SUPER: 1968 On a darkened living room, a huge summer moon spilling silver through a window. We move slowly across the mantelpiece where a pair of candles glow, illuminating family photos. Weddings two, maybe three generations back -- brides in white, their young grooms at their sides, frozen in time. As we pan, we hear two VOICES offscreen: a BOY'S and a GIRL'S. GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.) Stop pushing it. You're not supposed to force it. You're supposed to just let it happen. BOY'S VOICE (O.S.) I'm not pushing it, you're pushing it. GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.) I am not. Silence. Until, GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.) You're pushing it again. An exasperated sigh. BOY'S VOICE (O.S.) Well, hurry up. My foot's falling asleep. GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.) Mo-mmm. Larry's pushing it. Mom? MOM (O.S.) (from the next room) Larry, don't push it. And now, we finally pan over to discover two KIDS playing with a Ouija board. For future reference, the players are FAITH (age eleven), and her brother LARRY (ten). LARRY I'M NOT PUSHING IT. FAITH Wait. I have to write this down. A groan out of him. She grabs a piece of paper and starts scrawling out a series of letters. FAITH Grandma told me everybody has a soul mate. FAITH But most people never find theirs, most people settle. I'm never gonna settle. She gazes up as the ripe summer moon slips behind a bank of clouds. FAITH This way I'll know the name of the man I'm supposed to wait for. The arrow continues to move around the board, stopping on various letters which she copies down. LARRY Yeah, but, what if this guy lived a billion, trillion years ago? Like, what if he was a cave man, and now he's dead? FAITH Don't be stupid, Larry. If he's my destiny, then, obviously, he has to be alive. Another letter. LARRY Yeah, but, what if he doesn't live here? Like, what if he's a cannibal in New Guinea or something? FAITH If I live here, then he lives here. Fate wouldn't make a mistake like that. (beat) And stop talking. You're gonna ruin the spell. Another pause. Another letter. Then... Ever the devil's advocate, LARRY (whispering) Yeah, but... but, Faith, what if he does live here, and one day you just walk past him on the street? I mean, you don't hear his name, you don't get a chance to introduce yourselves. You practically bump straight into each other, but you never even know it? Right in his face, FAITH We'll KNOW. LARRY Okaaaaayyyy. The arrow comes slowly to a halt. And she writes down the final letter, as the moon again breaks through the clouds, throwing a bright white beam of light directly onto the name which reads: FAITH (O.S.) (a whisper) Damon Bradley. (she looks up, spellbound) He's the one. Beat. LARRY Goodie. Can I ask about the Series now? CUT TO: EXT. CARNIVAL - NIGHT A screaming face. Whirling lights. A local carnival. The small-town traveling kind. SUPER: THREE YEARS LATER. Up on the ferris wheel, a bunch of JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BOYS are distinguishing themselves by hurling water balloons down at carnival-goers. Among the participants is Faith's brother Larry. PULL DOWN from them to "MADAME DIVINA'S FORTUNE TELLING BOOTH". "Know Your Fate". Clustered in front of it are a bunch of JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS. We should recognize Faith as one of them. Another girl, LESLIE, is egging a friend on. LESLIE Go on, go on... (to the rest) She wants to know if she's gonna marry Alex. GIRL #2 I do not. I'm not gonna marry Alex. (obviously) He doesn't even have a car. LESLIE But he's got pretty eyes. That means your kids would have pretty eyes. You can always get a car later, but you can't always find pretty eyes. You gotta think ahead. GIRL #3 Who cares about pretty eyes, Leslie? I'm telling you, stocks, bonds, real estate -- that's what you wanna look for in a man. GIRL #4 (dismissing) Heh... GIRL #3 What then? GIRL #4 (the voice of authority) Definitely sex. Somebody else pipes up, GIRL #5 My mom told me you gotta want the same things out of life. Have the same values, be able to communicate. They all turn to look blankly at this poor, misguided soul. GIRL #5 I'm just telling you what she said. They're still looking at her. GIRL #5 It's not like I believed her or anything... FAITH I think you're all wrong. LESLIE What do you think the most important thing is, Faith? There is not a doubt in her mind. FAITH True love. I believe there's one special person out there who's meant for each of us. And when your eyes meet, it'll be magic and you'll both know it instantly. A couple of dissenters roll their eyes. FAITH (turning to another friend) Don't you think so, Kate? KATE's looking at the ground, trying to sound casual. KATE I don't know, I guess I never really thought about it... (in her next breath) Is Larry here? FAITH (she couldn't care less) Yeah. He's around somewhere. Up above, Larry takes careful aim, then sends a water balloon torpedoing their way. It hits the ground between them with an enormous SPLAT. They SCREAM. INT. FORTUNE TELLING BOOTH - NIGHT We move past them, through a beaded window and into the booth where a disheveled older WOMAN, MADAME DIVINA, is paging through a copy of "Scientific American". There's a TAP at the door. She checks her watch. Curses. She shoves the magazine in a drawer, then hoists a bowling ball, the kind with the iridescent swirls in them, onto an opening in the center of the table, carefully positioning it so the three holes aren't visible. She flicks on a flashlight above it. Crystal ball. Back outside, the girl everybody-thinks-is-going-to-marry-Alex is nervous. GIRL #2 But what if she tells me something bad? I don't want to hear anything bad... KATE They never tell you anything bad. Nobody'd ever go to them if they did. The door opens. The WOMAN'S imposing hulk casts a shadow down over them. They look up. FORTUNE TELLER Who knocked? Like deer in the headlights. GIRL #2 (pointing at Kate) She did. KATE (pointing at girl #2) She did. Nobody moves, until, FAITH (O.S.) I did. Faith looks at her friends, shrugs, then gamely ventures inside past the beads and sits down. FORTUNE TELLER What's your name? FAITH Faith. FORTUNE TELLER (lighting a candle) What do you wanna know, Faith? FAITH Um, just basic destiny stuff, I guess. But-- I don't want to hear anything bad. (beat) If that's okay. Madame Divina starts laying out a series of tarot cards. Suddenly there's a loud KNOCK at the back door. Faith jumps. FORTUNE TELLER (dismissing) Spirits. She lays down a couple more cards. Then a persistent "PSSSSTTTT", "PSSSSTTT". More BANGING. FORTUNE TELLER (hollering) Harry, I'm outta change. More KNOCKING. Harry is determined. Annoyed, Mme. Divina finally gets up. FORTUNE TELLER How come I always wind up next door to the freak show? (as she goes) Just because they're midgets does that mean they don't have to go to the bank like the rest of us? She lumbers to the back of the booth, throws open a back door and looks down. FORTUNE TELLER What? Inside, Faith is nervously eying the cards. Her friend KATE peeks in through the beads. KATE (mouthing the words and pointing) Is that a bowling ball? Faith doesn't understand. Kate mimes a bowling motion, swinging her arm. Faith shrugs. As the woman returns, from outside we overhear, BOY'S VOICE (O.S.) Hey, Kate. Larry wants you. LARRY (O.S.) I do not. Kate grins, ducks out. Mme. Divina sits back down. Closes her eyes. Fingers the ball, entranced. FORTUNE TELLER Something is coming to me. I'm getting... a name. Faith leans forward. FORTUNE TELLER (straining) This name is very important to you... Da-- David. No-- no... A faint breeze flutters through the room and the candle starts to flicker. FORTUNE TELLER Damon. Faith's heart skips a beat. FORTUNE TELLER His name is... (her eyes pop open with startling intensity) Damon Bradley. It is, of course, the same name. FAITH Omigod. Omigod. (getting up) I have to go. She seizes Faith's hand. FORTUNE TELLER Just a minute-- Faith freezes. FORTUNE TELLER Your destiny's two dollars. Faith pulls out two bills, drops them on the table. Bolts for the door. But the woman stops her again. FORTUNE TELLER Hey-- She leans in very close and pulls Faith toward her. We should sense that this is not part of the act. This is for real. FORTUNE TELLER The truth is, no matter what the cards say, you make your own destiny. Don't wait for it to come to you. You understand? Faith nods. Still in shock. FAITH Can I be excused now? CUT TO: SUPER: TWENTY YEARS LATER -- SATURDAY NIGHT We hear pouring rain. But what sounds like rain is actually the shower, as we pull back to find Mitzi Gaynor washing that man right out of her hair. "SOUTH PACIFIC" is on television. We pull back even further to reveal three WOMEN watching. A big Saturday night. There's a lot of chocolate on the table. The women are: the adult FAITH. Attractive, a little dreamy. The walls of her apartment are adorned with reproductions of famous works all featuring a similar theme, Rodin's "The Kiss", Botticelli's "Birth of Venus", etc. Bookshelves are crammed with volumes of poetry. She's absentmindedly pulling the petals off a bouquet of flowers on the table. Also in attendance: KATE, her childhood friend turned housewife and sister-in-law. Kate is a pragmatist. She's clipping coupons out of the newspaper as they watch. And, doing her nails, LESLIE. Big hair. Good heart. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. As the movie cuts to a commercial, LESLIE I'm just saying I think it would be a good idea. KATE (dubiously) Date police... LESLIE Yes. A guy who says he's gonna call, then doesn't, ought to get slapped with a citation, that's all. Faith glances at Kate. They're used to Leslie. LESLIE (blowing on her nails) Anyway, like I said, I've given it a lot of thought and I've finally narrowed it down. (beat) A heterosexual with a job. FAITH Well, I don't think it's asking too much to want to feel it in my head and my heart and my body and my soul all at the same time, and to have that feeling to be mutual. Pass the M&Ms please. Her friends groan. They're used to Faith. Kate hands the candy over. LESLIE Not as long as you're not hoping to find it on planet Earth. KATE Leslie's right, Faith. You've got to start being more practical. Do you know what the statistics are, the marriage odds for women your age? FAITH I don't believe in statistics. KATE You're an accountant for cryin' out loud. Faith holds out both palms, gesturing that her point has been made. KATE What about that guy you work with, Mike what's-his-name? FAITH (shaking her head) No. He smokes. KATE How about the other one? His friend. FAITH Just moved in with his girlfriend. KATE (brightly) How about that guy at the bank? Faith pops another M&M. FAITH Scientologist. KATE (deflated) Oh. Beat. KATE So, you gotta be a little flexible. Look at your brother and me. Larry's not perfect, neither am I. But we work it out. We're not unrealistic in our expectations, and we have each other. (setting down her scissors) I think you've got the Door Number Three Syndrome. FAITH Don't tell me, Oprah did a show-- LESLIE Yeah, I saw that. Like on Let's Make A Deal. You've got the Amana freezer and you can keep it, or risk it on what's behind Door Number Three. Which usually turns out to be a donkey. Faith looks at Kate. FAITH I don't have an Amana freezer. KATE It's a metaphor. It's women who always think there's some unknown out there that's going to be better than what's in front of them. And instead wind up with nothing. FAITH Metaphorically, I still don't have an Amana freezer. KATE I think if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit you've had a chance at a number of Amana appliances in your lifetime. She knows there's probably some ugly truth to this. Luckily, the PHONE RINGS. Faith picks it up. FAITH Hello? Hi, Larry. (beat) Yeah, she's here. Hold on. (turning to Kate) It's your husband. INT. LARRY'S KITCHEN - NIGHT LARRY, Kate's husband, Faith's brother, is at the kitchen table, munching the last crumbs out of a bag of potato chips and watching television. LARRY Kate, you're still there? I thought you'd be on your way home by now. INT. FAITH'S KITCHEN - NIGHT KATE You miss me?... INT. LARRY'S KITCHEN - NIGHT LARRY Uh, yeah. Sure. (gazing forlornly into the refrigerator) Honey, did you forget the guys are coming over tonight? KATE (ON PHONE) No, why? LARRY (helplessly) Well, there's nothing here to eat. INT. FAITH'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Over the movie, we hear yelling -- Kate's half of the fight -- in the background. Then the SLAMMING of the receiver. When she comes back into the room, the "Some Enchanted Evening" number is on. Faith is mouthing the words. Kate starts picking up her coupons. FAITH Is everything okay? KATE Yes. (glancing at the tv, annoyed) You know all the shrinks on Donahue say that all those love songs about some enchanted evening are just a cruel hoax that feeds people's fantasies. FAITH (a little plaintive) But somebody wrote those songs. KATE So, what's your point? FAITH Just that they came out of somebody's experience is all. KATE No, Faith. They came out of somebody's imagination. EXT. FAITH'S DOOR - NIGHT Faith walks her friends to the door, opens it. FAITH I wish you didn't have to go so early. KATE (still annoyed) Yeah, well, Larry and his friends are hungry. (relenting) And I did say I'd try to pick something up. LESLIE And I told Ted I'd be home later if he wanted to stop by. FAITH I thought you said you thought he had a date. LESLIE Well, after that. As they talk, a slight GUY, one who might best be described as, well, non-descript, walks by and heads into his apartment. NON-DESCRIPT GUY How's it going? FAITH Pretty well, Dwayne. How about you? DWAYNE Can't complain. He closes his door. Kate looks at Faith. Who shakes her head. FAITH No. KATE Is he married? FAITH No. KATE Is he gay? FAITH I don't know. I don't think so. KATE So?... FAITH So, he's not my type. (beat) Let me walk you to the elevator. They walk. KATE What's he do? FAITH I don't know, Kate. KATE You don't have any idea? FAITH He's a podiatrist or something. KATE AND LESLIE (in unison) He's a doctor? FAITH Look, there's no chemistry there, okay? There's no... thrill. KATE "Thrills"? That's what you're waiting for? You know how long that lasts? Besides, how do you know? Have you ever been out with him? FAITH No. He's never asked me. KATE Why don't you ask him? FAITH Why should I ask someone out who I don't want to go out with in the first place? KATE If you've never been out with him, how do you know you don't want to go out with him? LESLIE (almost more to herself) I thought he was kinda cute... Faith sighs. Mercifully, the elevator doors finally open. Kate and Leslie get in. As the doors close, KATE Take a chance, Faith... None of us is getting any younger... INT. FAITH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Faith re-enters her apartment. The answering machine light is blinking. She plays the message back as she gets ready for bed. ANSWERING MACHINE Hi, honey. It's Mom. I just wanted to apologize if I upset you at brunch today. To herself in the bathroom mirror, FAITH If you upset me at brunch today? ANSWERING MACHINE (correcting herself) For upsetting you at brunch today. Now, you know I don't think you're a failure. And if you never get married, that's perfectly fine with your father and me. Faith is applying eye cream. She leans in closer, carefully examining the lines around her eyes. ANSWERING MACHINE Of course you're not a freak. You're right, plenty of people aren't married. (trying to be supportive) The guy who cuts my hair isn't married. Hey... maybe you tw-- (a voice in the background) He's gay. (her mother) Oh. Never mind. Anyway, if you want to spend the rest of your life alone, well, that's your choice. And I respect it. I just want you to be happy, that's all. (beat) Hold on, your Dad wants to say something. (male voice) Good fruit salad today, Faith. (Mom takes the phone back) We'll talk to you soon, sweetie. The machine shuts off. Faith gets into bed. Reaches for the light. Then, remembering something, gets up. There's a daily calendar lying on her dresser. She rips off the top page, crumples it into a ball, drops it into the wastebasket. And turns out the light. DISSOLVE TO: INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY A vast audience of PEOPLE, all clad in ridiculous get-ups. Faith is wearing a chicken suit. Her Mother is there, in an octopus costume. Kate and Larry are Siamese twins. Leslie is dressed as a radish. MONTY HALL steps up to Faith. MONTY HALL So, which one is it gonna be, Faith? Will it be... Door Number One?... DWAYNE, the podiatrist, peeks out from between the curtains of Door Number One. Waves. The CROWD goes WILD. MONTY HALL Door Number Two?... The distinct BRAYING of a DONKEY can be heard emanating from behind Door Number Two. MONTY HALL Or Door Number Three?... A complete mystery. This one seems to glow. ALL (chanting) Take Dwayne! Take Dwayne! CAROL MERRILL is running an arm sensuously along Door Number One. FAITH (nervously) Door Number Three? Murmurs of dismay ripple through the crowd. The curtains part. To reveal a shriveled OLD CRONE, covered in cobwebs, who bears an unsettling resemblance to Faith. The crowd BOOS. INT. FAITH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Faith shoots up in bed, in a cold sweat. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FAITH'S APARTMENT - THE NEXT MORNING Faith exits her apartment and heads down the hall, carrying a wastebasket. She opens the garbage chute, lifts up the basket, but as she tilts it, her hand slips and a multitude of crumpled little balls, all those days, go spilling out onto the floor. She just stares down at them, on the edge. When, O.S. You need some help? She looks up. It's Dwayne. FAITH I do... SLOW FADE TO BLACK. It's on a little BRIDE AND GROOM atop a massive wedding cake, rotating to an endless loop of "We've Only Just Begun". O.S. Okay, it's settled. Pull back to reveal Faith on the other side of the bakery case. FAITH This one, in vanilla. He wants vanilla. INT. CAR - EVENING Kate and Larry are dressed up. Driving through a thunderstorm. LARRY This is the last one before the wedding, right? KATE Right. LARRY And we didn't have to bring another present? KATE No. EXT. DWAYNE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT A party. Champagne corks POP, MUSIC plays, GUESTS circulate. We move around the room, picking up snatches of conversation. Dwayne is leading Faith around by the hand. Thrusting her ring finger into people's faces. She's embarrassedly playing along. DWAYNE That's right. Six grand. Can you believe what they get for these things? I'm telling you, it's highway robbery. He pats her ass proprietarily. DWAYNE But she's worth it. Her mother watches, beaming. Other elderly RELATIVES come up to her, offering their congratulations. ELDERLY RELATIVE (sotto, to her mother) We'd almost given up hope, dear. In another corner, KATE Not only is it tacky, it's exploitation. LARRY It's not exploitation. These people wanna sell and I wanna buy. How are golf clubs exploitation? (to a woman nearby) She takes one night class and suddenly she's a socialist. KATE Sociologist. And because. (ticking them off) Pawn shops are just like prostitutes, farm auctions and coal miners. They're all for sale, but none of 'em would be if they weren't desperate for the money. LARRY We're all desperate for the money, doll. That's what made this country great. (to the woman again) Back me up on this Candy, am I right? KATE Don't call me doll, Larry. I hate it when you call me doll. LARRY You used to love it when I called you doll. KATE You said it differently then. CUT TO: Dwayne's got a captive audience and is holding court near the front door. Faith is across the room, a tray of food in her hands. The DOORBELL RINGS. DWAYNE (ignoring it) ...I'm not kidding. All over the metatarsus. Corns the size of your fist-- and this fungus... (searching) You know the way tuna fish looks when it's been in the back of the refrigerator for about six months? Anyway-- His listeners start silently returning their hors d'oeuvres to the serving trays. The doorbell RINGS some more. DWAYNE (to Faith) Honey, could you get that? I'm in the middle of a story here-- Faith sets down the tray. Goes to the door. Outside is Leslie. LESLIE Sorry I'm late. I was waiting for a phone call. Faith welcomes her in, introduces her to some other guests. Larry comes over to congratulate his sister, gives her a kiss. As he walks away, KATE (contemptuously) He begged me to marry him. I didn't even want to marry him. FAITH (not unkindly) Yes you did. KATE Well, I wouldn't've if I hadn't thought I was in love. Off her look. KATE He tricked me. He was really fun back then. And he was so cute... (beat) How was I supposed to know that ten years down the road he'd turn out to be an idiot? Dwayne pops his head in. DWAYNE Hon-ey, picture time. Faith gets up to follow him. As they go, he turns to her, DWAYNE You gonna leave your hair like that? Her hair looks exactly as it has all evening. But she's anxiously trying to somehow rearrange it as the FLASH POPS, and the FRAME FREEZES. DISSOLVE TO: INT. DOORWAY - LATER THAT NIGHT The party's over. They're saying goodnight to the few remaining guests. The door closes one last time. Faith starts cleaning up, picking up plates, etc. Dwayne's standing in the bedroom doorway, unbuttoning his shirt, already getting ready for bed. DWAYNE This was really nice. FAITH It was, wasn't it? DWAYNE You did a terrific job, honey. FAITH (pleased) Thanks. DWAYNE (putting his arms around her) And just think... This is only the beginning. He kisses her forehead. Releases her. Heads for the bedroom. DWAYNE Oh, sweetie, you won't forget to pick up my cleaning tomorrow, will you? She starts to respond, but-- he's already disappeared. A distant roll of thunder rumbles through the room. The candlelight flickers. And the rain descends. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY A sea of white, with a tiny face drowning in it. Massive sleeves, an enormous hoop skirt, tiers of cascading ruffles drenched in acres of white sequins. FAITH I feel like the Good Witch of the North. Kate's helping Faith try on her gown and veil. KATE Come on, it's not so bad. FAITH Look how big it makes me look. (she looks down) I look like an Alp. KATE I think it was sweet of him to pick it out. FAITH I know... It was. Kate positions the veil on her head. KATE But what? FAITH (sighing) Oh, I don't know. I guess it's just not quite the way I always thought it was going to be. You know, like in the movies. KATE That's the problem. When you're a kid you think life is gonna be like the movies. Dreams come true, the good guys win, people live happily ever after... all that crap. Turn. She turns. Kate continues adjusting the veil, pinning it. KATE But one day you wake up and realize you've been had. Of course life isn't like the movies. That's why there are movies. FAITH Yeah. I guess you're right. (beat) I really like the wallpaper we picked out for the den. But Kate's just getting warmed up. KATE Let me tell you something about love. There are no prince charmings, there are no glass slippers. Love is hard work. FAITH I know. You're right. KATE People have problems, insecurities, flaws-- and you have to learn to compromise, to overlook, to forgive. It's not settling, Faith, it's life. Real life. Okay... FAITH I understand, Kate. (beat) What do you think of this garter? KATE (careening out of control) I mean, just how long are you going to cling to this childish illusion that it's all supposed to be perfect? Well, guess what?... It isn't. Not for you, not for anybody. Kate slams the pins down, scattering them. A long beat of silence. FAITH (quietly) Kate, is something the matter? KATE (shakily, staring up at the ceiling) Larry brought me flowers last night. FAITH Is that bad?... KATE I think he's having an affair. She buries her face in her hands. CUT TO: They're sitting down. Faith is handing Kate kleenex. FAITH Okay. Now. Have you talked to him about this? Still looking down, Kate mutely shakes her head, "no". FAITH Have you seen him with someone? KATE No... I can just tell. FAITH After all, he is my brother, and I know he can be kind of a jerk sometimes, but I know him pretty well, and I really don't think-- The PHONE RINGS. FAITH (reluctantly) Don't move. Faith gets up and tries to head into the kitchen, but the unfortunate combination of the big dress and the small doorway stop her. She tries a variety of approaches before finally turning the hoop skirt on an angle and suspending part of it over her head, enabling her to squeeze through the doorway just far enough to knock the receiver off the hook and grab it. FAITH Hello? There's a lot of noise on the other end. FAITH Hello? Is anybody there? PHONE (louder, over the noise) Dwayne Pinsley? I'm trying to reach Dwayne Pinsley. FAITH He's not in at the moment. Can I take a message? PHONE Who's this? FAITH (trying to wrench herself free from the doorway) This is his fiancee. Who's this? PHONE Oh, hi. I'm an old high school buddy of Dwayne's. I was in town this weekend, was hoping to stop by and surprise him. But I've gotta catch a plane so I'm afraid I'm not gonna be able to make it. Kate, wiping her eyes, mouths "who is it?" Faith shakes her head. FAITH (wanting to get off the phone) I'm sure he'll be sorry to hear that. Who should I tell him called? PHONE My name's (lots of noise) FAITH I can hardly hear you. Could you spell that? Kate hands Faith a pencil and the back of an RSVP card. And letter by letter, we watch Faith scrawl out a name which, for the second time in the movie, we realize spells "Damon Bradley". The receiver clatters to the floor. FAITH (dumbstruck) Damon Bradley... PHONE Right. Thanks a lot. And congratulations. It's not easy finding love these days. He's about to hang up. She's shaken out of her stupor. Grabs the phone up off the floor. FAITH WAIT!! Where are you? PHONE I'm at the airport. Why? FAITH Uh-- in case Dwayne wants to try to reach you. PHONE Well, he'd have to hurry. My flight leaves at four o'clock. She checks her watch. It's 3:15. FAITH (like a shot) Where are you going? PHONE I'm on my way to Venice. Why? FAITH (anything to keep him on the phone) Venice? I love Venice. With the boats, right?... PHONE (he's distracted) Huh? Uh, yeah-- I've gotta run. Tell Dwayne hi. Maybe someday we can all get together. Click. FAITH But wait-- Hello? Hello?? But there is only a dial tone. She stands there clinging desperately to the receiver. A woman adrift in a life raft who's suddenly seen a ship appear, then disappear back over the horizon. EXT. DRIVEWAY - AFTERNOON Faith, still in her wedding gown, is racing to her car. A crazed gleam in her eye. Kate is tagging after her. FAITH It's a miracle. KATE It's a coincidence. FAITH The woman at my dry cleaners believes there's no such thing as coincidence. Kate looks at her. So what? FAITH (breathlessly) Okay, okay, but don't you think it's a weird coincidence? Doesn't it seem like somebody's trying to tell me something? And not only that, take a look at this... Faith pulls a clipped copy of the day's horoscope from her purse. Kate scans the column. KATE Taurus: "Today can be a fresh start and a new beginning." (dropping it to her side) Come on Faith, they all say that. In my case it means I'm gonna empty the dishwasher. She snatches back the paper, undeterred. FAITH I just want to get a look at him, that's all. EXT. ROADWAY - AFTERNOON Faith is driving like a maniac, her hoop skirt crammed in over the edge of the dash, blocking the lower half of the windshield. EXT. AIRPORT - AFTERNOON Faith screeches to a halt in the passenger loading zone, somehow manages to muscle the round hoop into an ellipse, and springs out the door. She mashes herself into one of those glass-partitioned revolving doors, but gets stuck, making a few revolutions before a couple of PASSERS-BY help pry her out on the other side. She scans a departure screen for the flight to Venice and buttonholes a SKY CAP. He points to the distance. She hikes up her gown and starts sprinting through the airport, jumping luggage, can-can-ing through the turnstiles, dodging kids, running up the down escalator. INT. ALITALIA CHECK-IN COUNTER - AFTERNOON Faith flings herself across the counter. FAITH (breathlessly) Flight 417. Is it still here? The CLERK gives her the once-over. He hasn't seen this ploy in awhile. CLERK May I see your boarding pass, please? FAITH I-- I must've misplaced it. CLERK I'm sorry, but without a boarding pass we can't let you on the plane. She starts digging through her purse, at the same time slowly inching her way past the little rope they put up to block people. FAITH (a smile) I'm sure I've got it here someplace... He smiles back. And tightens the rope. CLERK Great. Because, like I said, until you find it, we can't let you on the plane. FAITH (panic rising in her voice) You don't understand. The man I'm supposed to marry is on that plane. CLERK Okay, ma'am, just a moment. He picks up his phone. CLERK Yeah, this is Mario over at Alitalia. (sotto) We've got a 237 on our hands here. Uh huh. Yeah. Thanks. He hangs up. The engines can be heard revving outside. CLERK (back to her with a plastic smile) It'll be just a moment. We see a SECURITY GUARD approaching. The Clerk starts waving him over. Meanwhile, CREW MEMBERS off an arriving flight are entering through a side door. Using her dress as a shield, Faith manages to wedge a foot in it. As the clerk turns to address the guard, she darts out and starts sprinting across the tarmac for the plane-- where they've just finished pulling the portable stairs away from the cabin door. As the plane starts to taxi, the GROUND CONTROLLER waves frantically at her to get out of the way. With an anguished cry, she sinks to the ground as the jet SCREAMS overhead. INT. AIRPORT BAR - AFTERNOON CLOSE on a shooter of tequila. A white-gloved hand picks it up and downs it. When, O.S. Okay, where's the nut in the dress? The BARTENDER casts a sympathetic glance towards the end of the bar. Points. She's a pitiful figure, this bride in her torn wedding gown getting bombed all alone. SECURITY GUARD (taking her by the arm) Look, ma'am, we agreed not to press charges. But I'm afraid we're gonna have to ask you to leave. The bartender turns to her. BARTENDER Can you drive? Do you want us to call you a cab? FAITH (not at all fine) No, thank you. I'm fine. She gets up shakily. BARTENDER I think we better call you a cab. (picking up the phone) Where is it you want to go? Her eyes drift to the DEPARTURE SCREEN. There's another flight leaving for Venice in one hour. And a sudden light in her eyes. Kate is on the telephone. KATE But you're afraid to fly. INT. AIRPORT - NIGHT Faith is at a pay phone. Feeling no pain. FAITH It was my New Year's resolution to overcome it. KATE (ON PHONE) But it's July. FAITH It's still the new year... KATE (ON PHONE) What about your job? FAITH I have vacation time coming to me. KATE (ON PHONE) You don't have a passport. FAITH That's where you're wrong. I got one nine years ago. I just never had an opportunity to use it. KATE (ON PHONE) Because you were afraid to fly. FAITH Would you stop saying that? I need you to do me a really big favor. INT. KATE & LARRY'S KITCHEN - NIGHT KATE Does Dwayne know about this? FAITH (ON PHONE) Of course not. I told him I was going to visit a great aunt. And don't tell Larry, either. Kate glances disdainfully over at Larry, who's engrossed in the Home Shopping Club in the next room. KATE How could I tell him? I'm not even speaking to him. EXT. DWAYNE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Kate and Leslie are there. Kate knocks. No answer. She pulls a key from beneath the mat and opens the door. She calls out Dwayne's name. No answer. Nods to Leslie. INT. AIRPORT - NIGHT Faith, still in her bridal gown, is waiting impatiently at the TWA terminal entrance. Finally, she spots Kate and Leslie in the distance, carrying a suitcase. She rushes to them. FAITH (anxiously to Leslie) Were you able to find it? LESLIE At the very bottom of Dwayne's closet. Faith clenches her fist in victory. LESLIE But... there wasn't a regular yearbook picture of him in there. He must've been absent that day or something. Faith's face falls. LESLIE However, he was in the marching band. Faith brightens again, as Leslie pulls a contact lens case from her purse. She unscrews one side, empties the contents into Faith's palm. A fuzzy little image the size of an eraserhead. Damon Bradley, age 17, in the shadow of a tuba. Faith holds the virtually microscopic black and white speck up under her nose, examining it lovingly. FAITH (touched) Thanks, Leslie. Then, ever so carefully, places it back into the case, puts the case in her purse, and reaches for her suitcase. Which Kate is still holding onto. KATE I can't believe we did this. Do I have to remind you that your wedding is in six days? FAITH Look, I know you think this is irresponsible of me, but think how much more irresponsible it would be to marry the wrong person. (more) FAITH (Cont'd) What if Dwayne and I aren't really meant to be? Is it fair of me to waste his life? Kate reluctantly lets go. Faith starts walking through the terminal, pulling clothes from the suitcase. They follow her into the ladies' room, where Faith changes clothes. LESLIE I think she's right. You shouldn't let a chance like this slip by. What if he's really The One? KATE Les-lie, he's not The One. She's never even met this man. (to Faith) You mean to tell me that you've spent your whole life waiting for somebody with this name-- (qualifying it) this name you got from a Parker Brothers game when you were eleven-- FAITH No, I haven't. And you forgot about the fortune teller. KATE My God, you have... Faith hands her gown and car keys to Leslie. FAITH Thank you so much. KATE You're just going to fly to Italy and start combing the streets? FAITH (pulling a cocktail napkin from her purse) He was on his way to Venice, right? I called the tourist bureau and I must've called every hotel in the city, but I found where he's staying. (more) FAITH (Cont'd) (giddy) And I've made a reservation. Kate shakes her head. They exit out of the restroom and head towards her gate. KATE You don't even know what he looks like. You don't speak the language. You don't know your way around. This is a total stranger, in a foreign land. She's starting to get a little caught up in this. KATE A foreign land full of millions of Italian men... speaking Italian with Italian accents and those huge brown eyes and that silky olive skin... FAITH How hard can it be? I'll land there, I'll go to his hotel, I'll introduce myself, and-- KATE Live happily ever after. FAITH Maybe. Off Kate's look, FAITH Look, until today, I had forgotten all about this. And chances are I'll find out he's not for me and I'll come home and marry Dwayne and never bring this up again. But what if this is the real thing, Kate? What if this is the real real thing? She steps aboard the escalator. FAITH Wish me luck. EXT. AIRPORT PARKING STRUCTURE - NIGHT Leslie is behind the wheel of Faith's car, driving it home. Kate is at the wheel of her station wagon, driving it back home. When at the last opportunity to recircle the airport, Kate suddenly cuts the wheel. INT. AIRPORT WAITING AREA - NIGHT CLOSE on a Let's Go, Italy guide, an Italian-English Dictionary, and a copy of How to Make a Man Fall in Love with You}. Faith is waiting at the gate. She's packing the books into her suitcase when the glitter of her ENGAGEMENT RING catches her eye. She looks around, before furtively sliding it off. She opens the coin purse of her wallet and is placing it inside, when a pair of shoes appear in front of her. O.S. Will you loan me some clothes? Startled, she looks up. Kate is standing there, holding her passport. KATE (shrugs) I keep it in the glove compartment in case of emergencies. FAITH You're coming with me? Kate nods. Faith throws her arms around her. KATE I'm not saying I think it's a good idea. But if you're going to insist on doing this, I don't think you should go alone. You need to be sensible about it. Their flight is announced. They get up and start walking towards the gate. FAITH You're right. The key is to go about this sensibly. Logically. Rationally. As they go, FAITH Did I tell you I figured out we both have the same number of letters in our names? INT. JET - NIGHT As the plane slowly taxis, the FLIGHT ATTENDANTS go through their standard litany of disaster. As usual, everybody is ignoring them. Except for one passenger, who is looking slightly green. KATE You okay? FAITH Sure. I'm fine. I don't know why I never did this before. I mean, what's the big deal? The plane starts picking up speed. FAITH Except for the fact that I could lose my job. The landscape is beginning to blur. FAITH I could lose Dwayne. They're rocketing down the runway. FAITH (suddenly clutching Kate's arm) I'm afraid to fly. The ear-splitting SHRIEK of a jet engine as the plane takes off. DISSOLVE TO: INT. MARCO POLO AIRPORT, VENICE - LATE AFTERNOON The two women enter the terminal. Kate is jet-lagged and a little dazed. Faith is like a kid on Christmas morning. FAITH We're here, we're here, we're here! I can't believe we're really here. As they make their way to the baggage claim they're instantly subjected to the Italian male's tendency to treat every female in sight as if she were the first woman he'd ever seen in his life. Faith looks around ingenuously, FAITH You know what?... It seems like there's a lot more available men in Italy. Kate rolls her eyes, grabs Faith by the elbow and steers her out of there. EXT. DOCKS, PIAZZALE ROMA - SUNSET Our first view of Italy which, visually, is meant to be idealized. A place where the light is always golden, and the streets are full of magic and romance. It's not the real Italy, it's the Italy of guidebooks. Of memories and dreams... They stand at the edge of the docks which lead to the floating city. Faith looks around. FAITH Now what do we do? KATE The book said they have boats that are like taxis... (scans LET'S GO) Vaporettos. (looking up) What's the name of the place we're staying again? FAITH (cheerfully pulling out the cocktail napkin) It's called... the Gritty Palace. KATE "Gritty"? Is this gonna be one of those youth hostel dives jammed with backpackers who don't believe in deodorant? FAITH I don't know... Maybe. Think of it as an adventure. Faith spots a vaporetto. As they dash towards it, somebody pinches Kate. KATE Ow! What the-- She looks behind her. The only person in the immediate vicinity is a NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY, looking innocent. She WHACKS him. KATE Cretin. They step aboard just as the boat takes off, and Faith gazes out into the distance, leaning out across the railing. FAITH Oh, look Kate, look how beautiful... And it is... as they sail toward the splendor that is Venice at twilight. EXT. THE GRAND CANAL - TWILIGHT Magic hour. They float past ancient pallazi, their crumbling facades rejuvenated in the gentle evening light. Gondoliers glide by. Candlelit windows cast shimmering patches of gold down onto the water. It's just like the movies... Eventually the DRIVER calls out, TAXI DRIVER Gritti Palace. Faith can barely contain herself as they pull up alongside one of the most elegant and expensive hotels in Venice. Former home to Hemingway and Maugham. Dock lanterns glow, beckoning them into its sumptuous surroundings. FAITH This is pretty ni-iice... Kate smiles, then realizes, KATE (grabbing Faith's arm) This is a Lifestyles hotel. FAITH What? KATE "Of the Rich and Famous". Of which we are neither. Are you out of your mind? We can't afford this. FAITH (looking up at it) Are you sure? KATE Yes. (folding her arms) Cathy Lee Crosby stayed here. FAITH Well, we're here. And more importantly, he's here. (stepping forward) We'll cut back on everything else. She thanks the driver. Pays him. Steps off the boat. Kate doesn't move. FAITH Kate. It's one night. She still doesn't move. FAITH They take credit cards. She's a statue. FAITH We get frequent flyer miles. EXT. GRITTI PALACE ENTRANCE - TWILIGHT They enter the elegant lobby of the restored 15th century palazzo. FAITH I'm so glad I got up the nerve to do this. All my life, I've waited for men to call. Waited for them to ask me out. Waited for them to make the first move. Well, no more of that. I am finally taking charge of my own destiny. They arrive at the CONCIERGE's desk. FAITH (sotto) You ask what room he's in, okay? CONCIERGE Buona notte. KATE Hello. Reservation for Faith Corbett, please. He nods, starts punching something into his computer. Kate pulls something from her purse. KATE And put it on this. CLOSE on a CREDIT CARD which reads "LAWRENCE CORBETT". Faith looks at her. Kate flashes a wicked smile. KATE And, could you please tell us what room Mr. Bradley is in? CONCIERGE (politely) I'm sorry. Mr. Bradley has already checked out. The three cruelest words in existence, "already checked out". FAITH (disbelieving) Excuse me? CONCIERGE Mr. Bradley left about a half hour ago. He said his plans had changed unexpectedly. Would you prefer an interior or exterior room? FAITH (dazed) He couldn't have checked out-- I was supposed to meet him here. CONCIERGE I'm very sorry. Perhaps you misunderstood? He rings for the bellboy. FAITH (trying not to panic) Are you absolutely sure he's gone? Maybe you made a mistake. You must've made a mistake. Could you check again? Please? Sir? His polite veneer wearing thin, the man pulls a key from the honeycomb of slots behind him. CONCIERGE Room 217. Would you like to go up and check under the bed? She doesn't respond. He replaces it. FAITH Well, which way did he go? The man stares at her blankly. FAITH Nobody here has any idea which way he went? CONCIERGE (icily) Once they pay the bill, we don't usually follow them. Kate leans across the counter and grabs him by the collar, pressing her forehead to his. KATE Maybe you don't understand. (like she's possessed) My friend was supposed to meet him here. He starts to wrestle with her. Faith steps in to help pry Kate's fingers from the gentleman's neck. FAITH (to him) Excuse us. He's still coughing as Faith leads her away from the desk into the lobby. KATE Well, he was rude. They sit down. FAITH I can't believe we came all this way and he's gone. KATE You gave it your best shot. You tried. FAITH (a whimper) We lost him?... Kate nods sympathetically. KATE You wait here. I'm gonna go get us a room for the night. Devastated, Faith stares vacantly into space. FAITH I'll never meet the man of my dreams. KATE (to herself as she goes) You and the other 99% of the women in the world. As Kate heads back toward the check-in desk, Faith gets up and approaches the DOORMAN. She pulls the contact lens case from her purse. Unscrews one side and holds it out in front of him. He starts laughing. She darkens. He sobers, rattles something off in Italian, gesturing toward the distance. EXT. STREETS OF VENICE - NIGHT The two women race along, over bridges, under streetlamps. Faith is holding the case out in front of her sister-in-law. FAITH Just once more, so you'll be sure to know what to look for. KATE Faith, I've seen it already, okay? If I spot somebody who's got a head that's an eighth of an inch around, standing underneath a tuba, I'll recognize him from the photo. Otherwise, I'm telling you, it's not gonna do me any good. Faith starts stopping people on the street, holding out the case, encouraging them to peer in. Some of them look at her like she's nuts, a few shake their heads, one MAN finally stops. Examines it carefully. FAITH (anxiously) Did you see him? Do you recognize him? TOURIST (looking up, smiling) Candid Camera, right? (he starts waving) Where is it? She snatches it away. Continues on. But the crowd jostles her. She is bumped hard from behind. And the photo goes floating out into St. Mark's Square. Frantically, she gets down on her hands and knees, trying to keep people from trampling it. KATE What are you doing? FAITH (without looking up) He fell out. Reluctantly, Kate gets down on all fours, too. Faith spots the little face lying about two feet away. She strains to reach out, when a SHOE mashes down on her hand. It lifts back up, taking the photo with it, stuck fast to the sole. Faith struggles to her feet, scooting after the MAN who's moving at a fast clip. She fights her way through the crowd, tracing his footsteps, crouched to make sure it's still there. He's heading toward the edge of the canal. Is about to step aboard a gondola, when Faith stands up and grabs his shoulder from behind. He turns. FAITH (breathlessly) Excuse me, sir, I'm sorry, but I think there's something that belongs to me stuck to the bottom of your shoe. Confused, the guy looks down. Faith reaches for his foot. FAITH Do you mind if I just-- She takes the shoe, turns it over, twisting the man's leg and knocking him off balance in the process. Sending him toppling into the water. FAITH (peering down from above) Oh, I'm sorry... But the shoe is still in her hand. She turns it over, and sure enough, the tiny image is still perched there. She licks a finger and triumphantly picks it up like a crumb. Success... Until a big gust of wind comes up, whisking the little likeness into the Grand Canal. INT. GRITTI PALACE LOBBY - NIGHT A puddle of water is forming on the marble floor. O.S. It wasn't like I did it on purpose. Faith is dripping. Looking like her world has come to an end. She's holding a phone book, as Kate drops tokens into a pay phone. KATE You can't really blame him for being upset. It was an Armani suit. FAITH Did I or did I not offer to have it cleaned? KATE I don't think he understood what you were saying. What's the airport number? A MAID walks by, wheeling a cart. Suddenly, Faith's eyes light up. FAITH No... She takes the receiver from Kate's hand, hangs it up. KATE I just got a dial tone-- FAITH The guy at the desk said he only left about a half hour ago, right? KATE So? FAITH So, maybe his room hasn't been cleaned yet. Maybe there's something in there that might help us. Maybe they'll let us go in and take a look around. They both turn to look at the concierge. Look back at each other. Shake their heads. Kate picks up the phone again. Faith takes it from her, hangs it up again. Looks pleadingly at her friend. Beat. KATE I am not breaking into anybody's room. INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - NIGHT A wad of LIRE changes hands, as a MAID opens the door to room 217. INT. ROOM 217 - NIGHT It hasn't been cleaned. In fact, it looks like a cyclone hit it. KATE (O.S.) So far, I'd say we're looking for a rich slob. Kate stands with her hands on her hips, surveying the scene. Faith spots a wastebasket in the corner. She runs over to it, picks it up, peers in. FAITH Ah ha!... KATE What'd you find? FAITH (charmed) A Butterfinger wrapper. KATE A rich, possibly fat, slob. FAITH (hopeful) Maybe there's fingerprints on it? KATE We're not looking to arrest the man, Faith, we're trying to locate him. FAITH Oh. Right. She drops it. Starts digging through the wastebasket again. DISSOLVE TO: A small pile of garbage spread out on the floor -- an apple core, a couple more Butterfinger wrappers, some tissue, an empty shampoo bottle, a soap wrapper. Nothing very helpful. There's only one more crumpled piece of paper yet to be examined. FAITH This our last hope. She says a silent prayer. Unfolds it. FAITH We're saved! KATE What is it? FAITH (saints be praised) A phone message. (beat) Only-- KATE Only what? FAITH Only, it's in Italian... CUT TO: CLOSE ON the phone message and a hand holding it. O.S. (impatiently) So what is this? He owes you money? Pan up to the annoyed Concierge. FAITH No... it's just very important that I find him, okay? CONCIERGE Why? FAITH Because. Beat. KATE Look, it's very simple. When she was eleven years old, she got this name-- Faith elbows her. FAITH (suddenly choking up) He's my brother. Kate looks at her. FAITH (holding back tears) Yes, my long-lost brother. See, uh, we were separated when we were very young. The last time I saw him we were just babies, but I've recently found out that he's here in Italy. And I'm here trying to find him. That's the ticket. FAITH You could say I'm sort of looking for my other half. She smiles nervously. KATE And she's going to be married in five days, and it would mean so much to her if she could find him before her wedding day. Teary-eyed, Faith nods. FAITH (pleading) All I ask is that you just call this number and ask if they know him, if they have any idea where we might find him. He looks at her. CONCIERGE And then you promise you'll go away? She nods energetically. CUT TO: FINGERS DIALING. As she and Kate wait, KATE (sotto) Your brother? FAITH What was I gonna do? Tell him the truth? CONCIERGE (into phone) Ai Monasteri? (beat) Va bene. He's on hold. KATE A monastery? Faith is looking stricken. CONCIERGE (coolly) It's a store. In Rome. She heaves a sigh of relief. He goes back to the call. CONCIERGE Si. Sto cercando Damon Bradley?... (beat) Si. Si. Grazie. Ciao. Hangs up. They look at him expectantly. CONCIERGE (handing back the message) He said he thinks a woman he works with knows him. Her name's Anna. But she won't be in 'til tomorrow. FAITH So. How do we get to Rome? EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - SUNRISE Somewhere in Tuscany. Where the landscape looks like one of those old Renaissance paintings. Undulating hills, sun-dappled olive groves, vast vineyards, crumbling farmhouses. They speed into the frame aboard a vespa. Faith is at the handlebars. KATE (over the wind) Couldn't we just have taken a train? FAITH (shaking her head) The book said they have a lot of rail strikes in Italy. FAITH This way we're in control. Besides, look how pretty this is. We're really getting to see the countryside. They speed off. And a BUG smacks straight into Kate's mouth. DISSOLVE TO: LATER. The front wheel of the vespa is rotating very slowly. That's because they're pushing it. In silence, until, FAITH (quietly) I told you a liter was less than a gallon. KATE (snapping) We would've had enough gas to get us there if you hadn't gotten us lost. Besides, a kilometer is less than a mile. FAITH Right. So we should've been able to cover more of them. Silence. KATE Boy, we sure are seeing the countryside, alright. Beat. KATE I'm hungry. FAITH You know, no offense or anything Kate, but I think I'm starting to see Larry's side of the story. KATE What's that supposed to mean?... FAITH Nothing. They plod along again in silence. FAITH (throwing up her hands) I thought all roads were supposed to lead there anyway. DISSOLVE TO: LATER STILL. They've stopped to rest. The sun is beating down mercilessly. Faith gets up, stands at the side of the road, arm and thumb extended. KATE I don't know that we should be accepting any rides from strangers. Faith just looks at her. FAITH You expecting somebody you know? KATE Well, you don't have to get snippy with me. FAITH Sorry. After a beat, KATE (wounded) So, what exactly is Larry's side of the story, anyway? FAITH I don't know, Kate. I just said that. I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. (gazing into the distance) I'm afraid we're losing him. KATE (staring vacantly ahead) You think he misses me at all? FAITH 'Course he does. KATE You know, when Larry and I got married, I thought we were so lucky we found each other so early. People talk about spending their lives together, how many of them really get to? But maybe I was wrong. Maybe sooner or later everything wears out. Faith turns to look at her sister-in-law. She goes over and kneels down next to her. FAITH Remember in junior high, when I had that Halloween party? And we were playing Twister. And it landed on right-hand-red, and there was only one red spot left. You reached for it, but you started to fall. FAITH And instead of taking it, Larry reached out to catch you. He let you win. Larry never let anybody win. That's when I knew. He was a goner. Kate is idly doodling in the dirt with a twig. KATE That was a long time ago. FAITH And you know what I thought then, Kate? I thought, I hope someday I have somebody who loves me that much. (a confession) I still hope that. Still looking down, Kate smiles ruefully. KATE That you'll find someone who'll let you win at Twister? She looks up, eyes full of doubt. Faith nods solemnly. KATE He went out and bought himself men's cologne the other day. Did I tell you that? FAITH (concerned) Larry bought himself cologne? KATE Polo. Uh-oh. Faith puts a consoling arm around her, and they sit there in the Tuscan countryside. In quiet contemplation of the capriciousness of life and love. INT. SQUASH COURT - DAY Dwayne and Larry are playing. Larry's clothes are very wrinkled. LARRY So, she just takes off on me. No warning. No explanation. Just this message on the machine, "I'm leaving you. Take the clothes out of the dryer." I mean, what'd I do? Larry smacks the ball. DWAYNE I don't get it. She hasn't seen her since she was a kid, now just because she's dying, all of the sudden she's gotta see her again? LARRY She's been acting weird lately, though. I shoulda seen it coming. Babbling on and on and on about "communication". Like I don't know how to communicate. DWAYNE Let's face it. Sooner or later we all die. LARRY Exactly. After a beat, Larry stops the ball. LARRY Who's dying? DWAYNE Your great aunt. LARRY What great aunt? EXT. COUNTRY ROAD IN TUSCANY - DAY They're walking again, both holding thumbs out now. And their prayers are answered. A bright red FERRARI comes screeching to a halt about ten feet in front of them. They exchange a look. Faith dashes towards it. Peers in the window, converses with the driver a moment, then waves Kate over. KATE (lugging the suitcase) You really think this is safe? An interior shot of the car reveals a NUN behind the wheel. FAITH I'd say so... Kate takes a look inside, KATE God, the Catholic Church is even richer than I thought. She climbs in, and the car PEELS OUT. EXT. STREETS OF ROME - DAY The Ferrari zips into the Eternal City. A wonderland of color and history. Baroque fountains spout cool, clear water; kids play soccer in the ruins; lovers kiss in secluded corners; elegantly stylish men and women sip espresso in sidewalk cafes, engaged in conversations, flirtations, negotiations. All the world's a stage. They screech to an abrupt halt directly in front of, SISTER MARGHERITA Ai Monasteri. They get out and are still thanking her profusely, standing at the side of the car with suitcase in hand, when there is a whisper from behind, O.S. Do you believe in love at first sight? Faith freezes. Gazes heavenward. FAITH (like an oath) Yes. She turns. To discover that God is a practical joker. The guy is talking to Kate. Slicked back hair, ponytail, a lot of leather. He looks awfully young. KATE I'm married. YOUNG ITALIAN STUD (good-naturedly) I know, I saw your ring. This is no problem. I only want for us to be friends. Uh huh. YOUNG ITALIAN STUD I am Giovanni. He kisses Kate's hand. GIOVANNI And you are?... KATE (in spite of herself) Kate. GIOVANNI You are looking for a place to stay, no, Kate? KATE No. Well, I don't know. Well, maybe. Later. GIOVANNI This is your most lucky day. My family runs a pension not three blocks from here. What a coincidence. She looks at Faith. In spite of herself, she's a little charmed, flattered by him. As they continue up the steps, GIOVANNI (suggestively) I wait here for you. INT. AI MONASTERI - DAY Inside, a hushed environment, reminiscent of a monastery. The store sells liqueurs, etc. made by monks. Faith approaches the counter, behind which one of those inordinately fashionable Italian WOMEN is positioned. FAITH (almost whispering) Hello. Uh, do you speak English? WOMAN BEHIND COUNTER (demure smile) A little. FAITH Thank God. I'm looking for Anna? WOMAN BEHIND COUNTER I am Anna. Overjoyed, Faith extends a hand. FAITH Anna, I'm Faith. You don't know how happy I am to meet you. You see, I'm trying to find someone, and-- KATE (perusing the merchandise) Her brother. FAITH Right. My brother. ANNA (sweetness and light) Your brother. Fratello tuo. FAITH Yes. Right. Si. My fratello. And, I was thinking that maybe someone here, well, you, might know him. His name is Damon Bradley?... The woman's eyes narrow. ANNA Damon Bradley. FAITH (more thrilled) Yes. You do know him? Anna slams her espresso down on the counter. ANNA E' un porco! FAITH Excuse me? She starts ranting in Italian. Faith pulls out her dictionary and starts flipping frantically through it. Kate comes over with a handful of little bottles. KATE What did you say to her? FAITH (still flipping) I don't know. I just asked her if she knew him and all of the sudden-- KATE What's she saying? Faith shoots her a look. KATE Oh. (beat) Wait a minute-- Kate rushes to the door, KATE Hey, Giovanni... He comes running. Kate hustles him inside and over to Faith. KATE (to him) My friend is looking for her brother and she thinks this woman knows where he is. Can you tell us what she's saying? GIOVANNI She's saying he's a-- a-- (snapping his fingers, he can't think of the word) porco. KATE A porco? GIOVANNI (then suddenly) A pig! A pig! (to Faith, apologetic) She's saying he's a pig. Anna's starting to throw things. GIOVANNI A very large pig. FAITH Ask her if she knows where he is? GIOVANNI Sa dov'e' lui? She screams for about a minute. He turns to Faith. GIOVANNI No. FAITH Ask her if she knows how I might reach him? If she has a telephone number? GIOVANNI Ha un numero di telefono? She yells some more. GIOVANNI She did, but she... She rips a napkin into shreds. GIOVANNI ...misplaced it. More yelling. GIOVANNI He thinks she's going to meet him at Mezzaluna tonight, but she-- ANNA HAH! She hits her inner elbow with the edge of her other hand, in the Italian version of the finger. GIOVANNI ...has a prior commitment. FAITH What's mezzaluna? GIOVANNI A restaurant. In Piazza Navona. FAITH (ecstatic) That's it. That's it. That's all I need to know. (to her and Giovanni) Bless you, thank you, thank you. The PROPRIETOR rushes in from the back of the store, makes her apologize to the nice customers. ANNA (grudgingly) Sorry. PROPRIETOR (that's better) Cosi va bene. As Faith heads toward the door, she yells after her, ANNA I'm sorry your brother is a pig! KATE (with the bottles) Who is it I pay for these? CUT TO: EXT. AI MONASTERI - MOMENTS LATER As they emerge from the shop and head down the stairs, Kate is looking skeptical. FAITH All that proves is that she wasn't the woman who was meant for him. Faith throws her arms around her in celebration, dancing in the street. FAITH And now we know where he's gonna be. EXT. PENSION - AFTERNOON ANGLE ON a sign, "PENSIONE DIVINO AMORE". Giovanni is helping them carry their things into the hotel. He leads them to their room, opens the door. Faith enters. As Kate follows, he momentarily pulls her aside, GIOVANNI (apologetically) I must leave town for two days. Was unavoidable. But, day after tomorrow, (with import) I return... He places the key in her hand. Holding his own there longer than necessary. INT. PENSIONE ROOM - LATER Faith is in the shower. Kate's got an Italian smorgasbord arrayed before her. Is browsing "How to Make a Man, etc.". EXT. PENSION - EVENING They're on their way out the door, dressed to the nines. As Kate turns their key in to the desk, Giovanni whispers in her ear, GIOVANNI Forty-eight hours... Nods meaningfully. EXT. PIAZZA NAVONA - NIGHT They emerge from a cab into a dreamlike landscape, illuminated by the lights Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers and the strolling FIRE-EATERS performing in the piazza. Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. FAITH All of the sudden, I'm feeling kind of nervous. (wringing her hands) God, I hate blind dates. Why couldn't we just have arranged marriages in America? KATE You're right. At least that way you could spend the rest of your life blaming your parents instead of yourself. Smile. Faith smiles. And they enter the restaurant -- a sea of frescoes, flowers, crystal and silver, all awash in candlelight. "Some Enchanted Evening..." From Faith's POV we see various and sundry men acknowledge or appear oblivious to her expectant face. A smile here, a glance there. He could be any of them. Or none of them. FAITH (through her smile) Let's get a drink. They take a seat at the bar. Unbeknownst to them, an extremely handsome MAN at a table on the terrace is eying them intently. KATE Aren't you going to ask the maitre'd if he's here? It's all come down to this. A whole lifetime of waiting, searching, hoping... FAITH (suddenly chicken) I sort of wanted to wait to see if maybe he'd notice me first? KATE You've travelled over six thousand miles and now you're gonna play hard to get? The MAN from the terrace is getting up. Is coming their way. Kate elbows her. "Some Enchanted Eeeevening"... KATE (sotto) He's a god. He approaches. ADONIS Excuse me, I hope you don't think I'm being too forward. I'm here waiting for a friend, but I couldn't help noticing the two of you. Faith is giddily kicking Kate under the table, but no words are coming out. Kate steps in. KATE We noticed you, too. It's really happening. ADONIS I was wondering if you might be persuaded to join me-- It really is... KATE (getting up) We'd love to. ADONIS (extending a hand) Great. I'm Guiseppe Romano. Faith's face falls. CUT TO: They're back at the bar by themselves. KATE So what's in a name? I wanna join him. I don't see why we can't join him. FAITH I told you. If he sees me here with another guy, he's gonna think I'm here with another guy. I just don't want to send any confusing signals. Kate glances back over at him. Waves. KATE (to Faith) Well, how come we're always looking for guys for you? FAITH Because I'm the one who's single. KATE (sulking) I never even got to be single. FAITH Sure you did. KATE Not if you don't count the sixth grade. FAITH Okay, okay. You join him. But first will you ask if he's here? We watch from a distance as Kate gets up and approaches the MAITRE'D. He gestures towards a booth on the other side of the room. She thanks him and makes a beeline back to the bar. KATE He's heeeeeerrre... FAITH (nervously looking around) Oh my God. Where? KATE He's sitting in the fourth booth down, on the left hand side, with his back to us. He's wearing a navy jacket. If you turn around, you can see part of his right elbow. FAITH (not moving a muscle) Is he looking at us? KATE (glancing over her shoulder) Nope. Faith tries to peek around without being too obvious. And slips off her bar stool, almost knocking over the drink of the person next to her. She grabs it, awkwardly climbs back onto the stool. Then pulls out a compact and checks out the view. FAITH (like she's twelve) Oooooo, I can see his sleeve... After a beat. FAITH I guess I should just go over and introduce myself, huh? Kate nods. Faith puts the mirror away. Starts to get up. FAITH (sitting back down) Who do I say I am? CUT TO: Moments later. Having gotten her story straight. She gets up again. FAITH Right, right... Okay.. (suddenly seized with self-doubt) You don't think he's gonna think I'm too aggressive? KATE Faith. So far you've trailed the man halfway around the globe. At this point, I don't think another fifteen feet is gonna tip the scales. FAITH Right. Okay... It's meant to be right? (a deep breath) This is it. She straightens her skirt. Starts to walk toward him again, when, KATE Faith-- FAITH (turning anxiously) What? KATE Good luck. Faith smiles gratefully back at her. Kate motions, "go on"... Then turns back towards Guiseppe. Faith collects herself. A woman with a mission. Begins striding purposefully towards him. Focused only on that special arm as, with each step, a little more of it comes into view. Only a few more feet. There is nothing between her and him now but that WAITER with the enormous tray of pasta coming from the other direction. But, alas... In a collision worthy of inclusion in the "agony of defeat", the tray and all its contents go sliding down over her. All eyes turn her way, and she stands there, paralyzed in an agonizing moment of dead silence. Then, with an anguished howl, she dashes to the ladies room. Kate gets up and goes rushing in after her. And, back out in the restaurant, a pair of feet get up and step gingerly over the remains of somebody's angel hair pasta. Seconds later, with an enormous wet orange spot on her dress, Faith bursts out of the ladies room. And discovers he's gone. The women bolt out the door, just in time to glimpse a man in a navy jacket disappear down the subway stairs in the distance. In hot pursuit, Faith flings off her heels and sends them flying. One of them BONKS a PASSER-BY, another MAN clad in a white shirt and carrying a navy jacket, on the head. We may get only a brief look at this guy, but it's enough to establish that while he may not be drop-dead gorgeous, any woman with any sense wouldn't kick him out of bed for munching saltines either. There's an undeniable warmth in his eyes. But Faith doesn't see him at all, because as he bends down to pick up her shoe, he disappears from sight in the crowd, and she races madly past him. Down the subway stairs, into the tunnel-- and into a mob. INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - NIGHT She battles her way through the throng, hopping up and down to try to get an overview, but there is no sign of him. She dashes from car to car, pounding on windows, calling out his name. Until, in a sudden whoosh, the doors close, and the train speeds off into the night. But she's still running after it. Desperately. Until it finally vanishes around a corner, out of sight. And she sinks to the ground, arms outstretched in the darkness... in vain. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PIAZZA NAVONA - NIGHT CLOSE ON an abandoned shoe. A hand picks it up. KATE (O.S.) I found one. The two of them are wandering the piazza. Faith puts the shoe back on and, with one bare foot, limps over to a table. Her dress is stained, her nylons are run, a few stray noodles still cling to her hair. Basically, she's a disaster. As they sit down, KATE Well, nobody can say we didn't try. FAITH (not hearing this) Okay, here's what I think. We find out what all the subway stops for that train are-- the subway system's really not that big in Rome, we could narrow it down and-- KATE (not believing this) And then what, Faith? FAITH And then... we rent a truck, or a car, either one, and we set up a loudspeaker, and we drive through the surrounding areas, and we page him. Simple as that. Kate just stares at her, dumbfounded. FAITH What?... My hair? When, O.S. I like the style. I just don't think this color works for me. They look up. It's the STRANGER in white with her other shoe in his hand. FAITH Oh. (reaching for it) Thank you. DAMON Allow me. He kneels down and places the shoe on her foot. Then gazes up into her eyes. FAITH Thanks very much. (back to Kate) So what do you think? Kate looks at him. Kind of charmed. KATE That was really sweet... FAITH I meant about my idea. KATE I think it's time we got some professional help. FAITH (nodding) Like a detective. KATE No... Like a psychiatrist. FAITH (looking around) Don't be silly. How's a psychiatrist gonna find him? He's still kneeling there. FAITH (to him again) Thank you. Now go away. He sits down at a table nearby. Stares over at Faith. She spots an Italian policeman, or CARABINIERE, standing at the edge of the piazza. FAITH I'm gonna go see what I can find out about speaker rental. She gets up, the STRANGER gets up, as if to follow. She looks at him like he's nuts. FAITH Excuse me. Steps around him to head toward the cop. He sits back down. DAMON (to Kate) So, what's the story with your friend? KATE (watching her in amazement) My friend has lost her fucking mind... DAMON What's she doing? Kate turns to him, KATE She's trying to find out where she can rent a loudspeaker. DAMON What for? KATE So she can drive through the streets of Rome paging the man of her dreams. He laughs. DAMON No, really. What's she doing? KATE Really. She thinks he's here. Even though she's never met him. Even though she's never laid eyes on him. DAMON (still not believing her) Seriously. Kate just looks at him. DAMON Oh. Well, what's wrong with that? He gazes over at her, gesticulating wildly in the distance. DAMON Only... if she's never met this guy, what makes her think he's perfect for her? Kate just shakes her head. Don't ask. DAMON Were they pen pals? KATE No. DAMON Is he some kind of celebrity or something? KATE No. DAMON Did he do some anonymous good deed for her? An exasperated sigh. KATE She got his name off a Ouija board when she was eleven. She holds out her palms. What can I tell you? A beat. Then, DAMON What is his name?... Faith comes trudging back, in tears. FAITH He said it would take at least six months to get a permit for a loudspeaker. And, you have to get the Pope to approve it. Defeated, she picks up her purse. FAITH Let's just go. Kate puts her arm around her and they start walking. The STRANGER grabs his jacket off the back of his chair. Tags after them. DAMON (anxiously) Will you be staying in Rome long? She doesn't respond. DAMON Your friend said you were looking for someone? (at her side) Maybe I can help you track him down. I speak a little Italian. And I have a friend who works at the embassy. Maybe we could-- She's trying to wave down a TAXI. FAITH Thank you, but I really don't want any help. DAMON What's his name? I'll look into it for you. I could give you a call. A CAB slows to a stop in front of them. FAITH Look, I appreciate the offer, but-- She reaches for the door. He's standing in the way. DAMON Just tell me his name... She blows her nose noisily. FAITH (to get rid of him) Damon Bradley. He stares at her. DAMON (stunned) But, that's-- I'm Damon Bradley... Still wiping her nose, she notices the jacket in his hands, then looks up into his eyes. The wind rustles through the trees. FAITH You're... He nods. Amazed. FRANCESCA And you're the biggest mess I've ever seen. She reaches for her hair. FRANCESCA I find that very attractive. And she faints. Dead away. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Having regained consciousness, Faith is across a candlelit table from him. They're engrossed in conversation. In each others' eyes. Tables around them have all emptied. A waiter in the background is trying to prop his eyes open. DAMON'S MOTHER ...Coming so close and yet just missing each other. Do you know what I mean? Does she know what he means... DAMON'S MOTHER There's this poem by Rilke, I don't remember the whole thing, but it's about that. About waiting for that person, and wondering if you'll ever find them. And the last line of it goes, "Who knows? Perhaps the same bird echoed through both of us, yesterday-- FAITH --separate, in the evening..." DAMON'S MOTHER (slowly, spellbound) Yes. DISSOLVE TO: MONTAGE. To the Beatles' "I Will" PENSION DIVINO AMORE - Faith hops out Damon's car. He waits. She dashes inside, practically skipping. Moments later, having changed clothes, floats back out and they take off again. Up above, Kate watches wistfully out the window. DRY CLEANERS - Dwayne is there trying to pick up his stuff. The CLERK is holding out a ticket. "You have to have one of these." THE FORUM - The sun is coming up over the ruins. Faith and Damon stroll through them. Damon pulls out a "doggie bag". Sets down a little container of pasta for the wild cats that roam Rome. McDONALDS - Rome's golden arches. Kate is munching on a Big Mac, and working on a postcard: "Dear Larry,". Somebody cruises by her table, snakes out a hand, reaching for her purse. Without so much as an upward glance, she flicks out a leg and trips him. CAMPO DEI FIORI MARKET - The enormous outdoor market where everything from orchids, to watermelon, to live eels and octopus are in abundant display. Damon buys Faith a gardenia. She puts it in her hair. GIOLITTI - A gelateria. Kate's eating ice cream. Still working on the postcard: "Dear Larry". Nothing more. Finally crumples it up. THE SPANISH STEPS - Faith and Damon are sitting on the edge of the steps watching the street show that is Rome, when a LOCAL approaches with a Polaroid. Selling pictures. They pose. FAITH My hair's kind of a mess, isn't it? DAMON'S MOTHER Your hair... is perfect. He leans in and kisses her. And from this angle, except for the clothes, they look an awful lot like Rodin's version, as the FRAME FREEZES. CLOSE on the photo. She looks up from it. FAITH You don't think this is just infatuation, do you? FRANCESCA Oh no. (beat) Do you? FAITH No. He takes her hand. Both a little unnerved, they walk. Until, DAMON'S MOTHER But... just to be sure, maybe we ought to shatter each other's unrealistic images of perfection. You know, each of us admit something embarrassing about ourselves. FAITH Okay. Good idea. You first. FRANCESCA Me first? Alright, well, (beat) Something embarrassing, right? Something we don't want to admit in public. She nods. He thinks a moment. Then, FRANCESCA (sheepish) I'm a liberal. She looks at him with amazement. FAITH I'm a liberal! FRANCESCA (disbelieving) No... FAITH (solemnly) My car bumper has never held a winning sticker. They gaze deeply at one another. FRANCESCA Well, as long we both know we're going into this with our eyes wide open... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. VIA MARGUTTA - TWILIGHT A lantern-lit street of 18th century facades. A faint breeze stirs the trees above. Strains of opera float out a window. Faith is looking around. Finally, though they're not overlooking anything, FAITH You're right. This is a really pretty view. He smiles. DAMON'S MOTHER Not this. He leads her out to the center of the street. Tilts his head back. She follows and they walk, with their necks craned back, like two drunken sailors, like two kids. DAMON'S MOTHER This... And up above, in the houses and apartments lining either side of the street, visible through the unshuttered windows, are gilded ceilings and candlelit vaults of angels. And beyond those, the star-studded, indigo summer sky. It's all a matter of how you look at it. INT. PENSION BAR - NIGHT Kate's down at the bar, talking to the Italian BARTENDER. KATE So, you're saying you think I should call him. He draws a beer. BARTENDER He is your husband, no? KATE Yes, but... He was having an affair. BARTENDER Si. So what? He picks up a napkin and sets the glass down on it. KATE The point is, he was sleeping with another woman. Beat. BARTENDER Uh huh. How much clearer can she make it? KATE They were having sex. Finally, it dawns on him. BARTENDER (nodding gravely) She was your sister. KATE No, she wasn't my sister. BARTENDER (shaking his head in sympathy) Your mother. KATE Of course not. BARTENDER (another stab) Your grandmother? KATE Look, she wasn't a relative, okay? I don't know who she is. Big deal. He rolls his eyes and dismisses it with a wave of his hand. KATE So, how much longer 'til Giovanni gets back? EXT. THE TREVI FOUNTAIN - NIGHT It's all lit up. And deserted at this late hour. The water glows, ethereal blue. They sit at the edge, bare feet dangling in. Damon picks up one of her shoes. DAMON'S MOTHER I think I'll have it bronzed. She smiles. Then sobers. DAMON'S MOTHER What?... FAITH I feel like I've been wandering in the desert for as long as I can remember. With nothing but emptiness around me, wind and sun... And suddenly, out of the blue, somehow I've found the oasis. He takes her face in his hands. Solemnly, almost mystically, kisses her eyes... her mouth... Until, FAITH There is one other thing you should know about me. FRANCESCA Nothing you could say would change the way I feel. FAITH I'm engaged. I'm supposed to be married in two days. FRANCESCA Except possibly that. She gets up. Heavy with guilt. FAITH And, he's a friend of yours. It's Dwayne. FRANCESCA Dwayne? FAITH Dwayne Pinsley. From high school. That's how I knew you were here. When you called, from the airport. DAMON'S MOTHER Oh, right. Dwayne. (beat) You're engaged to Dwayne? FAITH (like she's trying to explain an affair) It just happened. I didn't plan it. I was alone. And he was... there. But now everything's changed. I owe it to him to let him know. I need to tell him. DAMON'S MOTHER You're sure... FAITH I've never been more sure of anything in my life. He smiles. DAMON'S MOTHER Good. FAITH Let's find a telephone. DAMON'S MOTHER Sure-- But, before you do that, since we're putting all our cards on the table, I have a confession to make, too. She pauses, FAITH Okay. He looks at her worriedly. FAITH Don't be afraid. You can tell me. DAMON'S MOTHER You're sure... FAITH We found each other, didn't we? DAMON'S MOTHER (hesitantly) Yes. We did. FAITH (a whisper) It's alright... this is our destiny. He takes a deep breath. DAMON'S MOTHER Okay. Okay, the thing is... I'm not exactly... I mean-- only in the most literal sense-- I'm not Damon Bradley. The fountain just dropped twenty feet. FAITH (staring straight ahead) What? DAMON'S MOTHER My name isn't Damon Bradley. I just told you it was Damon Bradley. FAITH (numbly) What is it? PETER It's Peter Wright. He heaves a sigh of relief. Draws her to him again. PETER Boy, am I glad that's over with. She's frozen. He's noticing this. Until she extricates herself from his arms. PETER (to himself) I had a feeling this was gonna be a problem. (to her) You're upset, right? She shoots him a look. Starts putting on her shoes. PETER Everything else is true. I swear. I am a liberal. I do live in Boston. I am a zoologist. I did see "Local Hero" fifteen times. I am single. I don't believe in Scientology and I don't smoke. But, okay, I admit it, mea culpa, I lied about one little thing. She runs out to the street. Starts waving for a cab. FAITH One little thing? You call your identity one little thing? Following after her, PETER You've never lied? Beat. FAITH That's not the point. PETER You said whatever it was you would understand. FAITH That was before I found out what it was. A taxi approaches. PETER You're leaving? No response. PETER Wait-- Let's put this in perspective. You're going to let a few little letters keep us apart? No response. The cab stops. PETER (grasping at straws) Look, if the name's that much of a problem, why don't you just call me that? It'll be my nickname. She opens the taxi door. FAITH (on the brink of tears) How could you do this to me? PETER (innocently) I'm in love with you. FAITH Oh, come on... What kind of an excuse is that? And this time, the door SLAMS in his face. EXT. PENSION LOBBY - NIGHT The cab pulls up. Faith gets out, drags into the hotel, looking shell-shocked. From the bar, Kate spots her and rushes over. DISSOLVE TO: INT. PENSION BAR - MINUTES LATER Kate and Faith are both at the bar, staring off into the distance. Getting bombed. KATE Yeah. Sociopaths. They're able to figure out what you want them to be and then they act like that. FAITH (tearfully) But how could he know? He only just met me. KATE Men have ways. Kate shakes her head. KATE What a drag. You finally meet the man of your dreams and he turns out to be a pathological liar. Faith wails. INT. PETER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT He's on the telephone. PETER Still busy? Okay, can I leave another message, please? (beat) Alright, the message is, would she rather have the wrong guy with the right name or the right guy with the wrong name? (beat) No-- no, no. They alternate, see? It's the wrong guy-- INT. PENSION ROOM - NIGHT CLOSE on the receiver, off the hook. Faith is in bed, wide awake, staring mournfully up at the ceiling. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PENSION ROOM - THE FOLLOWING MORNING Kate is on her way out the door. She opens it-- to find Peter outside in the hallway, carrying a bouquet of flowers the size of a refrigerator. PETER (moving past her) I have to talk to her. KATE She's not here. PETER Where is she? KATE She went out to check into skywriting. I can't believe you lied. Is this a genetic thing, men will say anything just to get laid? PETER No! That's not fair. That's not it at all. Look, something somewhere got screwed up. Maybe some metaphysical wires got crossed. I may not have the right name, but I was there. I'm the guy. I'm-- skywriting?? She eyes him skeptically. KATE You didn't think this would be a problem? He starts pacing. PETER It was an emergency. I only lied that night because it was the only way I knew to stop her. I knew if I didn't, I'd never see her again. KATE Good strategy. PETER Do you know I wasn't even supposed to be in Rome? My boss was supposed to come to this conference, and at the last minute he got the measles. The measles. Who gets the measles at forty-three? So they sent me. And I wasn't supposed to be in that piazza that night either. I'd gone to the movies, only it was sold out. So I was wandering around. Just wandering... When I got hit in the head with this shoe. He gazes out at the Roman skyline, PETER And then I saw her. And all I know is, when I looked in her eyes I saw something... light. And life and passion and yearning. And something else I can't even put my finger on, something I'd never seen before-- KATE Mania. PETER Whatever. And I thought, please God, give me a sign, give me some way to keep this woman from getting into that taxi and disappearing from my life forever. And He did. She told me the name. Granted, it wasn't my name, but it was a start. He turns to Kate. PETER And if that's not destiny, I don't know what is. KATE (touched) That's really romantic. She places a consoling hand on his shoulder, KATE Too bad she hates your guts. Starts leading him toward the door. PETER It's just a name for chrissakes. The whole thing is so ludicrous. For all she knows, this guy could be the biggest loser on the face of the planet. He could have a criminal record. (throwing up his hands) He could think Ronald Reagan was a great president. Kate shrugs. PETER I mean, realistically, what are the odds that this is a terrific guy? KATE (flatly) Ten billion to one. Beat. There's a KNOCK at the door. She opens it. It's Giovanni -- with a single rose. GIOVANNI Guess who-oooo... He sees Peter and the other flowers. GIOVANNI Oh. KATE (quickly) Giovanni, this is Faith's friend, Peter. GIOVANNI Oh, hello. (to Kate) I just came by to see if you wanted to join me for a drink, but-- KATE I'd love to. She heads for the door. PETER (pleading eyes) Please. You've got to help me. She considers him. KATE I'll see what I can do. INT. COCKPIT OF A TEENY TINY PLANE - DAY Faith is strapped into the passenger seat of a miniscule two-seater. White-knuckled. Staring wide-eyed out the window at a faint trail of vapor. FAITH (over the roar of the engine) Are you sure people are gonna be able to read this?... The pilot nods. The plane goes into a dive. Faith's eyes roll back in her head. EXT. PENSION TERRACE - DAY Kate and Giovanni are at a table, overlooking the domes of the city, bathed in the honeyed late afternoon light. Giovanni's pointing out the sights. A plane buzzes overhead. Kate looks up. Some faint gibberish is being scattered to the wind. She shakes her head. Giovanni takes her hand. KATE (a little nervously) Don't you have to be getting back to work? His eyes sparkle. GIOVANNI It's siesta. KATE Oh. GIOVANNI You see, in America they care for work, they live to work. But in Italy, they care for food, for love, for pleasure... His lips graze her wrist. KATE How old are you? GIOVANNI What do the years matter? I've known you for centuries... INT. PENSION LOBBY - AFTERNOON Faith enters. Her hair looking like she stuck her finger in a light socket. She's handed an enormous stack of messages. Peter, Peter, Peter, etc. There are a lot of cross-outs. She forces herself to drop them into the trash on her way up the stairs. Then opens her door and sees the flowers. She fingers one, momentarily softening, then turns resolute. She pulls her suitcase from beneath the bed and is unzipping it when Kate enters, grinning from ear to ear. KATE Hi-iii... FAITH Hi. Where've you been? KATE Sightseeing... (sobering as she realizes) What're you doing? FAITH Packing. KATE Why? FAITH Because I've been kidding myself. Because I realized you were right from the beginning. This whole thing was just a wild goose chase. KATE So, you've had a little bad luck. FAITH A little bad luck? KATE Okay, a lot of bad luck. But that means the odds are probably in your favor now. This is no time to give up. Faith smiles wanly. Starts pulling stuff out of drawers. FAITH Why do they read kids fairy tales in the first place? Children are very impressionable, you know. KATE So you're just quitting? Just like that? Faith pauses. FAITH I thought you were the one who didn't think I should've come in the first place. KATE I know, but... FAITH It was a ouija board, remember? KATE (softly) ...and a fortune teller. FAITH Yeah, well, obviously it wasn't meant to be. I've got forty-eight hours. I can still make it home in time to marry Dwayne and try to forget any of this ever happened. KATE What about Peter?... FAITH Peter? Peter was a mistake. An imposter. FAITH The last dead end in a long series of dead ends that I am relieved to finally be leaving behind. (glancing up) May as well start packing, our cab's gonna be here in an hour. KATE Who said I was going? FAITH What? KATE I'm just not ready to go home quite yet, that's all. There's a tap at the door. Giovanni pokes his head in. GIOVANNI You ready, Kate? Oh, hi, Faith. Did you do something different to your hair? Kate shakes her head. KATE He promised to take me on a tour of the fountains... (beat) But I don't have to go. Faith looks at the two of them. Realizing. FAITH No. No, you go ahead. KATE You sure you'll be okay? FAITH I'm sure. And Kate, thank you for coming. Thank you for being such a good friend. KATE (squeezing her hand) I'll be back before you leave. She and Giovanni exit. Faith picks up the telephone. FAITH Long distance operator, please. INT. DWAYNE'S APARTMENT - DAY The phone rings. The answering machine picks it up. PHONE MACHINE "Hi, it's Dwayne. Don't be a heel, leave a message." Beep. DAMON (O.S.) Hi, Dwayne. It's me. I'm just calling to say I'm on my way home. INT. PENSION DIVINO AMORE - SUNSET Faith's eyes drift to the window. FAITH The situation here is looking pretty hopeless. I guess she's given up. (catching herself) So, it's Flight number 966. It gets in at one tomorrow. I'll see you then. Click. EXT. STREETS OF ROME - TWILIGHT Faith is taking the same walk that was so magical the night before. But it's not the same. She takes a few steps, tilts her head back, and-- trips. She's holding her foot in pain when, O.S. Kate told me you were going home. Is that true? She looks up, sees Peter. Turns around and starts limping briskly back towards her hotel. PETER (tagging after her) Is it? No response. PETER (realizing) You're limping. FAITH I know I'm limping. I stubbed my toe. PETER Are you okay? You want some help? FAITH NO. PETER You are leaving, aren't you? No response. PETER Why can't you just tell me? FAITH If it's any of your business, yes. PETER Yes?! To be married, I suppose. FAITH Yes. PETER To the foot doctor. FAITH Yes. He stops in front of her. Looks her straight in the eye. PETER Why? A long beat. FAITH (stepping around him) Because I know who Dwayne is, and he's reliable and stable and wants to marry me. PETER (dismissingly) He's safe. FAITH So?! Is there something wrong with loving somebody who's safe? PETER (following her) Does he love you? FAITH He wants to marry me, doesn't he? PETER You didn't answer my question. FAITH (exasperated) Why are you asking me this? PETER Because I'd like to think at least one of you feels that way. Does he know who you are? He touches her arm. She pulls it away. PETER (utterly serious) You stubbed your toe, don't you think that's a sign? FAITH What? PETER He's a podiatrist. Pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. Your toe is trying to tell you not to do it. She rolls her eyes, continues limping. PETER There must be something I can do, something I can say to make this up to you?... Just tell me what it is, I'll say it. I'll do it. I don't want you to hate me. FAITH (softening, she stops) Look, Peter, I don't hate you. But what we had was an illusion. Mutual wishful thinking. We both wanted to believe it for awhile, but it was all founded on a lie. PETER So? FAITH So it wasn't real. PETER What about the oasis in the desert? Are you telling me that was a lie? FAITH No, that wasn't a lie. That was... (almost more to herself) a mirage. She looks at him. Then, softly, sadly, FAITH Don't you see?.. We're not the ones who are meant to be. (earnestly) You're the man of somebody else's dreams. PETER Because I don't have the right name?! She starts walking again. FAITH I'm going home. I never should've come here in the first place and I'm going home. He calls after her. PETER Fine. Okay. Forget me. Leave me out of it. But don't go throwing your life away on somebody you don't love. FAITH (she turns) Who says I don't love him?... A long beat. PETER I see. Well then, go home. Get married. I hope you'll be very happy. And he walks quickly away, disappearing into the shadows. She starts to call after him, but he's already gone. EXT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT Faith is waiting in the lobby as a CAB pulls up outside. We watch from a distance as she hugs Kate goodbye. The DRIVER comes in, picks up her bag, and she drags out the door behind him. INT. CAB - NIGHT Faith is staring forlornly out the car window as the driver gets in, turns over the engine. They're pulling away when SOMEONE runs out into the street, arms waving madly. PETER (running alongside the window) You can't go. The cab is speeding up. FAITH Why not? PETER Because. I know where he is. It SCREECHES to a halt. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT Peter's helping her bring her things back inside. PETER (out of breath) I went back to that restaurant and I spoke with his waiter, just on an off chance, you know, and, anyway-- he knew the name of the guy's hotel. So, I called there, they said he left yesterday. But, apparently he comes here every year, always follows the same route. He always goes from here down the coast to the Le Sirenuse hotel in Positano. I called. And they told me he's checked in. FAITH Where's Positano? PETER It's in the south. I've still got my rental car. I can get you there by morning... FAITH Oh no, I don't think that would be a good idea. PETER Look, I know there's no going back for us. That's not it. I just want to make this up to you. Clear my relationship karma. And I know the area, I've got some cousins down there. Please. Let me do this for you. Let this be my gift to you. She searches his eyes. FAITH Why? PETER Because-- I want you to be happy. INT. DWAYNE'S APARTMENT - DAY The answering machine is recording Faith's message. DAMON (O.S.) Dwayne, you're still not there?... I was really hoping we could talk. (more) DAMON (Cont'd) (beat) I wanted to tell you she's made an unexpected recovery, but she's a little confused and she needs me to stay here one more day. Just to be sure. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT Kate's in the lobby. KATE Peter found him? FAITH Yes. Isn't that amazing? Kate looks over at him. He shrugs. KATE Amazing... FAITH He's down in someplace called Positano. Peter says we can make it there by morning. As they head out the door, Peter turns quietly to Kate, PETER (relishing this) He's travelling with his mother... EXT. ROAD - NIGHT They speed down darkened the highway, Faith and Peter in the front seat, Kate and Giovanni in the back. The wind in their hair. PETER The guy at the hotel told me he always wears a gold medallion, and usually has a book or magazine with him. FAITH (to herself, encouraged) He likes to read... (to him) Did he mention anyone in particular? Beat. PETER Uh, I'd rather not say. FAITH Tell me. PETER I'd really rather not say. FAITH Please. I need to know. PETER (giving in) Mickey Spillane. FAITH (a little unnerved) Mickey Spillane? PETER Or Hustler. The car shoots down the road. EXT. AMALFI COAST - DAWN They drive past sheer cliffs dropping off to silvery rocks, azure seas, transparent depths. Around hairpin turns skirting the Gulf of Salerno, before finally winding into the impossibly beautiful seaside town of Positano. An enchanted land of steep hillsides overgrown with lemon trees, jasmine, bouganvilla... cliff hanging villas... emerald and sapphire grottoes... cerulean skies... heaven on earth. EXT. LE SIRENUSE HOTEL - DAY Another "Lifestyles" hotel. An elegant old villa perched above the village and the deep blue sea. The four of them head for the desk, where Kate cheerfully plunks down Larry's credit card. KATE Joan Collins stayed here. FAITH (to concierge) Is Damon Bradley here? CONCIERGE Si. A la piscina. He gestures towards the terrace. PETER He's out by the pool right now. FAITH (nervously) Right now? PETER Oh, and I forgot to tell you. He's here with his mother. She checks her hair, starts adjusting it in the reflection of a window. Then peeks around the corner. ANGLE ON a MAN reclining on a lounge chair. We start at the feet which don't quite reach the end of the chair. Move up the legs, past the pot belly, to, sure enough, an enormous gold medallion resting on his chest. A fringe of hair skirts the perimeter of his head -- and his back. A copy of Mickey Spillane's latest rests on a table next to him. He's lying back, eyes closed. This is Damon Bradley. This is Him... Peter smiles broadly. Faith's face falls. KATE That's him?! Faith elbows her. KATE That's the guy you've been waiting for all these years? PETER (eating this up) Aren't you gonna go introduce yourself? FAITH (not particularly anxious to) Of course. She doesn't move. PETER Do you want me to do it? FAITH NO. She takes a good look. Swallows hard. Reluctantly approaches. FAITH Hi... He doesn't look up. She stands awkwardly over him, looking back at Kate for support. FAITH Uh-hem, excuse me, hello... He cracks one eye, squints up at her. MAN AT POOL You're in my sun. FAITH (hopping out of the way) Oh. Sorry. He closes his eyes. FAITH Pardon me, but... He squints up again. MAN AT POOL What? Beat. FAITH (like an idiot) Do you have the time? He eyeballs her like she's some sort of curious life form. MAN AT POOL Do I look like I'm wearing a watch? He doesn't. FAITH No, I guess not. I just thought maybe-- When someone at the edge of the pool calls out, O.S. Hey, Damon. But the person she's talking to doesn't respond. Instead, somebody else, another MAN who'd been doing laps in the pool, emerges. HIM Yeah? This is no ordinary mortal, this is a living monument to mankind. He could've modeled for Michelangelo. Mel Gibson feels like Jo-Jo-the-Dog-Faced-Boy next to this guy. The guys in the Calvin Klein ads-- okay, let's say he looks like one of those guys. Kate's eyes shift to Peter, who suddenly sobers. Back at the pool, a LITTLE KID is talking to Damon. LITTLE KID Thanks for letting me borrow this. The kid sets the Spillane tome back on his chair. HIM No problem. He gets out and starts toweling off, a halo of sunlight glistening off his tanned, muscular body; reflecting in the deep green pools of his eyes. She grabs hold of a nearby chair as her knees start to give way. FAITH (barely audible) You're Damon Bradley? HIM Uh huh. Oh. My. Goddd. It's now or never. She takes a deep breath. Lets it out. FAITH Excuse me. It's never. She goes running back inside. KATE (whispering loudly) Whatareyoudoing?! FAITH (spinelessly) What if he doesn't like me? KATE It means you're a completely worthless excuse for a human being, and the fates have all conspired to make you miserable. FAITH My God... you're right. KATE Faith, I'm kidding. (stopping her) Is this how you plan to get what you want from life? When you finally find it, you turn and run away from it? She gazes fearfully back out to the terrace. PETER Hey, if she doesn't wanna meet him, she doesn't wanna meet him. Kate glares at him. Takes Faith by the shoulders. KATE You have overcome everything it took to get here. Every obstacle to reach this moment. This fateful moment. Now, it's in your hands. She points toward the terrace. KATE Is that what you want? Is this a trick question? KATE Then go get it. EXT. POOL - MOMENTS LATER He's picking up his things. O.S. Hi again... He looks up. HIM (perfectly friendly) Hello. FAITH (nervously fingering her necklace) Beautiful place... HIM Sure is. A pause. FAITH Been here long? HIM Just since yesterday. FAITH I just got here, too. Not yesterday. But, just now. Today. Just a few minutes ago. (looking around) Yeah, we just got here... I mean, I just got here. I'm single. He looks at her. Uh huh. FAITH (chickening out) Well, I'll probably be seeing you around, then. She starts to skulk away. HIM (politely) I hope so. She pauses, turns, FAITH I was wondering... (not looking at him) Do you have dinner plans? HIM Tonight? FAITH (her eyes tentatively meet his) Any night. HIM Well, not exactly... FAITH Would you be willing to have dinner with me? A slow smile creeps across his lips. Why not? HIM Sure. FAITH (somehow maintaining) You would? Really? He nods. FAITH Okay. Okay, how about I meet you at the restaurant at the base of the stairs at, say, 8:30? A smile that would melt Nome in January, HIM I'll look forward to it. FAITH (backing away) Okay. Good. See you then, then. She's about to trip over a chaise lounge. HIM Wait. FAITH Yes? HIM Aren't you going to tell me who you are? FAITH (stepping forward) Oh, Faith. My name's Faith. HIM (extending a hand) It's a pleasure to meet you, Faith. He takes her hand. Kisses it. Peter rolls his eyes. She turns around and dashes back inside. We hear an ear-splitting SHRIEK of excitement come from inside the hotel. Damon smiles to himself. EXT. POSITANO - DAY The jet-setters have Sardinia, this is a resort with bohemian roots and small town charm. A barber sets his chair in the street outside his shop. A workman is polishing the bronze mermaid out in front of "Siren Travel". "Two Gentlemen from Verona" is being performed at the community theatre. Housewives open shutters, shopkeepers sweep storefronts of fruit stands, pottery and linen shops. Men carry armloads of flowers, boxes of lemons and gleaming fish to market. Children play at the edge of the sea. Mayberry in Italy. Kate and Giovanni are down at the beach, frolicking in the water. And Faith is strolling through town, floating on air. She spots a dress in a clothing store window. INT. CLOTHING SHOP - DAY Faith emerges from a dressing room in something summery and flowing. She looks beautiful. DISSOLVE TO: INT. HOTEL ROOM - SUNSET A jar of green goo. Faith's plastering one of those green clay masks to her face. Her dress is hanging on the door. She's got rollers in her hair. She and Kate are getting ready for dinner. FAITH Did you see his eyes? I've never seen eyes that green. And he was so nice. Did you see how nice he was? He was really nice. There's a KNOCK at the door. She freezes. KATE I thought you were meeting him there? Panicking, Faith dashes to the bathroom, starts frantically rinsing off the mask. FAITH That's what I thought. Kate opens the door. It's Peter. KATE Oh, it's you. (to Faith) It's only Peter. PETER Thanks. KATE Sorry... Relieved, Faith steps out from behind the bathroom door, still wiping green stuff off her face. FAITH Hi, Peter. PETER Hi. An awkward beat. FAITH Come on in. He does. PETER So. You found him. FAITH You found him. I don't know how to thank you. He shrugs. PETER Well, it looks like we both lucked out. I just met somebody myself. Somebody my aunt introduced me to. FAITH (a little surprised) Oh. That's nice. PETER Yeah. Beat. PETER And she's a knock-out, too. FAITH Well, good. Good for you. PETER Anyway, that's why I came by. I need to fix this button. Do you have a needle and thread? This is pretty transparent, but she politely plays along. As she starts looking through her stuff, he starts idly fingering their toiletries. Smells her perfume, etc. PETER So, you're going to dinner? She nods. PETER Where are you going? Just-- out of curiosity... FAITH Just to that place down at the bottom of the stairs. Nothing fancy. She hands him the needle and thread. PETER Oh, thanks. (really trying) Well, have a good time. FAITH (heartfelt) You too. As he exits, PETER Hey-- FAITH What? PETER Nice dress. FAITH (gracious and indebted) Thank you, Peter. Thank you so much. He nods and leaves. She looks at Kate. Faith emerges from her room and starts down the steep hillside stairs that lead to the village. Lights along the shore are beginning to glitter; a warm breeze flows in like silk. It's the sort of moment and sort of place where all dreams seem within reach. Down below she can see him waiting for her outside the restaurant door. She pauses a moment to take it all in. He looks up and sees her. Blows a kiss up to her. She practically swoons. As she arrives at the foot of the stairs, he takes her hand, HIM You look like a goddess. INT. BUCA DI BACCO RESTAURANT - TWILIGHT A open-air place, overlooking the sea. Waves crash. Moonlight glistens on the water. Guitarists stroll by, singing sentimental Neopolitan ballads. It's all almost too good to be true. They're led to a table and he pulls out her chair. The perfect gentleman. A WAITER comes over to welcome them. Asks if they'd like a drink. HIM (to Faith) Wine? She's a little giddy. FAITH Sure. HIM (to the waiter) Brunello di Montalcino, '85, please. Back to her. HIM (leaning forward) You know, I noticed you out at the pool even before we spoke. I could sense the chemistry between us. FAITH (a little flustered) Really? HIM (bedroom eyes) Really... DISSOLVE TO: The WAITER arrives with the wine. Pours. She raises a glass. FAITH Well, to-- new friends. HIM And more... They toast. FAITH So, I guess you're probably wondering why I asked you to dinner... He sets down his glass. HIM Not really. Happens to me all the time. An awkward laugh. It probably does. Damon picks up his menu, scans the prices. HIM Well, fuck me. She must be hearing things. FAITH Excuse me? HIM Nothing. (clearing his throat) Prices are a little steep here, aren't they? FAITH Don't worry about it. You're my guest. She picks up her menu. FAITH What looks good? HIM (perusing it) Hmmmm... Well, the scampi sounds good... FAITH You like shrimp? I like shrimp. Small world. They're still pondering their options when another COUPLE stroll in and are led to the table directly next to theirs. It's Peter and his date, FRANCESCA. And this time he was telling the truth. She's stunning. All suntanned legs and skintight spandex. Beaming, he pulls out her chair. Faith just stares at him. As he moves around the table to sit down, his eye catches hers. PETER (sotto) What?... FAITH (hissing) What are you doing here? PETER We were hungry. She turns her back on him. HIM (looking up from his menu) So what do you think? FAITH (distracted) Uh, the scampi sounds good to me, too. O.S. Damon. There you are. An ELEPHANT OF A WOMAN approaches, Damon waves her over. HIM (to Faith) I didn't think you'd mind... She proceeds to plant herself at their table. HIM Faith, this is my mother. FAITH Oh, hello. HIM Mommy, this is Faith. Trying to conceal her surprise, Faith politely extends a hand. FAITH Nice to meet you, Mrs. Bradley. Peter drops his napkin, leans over towards Faith to retrieve it, PETER (whispering into her ear) "Mommy"? DISSOLVE TO: LATER. Their food has arrived. Francesca is rubbing Peter's leg under the table. Faith is trying to ignore this. FAITH So, you say you've been to Italy before? HIM A few times. It's kind of an annual tradi-- PETER (to Damon) Pardon me, but could we borrow your salt? Faith glares at him. HIM Sure. He hands it over. FAITH You were saying... PETER (to Damon) Boy, that looks tasty. What is that? HIM (chewing) Scampi. DAMON'S MOTHER Damon. Not with your mouth full. PETER Scampi, huh? I love scampi. I practically always get it in these seafood places. Is that good scampi? Damon nods. Swallows. HIM You want to try some? PETER (pleased with himself) Sure. I'll trade you some of my pasta. They start cheerily exchanging portions. DISSOLVE TO: LATER STILL. The candles have burnt low. The plates are being cleared. Francesca and Peter are feeding each other dessert. Giggling. Damon snaps his fingers at a waiter. HIM El checko, por favor. Annoyed, the WAITER totals up their tab and starts to hand it to him. Damon motions towards Faith. She takes it, starts pulling out lire as he and his mother get up. PETER Say, I saw where they had motor boats for rent down in the harbor. Why don't we all go for an evening cruise around the bay? FAITH I don't know if that's such a-- DAMON AND HIS MOTHER (in unison) Great idea! Faith is still counting as Damon and his mother, Peter and Francesca all head for the door. She finally finishes, hurries to her feet to catch up with Peter, FAITH (at his side) Why are you doing this? PETER I just wanted to keep an eye on you. The guy's a total stranger, remember? FAITH So were you. PETER Exactly. (beat) Besides, no hard feelings. You found somebody. I found somebody. I thought we could double. EXT. HOTEL ROOM TERRACE - EVENING Kate and Giovanni are dining outside on the vine-covered terrace. GIOVANNI This is back when I was in school, you take those tests, you know? They said I should go into physical therapy. (he takes a bite) Or wood-working. She looks confused. GIOVANNI (simply) I'm good with my hands. The phone RINGS. KATE Hold that thought. Kate goes inside to pick it up. KATE Hello? EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Faith at a pay phone outside the restaurant. FAITH Kate. Thank God you're there. I need help. INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT KATE Uh huh... Okay, we'll be there. How is he, anyway? EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Faith glances over at Damon -- as he pinches a woman walking by. FAITH It's still a little too early to say... EXT. A BOAT IN THE TYRRHENIAN SEA - NIGHT Kate and Giovanni are here. Damon's mother is in the corner. Snoring. Damon is pontificating on global policy to Peter. HIM Irregardless of the politics. It's time we stopped dicking around. I'm telling you, nuculear is the only way out. PETER But don't you think that's a little short-sighted? KATE (sotto, to Faith) Not only is he a momma's boy and a fascist, he says "nuculear" and "irregardless". FAITH No one's perfect, Kate. KATE And he is living proof. FAITH No, I think maybe you've been right. I think I may have been too critical in the past. Damon BELCHES loudly. KATE Faith, if I may say so, you picked a helluva time to come to this realization. HIM (O.S.) Human rights, shmuman rights. FAITH (hope springs eternal) Maybe I can change him. KATE I thought this was supposed to be the one guy in the world you wouldn't need to change. They stare over at him. FAITH Maybe if I kiss him I'll feel it. KATE Or maybe it'll turn him back into a toad. DISSOLVE TO: LATER. Francesca is idly running her fingers through Peter's hair. FAITH Well, what about books? You like Hemingway? You gotta love Hemingway. PETER The Sun Also Rises. For Whom the Bell Tolls. The Old Man and the-- HIM He's alright. For a closet homo. Faith's jaw muscles tighten slightly as she tries to take this in stride. FAITH How about music? You like classical? PETER The Boston Pops. Season tickets. Damon yawns. FAITH Well, how about those old romantic movies with those great stars, huh? Like Audrey Hepburn. PETER Actually, I think I prefer Katherine Hepburn. HIM Audrey was cool. Finally. She smiles. Damon SPITS noisily over the side. HIM Too bad she didn't have any tits. DISSOLVE TO: Kate is listing things. Faith and Damon are nodding their heads, yes and no. Never in unison. KATE Baseball. Carmelcorn. Organized religion. Sting. Grape-flavored candy. The Marx Brothers. Long foreplay. Gardening. Drum solos. Dogs. Mai tais. DISSOLVE TO: Kate, checking her list. KATE Amazing. With the exception of fruitcake, which, let's be honest, everybody hates, (looks up) you two have absolutely nothing whatsoever in common. (re-checking her list) That's got to be almost statistically impossible. Francesca and Peter are up towards the bow of the boat, cavorting, hanging on each other. Faith is facing them, with her back to Damon. FAITH (not wanting to look) What's he doing now? Kate peers over her shoulder. KATE He's tearing the wings off a moth and making it walk around. Faith buries her head in her hands. DISSOLVE TO: Faith is standing at the railing alone, gazing out at the open ocean. When she feels someone sidling up next to her. HIM So, what are we waiting for? FAITH What? HIM Let's face it. You want me. He places a hand on her breast. She lets out a blood-curdling SCREAM. Peter comes running to her rescue. Hauls off and decks him. EXT. DOCK - NIGHT Peter and Giovanni are forcibly dragging Damon off the boat, down the dock. Still onboard, she and Kate watch them go, in a daze. FAITH (numbly) He's a jerk. KATE Yes. He is. FAITH I spent my whole life waiting for a creep. KATE Yup. FAITH I came all the way to Italy in search of a weasel. KATE (still watching them go) When you could've found one in America. Francesca steps past them off the boat. FRANCESCA Do not feel bad. He was scum. EXT. LANDING - NIGHT After the men are out of earshot, we see Peter pull this guy aside. And surreptitiously hand him an envelope. HIM You didn't think that last bit with the bugs was a little over the top? PETER Not at all. You were perfect. Handing him another envelope. PETER And thank Mrs. Walker, too. EXT. BOAT - MOMENTS LATER Faith and Kate are still there, unloading a groggy Mrs. Bradley. She goes tottering down the dock, as Peter returns. PETER You okay? FAITH Yeah. PETER (sympathetically) I guess he turned out to be kind of a loser, huh? She sighs, nods. PETER I'm sorry. FAITH I feel like the world's biggest idiot. He finishes securing the boat. PETER Why should you be embarrassed? He was the jerk. She doesn't believe this, but appreciates the gesture. FAITH In spite of the way it all turned out, though, I want you to know how much I appreciate your helping me find him. I would always have wondered what might have been. He pauses. PETER Yeah. (then) Well, was the least I could do. FAITH No, it was more than that. It was very generous of you. It was very kind. His eyes meet hers. From the landing, Francesca calls after him impatiently. PETER (reluctantly) I better go. Faith's eyes shift between the two of them. FAITH Sure. I understand. He touches her shoulder. PETER Promise me you won't leave without saying goodbye. FAITH No. Course not. And with that, he gets up, steps off the boat and heads down the pier with Francesca clinging to him. She watches them walk away. KATE So... FAITH So. I guess I've got a wedding to go to. Faith steps off the boat and walks down the pier, a solitary figure, who finally disappears in the mist. INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Faith is packing. She picks up her "Let's Go Italy" guide, and the polaroid of her and Peter falls out. "The Kiss". She sighs. Tucks it back inside the book. She picks up her wallet, opens the coin purse, reaches in to pull out her ENGAGEMENT RING. As she does, something else falls to the floor. Dwayne's DRY CLEANING TICKET. She stares down at it. Then takes the ring, places it back in her wallet. And picks up the telephone. INT. HER MOTHER'S HOME - DAY Her mother is sobbing hysterically. Larry is there. Dwayne is there. Leslie is there. Leslie's eyes meet Dwayne's meaningfully. EXT. BOAT - NIGHT Kate and Giovanni are walking down the pier, hand in hand. He stops her, leans her up against the railing, and plants a massive kiss on her. After she's managed to catch her breath, KATE Giovanni, I want to thank you. GIOVANNI I thank you. He goes to kiss her again. KATE No, you don't understand. It's been wonderful meeting you. But... I have a husband. I have two kids at camp. I have a life I have to go back to. GIOVANNI You don't have to go if you don't want to... KATE But I do want to. He realizes where this isn't going. Tries another tack. GIOVANNI (hurt) You think I'm just one of those Italian Casanovas. The guys who try to seduce every woman who comes their way. Who prey on unhappily married women. Who lure unsuspecting-- KATE Giovanni. GIOVANNI Huh? KATE That's exactly what you are. Beat. GIOVANNI Is it that obvious? She smiles. KATE Thank you for making me feel wanted. She turns, and heads up the stairs. Alone. After a beat, GIOVANNI Kate. She looks back down, GIOVANNI It was my pleasure. And he starts down the street. Passes an outdoor cafe. With an attractive woman in it. ANGLE ON the WOMAN. O.S. Do you believe in love at first sight?... INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Faith is in bed. In the darkness. The door opens. FAITH Kate is that you? KATE Uh huh. FAITH I didn't expect you back so soon. Kate closes the door. KATE Well, I realized, if you're getting married, you're gonna be needing the maid of honor, right? FAITH Actually, no. There's not going to be a wedding. KATE Oh. Beat. KATE Well... I ought to be getting home anyway. The kids'll be back from camp soon. The house is probably a mess. FAITH And Larry?... KATE What about Larry? FAITH I don't know. I've just been thinking... maybe this destiny thing is more of a do-it-yourself operation. Maybe the things that are meant to be are the things we want badly enough to fight for. The room is quiet. You can hear the waves in the distance. KATE Maybe... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. HOTEL ROOM - DAWN It's a glorious morning. Birds chirp. The sea shimmers in the distance. Faith is standing outside a hotel room door. She takes a deep breath. Knocks. It opens. Peter. PETER Hi. FAITH Hi. Are you... busy? PETER No. (beat) Are you're leaving? FAITH No. I just came by to apologize. He looks at her questioningly. FAITH It seems like ever since I found out about this guy, this name, I've been kind of crazy. Like I was on drugs or something. PETER I know the feeling. FAITH Yeah... Well, anyway, I also wanted to tell you, I'm not getting married. PETER You aren't? FAITH No. I mean yes, I'm not. I decided to call it off. Well, actually, it was kind of mutual. PETER Well. Congratulations. FAITH Thank you. (beat) So, since I have a few more days of vacation left, I was wondering if maybe you'd want to do something sometime. I mean, you know, if you don't have... other plans. PETER Are you asking me out? Beat. FAITH Yes. I am. PETER (gently) In that case... no... She looks down at the ground. Nods. PETER I don't have other plans. She looks back up. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY Kate goes to the desk for her key. The concierge hands it to her, along with something else. An envelope. KATE What's this? CONCIERGE From an admirer... She hesitantly opens it. Inside is a college catalogue. A note: "Please turn to page 51". Puzzled, she opens it to page 51. The Sociology section. A class is circled: "Trans-gender Modes of Communication in Post-Modern Society". And another note in the margin: "You want to take it with me?" LARRY steps into view from around a corner. She looks up. Tears in her eyes. EXT. THE STEPS - DAY Peter and Faith are overlooking the sea, towards Capri. PETER You can't come to Southern Italy and not see the Blue Grotto. FAITH I just need to run up and get my bathing suit. PETER Okay. I'll meet you at the dock in ten minutes. As she dashes off, PETER Hurry... EXT. POSITANO VILLAGE - DAY Faith is on her way back to her room. She passes the community playhouse where two teenage kids are up on ladders, suspending a banner across the stairs announcing a new play: "The Odyssey". One kid accidentally drops his end, and it goes fluttering down across her path. Faith stops to retrieve it and is handing it back up to him when she glances at the window where the eight-by-tens of the play's stars are being changed. The new star of the show is noneother than Damon Bradley. Only his name isn't Damon Bradley. It's LEONARD GILINSKY. She stares at the photo. And suddenly has trouble breathing. EXT. DOCK - DAY Peter is waiting at the dock. Checks his watch. INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY Faith is packing. Furiously hurling stuff into a suitcase. Peter shows up at the door. PETER Is something the matter? FAITH GET OUT!! Backing behind it, PETER (sotto) I'd call that a yes. (peeking around the corner) Do I get a hint? FAITH You want a hint? I'll give you a hint. You are the lowest, most despicable, most reprehensible form of reptilian swine-- PETER There's no such thing. FAITH What? PETER Reptilian swine. There's no such thing. Reptiles aren't swine. FAITH Who cares?! You hired an actor?? PETER I don't know what you're talking about. (a nervous beat) Who told you that? FAITH No one had to tell me. He's starring in the local play. A bead of sweat rolls down his neck. FAITH You did, didn't you? You got somebody to pretend to be him? Tell me the truth. For once. He takes a deep breath. PETER Alright. The truth is... I thought we had something here. FAITH I can't believe you did that! PETER And I can't believe you are so stubborn and so blind as to let some stranger, some phantom you've never even met destroy it. FAITH (turning on him) You're the reason I never met him. You knew it was the thing I most wanted in life and you sabotaged it. PETER I sabotaged it? You're the one who lost him, remember? FAITH Well, I might've found him again if I hadn't left Rome to make this pointless trip down here with you. PETER As I recall, you were on your way home. And I didn't want you to go so, yes, I told you a little white lie. FAITH A "little white lie"? A "little white lie"? PETER What would you call it? FAITH I would call it-- unforgivable. Silence. PETER Don't you think you're overreacting just a little here? We're talking about love, okay? Let's be rational. FAITH Rational?! Love is not rational! Are you crazy? PETER (throwing up his hands) Yes. I'm crazy. You have driven me crazy. No one in their right mind would go to this much trouble to win over someone as insane as you. Did it ever, even for one second, occur to you how much work it was to set all this up? How many arrangements had to be made? How many players had to be coordinated? FAITH Gee, I'm flattered. What an incredibly romantic gesture. Cancel the roses, I've decided to lie to her instead. PETER Very funny. FAITH No, it isn't. I called off my wedding all because of you. A beat. PETER (touched) Really?... FAITH (realizing this herself for the first time) Yes. Then, PETER And this is the thanks I get. I did you a favor. You never wanted to marry that joker in the first place. FAITH That's not the point. (realizing she's just given herself away) And what if I had wanted to? PETER If you had wanted to, you'd have gone home. Then, more calmly, PETER Look, I just thought if you finally got rid of this obsession with this name, if you could get it out of your system once and for all, then maybe you'd be able to stop waiting and open your heart to someone real. Granted, ideally, me. I didn't do it to hurt you. I did it for you. (beat) I did it for us... FAITH There is no us. His eyes harden. PETER Oh, that's right. There's only him. Mr. Perfect Imaginary Man. You know, I gave you more credit than you deserved. The truth is, you're in love with the fantasy. You're afraid of something real. And he storms out the door. EXT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - DAY CLOSE ON a pile of cornball souvenirs. A little gondola. A little colosseum. The little liqueur bottles. Kate and Larry are at a table. She's been collecting things for him all along the way. LARRY Are you kidding? All that stuff was for you, Kate. It just seemed like you were mad at me, so I thought maybe if I-- I hate Polo... Kate smiles. In love with him all over again. LARRY There's just one thing I still don't understand. She looks at him. LARRY I don't have a great aunt in Italy. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY Peter, carrying his suitcase, turns in his key to the concierge. Signs his bill. And resignedly exits out the door. ANGLE on the mermaid out in front of "SIREN TRAVEL". Inside, Faith is waiting in line. She steps up to the window. On the other side of the counter is Damon. That is, is Leonard. FAITH You... LEONARD (a little uneasy) Hi there... FAITH Before you start picking your nose, I know he put you up to it. He looks disappointed. LEONARD It was the moth stuff that gave it away, didn't it? (to himself) I knew that was too much. FAITH No, you gave a very convincing performance. And you'll be pleased to know that your eight-by-ten glossy is now on display at the local playhouse. LEONARD My picture's up? He conveys this to a co-worker in Italian. They exchange high-fives. FAITH (glumly) Congratulations. LEONARD Thanks. FAITH So, this is what you do? I mean when you're not playing other parts? LEONARD I take it things didn't work out between the two of you? She shakes her head. LEONARD That's a shame. She shrugs. Heh. FAITH Yeah, well... Anyway, I'm here to pick up my ticket. TWA, Flight 877. He starts punching it into his computer. LEONARD Is this your first trip here? She nods. LEONARD It's an amazing place, don't you think? FAITH Amazing. LEONARD Smoking or non-smoking? FAITH Non. (beat) Please. He nods. LEONARD Lots of history. For example, did you know, according to legend, this coastline used to harbor Sirens? FAITH Hm. LEONARD Beautiful women who could lure men to their destruction with their singing. Nobody's ever really seen them and lived to tell about it. But, I don't know. An awful lot of ships wrecked on those rocks. He shrugs. Hands her her ticket. LEONARD Well. Have a good trip. She nods. Distant. And we stay on her face. INT. CAR - DAY Peter places his suitcase in the car. Gets in. Tosses something out the window. A dead gardenia. INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - DAY Kate and Larry. Larry starts choking on his Campari. LARRY Damon Bradley? That's why you're here? KATE What? You know him? LARRY (chuckling nervously) It was just a joke. I was pushing the arrow. I wanted to get to the next question. I wanted to find out who was gonna win the Series. KATE Are you saying you just made the whole thing up? The guy never even existed? LARRY He existed. He was some kid I knew from Little League. (musing) He was a real jerk. (he looks up at her) You say he's a friend of Dwayne's? KATE (nodding) Went to high school with him. But... KATE what about the fortune teller? DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CARNIVAL NIGHT - NIGHT Twenty years ago. A young Faith is sitting across from the fortune teller. There's a pounding at the back door. This time we stay with Madame Divina, following her as she gets up, marches to the back of the booth and throws open the door. Standing there is Larry. He whispers something in her ear as he hands her a five dollar bill. LARRY (V.O.) I thought she'd get a kick out of it. DISSOLVE TO: INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - DAY LARRY It was a harmless little prank. Who in the world would've thought she'd spend her life waiting for this guy? KATE Larry, you've got to tell her. LARRY I can't tell her. She's called off her wedding. She'll never speak to me again. He looks up pleadingly. LARRY You tell her. Faith bounding up the steps. She races to Peter's room. Pounds on the door. No answer. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY Faith dashes to the desk, runs into Kate and Larry. FAITH Larry! What are you doing here? (realizing) Mom sent you. LARRY No. He puts an arm around Kate. LARRY I came after the woman I love. KATE He missed me. Faith smiles. He puts his other arm around her. LARRY The two women I love. How are you, Faith? She's a little surprised by this outpouring of affection. FAITH I'm fine. (to Kate) Have you seen Peter? KATE He's gone. He told me what happened. He just left for the airport. FAITH Larry, did you rent a car? LARRY Yeah-- KATE Faith. Larry has something he wants to tell you about Damon Bradley. Larry is violently shaking his head "no". Kate jabs him. KATE I'll leave you two alone. She exits the room. Stranding him. FAITH Larry, can I borrow your car keys? LARRY Faith, this guy you think is Mr. Right, he's... not what you think-- FAITH Don't worry, it's a long story, but I know who he is. I know where to find him. LARRY But, Faith-- FAITH Please, Larry. I have to hurry. She spots the keys lying on the table. Grabs them, bolts for the door. FAITH I'll bring it back as soon as I can. LARRY (calling after her) But Faith-- FAITH What?... Beat. LARRY (chickening out) It's the red Fiat. INT. HOTEL - MOMENTS LATER Kate and Faith's room. KATE She what?! LARRY She said she knew where to find him, and then she grabbed my car keys, and-- KATE And you didn't tell her? LARRY She didn't give me a chance. Kate pins him with her eyes. LARRY Well, you never know... (lamely) Maybe they'll hit it off... EXT. DRIVEWAY OF THE LE SIRENUSE HOTEL - MOMENTS LATER Kate is yanking Larry into a taxi. LARRY What do you mean we have to stop her before she does something crazy? EXT. AMALFI DRIVE - DAY Faith goes screeching around a curve. A few beats later, the TAXI follows. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. STREETS OF ROME - DAY Faith speeds through the tangled web of Roman traffic. Kate and Larry in close pursuit. EXT. ROME AIRPORT - DAY Faith screeches to a halt in the passenger loading zone. Dashes inside. Scans the DEPARTURE SCREEN for a flight to BOSTON. Finds it: AMERICAN AIRLINES, GATE NUMBER 7, "ON TIME", at 5:00. She checks her watch. It's 4:57. She starts racing down the corridor. INT. JET - DAY Aboard the plane, Peter is settling into his seat. INT. AIRPORT CORRIDOR - DAY A vending machine. SOMEBODY at it with his back to us pushes the Butterfinger button. The "SOLD OUT" light blinks on. A FIST starts banging on machine. Faith sprints by. Oblivious. INT. GATE 7 - DAY Faith rushes to GATE #7. Slaps something down on the desk in front of the CLERK. FAITH Boarding pass. Blows past him. He sticks out an arm. CLERK I'm afraid you're too late, m'am. She stops. Breathing hard. Uncomprehending. He looks at the pass. CLERK And this isn't for this airline, either. Faith turns to the window to see the portable stairs once again being pulled away from the cabin door. Deja vu. She notices a side door. Only this time there are MEN with MACHINE GUNS standing guard directly outside it. This, after all, is Rome. With her hands pressed plaintively against the glass, she watches as the plane taxis away from the gate toward the runway, to join the LINE-UP of other PLANES waiting for take-off clearance. This jet, which we'll call "Peter's" jet, is fifth in line. INT. AIRPORT TERMINAL ENTRANCE - DAY Kate and Larry come barrelling in. INT. AIRPORT GIFT SHOP - DAY Faith is buying one of those little portable Igloo ICE CHESTS. With an "I Italy" logo. And an enormous roll of MASKING TAPE. A JET takes off. Peter's jet moves up a notch. Three to go. INT. GATE NUMBER 7 - DAY CLOSE ON the ICE CHEST. With a lot of tape wrapped around it. And large lettering, "MEDICAL EMERGENCY" "DO NOT OPEN." And a little red cross. It looks pretty tacky. O.S. A heart transplant?! FAITH That's right. She's been waiting a long time. The clerk picks up the ice chest, starts trying to examine it. Faith stops him. FAITH I'm afraid I can't let you do that. Hearts are very fragile. Somebody else comes up. A SECURITY GUARD. He and the clerk start conversing Italian. OUT THE WINDOW -- Faith sees another jet take off. Two to go. INSIDE -- Faith is anxiously looking from one authority to the to other, vainly trying to follow their conversation. Finally the guard turns to her, CARABINIERE Who are you? FAITH I'm the cardiologist. The Clerk eyes the ice chest suspiciously. CLERK You didn't have that with you before. (to the guard, pointing to the chest) Prima non l'aveva con se. FAITH It was late in arriving. (with import) But it's here now. CARABINIERE Do you have any I.D.? FAITH Look, I've given you my credit card, my passport number. I've paid for the flight. Now, while you two sit here cross-examining me, someone's future is hanging in the balance. OUT ON THE RUNWAY -- The last jet in front of Peter's is given clearance. It races down the runway and disappears into the sky. And Peter's jet taxis into position. ENGINES REVVING furiously. INSIDE -- A whole flock of AIRPORT PERSONNEL are now conferring. A crowd of other ONLOOKERS have gathered. A few of them start mumbling opinions. FAITH It's a heart, for godssakes. You guys are Italian. Don't you get it? It's the greatest gift one human being can give another. Are you telling me you're going to stand there and deny her the chance of a lifetime? A GUY in the crowd with a "Dianetics" book in one hand and a cigarette in the other, tosses in his two cents, ONLOOKER Let the nut go... CUT TO: INT. JET - DAY PILOT Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm afraid we've got a temporary delay. We have a medical emergency and are going to have to head back to the gate. Passengers groan. The engines wind down, and the plane taxis off the runway, back toward the terminal. EXT. RUNWAY - DAY The portable stairs are being wheeled back toward the cabin door. Faith is waiting inside. Triumphant. When, LOUDSPEAKER Damon Bradley. Signore Damon Bradley. E pregato di recarsi all'ufficio informazione. For a moment, for just a fraction of a second, she hesitates. LOUDSPEAKER Damon Bradley. Mr. Damon Bradley, please meet your party at the information booth. Then we see the decision has been made. Ice chest in hand, she strides confidently out the door toward the plane, without a backward glance. INT. AIRPORT INFORMATION BOOTH - DAY Kate and Larry are waiting there. O.S. Larry Corbett? Larry turns, It's the smoker with the "Dianetics" volume. STRANGER I thought that was you. (he extends a hand) Damon Bradley. Remember me? He calls to a woman nearby, DAMON BRADLEY Honey... (to Larry) This is my wife, Arlene. (to her) Larry and I played in Little League together. INT. JET - DAY Faith walks up the steps and through the cabin door. She spots Peter seated about halfway back. But he doesn't see her. He's staring blankly out the window. She makes her way to the open seat next to him. He looks up. Does a double take. FAITH I brought you something. Something I didn't want you to leave without. She sits down. Hands him the ice chest. Puzzled, he opens the cover. Inside is a little chocolate heart. He takes it out, looks at it. PETER I was hoping for the real thing. FAITH I brought you that, too. He looks at her. PETER You do know you're insane. Beat. PETER I love that in a woman. And the plane takes flight. As we, FADE OUT