Dialogue Extract (The Big Day)
by Robin Hawdon
| BILL nips to the bedroom and tip-toes to the bathroom door. Taps on it. | ||
| BILL | (softly) Hello? Are you there? You must come out now, or I’ll have to force the door. | |
| There is a click and he steps back. The door opens and the GIRL comes out, white-faced. They stare at each other. | ||
| At last. | ||
| GIRL | Sorry. | |
| She glances urgently at the connecting door. | ||
| I’ll go now. | ||
| Hurries towards the passage. | ||
| BILL | (following) What happened…? | |
| As she reaches the doorway she almost collides with JULIE, who is bringing in a pile of clean linen. | ||
| JULIE | Ah. Is this the real one? | |
| BILL | Yes. | |
| JULIE | About time. | |
| GIRL | Excuse me. | |
| Steps past JULIE and hurries down the passage. BILL tries to follow, but JULIE blocks his way. | ||
| JULIE | You ought to be ashamed of yourself. | |
| BILL | Julie…. | |
| JULIE | The night before your wedding – really! | |
| BILL | It wasn’t like that…. | |
| JULIE | It’s always like that. | |
| BILL | Julie, I…. | |
| Lost for explanations, he hurries from the room. | ||
| CUT TO: | ||
| INT PASSAGE. | ||
| The GIRL is heading for the lift. BILL sprints after her. The doors open as she gets there, and the two WEDDING GUESTS emerge. The GIRL enters as BILL arrives. | ||
| MALE GUEST | Bill! | |
| BILL | (as the lift doors close) Sorry. | |
| CUT TO: | ||
| INT LIFT. | ||
| The GIRL presses the button to descend. | ||
| BILL | (collecting his breath) What happened to you? We thought you’d died. | |
| GIRL | Sorry. | |
| BILL | Why wouldn’t you come out? | |
| GIRL | I was hiding. | |
| BILL | From me? | |
| GIRL | No. | |
| BILL | From Rachel? | |
| GIRL | No. | |
| BILL | Then who? | |
| GIRL | From Tom. | |
| BILL | (puzzled) Tom? | |
| GIRL | Yes. | |
| BILL | Why? | |
| GIRL | I’m his girl-friend. | |
| BILL stares at her, stunned. The lift doors open. | ||
| CUT TO: | ||
| INT. FOYER | ||
| The GIRL hurries out. BILL is frozen to the spot in a state of shock. Pulls himself together, and dashes out of the lift after her. Bumps into his MOTHER who is crossing the foyer. | ||
| ANGELA | Bill darling, there you are! | |
| BILL | (stopping resignedly) Hello, Mother. | |
| ANGELA | (stroking his cheek) My poor baby – how are you feeling? | |
| BILL | (looking after the GIRL) Fine, Mother, fine. | |
| ANGELA | You don’t look it. Are you quite sure about all this? | |
| BILL | It’s a bit late to ask that now, isn’t it? | |
| ANGELA | Well I wish someone had asked me on my wedding day. | |
| BILL | Yes, well I’m not you. Speaking of which Dad’s looking for you. | |
| ANGELA | What on earth for? | |
| BILL | I think he wants to make up. See you later. | |
| As he heads for the entrance TAVISTOCK turns from the desk. | ||
| TAVISTOCK | Ah – Mr Martin…. | |
| BILL | See you in a moment, Mr Tavistock. | |
| Dashes past and after the GIRL, leaving a bemused TAVISTOCK and ANGELA behind. | ||
| CUT TO: | ||
| EXT. HOTEL CAR PARK. | ||
| The GIRL has reached her car. BILL sprints after and catches her up. | ||
| BILL | Tom’s girl-friend’s at home. | |
| She shakes her head. | ||
| With his parents. | ||
| Another shake. | ||
| Eating corn-flakes. | ||
| Another shake. | ||
| Another pair of young WEDDING GUESTS pass by. | ||
| YOUNG MALE GUEST | (effusive) Ah, Bill! Great day – eh? | |
| BILL | Yes, er…. see you shortly. (To his GIRL FRIEND) Lovely hat. | |
| The GIRL is getting into her car. He runs around to the other side. Opens the door and collapses into the passenger seat. | ||
| INT. CAR. | ||
| BILL | You’re Judy? | |
| A nod. | ||
| Oh my God! | ||
| He sits dazed. | ||
| How did it happen? | ||
| JUDY | You don’t remember? | |
| BILL | Not a lot. | |
| JUDY | Oh. | |
| BILL | It was a bit of a dream. | |
| CUT TO: | ||
| INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT (FLASHBACK) | ||
| Quick memory flash. They are naked, passionate…. | ||
| RESUME: | ||
| INT. CAR. | ||
| JUDY | Yes. A kind of dream. | |
| BILL | (still bemused) So did George call you? | |
| JUDY | I beg your pardon? | |
| BILL | You’re a call-girl, right? | |
| She slaps his face. | ||
| BILL | Wrong. | |
| JUDY | Would Tom invite a call-girl to a wedding? | |
| BILL | I’m sorry. | |
| JUDY | You have a genius for making a girl feel good. | |
| BILL | So what were you doing here? | |
| JUDY | It’s a long story. I must get back to Tom’s house. | |
| Looks at him sadly. | ||
| See you at the wedding. | ||
| BILL | You can’t…. We can’t just…. | |
| JUDY | We can. We have to. | |
| He stares at her, distraught…. | ||