Acapulco: The Next Day

Thursday, November 1, 1990

In the morning, as ROGER puts on his shirt, he remembers last evening’s dance with HOLLY. In defense against the thought, he promptly calls MINDY on the telephone.

MINDY: Hello?

ROGER: Buenos dias, senorita.

MINDY [pleasantly surprised]: Buenos dias yourself. You called.

ROGER: Of course I did.

MINDY: How’s it going?

ROGER: Well, I never thought I’d be spending this much of my life talking about Nadine Cooper and The Love Bug.

MINDY: I meant, how’s it going with Holly?

ROGER: Holly?

MINDY [teasing]: You remember her?

ROGER: Mindy . . .

MINDY: Yes, Roger?

ROGER: I, uh, I don’t know what you’re implying ...

But MINDY hangs up at this, not out of pique at ROGER (although he could not know this), but because BILLY entered the room where she was.

In the adjoining room, HOLLY still sleeps, but fitfully. In her sleep, she remembers the rape, and her shooting ROGER. Finally, she sits up and realizes where she is. She gets out of the bed and goes to her suitcase, out of which she pulls a gun. Rocking back and forth and crying, HOLLY holds the gun and murmurs, “He can’t hurt me now. He can’t hurt me now.”

As HOLLY stops crying, the telephone rings. ALEXANDRA is calling; she has spent the morning distracted by lurid fantasies of ROGER and HOLLY.

HOLLY: Hello?

ALEXANDRA: Did I wake you?

HOLLY: No, it’s all right. I’m all right.

ALEXANDRA: Good. I’m so glad I caught you.

HOLLY: What is it?

ALEXANDRA: Come home. Now!

HOLLY [Distressed]: Alex! How many times have we been through this?!

ALEXANDRA: I mean it this time.

HOLLY: Why?

ALEXANDRA: I’ve been thinking about Ross all morning. If he finds out that—

HOLLY: He won’t. I’ve seen Perkins. Perkins understands. I’m gonna look innocent in this.

ALEXANDRA: But how? We’ve been so stupid! If you try to seduce Roger, he’ll know something is up. What if he figures it out, Holly?

HOLLY: I’m not gonna be that overt, Alex.

ALEXANDRA: Then how will the plan work at all?

HOLLY [Sighs]: It’s not gonna take that much. You’re scared, aren’t you?

ALEXANDRA: Look, I’ll figure out a way to get Roger out of your television station—out of your life--

HOLLY: Out of my head?! You can’t do that, Alex! Nobody else can do that!

ALEXANDRA: Aren’t you even the least bit afraid?

HOLLY: No . . . [She picks up the gun.] Not anymore. You just hang in there, Alex. It’ll be over soon.

ALEXANDRA: What does that mean?

HOLLY: Tonight. I’ll call you tonight. [She hangs up, puts the gun under the mattress, and murmurs, “Tonight.”]

ALEXANDRA gets up from her desk slowly, and, sounding sick, whispers, “Tonight.”

In the meantime, ROGER is putting on his tie. He can’t get HOLLY out of his mind. At one point, he leans against the door adjoining their rooms and listens. Hearing nothing, he picks up the telephone. At the answer on the other end, “Spaulding Executive Suite. Hello?” he hangs up. Dialing again, he reaches the hotel florist.

ROGER: Yes, I’d like a bouquet sent to Room 416, please. Very nice, you know, with lots of tropical flowers, for a Ms. Holly Lindsey. And the card should read, “Good luck today,” and sign it, “Roger.” And please bill my room. Thank you.

ROGER hangs up, sighs, and stares at the door to HOLLY’S room. He picks up the phone again and dials VAUGHN, his old boss and mentor in the Agency.

ROGER: Hello. It’s me.

VAUGHN: Oh, buenos dias, senor. How’re you enjoying the beach?

ROGER [smiles]: All I’ve seen are sweaty businessmen.

VAUGHN: And Ms. Lindsey.

ROGER: Yeah. I’m wondering what you’ve come up with on Mallet.

VAUGHN: Well, we’re still checking. He has no federal record, and state is being very quiet about his last case. Say, what’s happening with Holly?

ROGER [irritated]: What?

VAUGHN: Oh, c’mon, Roger. Talk to me. You sound like you’re the one that’s doing the sweating.

ROGER [giving in]: I am.

VAUGHN: What’s the problem?

ROGER: Oh, it’s nothing. There is no problem. It’s . . . She’s been incredible. I’m mean, she’s been kind, and sweet, and attentive, and beautiful ... just like she used to be. Only it’s more. It’s . . . it’s . . . it’s the way she looks at me. It’s . . . I don’t know, you know?

VAUGHN [preparing a lecture]: Roger, you’ve got a wife that you can’t live with or without. You’ve already got a mistress. What are you thinking about now?

ROGER: It’s not ...it’s not like that.

VAUGHN: Well, this is one of those “spiritual and elevated”--

ROGER [vulnerable]: Stop it, will you!! I just . . . I just don’t know. I mean, she just . . . she’s different. Holly has always been different.

VAUGHN: Roger, be careful.

ROGER: Oh, don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything overt or stupid.

VAUGHN: No, but you sound like you want to, and that’s just as scary.

ROGER: Oh, it’s just taken me by surprise. You know? I mean, this is such a different attitude from her.

VAUGHN: Roger, she hates you.

ROGER: I know. But she loved me once. And it’s a thin line. [Ending the conversation] You’ll keep checking on Mallet?

VAUGHN: Yeah, yeah, sure. Of course I will.

ROGER: Thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow.

VAUGHN: All right. Take care.

ROGER: Yes, yes.

ROGER hangs up.

After BILLY leaves the room, MINDY calls ROGER back.

ROGER: Hello?

MINDY: Hi. Sorry I hung up so quickly. Daddy walked in.

ROGER [laughing]: That’s why I feel sixteen again!

MINDY: Yes, and so do I! Roger, I hate sneaking around about us. Have you thought any more about what we discussed before you left?

ROGER: Every waking moment.

MINDY: And?

ROGER: And ... we are going to work it out as soon as I get back, I promise. What are you wearing right now?

MINDY [with humor]: Goodbye, Roger! And as she hangs up the phone: "You'll soon find out". [Mindy has her own plans to surprise Roger in Acapulco ... what a party that would've been!]

ROGER shows out a man who has brought him his jacket, just as HOLLY knocks on the adjoining door. ROGER picks up the telephone—although no one is on the other end of the line—and tells HOLLY, “Come in.” He ends an imaginary conversation as she comes in the room, bringing the flowers he ordered with her.

ROGER [his back to HOLLY]: No, we can talk financing when I’m back in the office. Uh, yeah. That’ll be fine. Thank you. Me too. Bye. [He hangs up.]

HOLLY: The flowers are lovely. Thank you.

ROGER: I thought you deserved them. After all, I just got a message from our Mr. Spinner this morning.

HOLLY: The east coast guy?

ROGER: Um hmm. He’s going to meet us in your suite in fifteen minutes, and he wants to talk numbers.

HOLLY: You’re kidding?

ROGER: Uh uh.

HOLLY: He wants ... we’re gonna sell this show?

ROGER: Can you believe it? It actually looks that way.

HOLLY: This is too much. I’ve got to call Gilly ... and Nadine!! Thank you [Having walked by Roger, she quickly turns and half-embraces him, and then “catches herself.”] so much. This is great.

HOLLY hurries out, and leans against the door to ROGER’S room, leaving ROGER surprised and confused.

Next Scene:
Takin' Care of Business .... continued