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Resort, bedroom, 1pm
Tom: *wipes neck with towel*
Lori: *walks over* Have you seen Scott? He missed the couple's yoga thing.
Tom: ...So you did it by yourself?
Lori: Anni was there.
Tom: I haven't seen him.
Lori: Are you sure? Not even outside?
Tom: I'm positive, Lori.
Lori: Scott doesn't just take off without a reason.
Tom: Did he leave his stuff here?
Lori: Yeah, except for his wallet.
Tom: ...That might be an issue then.
Lori: Why?
Tom: *sigh* How long's he been gone?
Lori: Couple hours.
Tom: Great. *walks over to nightstand, grabs keys*
Lori: Wait, you don't think he skipped out to get high.
Tom: Anything's possible. Did he seem upset last night?
Lori: Not at all. In fact, we'd just worked through some problems. Where in the world would he go?
Tom: I'll find him. *walks away*
Lori: Call me when you do.
Large park, 2 miles from resort, 30 minutes later
Scott: *looks down at ground*
Tom: *walks over*
Scott: *lifts eyes*
Tom: *sits on bench* You're about the only person within a 100 mile radius without a tan.
Scott: What are you doing here?
Tom: Hopefully trying to stop you from doing something stupid.
Scott: I came here to think.
Tom: You can't think at the resort? Lori's worried about you.
Scott: ...I can't love her.
Tom: Ah come on, once you get past the snarling and kicks to the groin, she's really a very nice person.
Scott: *lowers head* I'm supposed to be devoted to Lori. *rubs eyes*
Tom: You guys still have some issues, it's normal to feel at a loss.
Scott: ...I can't stop thinking about her.
Tom: That's a good thing.
Scott: *looks at Tom* There are times I wish our lives were reversed.
Tom: *stares at Scott* ...Wait. What?
Scott: *stares at Tom*
Tom: You're supposed to love Lori, remember? One woman guy.
Scott: I do love Lori.
Tom: Oh so you want to have both. Well that's just selfish.
Scott: I don't want both.
Tom: ...But you love Anni.
Scott: Anni and I are simply friends now. I promise you that.
Tom: So you're not going to pine after her. You're sitting here to get it out of your system?
Scott: If that's how you want to look at it.
Tom: Ah, the cryptic Scotty Finch. *punches Scott's arm* I missed that about you.
Scott: I apologize for my behaviour the other day.
Tom: It's alright, I probably could use a kick in the ass every now and again.
Scott: *nods*
Tom: You want my opinion? You and Lori shouldn't split. I think you need to both need to claw your way back into a functional relationship for a hundred million different reasons.
Scott: Even if we're not happy?
Tom: Trust me, you two were made for each other.
Scott: I was going to say the same thing about you.
Tom: What, me and Lori? *laughs* No, I don't think so. Lori and I never
had a relationship. I was nothing but a toy. Believe me, what Anni and I have together, I wouldn't trade it for a thousand years with the hottest supermodel on the planet.
Scott: But what if there's something better out there for me?
Tom: What if there isn't?
Scott: *sigh*
Tom: You once told me that you knew you were going to marry Lori the second you met her. If that isn't true love, I don't know what is.
Scott: *lifts eyes*
Tom: Come on, I'll drive you back to the resort.
Scott: Do me a favour first. *pulls baggie out of pocket* Get rid of this.
Tom: *looks down at bag*
Scott: Katie seemed to think it was funny.
Tom: *grabs bag* Someone needs to talk to her about that.
Resort, outside, 30 minutes later
Katie: *leans against wall*
Lori: *walks over* Mother, you don't smoke.
Katie: I know, I just like to see it burn. Makes me feel important.
Lori: What are you, 13?
Katie: Here, lighten up and have a smoke. *hands over cigarette*
Lori: *looks down at cigarette* I don't smoke.
Katie: Neither do I.
Lori: It smells weird. What did you lace it with?
Katie: Just a little coke. That small child selling them down the street said it added a 'kick'.
Lori: *drops cigarette, steps on it* So you're the one who put 3 mini bottles of vodka under Dad's pillow.
Katie: I would never.
Lori: Knock it off.
Katie: Everyone around here is so boring. I figured I'd juice up therapy.
Lori: By juicing up everyone else.
Katie: A little dope never hurt anyone.
Lori: *frowns* Excuse me?
Katie: It's like anything. Good in moderation.
Lori: *tilts head* I took my first hit when I was 8. By the time I was 13, I was prostituting myself for 10 dollars worth of crack just so I wouldn't go through withdrawal. I've had 5 STDs and 6 abortions. Tom overdosed twice and Scott abandoned his family, then wrote out his suicide note so the next time you feel the need to tell me that a little dope never hurt anyone, shut your face instead. *walks away*
Katie: *stares blankly*
Living area, 5pm
Instructor: Okay, now that we're all convened, let's start with some open and honest discussion of our relationships. My name's Debbie, I'm here to make sure this goes smoothly. *looks at Speed* We'll start with you. Do you think there's room for improvement with your relationship?
Speed: Definitely.
Debbie: In what areas do you think need improvement?
Speed: Well, *looks at Katie* I'd like for us to consult more on important purchases.
Katie: Stop being such a tight-ass about it and we'd be fine.
Scott: *lifts eyes*
Tom: *crosses arms*
Katie: *looks around* What? Tim got a promotion, we have money.
Speed: I would like to help pay for my child's education.
Katie: *looks at Speed* What child?
Speed: Brook.
Katie: I thought Tom had that covered.
Speed: *stares at Katie*
Debbie: How does it make you feel to find out your partner has spent money you both didn't approve of?
Speed: Irritated.
Katie: I thought we shared the money.
Speed: We do.
Katie: So let me have money.
Speed: Katie, you can't just spend willy nilly. We have a budget.
Katie: Lori spends money like it's going out of style.
Lori: Um, Lori spends money to pay for the house, the bills, the kids, the food, you know...grown-up things.
Katie: And I suppose those 200 dollar pair of sunglasses were just part of the bills.
Lori: There's a big difference between sunglasses and boob jobs.
Katie: Hey, just wait until you get to my age.
Debbie: Okay, let's get back to the areas of improvement. Lori, where do you feel your marriage could be improved?
Lori: *takes Scott's hand* I'd like it if he was around more.
Debbie: Scott, does that seem reasonable to you?
Scott: It does. I agree completely.
Lori: Oh, and it'd be nice if he wasn't attracted to another woman.
Scott: *looks at Lori*
Lori: But I forgive you. *nods curtly*
Scott: *smirks*
Debbie: Tom, how about you?
Tom: Uh...
Anni: *looks at Tom*
Tom: *stares blankly*
Anni: I think I'd field this.
Debbie: *smiles*
Anni: We really do need to spend more time together and really open up with one another. I think one of our main problems is there are some issues that I just can't get him to talk about, especially with regards to intimacy.
Debbie: *writing* Okay, let's talk about that.
Tom: Whoa, hold on. We have no intimacy problems.
Anni: ...I don't.
Tom: *looks at Anni*
Anni: *stares at Tom*
Tom: What the hell problems do I have?
Anni: I just feel like for the past year, we haven't been as close as I'd like.
Tom: And that's my fault.
Anni: Some of it's definitely my fault but I really want you to be open with me about yourself.
Tom: I don't understand what you're getting at.
Anni: Your childhood. You know, with your father an-
Tom: Stop. That has nothing to do with how close we've been for the past year. If you want to psycho-analyze intimacy issues, take a look at yourself and why you've been screwing around with Scott.
Anni: It's complicated.
Tom: No, it's very simple. You two couldn't control your hormones so don't make this about me.
Anni: Maybe there was a reason I found comfort in someone else, Tom. You ever think about that?
Tom: Okay. I'm a crappy husband. Let's move on.
Anni: *crosses arms*
Debbie: Maybe we should take a break.
TBC......................................
