EXT. HALE METHODIST CHURCH - THE NEXT DAY
Peggy and Cindy arrive for the rehearsal. They leave Cindys
dog in Peggys car and walk to the church.
CINDY
Tell me, why does Maggie need another
wedding rehearsal and two days before
the wedding? Shes already done this.
PEGGY
Bob is making her visualize the
ceremony.
CUT TO:
INT. HALE METHODIST CHURCH - NIGHT
They are in the church proper now. Peggy waits in a pew as Bob
leads Maggie and Ike up the back steps of the church.
BOB
(to Maggie)
Okay, were ready. Want me to have Ike
leave now?
Maggie turns on Ike with "cheerful" hostility.
MAGGIE
No. No -- Actually, lets make Ike the
pastor.
IKE
Id rather not.
MAGGIE
(sarcastically)
Come on, itll give you a great view.
Its perfect.
(seeing Peggy)
Hey.
Maggie smiles at Bob. Ike sighs and goes with it. Bob pulls Ike
to the head of the aisle and places him. Peggy follows Maggie
into the foyer to get ready. Cindy sits with Ted at the organ.
BOB
Team effort, Pastor Ike... Cindy, ready?
(after no response)
Cindy, come on.
Cindy leaves to join the girls in the foyer.
INT. CHURCH FOYER - THAT MOMENT
Once in the privacy of the foyer, Peggy and Maggie talk.
PEGGY
Hes going to be the pastor?
MAGGIE
Yep. I want him to be front and center
and to watch everything.
PEGGY
What happened at the luau?
MAGGIE
(flustered)
... I dont even want to talk about
the luau.
(then seeing a hanging rope)
Whats this?
PEGGY
Its for the bell.
Cindy joins them.
CINDY
Bobs in a hurry.
PEGGY
Dont be nervous, Maggie. Let us
visualize. Remember what Bob said?
"Be the ball."
CINDY
"Sink the putt."
PEGGY
"Make the shot."
CINDY
"Nothing but net."
PEGGY
"Never say die."
Maggie puts her hands up.
MAGGIE
Go!
Peggy and Cindy exit. Maggie pulls the bell rope and sways back
and forth as she rings the bell.
INT. CHAPEL - THAT MOMENT
It is Maggies turn to enter. They all turn expectantly. Too
much time passes. Ted plays the organ, then stops. Maggie
swings back and forth in the foyer doorway.
BOB
Honey, are you okay?
Maggie stops ringing the bell and pulls herself together. She
walks into the aisle looking a little shaky. She takes a few
tremulous steps slowly with her eyes closed, peeking
occasionally with one eye.
IKE
(taking off his jacket)
At this pace, it could be an evening
wedding.
BOB
Hold it! Hold it! I think were
taking this too fast.
He begins to pace.
BOB (contd)
We need to limber you up a little.
Youre tensing.
(thinks a moment;
to Ike, moving him
to grooms spot)
You stand here and be me so she knows
how far shell have to go.
(then to Maggie)
Im going to walk with you.
Bob goes to Maggie and walks behind her.
BOB (contd)
Visualize! Visualize! Its game time.
ANGLE ON:
Maggie walking.
BOB (contd)
You are the football. Youre spiraling
through the air towards the hands of
the groom.
She proceeds down the aisle. Bob behind her.
MAGGIE
(eyes down)
Yes, Im spiraling through the air.
ANGLE ON:
Maggie raises her eyes and sees Ike in front of her as groom.
Ike and Maggie lock gazes. If they had to, they couldnt look
away. All the things unspoken are now communicated -- the love,
the longing.
MAGGIE (contd)
I streak towards the goal line.
Maggies pace quickens.
MAGGIE (contd)
And I land on the goal line.
ANGLE ON:
Bob beams to see Maggies eager arrival at Ikes side. He
switches off the music and proceeds like a proud coach to be the
pastor.
BOB
Okay, Im the pastor. Dearly beloved,
blah, blah, blah. So on and so forth.
Ra ta ta ta. Yabada dabada. I now
pronounce you man and wife. Kiss the
bride, badum dum.
(then moving toward Ted)
We have the crescendo that leads to us
right back down the aisle and out the...
Ike kisses Maggie. It is a world class, Olympic kiss. It is a
kiss that changes everything and can never be taken back. It is
a kiss you only get once in your life.
NEW ANGLE:
Bobs smile dies. Cindys mouth drops open as the kiss goes on
and on. Peggy loses control and screams.
BOB (contd)
Maggie!!!!?
Like a bucket of water thrown on two dogs, Ike and Maggie are
startled out of their kiss. They pull apart and smile at each
other.
ANGLE ON: Bob.
BOB (contd)
(furious)
If you were imagining me, you did great.
(to Ike)
What the hell were you doing?
IKE
(eyes on Maggie)
Im sorry, Bob. She kissed me back.
MAGGIE
(dazed but happy)
I kissed him back.
BOB
Yeah, I caught that. Want to tell me
how long this has been going on?
Maggie looks at Ike, wondrous, confused.
MAGGIE
About a minute...?
IKE
A little longer for me.
MAGGIE
Really?
BOB
What do you expect me to say to this?
IKE
How about -- "I hope youll be very
happy together"?
Bob hauls back and punches Ike in the face. Ike drops.
BOB
I hope youll be very happy together.
Bob storms down the aisle and out of the church.
MAGGIE
(to Peggy)
Take care of him.
Maggie leaves.
CUT TO:
EXT. CHURCH - THAT MOMENT
Bob is halfway down the walk. Maggie appears at the church door
and calls after him.
MAGGIE
Bob, Im sorry!
(half to herself)
At least I backed out before the
wedding. Thats progress!
He keeps marching. Now Peggy appears next to Maggie. Maggie
calls again.
MAGGIE (contd)
Some woman is going to make you a lot
happier than I ever could...
The words are barely out of her mouth when Cindy comes out the
door, racing after Bob at a full sprint.
MAGGIE (contd)
See?
PEGGY
Well, Maggie -- in the words of Mrs.
Pressman: "Holy moly". Call me later.
Peggy goes to her car. Cindy joins her as Bob speeds off in his
car. Now Ike takes Peggys place next to Maggie. Maggie turns
to face Ike. They are both beet red, stammering and unable to
look at each other, trying to act normal.
MAGGIE
Okay. So... what, uh... What just
happened? Just now? Jus then? In
there?
IKE
I dont know. I, uh -- I frankly dont
even want to talk about it.
MAGGIE
Me, either.
Ike GRABS Maggie and BOOM -- they are all over each other,
kissing frantically, tongues, hands, hair, elbow, you name it.
Blathering fools.
IKE
(blathering)
I love you. I love you.
MAGGIE
(blathering)
I love you, too.
They come up for air.
IKE
Wait. We have to talk. We have to do
some talking now. Pull up a railing.
Maggie sits on the railing, then Ike backs up and sits on the
opposite railing.
IKE (contd)
You have to go down an aisle and say "I
do". You have to get married.
MAGGIE
To who? Are you asking me?
IKE
Me?
Ike backs up to opposite railing and sits facing Maggie.
MAGGIE
Yes, you!
IKE
(thinks)
Well, you do have the dress.
MAGGIE
And the church.
IKE
And the wedding date. Theres the two
of us.
(beat)
So, you think... maybe... You have to
go down the aisle with somebody you
love and who love you back.
MAGGIE
Im okay with that.
IKE
So am I.
MAGGIE
So, well...
They both nod and sit there smiling, sort of. The organist, Ted,
closes the church door.
TED
Good night.
Ike pulls his tape recorder out of his pocket and quietly speaks
into it.
IKE
Im getting married.
WIDE SHOT:
They smile at each other and remain sitting. Then, silence.
CUT TO