A Housewife's Revenge

A HOUSEWIFE’S REVENGE

FADE IN:

EXT. AMERICAN DREAM HOME- DAWN

A beautiful suburban home sits quietly in the early morning hours. A sprinkler turns on the manicured lawn.

INT. HOME- SERIES OF SHOTS- DAWN

A clock ticks in the empty living room.

A king-sized bed is perfectly made with several hand-made pillows leaning against the headboard.

A wedding picture hangs above the fireplace. It is slightly off center.

CLOSE UP of hands washing dishes. They stop when a laundry buzzer sounds and towels off. A female form walks by a note on the refrigerator.

EXTREME CLOSE UP of the note that reads "Audrey, please iron my pants with the creases. Unlike last time when you made me look like a hobo. Thanks, Michael"

TITLE

AUDREY FOWLER, a naturally beautiful 28-year-old woman, wearing a drab sun-dress and her blond hair braided down her back, is ironing a man's pair of pants. She checks the pants after each stroke. She is humming to herself. There is a knock at the back door.

AUDREY

(shouting)

Come in, Marie. I'm ironing in the dining room.

MARIE JENNINGS a slightly overweight but attractive 38-year-old neighbor, opens the door carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. Marie closes the door with her hip before entering the dinning room.

MARIE

I think you and I should pop this open and drink it now.

AUDREY

(smiling)

Thanks for finding it for me. It's Michael's favorite and I wanted to surprise him.

MARIE

Well, I'm not in a wine-of-the-month club for nothing.

There is an awkward silence before Marie sits down dropping her large handbag on the dinning room table.

MARIE

So, how long have you two been unhappily married now?

AUDREY

Ten years.

MARIE

(shocked)

Holy shit! I didn't think it was that long. You must have just been a baby?

AUDREY

I was eighteen. But I was a mature eighteen, you know?

MARIE

I bet. What did Dr. Miracle do, treat your scraped knee on a playground?

Audrey playfully slams the iron down and puts her hands on her hips.

AUDREY

Ballet studio. And it was a sprained ankle.

MARIE

Ah. Of course. Do you ever think you made a mistake marrying Dr. Wonderful?

AUDREY

Do you ever regret marrying Dave?

MARIE

(winking)

Well no. But I experienced other things and other men before we got married. I was quite the little floozy in my day.

AUDREY

I do regret giving up on dance, though. I wish I could give it another shot. I was pretty good, you know?

The two women head back into the kitchen and Audrey pours them both a glass of lemonade.

AUDREY

Did you have to give anything up when you got married?

MARIE

(taking a sip)

No. I got everything I wanted including a pool boy. Plus, if Dave told me I had to give something up I loved, like my pool-boy, I'd just tell him to shove it.

AUDREY

(laughing)

Really? Michael never told me I had to quit dance, he just reminded me what an unrealistic dream it was.

MARIE

(grabbing Audrey's hand)

Honey, can I be perfectly honest with you?

AUDREY

Sure. I guess so.

MARIE

Now, I have known Michael for a very long time. Since he lived here with his first wife...

AUDREY

I know-

MARIE

(cutting her off)

He is a complete control freak. I mean look at that note, who talks to their wife like that? And he has his hooks in so tight you can't even see what he is doing to you.

AUDREY

He just likes things the way he likes things. That's all. Does everyone in the neighborhood think that about us?

MARIE

Yes. We have all seen it for years...

Audrey starts to tear up and puts her head in her hands.

MARIE

Don't be embarrassed. What we think is not important. What's important is that you stop ironing his pants all the damn time and do something for yourself.

Audrey lifts her head and smiles at her friend. Marie pulls a tissue from her handbag and Audrey takes it.

MARIE

What would you be doing if you had never met Dr. Dick?

AUDREY

(wiping away tears)

Well, if I wasn't a professional dancer, I would probably be teaching and choreographing in New York. But I am not going to give up on my marriage for that. He loves me.

MARIE

No, he uses you. There's a difference. Let's do a little experiment, okay?

AUDREY

What experiment?

MARIE

Today is your ten year anniversary and you have something planned correct?

AUDREY

Yes. I had you find this imported wine for him and I am making a special dinner and I-

MARIE

(holds up her hands)

Please do not finish that sentence. It gives me the willies.

AUDREY

(rolls her eyes)

Marie, come on.

MARIE

Okay. Okay. But has he ever planned or even remembered your anniversary before?

AUDREY

No. But he is super busy at the hospital all the time.

MARIE

(nodding)

Right. My husband is the CFO of a Fortune 500 company and he remembers to send me roses every anniversary and even on random days just to say he's thinking of me. If they care, men will remember.

AUDREY

I get what you are saying, but what is the experiment?

MARIE

If Michael in any way remembers your anniversary, stay and work on the marriage. But if not, you pack up and move to New York. You can stay in our condo until you get on your feet.

Audrey just stares blankly at Marie. Then suddenly hugs her.

AUDREY

I really appreciate that Marie. But I'm okay here, really. Thanks again for bringing the wine.

Audrey opens the door for Marie to leave.

MARIE

(heading out the door)

I'll call the door man and let them know you are coming. Trump Towers. Call me!

INT. LIVING ROOM- EARLY EVENING

Audrey sits quietly on the couch. She is dressed in a beautiful cocktail dress with her hair swept up. She stares at the off-center wedding picture above the fireplace. She checks her watch, then gets up and blows the candles out on the elegantly set dinner table. She pulls the cork from the wine and takes a drink straight from the bottle. Just then the phone rings.

AUDREY

Hello?

MICHAEL (O.S.)

Hey. It's me. What did you have planned for dinner?

AUDREY

(flatly)

Chicken Parmesan.

MICHAEL (O.S.)

Oh. That doesn't sound good. I think I am going to go out to eat with some of the other doctors. See you when I get home. Bye.

Audrey puts the phone down, and returns to the couch with her bottle of wine.

INT. HOUSE- SERIES OF SHOTS- MINUTES LATER

Michael's clean pressed clothes are flying out of the closet in a pile and Audrey then dumps a bottle of bleach on them.

China plates are smashing on the ceramic tile floor of the kitchen.

Audrey takes scissors and shreds the sheets from the master bed room.

Red wine pours from the bottle on their perfect white couch.

CLOSE UP of the off center wedding photo. Audrey fixes the photo. Then a glob of Chicken Parmesan smashes into it.

EXT. AUDREY’S CAR- NIGHT

Audrey is driving. She picks up her cell phone and dials Marie.

MARIE (O.S.)

Hello?

AUDREY

I'm on my way.

MARIE (O.S.)

It's all ready for you. Have a good time and call me later. Bye.

Audrey drops the phone in the passenger seat. She flips the radio stations and stops on a song. Her fingers tap to the beat on the steering wheel.

AUDREY

(singing)

Here I go again on my own...

PULL BACK through the rear window of the car and PAN to see the bright lights of New York City. The car fades into the darkness.

FADE OUT.