Acapulco: The Past Is Present

Monday, November 5, 1990

The next episode . . .

HOLLY falls back against the pillow as ROGER leans over her. He kisses her lips, and then kisses his way down to the back of her neck. HOLLY looks at the clock, recalling her words to Perkins: "And remember, ten o'clock. You be ready at ten o'clock." It's only nine-thirty, however, and HOLLY decides that ROGER is moving a little too quickly. She sits up and faces a breathless ROGER, and with a gleam in her eyes, says . . .

Ummm, we've got all night. All night in this beautiful place. You don't want to rush anything, do ya?

ROGER sighs and sits up. Slipping his hand in HOLLY'S hair, he kisses her lightly on the lips, after which HOLLY gives him a fierce, quick glance. ROGER, half-delirious, pulls her closer to him, passionately kissing her. As the scene fades, ROGER'S wedding band is in full view.

ROGER [murmuring as his kisses her face]: Oh, Holly, . . . Oh, Holly . . . You feel so good.

HOLLY [looking at the clock, trying to sit up, except that ROGER is kissing her cleavage]: It's so hot in here all of a sudden. The smell of those flowers is driving me crazy.

ROGER: I think the heat's coming from us.

HOLLY: Roger, I don't think . . .

ROGER: Don't think. I checked my brain hours ago.

HOLLY [barely audible]: No . . .

But ROGER, rather preoccupied at the moment -- with HOLLY'S knee! -- hasn't heard her at all, and only murmurs: Oh, Holly, please . . . please Holly . . .

HOLLY [a little louder]: . . . It's just that . . . I don't feel . . This is not . . .Oh, c'mon now. [Then yells] NO!!! [She jerks back her knee from ROGER.] I said, "No!" Didn't you hear me??!!

ROGER looks up, shocked and breathless, seeing fear in HOLLY'S eyes. He whispers . . .

ROGER: I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I'm just so damned sorry.

ROGER gets up from the bed and goes onto the terrace, leaning his head against one of its columns. HOLLY sits up against the headboard of the bed, and, stunned, sighs deeply.

ROGER anxiously paces on the terrace. HOLLY, meanwhile, looks in the dresser mirror, which also reflects her engagement ring.

HOLLY thinks to herself, "This is it. This is the chance you've worked for. You've planned for this. You can bring him down with this. You can get even with him and get on with your life. You've got to go through with it." She walks back to the bed and looks at the clock. "It's almost ten. It's now or never." Taking a deep breath, HOLLY decides to try again, and steps out to the terrace. ROGER is lost in painful thoughts, and he does not notice HOLLY until her hand runs along his back and shoulder. ROGER shudders.

ROGER: Just please, give me a minute.

HOLLY: Roger.

ROGER: Holly . . . Holly . . . I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am for what just happened. I just, obviously I misunderstood completely.

HOLLY: It's all right. You understood.

ROGER [anguished]: Oh, please . .

HOLLY: You understood me perfectly.

ROGER: Oh, please, I couldn't have. Please, don't . . .

HOLLY: I wanted everything to be ready. I just wanted everything to be perfect.

ROGER: Look, but I thought there was . . . I, I don't know what I thought. I felt that. . .

HOLLY: No, you were right. You were right. You were right about what I was feeling. You knew what I wanted; you knew I wanted you. Come here.

At this, HOLLY takes off her dress and stands before ROGER in a black full slip and her bra. ROGER looks confused--desiring, and yet realizing that something is wrong.

ROGER quietly picks up the dress, and, handing it to HOLLY, says . . .

ROGER: Please, please . . c'mon . . .

HOLLY: What?

ROGER: C'mon, c'mon . . . put your dress on.

HOLLY: Why?

ROGER: Let's go inside . . .

HOLLY [in a panic]: What are you doing?

ROGER: This is not like you; this is not what you want. Please . . . Holly . . . C'mon, please. . .

HOLLY [growing louder]: No! What are you doing? Isn't this what you want me for?

ROGER: No, Holly . . .

HOLLY: You wanted me before! Well, here I am! Come on, take what you want! What's stopping you? Come on, take what you want. I'm here!

ROGER: No, this is not what you want! You love somebody else!

HOLLY: That never stopped you before!! Take what you want!! I'm here!! C'mon!! [She starts taking off the slip as well.]

ROGER [flabbergasted]: Holly, Holly come on. What have I done to you? What have I done to make you so twisted up inside?

HOLLY goes into a rage.

HOLLY [pounding her fists on ROGER'S chest and screaming]: How dare you! How dare you! You! You! You! You have no right. You have no right!!. How DARE you?! You have no right! You can't talk about me. [crying] You don't know me. You're the one; you're the animal!!! You're so twisted up inside. You did it to me.

ROGER pulls HOLLY to him, trying to get her to stop hitting him, and then to soothe her . .

ROGER [softly]: Okay. Okay, okay. Sssssssh . . .

HOLLY: I can't. I have this . . . [looking toward the room].

ROGER [holding her face close to his and stroking her hair]: Okay, okay.

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HOLLY: Why don't you just do it and get it over with?

ROGER [sighs]: It's all over now; it's already over.

ROGER looks into HOLLY'S eyes as he says this, kisses her hair and her forehead, and then presses her against his shoulder, stroking her hair.

HOLLY pulls away from ROGER and leans against the wall. He looks at her with deep pain and longing, and then reaches as though to touch her hair again. But he thinks better of it, realizing that HOLLY wouldn't want that. HOLLY does not turn to ROGER again until the end of the scene, so he cannot see her face. . . wild, and fragile as a hurt child's. After a moment, ROGER speaks:

ROGER: I hurt you so bad.

HOLLY: You raped me!

ROGER: Ssssh! I know, and I have thought about it so much it's burnt a hole in my brain.

Looking like he might cry, ROGER takes a deep breath before he goes on.

ROGER: I didn't know how to love. All I knew how to do is try and control, and I would control you and somehow I would make you love me. . . . And, when I was sure that you really loved Ed, I just totally lost control and I regretted it every day of my life, and every moment since, because I had destroyed the only woman that I could ever love. . . [He holds her dress close to him as he says this.] And now, I seem to have this opportunity to make some small amends and I never thought I'd have that chance. I don't know what dark force is moving you to be with me tonight, but I know that I am responsible for it and I know that I will never, never hurt you like that again. You don't want to make love to me, Holly; you don't. And I can't believe it but I can't make love to you because, in some way I don't even begin to understand, I would be forcing you against your will again and I will never, oh God, I will never, ever, ever hurt you like that again.

ROGER again almost touches her hair; but he turns away instead, just as HOLLY, her comprehension of his words having grown throughout the scene, turns towards him.

For a moment, HOLLY and ROGER look into each other's eyes. Both of them are all but crying. ROGER kisses HOLLY'S forehead and whispers . . . "Holly, Holly," as he hands her the dress and picks her up. With a soft cry, HOLLY places her head on ROGER'S shoulder and allows him to carry her back inside.

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Full Circle