Short screenplay from Done Deal 2006 Valentine's Day contest. "Executive Decision" FADE IN: EXT. SIDEWALK - OFFICE TOWER ENTRANCE - DAY The DOORMAN opens the door to allow a MAN and WOMAN to exit to a waiting limo. The CHAUFFEUR opens the limo rear door, they climb in without speaking. INT. LIMO - DAY RICHARD and DORIS MONTGOMERY. Seven-year-itchers whose small talk ran out long ago. They sit apart. DORIS My father created this company. RICHARD And it's my job to keep it profitable. They look out their windows. More apart than ever. The Chauffeur looks in his rearview, awaiting orders. RICHARD I'm hungry. Let's eat out. DORIS We have a perfectly good cook at home. RICHARD I don't mind the food. It's the cold silences that give me indigestion. DORIS It takes two sticks to start a fire. RICHARD Give me a moment to figure that one out. DORIS Bernard, take us to Gino's. CHAFFEUR Yes Mrs. Montgomery. The Chaffeur hits a button, the privacy window slides up. RICHARD Don't you wish we had one of those? Doris draws him a look. INT. ITALIAN RESTAURANT - DAY GINO greets the Montgomeries, kissing Doris on her cheeks. GINO Ah, Signor and Signora Montgomery. We never see you any more. DORIS Signor Montgomery has been very busy making lots of money. GINO Such a husband is to be appreciated. DORIS Oh yes indeed. Gino seats them at a table and snaps his fingers, WAITERS hurry forward with menus and a bottle of wine and glasses. Gino looks at the bottle, sends the Waiter running to fetch another one. Gino opens this bottle and fills the glasses. GINO The wine is my gift to you. My very best. DORIS Thank you Gino. Gino and the Waiters retreat. Doris looks at her menu and shows surprise. RICHARD What? DORIS Nothing. A VIOLINIST wanders the tables. Doris loves it. Richard glances at COUPLES at other tables. Gino returns, all smiles. GINO Are you ready to order? RICHARD Give me your Ragu sauce special, you excuse for an Italian chef. GINO If you were any other man, I would kill you with my bare hands. They both chuckle, sharing an old joke. DORIS How is your mother, Gino? GINO Still surprising me with new recipes. Every time we speak she recalls your father with great fondness. DORIS Thank you. I'll have the same. GINO Coming right up! INT. ITALIAN RESTAURANT - DAY Waiters bring steaming dishes from the kitchen. Richard smiles in anticipation -- Doris watches him. Two plates of spaghetti bolognese, the thick sauce poured to form hearts on top of the spaghetti. RICHARD What is this, heart awareness week? DORIS You didn't read the menu? RICHARD I already knew what I was having. DORIS Happy Valentine's Day. To tell the truth, I'd forgotten too. RICHARD Huh. What does that say about us? DORIS We've drifted apart. RICHARD Like continents. DORIS That far, huh? Richard tries the food and nods his approval. They eat. RICHARD You still seeing that guy? What's- his-name. The surgeon. Doris stares at him blankly. RICHARD Come on. Everybody knew. His bitch- from-Hell wife made sure of that. DORIS What about you and Miss Efficiency? Does she still take shorthand sitting on your lap? RICHARD When did you find out? DORIS Come on. When we met at the Christmas party she was positively purring. They eat, each stealing glances at the other. DORIS Why'd you have to bring this up now? Can't we just enjoy a meal together? RICHARD You surprised me today. That outburst at the meeting. The board members were impressed. I think they saw your father standing there. DORIS Don't make a fool of me. RICHARD "If he knew what was going on in his board room, he'd turn in his grave." Clichéd, but effective. DORIS Damn you-- RICHARD No, no, I'm not, whoa, pax. You've got those old geezers thinking that splitting the company isn't such a good idea after all. DORIS It's not. You're planning to sell off key divisions, the foundation stones that made the company what it is. Just to make a few bucks. RICHARD There are alternatives. Which I might have mentioned if you hadn't shot me down. DORIS Such as? RICHARD We can tighten belts. Juggle numbers. It won't be easy, but it can be done. We'll have to let some people go. DORIS With handshakes and early pensions. RICHARD We'll be down to the bone for a while. DORIS We've been there before. We bounced back. RICHARD Miss Efficiency got a promotion last month. And a transfer out of town. DORIS My surgeon moved to Seattle. I guess maybe his wife had a say in that. It wasn't exactly working out anyway-- RICHARD I can't go it alone any more. Doris looks away, eyes brimming with tears. Hands reach tentatively across the table -- touch. They've nibbled around the hearts, leaving them both intact. FADE OUT 06/02§