving when I
offered to teach you, but you want
to borrow my gear to go with some
man you don't even know? Are you
crazy?
BELLANCA
She's crazy.
GWYNETH
This could be my husband here.
Don't block my blessing.
PIPPA
You don't even know this guy.
GWYNETH
(long-suffering sigh)
That's why we're going diving.
BELLANCA
See? Crazy.
Pippa shoots Bellanca a quick glare. Bellanca flops on the
couch with an unconcerned shrug.
Gwyneth opens the trunk and pulls out a fin by the tip.
GWYNETH
These are huge. Got anything
smaller? Maybe not as heavy?
BELLANCA
You're going to need all the weight
you can get to compensate for the
air in your head.
PIPPA
Bella .
(to Gwyneth)
Have you thought this through? You
do know how dangerous diving is,
right?
GWYNETH
Pastor just preached on Philippians
4:6. Be careful for nothing.
Weren't you listening?
PIPPA
That's not meant to be an excuse to
not handle business. Exercise a
little ordinary care.
GWYNETH
I am handling business.
She contemplates a snorkel.
GWYNETH
This won't match the bikini I
planned to wear.
BELLANCA
You can't dive in a bikini. Not in
California.
GWYNETH
Maybe you can't. Some of us do have
the figure for it, though.
PIPPA
It's too cold...
BELLANCA
Nah. Let the heifer freeze to
death, then.
Gwyneth's eyes widen as she looks between the other women.
Clutches the gloves with a death grip.
GWYNETH
Stop trying to frighten me.
PIPPA
You should be frightened. Diving
can kill you if you don't know what
you're doing.
BELLANCA
And all to impress some guy? You
don't even like fish unless they're
broiled, baked or fried.
GWYNETH
I'm broadening my horizons.
PIPPA
At least go with one of us first.
Learn the basics. Go with this guy
another time.
GWYNETH
I can't. He's going out of town on
business. This is our last chance.
Bellanca frowns thoughtfully.
BELLANCA
Hold up. What exactly did he say
about this little adventure of
yours?
GWYNETH
He wanted to go down tonight
because he loves Octopus. This is
when they're out.
BELLANCA
Where is he taking you to see these
Octopus?
GWYNETH
Laguna.
BELLANCA
And why can't you go tomorrow
night?
GWYNETH
He's leaving for Australia this
afternoon.
Bellanca and Pippa exchange glances.
BELLANCA
He's running game on you.
GWYNETH
Just 'cause you get played...
BELLANCA
You better get your girl.
Bellanca picks up her laptop & starts typing.
PIPPA
She's right, Gwyneth. By the time
you get to Laguna from here the
octopus will be done feeding.
BELLANCA
In Shaw's, right now, the surf is 3
4 feet. Not an ideal entry for a
novice. And visibility's only about
5 feet.
GWYNETH
Why are y'all hatin' like this? I
finally meet a nice man who took
the initiative and planned a cool
date just like we learned in Bible
Study and you two are trying to
block.
PIPPA
We just don't want you to get hurt.
BELLANCA
I'm okay with the getting hurt
part.
PIPPA
We're trying to help you see
through this guy. You're going to
be in a car alone with him for a
couple hours. You're going out in
the ocean with him. Alone.
You're betting your life that he
knows what he's doing.
BELLANCA
Which he obviously doesn't if he
thinks he's going to fly to
Australia less than twelve hours
after diving.
Gwyneth explodes up from the chest.
GWYNETH
He does know what he's doing. Stop
being such a jealous cow!
Bellanca stares Gwyneth down. She pulls her angry gaze away
to address Pippa.
BELLANCA
If you don't loan this heifer your
equipment, I will. I have some old
gear that I won't even miss.
PIPPA
Ladies. Please. We're only trying
to help you, Gwyneth. If you were a
diver you'd have recognized the
game right off.
GWYNETH
So now you're calling me stupid?
PIPPA
Course not. I am saying that God
gave each of us different gifts and
SCUBA doesn't seem to be yours.
GWYNETH
You don't know that.
PIPPA
Last time we went to the beach, you
keep a minimum 30 foot distance
between you and the water.
GWYNETH
I'd just had a pedicure and had to
keep my sandals on.
BELLANCA
You threw a fit when your hair got
splashed at the pool.
GWYNETH
I'd just had my hair done.
PIPPA
You quit your job because you had
to sit in front of an aquarium.
GWYNETH
The fish were weird-looking. They
kept staring at me. It was creepy.
BELLANCA
And yet you're willing to jump in
the biggest aquarium there is with
them. Completely logical.
PIPPA
You have to figure out what God
designed you for.
BELLANCA
Just like the gifts of the Holy
Spirit Paul talks about in I
Corinthians 12. We each have our
own gift.
PIPPA
We need everybody's gift working
together. When you do what you do,
you're ministering to somebody
else.
BELLANCA
You have to celebrate you.
Gwyneth contemplates their arguments.
PIPPA
What is it you like to do?
BELLANCA
Besides--
PIPPA
Bellanca...
BELLANCA
I wasn't going to say "steal men"
or anything.
Pippa shoots her a withering look. Bellanca shrugs
innocently.
GWYNETH
Well...don't laugh.
PIPPA
We won't.
She shoots a warning glance in Bellanca's direction.
Gwyneth holds up her arm. Allows her beautiful crystal
bracelets to jangle.
GWYNETH
I make these.
BELLANCA
Girl, stop lying.
GWYNETH
It's why I had to move into a 2
bedroom apartment. I needed a
bigger workspace.
Pippa and Bellanca share astonished looks.
BELLANCA
There it is, then. Your gift.
You're good, too.
GWYNETH
You really think I'm good?
PIPPA
Considering the fact that she was
trying to kill you a moment ago. I
don't think she'd be just
flattering you now.
BELLANCA
(recites)
"There's no such thing as murder in
SCUBA diving. It's all accidental
drowning."
Pippa opens her mouth to chastise Bellanca. A KNOCK at the
door cuts her off.
Gwyneth hurries to answer it.
GWYNETH
Oh Tucker. I'm so sorry to keep you
waiting.
TUCKER COBB strides inside the room as if he owns the place.
He has a pair of swim goggles perched sideways on his head
and a loud pair of trunks riding low on his hips. Looks at
Bellanca and Pippa then away dismissively.
Pippa raises an irritated eyebrow. Bellanca tries to stifle
her giggle at his attire.
TUCKER
We're going to miss them if we
don't hurry.
PIPPA
I don't believe we've met.
GWYNETH
Where are my manners? Bellanca,
Pippa. This is Tucker. Tucker--
TUCKER
Yeah, yeah. Nice meeting you. We've
gotta go.
BELLANCA
Gwyneth says you're flying to
Australia this afternoon.
TUCKER
I have business there.
BELLANCA
So then you're not really going
diving now are you?
TUCKER
Of course we are. What do you think
these are for?
He taps the goggles importantly.
Pippa and Bellanca exchange glances. Prepare for the
slaughter.
PIPPA
Then you won't mind answering a few
questions.
He gives Pippa a bored stare.
GWYNETH
Of course he doesn't.
PIPPA
What's the most important rule in
SCUBA diving?
TUCKER
Know how to swim?
BELLANCA
Wrong. If an air cylinder lasts for
two hours at sea level, how long
will it last at two atmospheres?
TUCKER
Uh...two hours.
PIPPA
No. What do you do if you exceed
your computer's no-deco time?
TUCKER
The what?
BELLANCA
Why do you wet your BC straps
before attaching the tank?
Tucker stumbles back trying to get away from them.
PIPPA
The seconding is out of your mouth.
What do you do. WHAT DO YOU DO?
Tucker collapses on the Couch. Stares up at Bellanca and
Pippa's angry faces in horror.
GWYNETH
Are you asking trick questions?
JONATHAN KENDRIX comes in the door with a garment bag and
briefcase. He surveys the scene.
JONATHAN
What's going on in here?
Pippa does an instant 180. Goes to give her husband a gleeful
welcome home hug.
PIPPA
Hi sweetheart. The idiot on the
couch thinks he's taking Gwyneth
diving right now. How was your
trip?
JONATHAN
Not as exciting as being with you.
Left Tim & Todd in charge and came
on home.
PIPPA
You must've really been homesick to
leave the twins alone in Vegas.
Tucker tries to take advantage of Pippa's absence and slide
away from Bellanca. She slams a fin down. Trapping him right
where he is.
TUCKER
Hey man. Playa to playa. Help a
brotha out. These hoes is crazy.
JONATHAN
What did you just call my wife? In
my house?
Jonathan yanks Tucker up by his shirt collar. Escorts him to
the door.
Gwyneth tries get Tucker's attention.
GWYNETH
Call me.
JONATHAN
You bet' not.
Jonathan tosses Tucker out on his ear.
GWYNETH
What is the big deal? You took
Pippa diving on your first date.
JONATHAN
I signed us up for a class. With
other people. In the daylight.
PIPPA
He's not even a real diver.
JONATHAN
I didn't just swing by at four in
the morning and drop her in the
ocean with no experience.
Gwyneth pouts and contemplates the mask..
GWYNETH
He really didn't have a clue, did
he?
BELLANCA
None whatsoever.
Bellanca playfully shoves her shoulder.
BELLANCA
Come on. I'll drive you home. We
can grab some chocolate fudge
brownie ice cream at that all night
market on the way.
Gwyneth shrugs listlessly as Bellanca gathered her things.
Pippa gives her a hug at the door.
PIPPA
God'll send the right man along.
You just have to keep doing what
YOU do. Focus on your gift.
Gwyneth nods. Bellanca follows her out the door. Pippa closes
it gratefully behind them. Looks at Jonathan, then
heavenward.
PIPPA
Thank you, God, for not sending me
through all that.
JONATHAN
I second it.
He gives her a loving hug and turns out the lights.
THE END
[
top
]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.