Gabrielle:  (laughing and plucking at an oversized sweater.  It's Max's)  You should have warned me about his dive bombing technique.

Max: (chuckling and adding his sugar)  Yes, I should have, but you should have seen the expression on your face when he hit you with that wall of water.

Gabrielle:  I’m so pleased you’re amused.

Max: (sucking the sugar off his finger) Listen, don’t worry about your sweater.  I’ll take it to the laundry tomorrow.

Gabrielle:  (smiling)  Thanks. You know what’s good to see, he still sleeps with his arm above his head.

Max:  Just like his old man... (they exchange slightly uncomfortable looks)  Yeah, he just went out like a light, didn’t he? 

Gabrielle:   (sipping her coffee and looking into her cup)  Poor little thing is wiped out.

Max:  That’s because he had a great time.  He always has a great time every time you come over. 

Gabrielle:  (laughs) So do I.

Max: (confidingly) I was really worried about coming in here tonight, I was in such a bum mood... I didn’t know how it would affect.. but you know what’s amazing (smiling) when I saw how happy he was I forgot everything, I forgot all my troubles.

Gabrielle:  (smiling) Remember that, the next time in you’re in a “bummed out” mood.

Max: Yes, mam. Thank you for lesson #1 in happiness.

Gabrielle:  (laughingly) You know, it’s taken me just about my entire lifetime to learn what happiness really is.  (now serious)  Happiness is the love we share with our son just now,  it’s all that’s important to me. It’s more important than all of the money and mansions and jewelry. (Max is intently staring and she’s rather flushed)  Ah, (rising) I’d best get back to the Halfway house.  (both now standing)  Would you please thank your cook for letting me mess about in the kitchen like that.

Max:  Sure...

Gabrielle:  (softly) Goodnight

Max: (reaches out for her arm)  Hold it.  (looks down at her and gathers his thoughts and says rather thoughtfully)  Do you have to leave...now? (she looks up, eyes wide open, surprised and searching his face)
 

Scene II:  Max and Gabrielle still standing and staring....
 

Max:  (rather soberly)  You won’t miss your curfew.  The bus takes 20 minutes to get there, I can get you there in 10.  Plenty of time for another cup of coffee?

Gabrielle:  (slightly flustered) You must have a briefcase full of scripts to read

Max:  I don’t want to read scripts tonight.  I don’t want to be alone. (now ruefully grinning)  I guess that sounds pretty funny coming from me since I’ve spent most of  my life alone... but for tonight... (rather bashfully) can you stay? (Gabrielle wordlessly assents and sits back down).  Would you uh, like a glass of wine?

Gabrielle: (smilingly)  No... coffee is fine. You know, I also have some more philosophy for you if you’d like to hear it.

Max:  (leaning across the table) OK

Gabrielle:  (also now leaning, intent)  When I’m feeling alone, especially in the middle of the night, I just think of Al and of... (checks herself)... and of the people that I love.. and for that moment I’m complete, the loneliness just vanishes away.  If you could do that, you’d never be alone again.

Max: (a look of wry wonderment on his face)  I just realized one more amazing thing.

Gabrielle:   What’s that?

Max:  It’s almost automatic.... whenever a crisis happens or a moment of fear or loss, we always end up together.

Gabrielle:  (softly)  I wonder why.... (Max leans in slowly, bridging the gap of inches and gently kisses her)
 
 

Scene III:  Still kissing.... they suddenly stop and break away

Gabrielle:  (flustered, getting up)  Uh... I think I better get back to the Halfway House...

Max:  (reaches for her arm and pulls her back to her seat)  I’m sorry, I’m sorry...I know why I kissed you. (Gabrielle looking hopeful and apprehensive. A Friday Cliffhanger) 
 

Scene IV:  Gabrielle averting what Max was going to say

Gabrielle:  (chirping)  Al cheered you up.  He put on the funny faces, he doused me with bath water, that’s what made you laugh.

Max:  No, you made me laugh too.  I had a great time and I really got into it.

Gabrielle:  (brusquely) I’m glad.

Max:  (persisting and leaning into her)  I kissed you because ... because I was upset over Megan, and because I... I... couldn’t handle the hurt and the pain and so I focused on you... I’m really sorry. 

Gabrielle:   (pulling her arm away from his grasp)  It’s all right.

Max:  No!  It’s all wrong.  If you’d done this to me I’d have been ripping this place apart right now

Gabrielle:  (lightly, drinking her coffee and smiling)  Well, you just got this place all fixed up, that wouldn’t be a very good idea would it? 

Max: Just because I’m hurting, I can’t hurt the people I care about.

Gabrielle:   (gathering her strength and saying gently)  Max... you feel like your world is going to come to an end, but it won’t.  In time you’ll come to get over what has happened and you’ll go on (smiling) but in the meanwhile, you’ve got Al... and me.

Max:  (gulps)  Maybe it’s best if you stay away from me.  I’ll be miserable to be around.  Come back in a year or two, OK? 

Gabrielle:   (matter of factly)  You love Megan more than ever, don’t you? (Max nods)  Well (she smiles),  I think I have a way to end your misery. (Max stares at her questioningly)
 

Scene IV:  Max starts rambling...
 

Max:  (jokingly)  Jumping from the Llanview Bridge, moving back to Texas, moving to Tibet ...

Gabrielle:   No, no... running away isn’t the answer.

Max:  Right... be strong, keep feet on the ground have faith and all things will shall pass, right.  Look, I’m sorry.  I’m acting as if I’m the only person in the world that’s be in love and lost.

Gabrielle:   When it is you, you are the only one in the world.

Max:  (slams his hand on the table and puts his hands to his face)  Damn!  God.. damn... I can’t even accept this because it shouldn’t have happened.

Gabrielle:  (softly)  Max, you can’t force someone to love you, either they do....

Max:   Megan loves me!  I know she does, that’s why this won’t pass (hangs his head and breaths out, suddenly realizing what he’s doing)  Oh God... I shouldn’t be getting into this with you, I won’t keep you... (he goes to get up and she pulls his arm back down)

Gabrielle:  Don't let this beat you!

Max:  Look, I’ve already lost.  Megan’s already turned her back on me, she’s already sent me packing

Gabrielle:  (swallowing) Because of me...

Max:  No, because of a lot of things... the fact is....

Gabrielle:  (intently)  The fact is you have a choice here, you could be happy or you could be miserable, but it’s up to you.  But if you have the strength to keep fighting you must.

Max:  (surprised)  Let me get this straight, you’re telling me to keep fighting for Megan?

Gabrielle:  (softly and intense)  Yes.  I had a vision of what I the way I wanted my life to be.  I held on to that vision for far too long.  I didn’t think of anything else but what I wanted.  I put everyone else’s needs aside except for my own.  I made mistakes... and... I ... hurt people.

Max:  (reaches out and takes her hand)  The past is over and you are paying for your mistakes.

Gabrielle:  Yes, but I never really understood why I made those mistakes.  (disengages her hand)  But I really do know why now.  I became isolated, a person on the outside looking in.  But I learned the hard way, to open my eyes and see what was out there,  see it the way it really is, and accept it.  I want you to be happy, more than anything else in the world... and if Megan makes you happy... then you’ve got to hold on to her.  (Max looks visibly shaken as he stares at her)

Scene V:  Max is still staring, almost wonderingly, at Gabrielle
 

Gabrielle:   (rather abruptly, to break off that look)  Max, this isn’t a grand stand play for your sympathy.

Max: I know.  (brusquely)  I don’t want my problems with Megan to affect you.

Gabrielle:  (purposefully)  My problems are affecting her, Max, as well as you, and I can’t let that go on any longer.  I will get out of your life, I will start doing things on my own.  I will stop depending on you for everything.

Max: You haven’t depended on me for everything.

Gabrielle:   For the past few months I certainly have...

Max:  (protectively)  You’ve been put through the ringer!

Gabrielle:   Yes.  And I’ve survived, and I will survive and I can do this on my own.

Max:  (taken aback)  You don’t have to be alone.  We’ve got a son that needs both of us....

Gabrielle: (gulping)  That... is always going to be a very special bond, but it’s going to be different now.  Uh... ah... you’re probably going to have a hard time convincing Megan  of that but you must tell her...

Max: (cutting her off, on edge now, hands running across his face)  Don’t worry, I’m going to be OK, I’m going to be OK (turns away from her ) I should never have gotten you involved in this.

Gabrielle:  (confused but concerned)  Max, I wanted to help, I want you to be happy.  I can’t stand seeing you like...

Max:  (abrupt, now shouting, slams the table and rises)  I’ll take care of myself!  You take care of yourself.  I’ll keep my problems to myself.

Gabrielle:  Max?

Max:  No!  (he ceases shouting but is still on edge)  Is It OK with you if I don’t drive you but put you in a cab to the Halfway House?

Gabrielle:  (still confused)   No, that’s fine, but I was hoping we could just finish our conversation so you could understand

Max:  (flustered and speaking quickly)  I understand, I’m through talking.  Keith (addressing the bartender) could you do me a favor and flag down a cab for Gabrielle? 

Andy: (she’s just walking in as Gabrielle gets up, says snidely)  My, the lady works faster than the speed of light.

Max: (turns his pent up emotion on his sister)  Zip it Andy! 

Gabrielle:   Excuse me (reaches past Max to get her coat).  I’ll get this sweater of yours back to you tomorrow.

Max:  (hurriedly)  Yeah, there’s no rush...

Gabrielle:  Bye Max... 

Max: (shouts after her ) Be careful!  And you (pointing at Andy), you keep your mouth shut next time!

Andy:  Why are you jumping on me?

Max: (sits down at the bar, his hand on his face) Because you deserve it.

Andy: Listen, I hope you aren’t going to ask me to be Gabrielle’s buddy!

Max: (uncoils and gets up)  What’s your problem with Gabrielle?

Andy:  She ruined your relationship with Megan, that’s what!  And I don’t like her

Max: (turns away and flops back on the stool)  Well,  you don’t have to worry about her anymore, so back off.

Andy: (smirking)  Why, did you tell her to get lost?

Max: (angrily)  No, she decided she’s going to take care of her own life!

Andy:  Yeah, I believe that.

Max:  Andy, go to bed would ya, I’d love to do some thinking.

Andy:  I’m a little old to be sent to bed and if you’re going to pick up the bottle and drink yourself blind over Megan...

Max: I’m going to get Megan back
 
 

Scene VI:  Andy still haranguing Max

Andy:  Not as long as Gabrielle is still in the picture.

Max: (springs up to clear the table, angrily)  She’s not in the picture.

Andy:  Max, every time I turn round you’re in a huddle with Gabrielle!  You solve one problem, she comes up with another one (Max doing his best to ignore Andy keeps clearing the table), you solve that one and another one pops up!

Max:  (defensively)  She’s the mother of my child, I’m not going to abandon her!

Andy:  I’m not saying you should.  I’m just saying that Megan has a legitimate beef about you putting Gabrielle first all the time!

Max:  (points to the stacked up dishes and walks away)  Take these to the kitchen.

Andy:  Anyone can see that Gabrielle is in love with you!  You say you’re in love with Megan and then you’re always hanging around with Gabrielle!  You know, you can only take one person to the prom!  How do feel about Gabrielle?

Max:  (petulantly)  It’s none of your business how I feel about anybody.  And as far as Gabrielle’s love for me is concerned it’s in the past, it’s over with. 

Andy:  Well, not for Gabrielle

Max: (emphatically)  Yes it is... and for me it’s over... I’m concentrating on getting Megan back.
 

Scene VII:  Andy is taking the plates back to the kitchen when she sees Gabrielle re-entering the restaurant.
 

Andy: Oh great...

Max: (as Gabrielle walks up to him, he’s rather brusque)  What are you doing here?

Gabrielle:   I was almost at the Halfway House when I realized there’s something else I need from you.

Max:  (Max gives Andy a quelling and dismissive look, she rolls her eyes and leaves) Anything you want, you know you can have it.

Gabrielle:  (steels herself up in the face of a rather cold Max)  Remember the first time I was taken off to jail.  I gave you my locket, it has a picture of Al in it.  It’s very precious to me and also a constant reminder to me of what’s really important.

Max: (drops his head and softens)  I’ve been meaning to give that to you (starts to walk to behind the bar)  but every time you come by I get so involved with... Al... I forget.   (He clears his throat.  reaches down behind the bar and opens a strong box, takes her locket from it, holds it out to her) 

Familiar?  (Gabrielle reaches out to take it but he pulls it back)  No, allow me. (he walks from behind the bar and motions to her.  He stands behind her as she takes a breath and he has difficulty opening the latch, his hands are shaking) 

I’m fumbling a little bit . (His voice is raspy. From behind he lifts the locket around her neck, runs his arm slowly under her hair and across her neck to lock the clasp as she shudders and closes her eyes)  I was going to call you at the halfway House before the lights went out (his hands still on her shoulders, smoothing her hair) to apologize. 

Gabrielle:   What for?

Max:  For being so abrupt and practically kicking you out of the place

Gabrielle:   (turning to face him, holding her locket)  It’s all right.  You needed some time to think some things through by yourself.  I understand.

Max: (sighing)  Well... I shouldn’t get you mixed up in my problems... and.. it will never happen again. (she looks up at him, eyes glistening... he moves in closer, biting his lip)   Well, uh, Kelly was shining some of her jewelry one day before she left and I gave her the locket.  I hope you don’t mind.  That’s why it’s so shiny. 

Gabrielle:  It’s beautiful... thank you...  I have a cab outside, he’s probably wondering where I’ve gone to.

Max:  You going to be all right?

Gabrielle:  I’m going to be fine. (she turns and leaves as he watches her go....)