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Chapter Four
Lights come up on the apartment of LOMAR. He is happy and excited. He holds a wine glass and walks back and forth. Then he stops, looks at his
watch, and walks again. The intercom buzzes. He picks the phone.
LOMAR
(On the phone.)
Hello? (…) Peggy? (…) Right… I'm waiting…
(Lomar hangs up, looks at the mirror, breathes deeply, and sips his wine.)
(The bell rings. Lomar opens the door.)
(MARGOT - dressed seductively - enters.)
MARGOT
Hi...
LOMAR
(Looking at her.)
Wow! You're so beautiful!
MARGOT
Thank you! Mr…?
LOMAR
Wellman... William A. Wellman. Nice to meet you.
MARGOT
Me too.
LOMAR
Please have a seat.
MARGOT
Thank you.
(Margot sits down.)
LOMAR
Would you like a drink?
MARGOT
Yeah.
LOMAR
A dry-martini, whiskey or wine?
MARGOT
Wine, please.
LOMAR
Sure!
(Lomar picks up another glass, pours wine into it and hands to her.)
MARGOT
Thank you.
LOMAR
It's my pleasure. Cheers.
MARGOT
(Gets up.)
Cheers.
(They toast and sip.)
LOMAR
I should pay you before or...?
MARGOT
What do you prefer?
LOMAR
I don't know, I mean, whatever you want.
MARGOT
Later.
LOMAR
Right.
(Silence.)
LOMAR
Well, what should I do?
MARGOT
I don't know... Do you want me to take my clothes off?
LOMAR
Are you sure?
MARGOT
Yes. I can do it.
LOMAR
Can I put on a song?
MARGOT
Please.
LOMAR
What about Bob Dylan?
MARGOT
I think it doesn't match with the situation.
LOMAR
You're right! Sorry. I'll get something more appropriate.
(Lomar turns on the stereo. We hear a love song.)
MARGOT
I-I don't like this type of music. I prefer something more vibrant, like Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, or even Britney.
LOMAR
Old pop, huh?
MARGOT
If you want that, I could be one of them.
LOMAR
Really?
MARGOT
Yeah... any of them.
LOMAR
You don't mind doing Taylor Swift for me?
MARGOT
Taylor Swift? All right. You're paying, by the way.
LOMAR
Thank you.
(They place the wine glasses on the coffee table. Lomar puts a Taylor Swift song on the stereo.)
LOMAR
The stage is yours.
(Margot begins to lip-sync the song in a private show. Lomar glances excitedly at her.)
LOMAR
What do you think about a striptease?
MARGOT
(Dancing.)
What?
LOMAR
A striptease!
MARGOT
Okay.
(She begins to take off her clothes.)
LOMAR
I love you!
(He grabs Margot, and kisses her.)
LOMAR
I love you, Peggy!
(She pushes him away and continues doing the sensual dance.)
LOMAR
Peggy! Peggy! You're unbelievable!
(She stops the dance.)
MARGOT
Stop it!
LOMAR
What's up?
MARGOT
(Angrily.)
Stop it!
(Lomar turns off the stereo.)
LOMAR
What's the matter?
MARGOT
I don't want more this shit.
LOMAR
What's going on, Peggy?
MARGOT
My name is Margot! Stop this stupid thing.
LOMAR
I thought you were enjoying it.
MARGOT
I'm tired of all that shit. I hate doing it. I won't do this crap anymore.
LOMAR
Sorry... I didn't know that it bothered you so much.
MARGOT
It does.
LOMAR
We've agreed to do some steps to spice up our sex lives.
MARGOT
Okay, I understand you, but I just wanna be myself. I don't want more of these roles…
LOMAR
I just thought you... as you're an actress, I thought that—
MARGOT
It happens that-that… Lomar, you know, this shit is not my real life. Can you understand that?
LOMAR
Sure. Well, well… Sorry. Really sorry, honey.
MARGOT
Do you understand me?
LOMAR
Yes, yes. Of course. I don't know what to say…
(Silence.)
MARGOT
Lomar.
LOMAR
Yes?
MARGOT
We've been married almost five years…
LOMAR
So...?
MARGOT
You know, I think… I think it's time… I want to have a baby.
LOMAR
What?
MARGOT
I want to have a baby.
LOMAR
But— But— You… you said, no children. You said it could ruin your business.
MARGOT
I know, I know. I've changed my mind.
LOMAR
Since...?
MARGOT
It doesn't matter.
LOMAR
Are you serious?
MARGOT
Yes, of course. I think it's the right time… I feel it.
LOMAR
Wow! I need to digest all that.
MARGOT
What?
LOMAR
I liked the idea, I mean, I like this idea, you know, but— but—, on the other hand, I think it isn't the moment.
MARGOT
Why not?
LOMAR
I don't know… I don't know… I have to think about that.
MARGOT
Lomar, it's now or never.
LOMAR
And your job?
MARGOT
I don't want more that job.
LOMAR
What? That role was your dream. I don't know why you've changed your mind?
MARGOT
Lomar... please... let's get out of this town.
LOMAR
Why?
MARGOT
There's another place for us. We can go to California. Or we can go back to Miami, huh?
LOMAR
Margot, what happened?
MARGOT
I just want to get away from this place.
LOMAR
Why? I-I don't— Margot, please, tell me why?
(Margot freezes.)
(Blackout.)
(The lights come up on a hotel room. Earlier. Hall and Margot. She is scared and crying during this scene.)
HALL
It's your big chance. Many famous actors started up on soup operas. Anyway, your character will be a great villain in this season. It will be great
for you to shine up your career. Don't forget that your Lady Macbeth flopped.
(Pause.)
MARGOT
(Holding a paper.)
It's horrible. I shouldn't do that.
HALL
Yeah. You should do that. Please, just sign the paper. You know, it's a nondisclosure agreement. We have to avoid sexual harassment things. It will
be good for me and the best for you.
MARGOT
It is not right… You forced me.
HALL
Forget that day. Think about your career.
MARGOT
I don't know. I should report you.
HALL
Really? What about your boyfriend? What would he say about this shit, huh?
MARGOT
I feel so bad. I'm a Faust.
HALL
It's showbiz, sweetie! All of us are Faust.
(Silence.)
MARGOT
(To herself.)
What am I doing with my life?
HALL
Being smart.
MARGOT
Oh God!
(Pause.)
HALL
I have no time. I have a lot of auditions to do.
MARGOT
I can't.
HALL
You have no choice. The baseball player will never forgive you. And you know, you'll never be on the pages of Variety. Think about that, huh?
(Pause.)
HALL
Be a good girl.
(He hands a pen to her.)
(Blackout.)
(The lights come up on Lomar and Margot. Present time. They are on the same spot.)
LOMAR
I thought that role in the soap opera—
MARGOT
I quit my job. I'll look for a new role. I'll have new chances on TV.
(Pause.)
LOMAR
Alright… it's your decision, and I respect it.
MARGOT
Thank you.
(She hugs him.)
LOMAR
Well, well. I think you're right. Maybe it's the time to have a baby.
MARGOT
I love you so much.
(They kiss.)
MARGOT
Lomar, I need to talk to you.
LOMAR
Yeah?
MARGOT
I did something bad...
LOMAR
What're you talking about?
MARGOT
Well, after my audition... I-I...
LOMAR
I'm getting worried.
MARGOT
When I went to the hotel to talk about my role… I-I- I did a bad thing for you... for us...
(Blackout.)
(The lights come up on the audition room. Later. Martin and Margot.)
MARTIN
Hi! Good to see you.
MARGOT
Thanks for having me, Martin.
MARTIN
How're you doing?
MARGOT
I'm trying to remake myself.
MARTIN
I heard about your complaint against that sonuvabitch.
MARGOT
Yeah. It was very hard... but I had to do something.
MARTIN
You did the right thing. Unbelievable! He obliged you to sign a paper, so you couldn't report him for sexual harassment. It was a shame!
MARGOT
I changed my mind and I blasted all that shit.
MARTIN
Hall Conrad... that sonuvabitch will lose everything and he will never be in the showbiz again.
MARGOT
I hope so.
MARTIN
He ruined my life, too.
MARGOT
I think Hall has been fucking all people that meet him.
MARTIN
Yep. He's a class-A jerk.
(Beat.)
And your boyfriend?... The baseball player—
MARGOT
We broke up after all that shit... he went back to Miami.
MARTIN
Oh, I'm sorry for you Margot, I really am.
MARGOT
Thank you. And how's the case about your son?
MARTIN
I got a joint legal custody. I'm happy.
MARGOT
Good.
MARTIN
You know, It's the game of life, and I'm trying to hit home runs left and right.
MARGOT
I got it.
MARTIN
Well, I think this new play will be good for us.
MARGOT
I hope so.
MARTIN
Well, then let's move on.
MARGOT
Right. I'm ready.
MARTIN
Cool. Shakespeare to Euripides. Here we go.
MARGOT
Medea is so intense as Lady Macbeth!
MARTIN
Sure. Then you can get started!
MARGOT
Right.
(MARTIN checks out the script.)
MARTIN
Well… Ready? Then, let's go!
(Lights up on Margot.)
(She closes her eyes, breathes deeply, then…)
MARGOT
(As Medea.)
I can't stand this shame... this pain... What do I do with my misery? I wish I could die!
(Blackout.)
TO BE CONTINUED
The next chapter: The Epilogue
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