New York Confidential

© 01-12-2006 by Michael J. Ferrell

New York Confidential

“I’m an actor. I give people moments.”

(NATALIE and BOBBY are in a fancy hotel room in Miami.)

NATALIE
Of course I love you, baby. Would I be here if I didn’t love you? This is exactly what I wanted. I had to get out of the fucking city. Do you feel like we’re on a honeymoon? That’s how I feel. I’m gonna go on the balcony and look at the view again, okay, baby?

BOBBY
Yeah, sure.

(SHE gets off the bed and exits to the balcony. BOBBY sits up and puts on his glasses. HE puts his laptop on the bed and start to do some work.)

NATALIE
Oh my God, it’s so fucking beautiful out here. Why the hell do we live in New York City?

BOBBY
Cause that’s where the money is.

NATALIE
You’re here now making money, aren’t you?

BOBBY
Yeah, so are you.

NATALIE
Can I tell you how lucky I am to know you?

BOBBY
Yes, you can.

(SHE gets back on the bed, behind him, and starts to massage his shoulders.)

NATALIE
This is probably the best weekend of my life.

BOBBY
You’re just saying that.

NATALIE
I’m serious. Look at me.

(SHE turns his head to face her and kisses him on the lips.)

Maybe it’s just your lips.

BOBBY
Maybe what’s just my lips?

NATALIE
The reason.

BOBBY
The reason for what, Natalie?

NATALIE
I don’t know. It’s silly, but there’s something about you that totally and completely fits, you know? Like I’m drawn to you.

BOBBY
I know, I feel that too.

NATALIE
I feel like I could be in a crowded room full of everyone I’ve ever known in my whole life and I would still see your face from across the room and my heart would just sink, you know, like there’s this complete wash over my entire body, this feeling that I can’t escape you. I don’t know what it is. So I’m just trying to figure it out. Maybe it’s your lips. Cause you’re a great kisser.

BOBBY
Do you really have that feeling, Natalie? Cause I do too. It’s crazy, right? I think it’s more than just my lips though.

NATALIE
I know. It’s a lot more than your lips. We just get each other, you know? Like we could be walking down the street together and see something, like someone walking past us, and both of us have the same exact thought but never have to say anything, just look at each other and smile. Don’t you feel that?

BOBBY
Absolutely.

NATALIE
Are you gonna be doing work for awhile, baby?

BOBBY
I just have to do a couple things. This is a business trip, after all. Even though it looks like a vacation.

NATALIE
Are we gonna go to the beach today?

BOBBY
Of course. We gotta work on your tan, don’t we?

NATALIE
Absolutely. See—I’ve got work to do too. Gotta make all this look good.

(SHE puts her legs on top of BOBBY.)

BOBBY
All right, all right. I just have a couple things to do here. You get me all worked up I’m not gonna be able to concentrate.

NATALIE
Well, I’m always all worked up, so too bad.

BOBBY
That’s why I love you.

NATALIE
That’s why I love me too.

BOBBY
Come here.

(HE kisses her.)

NATALIE
Then I’m going on the beach. You stay here and do work and when you’re done I’ll be oiled up and ready for you.

BOBBY
Sounds good to me.

NATALIE
I’ll go put on my bikini.

(SHE exits to the bathroom. BOBBY gets up and puts on some more clothes.)

NATALIE
(From offstage.)
I can’t get over this bathroom. It’s nicer than my bathroom at home, that’s for sure.

BOBBY
Hey, Natalie.

NATALIE
(Off.)
What’s up, baby?

BOBBY
Um…I was gonna talk to you about something.

NATALIE
(Off.)
Sure, what is it?

BOBBY
Uh, listen…I know that our relationship is…you know, not exactly a normal relationship…

NATALIE
(Off.)
Uh-huh…

BOBBY
But I can’t help but feel like it was always supposed to be this way, you know?

NATALIE
(Off.)
I know, baby, I feel that way too.

BOBBY
Right, so… I mean, I’m not stupid. I know what’s going on here. I do really well…I mean, I’m rich, let’s be honest. And ever since I became rich, that’s why people have liked me. I know it sounds like false humility but it’s true. I didn’t get to be rich by being stupid, so I’m not stupid about this. My business partners and friends, the women in my life, even my wife, they all love me because I’m rich. Which I’m okay with, because it’s who I am. It’s a part of me. You can’t erase it from who I am. I am my money. For better or worse.

NATALIE
(Emerging from the bathroom.)
Bobby, why are you talking about all this?

BOBBY
I’m just saying, I’m not stupid. This is about money. But there’s something else here besides just money.

NATALIE
I know. You don’t have to tell me that, I know it is. I don’t care about money, you know that.

BOBBY
I love you. And please, just, don’t say anything in response. I don’t want you to say anything. I just want you to listen. I love you. And I know that I paid a lot of money to bring you down here with me. I could be here alone, but that would be depressing. I could be here with my wife, but that would be depressing too, and basically cost just as much in the long run. So I got you to come with me. But I also know that I’m not some schmuck with a black Amex, I’m a pretty cool guy. I’m good looking, I’m successful and powerful, I’m nice, I’m not a total asshole… What I’m saying, is, Natalie, I know what you do for a living. And it’s okay, I respect that…I mean, I’m part of it. If it wasn’t for this “New York Confidential” you and I would never have met. And I’ve never been more grateful for anything in my life. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me. The thing is, I’m getting older. And I’m ready for a change in my life. I embrace who I am. I embrace the fact that you are here with me because of my money. I’m okay with that. So what I want to offer you, I mean, what I want to ask, is if you would like to make this a more permanent thing. I know you’re young, but you’re really intelligent and you have a great sense for business, I can tell. So think of it as a business proposition. You probably make a lot of money now, but honestly, Natalie, it’s not real money. It’s fake money. It’s temporary money. It’ll go away one day just because of the nature of what you’re doing. I make real money. You’re here this weekend, having the best weekend of your life, because of real money. And it’s not going anywhere. Besides that, what you’re doing with your life is dangerous. I’m not judging it, I’m just saying that if you were with me, there’s no danger there. No one could ever touch you. So, what I’m saying, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to stay. Stay with me. Not go back. We could live wherever you want. You’ll always have everything you’ve ever wanted. You can pursue acting and dancing and everything else you’ve ever wanted to do. You can have all day to pursue a real acting career. Or you can just work on your tan all day, it doesn’t matter. I just want you to be with me. Because I love you.

NATALIE
What about your wife, Bobby?

BOBBY
I’m ready for a change. We’re not gonna last anyway. She married me for my money, fine, but I was stupid back then. I thought it was different. I’m smart now. Now I know the shot, I can operate here…I want you to be my wife. She’s gone. We’ll never have to deal with her again except for a little check I send her every month. It’ll just be you and me.

NATALIE
Bobby, I can’t just pick up and leave my life. I like my life.

BOBBY
So you keep what you want to keep and you throw away everything else. I’m not gonna try to control you, baby, I just want you to be with me. I want things to be like this all the time. Look around Natalie, this is the dream right here. This is paradise.

NATALIE
Bobby, listen to me. Everything you said is true. You are a great guy. You’re not a schmuck. You’re wonderful and beautiful and everything. I’m not lying to you about how I feel. This is real, between you and me. It’s real. But there are certain things that make it impossible for this to be any more permanent than it is.

BOBBY
So you’re turning down my offer?

NATALIE
Bobby, we shouldn’t even be talking like this. It’s gonna ruin our whole vacation.

BOBBY
It won’t. I promise. After we talk about this, I’ll never bring it up again. It’ll be fine. We’re still gonna have fun. But I had to bring it up.

NATALIE
I understand.

BOBBY
So…what’s your answer?

NATALIE
Bobby, I’m an actor. I give people moments. Moments are what makes life worth living. Come here, baby.

(HE goes to her, SHE kisses him.)

I really do love you.

(SHE exits to go to the beach.)