127 INT. TERWILLIGERS' KITCHEN - DAY 127
Henry is wearing a big rubber respirator and brushing out a
roller tray into "spot killer" can. The walls have been
freshly repainted with white primer. He looks out the front
window and sees
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128 TERWILLIGERS' FRONT YARD - DAY 128
Philip is pulling his car out of the driveway.
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129 TERWILLIGERS' KITCHEN - DAY 129
Henry can hear ARLEEN TYPING IN THE STUDY and THE OVATRON
PINGING IN THE BEDROOM. He opens the freezer door to paint
behind it, and a bottle of vodka tumbles out. He catches it
in mid-air, paints the spot behind the door with the bottle
in his hand, then tries to put it back in the freezer. It
keeps rolling out. He sees that he's left a white finger
print on the bottle. He wipes it off and replaces it --
shutting the door quickly before it can roll out.
He takes off his respirator and sniffs the air. He speaks in
loud casual tone, as if remarking on the weather.
HENRY
Geez, I've got half a gallon of spot
killer on the walls, and I can smell
her cunt.
Arleen's typing stops. Her chair is pushed away from the
desk. Henry waits like a kid who loves trouble. Arleen,
having heard Henry perfectly, comes to the door being
condescending and polite.
ARLEEN
Excuse me, did you say something?
HENRY
Oh! I was just wondering aloud at how
this paint got discolored.
ARLEEN
Maybe you used the wrong paint.
HENRY
Are you experienced with semi-glosses?
ARLEEN
I'm experienced in what's acceptable.
Henry wipes his finger on the wall and sniffs it. Licks it.
HENRY
It's as if you sprayed watered-down
molasses on it.
ARLEEN
Why would I do that?
HENRY
To keep me around a while longer?
ARLEEN
Now that's ridiculous. Why would
ANYBODY want to keep YOU around?
HENRY
Aw, don't go hurtin' my feelings,
Arl...
ARLEEN
I told you to leave your feelings at
home. I don't like them in the house.
Henry LAUGHS.
HENRY
When is Philip coming back?
Arleen gives him a siren stare that he can't resist.
ARLEEN
Not for a while. Why?
HENRY
Because I want to talk to you about
these touch-ups.
Arleen walks out. Henry puts down his brush and follows her
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130 TERWILLIGERS' DINING ROOM - DAY 130
Arleen turns on Henry.
ARLEEN
Shoes on the drop cloth!
Henry takes off his shoes and follows her
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131 TERWILLIGERS' BEDROOM - DAY 131
Arleen, priming herself for another weird encounter, stands
in the middle of the room looking steamy. Henry come padding
in and stands there, awaiting orders.
ARLEEN
Well, what do you want?
HENRY
I don't know.
ARLEEN
Well, why are you standing there?
HENRY
I don't know.
ARLEEN
Well, that's not good enough. Fly on
back to the kitchen, Mr. Housefly,
there's nothing for you in here.
Henry moves closer to her.
HENRY
Are you sure?
He runs his finger up her thigh.
HENRY
(continuing)
Because I want to make sure you're
satisfied.
This is what she wanted to hear. She's ready.
ARLEEN
Well, maybe we can find something.
She sits down on the bed and pulls at the hem of her dress.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
I've been thinking about a different
wall color. And I hate this
fireplace, I don't know why I let you
talk me into that color.
Arleen works herself into quite a state before she realizes
that Henry is standing there smirking at her. She's horrified.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
What are you doing?!
HENRY
I'm raising the stakes.
ARLEEN
Oh!
Arleen tries to leave room, but Henry grabs her.
HENRY
Arleen!
Arleen flies at him, KICKING AND SCRATCHING, as if to kill
him. But Henry picks her up and pins her to the bed.
HENRY
(continuing)
Stop it! Listen to me.
ARLEEN
I'm not going to listen to you. It's
over. You're finished. You'll never,
ever touch me again! Do you hear me?
Henry lets her go.
HENRY
That's not what I want.
ARLEEN
Who cares what you want? It's over.
She leaves.
HENRY
Arleen!
Henry gets up and follows her
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132 TERWILLIGERS' KITCHEN - DAY 132
Arleen comes in with Henry right on her heels. She picks up
the phone and dials.
HENRY
I'm in love with you, Arleen. Which
is a problem. But I can't just go on
working here for free. The next time
you pull a stunt like this-
Henry gestures to the freshly re-painted walls. He pushes
down the cradle and disconnects her call.
HENRY
(continuing)
- I'm going to have to call your
bluff. You know? It's been real fun.
Real kinky. But we've got to start
thinking about the next step.
ARLEEN
Hah! Is that where we sneak out to
some dark corner of Laurel Canyon,
and park in your pickup truck?
HENRY
Why not?
ARLEEN
Because you're not worth it.
Henry follows Arleen
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133 TERWILLIGERS' HALL - DAY 133
Arleen is just running away from Henry. She storms
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134 TERWILLIGERS' BEDROOM - DAY 134
Arleen stares into the mirror over the fireplace, and sees
Henry come to the door.
HENRY
Why can't you admit that you care
about what happens? It breaks my
heart to see you wasting away like
this. Why won't you let me help you?
Arleen scoops up the car keys and turns on him.
ARLEEN
Help me? You're a worthless drunk.
You can't even help yourself.
HENRY
I haven't had a drink in two weeks.
I'm dry, sweetheart.
ARLEEN
Oh really? And are you so naive that
you think I would leave Philip for
you?
HENRY
Why not?
She scoffs.
ARLEEN
Henry, YOU'RE the reason I came to
Philip in the first place.
Arleen blows by Henry. He races after her on her way
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135 TERWILLIGERS' LIVING ROOM - DAY 135
Arleen is headed for the front door when Henry gets her by
the arm and spins her around. He holds her arms tightly to
her sides and FENDS OFF HER KICKS with his shins.
HENRY
You can't blame everything on some
little incident that happened eight
years ago.
ARLEEN
Let go of me!
Henry SHAKES HER VIOLENTLY.
HENRY
Not till you answer me! Why couldn't
you leave him? Why not? You don't
need all this. I could give you what
you need for free.
ARLEEN
Why do you think I'm here? Because I
like it? Do you think I married
Philip because I wanted his money?
HENRY
Yeah, I do.
Arleen breaks away from him.
ARLEEN
Well, here's news Henry. I married
Philip because he was the only one
who would have me, after you knocked
me up.
HENRY
No.
ARLEEN
Yes, I was pregnant.
Apparently, this long-held secret hurts pretty bad on its way
out. Arleen darts away and Henry follows her
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136 TERWILLIGERS' STUDY - DAY 136
Arleen stirs around the papers on her desk, involuntarily.
HENRY
What makes you so sure it was me?
Arleen picks up a heavy glass paper weight.
ARLEEN
Ooooo!
She feigns. He ducks. She resets. Throws. He dives out of the
way. It bounces off a table and goes CRASH!, into the wall
behind him. She points at the big hole it's left in the
freshly painted plaster.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
Look at that!
Henry gets up off the floor.
HENRY
Look, I'm sorry. I had no idea.
Henry's apology, lame as it is, rekindles the tears. She
turns away from him.
ARLEEN
And just for your information, you
were my first. It's a pity we didn't
make something more of it. After you
there was only Philip.
HENRY
What happened to the baby?
ARLEEN
You don't want to know.
HENRY
Was it adopted?
Arleen stands rigidly, back to Henry, and shakes her head -
no.
From her tears it's pretty obvious that she had an abortion.
Henry stares at the center of her back -- wracked with guilt.
HENRY
(continuing)
I'm sorry... Is there anything I
could do?
ARLEEN
Oh, you could get rid of my husband.
Arleen laughs through the tears.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
That's right. Kill Philip. Make it
look like an accident. So I'll
inherit his money. That way I
wouldn't ever have to depend on
anyone again.
She turns around and looks at him. There's mascara running
down her perfect cheeks. She laughs, then she gets serious.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
We could take him out and drown him
in the pool. Who'd suspect?
HENRY
Don't kid.
ARLEEN
Who's kidding? I hate him. Do you
have any idea? He smells like a
pickled egg. One minute he's calling
me "darling" and "dreamboat" and the
next minute...
The very thought of it sets her shuddering uncontrollably.
She really has completely lost it.
HENRY
You can't kill him.
ARLEEN
Why not? We could knock him out with
a block of ice, drag him out to the
pool, drop him in. The ice melts in
the sink, and it looks like an
accident. Right?
HENRY
Haven't you read "Crime and
Punishment"?
ARLEEN
Oh it figures you'd be into all that
self-indulgent Russian crap! I hated
that book.
Henry just stands there like the accused, letting her words
speak for themselves.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
Never mind. I was just kidding.
She gives Henry a murderous smile.
ARLEEN
(continuing)
Now, why don't you fly on back to the
kitchen. The sooner you get out of
here the better.
Henry is visibly shaken by this exchange. It seems that
Arleen is the one who's raised the stakes.