ACT IV

INT – THE CRAWFORDS’ HOUSE – DAY

In the basement apartment, Nora helps Maddie put on the finishing touches. Maddie wears a simple satin wedding gown: spaghetti straps, floor-length, no lace or beads. Nora’s dress is similar in style, in a pale pink.

NORA

You have the garter for the something blue, and the dress for something new. What’s your something old and something borrowed?

MADDIE

The shoes are borrowed – I borrowed them from Joseph’s friend Auburn.

She raises the hem of her gown to show a pair of silver high-heeled sandals, with straps that wind up her calves. Nora giggles and covers her mouth with her hand.

NORA

She gave you do-me shoes!

MADDIE

Well, if you want to get done … I’m glad you finally get to meet her, she’s awesome. She’s one of my favorite people ever. I don’t really have something old, though.

NORA

The shoes will have to do for both, then.

Maddie gives Nora a quick hug.

MADDIE

Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you.

NORA

(blushing)

Of course you could have.

MADDIE

With no mom and no sisters? No way. I had to have a best friend, or this wedding would have been just chicken wings and a tape deck.

Nora laughs and hugs her back.

There’s a knock at the door.

BEN

It’s me. Are you decent?

MADDIE

Decent enough for company.

Nora lets him in. He pauses and whistles.

BEN

Wow, kid.

MADDIE

Do I look like a bride?

BEN

You look like a princess. Gage and Dylan just got here, so we’re about ready to do this thing, I think.

(to Nora)

Can we have a minute?

NORA

Oh – okay. Sure. I’ll be just outside.

She leaves. Maddie turns back to the mirror and Ben stands at her side. He takes the jewelry box out of his suit jacket pocket and gives it to her.

BEN

I know you weren’t planning to wear a lot of jewelry, but I just remembered these yesterday and thought you might want them.

She opens the box reverently.

MADDIE

Oh, Ben … Mom’s wedding pearls.

BEN

I meant to give them to you yesterday but they got kind of lost in the madness. What do you think?

MADDIE

Absolutely. They’re beautiful. They’re perfect. Thank you, Benny.

She hugs him, teary-eyed.

MADDIE

They’d be okay with this, wouldn’t they?

BEN

They’d be okay with it. They’d be glad you’re marrying a good guy. That’s the most important thing.

She nods, looking at the box.

MADDIE

(whispering)

What if…I’m not sure?

Ben is shocked a moment.

BEN

What has Dylan done? Did he say something –

MADDIE

Nothing! Nothing. It’s not him. I … he’s great, you’re right about that, he’s done so much to make this marriage happen and he put off graduating for a year so we could get married and have a proper honeymoon and he’s taking me to Wales, for crying out loud … he’s going to make a great husband.

BEN

But?

MADDIE

But what if I’m not ready to be a wife?

BEN

Sweetheart, if you have any doubts at all –

MADDIE

It’s not doubt, exactly. I had plans. I wanted to see the world. I wanted to travel and experience things. But you get married and then you’ve got responsibilities, and there will be kids someday …

BEN

You can still travel, honey. You can still experience things. You’ll just be doing it with your husband. I mean, look at me, I had plans for years too, but never actually did any of it until Joseph prodded me into it.

She nods sadly. He watched her, worried.

MADDIE

Tell me what to do, Ben, because I don’t know what to do.

BEN

I can’t do that, Mads. If your heart is telling you that this isn’t right, then we’ll stop this whole thing right now. But if your heart is telling you that you want to be Dylan’s wife and there’s nothing to be afraid of … you just have to listen to your heart.

Maddie closes her eyes a moment. She inhales, nods and looks up at him, smiling.

MADDIE

Okay. Will you help me put this on?

She takes out the necklace and gives it to Ben.

BEN

So, we’re doing this?

MADDIE

Yes. My heart says yes. I’m getting married. I’m getting married!

Ben kisses her forehead and helps her put the necklace on.

EXT – THE CRAWFORDS’ HOUSE – DAY

The tent is decorated with pink flowers and white ribbons. A DJ plays a CD of classical organ music for the prelude. About thirty chairs are set up in two sections, and they are mostly full. The entire cast is present, even those we haven’t met yet.

Auburn sits beside Joseph and kisses his cheek.

AUBURN

How’s young love doing?

JOSEPH

They’re running a little late, but no cause to panic yet.

AUBURN

I meant you.

JOSEPH

Oh! Er, well, we’re fine. He asked me to stay over for the first time last night.

AUBURN

Joseph! That’s wonderful. And adorable. You two are courting each other like it’s 1910.

JOSEPH

If it were 1910 we’d have to just be very, very close friends.

The pastor comes to the front of the tent, followed by Dylan and Gage. Ethan goes to the DJ and whispers something to him. The DJ changes the music to “The Book of Love” by the Magnetic Fields.

AUBURN

(whispers)

Of course. These kids are too hip for Wagner.

JOSEPH

(whispers)

Individuality is the thing now.

Nora walks down the aisle, looking nervous and clutching her bouquet with both hands. She pauses to smile at her father, HARRISON UNDERWOOD, who’s sitting a few rows behind Joseph and Auburn.

Auburn is enchanted by the sight of her.

AUBURN

(whispers)

Who is that?

JOSEPH

(whispers)

That’s Nora Underwood, Harrison’s daughter. She and Maddie have been friends since grade nine.

AUBURN

(whispers)

That’s Nora? The last time I saw her she was this skinny little thing … she grew up.

When Nora reaches the front, Maddie and Ben stand at the opening of the tent. All the guests rise to watch her walk down the aisle. She’s glowing with happiness, and Dylan has a look of quiet pride as he watches her.

They stop at the end of the aisle, and the song ends.

PASTOR

Who gives this woman?

BEN

Her family does.

He kisses Maddie’s forehead and gives her hand to Dylan, then sits in the front row beside Ethan. Joseph leans forward to pat his back, and Ben looks back at him with a smile.

PASTOR

Friends, we gather here today to celebrate the union of Madeline and Dylan. These young people have decided to make their commitment in the eyes of God and this company, and we are honored and joyful to bear witness.

Madeline and Dylan have asked some of their friends and family to open this ceremony by reading some beloved poetry.

JOSEPH

(whispers to Auburn)

I’m up.

He goes to the front of the tent, carrying a small book of poetry.

JOSEPH

Maddie – Madeline – asked me to read her favorite poem. This is Sonnet LXXXI, by Pablo Neruda.

He winks at Maddie, who beams back at him. He opens the book.

JOSEPH

(reads)

And now you’re mine. Rest with your dream in my dream.
Love and pain and work should all sleep, now.
The night turns on its invisible wheels,
and you are pure beside me as a sleeping amber.
No one else, Love, will sleep in my dreams. You will go,
we will go together, over the waters of time.
No one else will travel through the shadows with me,
only you, evergreen, ever sun, ever moon.
Your hands have already opened their delicate fists
and let their soft drifting signs drop away;
your eyes closed like two gray wings, and I move
after, following the folding water you carry, that carries
me away. The night, the world, the wind spin out their destiny.
Without you, I am your dream, only that, and that is all.

By the end his eyes are fixed on Ben, whose eyes are suspiciously bright.

Joseph sits and Auburn pats his back. Ben turns in his chair.

BEN

(whispers)

That’s perfect.

JOSEPH

(whispers)

Maddie has good taste.

Ben pats Joseph’s knee and turns again to watch the ceremony.

EXT – THE CRAWFORDS’ HOUSE –NIGHT

The supper has been eaten and the chairs and tables have been moved aside to make room for dancing.

THE DJ

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Mr. and Mrs. Dylan Griffiths!

Dylan and Maddie come out onto the dance floor, holding hands, as people applaud.

THE DJ

Dylan and Maddie will now dance their first dance as husband and wife.

The DJ puts on “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” by Iron & Wine. Dylan and Maddie hold tight to each other and – surprising everyone – start waltzing to the song. They look only at each other, deeply in love and in a world of their own.

Ben watches them for a few minutes, then sighs and leaves the tent. He climbs the steps to the house, but doesn’t go inside since Joseph is sitting on the porch swing. Ben sits beside him and pats his thigh.

JOSEPH

They’re waltzing. Those kids are full of surprises.

BEN

They’ve been taking lessons, just for this one song.

JOSEPH

They’ll use it again. Waltzing is a valuable life skill, like knowing how to pick the best tomatoes or being able to find the best sales.

They smile at each other.

JOSEPH

Are you still worried?

BEN

Of course. But, the deed is done, the license is signed, and the wedding night will take place like many other wedding nights before it. And then he’s taking her to Wales.

(he pauses a moment)

Her heart said yes.

JOSEPH

Good for her. I am a firm believer in listening to your heart. I think making it last is the hard part, to tell you the truth. But they think they can do it, and more power to them. Bon chance.

BEN

Yeah. Bon chance. Joseph … I …

He sighs. Joseph looks at him and waits for him to finish his thought.

BEN

You’re the one for me. You know that?

This is not what Joseph expected him to say.

JOSEPH

What?

BEN

I am in love with you. I love you. And when I listen to my heart, it tells me, you are the one for me. You are it. I need you to know that.

JOSEPH

Ben, wow, I love you too, I just never thought – God, kiss me.

They kiss on the swing, holding hands.

BEN

I’ve been thinking about what you said the other night, about me having my own life, and you’re right. It’s time. It’s past time. I want my own life and I want you in it.

JOSEPH

I’m in your life, Ben. Look, what I said, I was just upset. I didn’t mean it.

BEN

No, you did, and that’s okay. You’re right. Move in with me. Us. It’ll be us for a while longer but after that it’ll be just you and me. You and me for as long as you want. I hope for the rest of your life. Do you want that, Joseph? Do you — do you want to be with me?

Joseph holds him and leans their foreheads together.

BEN

Say something.

JOSEPH

Can’t. Too happy.

BEN

Does that mean yes?

JOSEPH

(laughing)

Yes. Yes. It means yes.

They kiss a few more times and then Ben pulls Joseph to his feet. They hold each other and sway to the music, as the camera pulls up and up and up …

Fade out.

END ACT IV

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