Matter of Opinion

By
Catherine C. J. Baxley

CCJBPets@aol.com

EXT. PARK - DAY

Engaged couple, Willow (26) and Nicholas (27) are walking
down the park pathway. Their arms linked. Both seem content
and enjoying the weather.
WILLOW
This was a good day to take off
from work.
NICHOLAS
Yeah, its a pretty decent out.
WILLOW
Hows the project going on?
NICHOLAS
Please...that is the last thing I
want to think about right now.
WILLOW
Okay...until you bring it up again,
youll hear nothing from me.
A moment of silence. They continue walking.
NICHOLAS
Did you ever hear back from your
friend...about the photography?
WILLOW
Oh, thats right! I knew I forgot
to tell you something. She cant do
it, so Im gonna call Jeremiah from
my old studio and see if he can
refer someone.
NICHOLAS
Alright. We still have some time
left.
WILLOW
We should just put the wedding off
a few more months just to have it
on a day like this.
NICHOLAS
Wouldnt you have to change your
dress then?

2.
WILLOW
Since when are you interested in
womens fashion?
NICHOLAS
Im not! My sister always plans
ahead for upcoming events and she
never shuts her mouth about it.
WILLOW
Sure, lets go with that. Besides,
Im...eh, never mind.
NICHOLAS
What? Tell me.
WILLOW
I dont wanna ruin it for ya.
NICHOLAS
Cmon, please?
WILLOW
Im not planning on wearing a
dress.
NICHOLAS
(Confused.)
Why arent you wearing a dress?
WILLOW
Why is a dress necessary?
NICHOLAS
Isnt that what the brides
supposed to wear...a dress?
WILLOW
Well, I should just tell you now
that its not white either.
NICHOLAS
You do know my family, right?
WILLOW
What does that have to do with a
dress? Its before Memorial Day.
NICHOLAS
Willow, you know how my family is.
They expect a traditional wedding
in a church.
WILLOW stops walking. NICHOLAS stops soon after.

3.

WILLOW
Who said anything about getting
married in a church?
NICHOLAS
Where else would we get married?
WILLOW
In a place thats not a church.
NICHOLAS
Well, its what my parents assume
to tell people.
WILLOW
(Baffled.)
Oh, Im sorry. I wasnt aware of
the fact the four of us were
getting married.
NICHOLAS
Cmon, Willow. Its my family.
WILLOW
You disregarded my input and you
expect me to follow you in life?
NICHOLAS
Well, that was the plan.
WILLOW
Youre such a dick sometimes.
NICHOLAS
Alright then.
He leans against a nearby tree.
NICHOLAS (CONT.)
What would you do differently? Off
the top of your head.
She stares at him and ponders.
WILLOW
A handfasting.
JEREMIAH
A what?
WILLOW
The sacred bond that ties us.

4.

NICHOLAS
You cant be serious.
WILLOW
No, you cant be serious right now.
NICHOLAS
No really, what the fuck is a
handfasting?
WILLOW
Basically, after a year and a day
of being married, we renew our vows
or no hard feelings. And we do it
every year.
NICHOLAS
Im not doin that crap every year.
WILLOW
Do you even hear yourself?
NICHOLAS
Youre askin me? You expect me to
play this game of Satanic
voodoo-witchcraft garbage. What
would people say?
WILLOW
First off, if you wanna start
bashing something, get your fuckin
facts straight! Voodoos a
religion, witchcraft is a
practice and none of us worship
Satan because he doesnt exist.
NICHOLAS
Oh, Im sorry...did I insult your
cult?
WILLOW
You egotistical twat. Do you even
know where your traditions come
from?
NICHOLAS
Youre askin me?
WILLOW
Yeah, Im askin you. Do you see
anyone else around?

5.

NICHOLAS
Youre a bitch.
WILLOW
Whatever, bro. I can just as easily
say youre religion is a cult too.
NICHOLAS
Whatd you say?
WILLOW
Did I strike a nerve?
NICHOLAS
You betta watch what youre
sayin...
WILLOW
Whatdya gonna do? Throw a bucket
of water at me or burn me at the
stake? Both, I hear, are equally
painful for the condemners
satisfaction.
NICHOLAS
Ah, hell with you!
NICHOLAS starts to walk off.
WILLOW (CONT.)
The weddings off.
JEREMIAH turns around.
NICHOLAS
No its not. Once you figure out
why youre wrong, well talk.
He continues to walk.
WILLOW
See you in Summerland, bitch!
NICHOLAS is fuming and starts to pace backwards.
He walks towards her again in threatening manner.
NICHOLAS
You know what, you gotta a lot of
nerve talkin to me the way you do.
WILLOW takes a moment.

6.
WILLOW
Youre funny if you thought you
could actually pull off that
tough-guy persona with me. (Beat.)
I was going to be that one person
you could talk to about anything,
without judging. Shit that bothered
you, what you cared about. You know
what youre problem is? Youre so
fucking out of sync it makes me
want to vomit.
NICHOLAS
Take a good look in the mirror,
sweetheart. Before I came along and
rescued you, you were nothing.
Snapping pictures and being the
loser that sat in the back corner
of the coffee shop. Look at you
now. The only difference is that
youre walking around in good
company. I could give you the world
if you wanted if you got that
twisted knowledge out of your thick
skull.
WILLOW
Youre a walking contradiction. You
worry about people judging you and
yet, you dont mind marrying me at
all. Dont forget, youd be taking
me to public events, darling. And
all those fun family functions
where you dont know half of
everyones names. And being
Catholic, the only one who has the
right to judge is your God - isnt
that a fact? Id be more concerned
about being thrown in a furnace,
than being allowed to walk on air
for the rest of eternity, if I were
you.
NICHOLAS
Its funny, I didnt take you as
the type to insult peoples views
on the world and their integrity.
WILLOW
Its not integrity, dumb ass. Its
the difference between finding the
positive in every negative than
being a closed-minded jerk.

7.

NICHOLAS
Now, I really dont know what the
fuck I was smoking when I asked you
to marry me. Youre cute and
everything, but youre noWILLOW
No, what? Ideal porn star-actress
on Tumblr?
NICHOLAS
Where the fuck did that come from?
WILLOW
Save it, Don Jon.
NICHOLAS
Who?
WILLOW
Dont you watch any movies?
NICHOLAS
What does that have to do with
porn?
She ignores him.
NICHOLAS (CONT.)
Did you go through my phone?
WILLOW
I never had a desire to.
NICHOLAS
That doesnt mean you havent!
WILLOW
Youre quite the paranoid one.
NICHOLAS
Damn right, its my phone!
WILLOW
You have a pass-code on it, which
you never voluntarily gave me. And
hey, at least I dont have anything
to hide.
NICHOLAS
What are you trying to say?

8.

WILLOW
Nothing, Nick. But this whole
conversation has proven its point.
NICHOLAS
Which is?
WILLOW
We want different things.
NICHOLAS
Thats all you got out of this?
WILLOW
Yeah.
NICHOLAS
I know you got more to say, so
lets hear it!
WILLOW
Nope. Thats it.
NICHOLAS
I can take it.
WILLOW
You cant take the heat, besides
youre not worth it.
NICHOLAS
You didnt think that when you said
yes.
WILLOW
I grew up since then.
NICHOLAS
No, you didnt.
WILLOW
Theres a difference between age
and spiritual growth. Pick-up a
self-help book from the library,
you might learn something about
yourself.
NICHOLAS
Youre out of your mind.
WILLOW starts to walk off.

9.

NICHOLAS (CONT.)
Where do you think youre going?
WILLOW
Home.
NICHOLAS
You cant walk away from me!
WILLOW turns around towards him and hands him back a ring.
WILLOW
You can have this back. I was never
big on diamonds.
NICHOLAS
Who the fuck do you think you are?
WILLOW looks at him and smiles.
WILLOW
Me, but more importantly, Nicholas,
you should be asking yourself that
question.
WILLOW walks away from him through the park.