158. Fidelity - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. THE SORRENTO - NIGHT


• The restaurant is packed and the buzz of conversation dominates the room while the sound of sizzling and metal clanking punctuates the flow of dialog.


• The tables are square and placed end to end in some spots, creating something of a Thanksgiving dining room atmosphere.


• LEE, TOM, and SETH sit at a small table.


• Lee and Tom sit beside each other, her hand in his.


• Seth sits across from them.


• LEE
• I think I'm going to order the spinach ricotta ravioli.


• TOM
• Really? You always get that.


• LEE
• You can't beat a winner.


• SETH
• Well, I'm going for the ravioli too, it sounds good.


• TOM
• Hmm, there are too many great options on the menu; I always take forever deciding here.


• LEE
• Well, honey, while you're deciding, I'm going to the little girl's room.


• Tom moves to make room for her and she slides out, walking away.


• He keeps scanning the menu.


• Seth watches idly as a small group makes its way to a table next to them.


• Tom stops scanning the menu as a woman from the group laughs.


• Seth freezes too, and they both scan the group; and there she is.


• ALICIA sits at the table, the center of the group's orbit.


• Seth looks over at Tom.


• TOM
• Am I crazy? Is that?


• SETH
• Yeah, it's her. It's been years. Burning Man right?


• TOM
• Yeah...Holy mother of Buddha on a pogo stick.


• SETH
• No kidding. Hey, here comes Lee.


• Tom snaps back to the menu, trying to focus.


• SETH
• Hey, she broke your heart.


• TOM
• I broke my heart, she didn't have much to do with it.


• SETH
• Whatever; she never realized how awesome you would have been for her.


• TOM
• Thanks for being a friend, but it was more nuanced than that. Anyway.


• Lee arrives back at the table.


• LEE
• Pick anything yet?


• TOM
• I think I'm going for the penne with goat cheese; I've never tried that before.


• Lee wrinkles her nose slightly.


• She turns, overhearing a conversation from the other table.


• ALICIA
• I'm stoked about next year. Did I tell you? Ok, so I'm going to be apprenticing with Wesson Daly, that nomadic artist? How amazing is that, right? It's brilliant. I'm going to meet up with his team in Turkey, and then we're traveling part of the Silk Road.


• Lee turns back to the guys.


• LEE
• Wow, that's brave of her. I couldn't do that. You know me Tom, I need my Starbucks and all the other little things that poor girl isn't going to have.


• TOM
• I could see myself doing something like that.


• LEE
• Really?


• He nods and she shrugs.


• Tom glances back at Alicia and watches her row of earrings pick up candle light.


• She turns laughing and her lip ring picks up the flicker of the tea lights at the center of the table.


• Seth catches his eye and shakes his head.


• He nods towards Lee and gives a thumbs up; then glances at Alicia and draws his finger across his throat.


• Tom nods.


• As he turns back, he sees Lee's purse under her chair.


• TOM
• Hey hun, let me grab your purse so you don't forget it.


• LEE
• See Seth? That's why I love him, he picks up on the little things, and besides, he knows how to appreciate a good cup of tea. How can you go wrong?


• SETH
• Exactly right, you lucky girl.


• LEE
• Just don't go having a midlife crisis on me, getting piercings, and running off to Burning Man or whatever.


• Seth grins and Tom self-consciously rubs a small, circular scar on his ear.


• He starts to glance back at Alicia, then stops.


• Lee pulls in close to him, her engagement ring sparkling.


• LEE
• I love you.


• TOM
• I love you too.


• SETH
• Save it for the bedroom you two.


• A waiter appears, hovering over the table.


• WAITER
• Your orders?


• FADE TO BLACK.