use a little breather right now. I have a staff
meeting at noon, but that shouldn’t go past two. I ought to be able to make the five o’clock ferry. You sure that’s OK?
INTERCUT WITH BEN
BEN
Of course it’s OK.
STEPHANIE
I know how precious your solitude is. How many times have you said it’s the key to our marriage?
BEN
You know I’m not serious.
STEPHANIE
Yes, you are. A need for solitude and a father complex: ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the evidence clearly shows these to be among the defining characteristics of Benjamin Houghton the Third.
BEN
Not funny.
STEPHANIE
That’s a joke that’s as old as we’ve been together.
BEN
You think this is the time for jokes about my father?
STEPHANIE
You’re right, Ben. I’m sorry. I’m just stressed out, but that’s no excuse. Have you called today?
BEN
No. I’ve been sitting here, surrounded by him,
and you know what I feel? Anger. Resentment.
(a beat)
I guess he’s right.
STEPHANIE
About what?
BEN
His only son being an ungrateful bastard.
STEPHANIE
You know that’s not true.
BEN
I’m not sure if I’ll call tonight. He’s got nurses.
My sister’s there. It’s not as if he lacking for attention.
STEPHANIE
Do what you feel is best. You know
I love you, Ben.
BEN
I love you too.
STEPHANIE
I’ll see you at the dock tomorrow night.
BEN
I’ll be there.
STEPHANIE
Good night, Ben.
BEN
Good night, Steffie.
EXT. SUMMER HOUSE - PORCH - EVENING
Ben hangs up, then dials another long-distance number.
INT. BEN’S FATHER’S RESIDENCE - EVENING
A NURSE dressed in traditional white answers the phone, which is ringing in a wood-paneled library. There is a large desk, leather furniture, crimson draperies, paintings of stern ancestors on the walls, etc. This is Beacon Hill, Boston.
NURSE
Houghton residence.
She presses the phone to her ear, but hears only silence.
NURSE (CONT’D)
Houghton residence. Hello? Hello?
Ben has hung up.
EXT. SUMMER HOUSE - PORCH - EVENING
Ben pours another glass of wine as the sun sets over the Atlantic.
INT. SUMMER HOUSE - BEN’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Ben’s bedroom is at the opposite end of the house from his father’s. It is smaller than the old man’s, and Ben has decorated it with some of his photographs. Ben is asleep, tossing, turning, muttering unintelligibly.
FLASHBACK
EXT. SUMMER HOUSE - DAY
Ben’s father is hosting a party for his son on the occasion of his graduation from college 17 years ago. A tent has been erected and a DJ is spinning the classic tune Dancing in the Streets by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.
Serena is dancing with Ben — and her moves are dropping jaws. She looks the same as today, and while 17 years younger, Ben has the long hair and unshaven look he’s kept through age 39 — in contrast to the buttoned-down look of
Ben’s father and many of the guests who are bankers, lawyers, stock brokers, and their wives.
The soundtrack fades.
CUT TO:
The head of the stairs that lead to the beach. Ben and his father are speaking privately.
BEN’S FATHER
I invited Peter Barclay.
BEN
I saw.
CUT TO:
A shot of PETER BARCLAY, somewhat younger than Houghtie, but equally impeccably groomed and dressed. With Barclay is BARCLAY’S WIFE, a trophy woman with bleach-blond hair and gaudy jewelry who dresses much too young for her age.
CUT BACK TO:
Ben and his father.
BEN’S FATHER
Have you spoken with him?
BEN
No. I’ve talked to Peter Barclay exactly once
in my life. He struck me as even more of an asshole than the rest of your friends.
BEN’S FATHER
Don’t you get pissy with me. Not in front
of my guests.
BEN
Why? Are you afraid of what they’d say?
‘Poor Houghtie. The burden he must carry with his son.’
BEN’S FATHER
Don’t push me, Benjamin.
BEN
Why is he here?
BEN’S FATHER
He’s on the board at the business school. As a favor to me, he could get you in — lackluster grades and all. I want you to talk to him.
BEN
Peter Barclay can blow business school out his ass.
BEN’S FATHER
Benjamin, I’m warning you.
BEN
How many times do we have to cover the same ground? I’m not going to business school.
BEN’S FATHER
All right. I suppose you’re more suited to law school, anyway. That’s what your mother would have wanted if she were alive today.
BEN
How would you know? You never listened to her.
BEN’S FATHER
Your mother and I had issues.
BEN
You treated her like shit — that’s the only issue.
I’m not going to law school.
BEN’S FATHER
Then what are you going to do? This isn’t college any more.
That chapter in your life ended yesterday.
BEN
Shall you remind me again how much you paid for it?
BEN’S FATHER
You’re in the real world now, Benjamin. There are no gut courses,
out here, no credit for Comp Lit 101. Out here, a man without
a strategy is dead in the water.
BEN
I have a strategy. I’m going to be a photographer.
BEN’S FATHER
A photographer of what, exactly?
BEN
Whatever I want.
CUT TO:
Serena standing at the edge of the tent, talking to STEVE MCAFFERTY, who looks college-age. STEVE belts back another beer. Serena waves to Ben, who waves back.
CUT BACK TO:
BEN’S FATHER
You two seem to have struck up quite the acquaintance. Who is she, anyway?
BEN
Her name is Serena Fisher.
BEN’S FATHER
I know her name. Who is she? What do her parents do?
BEN
I have no idea. I only met her last week.
BEN’S FATHER
She looks... uncouth. Wild.
BEN
She is. You should see her in bed.
Ben starts off to Serena.
BEN (CONT’D)
Thanks for the advice, Father. I’ll be sure to incorporate it into my strategy.
EXT. HOUGHTON DOCK - THAT NIGHT
The moon is out, the dock lights are lit, and in the distance we hear the muted sounds of MANY CONVERSATIONS and a JAZZ BAND. Ben and Serena are alone by Ben’s father’s boat. As striking as Serena’s beauty is her voice: seductive, enchanting, irresistible.
SERENA
He really hates me, doesn’t he?
BEN
What he thinks doesn’t matter.
SERENA
He’ll try to break us up. I can see that already. He’ll do anything
to see that we don’t stay together.
BEN
Would you just forget about him?
SERENA
Only if you insist.<
br />
BEN
I insist.
Ben kisses Serena, but she allows only a teasing moment of intimacy before she jumps up, strips, and runs down the dock.
SERENA
Last one in’s a rotten egg!
With extraordinary grace, Serena dives into the ocean. She seems almost to move in slow motion. Ben takes off his clothes and follows her into the water. He surfaces before she does. Treading water, Ben looks for her, in vain.
BEN
Serena! Where are you?
Eventually, Serena surfaces — next to the race float, a good
200 yards away. She swings herself up onto the float, where tiki lanterns blaze. Wet, she looks more beautiful than ever.
SERENA
Here.
Ben swims to the float. He is winded when he arrives. Serena, on the other hand, is not tired at all.
BEN
How’d you do that?
SERENA
I guess I’m a natural swimmer.
BEN
Natural? Have you ever thought of the Olympics?
Serena pulls Ben next to her. They kiss, more passionately this time. Ben wants more, but Serena pushes him away and dives back into the water. Ben is anxious again.
BEN (CONT’D)
Serena! Don’t do this!
After a nerve-wracking moment, Serena surfaces at the dock. She is smiling — and unwinded.
END FLASHBACK
INT. SUMMER HOUSE - BEN’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
His dreams have awakened Ben. He goes to his bureau, where an old-fashioned kerosene lantern awaits. He lights it and walks to the end of the second-floor hall, where he opens the attic door.
INT. SUMMER HOUSE, ATTIC - NIGHT
A cobwebby space crowded with trunks, books, furniture, etc. Ben finds the trunk he wants and opens it. It contains a mortarboard, old yearbooks, faded newspapers, boxes, etc.
Ben opens one of the boxes to reveal letters and an envelope filled with negatives and prints — of Serena, taken the summer they met.
Ben finds an envelope. A delicately carved scrimshaw ring is inside, along with a letter, which Ben begins to read.
We hear a NARRATION by Serena.
CLOSE ON:
LETTER FROM SERENA TO BEN
Dear Ben,
SERENA (V.O.)
There’s no right way to say goodbye, is there? No words to describe how my heart is ripped in two. How I would give anything to have things turn out differently...
(a beat)
But Ben, I can’t go on like this. The obstacles your father has thrown up — we can’t get by them. At least I can’t. I hate to say he’s right, because in the most important sense, he’s not.
I could care less about the money. I love you. I’d love you if you lived in a shack. And my love for you will go on for eternity.
(another beat)
But in another sense, he is right. I am not one of you, and could never be. As strong as our love is now, eventually he would destroy it. There would come a day when you would look at me differently. I couldn’t handle that.
(another beat)
There are a million other things I want to say, but words fail me. Ben, I love you like I’ve never loved anyone. I will think of you every day the rest of my life. And when the summer moon shines and the wind caresses the waves, I’ll be with you. Think of that sometimes, OK, my love? I’ll be there, if only in sweet memory...
CLOSE ON:
LETTER FROM SERENA TO BEN
Love, forever and ever,
Your Serena.
Ben tucks the letter back into its envelope.
CLOSE ON:
The scrimshaw ring. It is an unusual and distinctive design. After examining it, Ben returns it to the envelope and puts the envelope into the box. He is carrying the box as he leaves the attic.
INT. BEN’S STUDIO - MORNING
A series of shots of Ben at work the next day. He leafs through an appointment book, accepts a shipment of supplies, cleans cameras, etc. The telephone rings.
BEN
Ben Houghton speaking.
SERENA (O.S.)
Hello, Ben.
BEN
(dry-mouthed)
Serena.
Serena will remain off-screen during this conversation.
SERENA (O.S.)
I’m here. On the island.
BEN
So it was you I saw yesterday.
SERENA (O.S.)
You sound surprised.
BEN
You didn’t look any different.
SERENA (O.S.)
Is that a crime?
BEN
No. But it’s been 17 years.
SERENA (O.S.)
I take good care of myself.
BEN
(less nervously)
Tell me your secret. Because in my case, the normal aging processes seem to have been at work.
Ben runs his hand through his hair.
BEN (CONT’D)
I mean, I’m going grey.
SERENA (O.S.)
I think you’re even more attractive than when we went out.
BEN
Thanks. You’re, ah...
(a beat)
as pretty as ever.
SERENA (O.S.)
Only pretty?
BEN
You’re beautiful.
SERENA
Do you mean it?
BEN
I do.
There is an awkward pause.
BEN (CONT’D)
So what brings you to the island?
SERENA (O.S.)
You.
BEN
Come on.
SERENA (O.S.)
I’m serious. I’ve come a long way to see you, Ben.
BEN
I’m flattered.
(a beat)
But I’m married, Serena.
SERENA (O.S.)
I know. To a lawyer, of all things.
Serena laughs. Ben doesn’t.
SERENA (O.S.) (CONT’D)
You haven’t lost your sense of humor, have you? You have to admit: seventeen summers ago, the idea of you marrying a lawyer would have been unimaginable. To everyone but your dear loving father.
BEN (a beat)
How did you know she’s a lawyer?
SERENA
You’ve maybe heard of this thing called Google?
BEN
Stephanie’s not your average lawyer.
SERENA (O.S.)
I’m sure she isn’t. But I didn’t call to talk about her. I want you to do my portrait. You do such incredible work.
Vapors: The Essential G. Wayne Miller Fiction Vol. 2 Page 16
