Love of Her Life (7 page)

Orion.  Enough.  I am not having

this conversation one more time. 

Now Orion is in the passenger seat, looking at her, his eyes starting to tear, desperation gripping his face. 

ORION

Delia.  We have a good thing.  Don't. 

He stops himself.  He never takes his eyes off her.  She drives casual, unharried. 

WOMAN

What?  Don't be me?

He stares at her as if by will he can hold her in his arms. 

ORION

I am not trying to possess you.  I

am not trying to change you. 

She stops the car. 

They sit there, her foot on the brake.  She gazes at the stars.  He gazes at her. 

WOMAN

I want you to get out of the car. 

Orion blinks, unmoving. 

She waits. 

WOMAN

Now please. 

Orion reaches for her. 

WOMAN

Orion, I want you to let me go now. 

END FLASHBACK

EXT.  ENGINE ROOM - NIGHT

Orion, in his Bartender uniform, stands next to the Captain.  Through a window, they stare at dark trees on the riverbank as the boat rolls along, the paddle churning. 

BARTENDER

Right in there.  1982.  She left me

on the side of the road and drove

away in daddy's red Chevy. 

CAPTAIN

A liberated woman. 

BARTENDER

An emasculated man. 

CAPTAIN

You still haven't let her go. 

A wry smile creeps over Orion's face. 

BARTENDER

I never knew her. 

CAPTAIN

What's all this got to do with

Harmonia?  She let you kiss her. 

She's been talking friendly to you. 

BARTENDER

You'll tell her.  She'll be mad as a

mother hornet.  I'll beg for mercy. 

She'll forgive me.  We'll walk off

this boat together. 

CAPTAIN

Sounds like the start of something

good. 

BARTENDER

Happily ever after.  Only fairy tales

end that way. 

CAPTAIN

Take your cards and play. 

BARTENDER

Yeah, take a look at these cards. 

Two of hearts.  First couple years. 

CAPTAIN

Two more, you got a three of a kind. 

Beats a pair of aces. 

BARTENDER

Next card, three of spades.  Third

year, I'm making love to her, she's

fantasizing about another man. 

CAPTAIN

The moment you think that, tell

yourself a story. 

BARTENDER

Such as? 

CAPTAIN

She's fantasizing about another woman. 

The Bartender smiles and nods. 

INT.  CHIEKO'S CABIN G339 - NIGHT

Chieko and Harmonia laugh and gab face-to-face on the bed.  The dark riverbank rolls by. 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

Next card, five of clubs. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

What are the other two? 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

Looky here.  Got me an ace of hearts. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

Final card?

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

Jack of diamonds. 

Chieko flops back on the bed in hysterics.  Harmonia studies

her, thoughtful, and sips champagne. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

Ace and two of hearts.  What's your

next move?

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

Placid, like Delia's face that night. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

I wonder where she is now. 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

She's out there.  Doing her thing. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

Telling herself she's doing all right. 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

She's not married.  Not divorced. 

She made it through the gauntlet. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

The Jack of diamonds is a throwaway. 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

If you put down too many, you're

desperate.  Time to bluff. 

CAPTAIN (V.  O.  )

A couple of Jacks will do nicely. 

Chieko massages Harmonia's hand.  She shakes her head, no. 

BARTENDER (V.  O.  )

A queen and a king.  Straight. 

Chieko pats Harmonia's hand and removes hers. 

CHIEKO

Everyone fantasizes. 

HARMONIA

I try so hard to only think of him. 

CHIEKO

He stood you up.  Rejected you. 

Another man comes along, shows

interest.  He's not a bad guy.  Has

a brain. 

Harmonia smiles and wipes a tear from her eye. 

HARMONIA

He does, doesn't he?  Wow.  For a

bartender, he's really savvy. 

CHIEKO

Don't judge a man by his occupation. 

HARMONIA

Or a woman. 

Chieko nods. 

HARMONIA

I always thought being a Geisha would

be kind of beautiful. 

CHIEKO

Oh it was.  It was that, more often

than not.  I felt beautiful. 

Beautiful things surrounded me. 

HARMONIA

What would you do, if you were me?

CHIEKO

I would let go of the fantasy. 

Harmonia looks down. 

HARMONIA

I can let go of the fantasy.  But

not the real Ri.  I can't stop caring

about him.  I can't shut that off. 

CHIEKO

Be friends then. 

HARMONIA

And give the bartender a real shot?

CHIEKO

Find out what's real.  Isn't that

who you are, Harmonia?  Someone who

cares about authenticity. 

Harmonia nods and wipes her other eye.  She sighs. 

HARMONIA

For someone who idealizes being

authentic, I've been quite the fake. 

CHIEKO

We all have to fake it sometimes. 

The two women laugh. 

HARMONIA

Can men fake an orgasm?

CHIEKO

Of course.  And they do, too.  Why

do you think porn shows it?

HARMONIA

Oh that's why!

CHIEKO

Proof is in the pudding. 

Harmonia laughs. 

INT.  DELTA QUEEN LOUNGE - MOMENTS LATER

Chieko and Harmonia sit at the bar.  The real Orion serves them drinks.  Harmonia gives him a sweet smile.  He blushes and finds something to do. 

HARMONIA

Davis?

He doesn't respond.  It's a bit noisy, with a band playing a song as sultry as a Southern night. 

HARMONIA

Davis!

He snaps to and turns around. 

BARTENDER

Yes, m'lady?  Sorry, I was in my

head, listening to the music. 

HARMONIA

It is a great song. 

She watches the band a moment. 

BARTENDER

Did you want something?

HARMONIA

Oh yes.  I'm curious.  May I ask you

something personal?

He looks nervous at Chieko. 

CHIEKO

I'll go away. 

BARTENDER

No, stay.  Go on, ask. 

HARMONIA

How did you get to be a bartender on

this boat?

BARTENDER

The captain and I go way back. 

Harmonia nods, but has a look of dissatisfaction. 

BARTENDER

What do you really want to know,

sister?

He serves another customer.  Harmonia ponders his moves as she waits for him to return. 

HARMONIA

Do you have any siblings?

The Bartender smirks. 

BARTENDER

Is that what you really want to know?

HARMONIA

Yes. 

BARTENDER

Why?

HARMONIA

I'm curious. 

BARTENDER

About me?

HARMONIA

Yes. 

BARTENDER

Why?

Harmonia has a serious expression as she ponders how she wants to answer. 

The real Orion remains poker-faced as he serves another customer.  He returns. 

HARMONIA

I like you. 

The real Orion keeps his poker face on. 

BARTENDER

What about the real Orion, the one

in the wheelchair?

Harmonia reacts, startled. 

CHIEKO

He isn't in a wheelchair, honey. 

Don't worry about it. 

HARMONIA

What if he is? 

CHIEKO

He isn't.  Trust me.  I know men. 

They're testing you.